It's a beautiful thing, no?
Post-op 4 weeks: LONG ramblings of a VSG-er
(Full disclosure: I am still in the honeymoon phase so this might get quite sappy)
I am 4 weeks post-op and I couldn’t be happier. That’s not to say that everything has been puppy dogs and rainbows but I’m thrilled none the less.
Where I’m at: Well, literally, I’m in Montreal for work right now. This is one of the reasons I’ve put on weight over the last year. I travel at least once a month for and my eating habits are especially terrible when I’m on the road. The sleeve is a godsend right now!!
Where I’m at, mentally: I’m down about 18lbs (including preop). I’m not sure exactly because I don’t have a scale. (I KNEW I should have packed one!!). It may not seem as impressive as other people but it's almost 10 % of my starting weight. I’ve gone from a 37.8 BMI to 34.4. I’m still eating lots of mushy food but I’m starting to incorporate little chunks (which I chew excessively). I’m choosing protein first, always. My biggest challenge is getting my water in.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: a decaf coffee. It was pure ambrosia.
LOWLIGHT OF THE WEEK: I missed a PPI pill last week. Yeah, yeah, old age. What can I say, I forgot. My chest got all tight and I got a cough. The tight chest was not pleasant. In fact, it kind of scared me so I went to the ER. I spent the day there. They did an EKG, chest x-ray and all kinds of fun stuff. Don’t forget your PPI, people.
STUFF I’M LEARNING:
1. Don’t eat too fast because your stomach will let you know it’s unhappy. And if you do eat to fast, walk it off!
2. Have food in your purse. Eating every 3 hours SEEMS simple enough. It ain’t. Plan for it.
3. Water (see above)
4. Eggs are not my friend. More like a frenemy.
5. Yogurt I can take in smoothies but not on its own. Go figure.
6. I’m liking tea. That’s new. We’ll see if that sticks.
7. I’m not hungry but sometimes I think I am. Oh look, that happens when I’m bored or stressed. What’s the takeaway here, dear Sylvie??
8. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, burp. Repeat.
REASONS I LOVE MY SLEEVE.
- That sense of empowerment when you don’t finish your meal.
- My pants are fitting better.
- I swear, my skin feels smoother. This might just be my imagination.
- Increased energy.
THE EXERCISE PARADIGM:
- I WANT to exercise because I know it’s accelerating the weight loss process.
- Because I’m exercising, I’m burning off some of my stress. (I’m a stress eater)
- Because I’m burning off my stress, I’m feeling less stressed lately. Truth.
- Because I’m less stressed, it doesn't occur to me to want to eat to de-stress.
It’s a beautiful thing, no?
Height: 5'1 | HW: 200 lbs | CW: 136
