Alison J.
Happy Surgiversary to me! 2 years today
Dec 29, 2010
It has been 2 years today since the surgery that changed my life, and so much has changed. I am doing very well maintaining my weight loss. I usually fluctuate between 135 and 138lbs.
This year I have been focused more on maintaining my weight than losing weight, and I have done so by monitoring what
I eat and how much I eat. And also continuing to excercise mostly through jogging. This upcoming year I will still be focused on maintaining my weight but I am also going to try to lose 10-15 lbs and tone up some various areas. Although I am very, very happy with my current weight and size, I want to push myself and see what I can further accomplish. If I make it there and I feel to small, then I will be perfectly fine maintianing my current weight.
I am also starting my journey for plastics. The only area I am most concerned with is my breasts and arms. I am not in major need of a tummy tuck right now and since I plan on having kids within the next 5 years or so, I plan to wait until after that happens to get a tummy tuck, if needed.
I am currently living in Miami, but I am home in Texas right now for Christmas. I have my consulation with a plastic surgeon in Miami when I return. I am pretty excited.
My current stats are weight: 137 (probably up a little bit from the holidays and the fact that it is that time of the month) Clothes sizes:
Women's: size 4 to 6 (some 2's depending on the place such as Banana Republic, New York and Co and Express)
Juniors size 5/7
I am very happy with my journey and progess thus far. I have my 2 year appt with my surgeon next week. I have changed my whole lifestyle for the better and due to the changes that I have made, I am confident that I can keep the weight off and remain healthy for a long time to come.
2 comments
This year I have been focused more on maintaining my weight than losing weight, and I have done so by monitoring what
I eat and how much I eat. And also continuing to excercise mostly through jogging. This upcoming year I will still be focused on maintaining my weight but I am also going to try to lose 10-15 lbs and tone up some various areas. Although I am very, very happy with my current weight and size, I want to push myself and see what I can further accomplish. If I make it there and I feel to small, then I will be perfectly fine maintianing my current weight.
I am also starting my journey for plastics. The only area I am most concerned with is my breasts and arms. I am not in major need of a tummy tuck right now and since I plan on having kids within the next 5 years or so, I plan to wait until after that happens to get a tummy tuck, if needed.
I am currently living in Miami, but I am home in Texas right now for Christmas. I have my consulation with a plastic surgeon in Miami when I return. I am pretty excited.
My current stats are weight: 137 (probably up a little bit from the holidays and the fact that it is that time of the month) Clothes sizes:
Women's: size 4 to 6 (some 2's depending on the place such as Banana Republic, New York and Co and Express)
Juniors size 5/7
I am very happy with my journey and progess thus far. I have my 2 year appt with my surgeon next week. I have changed my whole lifestyle for the better and due to the changes that I have made, I am confident that I can keep the weight off and remain healthy for a long time to come.
1 year and 4 months out
Apr 18, 2010
It has been a very long time. Of course I meant to write a one year out blog, but alas, life happened. Around my 1 year surgiversary I was going through a bad break up and trying to work out the details of splitting things such as our townhouse, accounts, things such as that. Like many people, I went through the post WLS break up thing. I didn't think that it would happen but it did, and now I am happier than I have been in a long long time. I guess with a new me, I was able to see what I was just settling for and what I really deserved and never should have put up with. So thats that.
I have also been very busy with school, work and an internship, but I only have 3 weeks til graduation! As far as my weight loss, I believe that I am at the point of maintaining. I keep fluctuating between 130 and 140. I am currently 136. My lowest weight so far has been 129, but that was during the break up so I don't know if that had anything to do with that. I am happy with my weight and size right now. I am wearing a 5/7 in juniors pants and jeans, and a 4/6 in womens. I also mostly wear small tops, depending on the style. I am not sure if I want to lose any more. My ultimate goal was 125. We will see if I get there, but as I said I am pretty happy where I am now. I excercise almost every day, but no less than 5 days per week. My main activities include jogging, running and the eliptical machine. I am taking a jogging/walking for fitness class online for school (no time to fit in an actual class that meets). So that is why I have been doing mostly jogging/running activities. Once this class is over I plan to incorporate swimming, and cycling and I want to take a regular spinning and dancing/aerobics class. Since I will also have a little more free time, I would like to participate in walks and runs like a 5K or half marathon. I plan to join 24 hour fitness this weekend, since once I graduate, access to the awesome school fitness center ceases as well lol. My new boyfriend, who is amazing, is joining me. He wants to lose weight as well so we are encouraging eachother. I love excercising now, and when I go a few days with out working out, I just feel a little not right. It is so weird how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time.
