Another month has gone by and more pounds and inches have left my body  YEAH!!!!  I am now in a size 8 jean.  Can you beleive it, a single digit.  When was the last time I was in a signle digit that I can remember, ummm maybe when I was 6 yrs old.  I went to the plastic surgeon just to get a plan going for the skin removal.  He asked me if I have stabelized on my weight lossyet and I said no I am still loosing.  The Dr. said to give another 6 mo and to come back and in the meantime any rashes that happen to develope to take pics and keep all receipts of any meds I have to pay for.  This would go into my file and this would be additional info for the insurance as well.  I want to loose another 50 pounds.  Everyone tells me I am stick now that 50 more pounds would be too much.  Everyone has an opinion and thats fine.  I just smile and go on my way.  There are co-workers that are very very jealous of me and others that are very happy for me.  I walk every day, I swim 3x a week for 2 hrs, I run in 5k's and training for the 1/2 marathon.  The hatrers will sit and talk about eating junk food and actually stuff their faces with stuff thats non healty and fattening and no physical exercixe at all except to lift the arm to feed the mouth.  I should be an insoration to them, they should not be jealous of me.  They should ask me for tips and receipes.  O well, there eill always be haters in this world and my revenge will be living healthy and having a good time doing it.  I have the body and positive attitutute to prove it.

Take Care,
Deb
:)

Hello Journal,
It's been awhile since I last wrote to you.  I have been doing really good and keeping on track.  I swim in the summer at my neighboorhood pool.  I walk 5 days a week during my luncdh.  I have joined a hiking group and now am an event organizer.  I have ran a lot of 5k for different organizsations and fund raisers.  I enjoy running and now I have found a new passion....TENNIS!! Where I live, our country club has a tennis ball machine that tosses balls to me pver the net and makes me run up to the net, way back to the end of the court, to the left, to the right.  The cardio is great and works muscles I never knew I had in my hips, theighs, buttocks and legs.  It's a different type of soreness from running.  It makes me know I have "woken up" those dorment muscles.  I really enjoy the game and then more exercise comes in to play when I have to bend over and pick up all those balls that I hit back over the net. There is alot of bending over.  Calling on all sorts of muscles.  October I am back in the pool at the health club I go to.  I do not like working out on stationary machines, I need to be moving around.  A treadmill is not for me.  I'd rather walk/jog/run in the park, on a trail, with my dog.  I love life now and live each day like it was my last.
There are a few ladies who are very jealous of me and seem like they really hate me for some reason,  When I was sick and unhealthy they liked me, now that I got healthy and will not eat the bad foods that they eat they despise me for it I suppose.  I guess its like a person on drugs, their drug addicted frineds are happy they are around to enjoy the bad stuff, then when they decided to get clean and sober allf a sudden they dont want to be their friend anymore.  I dont need any negativity in my life when I am full of positive energy.  They should look to me as an inspiration.  I am in a size 10 now.  Do not know if I was ever in a size 10, am sure I was, however I do not remember it. I never wore makeup before, now I do not eave the house without looking fabulous.  I do not buy brand new clothes yet cause I am still loosing all kinds of weight which is ok with me.  So I go to the goodwill and after they get to big for me I donate them back for someone else to enjoy. My BMI was 59% it is now 29%.  I was 384 pounds, I am now 180 pounds. I was in a size 32, am now in a size 10.  My shoe size even went from a size 11 to a size 10. My cholestrol is healthy along with all the other blood work they did.  I have people coming up to me asking if I am new as they did not see me before at work and when I tell them who I am they tell me I do not look like the same person (that was the idea LOL!!) and that I look so healthy and beautiful.  That is what makes the people who do not like me jealous with all the positive attention I am getting and I am loving every moment of it.

