Mama Mia!

Last week was the five month anniversary of my surgery. This was significant because I've been counting the days until I can have pasta again. Only one more month to go. It had been awhile since I'd referenced my SMMC nutrition handbook so I thought I'd check it out to see what I could begin eating in the fifth month. Imagine - just try to imagine - my complete and utter joy when I discovered that pasta was allowed in the FIFTH month, not the sixth!!! And not just pasta - ALL carbs are now allowed. But wait. Before you start doing a clever little dance in my honor, let me state emphatically that carbs are ONLY to be eaten after proteins, veggies and fruits. That amounts to about one or two forkfuls of spaghetti. Is it even worth it? Yes, and here's why. I found a Barilla pasta that's enriched in Omega 3's so two ounces has 10 grams of protein. Add to that an ounce or two of extra lean ground round in the sauce and I can have my proteins AND carbs. How happy am I??? Now you can commence with the dancing.

I admit I'm a bit nervous about adding the carbs back in. They have always been my weakness and I now know that the more carbs you put in, the more you crave them. So I'm cautiously exuberant. But you know what? Just knowing I can have them is satisfaction in itself.