duffaupa
8 Weeks Out :o)
Oct 01, 2009
So last night I was talking to my fiancé and out of no where he goes “you know you’re almost at a 100 right?” I’m like “what are you talking about?” he says “you know you’ve lost almost a 100 pounds already!” Silence....LMAO!!!!
I remember it like it was yesterday…in 2007 I was at my heaviest I’ll never forget it. I weighed in at 320 pounds, but you would never know it, hell I didn’t even realize it! After seeing that HUGE number I made the decision to take control of my life. I talked to my Physician; he provided me with a prescription for diet pills, changed my eating habits, and I started doing “Walk Away the Pounds”. In December 2008 my physician was impressed with my weight loss but still suggested I look into gastric bypass. A few weeks later I had a consultation with Dr. Bilof and started a 6 month supervised diet with my nutritionist. Here I am... 8 weeks out and I’ve lost a total of 80 pounds combined before and after surgery. I’m still in shock!!! I don’t know if anyone has experienced this but as I’m dropping pounds, I keep asking myself “How did I let get to 320 pounds? Where in the hell was I going with all that weight?”
Everyday I find myself uncovering answers to that question and I am so thankful for it. Just the other day, I got upset over something that happened at work, and when I got home I just wanted to EAT! I realized at that point that back in the day if someone pissed me off and there was nothing I could do about it, I would go home eat, smoke, and sometimes drink just to forget about what happened. But I’m not able to do that anymore…and it honestly made me sad, because I didn’t know how to deal with the anger and stress I was feeling. I spent the rest of the evening upset, and I woke up the next morning even more angry. But I decided that the best way to relieve that stress was to work it out! I got up put in my Walk Away the Pounds DVD and did a two mile workout with my weighted balls. And let me tell you….when I was done I felt great! I was so proud of myself.
I’m taking it one day at a time I'm in no rush to get this weight off....LMAO!!!! I'm still trying to get the hang of my new life but I’m confident I will make it. I’m charging towards this full speed :-)
One Month Post-Op as of September 5, 2009
Sep 15, 2009
Hello All!!!! 
I can’t believe it’s already been over a month since the “BIG DOOZY”…lol I’m super excited about my progress thus far. My last appointment with my surgeon was on September 1st and I weighed in at 248 pounds, when I left the hospital on August 5th I was 271 pounds so I’m very proud to say that I’m down 23pounds as of the 1st :-)
Life after surgery has been a journey. I knew it would be hard but I didn’t think it would be this hard…lol eating smaller portions is no biggie but measuring, eating slowly and getting all of my liquids and protein in has been a major struggle for me. I don’t know….I guess being on that liquid diet kind of jacked me up! I am soo sick of diet Snapple’s, Crystal light, and all those other no calorie drinks…lol so I’ve been sticking to WATER! And I found a protein shake that I like…their ready-to-drink carb control shakes by AdvantEdge I like the French Vanilla flavor but LOVE the Chocolate Fudge flavor…lol I don’t drink them as much as I should but then again I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing….you know as far as overall protein intake….UGH!!!!
I was super excited about starting a regular diet, but when it actually came down to eating I got scared, I almost felt stuck…lol but my fiancé kept encouraging me to try new things and slowly that fear began to disappear. So far I’ve had lots of potatoes (but I’m sick of them already), eggs (sick of them too), fish, shrimp, chicken, ground turkey, lots of salads, spinach, wraps…things like that. I HATE those low fat milks were supposed to have but I gotta be honest when I’m eating cereal I have it with regular milk... I'm sorry I just can’t do it!
On a lighter note, I’ve donated most of my old clothes to my local Salvation Army. It took me forever to let go of them…I still have some button down shirts that I keep thinking I can wear but their about to go too…lol
Overall I'm really excited about what’s to come :-)
4 comments
I can’t believe it’s already been over a month since the “BIG DOOZY”…lol I’m super excited about my progress thus far. My last appointment with my surgeon was on September 1st and I weighed in at 248 pounds, when I left the hospital on August 5th I was 271 pounds so I’m very proud to say that I’m down 23pounds as of the 1st :-)
Life after surgery has been a journey. I knew it would be hard but I didn’t think it would be this hard…lol eating smaller portions is no biggie but measuring, eating slowly and getting all of my liquids and protein in has been a major struggle for me. I don’t know….I guess being on that liquid diet kind of jacked me up! I am soo sick of diet Snapple’s, Crystal light, and all those other no calorie drinks…lol so I’ve been sticking to WATER! And I found a protein shake that I like…their ready-to-drink carb control shakes by AdvantEdge I like the French Vanilla flavor but LOVE the Chocolate Fudge flavor…lol I don’t drink them as much as I should but then again I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing….you know as far as overall protein intake….UGH!!!!
