6 Month Surgiversary (Pics!)

Ok, there will be pictures, IF I can get them to load...

Today has been my 6 month surgiversary. It has been an amazing 6 months, to say the least.

I've been hoping to be out of the "Obese" BMI range and into the "Overweight" range by today, but alas, the scale said that I'm 0.7 pounds away from that goal as of this morning. Oh, well. I'm sure I'll be there by the weekend. It would have been a nice start to the new year though! I am also a mere 9.4 pounds away from Onederland. I can't remember the last time that I weighed below 200 pounds. It's SO close I can smell it! You better believe that I'll be posting about that as soon as I'm able!

Some things that I've learned over the last 6 months... (Warning, I live in the unpopular "Moderation" camp, so please feel free to skip the rest of this paragraph if you feel you might get worked up ) ...1) I am not controlled by food. Food does not own me... 2) I am an adult who must take responsibility for everything that goes into my mouth. I am strong enough to walk away from carb-heavy foods after one bite (though I have had a slip or two, I won't pretend to be perfect). I was never this strong pre op... 3) Carb detoxing is just a way of life if I am going to live in moderation. I am master of my cravings and am continually learning to listen to my body. If I find myself gravitating toward the kitchen: Stop. Listen. What does my body need? Am I hungry? Am I thirsty? Do I have a case of "I Want"? If the latter, carb detox starts immediately. I've cycled through this process about a dozen times since surgery and the scale is continuing to move down. I've only stalled once in month 4... 4) BIG ONE: Moderation will not get me to goal. I'm not naive enough to think that it ever would. I know that I will have to adjust my strategy when that last 20 pounds or so wants to hang on for dear life. But until the scale stops moving, I'm not going to fix what I don't see as broken... 5) I've learned that if I had just lived the way that I'm living NOW, I would have never ended up at 298 pounds. If I had FORCED myself to eat healthy 95% of the time, I would have never found myself, at 26 years old, facing a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, living with crunchy joints, unable to walk at a brisk pace without needing to stop and rest, or lacking any and all self-confidence. Frankly, I'm still a bit pissed at my pre op self. If I had the chance to go back and talk to my pre op self, before the weight became so out of control, I'd have gotten in that girl's face, taken her by the shoulders, and screamed "GET IT TOGETHER, GIRL!"

I've also learned that I'm a Foodie. (hence my "moderation" mantra... I love GOOD food, not junk) My background is in Education. I completed my Bachelor's and then my Master's Degree a few years ago and went in the classroom setting immediately. Unfortunately with the changing environment of the Education world, I find myself wishing that I'd known what I know now about the Education system... I wouldn't have gone into the field if I'd known how drastically things were about to change. Currently, I find myself unemployed due to the nepotism of my former principal (his secretary needed a job for her son-in-law). I've been doing a lot of soul searching and have just about decided to enter culinary school this spring. When I ask myself what I love, my answer is always "Cooking" and "Being Around People". I am hoping to find my niche in the world of event catering very soon...

Here are a few before/afters... If they show up! The full-body pictures on the Left were taken the night before surgery. The ones on the right were taken this evening. The before close-up was taken about 3 months pre op.

Helloooooo, collar bones! And I finally got up the nerve to get a pixie cut about 2 months ago :)

And here's one from Last Saturday, getting ready to open Christmas presents with my family (and my sister/brother-in-law's loveable pitbull). This is the first picture in a LONG time that I was actually willing to post to Facebook!

Happy New Year, VSGers. I hope that each and every one of you finds your strategy to get you to whatever goal you desire. And the strength to stay there :)

Here's to a year of being our best selves, inside and out.

XOXO,

Chrissy

Aaaaand the pictures are teeny. Oh well. They're on my profile if you want/care to see them bigger.

congrats you look good girl HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Thanks! HNY to you too!

You look great Chrissy. Congratulations on your success.

Thanks so much!

I love reading your posts!  You're looking fantastic, you've done a great job in the first 6 months...I wish you continued success!

You're sweet! I hope to be helpful when I post! Here's to BOTH of us having a successful year!

Thanks!