- Name: Michelle S.
- Username: MichelleS.
- Location: North Jersey, NJ, USA
- Member Since: 1/8/2008
- BMI: 27.6
- Post Op
- Surgery Type: RNY (02/25/08)
- Surgeon: Mitchell S. Roslin
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Hi All - I'm 40 y/o and married to a great guy with a teenage son. In early 2007 (after a year of research) I decided that WLS was for me, but quickly found out that my job put an exclusion on one of their two insurance companies (yup, I had the one w/the exclusion). Orig I decided on the Band...but since I had a full year to wait, I continued my research & decided that I was a better candidate for RNY. As of Jan 1st 2008 I switched to the other insurance company & commited to RNY. PS: I did have a hard recovery time (4+ wks of PAIN) - feel free to ask me any question on the healing process.
One Mth Post Pregnancy on June 8, 2010 7:29 am
6/8/10 - so yesterday was one month after I had my daughter, Saralynn. All is great with her (she's eating, sleeping, pooping, crying, fidgeting, etc). As for me - yup, I'm sleep deprived & a bit cranky at times...but doing ok. Luckily, I have the entire summer off for maternity leave - which i appreciate so much!
As for my weight gain / loss - i went from 161 lbs to 193 lbs. A week after delivery I lost 14 lbs and as of today I'm down to 171 lbs, so I need to loose around 10 lbs to get down to my starting weight. I've tried on my size 12's...and they fit, but snugly. I've gotten lazy while i'm home & wear a lot of sweatpants & loose t-shirts. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll have lost those extra 10 lbs + a few more.
The other thing that is going on with me post pregnancy is the hormone switch that happened to all of us post-WLS. In the last few days I've noticed both hair loss & zits. My OB reassured me it's temporary, but i can tell you I hated this stage after WLS and I'm hating it now! I dont care so much about the hair loss (since I have so much...although it does clog up my drain), but the zits - YUCK! Luckily, I still have the Neutrogena Stress Acne medicine in my bathroom. Fingers crossed it works as nicely as it did last time.
arrival of my daughter! on May 12, 2010 9:32 am
05/12/2010 - On May 7th, my daughter, Saralynn arrived (and she decided to hold out an extra week & 1/2 late).
She is perfect!
Weight: 6 lbs, 11.9 oz
Length: 20 inches
After 5 days in the hospital, and let me tell you - the food at Hackensack Univ Hospital is GOOD....I jumped on the scale this morning. I am now 177 (the day of delivery I was up to 193, and back last summer prior pregnancy I was around 160). Not a bad loss so far. I'll follow my OB's instructions of no excersizing for at least a month, and hope by this summer to be back down to my size 10's. We shall see - right now just having the tummy out of the way so i can sleep comfy is happiness enough!
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41 weeks pregnant... on May 4, 2010 5:40 am
5/03/2010 - i realize it's been a LONG time since i updated my blog, but since I've got pregnant since last summer I wasn't sure what to write. I still attend my monthly support group meetings at Hackensack Univ Hospital (and in fact, I plan on delivering in the same hospital that i attend the meetings). I've tried to stick to a healthy eating pattern this entire pregnancy & except for the last 2 weeks (which I'll admit - I'll been eating EVERYTHING IN SITE), I've done pretty well. I stayed away from white carbs, breads, pasta, rice & all high sugary foods. I also stuck to DECAF when it came to iced coffee (I'm a diehard Starbuck GRANDE DECAF SUGAR FREE HAZELNUT SOY ICED COFFEE 5 days a week). On the weekend I'm usually too lazy to drive to Stbux when DD is a block away, so I get a SMALL DECAF HAZELNUT ICED COFFEE WITH 2 SPLENDA'S & CREAM (they dont have Soy Milk & since I got preggie I've hated the taste of skim milk. Also all flavors at DD is sugar free, but not as sweet as Stbux which is why I need to add the 2 splendas). I also continue to read Eggface's blog & try out her recipes, which are really great! In fact, my family now ask me to bring one of her casseroles to any dinner event!
So far I' ve gained just under 30 lbs in total, which is really not THAT much. My nutrionist told me that since my BMI was at approx 26 prior to getting preggie, I should aim for 20-25 lbs total weight gain. Oh well.
Once the baby arrives, I'll be back blogging on how hard (or how easy...which is what I hope!) it is to loose the weight.
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Merry X'mas Everyone! on December 29, 2009 10:21 pm
Dec 29, 2009 - so, I am now approx 5 1/2 months preggie (23 weeks). In the beginning I had a lot of "all day sickness", not just "morning sickness", so I was constantly loosing & gaining the same 7-8 lbs. Then when I entered my 2nd trimester, I started to feel a lot better...and started eating. I was down to 161 lbs, and now I'm at 178 lbs...which is approx a gain of 17 lbs total. My nutritionist told me that I should expect around a 20-25 lb gain...so as long as I don't go nuts in the last trimester - I'm on track.
Before being preggie although I might not have been the ideal weight according to doctor charts (I'm 5'4 1/2), I felt I looked really good. I was at a comfy size 10. I gave away all of my clothes btwn size 16-22...but did keep size 12 & 14's. Around week 15, I moved from my size 10's to my size 12's & then around week 18, I moved into size 14's (but with a baggy butt). Just this past week I had to admit that the size 14's are just too snug around my waist - so I am now wearing pregnancy jeans (which is pretty ironic that I'm back to wearing elastic waist pants - LOL)
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1 & 1/2 years out......I'm pregnant! on November 18, 2009 12:42 pm
Nov 17, 2009 - Back when I went for my 1 year checkup earlier this year, I spoke with my surgeon about getting pregnant & then spoke with my OB to get on a prenatal vitamin regimen. The only main switch was exchanging the daily multi vitamin 2x/day for a once a day prenatal with DHA. I also take an add'l 400 mg of Folic Acid.
Well, in july it happened...and today I am pleased to announce that I'm 4 1/2 mths preggie (17th week) 
In the first trimester, I felt pretty icky (basically all day "morning sickness"), so kept fluctuating up & down over 5 lbs. In the last few weeks I've been feeling a heck of a lot better, so I've been eating more. I am trying really hard to stick to protien based food, but my sweet tooth is kicking in. I dont "DUMP", so i'll admit that I sneak some chocolates (ie: 3 musketeer minitures) in here & there. Two usually calms the cravings.
I've been told with the WLS, my goal is to gain approx 25 lbs total......so far I've gained approx 10 lbs from when I stopped logging in my weight loss (today I'm 170.5 lbs), so feel that I'm on track.
here is me & hubby getting ready to announce to my family the good news. I'm wearing a t-shirt that hubby made for me the night stating the sex of the baby (due to my age - I took the CVS Test to make sure there were no genetic disorders & one of the awesome outcomes is that I can find out the gender almost 6 weeks before everyone else via u/s)
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measurements: 17th Month Post-Op on July 28, 2009 8:19 am
| |
02/24/08 |
04/30/09 |
07/25/09 |
Total Loss |
| |
263.5 lbs |
165.5 lbs |
162 lbs |
101.5 lbs |
| neck |
15 |
13 |
12 1/2 |
-2 1/2 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
12 1/2 |
12 |
-9 |
| full chest |
52 |
38 1/2 |
38 |
-14 |
| under chest |
43 |
33 1/2 |
32 1/2 |
-10 1/2 |
| waist |
45 |
34 |
33 3/4 |
-11 1/4 |
| hips |
55 |
43 1/2 |
43 1/2 |
-11 1/2 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
27 |
27 |
-12 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
15 3/4 |
15 3/4 |
-4 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
9 1/4 |
9 |
-1 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
|
-76 1/4 |
Land's End Bathing Suits on May 19, 2009 7:38 pm
05/19/09 - if you're like me....your a bit wiggly & giggly & droopy all over. I'm actually not THAT bad in most places, but my top half is def not like a 20 y/o.... if you get what I mean.
You prob remember that last Nov I attended a wedding on St John. Since I waited until the last minute to buy a bathing suit, I wasn't expecting much of a selection...and the one I found thru LandsEnd.com was ok. Nothing fab, but it was ok...and it fit (I was a size 14)
This season I've hit Lord & Taylor's, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, etc - nothing seems to fit me properly. All make me look uber-droopy. Then I went online & saw the selection that Lands End had. Kinda pretty....then I read something - Land's End is hosted in SEARS! Now way! So, this past weekend I schlepped over to the mall & walked past the icky Sears bathing suit selection & into the Lands End dept (again...I had NO IDEA it was even there).
OMG - the suits are sooooooooooooooooooooooo cute....and reasonably priced!
I found a tankini I liked so much in pink that I picked it also up in green....and matching skirts too! They were out of my size in the green bottoms, so they ordered it online for me (free of charge).
Click on the links below to order these outfits (in Seaglass Green & Deep Pink):
for the tops: Beach Living Ikat Print V-Neck Halter Swim Top
for the bottoms: Beach Living #2 Leg Wide Waistband Tummy Control Swim Bottom
for the skirts: Beach Living Tummy Control SwimMini
Oh, and here is the suit I picked up last year - it's now even cuter now that I found a black skirt (the Beach Living Tummy Control SwimMini)!
