Hobbies

What does everyone do for hobbies? I am currently going through my criteria to be approved for RNY. Current past times are finding new craft beer establishments and eating out. I realize that those won't be options for me anymore so I wondered what other people do for entertainment or to keep their brains from thinking about food.

I can relate - before my RNY, one of my favorite past times was drinking wine and visiting wineries. That had to change QUICKLY to qualify for surgery.

I've always enjoyed shopping, but since my surgery, my body size has changed rapidly, and I can no longer justify paying full price for clothes. So, in the spirit of "I'll be wearing this size for a month or two (at most)" my hobby is thrifting. I challenge myself to find the nicest clothes (brand names like Talbots, etc.) for the least expensive price at thrift stores. I have been shopping in thrift stores all my life, but since my RNY in June, I've been on a mission to find great deals. I'm on all the local thrift store's frequent shopper programs and I get emails alerting me to 50% off sales. I buy household goods from the thrift store too, but my favorite thing to snag is cute clothes at great prices!

This is me so much!

I am the Thrift Shopping QUEEN! And even now that I've been in maintenance for several months now, I can't help it... I still thrift. It's addicting, and you get such a feeling of accomplishment when you come home with several designer and boutique clothes for so little!

Oh, and the wineries... yup. Love them... just didn't visit them for a long time... and now I have to keep it to a minimum, but still enjoy learning and sipping from time to time.

I read, write and cross stitch. Keeping your hands busy is key. Here's an example of my cross stitching.

Jen

I love that Jenn!

When I had surgery I was 350 lbs and while not sedentary, I sure wasn't super active just due to my weight and the pressure on my knees. Once I reached the high 200s, I joined a gym despite being scared I would stand out and be stared at. No one seemed to care about my weight. As the pounds came off, I graduated from just walking on the treadmill and started on the elliptical. Then I hired a personal trainer and learned to lift weights. And then I started going to classes - HiiT classes, zumba dance classes, spin classes, Bollywood dance classes - anything they offered. It was awesome and got me out of the house, made me strong and toned, and I met a lot of awesome people. Not everyone falls in love with exercise, and I certainly never thought I would, but once you're hauling around less weight, you just may find you enjoy it!

I enjoy makeup and photography. I also spend a lot of my times with my dogs. I just started volunteering once a week at a cat rescue as well. Ive been thinking about making jewlery and selling it online too :)

My favorite hobby is bike riding, and I'm really missing it now that the snow is here. I swim and walk too but don't enjoy it as much.

For crafty hobbies, I like to crochet, stitch plastic canvas, and make dollhouse scale miniatures out of polymer clay.

I also love to read and play computer games.

Exercising is probably the best thing any of us can do to pass the time.

Personally I still enjoy dining out with my wife. We split most entrees. Sometimes I can just get a salad or an app. I also enjoy the odd IPA. Doesn't take nearly as much to make my brain happy. These are positive side effects of RNY.

I can still enjoy some IPA???? Oh happy dance!!! ****asionally, of course)