Debra Sirois

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I had several hammer toes repaired in Dec. one of the pins shifted and is causing a lot of pain. i am trying to decide when to have it redone. i could do it now and be back on my feet by May, I could have it done in the early fall. there are pros and cons to both decisions. Right now I am back on the weight loss track and doing fairly well with exercise except for the toe hurting. i really need to take off the weight I regained. AS I sit here typing and pondering my decision I'm starting to lean to having it done as soon as possible.

I've had a good week as far as exercise goes. the only day I didn't go to the gym was Thursday because of the snow storm. I went on Friday but was unable to complete my regular routine because of pain. I had forgotten to take my meds. before I left home.

i experience some dehydration last week, I had exercised and then napped when I got home. well I could not wake up fully. I had not taken it as much water as I should have. Now I know why the Doctors tell us to keep a water bottle with us at all times and to sip, sip, sip. LESSON learned!

my mantra for this post is It's O.K. to disappoint people. I'm entitled to do what I have to do to lose weight, as long as I am nicely assertive.

I am finally back on track, after much soul searching, study and meditation. I have come up with a plan to get be back on and to stay on track. I have made contact with my local hospital to attend a weight loss group sorta like weight watchers. It starts April 7. it is a way to be motivated, educated and supported. It gives me a safe place to be responsible with weekly weigh ins. I've used this before and had success.

I have also been back at the gym i go five days a week. Two days I do a training class with a trainer and three days I just do my cardio. and toning. on sat. I like to walk six miles around "the Block". I'm not ready for the full six miles yet but can do 3-4 miles easily. I feel in a week or two i can do the six. I love posting mantras around my home to keep me focused my favorite is " you can't have it both ways" I can either be loose with my eating or I can be healthier and thinner. But I can't have it both ways.

Even though I'm not the only person in my home who needs to lose weight, I am the only one motivated to do something about it. I wish I had more support here at home. But maybe my efforts will inspire the rest of my family.

Due to several surgeries and the loss of my husbands job. I have been away from support groups for awhile. and I've found i really need and miss all the support.I have gone to one or two of the ones in Waterville but it was not nearly the same as the Bangor group and I got really discouraged. I felt the group was more for a selling point of the surgery than to support those of us who have had it and need help. my husband who attended almost every meeting with me in Bangor and went to Waterville with me felt the same way.  I'm almost ashamed to say this but I have gained back 30-40 pounds. The  past two months have re-committed myself to the program, rejoined the gym i like working out at and made new S.M.A.R.T goals. which is helping, but I really need the support I felt in Bangor. so I'm reaching out for help here, has anyone else regained weight and successfully taken it off again? If so what advice and support can you give me.

Today I weighed in at 238. I have lost over 131 pounds in one year! If I keep up at the rate I am going
I should be at my goal weight sometime in August or September. It is so hard to believe I have come so far already. I now work out 5 days a week at a local rehab center. I do 2 days with a fitness trainer, 3 days on my own, three sessions of a water walking  class and 2 days water walking on my own. Plus I walk an additional 2-3 miles with my dog almost every day.

I have become healthy enough to finally have knee replacement surgery which will take place on May 24 2011.

I am now 1 week post op. Hopefully the worst is over and my new life is about to start. I feel really weak and fatigued and do not want to drink most of my liquids nothing tastes good. I have no sense of hunger so I really need to force myself to sip. I am very emotional and weepy a strange thing for me. It seems many barriers were cracked and the slightest mention of any thing hidden behind those barriers makes me cry.

Good news my 21 YO daughter and her fiance are moving out in about 15 days. My feet are doing a happy dance.
And  friends I haven't seen in a year are coming to visit!!!

Since surgery I have lost 11pounds I am striving to walk a mile every day. It is getting much easier I don't need to stop and rest as much. Both my dog and husband walk with me. So we are all getting fit.

Tomorrow is the day sept 30 2010 I get to start soft foods. I am so excited since I am having to really force myself to gag down liquids right now. I am finally down to 300. can't wait intill 299-.

Since surgery I am down 20 pounds. for a total loss of 70 pounds.

today is my first day of liquid diet.
@8:30 I drank a cappichino delight slim fast with a scoop of CIB chocolate and 1 cup of ice whizzed it up in blender. 250 cals. 15 g protein.
drank 16 ounces of crystal light
@12:15 had a mug of strained cream of chicken soup tasted bland, so I added some sage to it much better.
Had 2 sugar free/ fat free frozen treats.

day 7 of liquids getting a little tired of some of the creamed soups. menu has been pretty much as the sameas day 1.
surgery is in 7 days. I am so committed to this process that I am willing to deal with the bland liquids and the boredom of the diet.

I am 3 weeks and 4 days away from surgery. I actually started this process in March 2009 with a different Doctor. They were not yet a center of excellence but kept telling me it was going to be next month. Well next month turned in 11 months and when I called them in Jan 2010 they said another six months! I finally was willing to leave them and go to somewhere else. So I called the SWLP at EMMC in Bangor, Maine. I Met in red binder group on March 16 and was very impressed with their program. Of course this is a process so after 6 months of testing and meetings I finally have my date. My surgery is scheduled on Sept 15 2010. 7 months and 1 day after the first meeting not bad. My starting weight was 269.2 lbs. I have worked hard during this time and have lost about 50 pounds and several sizes. Although I have several disabilities I have been exercising and walking, doesn't sound like much but I am up to 2 miles. I never imagined that before surgery. My next hurdle is the two week liquid diet, I know I can do it. I have been asking my friends and supporters to each take a day and join me in a liquid fast as a means of supporting me with my journey.  I am surprised how many are willing to do it.

My husband and children are very supportive of my decision. My daughters have already taken notice of how well I am doing and are now working out  "they don't want mom being smaller than them"

It didn't surprise me when some of those who know I am doing this started in with the horror stories. I took the time to inform them and to let them know it is a safe procedure.