I cant seem to find the pattern for the top or bottom, but the main difference from this suit vs. the ones I picked up this year - is that this top has a Criss Cross back (for DD support, which I still needed back last Nov), while the tie top of the newer suits are made for a D support. You'll notice online almost all style tops can be purchased either way.
Seriously, check out LANDS END...I promise that you will be surprised & pleased!
Oh, just to throw so weight numbers around: the last 2 weeks I was gaining & went as high as 172.5 lbs. As of this Saturday I've been back down to 167lbs Not really sure what happened, but considering I didnt eat anything different or change my excersize pattern - I guess that is just what happens.
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Measurements: 14 mths post-op on April 30, 2009 9:19 pm
| |
02/24/08 |
02/02/09 |
04/28/09 |
Total Loss |
| |
263.5 lbs |
170.5 lbs |
165.5 lbs |
-98 lbs |
| neck |
15 |
12 3/4 |
13 |
-2 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
13 |
12 1/2 |
-8 |
| full chest |
52 |
39 1/2 |
38 1/2 |
-13 1/2 |
| under chest |
43 |
34 |
33 1/2 |
-9 1/2 |
| waist |
45 |
34 |
34 |
-11 |
| hips |
55 |
44 |
43 1/2 |
-11 1/2 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
26 |
27 |
-12 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
15 |
15 3/4 |
-4 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
9 |
9 |
-1 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
|
-73 |
so here is something weird...even though I've lost 5 lbs since the last time I was measured (which was 2 1/2 mths ago), and I've lost inches in some places - I've also added some inches in other places...such as my neck, my thighs & calves. I dunno. I'm now a comfy size 12 and just hit MACY's on a sale day & stocked up on shorts & skorts.
If anyone is interested, CHARTER CLUB fits me perfect. So does LEE JEANS. Not sure why...but they just do.
Here's something else weird.
This past weekend my husband & I ran a 12k run. It just about killed me, but I did complete it in a little over 2.5 hrs. I've weighed myself every single day since saturday & today's scale scared the crap out of me. I've gained 4 lbs since Saturday, where I was still 165.5 lbs.
Today's weight is 169.5 lbs!
10k Run on April 27, 2009 12:41 pm
04/27/09 - I am so proud of myself. This past Saturday my husband & I competed in the annual HIGH ROCK CHALLENGE, which is a 10k run thru the Staten Island Greenbelt. Along the way - all kinds of "obstacles" are thrown at us, such as: scaling up a rock mountain, climbing over a 15' cargo net, pulling ourselves up a rope hill on a dolly, shimming along a 2 ft high drainage with rushing water, all while running along a muddy terrain (and let me tell you as the day progressed, it got muddier!) a little over 2 1/2 hrs later we arrived at the finish line & were BEYOND EXHAUSTED...but were damn proud of ourselves that we finished the course!
Later on in the day, the organizer of the race - who happens to be a friend of mine told me that they added an extra 1.3 miles to the race - so instead of 10k, I actually completed a 12k run!!! Ask me if this was even a possibility last April & my answer would have been HELL NO!
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13 mth post-op pics on April 23, 2009 10:47 am
4/23/09 - so here are 2 recent pics of me - I've been appox the same weight / size now for the last 2 mths
in this one, taken march 30th - I'm 166 lbs
and this one taken a week later, I'm 165.5 lbs
today's scale still said 165.5 lbs...but I my size 12 slacks that I wore to work yesterday were loose. Felt good for a sec, then I remembered that they cost me $79 (on sale from $119) + another $15 to have them hemmed.
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my next journey on April 20, 2009 8:41 am
04/20/09....so I decided once I hit my one year mark - if I'm gonna do it, then do it....so I decided to do it:
me & my hubby are going to try to conceive  and if it happens in 2009, then it's meant to be - and if not...then ces't la vie!
I'm no spring chicken (I just turned 40 a few mths ago) and we have a teenage son, so if it doesn't happen - then no biggie...but in the last year - I just cant stop staring & playing & babysitting little ones. They just smell good (even when they are stinky & squirmy). If you asked me 5 yrs ago if I wanted a munchkin of my own, my answer would have been "idunno"...but i just cant seem to stop seeing munchkins everywhere i go. My sis lives in hoboken, which is the munchkin capital of NJ and boy-oh-boy is it exciting to walk around there!
My biggest change was to stop the birth control pill and get on prenatal vitamins, which I did after my march period. My NUT told me my only real change as my pill regimen goes - is to switch out the 2x/day multi for one prenatal (which after talking with a bunch of you guys on the preggie boards), I decided to ask my gyno for: DUET DHA EC, cuz it has a very good supply of omega-3 fatty acids, which is really good for us RNY'rs. I went thru the vitamin/mineral list with my NUT and she confirmed that this pill is an excellent choice. The rest will stay the same - my vitamin D is still kinda low...so I still have to take a weekly 1.25mg dose of that. I'm still taking extra B-12 3x/week and my calcium citrate 3xday (totaling 1500 mg).
I'll keep you posted 
(oddly enough...my weight loss has started again - today I'm at 165.5)
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Update of my one year doc's visit on April 13, 2009 12:22 pm
Boy am I getting lazy with posting things here!
I went for my one year labs a mth ago & this time the doc ordered all standard test with one addition - a glucose tolerance test. If you have never had it...well, it takes FOUR LONG HOURS, so bring a portable DVD player so you have something to watch cuz magazines get old very quickly!.
I showed up at my LABCORP & luckily they have a second waiting room just for people taking this test...with recycling comfy chairs (so I did fall asleep after reading US WEEKLY). You drink this bottle of sugary liquid (which has 75 grams of sugar) and I can tell you that I personally DO NOT DUMP,,,,and I was going into some type of sugar shock. I was cramping up so bad for the first 20 min (thank goodness for the chair) but then it went away.
Here is how often the blood is drawn after drinking:
1st time is before, then at the 30 min mark, 1 hr mark, 2 hr mark, 3 hr mark, 4 hr mark
I arrived at 8:30, gave the first batch of blood at 8:45, finished drinking at 9:05 and didn’t leave until 1:05!
So I showed up at my surgeons office 2 wks later & he reviewed my labs - all looked ok with the exception that I still am a bit low on my vitamin D, which is odd since he has me already on an extra prescription level pill each week. He also said I was on track for my weight loss & can expect my appetite to come back soon. HA - it's been back for 6 mths!
On a seperate note, here is something cool that I'm doing that I could NEVER had done just a year ago - I'm participating in an adventure race called the HIGH ROCK CHALLENGE. It's a 10K obstacle course and takes anywhere from 1.5-3 hrs to complete. I'm so excited to be part of the team! I picked up cute workout gear (all size L) and have my beat up sneakers for the mudpit section!
Oh, my weight today is 166 even, so I'm now down a total of 97.5 lbs
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Happy ONE YEAR surgiversary to me! on February 28, 2009 6:20 pm
02/28/09 - One year (and 3 days) ago I went thru my first MAJOR operation & have never regreted my decision one bit. Here is a pretty cool look back:
I - THEN vs. NOW observations:
Weight: THEN = 263.5 lbs, NOW = 168.5 lbs (95 lbs lost)
Pants: THEN = Red4 Lane Bryant (20), NOW = 12
Shirts: THEN = 2x or 18/20/22, NOW = Large
Bra: THEN = 44DD, NOW = 38D
Panties: THEN = XL, NOW = M (Victoria Secret "high cut briefs")
BMI: THEN: 45.2, NOW = 28.9
Shoes: THEN = 8 1/2 W, NOW = 8 M
Ring Finger: THEN = 7 1/2, NOW = 6 1/4 (my wedding band is at Fortunoff right now being resized!!!)
 
Jan 28, 2008 Feb 13, 2009
II - GOALS...all I've achieved within the past year:
Cross my legs at my KNEES, not my ANKLES
Not have marks on my ANKLES from my SOCKS
Sit in my office chair WITHOUT squeezing out the sides
Not have my THIGHS touch my neighbors on the EXPRESS BUS
Shop for clothes in a REGULAR SIZE STORE
Wear HIGH HEELS
Wear a LITTLE BLACK DRESS
Be Healthy & Fit
III - And here are some things that changed in me (that I didn't even think of until I started writing this list)
I don't snore anymore...at all...yes, I mean NOT AT ALL!
I can RUN up a flight of stairs to catch my express bus (before I missed many buses cuz I had to stop to catch my breath).
I like how I look in pictures.
I now wear a bathing suit w/o a t-shirt to cover me up.
I enjoy clothes shopping - I'm not just the "what do you think..." person anymore
I still love to cook & have learned how to adapt most recipes so that they are healthier.