I have been doing good with eating as well, although I do become a little lax on the weekends, since my boyfriend and I go out a lot. But my workouts do not stop on the weekends. I try to workout Friday through Sunday if possible. I have noticed that I am able to eat a lot more now, so I do have to watch my portions. Of course I am not able to eat anywhere near as much as I could before surgery. I guess the best way that I can describe it is instead of me eating like a baby, I can now eat like a 5 year old lol. (of course not a 5 year old who eats big macs and large fries like I did at that age). I have also still never experienced dumping as far as I know of, so I do try to watch my sugar intake. I still stay away from soda and other carbonated drinks, and I do not eat fried foods very often, to be honest I don't relly find fried foods very appealing these days.
Pretty much life is good right now. Graduation is coming up, and I am excited for the summer. I bought my first pair of short shorts (who wears short shorts? I do now! lol) I can't wait to wear them on a hot 110 degree Texas summer day. I remember wearing jeans every day all summer and burning up because I didnt want to show my legs. Now I love showing of my legs, by newfound love of jogging has paid off in that department. I also bought my first bikini. You can see pictures of that in my profile. Now, having the courage to step out in public in that is gonna take some time lol, but it is cute. I plan to wear it on vacation in about a month. I do plan to write again sooner rather than later next time lol.
1 comment
I have also been very busy with school, work and an internship, but I only have 3 weeks til graduation! As far as my weight loss, I believe that I am at the point of maintaining. I keep fluctuating between 130 and 140. I am currently 136. My lowest weight so far has been 129, but that was during the break up so I don't know if that had anything to do with that. I am happy with my weight and size right now. I am wearing a 5/7 in juniors pants and jeans, and a 4/6 in womens. I also mostly wear small tops, depending on the style. I am not sure if I want to lose any more. My ultimate goal was 125. We will see if I get there, but as I said I am pretty happy where I am now. I excercise almost every day, but no less than 5 days per week. My main activities include jogging, running and the eliptical machine. I am taking a jogging/walking for fitness class online for school (no time to fit in an actual class that meets). So that is why I have been doing mostly jogging/running activities. Once this class is over I plan to incorporate swimming, and cycling and I want to take a regular spinning and dancing/aerobics class. Since I will also have a little more free time, I would like to participate in walks and runs like a 5K or half marathon. I plan to join 24 hour fitness this weekend, since once I graduate, access to the awesome school fitness center ceases as well lol. My new boyfriend, who is amazing, is joining me. He wants to lose weight as well so we are encouraging eachother. I love excercising now, and when I go a few days with out working out, I just feel a little not right. It is so weird how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time.
I have been doing good with eating as well, although I do become a little lax on the weekends, since my boyfriend and I go out a lot. But my workouts do not stop on the weekends. I try to workout Friday through Sunday if possible. I have noticed that I am able to eat a lot more now, so I do have to watch my portions. Of course I am not able to eat anywhere near as much as I could before surgery. I guess the best way that I can describe it is instead of me eating like a baby, I can now eat like a 5 year old lol. (of course not a 5 year old who eats big macs and large fries like I did at that age). I have also still never experienced dumping as far as I know of, so I do try to watch my sugar intake. I still stay away from soda and other carbonated drinks, and I do not eat fried foods very often, to be honest I don't relly find fried foods very appealing these days.
Pretty much life is good right now. Graduation is coming up, and I am excited for the summer. I bought my first pair of short shorts (who wears short shorts? I do now! lol) I can't wait to wear them on a hot 110 degree Texas summer day. I remember wearing jeans every day all summer and burning up because I didnt want to show my legs. Now I love showing of my legs, by newfound love of jogging has paid off in that department. I also bought my first bikini. You can see pictures of that in my profile. Now, having the courage to step out in public in that is gonna take some time lol, but it is cute. I plan to wear it on vacation in about a month. I do plan to write again sooner rather than later next time lol.
100 lbs LOST TODAY!
Sep 20, 2009
Today when I woke up to do my weekly official weigh-in I weighed in at 149lbs. That is a 100lb lost from my highest weight of 249lbs when I started this journey. This is so surreal, and I remmeber thinking I will never be able to lose 100lbs. A 100lbs lost felt so unattainable, but here I am 100lbs down. I am too thrilled for words. 
