Toya C.

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Actually I'm 6 days late, but getting around to posting.  This year has truly flown by!!!!!  I must thank God that I encountered no complications throughout the journey.  There were momentst that I felt the scale wasn't moving and then the bittersweet discovery that that shirt or pair of pants no longer fit. 

I found a new love for working out that is ridiculous!!!!!!!  I remember begging God for the opportunity to lose weight (aka get approved for surgery) and promised Him that if He opened this door I would not take it for granted.  I promised that I would push my body has hard and as far as it could go.

Today I am pushing the limits, reaching new heights.  Thank You Father for granting me the opportunity.  Thank You for carrying me safely through this year....

His results......



                                                                                              



Happy 1 year Surgiversary
(stole that from someone else's profile, thought it was cute)

I remember the day I came home from the hospital and my mind was filled with many doubts.  "Will this surgery work?  Will I be the one person that doesn't lose weight from it? What I lose weight and then gain it all back?"  I tend to be a worry wart. The first few months my weight came off slow and then one day I couldn't fit my clothes.  It took awhile for my mind to catch up with what my body was doing.  Actually, my mind still is all the way up to date, evidenced by those moments I still catch myself looking at 1X, which cannot fit me.  Or the day I went into Ashley Stewart and was actually a little hurt/disappointed that even the 14 was a little loosey goosey. 

110lbs  later, I'm feeling great!  More energy than I ever had.  Re-experiencing life!  I have a list of things I want to do that before I just wouldn't care to do.  Some to do with weight and some to do with lack of energy/motivation.  I want to stay active for the remainder of my days. 

I am happy God gave me this second chance.  I thank Him for giving me a new set of spectacles through which to view my life and all of its possibilities.  I thank Him for a drama free  journey (medically speaking). 

Be encouraged OH peeps!  The opportunity to shed the pounds and all the sadness, bitterness, pain, rejections and bondage it contained  is the first pivotal step...enjoy that journey, but then commit yourselves to making the most of your (our) life therafter.  Gotta exercise & be mindful of our food options.  Treat your body well, cuz like our cars it is our vehicle through this life.  We don't treat it right, it will fail us. 

We've been granted a unique opportunity, so let's run wit it as far as we can go & re-experience life!!!!!!!!



Tootlz
Toya

 
As I was adding the new pictures I am in shock at how my face use to look.  When I took the pictures in 2006, I had accepted the reality of my make-up (as I should have done) ,but looking back I now like "was that really me".  Wow.  Sept. 25th was surgery day, so all pics after that mark the descent.  It is what it is, but I'm happy for where I am today. 

In an attempt to catch my head up to my body, I created this "Faces Collage" so that I can track the changes in my face.  I should have done one for my belly!  The dates are on the picture but I need to edit that cuz its too light.

This weekend my best friend got married, which required a trip to Orlando, FL.  On this weight loss journey there have been  many ah-ha  moments.  There were a series of these moments starting with packing for the trip.  I hadn't realized that my summer clothes from last summer no longer fit the same until I tried them on.  This new reality plunged me into to frenzy of buying clothes last minute. 

Then I got on the airplane and for the first time in years, I actually tightened the seat belt-WOW    My mom is into to Fill-In Puzzle books, so I joined her habit on the flight.  I never took down the tray table before cuz it wouldn't lie flat due to my belly.  So the 1st observation-I was writing in my lap, I have more lap than belly-whoa!  2nd observation was I lowered the tray table just to test it out and it went all the way down no problems .

Again, I must reiterate that my mind has not caught up with my body, so I operate very much the same way I did with before surgery.  Which means I am like discovering a new me.  I am having problems with all the attention given to me by my friends that have not seen me since surgery, most of which don't even know that I had surgery.  A reaction is 1 thing, but after 20 minutes I would appreciate all eyes to be off of me. 

I am however becoming a camera hog!  I don't hate taking pictures like before.  All in all this weekend was GRRREAT!!! 
Rediscovering me in '09!