IV - Full Year of my MEASUREMENTS:
| |
2/24/08 |
03/29/08 |
04/12/08 |
05/10/08 |
05/24/08 |
06/22/08 |
07/11/08 |
08/22/08 |
09/28/08 |
11/01/08 |
11/26/08 |
02/02/09 |
Total
Loss |
| neck |
15 |
14 1/2 |
14 1/4 |
14 |
13 3/4 |
13 3/4 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
12 3/4 |
-2 1/4 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
15 |
14 |
14 3/4 |
14 1/2 |
14 1/2 |
13 1/2 |
14 |
13 1/2 |
13 1/2 |
13 |
13 |
-7 |
| full chest |
52 |
49 3/4 |
48 |
47 |
47 |
45 |
44 |
44 |
41 |
41 |
41 |
39 1/2 |
-12 1/2 |
| under chest |
43 |
40 |
39 1/2 |
39 1/4 |
37 1/2 |
37 |
37 |
36 3/4 |
34 |
34 1/4 |
35 1/4 |
34 |
-9 |
| waist |
45 |
44 |
41 1/2 |
42 |
40 |
39 |
39 |
38 |
37 |
37 |
36 3/4 |
34 |
-11 |
| hips |
55 |
54 |
53 |
52 |
50 3/4 |
49 1/2 |
48 3/4 |
48 |
47 |
45 3/4 |
44 3/4 |
44 |
-11 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
32 |
31 |
31 |
30 1/2 |
30 |
30 |
28 1/2 |
27 3/4 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
-14 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
17 |
17 |
16 1/2 |
17 |
16 1/2 |
16 3/4 |
16 1/2 |
16 |
16 |
15 1/2 |
15 |
-5 1/2 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
10 |
9 3/4 |
10 |
9 1/2 |
9 1/4 |
9 1/2 |
9 1/2 |
9 1/2 |
9 1/4 |
9 1/2 |
9 |
-1 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-73 3/4 |
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Shopping {{DING, DING}} on February 13, 2009 10:43 am
02/13/09 - I already know i'm about to transfer my food addiction to a shopping addiction & right now - I DONT CARE!
I have a get together tonight that I needed to pick up a new top for (all my size 14 clothes are gettting pretty baggy). I stopped in Daffy's, Banana Republic & Jcrew and noticed that winter wear is OUT and summer wear is IN.
I didn't see anything I could wear for tonight, but check out this dress (that came in every color) that I tried on in JCrew...in a size 12, no less!
 
Needless to say, I bought the black one! You just never know when I might need a summer dress....perhaps one of my single friends will FINALLY get engaged & married this year (fingers crossed)....size 12, baby!
As for numbers - I'm still at 169 lbs...but I have been keeping up with going to the gym, so hopefully I will have lost a few more lbs for my 1 yr surgiversary (which is now only 2 weeks away)
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Another Mexican Casserole on February 9, 2009 10:20 am
02/09/08 - I was in the mood for spicy & pulled together another one of eggface's casseroles. It is very similar to her Mexican Lasagna (which my hubby liked better cuz it had the tortilla layers...you can click HERE for that recipe). This one which she calls her Tortilla-less Enchilada Casserole was perfect when layered on top of corn tortilla chips (left over from the Superbowl). The crunch made up for the missing tortilla. Click HERE for her recipe. Oh, when I served it on each plate - I added a spoonful of medium salsa & a small dolop of sourcream.
(I forgot to take a pic in the casserole dish last night - here is a pic of my lunchtime leftovers in my Tupperware)
Oh, I finally got back into the gym spirit (not saying I'm loving it...cuz I really do walk thru every excuse in my head on my way home from work on why NOT to go). But, with the stall of weight over the last 2 mths - I decided to see if I'm really DONE. Guess not, cuz after going every other day for one week I went from 172 lbs down to 169.5 lbs. I think I just needed a metabolism kick start.
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Measurements - 11 1/4 mths out on February 3, 2009 7:34 am
02/03/09 - |
02/24/08 |
02/02/09 |
Total Loss |
| neck |
15 |
12 3/4 |
-2 1/4 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
13 |
-7 |
| full chest |
52 |
39 1/2 |
-12 1/2 |
| under chest |
43 |
34 |
-9 |
| waist |
45 |
34 |
-11 |
| hips |
55 |
44 |
-11 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
26 |
-14 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
15 |
-5 1/2 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
9 |
-1 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
-73 3/4 |
Forgot to take measurements last mth (ooops),
I checked my results against my 9 mth measurements & have lost 10 MORE INCHES! (if you click MEASUREMENTS off to the right in the "tag" box, you can bring up a list of all the posts where I recorded my measurements). The weight loss though has ground to an almost complete stop. I cant wait to see how much one year will be (which is only a little more then 3 weeks away!)
Superbowl Sunday update on February 2, 2009 6:41 am
02/02/09 - Hope all had a fun superbowl watching experience yesterday...I did. It was me, my hubby & my teenage son and since the Giants were not in the game - the two boys picked opposite teams. Let me just tell you there was a lot of fun rivalry going back and forth all night. Sometimes a bit loud, especially in the last qtr...but a lot of fun!
Here is the food I put together for the 3 of us:
Shrimp Cocktail
I added some cut up Avocado sprinkled with lime juice to the shrimp. Click HERE if you want to go all out (eggface brought my shrimp cocktail up to a whole new level!!!!)
Chili Cheese Dip (with Fresh Veggies & Herrs Multigrain Chips)
- 1 block cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
- 1 can chili (I used Hormel 98% FF Turkey Chili w/Beans)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Layer all three in the order above - nuke in micro for about 5 min & when done...stir all together.
It may look like {{BLECH}}, but trust me - it tastes really good.
Hot Wings w/Blue Cheese Dressing
nope, not WLS friendly...but my boys asked for them. Still odd that I wasnt even tempted to try one. That and soda were foods I thought I'd have a hard time with once my appetite returned (which it has). Just to be safe, I am not pushing the odds and trying either just in case.
I was going to have my hubby BBQ hamburgers as well, but we were all full on the stuff above - that I left the meat in the fridge for dinner tonight.
The one thing I did do was finally get my butt back to the gym yesterday after an almost 2 mth hiatus (with the excuse of....not excuse, I was just lazy). Stepped on the scale and even after eating a ton of shrimp & chips with dip...I did finally break the 172 number.
The scale today said 170.5 lbs, which is a total loss of 93 lbs.
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Ricotta Cups on January 19, 2009 8:55 am
1/19/09 - not much has been going on with me in the world of weight loss. I'm now 10 1/2 mths post op & although I really thought I'd be 25 lbs lighter, I think I'm where I am going to plateau. I've now been at this weight (btwn 172-175) since thanksgiving & no matter how much I DO or I DON'T eat...it stays about the same. Today's weight is exactly 173. In another week & 1/2 I'll have my hubby take my measurements - and then I'll know if there are any real changes. I think not since my clothes have been fitting me the same all along (I'm now btwn a 12-14 in pants and a L in shirts).
Yesterday I made a treat for all: Eggface's RICOTTA CUPS:
They were ok, although next time I think I would have added shredded mozz cheese to the ricotta base (kind of like how you make lasagna filling). The proportions only made 3 cups, so I made a second batch (I might only eat one ramekin...but my hubby & son each devoured TWO and then asked "what's for dinner?") LOL...actually, I ate this as a main dinner & gave them these as side dishes.
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Superbowl Party WLS suggestions on January 11, 2009 6:05 pm
01/11/09 - stalling really does sux.
I've been btwn 173 - 175 now for OVER a mth & half and I'm finally happy to report that the stall has been broken. Today the scale said 172! About time something moved in the downward direction. I dont even get upset anymore when I see that I've gained a pound & half - I know it's going to go away 2 days later (just to reappear 2 days after that).
The holidays were pretty good by me - I did eat a lot of "tastes", but didn't over do anything. For new year's eve I brought a huge shrimp cocktail platter with cut up avacado. I pigged out (if you call eating 15 shrimp over the course of the night PIGGING OUT) on that. It's still amazes me on how small the portions i can eat, most of the time.
The one place I've noticed I've been eating a lot more then I used to is the casseroles. I really enjoy making them (thank you again eggface for your recipes) and though they are WLS friendly, I still add plenty of cheeses, so they aren't that LOW FAT....and we all know from our time at Weight Watchers that CALORIES ARE CALORIES ARE CALORIES, no matter how you disguise the name of the diet.
This past thursday I attended my WLS support group at Hackensack Univ (which I have to admit I am enjoying a lot more now that it's not all pre-surgery participants) and made a 4 page printout of my fav recipes that would work well if you were attending or hosting a SUPERBOWL PARTY. You can find all of these on my blog - in fact, any that are EGGFACE's you can search by clicking on one of my tags off to the right:
Pizza Bites (eggface)
Spinach & Feta Bites (eggface)
Buffalo Hot Wing Chicken Dip (my recipe)
Spinach Dip (my recipe)
Deviled Eggs (my recipe)
Poker Chicken Sticks (my recipe)
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas (my recipe)
Chicken Dijion Casserole (eggface)
Creamy Chicken Florentine Casserole (eggface)
Double Dip Chicken Casserole (eggface)
One last thing I did realize when I updated my weight ticker is that I'm finally below a 30 BMI, so that means I'm not OBESE anymore - I'm just OVERWEIGHT!
