14 months post-op with before/after pics
Well this week I was 14 months out from surgery. I am still creeping SLOOOOWLY towards my weight loss goal, NO weight lost this month, but for some reason, the inches are melting away.
Here is my before photo and a photo taken this morning in a new pair of size 8 jeans! ****onfession - they are a little too tight to wear to work, so I am wearing a pair of 10's for the day instead - but really, being able to zip and button a pair of size 8's and still sit and breathe is a MAJOR NSV!
In general: I am 14 months out now from my surgery date and I continue in the process of figuring out how this reconfigured body is going to work for me. I have found it a bit frustrating that the scale has refused to creep downward this month - a total of maybe 1/4 pound lost, but it is NOT going up and I am still gradually tightening up and losing some inches. I am happy to see the turkey wattle on my neck shrinking a bit, and have been losing some back fat and some of the belly as well. Still, I must say, I am overall rather wrinkly and sharpei-ish, but that is the consequence of being 100 pounds overweight for 20+ years.
Food: I can see that I am much more tempted by, and likely to succumb to the temptation of, yummy carby foods. (HELLO home-popped buttered popcorn!) Fortunately, this seems to be more occasional than regular, and is kept in check by the reduced capacity of my stomach. I still have a ton of restriction and if I eat protein first I find that I can't go too far astray. I have gotten into a good routine with my supplements and rarely miss a dose of anything, though if I am out and about around dinner time, this can get a bit dicey. I still have 1 or 2 protein drinks a day, usually mixed with a couple of ounces of almond milk and hot coffee. It has been months since I slimed or foamed, as I have learned my limits when it comes to eating, and I have found that my routine now seems pretty normalized - don't have to think about it every minute of the day. I still eat a wide variety of vegetables and protein, with a bit of fruit and some occasional treats.
Exercise: I got back to the track a couple of weeks ago after a VERY long absence - this entire school year really - and was pleased to find that I am actually faster and fitter than I was in September. I am definitely no speed demon, but in September it was taking me about 65 minutes to walk a 5K and it now is about 40 minutes - and most days I do a modified speed walk / jog for part of my routine. Also, I used to be pretty tired and somewhat sore when I finished and now a 5K is just no big deal, even though I maintain a much brisker pace throughout. I am doing the 5K about 2-3 times a week now, trying to kick my metabolism up a notch or two.
If a job that I have been negotiating comes through for the summer, I will invest in some more personal training sessions and try to get back into a weight training routine. As it is now, I am just doing the odd set of bicep curls, chest presses and shoulder presses, with 10 -12 pound dumbells, when I think of it and feel motivated. I do think, now that most of the fat is gone, that when I do get back to training in earnest, I will really be able to see the results - improved tone and visible muscle definition. (Last year, I could feel that I was getting stronger, but still had a pretty good layer of fat obscuring any visual signs of progress.) Stay tuned for an update on how it goes!
Overall: After struggling with whether I should just be satisfied with how far I have come and whether I should stress about getting to goal, I have decided to let this struggle go a bit. i will continue to do what I have been doing - eating foods that are good for me, moving my body, taking my supplements, and see where that gets me. I suspect I will drop a few more pounds and that it may take several months - and really, who cares - right now I just want to be certain that I am not regaining.
The biggest downside to not losing weight rapidly anymore is that I don't have an excuse for frequent shopping! So sad!
Here is my before photo and a photo taken this morning in a new pair of size 8 jeans! ****onfession - they are a little too tight to wear to work, so I am wearing a pair of 10's for the day instead - but really, being able to zip and button a pair of size 8's and still sit and breathe is a MAJOR NSV!
In general: I am 14 months out now from my surgery date and I continue in the process of figuring out how this reconfigured body is going to work for me. I have found it a bit frustrating that the scale has refused to creep downward this month - a total of maybe 1/4 pound lost, but it is NOT going up and I am still gradually tightening up and losing some inches. I am happy to see the turkey wattle on my neck shrinking a bit, and have been losing some back fat and some of the belly as well. Still, I must say, I am overall rather wrinkly and sharpei-ish, but that is the consequence of being 100 pounds overweight for 20+ years.
Food: I can see that I am much more tempted by, and likely to succumb to the temptation of, yummy carby foods. (HELLO home-popped buttered popcorn!) Fortunately, this seems to be more occasional than regular, and is kept in check by the reduced capacity of my stomach. I still have a ton of restriction and if I eat protein first I find that I can't go too far astray. I have gotten into a good routine with my supplements and rarely miss a dose of anything, though if I am out and about around dinner time, this can get a bit dicey. I still have 1 or 2 protein drinks a day, usually mixed with a couple of ounces of almond milk and hot coffee. It has been months since I slimed or foamed, as I have learned my limits when it comes to eating, and I have found that my routine now seems pretty normalized - don't have to think about it every minute of the day. I still eat a wide variety of vegetables and protein, with a bit of fruit and some occasional treats.
Exercise: I got back to the track a couple of weeks ago after a VERY long absence - this entire school year really - and was pleased to find that I am actually faster and fitter than I was in September. I am definitely no speed demon, but in September it was taking me about 65 minutes to walk a 5K and it now is about 40 minutes - and most days I do a modified speed walk / jog for part of my routine. Also, I used to be pretty tired and somewhat sore when I finished and now a 5K is just no big deal, even though I maintain a much brisker pace throughout. I am doing the 5K about 2-3 times a week now, trying to kick my metabolism up a notch or two.
If a job that I have been negotiating comes through for the summer, I will invest in some more personal training sessions and try to get back into a weight training routine. As it is now, I am just doing the odd set of bicep curls, chest presses and shoulder presses, with 10 -12 pound dumbells, when I think of it and feel motivated. I do think, now that most of the fat is gone, that when I do get back to training in earnest, I will really be able to see the results - improved tone and visible muscle definition. (Last year, I could feel that I was getting stronger, but still had a pretty good layer of fat obscuring any visual signs of progress.) Stay tuned for an update on how it goes!
Overall: After struggling with whether I should just be satisfied with how far I have come and whether I should stress about getting to goal, I have decided to let this struggle go a bit. i will continue to do what I have been doing - eating foods that are good for me, moving my body, taking my supplements, and see where that gets me. I suspect I will drop a few more pounds and that it may take several months - and really, who cares - right now I just want to be certain that I am not regaining.
The biggest downside to not losing weight rapidly anymore is that I don't have an excuse for frequent shopping! So sad!
Margo - Burnaby, British Columbia HW 283 / SW 269 / GW 160 (I'm 5'8")
Check out my blog at http://www.vsggoodlife.com/
Check out my blog at http://www.vsggoodlife.com/
Lookin Great!!!!
Way to be !!!
frisco
SW 338lbs. GW 175lbs. Goal in 11 months. CW 148lbs. WL 190lbs.
" To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art "
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