4 months ago...

4 months ago I had RNY surgery. It seems like so long ago when I say it, but really it feels like yesterday. As of today I have lost a total of 60 pounds since my highest weight. It feels great and sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe this is really happening to me.

I love how easily I can move my body now. I love how I feel in clothes. I am feeling more confident than ever.

The holidays (Christmas) and the cruise that I just came back from, were not particularly hard. I think because I made a decision some time ago that I would not have the following after surgery - no starchy carbs (wheat (bread and pasta), rice, potatoes), no sugar, and no processed food. Now, having said that, I have had all three either in pre-made soups or by mistake. But it hasn't been a lot and it has never been intentional. It certainly has not been enough to trigger me to want to have any of those 3 things on their own. I like to follow the rules when it comes to this, but will not beat myself up over it either. My motto is basically, "Stick with the plan".

My diet consists of a lot of protein (chicken, fish, beef, eggs, some yogurt, quinoa), vegetables (salads and green smoothies daily, homemade soup), and fruit every morning. That's it. Although some have said that it is a hard journey, I am finding it is not. I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I am hoping this lasts forever!

The difficulty I am having is trying not to overeat. It has not been what I have eaten, but how much, that has got me into problems with my weight in the past. Luckily, my pouch tells me when to stop eating, but again, I know this won't last forever. It's something I have to be aware of now and work toward a solution. I have however asked my family to remind me before every meal how big my stomach is now. This seems to be working!!

My weight loss has slowed down this month. I am not sure if this will be a trend for me now, or because I am jet lagged (with 6 different flights in the last week). This has got to do a number on your body!

Anyway the good news is that today also marks the day that I have lost another 10 pounds so I get to add another charm to my bracelet! Incentives are the best!!

Thanks for listening,

Barb

And here's a before (taken about a year ago) and after (taken today).

You look great, Barb! I can totally see the difference.

Thanks again Kathy!

Congratulations Barb!! It's so incredible how quickly the time flies... I agree. You have made the most of every day, and your results are amazing. You have created rules that work for you, that you can live with long term, that help your body lose weight. The support from your family is also amazing.

Keep doing you. It's inspiring and the only way this works.

Congrats on adding a charm too! I love each time I get to do that. :)

Thanks D. I am so incredibly blessed. Here is a pic of my new charm. It's the rose gold one on the end. I think I love it the *******so, we are not going up north this weekend after all so I will be at the meeting tomorrow morning (unless it's cancelled because of the weather....that's why we are not traveling). Anyway, hope to see you there and maybe grab a coffee after and catch up.

Beautiful! And I am so looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. :)

Congratulations, Barb; you are doing great!

Your diet sounds wonderful; I am on a similar plan but don't have smoothies and only started having small salads this month as lettuce sometimes bothers my pouch. I also eat cheese, and don't get enough veggies in, although I do try to eat some every day.

I love the charms idea!

Hi Kathy,

Yes, I do eat cheese as well. I forgot to add that! I love cheese and usually have some every day as well, as I am mindful of the calcium it has, although I do try to get the calcium through broccoli and salmon too. To me salads are key. I am lucky I can have fresh vegetables with no problem to my pouch. Being from a mediterranean background, I grew up with a large heaping portion of salad daily (pasta too...yikes!) so it's not a stretch for me to include it in my diet now. I also think fresh veggies especially green ones (spinach, romaine, kale) are crucial for healthy bowels. I haven't been constipated yet and don't use the over the counter supplements for bowel movements. Again, maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm sticking with the plan!

Thanks,

Barb

You're very lucky that you can eat veggies and salad this early out. I'm almost a year out and had 1 piece of fresh broccolli and 1 piece of fresh cauliflower from a veggie platter over the holidays and OMG, bad idea. I really paid for eating those two tiny pieces of veg, and I don't know which one was the problem. I'm OK with some cooked veggies, like beans, and raw cucumbers and cherry tomatoes are OK with me, as long as I peel the cucumbers. I can't do cabbage yet either.