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Awesome Chicken Casserole & Eggnog IceCream on December 29, 2008 8:02 pm
12/29/08 - I can't believe there was a chicken casserole that I haven't tried yet from eggface, but today I found one....and it's definitely a keeper. Its called CHICKEN FLORENTINE (click on the name for a link to the recipe).
After dinner I made a batch of Eggface's EGGNOG PROTEIN ICE CREAM
click HERE and you will be brought to the recipe on Eggface's website. The only thing I changed was that I used 1 1/2 total of liquids (broken down to: 3/4 cup REAL EGGNOG and 3/4 cup Light Vanilla SoyMilk), and 1 pkg of splenda. If you scroll down a few days back you can see the light vanilla soymilk I use. It's been a while since I used my ice cream machine & I guess now that the weather is colder, I'm not getting such a kick out of it. For the last few weeks I've been on an orange kick. I cant go a day without one (some times I have an orange & then a tangerine...I know it's natural sugar overload - but I get a high from it). Weight wise - I'm still at 173 lbs. It would be really, really nice if I could loose just one more lb for the new year, but with me being lazy & not getting to the gym - it's prob not gonna happen.
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Happy Holidays...and 10 mths post op on December 26, 2008 5:29 pm
12/26/08 - so it's just one day past my 10 mth post op anniversary & I'm just gonna come out & admit that my minimal weight loss for the month is 100% my fault. I'm now at an even 173 lbs, which is only 2 lbs less then last mth (and 90.5 lbs total lost since surgery). I'm just amazed that I've even lost 2 lbs this month with all the grazing i've done at all the parties & dinners & lunches I've been invited to. Worse thing is that I'm now 99% convinced that I don't dump, so I have tasted things this mth I know I would have never touched just a few mths ago (or would have ever touched again if I would have been sure i would have a dumping reaction to it).
The one good thing is that my hubby has told me that starting Jan 1st - he is going back to eating healthy (and when he says it - HE MEANS IT...he's not a foodie whatsoever, so doesn't get the high that i do with trying new foods). Right after I had my surgery he decided to cut out all white flour, rice, high sugars, breads, etc - and felt great. In the last 2mths when I started grazing, so did he. In the last 10 mths we have had a honest relationship (with the best sex that I can remember since pre-marriage)...I dont want to loose it - and neither does he. We do have some other marital issues we are working on, and weight has finally dropped off the priority ladder.
Anyway, I thought I'd share a BEFORE/AFTER pic with you.
I went to a wine tasting party last year on 12-26-07 & here i am at approx 270 lbs (and a size 20/22) and then here I am today on 12-26-08 at 273 lbs (and a size 12/14). The biggest similarity is that I like the color burgundy!
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not doing so well on December 12, 2008 10:23 am
12/12/08 - I try so hard to be upbeat, but sometimes I get beat down...and right now I'm so depressed. My husband just got laid off a few days ago & we dont have the 6 mths padding the way everyone should. Back to paying my mtg with my amex. You think i'm being funny? I'm not...I want to scream "WHY ME????".
How is this effecting my weight?
I stepped on the scale today & it said 178lbs F*CK - I've caught myself grazing almost every day & cant stop. In fact I'm going to tell on myself right now. I've worked so hard to take the weight off & get to a normal comfortable level & i can just feel that I'm loosing control.
You know the great great "candy bars" I buy (noooooo, they arent snickers - i buy the high protien / low sugar type such as:
South Beach High Protien Ceral Bars (140 cal, 5g fat, 15g carb, 6g sugar, 10g protien...this might be a breakfast)
OR
South Beach Snack Bar (100 cal, 3g fat, 16g carb, 6g sugar, 5g protien)
OR
EAS Carb Control Bar (240 cal, 8g fat, 27g carb, 1g sugar, 17g protien...the bar is big enough to eat only 1/2 at a time)
OR
Supreme Protien (400 cal, 18g fat, 26g carb, 10g sugar, 30g protien...this bar is so HUGE i normally breqak it up into 3rds)
Today I ate a WHOLE SUPREME BAR! What am i doing to myself? If i dumped (which I dont), i would have just put myself in sugar shock. I dont even taste what i'm eating - i'm just shoving food in my mouth to keep my fingers moving.
Thanks for giving me a place to vent - it's so hard to keep what's going on to myself. | Leave a comment.
i think i'm lactose intollerant on December 1, 2008 6:50 am
12/01/08 - I never thought I would be, but last night I couldnt wait to try the Chai Tea recipe, but I didnt have any soy milk left in the house (I use soy milk vs. skim milk cuz this particular brand "8th Continent Light - Vanilla" tastes pretty good & works really well when I make protien ice cream).
Here is the nutrional breakdown per 8oz serving:
60 calories, 2g fat, 5g sugar & 6g protien.
I made the drink (8 oz REGULAR FULL FAT Milk + 3 tbsp SF Chai Tea Syrup + 1 scoop Vanilla Protien Powder) around 8:30pm and got a pretty bad gas attack by 9pm....and it never stopped! Remember how bad my a$$ poofed back the first month? That was how bad I was farting last night - all night long! 
Today's weight is 176, so that means I actually GAINED a lb since yesterday!
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my first really Happy Thanksgiving on November 30, 2008 1:55 pm
11/30/08 - I have a lot to be thankful for - of course my family, but also this year I have my health to be thankful for. Just last year I ate & ate & ate during the meal that I cooked and granted it was really good (It should be - I cooked it), I hurt after. I also was a size 22
This year I cooked almost the same food, and just tweaked it a bit to make it a bit healthier (but come on....sweet potatoes with splenda brown sugar is still starch and stuffing made with South Beach Bread is still carb), but the biggest change is the QUANTITY of FOOD that i ate.
Here is my menu - and please realize I LOVE to cook, so the food I made...I made with love for my family:
Appitizers (around 2pm):
1) Spinach Veggie Dip with Fresh Veggies (no chips, no crackers). The change in the dip is that instead of using a full container of reg Sour Cream, I made it with 1/2 LF Sour Cream & 1/2 0% Fage Greek Yougurt. Click HERE for the recipe.
2) Shrimp Cocktail w/Cocktail Sauce (last year I made fried wontons)
3) Stuffed Mushrooms (this time I used EVOO instead of Butter to coat)
Dinner (around 6pm):
Salad with lots of veggies, nuts & fresh cheeses and Good Seasonings Shaker Dressing
Turkey & Homemade Gravy
Stuffing - (as I said above, I toasted SB Bread & instead of adding sausage, I made a Whole Wheat Sage & Mushroom stuffing...and it was REALLY, REALLY GOOD). Click HERE for the recipe. Only difference is that I always cook my stuffing in the bird, not seperate.
Sweet Potato Casserole - subsituted Splenda Brown Sugar. That doesnt make it THAT MUCH lighter since I mix the brown sugar with cinammon, crushed walnuts & butter and spread it around sliced apples that I layer on the sweet potatoes. As it cooks, it carmelizes and tho it tastes yummy - I'm sure it's laden with lots of calories. Oh...and for my dad - I also top it with marshmellows at the very last minute. Very "thanksgiving", not very WLS friendly, though!
Green Bean Casserole - made exactly as on Campbells Soup can. I just found Eggface's recipe & will try it next holiday. Click HERE for her version.
Corn Casserole - yup, as artery clogging as it sounds, but my son and dad requested it.
Mac & Cheese - yup, also as artery clogging as it sounds, but it's homemade & my family loves it...so I made it anyway!
Cranberry Sauce - subsituted Splenda & it was perfect
Rolls
Dessert:
Fresh Fruit
Pecan Pie (my mom made...and it's whole fat & my family loves it)
SF Butter Pecan Protien Ice Cream (thanky Eggface...click HERE for her recipe...oh: I add a pkg of splenda when I make all of her icecream recipes to sweeten them up)
Coffee with DaVinci SF Amaretto Syrup
I pretty much had a bite of everything. And I mean ONE BITE, not a few forks full. I did have to spit out the mac & cheese into my napkin cuz I started to have an attack...but since I kept everything at a minimum (and filled up on the shrimp early on in the afternoon)....I was FINE at the end of the meal.
The next day I jumped on the scale - I gained a 1/2 lb...I then ran around with my hubby and on Sat I jumped back on the scale and the 1/2 lb was gone. I'm still at 175.0...meaning I havent lost anything in the last few days - but that is OKEY DOKEY with me considering last year I gained almost 5 lbs after the thanksgiving weekend!
