ObesityHelp

Well, I'm down 140 pounds!  My weight loss has slowed down quite a bit, but I'm so happy with all of the progress I've made! 

My big thing lately has been trying not to compare myself to others.  I start feeling good about myself, and then I find myself thinking "well, so and so is a lot smaller than me" or "This person has lost more than me" or "that person has a lower BMI than me".  I'm trying to remember the days when I would have given ANYTHING to be under 200 pounds!  I need to be grateful, I remind myself everyday!

Hi Secret Pal!  I think this is going to be so fun!  Thank you in advance for participating in this, I already know you must be an amazingly nice person!  Don’t stress yourself out or go overboard, because I’m not expecting that at all!  I just want to have a little bit of fun trying to discover your identity!  

I just wanted to tell you a little bit about me!  One of my favorite things I do all year is coordinate our Secret Pal exchange at work, and I always have people fill out an "info sheet", so their pals can get an idea of what they're like.  So here goes!

I love all holidays!  I decorate for just about everything.  I am getting ready to put window clings up of conversation hearts (you know, the little Sweetheart candies?)  I guess if I can’t eat them this Valentine’s day, at least I can look at them!  Probably my favorite holiday is Halloween.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Christmas, but Halloween is just so much fun!  All of the spooky decorations, dressing up, passing out candy and talking to the kids about their costumes.  I will be 10 months post-op this year, and I am definitely finding a cool costume!

As for entertainment, I couldn’t be happier that LOST season 4 finally started!  Who knows how many new episodes we get before we feel the effects of the writer’s strike, but I am happy!  I also love the Biggest Loser, The Office, Ghost Whisperer, Desperate Housewives, etc.  I go to the movies with friends once in a while, but they are so expensive I usually wait until I can get them from Netflix.

I guess my only true hobby is photography, although I am far from a professional!  I’m just the gal that ALWAYS has her camera, and is ready to take a picture.  Several years ago I started making an annual yearbook at my job, and it has become a tradition.  I just love looking through them and seeing how people have changed over the years.  This year when the yearbook is completed in June, I will be 6 months post-op!  I can’t wait to see how much this year’s picture will be from last year’s!  Yay!

I love scary movies, but not the gory or gross ones, just ones that are spooky and suspenseful.  I’m bummed that “The Orphanage” isn’t playing in my area.  I like to read, I always read a few pages before I go to bed.  Right now I’m reading “The Golden Compass”.  I wasn’t sure about it at first, because I thought it would be a little too science fiction-y for me, but it’s actually good.  I loved the Bridget Jones books, and have read all of the Harry Potters (I read that last one in 2 days, because I was determined not to let anyone ruin it for me!), and probably my all time favorite book is The Stand.  As you can tell, I’m not too focused on great literature, just something to relax before bed!  Once in a while I read something that’s actually good for my brain, though!

I love to go on road trips; people think I’m crazy that the 12 hour drive to see my sister in Idaho is actually fun for me.  I also love to drive to Monterey for the day, just to go to the aquarium, walk up and down Cannery Row, and eat at Bubba Gump’s.  I know it is corny, but I love it!

I like going to comedy shows, although I don’t go nearly enough.  I am going to see Paula Poundstone on Valentine’s day, though!  It should be fun.  I saw Hal Sparks at the same venue, and he was great.  LOVE him, he is so cute and funny!  Other celebrities I like are Topher Grace, Joel McHale, and I have a little crush on Rick Springfield left over from the 6th grade!

I don’t really collect anything, although I do love cool office supplies!  I know it’s weird, but I love cool pens and highlighters, and my all time favorite is post-it notes!  I always have the most unique post-its in my desk drawer! 

Well, I'm six weeks out and I'm feeling so fortunate that I had this surgery!  Loving the weight loss (although I'm always stressing a little bit that I haven't lost enough, but I'm trying to be zen about it!), and loving that I no longer have high blood pressure!

Well, I've lost 32 pounds since the surgery, and 56 pounds since my highest last summer.  I've been walking on the treadmill for about 30 minutes a day, and that's been great.  My favorite thing about exercising is that peaceful feeling afterward, knowing that I'm done for the day; no nagging feeling that I'd better exercise.  I wish I was one of those people who loves to exercise, but oh well!  I'm happy just being someone who loved being DONE exercising!  LOL!

Had a little crisis last night, with dying my hair.  I decided to change from my standard "Light Ash Brown" to "Medium Ash Brown".  After I rinsed it out I swear I looked like Elvira!  Washed my hair with everything from every bottle of shampoo I own to my salicylic acid face scrub!  I called to get in at the salon, but my stylist wasn't working and I was told that "Corrective Hair Treatment" is minimum $130.  Finally called my sister and made arrangements to drive to her town so she could check out my hair and tell me the honest truth.  She told me it was fine, and when we looked in the mirror together her hair is actually darker than mine.  I think it's going to be OK, but take a look at my pics and let me know what you think!

Have a great Saturday!  Secret Pals starts soon, I'm SOOO excited!