Happy Birthday to Me

You know it's a good day when you wake up, get in the shower and feel skinny!! Thanksgiving is an easy holiday for me. I feel like there are a lot of good choices as far as the food is concerned. Luckily for me, my mom is a health nut and food nazi, so very little bad foods and snacks are ever around for any holiday. I did try almost everything at dinner, but ended up leaving some food on my plate that my mom just wrapped up for me to take home. Then, when it was time for her to make me up a care package, I just pointed out the foods that were good for me or that I hadn't tried. It worked out great and I didn't miss out on a thing!!

This surgery has truly changed my life. I can't even begin to explain how great I feel everyday. I never realized how uncomfortable and awful I felt every day of my life before the surgery and I also don't think I realized that it wasn't normal to feel that way. I never ache any more. I have no more back problems and my sleep apnea has gone away. It's wonderful sleeping the night through. I love walking. I look forward to doing things around the house and actually spend hours doing them versus the 10 minutes or so I used to in the past. I always gave up because I was huffing and puffing or sweating. I almost don't mind sweating anymore. Weird.

I did get some bad news on Friday. A lady from my gym called and said they were closing up shop the next day and would be closed the entire month of December. They were possibly reopening in January under new ownership and would still honor the rate I was given. I'm so upset. Nothing like giving people a lot of notice. I've been doing so incredibly well and now another gym has closed. I have my elliptical trainer downstairs, which is great and I will use, but what about all the weights I was doing?? I really don't think I'll go back in January because I just can't take these chains closing anymore. I've developed muscles again!! I don't want to be flabby. I will try to do some hand weights and see how that goes, but I can't imagine it being the same. I really am devastated. I absolutely loved doing the weighted circuit training. It was so perfect for me. 40-45 minutes and I was done. Well, I have a few days to think about it. I don't want too much time to pass because I don't want to lose what I've worked so hard to get.

And on to the results....HW 317, PSW 306.4, SW 284, CW 266.4 Now, I have officially lost over 50 pounds and I feel wonderful!!! Can't wait to get the next 50 off.

3 Months

I can't believe that it's been 3 months since my surgery. I have not done as well as I would have liked and I have no one to blame but myself. For the first time, I actually understand and know where I have gone wrong. I have been going to the gym at least 3 times a week and will start increasing my water intake and focus much more on my six meals a day. The surgeon will not be happy on December 1st, but I think I finally have things back under control again.

Results: HW 317, PSW 306.4, SW 284, CW 268.8

Stress

My stress level is beyond anything I've ever experienced before. It's not something that's going to change anytime soon and I'm just not in a very good place mentally. I have strayed from my diet a little. I did dip into the Halloween candy in the office for some tootsie rolls. I have been having more snacks then I should be having at night. I've definitely been grazing. The fill in the lapband is definitely noticeable and I'm so grateful for it. I know I could be doing much more damage then I have been, but not losing anywhere near the weight I should be. I did get back on track this week with the gym. I went Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and hope to be there at least 3 days next week as well, if not 4. I am trying, but seem to have lost some control. I'm trying to buckle down more and get back on track over the next few days so that by the time Monday rolls around, I will be OK again. I have been eating more fish to try to counteract some of the damage I've done. I have to just take a deep breath and jump back in. As I type the word TRY, I keep hearing, "Don't try, DO!!"

The unknown in life completely sucks.

HW 317, PSW 306.4, SW 284 CW 268.2

Halloween Aftermath

OK, so in my last post, I noted that all of my candy was taken by trick or treaters and there was nothing left for my house. Well, now at work, all of my co-workers are bringing in their leftover candy. Typically, it is not left at my end of the office, so it offers such little temptation if any to me. This year, there is a ton of it, not only on my side of the office, but in my direct line of sight!!! I'm sitting and eating carrots right now, which are great, but seeing chocolate is actually killing me. I know this will pass and I will forget it's there, but right now, it's almost impossible for me not to get up and grab a handful to eat. Thankfully, my past closet eating habits are kicking in and since some people in my office know I had the surgery, I could not possibly take any candy and eat it. I know, it's bad that I still have those thoughts, but I'm a work in progress.

Something that a friend of mine said to me over the weekend..."Don't say you are losing weight. Say you are getting rid of it. If you lose something you always find it."

Surgeon Follow Up and Progress Report

One thing I wanted to add about Vegas....well, actually two things. First, I had bought a seatbelt extender a couple of years ago because I did not want to be embarrassed if I had to ask for one. I didn't need it then, but I am especially happy that I didn't need it this trip. I even had a couple of inches room in the belt. Woohoo!!! At the buffets, I actually left food on my plate. This would never have happened before. Waste not, want not. I'm totally fine with leaving food on my plate, even if I can't doggy bag it. As someone said to me, they have seen a complete turn around with my life and it's true. Again, not something I ever thought would happen, but timing was just right and I did something that worked for me.

On to the surgeon follow up. I knew it. I got filled. They weren't disappointed in my weight loss over the month, but decided it was time. I had to lay down on the table with my hands under my head. I had to push out my stomach so that the port could be easily found. The needle was so long and I was scared, but they said it wouldn't hurt and they didn't lie. It was just uncomfortable. The assistant couldn't find the opening in the port and actually bent the needle and had to start over. Once he found it, he had to push pretty hard to get it in, then extract the air, unscrew the syringe, let the air out and finally put the saline in. I got filled with 2 cc's worth of saline. I have to pass a test which consists of drinking water. No problems. They don't expect there to be a problem for another couple of months. Lovely. Can't wait. After getting filled, you are on a liquid diet for 2 days since the stomach gets a little inflamed. Again, no problems eating regular foods on Saturday. Since one month is the day before Thanksgiving, I asked if it was alright if I come the following week because drinking Thanksgiving dinner would just suck. So now there will be five weeks until my next visit.

Halloween ended up not being that bad. I bought 2 huge bags of candy Friday night and it was all gone when I got home Sunday night. Nothing left for me to eat!!

Back to the gym tonight, which I'm really looking forward to. I love going and it has helped me tremendously!!

The results:HW 317, PSW 306.4, SW 284, CW 269.8 WOOHOO!! Done in the 260s now. Looking forward to the 250s very soon!!