11 months out (sorry really long)

and down 102 lbs. It should be greater but I am happy with it. My exercise has slowed down the last month because of the heat but I still try to get out for a good walk each day and playing with watching to see if I lose more with less exercise because I was running/walking and doing lots of strengthening exercises and know I was building muscle, my legs are pretty muscular under the skin lol. The back of my legs if I sit down just hang, when I stand it all just seems to drop to the knees the lose orange peeling look.

I just wanted to post what I have to some that make sure you keep up with your blood labs. I was feeling pretty dragged out for a few months, decided to go in around the 8-9 month mark for labwork. I was freezing all the time and just wanted to sleep. Labs came back low in folic acid (now taking a folic acid vitamin) low blood platelets which with my research on why I was not absorbing enough folic acid from my multi vitamin was beyond me but it said it can effect your blood platelets. So hoping everything can get back to normal there, the dr said the low blood platelets are not too bad but could be a sign that I am anemic. Also, I am borderline hypothyroidism, if what ever readings he was looking at drops another .2 I have to start medication for it. I go back at my one year next month to have more blood drawn he wanted me to wait 3 months to have all of this rechecked. I also went back about a month ago begging about my tiredness which he didn't think was from the thyroid issue, he said probably from the loss of my dad. I told him I just try not to think about it so I can function at work, he said that most likely just because I am not thinking about it that it is still there effecting me in my mood etc... So he might be treating me for depression if the blood work comes back ok. He told me to work on the good memories but I have to start dealing with it.

My doctor also talked to me about what my goal weight was and I said 145 or low end of the BMI which would be 135 for me since I am 5'9 3/4 but I can only register 5'9 or 5'10 on the BMI calculator. The doctor thinks 165 is good for me which yes I was a good size back then when I was that weight but probably had room for improvement. I told him I want to get lower because of maintenance and have room to play with over the years and I didn't pay for this surgery to just get into the normal BMI range so he agreed to let me get to 150 but I will just let my body do whatever it wants as long as it doesn't dip below 135 if I even get there. I am large boned and doctor just rolled his eyes at the BMI numbers but yet for me to get a plastics consult my BMI has to be below 27 which I think I am at right now on my scale but the dr scale put me at a higher weight later in the day. Not many doctors believe in the BMI number I am learning after speaking to a few friends that are doctors but yet insurance companies do!!!

Anyways, other then being tired all the time I feel great with what I have accomplished so far, still I don't see what others see because they are still calling me skinny which I know I am not.

Just a few shockers, this guy held the door open for me to leave the building at work the other day, I wasn't really looking to see who it was but he said I didn't recognize you and I told him I was just heading out for a walk on my lunch break and he asked if he could start walking with me. We talked for a few years at the bus stop and on the bus but I haven't taken the bus in about 6 months, I told him I now walk to and from work so in September I won't be out walking at lunch time. He continued on to tell me he is now separated, told me where he lives and gave me his work number so I could call him to go for a walk lol. He is a bit older then me but a really nice guy, like I said we always talked before so up to him if he wants to walk across the bridge for work.

Another lady that I worked with 2 yrs ago was away on a course, she came into work and seen me and said I looked like I lost some weight, I said yes just a bit hehe, the other lady that was in the room knows about my surgery so she probably filled her in possibly after I left.

Like I said I still don't see the difference other then in clothing, my skin is really starting to sag the smaller I get. I read on here the other day that as we are closer to goal and we start to notice with 5 -10 pounds lots more skin ewww. Oh well I want to think it is better then being obese and I can always have it fixed when I win that lottery. The plastics consult is just about my boobs they won't cover anything else here, possibly a panni. I will most likely be looking at plastics in Mexico unless I win the big bucks up here in Canada to go to a private clinic for it. I am just so worried about infection post op if I go to Mexico, my friend had the tummy tuck in her country and ended up with infection so it can really happen anywhere. Other then that, the cost is a big issue, single parent so not lots of room to save for plastics.

