Yay!!! I hit the 3 month post op mark.  (I'll have progress pictures up tomorrow!) Ahhh, what a fun ride so far.  Everything in my life has been changing.  For the better.  I'm learning to look at food as fuel rather than comfort.  I'm enjoying finding, preparing and eating healthy recipes.  I've dropped 44 lbs since surgery and at least 2 (possibly 3) pant sizes.  I'm managing to get all my protein, water and vitamins in on a daily basis.  Overall I have to say that I'm happy with my new and improved self.  I have a lot more learning and growing to do in terms of healthy but I'm making a nice start at living a healthier life.

The one downside is that I can tell at times I'm extremely emotional.  A few days before that time of the month it's awful.  You'll see me crying at sappy commercials, threatening to quit my job (although I really DO hate it), questioning the path of my life, etc.  From all that I've read on OH, the effect of losing weight so quickly (hormones are stored in fat cells) can release these hormones into overdrive.  Today is such a day.  Fun times. 

Tomorrow will mark my 3 month post op surgiversary.  Today was weigh in day and I've lost a total of 48 pounds.  44 pounds after surgery.  I can't even believe it!  Not too long ago I was feeling like everyone and their mama was losing faster than me, but I came to realize that while that may be the case I'm actually happier losing it more slowly.  I'm seeing even less loose skin then the hubbs who has dropped more than me in just 2 months.  Overall I'm very pleased with my weight loss and my new tool.  I want to take advantage of this honeymoon period and do my absolute best because I know this fast losing period won't be forever.  Just the first 18-24 mos actually.

Me and JC attended our very first bariatric support group last night.  It was definitely not what I was expecting.  Everyone there was over 50+ (possibly 60+) and the majority of them had the lapband procedure.  There was a decent turn out.  Probably 30 or so people.  Some people were 5 years out and some were newbies and some were pre-op.  Overall I participated quite a bit.  I felt like I knew more about stuff than they did.  For example one lady was a year and a half out and asking about how to get in all your protein.  I mentioned have a shake or two.  Have protein coffee.  Have protein rich snacks, ie. deviled eggs, beef jerky, etc.  They had no idea you could still have shakes after being post op so far out.  Honestly I have to say that if it weren't for OH I wouldn't have learned as much as I have.  I was really hoping to go to the support group and meet some friends our age.  Oh well.  I may or may not go again.  I haven't decided.

Let me start by saying this post is not for the weak stomached people.  Ok, there's my disclaimer.  Onto the entry...

Saturday I was all set and ready to visit my grandma who is in the hospital battling stage 4 cancer.  She's had terminal cancer for a little over 3 years now.  This is her first run in with pain and broken bones.  Anyway, I wanted to make the 4 hour trip to Houston (with 2.5 yr old in tow) to see and support my grandma and mom.  Well I end up getting a text around 5 that morning from my mom who said that my grandma was getting sick from all the pain meds and that she really didn't want company because she was throwing up and having diarrhea.  I completely understand wanting some privacy with that stuff going on.  So I didn't end up going to Houston after all.  It's a good thing though.  I had diarrhea myself ALL day long.  And then the next day and the next day and even today!!  What is going on here?!?!?!?  On Saturday I didn't take anything OTC thinking it was a stomach bug or something.  But Sunday evening though, I needed to go to the store and took some Immodium (after researching it was safe to take) and it worked like charm, well at least for a few hours then I was back in my new home...the bathroom.  Monday morning I had a job interview (more on that later) and I took one right before leaving the house so that hopefully I would be safe for a few hours then could come home immediately after if needed.  As soon as I got back home I was sick, sick, sick again.  It had been only about 3 hours.  I was scared to take more Immodium because while I wanted to stop it, I also didn't want to be constipated.  This morning I had to go back to work and took one after I got to work after the first time in the bathroom (no thanks, do I want to be in the bathroom all day at work!)  Anywho, this has been such an unpleasant ordeal.  I don't think it's a stomach bug and after talking to the hubbs last night, he thinks I'm lactose intollerant.  He says about 30 min to 1 hour after eating yogurt or milk (protein shake) I'm running back to the bathroom.  So today I am staying away from dairy all together to see if that's it.  Yesterday I elimated carbs (which I had recently introduced at the advice of my NUT).  In all actuality all I've eaten in the way of carbs has been Mission Low Carb Tortillas.  But the DAY after introducing those into my diet (Thursday) I had looser BMs.  Then Saturday was just awful.  Anyway, I'm staying away from carbs and dairy to see if I can't get myself to feeling better.  Sorry about all this shit talk!!

