annaboo1

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Hi all,

It's been quite a while, I know. I just wanted to post an update. 5+ years later, I'm still doing good. I had a beautiful baby boy in September via C-section. That was a whole other experience! But he is beautiful :)

Not long after I had him, I developed a twisted bowel and a hernia. They said it was just a conicedence, but I don't know. Anyway, Dr. H was able to fix everything. And hey, it helped me lose the baby weight. That's not the way I would have preferred to lose it!

Speaking of baby weight, can I just say how terrifying it was to go back over 200 lbs???!!! Even though it was indeed baby weight, I was still petrified. I swore I was never going over that again. But thank God, I'm back down to pre-baby weight. I still need to lose the extra 20 that I put on when I got married.

I'm hanging in there. Hope you are all doing well!

Be encouraged!

-Anna

Well, it's fitting that I'm writing today! My surgery was actually on Election day. The nurses woke me up that night cheering for Obama :) Lots of changes since then, not just in our country.

 

What's going on in my world? Well, I've been happily married for a year now. Life is really great. As far as weight loss is concerned I maintained my low weight for a long time..... until my husbands bad eating started catching up with me. I now am 20 lbs over my goal weight. I can't say that I'm happy here, but I have stopped gaining. I am starting to take back my food life. I have learned that we are just going to have to eat different meals in order for me to survive!

So many people ask me how is it different now than when I first had surgery? I can answer that easily. I can eat now.... It kind of sucks. I still can't eat what most Americans consider a full meal. But I can eat a lot more than the first 2 years post-op. Part of it is my own fault. Part of it is just the way it goes.

I still have restrictions, don't get me wrong. But I can snack more, and snacking, my friends is evil. Between eating all the carbs my husband so enjoys to snacking my evening away, that where the 20 lbs snuck back up on me. And it is so much more difficult now to get it off. My metabolism is used to eating 1200 calories a day. So where do I cut back? I guess the key for me is going to be exercise. I've got to get back in the groove. I was working out 3-4 times a week, now I'm lucky if I get 1 in a week.

So I guess my advice to any newbie out there reading this would be: Follow your plan, stick to your plan and exercise!!

That's all I've got for now :) take care!

-Anna

 

EEK!
Hi all,
It's been a roller-coaster the last few months. I certainly have not checked in here as much as I would have liked.

Here's my stats:
Weight:160 (stable) bounced back about 5 lbs after I went on some  new birth control. But I'm pretty happy here as long as it doesn't go any higher.
Blood work: Iron still pitiful. May try for an infusion when I go for my 3 year check up. My pcp recommends it,but wants to know what my surgeon says. Everything else look good!

Other: They think I have a hernia. Been feeling a knot around my incision, it's gotten bigger over the last few months. But the surgeon said I should be ok to get through the wedding then I see him the week after.

Overall, I would not trade this new life for anything! My fiancee didn't know me when I was bigger, but he thinks he would have loved me anyway. I don't know about that. The whole process made me different. It has made me love myself more, and put more value on me.

I still have some head issues to work around. I still have compulsive eating problems at times. For example, there just cannot be candy in the house. I WILL eat it. It might take me awhile, but it will get gone. Popcorn is another problem. It ties my bowels up in knots, but I still crave it and will give in anyway...

But I'm excited to be getting married in just 5 more days!!

Or how crazy can Anna get?

Well, we are entering into the final stretch, less than two months to go to my wedding day! I'm excited, but nervous at the same time. We have done the counseling, bought the house, planned everything out, but still, it's a big change. My eating has really taken a hit the last few months. My gyno put me on new birth-control and I would not believe it if it hadn't of happened to me. Appetite 0 to 60 in 2 weeks . I literally went from not caring if I ate, to living to eat!! Again. Crap. Isn't that why I had surgery? But now I have big time motivation. Wedding dress has already been altered and cannot be taken out any! So I'm back to planning everything again and trying very very hard to keep the empty calories out.

I know this was a crazy ramble, but I can always get some of my thoughts down on here!

Love and miss you guys, just don't seem to have time to get on here much.

- Anna

Well, a lot has changed since my surgery that's for sure!! I've met the man of my dreams, who doesn't care what I weigh, or how saggy my skin is! He asked me to marry him the day after Valentine's day! He was so sweet!

I cannot wait to be his wife

Well, I had my 2 year appointment today. It was mostly good stuff. Dr. H was tickled to death that I lost 14 lbs the 2nd year. I didn't realize that. So yay me. He was also very satisfied that my BMI is now 26. I was worried cause that's still not "normal" but he was very pleased. Also making him happy was the way my skin is tightening up. He doesn't see that much and attributes it to my younger age.
Now for the not so good. My iron was in the cellar. He's going to have me start taking 3 supplements a day to my usual 1, and retest in 3 months. If that doesn't help, we will discuss other options.
He's sending me for an ultrasound Monday to see if I have gallstones. I just mentioned my random gut pain (it's really not that bad honest!) and he got all concerned. I wonder if he just wants to make more money off of me to tell you the truth :( But I guess it is a very common thing so we might as well rule it out.