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Sugar Free Syrups on November 29, 2008 9:44 am
11/29/08 - I just realized that my collection has really grown since I started making protien ice cream this summer! The two that I havent tried yet are the DaVinci Blueberry and the DaVinci Chai Tea...I just found this week. Forget ice cream w/the Chai Tea one...I'm switching out my normal Peppermint Patty protien shake that I take to work every day(8 oz Soy Milk + 1 heaping Choc Protien Powder + 3 tbsp Peppermint Syrup) for a new recipe that I'm gonna whip up in my magic bullet (8 oz Soy Milk + 1 heaping Vanilla Protien Powder + 3 tbsp Chai Syrup). Right now I'm already on my second bottle of Stbx SF Vanilla and the DaVinci SF Raspberry  The only 2 bottles I've paid full price for are the ones I've picked up at Starbucks. The rest I've found in either TJ Maxx, Marshalls or Home Goods for $4.99/bottle.
(Blueberry, Raspberry, White Chocolate, Chai Tea, Peppermint, Amaretto, Caramel, Vanilla & Hazelnut)
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9 mth measurements (WOW) on November 27, 2008 8:05 am
| |
2/24/08 |
11/26/08 |
Total Loss |
| neck |
15 |
13 |
-2 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
13 |
-7 |
| full chest |
52 |
41 |
-11 |
| under chest |
43 |
35 1/4 |
-7 3/4 |
| waist |
45 |
36 3/4 |
-8 1/4 |
| hips |
55 |
44 3/4 |
-10 1/4 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
27 |
-12 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
15 1/2 |
-4 1/2 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
9 1/2 |
- 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
-63 1/4 |
the 3 places that keeps loosing inches even if I dont loose a lot of weight is my waist, hips & thighs (which are all GOOD THINGS!)
Wore the "Marilyn Monroe" dress on St John, and it... on November 20, 2008 6:52 am
11/20/08 - Arrived on St John last wednesday for the destination wedding. The morning I left on the plane I weighed exactly 180 lbs (meaning I lost 83.5 lbs since surgery). I had my final fitting the week before & the seamstress had to do some last minute nip/tucks on me - but all & all...the dress really looked wonderful!
It was so wonderful to be in decent shape - i was able to partipate in every activity without being winded (such as snorkeling, diving, even dancing on the beach). I also looked decent if i do say so myself in a bathing suit, though I'm not ready to post those pics just yet :)
Today I weigh 176.5, so I've lost a total of 87 lbs since surgery.
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NJ Meetup - Applebee's (Paramus, NJ) on November 9, 2008 7:48 pm
11/09/08 - had a really, really nice lunch today!
Wendy (Plum1967) reminded me that I missed the hackensack support group this past thurs, which I totally did - oooops!, and invited me to join a meetup group for lunch. We all met up around noon and what was nice was that there were every group representing:
....RNY, Lapband & DS
....same thing with the timing: everything from 2 mths out to 2+ yrs out!
Only annoying thing was that applebees would not substitute thier french fries for a small salad, so I had to pay extra for that...but it was only $2.99 (no biggie).
clockwise from bottom left = Angela (iamsisyphus), me (MichelleS.), Wendy, (WendyE), Wendy (Plum1967), Mary (MaryC), Esther (estherf), Donna (DonnaMaria), Marlon (MarlonG88)
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zucchini roll ups on November 3, 2008 8:15 am
11/3/08 - i made Eggface's PASTA-LESS MANICOTTI last night (and forgot to take a picture!). It was really yummy. I actually made a split tray of half of the manicotti rolled up on zucchini & the other half of regular stuffed shells (for my rest of family to eat). Trust me on my fustration when they started eating my side!
Not much else has been going on with me - no major halloween parties this year (which I am kinda dissapoined about since I've been going to massive dress up parties for the last 15 yrs & it's been a long time that I could wear something short & skimpy!). I loved Ameila's costume. Super Sexy Pirate!!! If you havent watched her on youtube - you should (I found her about 7 mths ago while watching some MM vlogs). She has her surgery last Nov 1st - and her transformation has been nothing short of inspirational. Click HERE to view her vlog.
My weight loss is at an all time stall. I'm sure a lot has to do with my lack of going to the gym (in the last mth i've gone maybe 4 times vs 4 times a week). I think another issue is cuz I'm comfortable with the size i am now. I know I'd look even better as a size 12....but truthfully, I think i look pretty good right now - so i've stopped pushing myself as hard. Another big thing is that my appetite has returned. The honeymoon period is def over. I might not be able to eat the large portions anymore...but I can eat a normal portion...which stalls the weight loss.
This morning I'm still at 182.5 lbs (which is 81 lbs lost from surgery date). My goal was to be at 175 when I leave for St John in 2 weeks. Back to the gym tonight, so fingers crossed!
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8 mth update....81 lbs gone so far! on October 25, 2008 6:40 am
10/25/08 - this month has def. been a stall month. In total I've lost 5 lbs, which is still pretty great - but I'm now fighting for those pounds. Today I weigh 182.5 lbs. I know I should only step on the scale maybe once a week or once every two weeks...but i'm still obsessed & step on it EVERY DAY. That's why if you look at my ticker above you'll notice I've stopped reporting my weight loss, cuz there is nothing to report. I was happy to see a 2 lb loss this morning - but that can also be caused due to me having mexican last night. I cannot seem to get off the mexican craving - its almost at the point of passing sushi as my fav meal! The place we went to was super yummy (and close to the theatre district if you are heading to a show). It's called TOLACHE & I totally recommend. Here is what I ate at 8 mths out:
First off, instead of ordering on my own - me & my sis shared everything. Started off with the homemade guac (OMG!!!!) I did use 3-4 chips to dunk at first and then my WW mentality of "why waste points unnessarily?" came back - so I plopped a bit onto my side plate & just ate it with a fork. For the main entree we shared: Skirt Steak tacos, Pinapple Pork tacos and a Chicken Quesadiallia. Sounds like a lot, but none of this is what you would normally think of as traditional taco bell style. Its all open and tapas size - so very easy to pick the protien's & veggies off the tortilla. Rice & Beans were an extra - so we switched that to sauted mushrooms.
I did order a drink at the beginning that lasted me the whole meal - a mango mint mojito, which I know is bad to drink while eating....but i normally dont do it - and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good.
After that we went to see the broadway show ROCK OF AGES, which is a really fun show - it takes place during the late 1980's along the sunset strip & if you loved 80's hair metal music music (like poison, whitesnake, van halen, bon jovi, night ranger)...I promise you, you wont be dissapointed. The final song was Journey's "Dont Stop Beleiving" - and had the entire audience on their feet singing. Well, at least everyone that graduated High School back in the late 80's (which is me)! Oh - right now the lead is played by Constantine Maroulis (from American Idol), who is sooooooooo damn cute in person!
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GOAL ACHIEVED: shop in normal size clothing store on October 21, 2008 7:28 pm
10/21 - just realized that I've achieved this goal!
Today I was wearing a size 1 red average (size 14) slacks that I bought a little over a month ago at Lane Bryant & had to keep tugging them up. I also realized that when I was in MACY's last weekend (spending my b-day loot) - all the sweaters I bought were size LARGE, not XL. The only jeans I now wear are LEE, tho the GAP SPECIAL EDITION SIZE 14 are calling my name (I'm just not sure if Im ready to switch from boot cut jeans - which are the LEE's to straight leg jeans, which are the GAP)
The only thing that is gonna be a pain will be the time it will take me to take pics of all my clothes & post them on ebay. I did ok the last time I cleaned out my closet over the summertime. Made enough $ to pay for the bridesmaid dress I'm wearing next month. I cant wait to go back for my final fitting & see what that dress looks like now.
Oh, I'm at another stall. Last monday I was at 183.5 lbs, then this past Sunday I blew up to 185.5 lbs (I can say it is prob cuz I went out to dinner / drinking on Thurs, Fri & Sat). Yesterday I was back down to 184 lbs - which is where I am today.
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i DUMPED & it was miserable (warning: gross... on October 17, 2008 10:17 am
10/17 - I really thought i was immune to dumping cuz although I have stayed away from any high sugar food since surgery (which is now 7.5 mths ago) - i figured that if i would dump...it would have happened.
Well, last night I had a company dinner and we went for Mexican Food (Dos Cominos). I was able to resist the chips and just had a little homemade guac by itself for the appy. Then I had steak fajita's (and OMG - they were amazing). Just ate the steak & veggies straight from the skillet - it was THAT GOOD! On top of that, the table kept ordering pitchers of frozen margerhita's  (first one was pomegranite flavor, then blood orange, then I started to loose count). All i knew was that the straw was attached to my mouth all night & my glass was never empty. I think the table went thru 6 pitchers, so I'm guessing in a period of a 3 hr dinner I drank 3-4 huge glasses. And yes - i know that is a lot. When the dessert came - the table ordered this huge chocolate mud pie with cinnamon ice cream & I did stick my spoon in it and had a bit of the warm pie with a drop of the cream melted on the plate. Again, I know that was bad - but it was just a taste...not eating the whole pie.
About 30 min later I was home & felt fine (ok quite drunk...but not ill). I put all the leftovers in the fridge for my hubby...but the homemade guac was calling out to me - so I opened my son's bag of tostido's & started muching on chips & guac. Stuffed my face for about 5 min & was done. Yes, again I know that was bad....but once I tasted salt - i could not stop.
