2 yrs post op photos (editted to include thoughts on journey)
So tomorrow is my 2 yr anniversarry. I am so glad I had surgery. I did not have any co-morbidities pre op but knew it was just a matter of time (my identical twin sister who never even weighed as much as me has diabetes and high blood pressure). Watching my father and aunt who are both MO age has not been fun and I didn't want to be that. More importantly I didn't want my boys to be MO and deal with anything I did. I have been obese since probably the age of 6 maybe 7. I was always the last kid picked for a team in school. I didn't have any deep rooted problems leading me to eat--I just grew up in a family that loved food and too eat and learned to eat for boredom, for celebration, when I was sad, when I was tired, etc!!
My boys were 7 and 9 when I had surgery (they are younger in the pre op photo) and we have changed life since I had surgery! I haven't changed how I cook--I have always cooked healthy served fruit and veggies etc. I still make dessert occassionally, I routinely cook pasta for them etc. But what has changed is how we all view food and exercise. I don't use food for emotions any more (well I am still working on this) but we eat our 3 meals a day and a snack. The boys have learned we don't eat snack out of a container that we serve ourselves a portion in a dish and eat just that. They know what foods have protein in them and what foods are nutritious. They have learned we all need exercise (whether we like it or not!). Last spring my then 10 yr old and I trained together for a 5 K (we did the couch 2 5K app) and ran a 5k together.
Has the journey been easy, No, but was it worth it?? YES!!!! I didn't have any post op complications and the weight fell off in the beginning but somewhere around the 7 month mark I realized the weight was not going to just melt off forever and at some point I had to take ownership of me and my relationship with food, exercise etc. SO I started reading all sorts of books on WLS, I attended support groups, I checked in online daily in WLS communities. I educated myself and armed myself. I started working out in the gym (really working out--I had been swimming 3 times a week) but knew I need to change me to maximize the weight loss and attempt to get rid of the excess skin. So I started weight training and doing more cardio and somehow in the past year I have become an athlete! Do I love exercise? NO, do I hate it NO. But I have learned exercise is a necessary part of life and I like how I feel when I exercise. I now even look athletic (well in clothes anyways---naked you still see the loose skin!) My official pre op weight was 278--the highest I saw on a scale was 285. I was in 3X tops and size 24 jeans. The lowest weight I have seen is 135 (for like 2 days)--my "comfort zone" is 139-145 lbs. I was 146 this am--so time to be more careful with carbs. I am now a size M top (sometimes L) and size 4 jeans (size 2 if I wear skinny jeans) but size 10/12 in dresses since I have fairly large shoulders/rib cage. But I have determined I am not large boned as I always thought-- I think I ended up with 5 links out of my watch as I lost weight and went from a 10W shoe to a normal 8 1/2 or 9.
I know my journey is not over--I know I must continue to have my protein shake every day, take my vitamins every day and focus on what I eat or REGAIN is possible. But the choice is MINE and I intend to keep making good choices and being a good example for my children.
I hope I have not bored your or been too all over the place with what I have said--it is hard to concisely summarize 2 yrs and I know as a newbie there is a lot of info you want to hear about so I hope I am helpful. I meant to write this update when I posted the pictures but it took me a while to get them up and I didn't have time to write it all out.
My boys were 7 and 9 when I had surgery (they are younger in the pre op photo) and we have changed life since I had surgery! I haven't changed how I cook--I have always cooked healthy served fruit and veggies etc. I still make dessert occassionally, I routinely cook pasta for them etc. But what has changed is how we all view food and exercise. I don't use food for emotions any more (well I am still working on this) but we eat our 3 meals a day and a snack. The boys have learned we don't eat snack out of a container that we serve ourselves a portion in a dish and eat just that. They know what foods have protein in them and what foods are nutritious. They have learned we all need exercise (whether we like it or not!). Last spring my then 10 yr old and I trained together for a 5 K (we did the couch 2 5K app) and ran a 5k together.
Has the journey been easy, No, but was it worth it?? YES!!!! I didn't have any post op complications and the weight fell off in the beginning but somewhere around the 7 month mark I realized the weight was not going to just melt off forever and at some point I had to take ownership of me and my relationship with food, exercise etc. SO I started reading all sorts of books on WLS, I attended support groups, I checked in online daily in WLS communities. I educated myself and armed myself. I started working out in the gym (really working out--I had been swimming 3 times a week) but knew I need to change me to maximize the weight loss and attempt to get rid of the excess skin. So I started weight training and doing more cardio and somehow in the past year I have become an athlete! Do I love exercise? NO, do I hate it NO. But I have learned exercise is a necessary part of life and I like how I feel when I exercise. I now even look athletic (well in clothes anyways---naked you still see the loose skin!) My official pre op weight was 278--the highest I saw on a scale was 285. I was in 3X tops and size 24 jeans. The lowest weight I have seen is 135 (for like 2 days)--my "comfort zone" is 139-145 lbs. I was 146 this am--so time to be more careful with carbs. I am now a size M top (sometimes L) and size 4 jeans (size 2 if I wear skinny jeans) but size 10/12 in dresses since I have fairly large shoulders/rib cage. But I have determined I am not large boned as I always thought-- I think I ended up with 5 links out of my watch as I lost weight and went from a 10W shoe to a normal 8 1/2 or 9.
I know my journey is not over--I know I must continue to have my protein shake every day, take my vitamins every day and focus on what I eat or REGAIN is possible. But the choice is MINE and I intend to keep making good choices and being a good example for my children.
I hope I have not bored your or been too all over the place with what I have said--it is hard to concisely summarize 2 yrs and I know as a newbie there is a lot of info you want to hear about so I hope I am helpful. I meant to write this update when I posted the pictures but it took me a while to get them up and I didn't have time to write it all out.
HW 278 SW 259 GW 170 CW 142 Ht 5ft 6
Lynnette 
WOW !! You look awesome, congratulations :)
Mandy
Mandy
HW-298 SW-251 Loss/Month post RNY(1)-23.5,(2)-23.3,(3)-9.9,(4)-10.6,(5)-8.9,(6)-7.7,(7)-4.2,(8)-7.5,(9)-1.7,(10)-10.8*first goal reached*,(11)-6,(12)-1.3,(13)-0.3,(14)+2.9-*changed scales that weigh 2lbs heavier*,(15)-0.3(16)-4.7(17),+5.8(18)-1.5,(19)+4.4,(20)-+4,(21)-1.2,(22)+3.5,(23)
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