So overall, he was very happy. I'm in the top 10 % as far as weight loss percentages go for his patients. Makes me feel better, although I already felt very satisfied, having him validate it was good.

 

Well everybody, I had an exciting fun-filled vacation in Disney world last week! It was fantastic to go and enjoy myself without worrying about my weight. I walked and walked. I rode every ride possible, including all the roller-coasters! That's a big change from 2 years ago being asked to get off a coaster because the restraint wouldn't fit! My eating was actually ok while there. I ate soup for 2 or 3 meals just because I hate wasting food and we couldn't carry leftovers around the park.
It was the best trip I've taken in a long time! The flight was less stressful, I didn't have to worry about the seats, I could go on and on....

I have a packed spring and summer schedule coming my way. So far every weekend in April is booked up. I can see the same for May. I decided to coach softball again this summer for the Recreation department. That will for sure keep me busy. 

My Youth group is working on a special project to raise money to dig wells in Africa. They are very excited about that, and I am too.
 
No one special guy as of yet, but I'm still looking ;) Although I don't know where I would fit him in my schedule, lol.

Work is great, I'm very thankful for my job.

My family is good, we have our stresses just like everyone else, but we are truly going through a "time of blessing" at the moment and I praise God for it.

I'm trying to finish up adjusting to "normal" me. It's hard to believe it's been over a year since my life changed so dramaticaly. I'm still so very thankful that I took this step!

Well, I realised I haven't written a new post since I hit goal weight (160, revised). I'm now at 154. I'm ready to be done losing, so I'm trying to adjust my food and stuff so I'll plateau and be done. I'm not underweight or anything yet, I just really really like and am happy with the way I look right this very second.  :)

I still follow the rules for the most part. I do protein first, no drinking while I'm eating, no carbonation. The rules that I tend to break more than others are I eat more carbs than I should some days. I also drink more caffeine and alcohol than I should (the alcohol is rare, but still more than any RNY patient should have).

I still don't get my exercise in like I should. I'll regret that come softball season I'm sure.

Exciting things: I'm going to Disneyworld!! In February! I've never been and I'm very excited about that. 
                            I'm dating again. Not one special guy, but still, it's fun.
                            I got my hair highlighted! I kinda like it :)
                           

Ok, I know this is a lame blog post, but just wanted to put something up.

Well, here I sit, 11 months post-op and 3 lbs from my orginal goal weight of 165. It's been a wild ride this year. I've been so blessed to not have had any complications! Oh, I lost a little hair and I battle constipation, but generally speaking, I'm certainly one of the lucky ones.

I've discovered so many things in the new life of mine. ONe, I'm the same person I always was, just more confident and healthier. Two, I control what I put in my mouth and when, it doesn't control me. Three, clothes are fun again.

Let's talk about clothes for a minute. I went from a size 22-24 and am now wearing a 10 jean and an 8 dress. I had prepared ahead of time by having a range of smaller clothes in my closet ready to go. I'm lucky that I work for a clothing company that has frequent sample sales. I also hit up my mom and a few close friends to clean out their closets and instead of donating to goodwill, send the stuff my way! The other cool thing was my best friend had surgery a few months after me and has been in my fall out ever since. Although she's about to pass me!  The only thing I wish I had of done differently clothing wise was I would have tried to sell some of my better pieces. I don't feel bad, they went to good homes, but I could have used the extra money!

People in general have been supportive. I do find that I'm starting to get a tad irritated at certain people who constantly mention my weight loss. I'm at the point now where I'm moving on and I wish everyone else would. I mean I understand if you haven't seen me in awhile, but if you see me every day, move one. Get over it! Thank you for the compliment, was I that ugly before?? I know I'm evil and ungrateful.

Food has been sometimes a struggle and sometimes not. I go through phases where I can eat anything and want to. And then there are the days when I have NO appetite whatsoever. I don't want anything. The days when I'm lucky if 500 calories get into my body. Those days are getting fewer thank God. Since I'm getting to the maintance stage I'm hoping that will get easier.

Exercise has been my worst enemy. I've always been active and don't mind working out. I love it as a matter of fact. But now, it's always one thing after the other stopping me from doing it. I make excuses some days, others I have a legitimate reason, but mostly I should do more than I am and I know it. I know I would probably look better if I could tone up my muscles some more. But finding the willpower for this particular thing is just not happening. I walk, I take the stairs, I play softball but i don't have a "plan" that I stick to.

It's been an incredible journey and one I'm glad that I took when I was still young. I look forward to many more years of health and prosperity, thanks in part to my RNY :)