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My 2 week plateau finally broke and I am 142 lbs today. Amazing!  Simply amazing!

We went away this weekend to see our son, his fiance and her family.  Tons of fun and I had no problem eating (finally).  I don't eat much but it's so good to now be able to eat without the constant reminder from the nausea and vomiting gods. I guess my *new* stomach (sleeve) is finally figuring this out.  That or I'm figuring out how to eat with the new stomach.  Either way, I'm just happy to finally see the scale move.

I can't believe the photos that I've seen of myself. I look completely different.  My mind hasn't caught up to my body.  Funny how that is, I still see myself as morbidly obese yet the camera lens doesn't lie.  I'm sure my head will catch up with my shrinking body at some point.

I hope everyone had a wonderful new year celebration.  Cheers to a new YOU and a new year!  :)

What can I take from this (2 week) plateau? 

1. P A T I E N C E 
2. Acknowledging that I feel great and am so pleased with my progress
3. Realizing that my body is self-regulating itself and adjusting to a shrinking me
4. Understanding that I've come so far physically and emotionally in such a short period of time
5. This isn't a race, it's a journey and there is no finish line
6. I now eat to live and no longer live to eat
7. sip sip sip and chew chew chew will be my 'forever' mantra
8. Stress affects me mentally and physically
9.  ME - I am a priority
10. Size 6 feels so good
11. Type II diabetes - cured!
12.  Hypertensive no more!

143 and holding...it's a good thing.  What have you learned during your plateau's?

143 and holding...

Time for another plateau to remind me to  take time to stop and smell the roses.  Life's busy, works busy so it makes perfect sense for my body to enter a plateau right about now.   S T R E S S !  Also having a hard time getting to the gym. I miss my stationary bike and the convenience of having it right here in the home.  It's just too cold and snowey to get outside.  Ugh!

We'll be going away next weekend and get to see our son (he's in the Navy), his fiance and her family.  Looking forward to the visit.  The last time they saw me I was about 160lbs. 

Made it through Christmas meal - but I cheated and took some anti-nausea medications. 

Sorry for the quick update, but not much else to report today.  Keep moving...

12.23.10

One thing I wish I had done was take my measurements before starting the liquid diet and surgery (sleeve).  I wrote down my starting weight in the health tracker but I didn't do any measurements. It would have been interesting and motivational to see how many inches I've lost.  I can say that I've gone from a Size 16-18 (XL) to a size 6 (M).  I wonder now looking back how many inches that is.  If you are going to start this journey, that is one thing that I would recommend since I now regret not doing it.

Since I've been having so much nausea and vomiting again lately I figured I better slow down again, take a step back and rest my stomach. I think since I've been feeling so well that I've been more aggressive in the 'eating' department.  My stomach is telling me to slow down and not rush adding all the different foods I've been trying to add to my diet.   My labs are great so there is no rush to increase my diet, intake nor to rush adding new foods.  It will come.  

My game plan for Christmas dinner is to take small bites, chewchewchew and take it very slow. I will stop before I feel full. Hopefully I won't need to be excused during the meal.  My darling daughter is baking a ham, smashed potatoes and veggies for my love and I. This is the first year we aren't cooking nor having company over.  She's so excited to be hosting us for Christmas. :)

I'm currently in a holding pattern at 143.2.  I have a short term goal to get into the 130's before Jan 15th. 

Merry Christmas everyone!  You are amazing!

Last week I had my first follow-up with my personal Dr. and she ran my lab work. Turns out that my Hemoglobin A1C is 5.4.  I am officially confirmed that I am no longer a diabetic.  My blood pressure was 104/70.  My met panel was great, vitamin D normal also. Unfortunately the Cholesterol #'s were not good. Seems that my cholesterol is higher than it was before surgery. I was taken off all my medications and was hoping that I would no longer need any of them.  Turns out from what she said that my high-cholesterol was not weight or diet induced, it must be genetic.  She wants me back on cholesterol medicine.  I have to call the office because since my surgery, I can't swallow pills. My gag reflex is on hyper-drive.  I guess I'll wait and see what she suggests.

I went and worked out at the fitness center yesterday. Did 30 min on the stationary bike and worked some of the weight machines.  I need to get back into the routine of working out.  It's just a matter of scheduling the time into my day and going and doing it.  Why is this so hard?  I better figure this one out because exercise needs to be a lifetime decision. Wondering why my head is playing tricks on me at this point.  :(

Saturday was a mess regarding my stomach. I had some left over steak, very small size bites (pea size) and maybe only ate an ounce or less. Well the rest of the day I was nauseous and vomiting into the night. Even with nothing in my stomach except for the stomach goop, it came up.  The steak must have irritated my stomach so I gave the sleeve the rest of the night off except for liquids (water and protein bullet).

Good news, down to 143.8 today.  Simply amazing!   Happy Monday all ya'all.  :)

Slow down...  I had my sleeve surgery 9.9.10 and to this day I still have to remind myself to slow down.  Yesterday morning I had one hard boiled egg for breakfast.  I *thought* I chewed well and ate slow enough, but my stomach apparently thought differently. After 3+ months of healing, I still had a bout of nausea and vomiting.  I was always a fast eater. My love used to say 'slow down and taste your food'.  I'm really trying to make myself think about this when I eat.  I need to take 30 min to consume my food. Anything less than that and bam, the N&V gods take over.  So this is still a work in progress (lightbulb on!).

I mentioned that we moved. Tomorrow (Sunday) we can go to the fitness center during certain hours to sign up for usage.  I guess they have to give us some codes and such to get access to the facilities.  I am looking forward to it.  I haven't worked out except for pushups and sit ups and the occassional walk. It's been blustery outside and I haven't ventured out to walk an extended period. Hopefully the gym will be a good thing... I'll let you know how it goes after tomorrow.