Ten min later I felt sicker then i have felt since the surgery
Why i think i was dumping was not only did i feel like i had to puke (which i tried, but could not)...but I had out of control foamies each time i leaned over the toilet. Then my head started spinning, but not due to being drunk - a different feeling & i started having chest palpataions. Since it was barely 10pm, the only thing I could think of was to lay down & go to sleep. I prob got up 10 times in the next 20 min to try & throw up, but very little besides foamies would come up. I felt like i was having a heart attack while i was laying in my bed & then (thank goodness) i passed out. Two hours later my husband woke me up & i felt a million times better. I then farted so badly that my cat got up & left the room.
I'm not sure what caused this reaction at 9:30pm:
a) the frozen margerithas - i was drinking them non stop from 6pm - 9pm
b) the mudpie dessert (and no exaggeration - it was ONE spoonful) at 8:45pm
c) the chips (and this is the first time ive had chips since surgery) at 9:30pm
This morning I woke & pooped my brains out  , stepped on the scale & gained 1.5lbs back......Today I'm 185 even! 
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WOW moment I didnt even think of until it happened on October 11, 2008 6:53 am
10/11/08 - I now weigh less then my husband!
When I went for surgery I was 263.5lbs (I'm 5'4") & my husband (who is 5'11") was 210. He changed his diet along with me & dropped 30 lbs in about 2 mths & went down to approx 180 lbs. I always thought he looked good, but now that he works out at the gym at his work - he is looking DAMN GOOD. With all the weight training, he's added approx 5 lbs back of muscle, putting him at 185 lbs.
I've been at another stall for this entire week - and today I stepped on the scale & it said 183.5 lbs...WOOHOO...I'm 1.5 lbs LESS then my 5'11" husband! I was so happy that I jumped on my hubby and he picked me up to congratulate me...and for once in my life, I didn't smack him to "PUT ME DOWN...NOW". It felt really good to be held with my legs wrapped around my hubby. Vanity then kicked in (cuz my scale is in my bedroom & my closet doors are mirrored) and I made him carry me over to the mirrors to see if I looked ridiculous...and you know what? I didn't....I looked like a normal girl being held by her hubby! 
Another big milestone is that this loss brings me now to a total loss from surgery of 80lbs...WOW!
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Philly OH Event - review on October 5, 2008 7:15 am
10/5/08 - so yesterday was the conference in Philly. I thought it was going to be more of an "convention atmosphere with a ton of vendors and things to do"....so I was a bit dissapointed. I would classify the event as a "seminar". We left our house at 7:15am & arrived at 9am on the dot - and was surprised that it had already begun....and the only availble seat was at a table all the way in the back. It was packed - like at least 300 people, but it was a full day of listening to lectures from different people.
Here is the rundown.
1st - Dr Horowitz - plastic surgeon
I know I will prob have to have PS in the future...but seeing before/after pics of extreme loose flabby excess skin & then frankenstein stitching first thing in the morning was not my cup of tea.
2nd - Eggface & Melting Mama.
They were SOOOOOOOOOOOOO adorable in person! I'm not going to go into details, but besides cooking, we got to hear a whole bunch of personal stuff about Michelle....like about her new BF, Jeremey, a hint what she's wearing to the LA Halloween party  (sorry, I cant tell you - she swore all of us to secrecy!) Some of the foods that were made or made in advance & distributed while they were talking were:
- Bean Salad
- PB-2 Protien Shake
- Click Protien Shake
- Pizza Bites
- Protien IceCream (not sure which flavor)
me & Eggface (Shelly)
me & Melting Mama (Beth)
The only bad thing was that since I was sitting in the back - I didnt get to sample anything until a break when I met them in the hallway when I tried Eggy's PB-2 Shake & her Bean Salad 
3rd - Lynn Meinke - Life Coach
Maybe it's cuz I'm just not into Life Coaching, but I was bored beyond tears (sorry)
LUNCH....it was pretty good, though I was surprised to see Kaiser Rolls out next to the Wraps for people to make sandwiches. Even more surprised to see people eating them (and they were NOT pre-ops!)
4th - Megan Kristel - Personal Shopper (her company is Kristel Closets)
I thought I was gonna be bored, but she was actually fun to watch. She also gave some very good tips! I think she was very, very nervous (cuz her voice sounded like it was shaking), which is silly cuz everyone in the audience was looking up to her.
5th - Ramon Lopez
He is an OH member & lost over 295 lbs....and was enjoyable to listen to (and boy do the ladies LOVE him!)
6th - Bariatric Fitness Expert
SOOOOOOOOOOOO BORING! I tuned this guy out totally & started reading emails on my blackberry. Instead of having some interactive demonstrations...which would have kept the audience awake (and laughing), he droned on & on & on about working out after WLS.
When it came to commenting on the event I listed which speakers I enjoyed & which were boring....and that I was VERY DISSAPOINTED that there were NO VENDORS attending (like PB-2, Bariatric Advantage, Kay's, any Protien Powder, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc) and also that except for lunch - there was no other food provided. As for drinking - just coffee & water. Hello, no Crystal Light! We all know that 3 normal meals a day isnt gonna work with us - we need a few mini meals to get us thru the day now since take is limited calories at a time. I was STARVING when it ended a little after 5pm!
The drive home was only 1 1/2 hrs...and I aplogized to Randy cuz I really thought this was gonna be a huge event (he was soooooooooo bored to tears - he was prob the only non WLS person there). We planned on going to dinner at EAT (Jose Tejas) since by 4pm I was jonesing fajita's...but the wait was over an hr, so we went next door to Houlihan's and got fajita's (which were surprisingly VERY GOOD...they had an option to substitute Corn Tortilla's with Lettuce Cups - which we did...YUMMO!)
Did my day end there? Nope. Me & randy then brought up all of our Halloween decorations  up from storage & started decorating the living room. Will decorate the outside prob this afternoon.
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I'm excited for the Philly Event tomorrow! on October 3, 2008 7:49 pm
10/3/08 - I feel like I'm attending some sort of HS reunion...which is so weird, cuz I dont know most people's real names & some I dont even know what they look like (just what they use an an avatar)...but I'm super excited to meet my OH friends tommorrow in Philly. I'm absolutely gonna get there early enough to get a good seat to cheer on Eggface & Melting Mama.
Here I am trying on clothes to see what I'm gonna wear tomorrow (also known as my 7 mth pic):
I decided on a whim to try on jeans that have always been too tight for years now...I dont even know why I never threw them out (except that I loved them).....and tonight I got into the size 14 version of....O-M-G....my GAP SPECIAL EDITION BUTTON FLY (aaaahhhhhh!)
Just to prove that these are them - he ya go:
I'm so proud of myself...I cant wait to get in to the size 12 version, cuz then I'll be back to my "normal" size - if I really even have one.
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7 mth measurements on September 30, 2008 6:45 am
9/30/08 - Just a followup to the recipes I made yesterday. I already knew how the mac & cheese, corn casserole bars & pumpkin cheesecake would turn out (yummy), but I was unsure about the DOUBLE DIP CHICKEN CASSEROLE just since I've never made it before.....OMG....it's AMAZING! Click on the name of the dish & you will be brought to Eggface's recipe. Everyone ate it & loved it. In fact, a few people who are soooooooo anti-veggie even ate it & gave it the "IT WAS OK" response instead of the plain old "BLECH". I will totally make it again!
Here is an update of my inches lost & today's scale = 186.0, so total weight loss from surgery is now 77.5 lbs!
| |
02/24/08 |
09/28/08 |
Total Loss |
| neck |
15 |
13 |
-2 |
| upper arms (x2) |
16 1/2 |
13 1/2 |
-6 |
| full chest |
52 |
41 |
-11 |
| under chest |
43 |
34 |
-9 |
| waist |
45 |
37 |
-8 |
| hips |
55 |
47 |
-8 |
| thighs (x2) |
33 |
27 3/4 |
-10 1/2 |
| calves (x2) |
17 3/4 |
16 |
-3 1/2 |
| ankles (x2) |
9 3/4 |
9 1/2 |
- 1/2 |
| Total inches lost |
|
|
-58 1/2 |
Cooking for Rosh Hashanah on September 28, 2008 7:39 pm
9/28/08 - tomorrow night is the big dinner at my Mom's house. Here are the dishes that I made this evening that I'm bringing with me (both WLS...and totally NOT WLS friendly)
 
1) Macaroni & Cheese (top left) - yes, I make mine from scratch with 4 types of cheeses (Swiss, Munster, Perconino-Romano & Velvetta - HEY, dont knock velvetta...it melts a hell of a lot better then cheddar & gives it that perfect smooth cheesy taste!). I then top it with crumbled Ritz Crackers that I drizzle with butter. Needless to say, this is DAMN FATTENING & ARTERY GLOGGING...but if you wanted to cheat, I have to tell you that it's friggen worth it!
