Yes, I know it’s spelled Steak Diane, but I’m spelling it the same as my middle name.

1/3 c. non-fat half & half

1 1/2 t. cornstarch

4 (5 oz.) filets mignon, 1-inch thick

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 t. butter, divided

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1 T. shallots, finely chopped

1/3 c. beef broth

1 T. brandy or sherry

1/2 t. Dijon mustard

2 t. Worcestershire

In a small bowl which together half & half and cornstarch. Set aside.

Pat the filets dry and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of butter to non-stick skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the steaks to the pan and cook each side for 5 minutes for medium rare or 1-2 minutes more per side for medium. Remove from pan, cover, and set aside.

Add the remaining teaspoon of butter, then the mushrooms and shallots. Cook for 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Pour in the beef broth, and brandy/sherry and stir, straping the brown bits from the bottom. Stir in the half & half and cornstarch mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in mustard and Worcestershire.

Top each steak with 1/4 cup of sauce.

Serves 4

Simple, traditional, always tasty.

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1/3 c. chicken broth

1/8 t. dried thyme

2 t. sugar or honey

1 t. butter

2 t. olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 T. flour

Salt & pepper, to taste

In a very small saucepain, stir together vinegar, broth, thyme, and sugar/honey, and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces by half and is syrupy, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in butter, remove from heat and keep warm.

While sauce cooks, cover the chicken in plastic wrap and pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Lightly coat each chicken breast with flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a medium-high non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side or until very well browned. Reduce heat to medium, turn the chicken, and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan, cover and cook for 2 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Place the chicken on plates and drizzle with 1 1/ tablespoons of the balsamic glaze over each chicken.

Serves 4

What a difference a year makes! Can you believe it’s been a year since I had my gastric bypass surgery?! So much about my life has changed (read: improved!) over the past 12 months, but let’s look at the numbers first.

Here are all of the stats and numbers. I’ve never posted the numbers, but today I am! All of the “before” numbers are based on the day of surgery and the “after” numbers were taken today.

Weight

Pre-Op: 297 lbs…..Today: 154 lbs

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Pre-Op: 45.2 (obese range)…..Today: 23.0 (normal range) (I’m 5’8″)

Neck Measurement

Pre-Op: 18″…..Today: 13.75″…..Total Inches Lost: 4.25″

Chest (Rib Cage) Measurement

Pre-Op: 53.5″…..Today: 37″…..Total Inches Lost: 16.5″

Waist Measurement

Pre-Op: 58″…..Today: 33″…..Total Inches Lost: 25″

Hip Measurement

Pre-Op: 60″…..Today: 35″…..Total Inches Lost: 25″

Left Upper Arm Measurement

Pre-Op: 16.25″…..Today: 12″…..Total Inches Lost: 4.25″

Right Upper Arm Measurement

Pre-Op: 16″…..Today: 12″…..Total Inches Lost: 4″

Left Upper Thigh Measurement

Pre-Op: 23″…..Today: 18″…..Total Inches Lost: 5″

Right Upper Thigh Measurement

Pre-Op: 24″…..Today: 18″…..Total Inches Lost: 5″

Dress Size

Pre-Op: 28-30…..Today: 10 (Full Disclosure…I have everything from a size 8 to a size 12 in my closet)

Ring Size

Pre-Op: 9…..Today: 6 (I think I may drop to a 5 1/2 though)

TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 143 lbs.

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 90″

HEALTH

The #1 reason I opted for weight loss surgery was because of my out-of-control type 2 diabetes. My diabetes resolved itself within a week of surgery. My blood sugars immediately normalized. For those of you in the medical field or in the diabetes world these numbers might mean something to you…my pre-surgery A1C was 9.8. When I had my A1C tested again in March it was 4.6.

Since having surgery, my blood pressure occasionally is borderline high, but it’s usually tested during stressful times. All of my other labs and tests have come back perfect. I am in good health! I’ve had no complications from the surgery.

The bizarre peroneal mononeuropathy that happened back in November has naturally resolved itself too. The nerves in my calves and feet has regenerated, and everything has been back to normal. It took a couple of months for things to return to normal, but all seems well with my stems now! I try to limit how long I cross my legs though. I’ve noticed that if I cross my legs for a long period of time, I will feel some temporary numbness.

My energy level is so much higher than it was before my surgery. I guess my body was exhausted just from carrying around all of that extra weight. I’ve noticed that I don’t have the little aches and pains like I did before. I don’t get winded shopping or walking in the parking lot. I can handle stairs just fine.