Some Random moments before surgery-Summer of '08
           
Day of Surgery-September 25, 2008

       

             


3 Months Post (exactly 12 wks)-December 18, 2008



    

Life has been jus moving along and to be honest I forgot about this site.  Let me give a brief overview-  Since my last entry,

Broke up wit boyfriend of 2 1/2 years
Informed by my best friend that she's engaged-wedding Jan. 4th in Orlando!
Started scrapbooking
Watched my work life spiral out of control
Stopped going to the gym (since the 2nd week in November & not really that interested right now)
Decided that I need to move to Charlotte, NC ASAP
Ran away for a weekend to regain some perspective, cuz I was going CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Attended 3 work related holiday parties-food wasn't too much of an issue


And now I am sitting home sick!  My body just gave up after the last few weeks of utter chaos I've experienced.  It sucks that I'm sick when I should be enjoying my time off of work for the holidays.  Its all good tho', I'll give my body what it needs most-REST!  

I am exactly 13 weeks Post-Op!  Woo-hoo!  I have taken pictures, but their still in my camera.  As far as eating goes, it has been fine, but I suck cuz I am back to my ole ways of skipping meals when my schedule gets hectic.  I need to do better!

The weight is coming off, suprisingly I don't see it in the mirror.  As far as I'm concerned I see the same ole fat rolls!  But my clothes tell a different story.  Pre-op I was wearing 24 or 26 in bottoms and 26 tops.  Two weeks ago I bought pants that were size 18/20.  Tops are still in the 22/24 region, cuz of my chest, but I did purchase one 18/20 batwing sweater. Oh, and my bridesmaid dress is a size 22-whoa!  I have been having a time with bras! 

My weight as of today is 231.  That is a 52lb loss since Sept. 25th (surgery day).  I will try to log in more often. Hope all is well with everyone and I wish you a
Merry "family, friends, food and gifts"Day. 

So I've Lost 29 lbs in 6 weeks & 2 days as of today .  

I must admit, I thought things would move faster than this, but perhaps I should learn how to pace myself.   I would not have lost this much on my own, so I should be happy.   I like to move fast, hence I have the same expectation of this weight.  I will however focus on getting in my protein and exercising.

Can't sweat the small stuff, jus' need to focus on the day to day goals!

Today was just all around BAD!  So here's the run down:

730a-Took Iron

830a-Ate breakfast

9:09a-Arrived at court

10:09a-Waiting at court for clients case to be called

11:09a-Still waiting

12:09p-Talking with client's family, attorney's & DSS worker.  Oh, & informed that the case won't be seen til' after 2!

1:09p-Walk to car to wait for 2!

1:15p-Sitting in car, incredibly thirsty so I drink water and pass up eating my yogurt (remember 30/30 rule).  Bad decision I know!

1:25p-Vent my frustrations on the phone

1:55p-Replenish the meter and walk back to courthouse
2:30p-STILL WAITING
3:00p-Case finally called , but they decide to do a full trial!

4:15p-Trial done

4:22p-Check vcml on personal cell, important client issue from job #2! Easy to handle.

4:30p-Check vcml on work cell (job #1),but accidentally picked up an incoming call which of course was a client emergency!  Talk to distressed client.

4:45p-(still in the courthouse)  Call supervisor to discuss court case and new emergency issue.

4:50p-Walked to car & sighed and the thought that the day is STILL NOT OVER!

5:15p-Arrive home and eat a veggie patty (19g of protein)

5:30p-Make calls regarding emergency issue.

5:45p-Leave house for client
TRAFFIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6:00p-Arrive at clients house

8:00p-Arrive back home

8:45p-Eat Salmon (23g of protein)

11:29p-Still up, kinda wired from the day still and filling in useless info for my first blog!!!!!!!

So if you didn't get it, this was a hard day because I hardly got in my required amount of protein and it was long as heck!!!!!!!!!!!  By the way, I am a social worker! 

Tnc