I was super excited about starting a regular diet, but when it actually came down to eating I got scared, I almost felt stuck…lol but my fiancé kept encouraging me to try new things and slowly that fear began to disappear. So far I’ve had lots of potatoes (but I’m sick of them already), eggs (sick of them too), fish, shrimp, chicken, ground turkey, lots of salads, spinach, wraps…things like that. I HATE those low fat milks were supposed to have but I gotta be honest when I’m eating cereal I have it with regular milk... I'm sorry I just can’t do it!
On a lighter note, I’ve donated most of my old clothes to my local Salvation Army. It took me forever to let go of them…I still have some button down shirts that I keep thinking I can wear but their about to go too…lol
Overall I'm really excited about what’s to come :-)
I'M A HOT MESS!!!! TEE HEE...LOL
Jul 22, 2009
Hello All!!!!
It’s been a little over a week since my last post so I’ve decided to log-on and give you guys an update on everything. June 29th was my last visit with my nutritionist and I weighed in at 269. Well guess what??? I don't know how much I weigh now...lol Since I found out that I was having surgery in August, it’s like my mind has gone into “last meal” mode….I’ve been enjoying all my favorite meals for the past few weeks…lol and sadly haven’t worked out not one bit! I’m like “ok, since my taste buds will change and I probably won’t like the things that I LOVE to eat now….I might as well get it in before hand”…lol I don’t know how much I’ve gained…I’m sure it can’t be a whole bunch but I just find it funny that I’m acting like this…I think it’s just my nerves...lol
One of my BFF’s birthday was on July 7th and we went all out…lol We had lunch at the famous Junior’s Restaurant in Brooklyn, NY and I had a nice slice of Red Velvet Cheese Cake for desert…lol and then my birthday was this past Monday the 20th and I had a nice dinner but this weekend is goanna be BIG!!!! LOL the BFF’s are also taking me to see the Broadway play Chicago right before the surgery as my B-Day gift so you know were going to have a nice dinner….tee hee and that will be my final goodbye…lol
I had my pre-op visit last Wednesday and took my fiancé with me because he needed reassurance on some things. I went in with my list of questions and keep them coming one after the other…lol I was very surprised to hear that I didn’t have to go through weeks of liquid diets or anything and the fact that I could take my vitamins and birth control pills up until the day of surgery was very good to know. I asked about hair loss and got clarification on why it happens and what I can do to maintain it…overall it was a great visit. I feel so confident about everything and I’m starting to see that my fiancé is as well….which I am very happy about :-)
I got my pre-op instructions in the mail this past weekend, and I go in from my pre-admission testing today. So all in all everything is moving along smoothly and I’m 13 days away from surgery!!!!
Surgery Date Moved Up!!!!!
Jul 11, 2009
I’ve got some crazy news for you guys!!!!
Earlier this week I went to my surgeon’s office to drop off paper work that my jobs HR department needed them to complete. I was planning to leave work early Friday to pick up the documents so that I can have them to HR by Monday morning. So I called the office to make sure they were ready for pick up and the Service Coordinator informs me that the Senior Surgical Coordinator needs to speak with me regarding the paper work, and she would call me back in a few. I’m like ok…totally thinking it’s nothing, I sit at my desk and continue to check email.
About 20 minutes later, my cell rings and the SSC proceeds to tell me that the date I originally picked for my surgery needed to be changed. I got kind of nervous because I work in the Higher Education field and I decided it would be best for me to schedule my surgery for the third week in September because the first two weeks are when the students come back and it’s one of the busiest times of the semester....I wanted to be back in time for spring registration which usually starts in late October.
