Bonamy
Wow Time Flies - Six Years Post Op.
Aug 30, 2015
Six year surgery anniversary last week. Two months after my surgery the company I worked for 22 years let me go . I collected severance, then unemployment and I have now been at the same company five years which I still love. Just finished a huge software upgrade project a couple months ago and updated my skills on LinkedIn. I have no desire to change companies but it is nice to know my skills are very much in demand based on the number of recruiters that reach out to me each week. Including my old company, twice, too bad so sad for them but it amuses me to repeatedly decline with how much more I like where I am at now.
Bad New First
The weight has slowly crept back to close to surgery level - June 15th 2015 I weighed 308.
I am still pretty happy with life even at this weight, but I know it is not healthy so recently I have been working on getting my health under control.
I have no one to blame but my self, still love milk chocolate a bit too much, cider a bit too much, and at times Lucky Charms. Ice Cream, the good stuff. I can pretty much eat anything now and no longer have any nausea issues and at time when I felt tired a pound of chocolate did the trick a few dozen or more time and it all adds up. The hunger is not back, but the pleasure in eating returned.
I had some ups and downs with my vitamin results and other blood work. My fasting glucose at 110 was higher than the doctor liked to see and twice in the past five years I have done mega doses of vitamin D to bring me back in range. Low vitamin D lethargic, dry mouth, dry eyes, need to pay attention to my body signals but those small symptoms creep up.
Either the vitamin deficiency or acid in my mouth during the early months decalcified my teeth near the gum and I needed about a half dozen gum line fillings. So make sure you are taking your vitamins and using an enamel strengthening toothpaste. My doctor seems to like tweeking my thyroid meds a bit too much for my taste. I am happiest on the low side of the normal range and he insists on the middle, so I need to look for a new primary.
Good New Now
I reached 288.6 today. 11 weeks, 20 pounds, not too shabby. For the first two months I did not exercise and I was on vacation a few times.
6/15 308
6/21 304 down 4
6/28 301 down 3
7/5 297 down 4
7/12 298 UP 1
7/19 298 same
7/26 vacation no tracking 7/22 to 8/4
8/4 294 DOWN 4
8/9 vacation no tracking 8/7 to 8/13
8/16 295 up 1
8/23 291 down 3
8/30 288.6 down 3
June 24, I bought the Microsoft Fitband and started tracking my steps. I have managed to double my just daily movement from 2000 to 4000 steps a day and completed the Chase Morgan Corporate Challenge, a 6k on Thursday June 25th. Walking of course, a bit under a 3 mph pace but I finished the 3 1/2 mile course.
8/17 I was feeling pretty down about being stalled. I also drank four ciders the night before which probably did not help but hey my daughter turned 22! I added an full hour of cardio and many times a week as I can, usually 4 times burning 600 to 700 calories a session on recumbent bike and/or elliptical. I can attribute 2 pounds of loss in the past two weeks directly to that activity. My band says so.
Saturday I took my first stab at Tabata style intervals but only 82% -88% percent of max not 100% as the style calls for. Call me crazy but I like the 'personal trainer' music tracks that mess with with BPMs of songs and tell me what to do when.
I am primarily use the LiveStrong app now to track calories (1400 a day and falling) and exercise and really focusing on clean eating, no white baked goods, pasta or sugars.
I read and enjoyed Chris Powell's two books on carb cycling and follow them loosely. Breakfast is a must with protein and carbs. The program calls for five meals a day which feels like a lot but it is working well. My 53 calories of real milk chocolate is non-negotiable. It is in my friends drawer though not mine and he is very good about self control. Also non-negotiable is real 1/2 and 1/2 in my coffee, just a teaspoon per cup and I track it.
I enjoy early morning carbs in the form of organic granola or 12 grain bread with Greek yogurt.
Lunch is lots of chicken breast and greens. The morning and afternoon snack is either hummus and pepper, an egg, or some chick breast.
I am a Spiralizer now at dinner time, no grainy pasta, it is replaced with ribbon zucchini instead. It is a great replacement to carby pasta.
All my dairy has been replaced with no sugar added nut milks, almond, cashew, coconut which is surprisingly not missed at all.
I had my daughter do some pictures today at this months weight. Need to edit them before uploading.
Something has clicked and I really feel good about this go round. This is for me and no one else, I find reading by own blogging motivational. Yeah I am a idiot for being disappointed about the weeks I did not lose, need to stay the course and change what I can. The extra cardio has really helped both in the way I feel and the weight loss.