1 comment
8 Months Out and no longer OBESE!
Aug 18, 2009
Hello all,
So here I am at 8 months out, weighing in at 154lbs. And according to the BMI calculator, I am no longer obese! (Just overweight I'm only 5'0). Things in my life have been surreal but I thank God for giving me the oportunity to have this surgery and start a new healthier lifestyle. I have started running/jogging at least 3 times a week with my friend. I would like to start going to the gym more often and I definitley plan to. I have 21 paid personal training sessions that I have not used and I need to use them. This is NOT an excuse, but I have been really, really busy this summer trying to work and take classes so that I can graduate. I do try to do some sort of physical activity everyday though when it is not a running/jogging day. Things around the house like wii fit or excercise tapes or yoga. I was scrolling through channels the other day and realized that I have the Carmen Electra workout video on Free Demand. Can't wait to try that. As far as food and surgery goes...I am doing good. I can eat anything which means that I now have to watch what I eat very closely. But I wouldn't say that my tastes have changed, more that my feelings have changed. When I eat crap foods I feel like crap so I try to stick to the healthy things that I like to eat. Cheeseburgers are no longer my all time favorite food. Although I have eaten "regular sized" cheesburgers (what most americans call kiddie sized cheeseburgers). I usually don't eat all of the bun but for ME its a good source of protien. I don't like anything that is thick and heavy, makes me feel heavy and weighed down. My favorite foods now consist of chicken, I like to make the low carb mission tortilla pizzas often (as seen on eggface), I have started eating salads which is something pre-op I HATED. I really like a good salad with imitation crab meat, yummy! I eat a lot of seafood. Love fruit. Special K protien cereal is always stocked, and cottage cheese is always in the fridge. I still do not dump but I still try to stay away from a lot of sugar. If it is over 15g-20g and it is not from natural sugar ex. fruit, then I try not to eat it. Overall I am doing well, no complications, still no hair loss. Hmm what else....
Surrealness....I weigh less than I did in 3rd grade. And I am fitting nicely into size 9's and 10's. I bought a small shirt the other day but usually wear mediums. I have never been in single digit clothes, even when I was younger. I skipped right over those numbers. Went from a childs "Pretty Plus" 16 to a womans 14 (This being around 4th grade) then womans 16 for most of my life until I upgraded to 18's and 20's. I can finally see the difference when I look at pictures and in the mirror. At first I truly did not see it. I guess it just took awhile for my brain to adjust to the new me. I plan to shop til I drop this tax free weekend. I do not have any clothes that fit me at the moment besides summer clothes. I have 1 pair of jeans that fit. My strategy is to buy only a few pairs of pants, and a lot of dresses because dresses seem to fit longer in case I drop some more sizes. Welp, that is all for now I suppose. I will try to update in month 9.
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So here I am at 8 months out, weighing in at 154lbs. And according to the BMI calculator, I am no longer obese! (Just overweight I'm only 5'0). Things in my life have been surreal but I thank God for giving me the oportunity to have this surgery and start a new healthier lifestyle. I have started running/jogging at least 3 times a week with my friend. I would like to start going to the gym more often and I definitley plan to. I have 21 paid personal training sessions that I have not used and I need to use them. This is NOT an excuse, but I have been really, really busy this summer trying to work and take classes so that I can graduate. I do try to do some sort of physical activity everyday though when it is not a running/jogging day. Things around the house like wii fit or excercise tapes or yoga. I was scrolling through channels the other day and realized that I have the Carmen Electra workout video on Free Demand. Can't wait to try that. As far as food and surgery goes...I am doing good. I can eat anything which means that I now have to watch what I eat very closely. But I wouldn't say that my tastes have changed, more that my feelings have changed. When I eat crap foods I feel like crap so I try to stick to the healthy things that I like to eat. Cheeseburgers are no longer my all time favorite food. Although I have eaten "regular sized" cheesburgers (what most americans call kiddie sized cheeseburgers). I usually don't eat all of the bun but for ME its a good source of protien. I don't like anything that is thick and heavy, makes me feel heavy and weighed down. My favorite foods now consist of chicken, I like to make the low carb mission tortilla pizzas often (as seen on eggface), I have started eating salads which is something pre-op I HATED. I really like a good salad with imitation crab meat, yummy! I eat a lot of seafood. Love fruit. Special K protien cereal is always stocked, and cottage cheese is always in the fridge. I still do not dump but I still try to stay away from a lot of sugar. If it is over 15g-20g and it is not from natural sugar ex. fruit, then I try not to eat it. Overall I am doing well, no complications, still no hair loss. Hmm what else....
