2 Month Surgiversary

So today is my 2 month surgiversary. I am posting the pictures although I don't think they really show the weight loss because my shirt is baggy. (The gray shirt is in the wash so I grabbed the white one.)

I have been going to the gym since joining last Tuesday. I've been 3 times and my goal is to go every day this next week, excluding Sunday. I'm getting a little faster on the treadmill and am burning about 300 calories and walking 2.25 miles each time. Afterwards I do some weight training for my upper body. My legs and hips are losing more weight and inches than my abdomen which is where I need it the most. Today I started working on the abdominal muscles on the Nautilus equipment.

Here's to another successful month!

OH MY GoodNESS!

Ok...so I've measured my body twice since beginning this journey. I was astonished at how large my body was. I mean to see the numbers...WHEW! What an eye opener.

The last time I measured I had lost a total of 14+ inches. I finally measured again today. OH WOW!!!

I have lost a total of....(drum roll please) 26.5 inches from my body.

Here's the breakdown:
neck: -1 inch
arm: -.25 inch
chest: -4 inches
waist: -4.75 inches
hips: -9 inches!!!!!!
thighs: -7.5 inches!!! 

What the heck? I can't believe that my hips and thighs were so much bigger than they are now. No wonder I can move better!

It was an eye opener that I need to do more for my upper body to lose inches.

Non scale victory- Today I went to the gym and walked 1.6 miles in 30 minutes.

Yippie!!!!

A great few days weight wise!

On Friday I had to go shopping again for some more clothes. I went to Avenue because I saw that they were having a sale of 60-70% off on some of their clearance merchandise. I tried on several pairs of jeans and found one that fit perfectly.

Guess what size it is? It's a size 16!!!! AND they fit!!! AND I bought them! I got some tops that were on sale for $7 too. My daughter and I went back on Saturday and I purchased a top in a size 14/16! A. MAY. ZING! It's a great feeling to be buying smaller sizes.

I've had some non-scale victories as well. Yesterday I had to clean up my son's room. He loves Star Wars stuff and had a little play area set up with rocks and figures and ships and animals...it could have been a movie set. I really needed to vacuum in there but couldn't do it around all the stuff so I had to sit on the floor and put things away in bins and pull things out from under the bed...you know how it is...especially if you have boys.

Anyway...at one point I noticed how easy it was to reach and move to get what I wanted and I had the realization that as I've lost weight my body has really changed. I used to get so sweaty and exhausted when I did tasks like that but yesterday I could move without feeling like I was exerting myself. As I drove to the doctor's office I thought about how it felt the "day I woke up fat". I remember sitting on the floor with my 5 month old baby wearing a pair of jeans that were probably two sizes too small. I remember the feeling in my legs and feeling like my legs were stuffed into my skin. The reality was that my fat was making my skin stretch in my legs. I hated the feeling. Unfortunately I got used to it and packed on even more weight over the years.

But yesterday I had the opposite sensation. It was a small epiphany for me.

I did go to my 6 week weight check and nutrition class yesterday. It was really the beginning of the 8th week for me because I am a little behind my meetings due to the holidays.

I always dress "light" on the days I have to weigh in. Had it not been so cold outside I would have worn Capri pants and a light blouse. Instead, I chose my light weight khaki pants and a new cotton top. I always step on the scale with great trepidation, even when I expect to see a loss. "Will it be enough? Do I only think I've lost and I've really gained?"

So I stepped on the scale and the nurse said, "Oh WOW! You're doing REALLY good." Then she wrote down the number, did a short calculation and announced that I've lost a total of 47 pounds! I was ecstatic!

The nutrition class was great. I am allowed to eat any foods that agree with me including raw vegetables so that means I can now have salad. I've been craving salad!

