mnmommaof2

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Daydreaming of my sleeved future.... 

This is a list that I plan on crossing off one by one throughout my WLS adventure.

1. Fit on all the rides at MOA With room to spare!  Goal met!  6/23/13
2. Buy clothes at regular stores Starting to look at XL's!  Some fit and some don't... 3/28/13  L/XL only!  5/18/13 Size 10 pant and a med/lg shirt!! 10/3/13  size 6 pant small tops!  2/13/14
3. Wear a dress Bought one!  Haven't worn it yet..  3/22/13  Bought one and wore it twice!  6/28/13 I love dresses and long skirts! 5/20/14
4. Wear a skirt Fit into one of my old jeanskirts today! Didn't wear it though... looked nice, just not age appropriate!  5/23/13 long skirts and dresses!  5/20/14
5. Have my thighs not rub  Gap developing!  No serious chub rub...  stay tuned!  7/28/13 No rub!  Goal met 12/18/13
6. Wear my wedding ring    Goal met!  12/8/2012  It's spinning circles! 3/15/13 Almost lost it at the Grocery store!  Using electrical tape to keep it on!  5/13/13 Can't wear it now!  Needs to be resized-- there is not enough electrical tape in the world to keep that thing on!  I got me some skinny fingers!  6/5/13 finally got resized 11/5/13, feels good to wear it again!
7. Turn my husband's head  Starting to check me out again! Goal met!  4/3/13
8. Feel sexy  Feeling pretty 4/1/13... Stay tuned for Sexy. Good bye granny panties!  5/29/13 
9. Run a 5k Walk a 5k! 4/21/13
10. Run 1/2 mile (at this point I'd be happy if I could run around the block!) I ran around the block!  4/1/13 Ran half mile!  10/10/13
11. Run 1 mile Goal met! Ran 1.57 miles @ 12.46 mins/mile
12. Make exercise part of my daily routine Goal in progress:  Started Couch to 5k program.  3/6/13 Consistently walking 3.5 miles three days a week! 6/10/13
13. When my kids hug me have their arms go all the way around Goal met!  3/10/13  So far.. this is my favorite NSV!  Still the best NSV EVER!!! 10/7/13
14. Not run out of breath at the top of the stairs Goal met!  1/7/2013
15. Let my husband pick me up Goal met! 8/18/13  Julie picked me up and carried me!  10/1/13 Wyatt did it again! 10/14/13  
16. Sit on my husband's lap without thinking I'm squishing him Goal met! 8/8/13
17. Have someone ask me how I got so thin Goal met! 3/9/13 My 7 yr old asked me-- It counts! Stay tuned for the adult version.  Adult Version!!!  Goal met 4/19/13 Girl in my Phlebotomy class asked me, she hadn't seen me since surgery.  110lbs down and people definitely notice!  People ask me a few times a week! 6/10/13  !At church, I have been asked constantly!  During VBS 12 people commented on my weight loss-- must be really showing!  125 lbs lost. 7/28/13  
18. Pay it forward Growing bolder in sharing my journey 4/19/13.  Sharing it with others!  Sharing freely-- someone decided to have surgery based off talks we've been having...  Goal Met!  12/18/13
19. Sit in the chair that I couldn't fit in at the excel center.  Section 111 Row 10 Seat 3  Two weeks from now I have my date with this chair!  So excited to kick its ass!  10/7/13  I did it!!!!  The chair was perfect.  lots of room for the smaller me!  This is what victory feels like!  10/18/13
20. Not have to worry about fitting in chairs ever!  Goal met?? Chairs have not been a problem lately!  Movie theater, restaurant booths,  kitchen tables and stools.. all good! 3/10/13  Noticing that not only do chairs fit me, there is quite a bit of room to spare!  6/11/13  I often wonder when all the chairs got so big-- lots of room now!  7/28/13
21. Make a cannonball and not have the biggest splash  Cannonball!!!  8/12/15
22. Waterpark with the kiddos.  Be able to go up all the stairs Goal met! 4/22/13
23. Ride a motorcycle Goal met!  7/3/14
24. Loose 25 lbs   Goal met!  12/3/12
25. Loose 50 lbs  Goal met!  1/19/13
26. Loose 75 Lbs Goal met!  3/15/13
27. Loose 100 Lbs Goal met!  5/15/13
28. Loose 125 Lbs Goal met!  7/28/13
29. Loose 135 Lbs Goal met! 9/19/13
30. Loose 145 lbs Goal met! 11/30/13
31. Loose 150 lbs Goal met!  Holy crap!  12/30/13 current weight 129! Still maintaining! 127lbs 7/4/14
32. Onederland-- I'm soooooo close! 3/15/13 @203... Goal met!  3/23/13 @ 198.6  :)
33. Cross my legs  Goal met!  2/2/13
34. No seat extender in plane-- fit in coach comfortably  Trip planned!  8/13/15  This was the last goal on my list... completed 8/13/15.  Tons of room and a great big smile.
35. Wear shorts 4/18/13... Wore shorts around the house!  They did not ride up my inside thighs... and I did not suffer from "chub rub"... Victory!!
36. Weigh less than my husband   Goal met! 1/15/13

That's good enough for now.. I can add and expand later.. cant wait till I get to start marking stuff off!