So I’m like “ok… what dates are available?” and as she's telling me it just seemed like September was out of the question. Then she goes “we can do the end of the July or early August….” People my face was screaming “WHAT!!!!! THAT’S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!” I pulled myself together and told her that I would need to speak with my boss about an August date and would call her back shortly. I call my boss (who's been very understanding and supportive throughtout this entire process :-)) explain the situation to her and she agrees that I should take the earliest date in August. So I call the surgeon’s office back and inform her that AUGUST 5TH, 2009, is the date!!!! I’m getting a headache just typing this…lol
After I got off the phone I felt like I was in the twilight zone guys…I just sat at my desk in shock. I totally wasn’t expecting to have the surgery this soon. I was soo surprised that I literally gave myself a migraine. I started getting all types of muscles pains…it felt surreal….lol But I reminded myself that God allows all things to happen for a reason….called my fiancé gave him the news, then called my BFF...vented to her about it for a bit, then my mom and sister. All very supportive :-)
My surgery is now 3 weeks away and I don’t know how to feel about it:-/ Don’t get me wrong I’m totally excited!!!! But it’s like my feelings are split in two…one side is saying “great I can do this and get it over with”, and the other side is like “SHIT I HAVEN’T EVEN PICKED A PROTEIN SHAKE YET”….LOL
2 comments
Earlier this week I went to my surgeon’s office to drop off paper work that my jobs HR department needed them to complete. I was planning to leave work early Friday to pick up the documents so that I can have them to HR by Monday morning. So I called the office to make sure they were ready for pick up and the Service Coordinator informs me that the Senior Surgical Coordinator needs to speak with me regarding the paper work, and she would call me back in a few. I’m like ok…totally thinking it’s nothing, I sit at my desk and continue to check email.
About 20 minutes later, my cell rings and the SSC proceeds to tell me that the date I originally picked for my surgery needed to be changed. I got kind of nervous because I work in the Higher Education field and I decided it would be best for me to schedule my surgery for the third week in September because the first two weeks are when the students come back and it’s one of the busiest times of the semester....I wanted to be back in time for spring registration which usually starts in late October.
So I’m like “ok… what dates are available?” and as she's telling me it just seemed like September was out of the question. Then she goes “we can do the end of the July or early August….” People my face was screaming “WHAT!!!!! THAT’S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!” I pulled myself together and told her that I would need to speak with my boss about an August date and would call her back shortly. I call my boss (who's been very understanding and supportive throughtout this entire process :-)) explain the situation to her and she agrees that I should take the earliest date in August. So I call the surgeon’s office back and inform her that AUGUST 5TH, 2009, is the date!!!! I’m getting a headache just typing this…lol
After I got off the phone I felt like I was in the twilight zone guys…I just sat at my desk in shock. I totally wasn’t expecting to have the surgery this soon. I was soo surprised that I literally gave myself a migraine. I started getting all types of muscles pains…it felt surreal….lol But I reminded myself that God allows all things to happen for a reason….called my fiancé gave him the news, then called my BFF...vented to her about it for a bit, then my mom and sister. All very supportive :-)
My surgery is now 3 weeks away and I don’t know how to feel about it:-/ Don’t get me wrong I’m totally excited!!!! But it’s like my feelings are split in two…one side is saying “great I can do this and get it over with”, and the other side is like “SHIT I HAVEN’T EVEN PICKED A PROTEIN SHAKE YET”….LOL
How did I gain so much weight?
Jul 09, 2009
When I first began this journey, I really wanted to research my weight history. So I decided to grab my picture case and start digging….lol I looked at my baby pics and said ok, I was born with chubby toes, fingers, and cheeks, as a toddler I was short and chubby, as a preschooler I was still short but not as chubby, and from the 1st grade to the 3rd grade I was at a pretty average weight. I could totally see that I began developing in the 4th grade and by the 7th grade I can remember being a size 14/16, I was a cheerleader that year :-) 8th grade was such a challenge, because my best friend at the time was overweight. I guess you can say it ran in her family because her mom and siblings were too. So whenever I would go over to their house, weight was always a topic of discussion. I can remember us being so stressed out about 8th grade prom I think I was like an 18/20 then. We were obsessed with finding that perfect dress in what we considered to be a “flattering size” that we started taking diet pills. Dexatrim was the first diet pill I ever took. It worked because by the time we started shopping for prom dresses I was a size 16.