2) Corn Casserole Bars (bottom left) - It's an awesome side dish that I normally make on thanksgiving. A few family members asked me to make it now (including my son), so I did & the main ingrediants are: Creamed Corn, Sour Cream, Eggs, Butter & Corn Muffin Mix. It might not be high on sugar, but DAMN it's high in fat & calories....and yes - as a treat, this one is also worth every friggen calorie in taste!
3) Doubled Dipped Chicken Casserole (top right). Not sure how much WLS friendly food there will be there, so I made one myself. I found this one on Eggface's website. I havent tasted it yet, so my family will be trying it for the first time along with me...but I have to say - it looks & smells delish! You can link to her recipe by clicking on the name of the dish.
4) Pumpkin Cheesecake (bottom right) - This time I tried to make it bit more health conscience (if it's possible). It's a super easy recipe. Mix a block of Cream Cheese w/ a can of Pumpkin, a 1/2 cup of sugar & a tsp of Pumpkin Spice. Then fold in Cool Whip. Plop it in a Grahamn Cracker Crust & VOILA! The 2 things I tweaked is I used SF Cool Whip & I used Splenda instead of regular sugar. I've been told that cooking with splenda messes up baking recipes, so since there is not oven involved in this recipe, I figured it would be ok. I will let my family be the verdict tomorrow.
Oh, my weight is now 186.5 - i just realized that in the last 2 weeks I have lost more then I have in the last 6 weeks (due to stalling at 5.5 mths). Guess this reinforces the fact that the tool is still working - I guess it was just taking a break 
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7 mth anniversary on September 25, 2008 7:49 pm
9/25/08 - so far, so good - today's weigh in brings me to 187.5, so I've lost 76 lbs since surgery (which is not as amazing as some others...but is pretty damn good for me). I want to be positive, but my bubble has completely popped today after I went for my first bridesmaid dress fitting. I'm now a true size 14, and this marilyn monroe type dress makes me look like I'm a size 22 stuffed into a size 2. In my everday life I know that my boobs have deflated some. I've gone from a 42DD down to a 38D (which is cool by me), but in this dress - my boobs look larger then they did before surgery! I was mortified what the dress looked like - and I already know that unless some miracle happens btwn now & Nov 15th, I'm stuck wearing this atrocity.
Ok, enough feeling down on myself - this weekend I'll have my hubby take my measurements & some updated pics. Hopefully I've lost some inches & seeing that always makes me feel better.
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left the 190's on September 22, 2008 6:17 am
09/22/08 - it seemed like I was in the 190's for a very long time (actually compared to every other 10 lb catagory - I was). This weekend I left the 190's and today the scale said 188 = 75.5 lbs lost!
I'm gonna set a goal for myself now - I'd like to hit 175 lbs by Halloween, which would mean another 13 lbs lost in 6 weeks. Considering how slow the loss has been in the last 2 mth, I'm not sure if it's possible...but if that means kicking up the protien & excersize - then so be it.
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nasty comment / lack of comment - both hurt on September 21, 2008 10:43 pm
9/21/08 - Was at a b-day party yesterday for my best friend who has two uppity sisters. Both follow the rule "open mouth, insert foot", as well as "if you have nothing nice to say - say it loud enough for all to hear". I haven't seen them in over 6 mths & they are both extremely thin. Both have known me for over 20 yrs - so have seen me at every size with my yo-yo dieting.
The second they came into the party, one came over to me & my husband & looked my husband directly in the eye & told him how he looks great & asked him if he's lost weight (which he has, since I've been eating healthy - he has too & has dropped 30 lbs). Then she gives me this obvious up-down lookover & not a peep. Nada. Then she opens her trap and says to me "can you tell I've lost 25 lbs?" WTF?!? Can't she say anything nice to me - ARE YOU FRIGGEN KIDDING ME THAT YOU CANT TELL I'VE GONE FROM A SIZE 20 TO A SIZE 14???? I was gonna be a b*tch right back & say "no, actually you look like you've gained a few lbs"....but I realized that I would never get rid of her then, so I swallowed it & just said as sweetly as possible "I cant beleive you just lost that much - you've always looked perfectly thin". Which is what she wanted to hear, of course & walked away.
Good riddence to bad rubbish....what a ef-ing b*tch!
My husband just laughed & told me she was jealous of how great I look. My friend (who is her sister & nothing like her) told me that she's just an unhappy person & is prob just focusing now on how good looking my husband is.
Yeah, I like both answers 
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what being MO does to your organs on September 18, 2008 8:20 pm
09/18/08 - After watching the Biggest Looser this week, I asked Dr Roslin what the "fat status" was of my insides. Here is what a healthy heart & lungs looks like:
But due to me being morbidly obese just 6 1/2 mths ago, here is prob what it did look like:
OMG - how disgusting is that - all that yellow is FAT!
He told me that due to me loosing what I have + excersizing, the fat that was surrounding my heart, lungs & arteries have dimished to the point where I now have a healthy inside, and within another 3 mths I should have NO FAT AT ALL surrounding any major organ. That felt really good to hear.
Those pics on the Biggest Looser really scared me!
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6 month checkup on September 18, 2008 7:21 am
9/18/08 - well, I just got back from visiting my doc & all the labs came back perfectly. I was kind of annoyed that LABCORP told me it would take 3-4 weeks to get all the lab results (which is why I moved my orig Sept 3rd appt to today) and the PA today confirmed the date that they got the lab results 3 days after all my blood was taken. UGGGGGGH - that is the last time I listen to a lab tech. I should have realized she was pulling my leg since we got into a big fight over which arm to draw blood from. I ALWAYS donate on my right cuz I have a huge vein there, but she insisted on taking it from my left. After 3 attempts, she switched to my right arm & I ended up with a bruise on my left arm for 2 weeks. Anyway, back to my checkup update.
I was told to keep my vitamins as is:
2x day multivitamin (I take centrum silver chewable)
1500mg day calcium (I take 3 pks of upcal-D)
1x week vitamin D soft gel < this was added last checkup due to me being low on my vitamin D
3x week vitamin B-12 (I take GNC liquid which tastes like black licorice...yuck)
Here is Dr Roslin's weight loss formula, which seems to be working for me: Loose 1/2 the weight btwn 3-6 mths from what I lost the first 3 mths and then 1/2 of that btwn mths 6-9....meaning by Thanksgiving I should be about 175 lbs. I'd be happy with that...but would really love to be at goal by then too 
I asked my doc what his views were on the DS vs RNY and he told me if we could go back in time, he would suggest that surgey to me, even though my BMI was under 50. He's a big advocate for the DS...in fact he's being interviewed this afternoon for Good Morning America. I'm gonna set my DVR every day during the next week to see if I can catch when he is on. He feels that in the long run, DS is more sucessful cuz it there is a large % of poeple who regain after 3-5 years of RNY. After all i've been thru, I do not want to be one of those that regain, and I also dont want to have a revision.
My weight today is 190 lbs = 73.5 lbs lost
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HAIR LOSS HAS STOPPED on September 16, 2008 8:54 pm
9/16/08 - FINALLY the hair loss has STOPPED!
I think it started around mth 3.5 and was pretty insane for the last 3 mths. I felt like I was shedding a cat every morning. It was pretty embarrasing at my last hair appt when there was MORE HAIR GOING DOWN THE DRAIN THEN BEING WASHED! I just realized this morning that my shower walls, shower floor, shampoo, soap, towels, dresser, lamp, dog, etc wasn't covered with my hair.....WHEW!
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"bites" review - PIZZA and FIESTA on September 11, 2008 10:21 am
09/11/08 - I've switched my obsession from making protien ice cream to bites. This weekend I made a batch of BEEF FIESTA BITES. They were ok...my son told me they kinda tasted like a mini jamacian beef patty, but I think they kinda taste like hamburger helper.
On Tuesday I made a batch of both PIZZA BITES and STUFFED PIZZA BITES (the difference btwn the two is that the stuffed version uses fresh mozzarella & bruchetta instead of shredded mozzarella cheese & diced tomatotes).
(these are the pizza bites)
(these are the stuffed pizza bites)
I never was a big fresh mozz fan, so my vote goes towards the regular PIZZA BITES version. My son on the other hand is just happy stuffing his mouth with anything that comes out of the oven!
fyi: if you click on each of the BITES I listed above, you will be directed to Eggface's recipes.
Oh, the weight loss is still happening, just slowly - today I'm at 191 even...so the total loss to date is 72.5 lbs
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fall shopping - pants on September 6, 2008 12:14 pm
09/06/08 - I need work pants...basic plain no big deal work pants...in black.
Now that summer is almost done, I'm not gonna get away with the light cotton capris for much longer (which I loved, since I didnt have to dry clean). I first went to Macy's cuz of the commericals I saw on tv. Their SALE isnt all that....for me at least. I saw a lot of stuff btwn 25% - 30% off, but when the orig price is $125...the discount will only bring the pants down to $80-$90/pair (which in 2 mths I'm prob gonna outgrow anyway) is nuts. On top of that, I need at least 3-4 pairs RIGHT NOW.
