Waffles

Today I was going through my refrigerator and stumbled across these low fat waffles :-)

They've got 4% fat per serving, and aren't bad for being whole grain.

View Kellogg's Website!

Better'n Peanut Butter, Salad Spritzer, Butter Sprays, Fat Free Cheese, Low Fat Hot Dogs, and more!

Have you ever thought about how much fat is in the items you pick up at the store? It never occurred to me until I found out that I had Gallstones, and even then it took several attacks before I completely changed my mind about the things I was eating and drinking. 

At first it's so difficult to completely stop eating what you want, and go into "Diet Mode"... but once you realize just what's out there, your whole world starts to open up. You're not restricted to horribly bland meals day after day... and it's a lot easier to fall off the wagon if you only stick with a few things. My suggestion is this:


Throw away or give away all your perishable items that are over 5% fats. They'll just temp t you, and give you attacks. Anything that you can save that wont go bad, canned items for example, store them until your stones are gone. Then go grocery shopping. 
You'll want to eat lots of vegetables, fruit, and low fat meats like chicken, salmon, and tuna. 


As far as dining out goes, forget fast food restaurants, they'll kill you. If you do go to one, see if they have fresh salads without cheese, bacon bits (or any meat for that matter), croutons, and make sure they have fat free dressings. Italian is almost out of the question, the only thing that's safe to eat is probably just plain Spaghetti. Asian food is a great option! Sushi, rice, veggies, they're all good to eat. I highly suggest that if you don't know what ingredients are used to make something, don't get it. If you are curious, ask, and hope they're right. Also, don't be afraid to ask for the nutritional information at the restaurant. If they have it, they'll lend it to you. I put meals together from what I find out on that booklet. 




But anyway, here are some suggestions as far as products to find at the store. They're great alternatives and show you that there is more than just salad to eat :)

 

"Better 'n Peanut Butter is the all-natural product of the Wonder Natural Foods Corporation that can be used in all the ways that you now use regular peanut butter, but instead of 16 grams of fat per (32 gram) serving, Better 'n Peanut Butter delivers less than 3 grams of fat per serving and qualifies as a low fat food by USFDA standards."

Find this product at a store near you!

"Add a spritz of flavor to your salad with this deliciously light and tangy vinaigrette, made with a blend of white wine vinegar and natural flavors. Spritz as you desire. Any way you like it, you'll have a perfect salad every time. At just 1 calorie per spray*, you can reward your taste buds and your waistline."

Find this product at a store near you!

"I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Original Spray gives you great butter taste at your fingertips with 0g fat, 0 calories and 0g trans fat.* It can be used for topping cooking and so much more. Spray on great butter taste and make your favorite foods even more delicious!"

Find this product at a store near you!

Find this product at a store near you!

Find this product at a store near you!

"Minus the fat, not the flavor. Fat Free Reddi-wip offers the same great taste of Reddi-wip Original. Introduced in 1996, Fat Free lets you indulge your sweet tooth without adding the fat."

Find this product at a store near you!

"The rich, continental flavor of French Vanilla has been a signature of Parisian cafés for decades. Originating in the French style of ice cream, a little French Vanilla in your cup helps you ease into that smooth, subtle Parisian state of mind. Stir up a moment of sweet inspiration and make each cup your own with International Delight®. Also available in sugar-free and fat-free."

Find this product in a store near you!

Find this product in a store near you!

Also another great alternative for you is switching to a fat free, 1 or 2% milk. 




Using the items I posted above, good idea's for foods to eat are:


Tuna salad Sandwiches
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Grilled cheese


A Lunch/Dinner idea that kids tend to love is this:


1. Boil your hot dogs, and drain them. Cut them down the center, not in half, and set them on a baking sheet. 
2. Make a small pot of mashed potatoes (using fat free milk and the butter listed above), and place a few spoonfulls inside the middle of the sliced hot dogs, going from top to bottom.
3. Using a half a slice of cheese, put it on the top of the mashed potatoes. 


Bake them for 10-15 minutes or (until everything is hot and the cheese is melted), at 350 degrees.


Usually 2 of these are filling (and yummy!).




Enjoy!

Hello!

     Hey there! My name is Donna and I have Gallstones. I started having attacks late July 2011 when I was pregnant with my son. At first I had no idea that I had Gallstones. My attacks were random and happened only once a week, if that. Usually they'd strike when I was on the way home after a meal out with my husband, and would end up making me throw up. I was sure it was just morning sickness from my pregnancy, but I didn't think that morning sickness was accompanied by chest pain. 
    One night in August awoke around 12pm with the chest pain and difficulty breathing. My husband called my midwife and she said to go to the hospital. I was hesitant because I'd been experiencing these attacks and figured it would be over within 30 minutes, so I tried to tuff it out. After 3 hours it hadn't gone away. So to the ER I went. 
   After hours of tests and lab work and ultrasounds, they ended up sending me home, saying that it was just bad indigestion, and told me to get on an antacid. Weeks later when I spoke with my midwife she gave me a script for what was basically a strong dose of Prevacid. It did work for a while, and I had no more attacks until the end of my pregnancy. Around 35 weeks (end of December) I started having attacks again. My midwife again prescribed me Prevacid, and this was the strongest it came. My attacks disappeared until mid January, and they came back again. 
     My general doctor gave me a script for an ultrasound in February, when they discovered that I didn't have indigestion at all, I had Gallstones. They never said how big, only that my Gallbladder was full of them. This was news to me! When they called me to inform me of what they found, they told me that surgery was basically my only option. I had the consultation with the surgeon about a month ago, and he lied straight to my face about how there is no medication that can take care of the Gallstones, and that if there was I'd have to be on it for the rest of my life. The second that I said I would like to consider a medication, the surgeon got mad and said he'd let my doctor know and goodbye. 
     That only made my decision easier, I don't want a surgery by someone who is more willing to lie to my face than to tell me up front my options and kindly give his opinion on why he thinks that I may benefit from the surgery. This man was rude, and only out for money.
     
    After speaking to my general doctor, she wrote me a prescription for Ursodiol tablets and I was to pick them up in an hour at our local Walmart. Well, the tablets for a month supply ended up costing over $250.00... So I had to go without again for a few more weeks. 
    After a lot of research, I managed to find one place that delivers medication to you and it's way cheaper than most local pharmacies (unless you have great insurance!), and it's HealthWarehouse.Com. Thanks to this online pharmacy (Accredited by the BBB ;] ) I will be receiving my prescription in a week or two, and for only $35 ( rounded up I think ).




     Now, even though I'm going on a dissolving medication, I still need to maintain a low fat diet to lessen the chances of attacks, which is the point of this blog. If you think you have Gallstones, have Gallstones and are getting on medication, are having surgery and are looking for low fat recipes, or just looking for a low fat diet, I'll be posting any recipes I know or have tried that I found that will be low fat. 
     Also, I've been researching products to use in place of things like Peanut Butter, Salad Dressings, Cheese... and any that I find I will make a post on where you can find that product! 
  
  I hope you enjoy this blog & please leave any comments if you have anything to contribute as far as low fat foods and yummy recipes!