Take Care,
Deb

I have reached my 1st goalf 199 pounds and it took me  months to accomplish which is a wonderful success for me.  I am still loving my journey.  I am very lucky I do not have haning skin the way alot of people do after WLS.  I have skin beleive me!  My arms are like huge batwings, my legs are not so bad and my stomach is not that bad either.  I can see the formation of abs and it excites me!  I will wait another year and then seek out cosmetic surgery.  I do think becuase I swim each day and walk/run this has helped me in not having a lot of hanging extra skin.  Maybe I am wrong, could be and wouldn't be ther 1st time either.  I still watch what I eat closely and try my best not to go over 4 grams of sugar and watch every single fat gram that goes into my mouth.  I wish I was this good all thru my life, maybe I would not of been so big, who knows.  I love friut, vegtables and Snyders pretzels.  Prestzels are my "junk food" they cruch and taste good and give me that junk food satisfaction.  I will not let any sugary items pass thru my lips ever again.  I have done without it for over 8 months and do not miss it at all.  I have a 30 min lunch and I take 20 of those min and walk/run each day at work.  It feels so good to get out and be able to enjoy the outdoors.  I have joined a hiking group and even host some hikes.  My endurance has really beefed up.  I ran the 5k in March of 2012, did another one in May of 2012 and training for the 10k in March of 2013.  I am not looking for speed and be the fastest, I am looking for endurance, I can jog 1 mile and then have to walk about 5 min to catch up with myself and then jog another mile.  My last 5k took me 20 min and I was taking my time, and thought wow, that was easy.  I would of never thought I could actually do this ever in my life!  I love my life now and can't wait to see where this takes me.  My photographer who has been wonderful and following my journey and capturing it on film has set up hair and makeup for me and will be doing a shoot in my newer clothes and some special "chesecake" pics for the wonderful husband I have.  Going to make a special photo album for him.  This yr for Christmas, I am making memoery books for my kids and sending to them so they can see my journey as well.  Starting off with pics of them when they were small and thru the years pics of me with them and then the new mommy.  I am so excited over this and so proud of me.  The best thing I have ever done in my life is my children and now the 2nd best thinjg I have done (WLS) for myself and my family.
Take Care,
Deb

Hello Everyone,

Well I am 12 pounds from my 1st goal of 200 pounds.  I am in a size 16 jeans and a large shirt.  WOW what an accomplishment from what I used to be a size 32W.  I can finally say I am comfortable in my own skin.  Speaking of skin, I am actually surprised and releived that I do not have skin hanging like I have seen other people.  My skin around my tummy and leg area is pretty good and not a hanging.  Now I cannot say the same thing about my arms, but I do not mind the bat wings.

American Heart Assocaition fun run/walk is April 21 in Little Rock, AR.  Our gym at the company I work for nominagted me for the life acheivement award for living healthy and loosing weight.  I received a call on Friday from the AMerican Heart Association that I was just what they were looking for and said I won and will be giving me the award at the opening cerimonies.  I am so happy that everything is working out so well.  I have 2 runs and 1 stair climb and then our pool will be open and I can swim at home and not at the gym. 
I was introduced to a game called walleyball.  Its like racquet ball, but played with a volleyball and you hit it up against a wall.  Losts of movement and good leg exercises.  Taking tennis lessons and we have a beautiful tennis/racquet ball court were I live and bet of all its free to all homeowners who live i the gated community.  So I can have the tennis ball gun throw balls at me in many differant directions on the court to make me run from one corner to the other.  Very good exercise.  Good for the lungs and heart.
Still walk with the Little Rock hikers and walk with my dog along the river.  Loving every minute of the new me.  I want to loose 12 more pounds befor my 1st 6mo appointment in the last week of May. 
Was in Illinois last week, as my mom had alztimers and its sad to see your parent like that.  You know who they are, however their mind is failing and wandering away from them.  My mom forgets alot and is confused always.  I pray that a miracle will happen and she will be all better and this horrible disease will leave her body.  I love her so much.  She was such an inspiration to me and taught me everything I know.  I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!

Take Care,

Deb

The AMerican Lung association is having a "fight for air" climb.  You run up 39 flights of stairs in this huge scyscaper building in downtown little rock, ar.  Thing is each fllor has 2 sets of 14 steps, so its not onky 1 floor you are clinming at one time, its actually 2.  We had a practice climb last week to the 34th floor and I did it in 15 min.  First time ever in my entire life.  Now when I go to work, I opt to take the stairs to the 4th floor, thats an easy option after climing 1224 stairs.  Takes me no time and gives me extra exercise.  There are 2 more training camps and then on May 5 I take to the stairs wells for a verical climbing challege and race up not 24 floors, but 39 floors all the way to the top.   They state its more than a run, more than a walk.  After I finished my practice stair climb, I felt great!!!  Can't wait to do it again.
I joined a free clinic called womenrunarkansas.com.  It's a clinic that helps you run a 5k safely and helps you get stronger so you can run farther.  I want to run the 10k next yr and then the yr after that will try the full marathon.  We will see what happens.  I do have 3 5k races lined up next month.  Then the summer heat is here and who wants to run when you can't even breathe in the humidity, I will be in the pool!!.
I found a hiking/walking group in the area I have joined, we walk 7+ miles, its alot of fun especially when you are with other people.  On Fridays I take my doggy on a walk/run along the Arkansas river. Hoping to find a friend to walk/run with me on friday mornings.  It's a beautiful walk and there is a breeze to keep you cool. ALong the way there are different exercise moduals fo you to use.
Arkansas is a beautiful place to live and exercise, alwways wonderful scenery.

Take Care,

Deb