~Jen

Unexpected NSV's that happened along the way

1. Wore a swimsuit (size 16) and actually liked how I looked! 4/21/13
2.  Wore a swimsuit and didn't feel like everyone was staring at me because of my size 4/21/13
3. Pictures were posted of me on facebook from the Obesity Challange 5k (I walked) and I had a positive reaction to all of them!  I used to hate every picture of me because it showed my true size.  4/21/13
4. I posed for pictures and stood in the front instead of hiding in the back where only my face would show!  4/21/13
5. Wore lycra in public!  4/21/13
6. Was confident meeting new people in a public setting 4/21/13
7. Waterpark with the kids and I was able to go up all the stairs *multiple times*! 4/21/13
8. I fit in the inner-tubes and my butt actually hit the water!  4/21/13
9. I could put the inner-tube over my head and fit inside with room to spare!  4/21/13
10. I could exit the inner-tubes *gracefully*!!  4/21/13
11. Who's towel goes all the way around?? MY towel goes all the way around!!! 4/22/13
12. Victoria Secrets underwear! Finally threw out my 3x uglies and splurged on pretty larges! 5/23/13
13. My entire "dieting" life, I always said if I could just get to 175 I would be sooo happy... today I hit 174.6 and I feel fabulous!  5/28/13
14. Finally got to the bottom of the closet clothes stash from previous weight loss attempts!  This not only means I'm wearing a size 13 pant, but also that I'm the smallest I've ever been as an adult!!!  Victory!  Weight 166 6/20/13
15. I've been speaking at college orientation events!  Never in my life have I had the self-confidance to get up in front of 100 people and speak!  I've done it 4 times!  7/28/13
16. Noticing just how much nicer people are to me now that I'm considered a "normal" weight.  Guys open the door for me, and ask if I need help doing things-- Just strange considering I was totally ignored 8 months ago.  7/28/13
17. I notice guys checking me out!  I'm happily married-- but dang that feels good!  7/28/13
18. Dirty Girl Mud run... All obstacles completed and they were not even that hard!  Nice to not struggle doing things "normal" people should be able to do!  8/3/13
19. Goal!!!!!  My origional goal has always been 150.  Goal met 8/19/13.... Goal weight now modified to 130!
20. I used to compare myself to other women and feel like crap because I was by far the largest woman in the room.  Now I walk into a room and don't feel the need to "compare"!  10/7/13
21. I bought snowpants!  To most this isn't a big deal... but they don't make plus size snowpants!  I bought a medium and am so excited to be the Mom who goes sledding with her kids-- instead of watching from the sidelines.
22. I bought boots!  Regular, off the rack boots that fit over jeans even! 
23. Zipline!  10/26/13
24. Low Ropes Course... let a bunch of people lift me 10+ feet off the ground multiple times and never once worried I was too heavy to lift!  10/26/13
25. Climbing Wall!  Made it to the top!  10/26/13
26. Laser tag in the dark! Loving my new active lifestyle!  10/26/13
27. Normal BMI!!!  Holy Cats, I never thought that would happen!  11/17/13, 136.2 lbs, 142.8 lbs lost
28. Just realized I've lost more than I weigh!  That has to be a victory for sure!  11/17/13 weight 136.2 , weight lost 142.8
29. I feel skinny... and I look in the mirror and see it!  12/18/13
30. Size 7 pants!  What?!??? 1/11/14
31. Size 6 pants!  What?????  3/14/14
32. Random man described me during as tiny, and husband called me "fragile-- you know, with all your bones and stuff."  I have bones, people!  4/14/14
33. Discovered group exercise at the YMCA.  Kettlebells, weight lifting and yoga all in the same week.  6/21/14
34. Handed out pencils during a fast paced parade... I ran my butt off!  I never huffed or puffed or got disgustingly sweaty.  It was amazing.  6/21/14
35. Benchpressed by the strongman at the fair!  I even volunteered for it!  7/16/15
36. Marriage retreat Zipline!  Weight requirements were to be under 270 lbs.  (Remember my start weight was 275!)  When it became my turn to jump, I was instructed to "tuck" my legs up so I would go faster down the zipline... you see-- I was too "light" to make it all the way to the bottom so by tucking my legs in it would make me go faster and reach the end.  Never before in my life have I been told I may be too "light" to participate in anything!  10/24/15

One year ago today, I was at an event at a large conference center.  I was assigned a seat that was WAY too small for my size.  I was too embarrassed to let others know I was uncomfortable, so I sat there for hours with the armrests digging into my hips and thighs creating bruises that lasted for weeks.  I was humiliated.  I kept looking around at all the other large ladies sitting in their chairs thinking surely I'm not as large as them, but they all seemed to fit into their chairs just fine.  It was a face the truth moment, and it was a harsh reality.  I cried for three days over not fitting into this chair... then I got pissed.

