Pro, pro, protein!

I love my protein bars.

This whole week (and probably from here on out) the department has been filled with really bad sweets. They always do an employee appreciation dinner for holidays, which consists of kind of gross stuff. It's free, so I mean what can you expect? The dinners usually consist of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes or another veggie, a drink, dinner roll and dessert usually pie. That's A LOT of food! I wasn't hungry at all today, not that the food was that appealing. I sat and ate my protein bar while everyone else mowed down their grub. A couple people asked me why I wasn't eating, and I told them I was...my protein bar!

I really like my mint chocolate crunch protein bar. It is packed with 13g of protein, 2 sugars and 8g of fiber. It isn't a large protein bar by any means, but surprisingly does the job. I don't feel like I need something sweet, because the bar already is! If I can get my protein at the same time, why not! 

Today went by painfully slow. I was counting down the hours to skid out of there. The other day, I had a patient who was quite large. She was probably 375/380lbs. While I was getting her medical history, she kept apologizing to me because she was big. I've always wondered why people apologize for their weight. She wasn't able to ambulate so we had to slide her over. It's not such a big deal because we get help of course, but I mean it does take a toll on your back after a while. Anyway, when we got finished with her exam she asked where her wallet was. We looked around on the stretcher for it, but in all honesty she took up most of it. My nurse lifted up the sheet to find the wallet wedged in between her legs stuck. After getting her wallet out so she had it safely in her hands, she started crying. I felt so bad for her. Being overweight is a pandemic. Food addiction, is just like any other addiction. 

Speaking of addictions, overweight and obese people are not the only ones to apologize. I've done several alcoholics that come in for detox and they constantly apologize. Living with an addiction is serious. No matter what scale it may be. These are or once were good people, just like you and me. They need help. I don't look down upon those who seek to help themselves, and neither should anyone else. What have you done to better yourself? 

Going through this weight loss process has given me so much more meaning to my life. I was chit chatting with a friend of mine during lunch today about weight. She had lost quite a bit of weight after a bad relationship. It was funny because she said she had more stress in the relationship, than when she got out of it! Her weight came off and if that's not LITERALLY screaming it was a bad situation, I don't know what would! After she initially lost, she found out she was diabetic. I totally support her in all of her endeavors in her health. She looks great and is healthier than I've known her to be. I can't help but think after hearing her story, if I'll drop off more weight as I deal with my baggage. Hmm...guess we'll have to see!