 Sounds like you've had a great almost a year :)


Now I need to find these men that you are attracting!! I get cat calls from the homeless guys around here - that's about it ;-p

 Come to Texas, I'll introduce you to some of the young, single firefighters at my husband's station  :-)

 OMG after my plastics I might have to take you up on that lol!!!!!

haha I might have to take her up on that too but I might not want to leave. I actually work with a large majority of men. I can't believe how many talk or look at me now. It's all good, I try not to do the more then friendship thing with my field of work. I have been warned to stay away from these men lol I don't see why, I have met a few and don't really see them lieing or saying they are single when they are not. I am about keeping my work relationships professional basically. But geez do they have to employ all the men in the city just about? lol.

 I think that sometimes we have to go far out of our comfort zones to find love.  We expect all the men in the area we have always been in to be similar to the men we have met in that area before.  lol.  

hehe - I had to look halfway across the country to find the man of my dreams.  I didn't like those Wisconsin guys at all.  lol

I have only lived in the city for about nine years, I don't know where singles go. I am pretty much a loner and visit my family only. I don't have friends here that I go out to visit, basically moved here for work and to be closer with my sisters after a rough breakup with the father if my teenager. I have dated in the city but I don't know if it is my age group or what but so many men lie. I don't want to have to look very far, not really into long distant relationships. Now I don't have the obesity issue just the loose skin to try to figure out how to explain and know if I fine him, he will be ok with that.

Good cautionary note on the labs- sometimes we forget that even though we may not truly malabsorb, we don't have near the intake we once had, and things are changed in the way they are absorbed a tad, just from removing the majority of the stomach!

I hope the energy issues/mood issues work out- without too much hassle for you, but it sounds like you have an interested person wanting to stroll with you! I'd see where that leads for sure.. The seeing yourself part.. it happens. I had to take a pair of my old big jeans and lay them next to my (then) smaller jeans to really "get it." It's all good, just part of the process, and trust me- 102 down, there's a BIG noticeable difference! Congrats, that is an awesome loss! 

I agree personally on the lower end of the BMI scale- just for me, I don't have a lot of muscle (working on it..) so I fit pretty well within the lines. Some definitely don't- it's not a one size fits all, and yeah- most Drs today realize this! Bodyfat/body composition is the best indicator, so that may be something you'd want to check into as you get down into your comfort zone. It helps you see past the skin too.. since that will be there always making you feel bigger than you really are.. unless you have it removed.

Thanks Jo, always like hearing from you. I have no idea where to get the body composition done but will ask my doctor if he knows.

The friend that wants to walk, well it is not going to go anywhere, he is about 15 yrs older then me. We just always talked. He was saying he lost 40 lbs since his separation, they were married for 37 years. He is just a very nice man that is getting into fitness himself, probably just wants to add more activity to his life. I told him come september he can walk to and from work with me if he wants but I get off of work 15-30 mins before him and I am not waiting lol. He doesn't think he can do it anyways, he had knee surgery and it is a large hill to climb. He doesn't live too far from me so I will suggest some weekend walks if he wants, as friends only of course.

About the vitamins, I am so faithful with them and finding out I wasn't absorbing the folic acid was a shocker. I tried prenatal vitamins but a dr friend of mine just told me to get the folic acid vitamins because the iron in prenatal vitamins were probably too hard on my stomach.

I guess I will pull out a pair of my old jeans and get a picture, I would much rather get rid of them. I have no one here to take a picture of me in them but I can take a picture of the two jean sizes together.

I have almost stopped looking at the scale much anymore, just get frustrated with the slow weight loss and the hard work. I get all exited when I get to the next belt hole more lol. I never been recording my inches any other way. I definitely need new bras again though, need to keep them holding the girls up, sad site but oh well better then the obesity.

Great Post !!!!!

Your Doing Great Iiii

frisco