It was the push I needed and I made the final decision to schedule surgery.    I saved my ticket stub from the event and promised myself that I would sit in that exact chair again and fit.  There was no way I was going to let the chair win!

The following picture is me... exactly one year after the event, in the chair that defeated me.  I don't know that I've ever smiled bigger in my life!

The title says it all.  One of  the most important lessons I have learned through this journey is to surround myself with others who support and encourage me to do things I never thought possible.  This post is all about those people who continue to inspire me.

My first post here on OH was asking if I was nuts to consider self-pay surgery.  The most influential response I received was from a gentleman inviting me to join him that next morning at a local support group.  I said I would show up but in truth, I was still debating.  I was grateful for the invite and I knew it would be a good place to hear from others first hand what life was like post-op, but it required me to step way out of my comfort zone and introduce myself to a bunch of strangers.  I hardly slept that night, tossing and turning all while thinking of the meeting in the morning.  I think I must have talked myself into and out of it a hundred times.  In the end I decided to go.  I was a bundle of nerves and probably looked terrified.  I showed up a bit early and scanned the room clutching my coffee and approached the group.   A few hours later I thanked them for letting me crash their party and one of them responded... it's your party now too.  That morning I discovered just how welcoming the WLS community could be and the group has been an important part of my life ever since. 

I started showing up every week asking millions of questions and marveling at their success stories.  They shared with me the triumphs and tribulations of their new lives.  I once asked them if they had any regrets about surgery or things they would do differently and the only answer they could come up with was that they wished they had done it sooner.   I began to think of this group as my friends.  They celebrated with me when I finally scheduled surgery and have been my own personal cheering section ever since.  I watch and see the changes in all of us week after week and can't help but to be inspired to push myself harder and further towards my goals.   I started a couch to 5k program this week and guess who was the first to pat me on the back??  My group.  I felt discouraged and started doubting my decisions and guess who helped me see how far I have come??  Yep!  The same group of fantastic people...

I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful WLS peeps surrounding me and I often wonder how different this journey would be if I had never stepped out of my comfort zone to meet them. 

To those who are in the group who read this... Thank you... Thank you... Thank you for showing up every week and making this group what it is. 

To the Minnesotans out there who might chance across this blog ... come join us! 

Hello Folks!

Thought I should update since I haven't blogged since before my surgery.  I was sleeved 11-23-12 by Alberto Aceves in Mexicali.  The entire process from first contact to now has been fantastic and for anyone looking for a surgeon in Mexico... I highly recommend him and his team. 

I'm a little more than two months out and have progressed to solid food.  I find that my tastes have changed and processed food just doesn't do it for me anymore.  In fact my entire attitude towards food has changed.  Gone are the days where I stuffed my face and never felt full.  I realize now just how out of control my eating really was and take full responsibility for my weight gain.  Post surgery I'm  amazed at the quantity of food I can eat (or lack there of) before becoming full-- sometimes it's only a few bites and never more than a half cup.  I eat about as much as my three year old!  It really is quite the change.

I started this adventure in size 26 pants and 3x top.  I was worried that my clothes were getting tight and I was already in the biggest size local stores had to offer.  In such a short amount of time I am now in loose 22's and 1x/2x tops.  I can't even tell you how awesome that is.  As my sizes go down I'm finally starting to feel good about myself again.   I no longer walk into a room and compare myself to every other woman (Insecurity at its finest), and instead hold my head up high knowing that I'm no longer ashamed of how I look.  I might even dare to say that I am proud of how far I have come!

So.. all in all, things are looking up!  The sun is shining and I'm soooo excited for the changes ahead.

Hello All!

I'm a Minnesota Mommy on a mission of self-improvement. I took a good long look at my life last year and realized I wasn't accomplishing all that I could. I have a wonderful husband and the best two kids anyone could ask for but I still felt as though I was lacking. I decided to embark on a journey of self-transformation. I started taking college courses last spring (2012) and am currently finishing my third semester. I'm a 4.0 student and I am so proud of myself for tackling this ambitious goal.

The next step in my transformation is rebuilding my self-esteem.I don't know exactly when it happened but somewhere along the way I stopped feeling good about myself. I walk into a room of beautiful people and instantly become self conscious judging myself more than anyone else ever would. This is not how I want to live my life. The harsh reality of my obesity is that it has taken over my life in more ways than just physically.

I'm currently in my pre-op diet phase and have lost seven pounds. I've started the countdown and leave for Mexicali to have VSG surgery with Dr. Alberto Aceves on November 23rd, 2012. That's only 8 days away! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time but I can't wait to finally take control of my weight and show it who's boss. In my war against obesity-- I will win.

Stay tuned folks!

~Jen