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It's been a while since I've posted a blog message.  I need to get back on here more regularly.  My weight loss has stalled since February according to the scale.  I think my body shape has been changing as people have been commenting recently on how I look, or it's the change in clothing with the seasons.  Been feeling kind of discouraged that the scale wont budge.  I've only lost 40 lbs since the morning of surgery 10 months ago.  My biggest amount of weight loss was 90lbs before surgery.

But I do feel a lot more energetic.  I can walk the golf course, even the hills without feeling like I'm going to pass out from my heart pounding so hard.  My husband & I bought bikes for mother & father's day gifts to each other.  I hadn't road a bike other than a stationary bike in about 30 years.  Yes I remembered how to ride a bike, a little shakey turning.  However, I have forgotten how to stop and get off.  I fell and seriously bruised my knee and scrapped up my elbow.  So I'll move the seat lower so and try again once my knee is not so sore.  

I had my 4 mo check up today.  My weight was 239; blood pressure 120/64.  They are very pleased with how I'm managing my diet and exercise.  My biggest complaint was constipation.  I take 250 mg stool softner twice a day, eat 3 or 4 dried prunes a day and have added 4 oz of prune juice.  I've taken milk of magnesia, senekot and benefiber.  I'm beginning to think it is muscle problem.  I've never had to push or strain much to go.  But now, I think pushing a baby out was easier.  So they are sending me to a GI specialist.  It could be pelvic floor muscle problem. 

Overall it was a very good appointment.  I went to the lab after the appointment for blood test (7-8 test tubes).  So long as the test are good, my next appointment with the bariatric program will be in July for my 1 year post-op check up. 

First goal met:  I am now under 250 lbs. 

Second goal met:  I went golfing last weekend, walked 18 holes pushing my cart, and was not drop dead exhausted.  Although the temperature being in the 60s definitely helped.

I've gone shopping and bought a few new outfits - size 22.  People are really starting to notice and comment that I am looking great.  I think wearing clothes that fit is what has made really start to take notice.  It feels really good.  For a year now as both my husband and I have been losing weight, when we'd run into someone that hadn't seen us for a while, they'd comment on my husband's weight loss and not notice mine.  I've worked hard at this and no longer feel like I'm part of the background.

I tried on my wedding ring this morning and it slipped right on.  It doesn't feel uncomfortably tight.  I've been able to keep it on all day.  The last time I was able to wear it was in 2001!! 

The little changes like this mean soooo much.

It has been just over six weeks since I had surgery.  The weight is just not falling off of me like I hear it is with others that had surgery around the same time as me.  I know we are not supposed to compare ourselves to others.  But it is hard when you hear other say they have lost 30+ pounds in this first 1 1/2 months. 

They say the "honeymoon" period when the weight just melts off of you is 6-9 months.  I feel like it is going to slip past me and I'm not going to be able to get a large amount of weight off like other do.  I have lost only about 12 lbs since surgery.  The scale has only moved a couple of lbs in the past 3 weeks. 

Okay 12 lbs is an average of 2 lbs a week.  At this rate, in a year's time I would be down to my goal weight. 

I had lost 90 lbs on my own before surgery.  My body is probably trying to adjust to this change, as well as recovery from the surgery.  My body is probably trying to hold onto every calorie and gram of fat that it can. 

Reviewing my daily intake:  I'm not getting in 64 oz of liquids.  It's more like 48 oz.  I'm getting around 650-750 calories and usually getting atleast 60 grams protein.  Although since moving on to regular foods that has been hard.  I get full so fast. 
I need to work harder on the diet and liquid balance. 

Exercise:  I have been golfing at least once a week for the last 3 weeks (and 3 times one week).  Except for this week, I have been going to the fitness center at least 3 days a week since week 2 post-op.  The fitness center is closed for annual maintenance this week.  I'm really looking forward to it opening back up on Monday.  I miss my aqua aerobics class. 

If you're still reading this, hope you have enjoyed my internal argument and self kick in the butt.  I have an appointment with the dietician at my PCP's office on Tuesday.  Hopefully the scale will have changed by then.

I've been on the next stage of my diet for the past week.  Cottage cheese was my first non-liquid food.  I mixed in a little taco sauce for flavoring.  I have also tried chili (pureed the meat sauce before adding beans).  I went out to eat for the first time and ordered a salad plate (scoop of tuna, scoop of cottage cheese, pasta salad and tomato & cucumber).  I ate about 1/3 of the cottage cheese, about 1/4 of the tuna and took the rest home.  The cottage cheese & tuna lasted me 2 more meals.  My family had the pasta salad and tomato & cucumber. 

I had 3 broiled sea scallops sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and 2 T mashed broccoli in cheese sauce for dinner last night.  It tasted really good.  I had no trouble eating it.

I have one more week on this stage.  I definitely do not plan on trying any plan meat purees.  It just sounds disgusting!  Fish and scallops will be fine.

I went back to work on Monday of this week.  I'm only working until about noon (1/2 day).  By noon I'm ready to head home for lunch and a nap, then out to exercise.  However I think I'm more mentally drained than physically.  I still feel kind of spacey - not really focusing on the work.  I don't know  whether it is getting up 4 hours earlier than I have been since coming home from surgery, not able to have caffine, or just still recovering. 

I was weighed at my PCP office today.  I am now down 100 lbs from my all time high (358 July 2005).  My next short-term goal is to break 250 mark and then to get below my husband's weight. 

I had my first follow-up with my PCP today.  I'm down 12 lbs from discharge weight and 2 lbs below surgery admission weight.  YEAH!  Dr took off the steri-strips.  She left in the 1 stich for another week.  Two of the incisions bled a little. So it looks like another week before I can get bsck to aqua areobics.  Dr also wants me to continue to take metformin. 

Walked with my DH while he played 9 holes golf tonight.  Tired but made it around the course, hills and all.

I went into my PCP office this morning because the steri-strips on the incision at my bra bandline between my breasts was sticky with blood.  I was worried that it might get infected.  But all is fine.  Tne Nurse Practitioner took off the steri-strips.  Said that it looks like it is healing well.  She just covered it with a bandaide. I go back to my PCP on Thursday for medication followup and to get the rest of the steri-strips off and stich out. 

So all is well.