Then I went to Khols. Their work pants sux! Wandered into their jeans section. Tried on 16's but they were too baggy in the waist. I then tried on size 14's Lee Jeans - granted they have some stretch in them, but they looked normal (sorry if I sound like a name-brand snob...but no way was I buying "croft & barrow" jeans? and the other brands they had was daisy fuentes & gloria vanderbilt. Nah. I'll just wait to loose enough to go back to the GAP). They were $19/each less my 20% off coupon so I got 3 pairs = $45. When I got home I saw a commerical for Old Navy jeans = $12. I should have checked them out...oh well.
After that I went to Lane Bryant. I know that their black pants are always $49.50 (unless they have a coupon, which right now they dont). Picked up 2 pairs of the HOUSTON style in a size 1...yes size ONE, which is a size 14. Can't beleive I spent $99 on 2 pairs that I will prob outgrow in 2 mths, but I need them. Coolest thing is that back in Feb I was wearing a size 4...yes, SIZE FOUR, which = a size 20 (and they were getting kinda snug). Guess it's time to list those now on ebay...and I have a lot of those! 
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Labor Day update on September 1, 2008 9:46 am
9/1/08 - change of plans of what foood I brought to yesterday's BBQ. I only made one batch of bites - I decided on the spinach feta ones.
Trust me when I tell you that these are super easy to make & a hit. Within 45 min all 23 (yes...as you can see from the pic - I had to eat one right out of the oven) were gone!
I also made a mushroom / crab casserole (why? cuz I had all the ingrediants in the house, lol).
My fingers were crossed that I could eat cooked mushrooms this time, but I tried one bite...and nope - something about mushrooms does not agree with me anymore (and that sux to high heavens...cuz before the surgery, cooked mushrooms was a staple in my diet!)
Lastly, I made a spinach dip (cuz I had a package of GOOD SEASONINGS in the house). Here is my recipe (and I think it came out pretty good):
- 1 pkg of Good Seasons mix (can also use the Hidden Valley Ranch mix or Lipton Veggie soup mix...i buy whatever is on sale since they all have a long shelf life)
- 1 1/2 cup of FAGE 2% yougurt (I was gonna use light sour cream & decided to try the greek yourgurt this one time to see if people could tell the difference)
- 1 box of thawed spinach (I put the box in the fridge the night before to defrost.....oh and btw, after I drained the spinach with a fork I squeezed it in a ball to get out the excess liquid)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozz cheese
- 1/4 cup parm cheese
- a handful of diced up water chestnuts (i took them out the night before from my frozen costco bag of mixed veggies to defrost in the fridge)
- a handful of diced up red pepper (just for color & crunch)
As always, just click on the name of the recipe - and it will bring you to the link where I orig got the recipe (and most of them are from Eggface....thank you Shelly!)
I def have a bigger appitite then I did just 2 mths ago...here is what I ate yesterday:
Breakfast - choc mint protien shake (8 oz)
Lunch - 4 of the spinach feta bites
Snack - string cheese
Liquid Snack - 1/2 bottle of smirnoff ice (but the bubbles got to me after a 1/2 hr, so I swtiched back to crystal light)
Dinner - cheeseburger & ketchup in a lettuce wrap, small salad w/ french dressing on the side, homemade coleslaw
Dessert - 1/2 cup watermelon
2nd snack after I got home - choc chip mint protien ice cream with SF coolwhip
Just seems like I'm eating A LOT now...oh, and although I'm not back to last week's weight of 193.5 - today I'm at 194.5 lbs Guess it is what it is....tonight I'm having a small BBQ at my house - I'm so glad that I can now eat meat & chicken, cuz I think I'm making both.
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Constipation Remedy on August 29, 2008 8:01 am
8/29/08 - who needs Milk of Magnesia...just a few spoonfuls of Sabra's Hummus does the trick plenty fine.
WHOA...I used to be able to eat hummus all the time - but I dont think so anymore.
On the flipside, I lost 1/2 lb (LOL)
Later on EDIT: I really need to go back to journaling my food intake again. I'm catching myself grazing all the time now & I have no idea if i'm hitting my 70g a day of protien like i should have. Bet anything that is why I'm stalling again.
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My Story Monthly Log of my Weight Loss:
02/25/08 - 263.5 lbs day of surgery - snug size 18/20. (GOAL = 145 lbs, which should be a comfy size 10/12)
03/25/08 - 241.5 lbs (mth 1 = LOST 22.0 lbs)
04/25/08 - 229.0 lbs (mth 2 = LOST 12.5 lbs for the mth / 34.5 lbs TOTAL) - my size 18's are loose
05/25/08 - 218.8 lbs (mth 3 = LOST 10.2 lbs for the mth / 44.7 lbs TOTAL)
06/25/08 - 208.0 lbs (mth 4 = LOST 10.8 lbs for the mth / 55.5 lbs TOTAL) - comfy size 16 & almost ready to shop in "normal" stores (I'm already a size 14 at the AVENUE). With 21% lost from my starting weight, if I was still at WW...I would now have my silver key ring! Another way to look at it is that I've lost 47% of my excess weight, so I'm almost 1/2 way there!
07/25/08 - 201.5 lbs (mth 5 = LOST 6.5 lbs for the mth / 62.0 lbs TOTAL) - lost 52% of my excess weight..I've passed the 1/2way mark!
08/25/08 - 193.5 lbs (mth 6 = LOST 8.0 lbs for the mth / 70.0 lbs TOTAL) - 47 1/4 inches off my frame and a comfy size 14
09/25/08 - 187.5 lbs (mth 7 = LOST 6.0 lbs for the mth / 76.0 lbs TOTAL) - lost 64% of my excess weight!
10/25/08 - 182.5 lbs (mth 8 = LOST 5.0 lbs for the mth / 81.0 lbs TOTAL) - lost 68% of my excess weight. I'm still a comfy size 14, but I'm now a LARGE instead of an XL in tops. Even with working out, I'm now starting to notice "loose skin" on my thighs & tummy. Although I really want to loose the add'l 37 lbs, if I didnt...I'd be totally fine staying permanetly at this weight.
11/25/08 - 175.0 lbs (mth 9 = LOST 7.5 lbs for the mth / 88.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 75% of my excess weight and 63 1/4 inches off my frame. These numbers are mindblowing! My size 14's are now loose so I think I'm going to ask for size 12's for Chanukkah 
12/25/08 - 173.0 lbs (mth 10 = LOST 2.0 lbs for the mth / 90.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 77% of my excess weight. Not exactly the weight I would have liked to seen lost for the mth, but I also know that I slacked on my excersizing & really didnt watch what I was eating...so I will accept the slow loss as is.
01/25/09 - 172.0 lbs (mth 11 = LOST 1.0 lbs for the mth / 91.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 77% of my excess weight. Weight loss is stabilizing (I gain/loose the same 2-3 lbs every few days), but the inches are still coming off - I've lost 73 inches from my body so far! Clothing size I'm now a 12/LARGE.
02/25/09 - 168.5 lbs (mth 12 = LOST 3.5 lbs for the mth / 95.0 lbs TOTAL) - lost 80% of my excess weight (goal is 145 lbs)....Happy Surgiversary to ME!
03/25/09 - 167.5 lbs (mth 13 = LOST 1.0 lbs for the mth / 96.0 lbs TOTAL) - lost 81% of my excess weight. I just saw Dr Roslin for my one year physical & he gave me the thumbs up on my labs (with the exception that my vitamin D is still low, so I need to keep taking prescription vitamin D once a week).
04/25/09 - 165.0 lbs (mth 14 = LOST 2.5 lbs for the mth / 98.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 83% of my excess weight. Risized my wedding band from a size 7 1/2 down to a size 6
05/25/09 - 167.0 lbs (mth 15 = GAINED 2.0 lbs for the mth / 96.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 81% of my excess weight. I've been very lazy with going to the gym. On top of that, my appetite has COMPLETLY RETURNED. I'm not "dieting", but I am watching what I eat. I'm satisfied that this weight (btwn 165-168) is where I ended up. Ironically, I've lost all the saggy skin on my arms, so they are looking pretty toned and I'm a comfy size 10/12.
06/25/09 - 164.0 lbs (mth 16 = LOST 3 lbs for the mth / 99.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 84% of my excess weight (remember I gained last mth so this is just my body adjusting accordingly).
07/25/09 - 162.0 lbs (mth 17 = LOST 2 lbs for the mth / 101.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 86% of my excess weight. Noticed that my wrist have gotten smaller - I have ALWAYS worn a size 7 1/4" bracelet & now I can wear a 6 1/2" braclet.
08/25/09 - 161.0 lbs (mth 18 = LOST 1 lbs for the mth / 102.5 lbs TOTAL) - lost 87% of my excess weight.
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This morning my hubby asked me if he could use some of my ice cream to make a protien ice cream shake - ok, but that just meant i needed to make more tonight!