The next part of this process is to join the gym. I need to tone up and firm up some of these muscles so that I can get rid of my "front butt". I've said before to some people that I have two butts. One regular butt and one butt in the front where I used to have a stomach! I need to get that firmed up. It will NEVER be what it was without surgery. TOO many babies and WAY TOO much weight have stretched that skin out to the point that it will never go back to being smooth. It will always be flabby and saggy. However, it can be smaller. I need a smaller "front butt". I have a friend, Sharon, who has a blog called My Other Butt (you can click on that and see her blog). I was introduced to her blog by another mutual friend and was intrigued right away because I KNEW she knew what I was experiencing. Her "other butt" is almost gone! She had a lap band procedure and has done GREAT!

So I'm feeling really good about my decision to have the surgery! It has been a tremendous tool for me! I can sense my thoughts about food changing as well. I finally threw out cookies and goodies that we made over Christmas. I don't think that would have ever happened before...mostly because I would have felt the need to eat anything that was in my house.

I'm now in the next lowest 10's for weight. I have not seen these numbers since the birth of my 2nd daughter almost 24 years ago!

I haven't decided when I will tell what my starting weight was. Yesterday I saw the picture of me that they took on my initial consultation with the doctor in June. I didn't even recognize the girl in the photo. It kind of gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I did that all to myself. I can't dwell on the reasons why. I just have to keep moving forward and let go of all that.

Here's to another great week!

Do These Genes Make Me Look Fat

Got this pic from here: http://www.losinghalfmyweight.com/

Update...I'm now down a total of 44 pounds since June and 28 pounds since my surgery 6 weeks ago. I am feeling pretty normal and am eating regular food. I'm not making perfect choices with food but it was Christmas and we baked too much. I'm not gorging myself though. I have had more baked goods than I should have. 

I was down to only 1 pair of pants fitting me and lots of tops are looking WAY too big and baggy on me. I had to go get a new pair of jeans. I didn't want to get too many because I know in another 4 weeks I will need a smaller size.

I went to try jeans on the other day at a couple of places. I grabbed a couple of different sizes, 18's and 20's and by accident grabbed a size 16. The first pair I tried on and got zipped and they looked awful and my fat rolls were totally obvious because it popped out the top! Talk about a muffin top! It was more like an inner tube over flowing my pants BUT not only did they go up my thighs but they actually fit over my hips AND zipped up!!! When I looked at the size it was a 16! I did a little happy dance in the dressing room knowing that in about 20 more pounds I will fit into it for real!

It took several places of trying on jeans...mostly because I can't see spending more than $20 on a pair of pants right now. I finally purchased one pair and came home a happy girl. I have some shirts that I need to get rid of as well as some other pants. I'll purge my closet tomorrow. It's almost time for a new black skirt because in another couple of weeks I won't have anything to wear to church. I'm solidly in a size 18/20 top but it has to be a women's size. They are cut fuller than a junior size 18.

Another 2.6 pounds and I'll be in the next lowest 10's for my weight. Again...some day I will confess my highest weight but I'm not ready to do that now.

Things I need to work on:

• Eating more protein.
• Writing down everything I eat during the day.
• Drinking more water.
• Taking my vitamins every day.

People who haven't seen me for a while are noticing how much I've lost and it feels great! Here's to a better week! Happy New Year...Happy New ME!

Pics

Got on the scale this morning and I'm now down 26 pounds since my surgery and 38 pounds since my initial consultation in June. I'm feeling better and better and went to try clothes on in a store yesterday. I can now fit into a size 20 pair of jeans. I would say that in another 10 pounds I will look better in those jeans. I didn't purchase them because I have one pair of jeans that size that fit me and when they are too big I will HAVE to purchase another pair.

Here are some pics for comparison.

 This is me back in June with my granddaughter at the zoo.

 This is November 15. The night before surgery.

This is me December 17. One month and 1 day out from surgery. 

I still have a ways to go but I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far.