FOOD

I can and do eat pretty much whatever I want. I don’t eat like a bird like most people would assume. I would say I eat a child’s size portion of food. I try to primarily stick to eating protein. I try to limit carbs, but I’m certainly not perfect with this.I eat a lot of cheese, beans, nuts, and chicken. There aren’t many things I flat-out can’t eat, but I do avoid raw veggies, fruits, and breads. I don’t eat many salads just because I really have to chew it to mush to avoid throwing it up. The only food that I just avoid completely are bananas.

A typical day of food would be a cheese stick (string cheese) and peanuts for breakfast, low-fat minestrone soup for lunch, and baked chicken/rice/veggies for dinner. I drink a lot of diet green tea and Diet Coke. Trust me, I am not a hardcore health nut by any stretch. You will find me munching on popcorn, chips and salsa, mashed potatoes, pizza…it’s just in a much smaller portion now.

I’ve never had a big sweet tooth (and thanks to my diabetic past, I’ve been trained to avoid them), but I due tend to experience Dumping Syndrome if I eat more than a bite or two of something too sweet.

EXERCISE

Okay, I’m horrible with this. I never hit the gym — the usual excuses…too busy, too tired, too lazy. I got on a big running kick towards the end of last summer and into the fall, but everything had to stop due to the peroneal mononeuropathy. I think I’ve gone running three times in all of 2012! (Cringe) I have been trying to walk/jog with the twins after dinner. We’ve been doing this for about a month, but it really doesn’t feel like exercise. It’s more like a stroll with my kids.

I know I need to get on the ball. I’m at a point now in my journey where I really need to start focusing on toning-up. Desperately need to hit the weight machines! I will try to be better, I promise.

PSYCHOLOGICAL

The first six months post-op were a whirlwind. I was dropping huge amounts of weight so quickly that my brain couldn’t keep up. There were times when I felt almost disoriented when I looked in the mirror because I couldn’t recognize the woman in the reflection. Around December, the weight loss pretty much came to a three month stop. It was frustrating, but it did give me some time to accept the changes. Now I’m at a point where I have a very hard time recognizing myself when I see my pre-op photos. I’ve accepted that this is how I look now, but it sure did take a while to accept it.

The sad reality is that people treat me differently now than they did pre-op. I had spoken to a few others who had my surgery done before I underwent the knife, and they all told me I would be surprised at how differently strangers would treat me once I lost a lot of weight. They were right. Men hold the door open for me, women tend to be chatty with me, even the twins’ classmates don’t seem intimated by me. I could cite off dozens and dozens of examples of this.

Once most of the weight had come off, I started to go out more with friends and co-workers. When you’ve been extremely overweight most of your adult life, it is strange to walk into a bar and have eyes on you. I’m used to being invisible. I am not used to having guys offering to buy me a drink or even looking at me. I’m not used to it.

Back in October I encountered an asshole who told me “once a fat girl, always a fat girl.” You know what? That’s true. I feel offended when I hear other people make fat jokes. I feel personally affronted by it. I think I will always be that 300 lbs girl in my own head.

MY “WOW” MOMENTS

My surgeon had told me when this whole journey began to really pay attention to the “wow” moments. I’ve had many moments in the past 12 months that were just unreal to me.

• I’ve cried (happy tears) in many dressing rooms.
• When I realized I could shop at any store I wanted to. When I was a size 28, I was pretty much limited to three stores. One of my biggest wow moments was when I walked into designer stores for the very first time!
• Wearing a belted top.
• When the scale went below 200 lbs.
• Going out in public in a sleeveless top.
• Being able to fit on the playground equipment while playing with the twins.
• Not worrying about whether or not the seat belt would fit me on my flight to Seattle.
• Not getting sweaty when shopping at one of those big box stores. In fact, just simply not being sweaty all the time. Now I tend to be cold more times than not.
• Being excited about upcoming trips to amusement parks because I’m not panicky about whether or not I will be able to fit on the rides.
• Rediscovering my jawbone…and collarbone…and rib cage.

And there are so many others!

AM I DONE YET?

If I never lost another pound, I would be fine with it. Now I’m more focused on toning-up and my loose skin issues. The reality is that regardless of how hard I hit the gym, there will still be loose skin issues unless I get another surgeon involved. You can’t lose almost 150 lbs in less than a year and not expect some skin issues. I knew that going into this surgery. It’s a small price to pay.

The problem areas…

1. Lower tummy! Everything south of my belly button is just disgusting. Truly disgusting. I bet there is about 10 lbs of skin that needs to be chopped off and tightened there. When I was at my heaviest, I carried most of my weight in the midsection, and then let’s not forget that I’ve been through a twin pregnancy. It’s no surprise that this is the disgusting area.
2. BOOBS! Hey guess what? Boobs are pretty much just fat. So, they packed up and left along with all of the other fat. (Not that I was working with much to begin with.) They must and will be replaced at some point. Soon.
3. Wings! The under arm loose skin is pretty bad. This is one of the areas that I hope the gym will help with because the after results on getting that area nipped and tucked doesn’t look very good at all.
4. Upper Inner Thigh! Again, I hope the gym can help in this area.