The weight loss has slowed down but I know that's also because I'm not working out and pushing myself.  Today's weight is 145.2.  I am so pleased and love the fact that I have bones again.  I still can't believe it's me in the mirror.  :)

To all those reading this today, I wish you continued success.  Remember, one day at a time, do your best and you're amazing! :)

EDITED:  Still no news back from my doctor on the lab work results. Usually, no news is good news.  Once I hear I'll post the results.  I'm guessing my Hemoglobin A1C is normal, and the metabolic panel the same. 

I haven't written in 4 days because we were moving out of our home.  I wrote previously about downsizing our house in addition to downsizing my body.  It took a few days but we're out of the home and now waiting on the closing on Thursday.  This is a new chapter in the life of my love and I and we're excited about what the future will bring.

This morning I went to my Primary Care Dr. (PCP) for a follow up. She hasn't seen me since before the surgery, when I walked in her office and asked for a consult for Weight Loss Surgery (WLS).  I was obese, diabetic, hypertensive and had high-cholesterol.  Today, my blood pressure was 104/70 and she drew several labs. I will report the findings in a few days once I hear back from her office.  She had the lab tech draw a metabolic panel, Hemoglobin A1C (for diabetes), Cholesterol and Vit. D.

It's so cold outside so I didn't work out.  My stationary bike is in storage.  The temporary apartment we're in does have a gym so I will need to get set up with that this week.  We definitely got our work out the past 4 days with the move.  I was lifting and moving things all weekend.  I KNOW I couldn't have done this much 4 months ago.  Seriously, I can't believe how strong I am now.  It's so exciting to know how far along I've come in such a relatively short period of time.  

Today's weight 146.8.  I can say I have lost 61 lbs so far on this journey. Since loosing all this weight I am constantly cold. I guess I am no longer insulated as I used to be.  I'm guessing this is normal.  If anyone knows anything about this I welcome your reply.

Stay warm and safe ya'all.  :)

12.8.10

Tomorrow the movers are coming to pack us up.  Our children are grown now and on their own and thankfully, both are successful in their fields.  And so, it's time!  I've 'downsized' my body, and now it's time to downsize our home.  We are going to be moving from our dream home to a town home.  My love calls it a 'lateral move'  because it has everything our home has just smaller and I have to agree. We're really looking forward to a smaller place with less maintenance and upkeep. 

With the move, we've had to clear out the house belongings and declutter. It's really freeing believe it or not. We've donated what we can donate, given away to our friends and family wanted they wanted and thrown away anything else.  The philosophy we used was, if it wasn't used in the last 6 months, get rid of it. 

With this surgery or as I've said before, this rebirth... it's a good thing to make some additional changes in your life.  I don't want to be stale or stagnant.  There's so much to do, so much to learn and so much of life to live. 

I recommend that everyone think about downsizing in a whole new way.  It may benefit your life too. Remember, less is more.  :)

I had a 'lightbulb' moment - I no longer have to finish what is on my plate.  This surgery has allowed me to enjoy the taste, to enjoy the texture of the food, to enjoy the meal with the family, and to enjoy not eating everything in one sitting.  The sleeve helps me to feel satisfied.  If I do try to eat too much or too quickly, well we all know what happens.  So I've learned to stop before I feel full, sick, and nauseous. 

Some days I can eat up to 1/2 a cup (ie: soup goes down easy) and other days 1/4 cup can be a struggle (ie: meat/chicken/turkey)... but as long as I taste everything I am satisfied.  My love had a bowl of ice cream last night and I just wanted to taste it.  That was satisfying.  I no longer feel the need nor desire to consume food just to consume it. It's a new relationship I guess.  it's a good thing.

Eat to live, don't live to eat.  Whomever said that was a smart person. Go figure. :)

::::drumroll:::::   Today's weight - 149.8.   If you could have seen me this morning jumping up and down in the bathroom you would have put me in an institution.  I can not simply fully grasp how quickly this is all happening.  My body has been transformed.  I feel great, I look great.  I am wearing a size 8-10 (depends on the outfit/cut of the pants).  I feel like I've taken years off my true age.  I haven't weighted in the 140's for 27 years.  You don't realize how bad you felt til you feel this good.  The diabetes is gone, the hypertension is gone.  It's simply a blessing.  

Yesterday I walked 4.08 miles in 1hr10min.  I'm starting to gain strength in my upper arms also because I've been trying to do a men's push up and can just about do one maybe two.  I can't get all the way down and up but maybe half way which is a huge improvement from when this journey started.  I will continue to work on my core strength in addition to upper and lower body.  Walking and riding the stationary bike are my two main cardio exercises.  

My love asked me if I still feel fat.  I said no, I no longer feel morbidly obese yet I still know and feel that I have more weight to lose.  During all the approval processes, I learned that I am small boned. It's wierd, when you are heavy you think of yourself as big boned.  But, now with the weight loss, I can see my bones and yes, I am small boned.  So I do have a way to go to get to my ideal and healthy weight.  I also know I will need to have skin removal and breast augmentation surgery once I am near my goal.  Probably in a year or so.

The food intake is slowly increasing depending on what I'm eating.  Yesterday for dinner we had some seafood bisque. I was able to eat 1/2 a cup which included 1 shrimp and 4-5 small bay scallops in addition to the bisque.  My stomach sings so loud when I eat and everyone gets a laugh out of it.  I guess a singing stomach is a happy stomach. :)

I have to remember that there is no finish line to this journey. This is going to be a lifetime, and there  isn't a race.  (Lightbulb!)

I hope everyone has a great day today.  Take time to go out and smell the roses and keep moving.