There are cynics out there who will say that this is the "easy way out" but I have news for you...I've never done anything harder. It's an aid to my weight loss goals. I still have to watch what I eat...even more than I ever have. I have to exercise and keep track of what I am eating through out the day. The biggest difference is that I see a loss in weight most days that I step on the scale and it motivates me to keep going!

4 Weeks Post Op

Hard to believe that 4 weeks ago I had my surgery! I'm feeling back to normal physically and can pretty much do what I want. I need to start walking again if the weather would cooperate. It's probably time to join a gym since the weather here will only get worse over the next couple of months.

So...here are the latest stats...I got on the scale this morning and I am down 23.6 pounds since the surgery and 35.6 since my initial consultation in June. I've also lost a total of 17 inches off my body.

When I get dressed there are some clothes that appear larger to me than I remember them being. I'm sure that's because my body is getting smaller and my perspective is changing. It feels good to be able to fit into some things that I haven't worn for a while. In another 4 weeks I will have to purchase some new clothes. THAT will feel even better! I'm just trying to make due with what I have for the time being. Most all of my jeans are too big. I have one pair that fit and I'll wear those until they are falling off.

I finally went to the nutritionist yesterday for my 2 week follow up. She reminded me that I need to eat more protein. Protein helps you lose weight. I am supposed to eat 60 grams of protein a day. Yesterday I got it all in and got on the scale this morning to see a victory. It's wonderful.

So far I am able to tolerate most things. I had BBQ chicken for dinner last night but could only eat about 1/4 of a chicken breast. I also had steamed broccoli and carrots. A good dinner and filling. I am still dealing with issues about my head hunger and my sweet tooth. It helps when I can see the numbers on the scale going down. In another .4 pounds I'll be into the next lowest 10's! I haven't seen those numbers in a long time...since 2002.

Week 3.5

So I didn't blog last week but things have been going pretty well. I started into my "Week 4, 5, 6 Soft Food Diet". This part of the diet allows me all sugar free beverages except for carbonation, caffeine and alcohol. I don't drink alcohol so that's not a big deal for me. I've also not had caffeine in a long time so I don't feel a desire for a diet coke at all.  I'm also allowed to have skim milk, low fat cream soups, soups of any kind, cooked cereal, cream of wheat, thinned grits (NASTY) mashed potatoes, crispy toasted bread, low fat cottage cheese, canned chicken, tuna, shaved deli meats, ground beef, ground turkey, cooked canned or pureed vegetables, cooked canned or pureed unsweetened apple sauce and bananas.

I actually ate chili a week ago with beans in it...didn't bother me one single bit. I only ate about 6 bites of it and I was full. The next day I tried a scrambled egg again...UGH! NOT good. A lot of people on the VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) forum say that they can't eat bread but toast has not been a problem for me at all. The diet calls for no other fats other than margarine or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray but I hate eating margarine on bread and I'm not spraying some ick on my toast. So I have used real butter sparingly on my toast without any ill effects.

The weight loss has slowed down a bit. I've only lost another 2 pounds since my last visit. I NEED to get out and do some walking. It's been so cold out in the morning that I've dreaded it and gone back to sleep. I decided that I need to join a gym where I can walk on the treadmill and use some weights to strengthen my upper arms.

I will admit to eating a cookie here and there (and they're not even whole cookies...just a bite or two) and although it's not on the diet I have not really felt "guilty" about having ONE cookie. In times past I could sit and scarf down a box in no time at all! Having your stomach fill up so fast is a benefit and really makes you not want any more than just a taste most of the time. I have overdone it on food and it's not a good feeling.

Non scale victory today...wearing a blouse that I haven't worn in about 3 years and having it be a little big!

Also took measurements and am down a total of 17 inches! It will be time for new jeans soon. I can pull of all but one smaller pair that I've had for a while, without unzipping them. Even some of my shoes are feeling looser.

People are noticing my weight loss and even my husband says I feel smaller when he hugs me. Life is good.

All I want for Christmas is to be another size down! I think I can do it!