Despite the loose skin issues, I am so happy with how everything turned out! A year ago, I never imagined being 150 lbs and a size 10. I didn’t even know that was possible for me. My pre-op goal was to be under 200 lbs and a size 20.

OTHER TIDBITS

• Even a year later, I still don’t know how to order food at restaurants. What’s the old saying?…my eyes are bigger than my stomach? I always order more than I can possibly eat. I’m the Queen of the Doggie Bag.
• I used to only buy things with an elastic waist, now I hate anything with elastic.
• Since I had the surgery so soon after moving to San Antonio, all of the new people I have met since moving never saw me overweight. I’ve told a few of them (usually requiring a “before” photo too), but some I haven’t told. It has been a new life for me here, and I’ve consciously left the old me behind for the most part.
• I feel strange and never know to respond to someone who says, ‘Don’t you feel proud of yourself?!’ Yes, I am proud of how I look now, but I acknowledge that the surgery did all the hard work for me.

Weight loss surgery isn’t for anyone, but it was the BEST thing I’ve EVER done for myself! Hands down. No debate. No regrets…not even for one second.

Take a look at my journey over the past year in the slideshow…

Last night at dinner, Kate announced that she has decided that when she grows up she wants to attend Princeton for college. She was very serious and resolute with this announcement. I asked her why she picked Princeton, she said, “Because Princeton is where princesses go to learn how to be princesses. Princeton!”

Princeton, eh? I guess it’s time to get a second job!

PHOTO: Carson is obsessed with mud! He created this mess right as I was about to put dinner on the table.

Anyway, one of the events is Taste of New Orleans. Kiddie rides, music, yummy cajun food vendors! It was extremely hot and sunny, but we had a nice time (and managed to get a tan). Afterwards, we rode the kiddie train (again) and walked around the park.

2/3 c. instant brown rice

3/4 c. canned black beans, rinsed & drained

1/4 c. frozen corn, thawed

1/2 c. red pepper, diced

1 medium green onion, finely diced

1 medium lime

2 T. cilantro, chopped

1/4 t. salt

Place rice and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 0 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and fluff rice with a fork.

Immediately add beans, corn, red pepper, green onion, and lime juice to the rice. Toss gently to combine, and cover. Let sitt for 3-4 minutes to warm everything. Remove cover, stire in cilantro and salt to taste.

Serves 4

Yesterday, Kate had it removed. She was so incredibly brave, and I was a nervous wreck. We had to get up very early, and I dropped Carson off at school. They told us to get there super early, but once we got there they were delayed. We ended up having to wait almost 4 hours before she finally went into surgery. This was no easy task with a little girl who was fasting and wanted to go home. I kept her busy with lots of coloring and reading books. I was so proud of how brave she was, and she stayed strong. I explained to her that she was having her eye fixed, and the nurse was going to give her something that would make her sleepy. She did great until it was time to get into her hospital gown and lay in the hospital bed. That’s when she got scared and started crying. It broke my heart! I climbed in the hospital bed with her and read her books for another hour.

This is what her eye looked like a few weeks before surgery…

Once the surgery was over, the doctor described as the tip of the iceberg…meaning that once he got in there, what we saw on the surface of her skin was small compared to how much of the gland was clogged under the surface. He removed the entire gland and put in one stitch.

Kate thought it was cool that they gave us matching mother-daughter bracelets. Here we are before she was prepped, showing our bracelets.

Waiting on surgery…lots of waiting…

In recovery…It killed me to see my baby like this, but I was glad the surgery was over. Once she woke up, I got a preview of what she will act like drunk. It took her almost 2 hours to go back to normal. It was actually pretty funny watching her.

Almost ready to go home…

Now she is home and pretty much back to normal. I am amazed at how quickly she has bounced back. She stayed home from school today, but has the thumbs up to return tomorrow.

I want to thank everyone who sent Kate prayers and good thoughts on Facebook.

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 c. chicken broth

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chile peppers

1 T. snipped fresh oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

2 c. milk

1 c. chopped cooked chicken

1 c. chopped tomatoes

1 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a blender, combine half of the corn and the chicken broth; cover and blend until nearly smooth.

In a large saucepan, combine corn puree, remaining corn, chile peppers, garlic, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in milk, cooked chicken, tomatoes, and oregano; heat through. Remove from heat. Add cheese; stir until melted.

Serves 4