Surrealness....I weigh less than I did in 3rd grade. And I am fitting nicely into size 9's and 10's. I bought a small shirt the other day but usually wear mediums. I have never been in single digit clothes, even when I was younger. I skipped right over those numbers. Went from a childs "Pretty Plus" 16 to a womans 14 (This being around 4th grade) then womans 16 for most of my life until I upgraded to 18's and 20's. I can finally see the difference when I look at pictures and in the mirror. At first I truly did not see it. I guess it just took awhile for my brain to adjust to the new me. I plan to shop til I drop this tax free weekend. I do not have any clothes that fit me at the moment besides summer clothes. I have 1 pair of jeans that fit. My strategy is to buy only a few pairs of pants, and a lot of dresses because dresses seem to fit longer in case I drop some more sizes. Welp, that is all for now I suppose. I will try to update in month 9.
So...here I am, almost 5 months later
May 25, 2009
I have not written in quite some time. I have really been slacking with keeping this thing updated. I will be honest though, the reason that I stayed away from OH for awhile was because I was a little turned off by the behavior and attitudes of some people on here, so I took a little hiatus and only came on in lurking mode. I have also been incredibly busy with school and work. But since summer is here, I will try to update a little more often.
Currently I weigh in at 178, which is a loss of 71lbs from my highest weight and a 68lb loss from the day of surgery. I have had no problems at all so far. I have been adjusting very well. No vomiting or dumping episodes and no hair loss as of yet. I have been keeping my hair natural with no relaxers and have kept it braided while wearing sew-in extensions. I am trying to do my best to preserve my hair by keeping it braided and keeping chemicals and heat off of it. I also ALWAYS stay on top of my protein. I think together these things have kept my hair from shedding and falling out. I took my braids down last week, and my hair has actually gotten thicker and longer, so that is a great thing.
I will be 5 months out on May 29th, which is also the day I leave for Las Vegas, yay! I am wearing a size 12 in jeans, medium-large shirts, depends on the style, and medium dresses. I did find one pair of size 9 jeans that fit, so that was pretty cool I was astonished. But that is just one pair, so I will still claim to be wearing a size 12 until further notice. Also, all of the clothes that I kept for years and years (some as far back as junior high) with the hopes of "being thin enough to wear again some day" are all now too big!
Hmm, what else.....oh and I weigh less than my boyfriend (who is very tall and thin) so that was greatness as well. I am eating very good, sticking to protein, low fat, low sugar items. I did slack off a little in the exercise department for about a month when school and work was getting a little stressful, but I am back on it now. I go to the gym to see my personal trainer 3 times a week, do wii fit, and I walk every day.
I know I am missing something, but that is my update for now. I DO plan on getting some more comparison photos soon, and taking some new measurements and comparing them to my pre-op measurements and I will post that on my blog. Dunno if it will be this week though, because as I stated, I am preparing to head out to Las Vegas FRIDAY!!!!
0 comments
Currently I weigh in at 178, which is a loss of 71lbs from my highest weight and a 68lb loss from the day of surgery. I have had no problems at all so far. I have been adjusting very well. No vomiting or dumping episodes and no hair loss as of yet. I have been keeping my hair natural with no relaxers and have kept it braided while wearing sew-in extensions. I am trying to do my best to preserve my hair by keeping it braided and keeping chemicals and heat off of it. I also ALWAYS stay on top of my protein. I think together these things have kept my hair from shedding and falling out. I took my braids down last week, and my hair has actually gotten thicker and longer, so that is a great thing.
I will be 5 months out on May 29th, which is also the day I leave for Las Vegas, yay! I am wearing a size 12 in jeans, medium-large shirts, depends on the style, and medium dresses. I did find one pair of size 9 jeans that fit, so that was pretty cool I was astonished. But that is just one pair, so I will still claim to be wearing a size 12 until further notice. Also, all of the clothes that I kept for years and years (some as far back as junior high) with the hopes of "being thin enough to wear again some day" are all now too big!
Hmm, what else.....oh and I weigh less than my boyfriend (who is very tall and thin) so that was greatness as well. I am eating very good, sticking to protein, low fat, low sugar items. I did slack off a little in the exercise department for about a month when school and work was getting a little stressful, but I am back on it now. I go to the gym to see my personal trainer 3 times a week, do wii fit, and I walk every day.
I know I am missing something, but that is my update for now. I DO plan on getting some more comparison photos soon, and taking some new measurements and comparing them to my pre-op measurements and I will post that on my blog. Dunno if it will be this week though, because as I stated, I am preparing to head out to Las Vegas FRIDAY!!!!