My freshman year of high school was blah…lol I wasn’t concerned about getting involved in any extra curricular activities because I was too freaked out about attending a public school, I was in private school from pre-school to 8th grade so it was definitely a culture shock for me. Sophomore year I began to socialize more and was even encouraged to join the high school color guards. I can say that between freshman and sophomore year I went back up to a size 18 but was able to maintain that size because I was active. Junior year I quit the color guards and became the manager of a dance company that one of my teachers ran, so I wasn’t as active:-/ but I was very popular because I also joined the Gospel Choir and at my HS if you were apart of Gospel Choir you were a big deal. Senior year I think I weighed maybe 175 and I made sure that I stayed at that weight because of prom so I was taking all types of diet pills to keep the weight off. I graduated high school and let loose that summer…I didn’t give a hoot about my weight, wasn’t interested in working out or anything…I just wanted to celebrate…lol Well freshman year of college comes around and I’m creeping up well passed 200 pounds lol. It didn’t bother me much and you couldn’t tell me anything about it! My eating habit’s definitely got out of control because I was always on the go so fast food was very good to me ;-) And then stressing out over a major that I didn’t like made it even worse, but even after changing my major during my sophomore year I still wasn’t concerned with my weight.
Junior year is when things started to feel different. As I mentioned in my bio I always played the roll of “mother love” and I think it made me become a bit anti-social. It’s like ok now I’m looking at myself in the mirror differently and I’m embarrassed about my weight, but I wasn’t really trying to do anything about it either. And to top it off I was in an unhealthy relationship with a man who did love me for me and didn’t care about my weight which was great but made me feel like it was ok to be that heavy. I think I was more focused on my physical appearance than my health. And a good example of that is that throughout my elementary, high school, and college years I never had a consistent menstrual cycle, I mean I can remember a time where I went years without one. My mom (who is petit) kept telling me she was the same way so I just kept eating…lol it’s not funny but you know I thank God because that the only health issue I’ve ever had.
So after learning all of this about myself and re-evaluating my life I can honestly say that I wasn’t an emotional eater, I just ignored my weight, I adapted bad eating habits, I didn’t exercise, and I just let it go. To sum it up….my weight just wasn’t a priority for me:-/
0 comments
My freshman year of high school was blah…lol I wasn’t concerned about getting involved in any extra curricular activities because I was too freaked out about attending a public school, I was in private school from pre-school to 8th grade so it was definitely a culture shock for me. Sophomore year I began to socialize more and was even encouraged to join the high school color guards. I can say that between freshman and sophomore year I went back up to a size 18 but was able to maintain that size because I was active. Junior year I quit the color guards and became the manager of a dance company that one of my teachers ran, so I wasn’t as active:-/ but I was very popular because I also joined the Gospel Choir and at my HS if you were apart of Gospel Choir you were a big deal. Senior year I think I weighed maybe 175 and I made sure that I stayed at that weight because of prom so I was taking all types of diet pills to keep the weight off. I graduated high school and let loose that summer…I didn’t give a hoot about my weight, wasn’t interested in working out or anything…I just wanted to celebrate…lol Well freshman year of college comes around and I’m creeping up well passed 200 pounds lol. It didn’t bother me much and you couldn’t tell me anything about it! My eating habit’s definitely got out of control because I was always on the go so fast food was very good to me ;-) And then stressing out over a major that I didn’t like made it even worse, but even after changing my major during my sophomore year I still wasn’t concerned with my weight.
Junior year is when things started to feel different. As I mentioned in my bio I always played the roll of “mother love” and I think it made me become a bit anti-social. It’s like ok now I’m looking at myself in the mirror differently and I’m embarrassed about my weight, but I wasn’t really trying to do anything about it either. And to top it off I was in an unhealthy relationship with a man who did love me for me and didn’t care about my weight which was great but made me feel like it was ok to be that heavy. I think I was more focused on my physical appearance than my health. And a good example of that is that throughout my elementary, high school, and college years I never had a consistent menstrual cycle, I mean I can remember a time where I went years without one. My mom (who is petit) kept telling me she was the same way so I just kept eating…lol it’s not funny but you know I thank God because that the only health issue I’ve ever had.
So after learning all of this about myself and re-evaluating my life I can honestly say that I wasn’t an emotional eater, I just ignored my weight, I adapted bad eating habits, I didn’t exercise, and I just let it go. To sum it up….my weight just wasn’t a priority for me:-/
About Me
Location
28.3
BMI
Surgery
08/05/2009
Surgery Date
Dec 11, 2008
Member Since
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
Before - 7/09
320lbs
After - 12/21
155lbs