Now, onto other WLS news.  Today was my weekly weigh in.  I dropped 3.2 lbs and I weigh 216.8.  After all that bathroom time I'd better have lost more than 2 lbs, as per my usual. LOL

Ok, so onto the non WLS stuff.  I had a job interview with a printing company yesterday.  It went extremely well.  They are going to talk to their CPA and see about business plan mumbo jumbo and how much they can offer me now that they know I don't need any benefits.  She said she will call me by the end of the week and let me know, but basically they definitely want to hire me.  I just have to see about the pay rate to see if it's worth it since it is WAY farther than I working now.  I should also have another interview some time next week with a marketing company.  I had a phone interview last Friday and she liked me A LOT! Aside from the fact that she blatantly told me she liked me alot, I could also tell.  So THAT'S the one I'm really hoping for to get me out of my current dead-end job.  I've been so misreable at this job for awhile now and I'm glad that people are starting to call me back for interviews. 

Well that's all I have for now.

Let me start by saying this weekend was great.  My hubby was off on Saturday, so that meant me and Brynn got to see him Saturday AND Sunday.  What a treat!  I was off from work on Friday which made it even BETTER!  A 3 day weekend!!  On Friday, I never felt really hungry, so I didn't eat much.  I had a yogurt for breakfast and a protein shake around 4pm then I had crab legs for dinner.  I had maybe 2 or 3 bites of crab and was immediately feeling full and nauseated.    The next day JC made me some eggs which again made me immediately nauseous.  For lunch I tried another protein shake and for dinner I had a little bit of chicken.  Overall I'd say my pouch was very 'off' this weekend.  I seem to notice that when I don't get the recommended amounts of protein of at least 60g then my muscle and body physically ache.  Well last night while i was sleeping I was tossing and turning (I'm a side sleeper) and every time I'd turn over my shoulders would ACHE.  BAD!   I woke up and my arms, shoulders, legs, EVERYTHING was so incredibly sore!! Like I had been beaten in some terrible fight where I got my a** kicked (by the way that would NEVER happen ).  Last week I went to the gym 3 times, so I don't think it's that.  I seriously think its because I can't eat very much and must not be getting enough protein.  Even this morning I had my normal breakfast of Greek yogurt w/1 tbl of PB2 mixed in with 1/2 protein cereal on top, and I was STILL a little bit uneasy afterward.

On a positive note, my coworker said, "Wow! Is tomorrow your weigh in day? Because you look like you've lost a bunch again!"  That's always a good thing to hear!! 

Well, Happy Monday!!

Ok, so yesterday I found an easy, simple dessert here on OH that went something like this:

Cinnamon Bananas
1/4 Frozen Lite Cool Whip
1/2 banana
1 Tsp Cinnamon
Sugar free Smuckers Caramel

Scoop Cool Whip, slice Bananas on top sprinkle cinnamon, caramel on top..

Ok, so I went home and for dessert made me and the hubbs this cinnamon banana concoction.  It was quite delish, but immediately after eating it I felt sick to my stomach.  I felt nauseated and felt just plain ol' terrible.  It was almost time for bed anyway, so I laid down and curled up in a ball because my stomach was cramping so bad.  I was sweaty and still extremely nauseated.  15 minutes later I was in the bathroom.  (On a side note, at least I'm not stopped up anymore ).  Of course, lucky hubbs having had the VSG didn't have any dumping of any kind.  Come to think of it I haven't ever had a half of a banana post-op.  It's usually only been 1/4 of a banana and usually with some peanut butter for protein.

On a different note, I was super emotional a few weeks ago.  I seemed to have gained control again. LOL.  I realized that I seem to need a goal and that without one I don't do so well emotionally.  For example, my current goal is to help my husband get the continuing education he needs (certain amount of credits) in order to reactivate his peace officer license.  So I'm reading the material to him and quizzing him.  He seems to do better that way.  Just knowing that I have something to look forward to at the end (him finally becoming a peace officer) gives me hope and a drive.  My mom and dad want me to be in sales because they think I'm a 'people person' and now I'm thinking also because I need a goal.  Once I have a goal, I will do what it takes to get there.  Maybe I would do good in sales???   I guess the main thing is that I'm feeling better emotionally.  Its a crazy feeling to be weepy ALL the time for things as dumb as COMMERCIALS! LOL.  Thank goodness I'm over that....for now.