Finally Sitting on the loser's bench
Jan 07, 2009
So I am back. I have actually been back for awhile, but I stayed with my parents after I was released from the hospital on Dec. 31st, for several days (they have no computer) and I've been back to my own apartment since Monday, I've just been too lazy to sit and write. I've been preoccupied with all of the DVR things I recorded on tv that I missed while I was away, and all of the movies that I got for Chiristmas. So I am updating, a little late lol. Overall, I feel fantastic. I have not had any problems, no complications, I haven't thrown up or anything once, no problems swalowing or eating. I am doing great. I stopped taking my pain medicine a couple days ago, and I had my drain and staples removed today which felt wondeful. I should have taken a picture of them before they were removed, I was planning to. Oh well. I guess I will take a picture of my scars as they heal instead, but they do not look that bad at all. I was very worried about developong a keloid, but it does not look like that is going to happen, so I am glad. The only weird thing that happend with my surgery is that I was in the operating room for 3 hours, or so I was told. I don't know why my srgery took so long, but I am not going to stress it because like I said, I feel great. Much better than I thought I was going to. I am doing well with pureed foods, but I can't wait until I can have regular food. It is not what I expected, a lot of people said that they could bairley eat 2 teaspoons of something and felt full, I am not like that, I can eat much more, and I don't have a feeling of fullness or being stuffed, more like a feeling of being satisfied. I am only eating 1/4 a cup to 1/2 a cup of food at one sitting though, since that is what I was told to do. And my hunger has pretty much gone away, except for head hunger. I really have no idea why I was so terrified of this surgery, now that I have gone through it I am just like wow, that was not that bad. I should have done it sooner, like on my original surgery date of Sept. 30th, but Oh well. I am just glad to be where I am now. I will post some before pictures, and a one week picture and measurements etc later on today or tommorrow. I am off to the mall now to do my 30 mins of walking. 
2 comments
Oh. My. Gosh. The day is finally here!
Dec 28, 2008
....And I am freaking out! Everything is just so surreal. But it is now finally hitting me what is happening. After tommorrow, notthing will ever be quite the same. But I am changing for the better. I just hope that I have a very successful and uneventful surgery. I am cleaning up the house, packing my hospital bag and trying to mentally prepare myself. When I write my next entry, I will be on the losers side!
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Getting Excited!
Nov 22, 2008
So I am still a little nervous, but I am getting a little excited. I have decided to go ahead and go through with the RNY surgery. I do not see it as me "giving up" since I was wanting to get the DS, I see it as taking a step in the right direction and getting things moving. I was told flat out that it will not get approved by my insurance and I am going to leave it at that. A very wise person on here toll me to look at it this way, at least you still have the opportunity to have WLS and gain a healthier life, and that is how I am going to continue to look at it. I feel like a weight of stress has been lifted off of me because I had been constantly contemplating whether or not I should go through with it, but after meeting people who have been where I am, I feel very confident in my decision. FINALLY. My surgeons office called the other day and bumped my surgery date up, so I will now be having surgery Dec. 29th.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to me!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to me!
Feeling upset, anxious and discouraged
Oct 26, 2008
I feel sort of hopless and confused and also defeated these days because I had decided on the surgery that I wanted to have, but I am being told no. I want the DS but it is not going to happen any time soon, because my insurance does not cover it, or so I have been told. I cannot get a straight answer directly from my insurance, mostly in part because they do not know what I am talking about, they are only familiar with the lap band and the gastric bypass. Their answer is "It is decided on an individual basis once the surgeon submit a request." But others on here who have the same insurance as me have tried to get it approved and failed. Also the surgeons office that I would be having the surgery with will not even try to get it approved because they know that it will not be approved. I think that I am just going to go through with my December 30th RNY surgery date. I do not know if it is all in my head, but I can feel my health getting worse. I have been eating horribly latley due to stress and lack of time. My legs hurt and tingle and I am afraid it is atritis or something. I am scared that I will be diagnosed with diabetes soon. Something needs to be done. The RNY lifestyle will not be easy to adjust to, but I feel as though I have no choice. I am going to call later today and insist that I get a straight answer on wether or not the DS is covered and if one person can't answer me, I will ask to be transfered until someone can anwser for me. If it is not, I am going through with my surgery on Dec. 30th. Because I cannot afford it any other way. No one will give a 30,000 loan to a broke college student with bad credit. I just hope I am not making a decision I will regret. I don't know what else to do.
feeling hopless
~Alison
feeling hopless
~Alison
My cute little vitamin bag!
Jul 29, 2008
So the whole taking vitamins for the rest of my life things is my least favorite thing about my upcoming surgery, but I know that it is something that I will have to do to remain healthy. So... me and my mom were shopping and I HAD to have this (i bought it off of ebay instead of for $40 like it was in the store)
Can't wait to use it!
Can't wait to use it!
About Me
Fort Worth, TX
Location
25.5
BMI
Surgery
12/29/2008
Surgery Date
Mar 01, 2008
Member Since
