I gotta tell you, I was so intimidated by the thought of getting a personal trainer, but I am sooo glad I did it.  Yeah, I'm the biggest person in the gym (well not really, but up there in the ranks still), but it's not like people are even paying attention to you.  It makes you feel so good.  God, I can't believe this is me saying that.  Even when you have one of those crappy weeks or days, when you drag yourself there and do it anyways, you just feel proud of yourself and...*sniffle*... I'm go glad I'm doing it FOR ME.  There isn't a man in my life right now, there's no family giving me pressure to do it... I am CHOOSING to do it.  Ha, I probably shouldn't compose posts when on the rush right after the gym (I swear you work up hormones, I get so emotional afterwards, weird!) but I just want to encourage everyone to do it.  I know it's pricey but heck if I'm going to put something on my charge card, I'll be darned if this will make me feel guilty.  Don't be afraid they'll work you too hard, because at least at my place (LAFitness, this is not a commercial lol) they know what they're doing!  They WILL be able to assess where you are and what is too much for you and what is enough to push you safely.  I'm still a size 28 girlfriends, and they haven't killed me yet.  OK, LOL, I'm getting off the soapbox but I just wanted to share how wrong I was to be afraid and that I would hate it.   Only 3 lbs loss the last two weeks, but when I check again on Tuesday, even if it's not alot (and I have been better eating than I have been) I KNOW I am doing the right things.  Hope everyone is well :o) 

Lord have mercy, guess who joined a better gym and now has a personal trainer?  Um, yep!  Scary but awesome at the same time.  Just about the most unfit person in that gym but they swear there are people there starting from less than I am.  I'm sore, but elated.  Hit the 200 lb loss mark a week and a half ago.  Funny, but I'm now where most people start their journey, lol.  Yeah, I'm a 3x/4x and loving it.  You can't feel that unless you're coming from 6x/7x territory.  I honestly don't know how I lugged the extra 200 around.  i couldn't even lift that much now!  I realllly shouldn't spend the money for a trainer, but I'd surely waste $47 a week on something else and at least this will be lighter on my conscience.  I hope everyone else is doing well :o)

Well, five pounds from 200 lbs loss.  Wow.  Um, of course, having done that and still being a size 4X (um, yeah), it's kind of a strange place.  It's really ramped up though, not as much in the pounds, but things are shifting.  The loose skin is like crazy now, but strangely, I could care less.  Like wow, that's some loooose skin, but MAN (!), I emptied it!  Almost all my pre-diet/op clothes are unwearable and I'm transitioning my closet.  Feel terrific healthwise, dont really have much problems eating anything, which was always the case.  I had been able to eat just about anything post-op and even larger portions that would make the normal post-oper feel uncomfy (although still much smaller than pre-op of course).  Not a good thing, but now it seems to be going against the grain and not getting looser (the pouch) but actually tightening up,  Leave it to me to be the oddball, but I'm not complaining!  Everyone is terrific, I have suuuuuch wonderful friends.  To call them cheerleaders would be insufficient.  They're supporting me in taking back my life and that is such a marvelous thing.  Much love.  Word.  xxoo :o)

So, I've been blessed/cursed with not really having anything that makes me dump nor a problem ever with getting in enough food.  It's caused me to not be as stringent as some are forced to be, but for the last two weeks I have done my best to stay within 800-900 calories and get all of my protein in.  Also, I've taken water aerobics classics at least 4-5 times a week.  Wow, did it pay off this morning.  14 lbs in two weeks.  It really, really gives me new dedication to use this tool to its potential.  I am so pumped.  I thought I looked a little baggier (skin-wise! lol) last night, but I didn't want to check till this morning.  Wow, just wow.  Hope and optimism are magical things.  Who'd of thunk it? 

Well, it seems the minute I thought, "Well, maybe I won't have any hair loss afterall...", it started falling out!  I don't know if anyone else can tell yet (I've always had thin hair anyways), but I keep finding hair everywhere!  Alot of new growth already too, so it's not like I'm freaking out.  I know why it is though.  I stopped keeping track every day of my calories and protein intake.  Whether it's the calories or the protein, if I don't track at least Mon-Fri, I end up getting too much and not enough.  All last week (well, most of it), I kept right around 900 calories and got at least 85 of protein.  I'm planning on doing the same this week, so when I weigh next Monday, it better show... OR I will pull the rest of the hair out, LOL.  Also, have been doing water aerobics 5 days a week.  It's not like doing the eliptical, but hey it's waaay more than I used to do.  Still parking far away at work and it's awesome how I can leave the pool on Saturday morning, make 3 stops (including SuperWalmart) and come home with energy to spare.  Starting saying goodbye to some old clothes and listing them on ebay.  Those upper sizes (5X+) really go well.  I listed about 20 items and made $137.  I have more to uncover, buried deep in closets.  Either I find more that I can sell or more that I can now wear.  Win-Win.  :o)