kristina838

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Boy, do we have a lot to be thankful for. This amazing surgery has provided me with so much more than a better body! I feel and live a better quality of life.  I love to exercise (Zumba is the best!) and have plenty of energy to get through my day. Trying clothes on never gets boring.  I have had my ups and downs--don't get me wrong.  But that has always been my battle.  Before this surgery, I would have certainly put all this weight back on.  It will be three years next month since I had my surgery.  I continue to monitor my food intake and make sure I stay active.  Food is no longer center stage in my life! I actually enjoy the fact that a little bit does the trick and I don't need to fill up my plate or constantly eat to be happy. Keep up the battle everyone! Here's to us!

Just passed my two year anniversary!  Yippee!  I have really started feeling like this is ME! Still having to make adjustments.  The weight is no longer falling off--having to make conscious choices.  Food is not always the problem.  Alcohol is much easier to consume--along with all those calories. My weight has fluctuated some
and I have to make a clear cut decision on what is better--being thin or feeling uncomfortable and fat.

I love wearing beautiful clothes and having compliments about my style.  It certainly is much easier to get around at this weight and I can accomplish so much more in 24 hours!  My daughter is proud to have me be her mom.  I ran in a 5k race this year and made it to the finish line.  Still working on that regular exercise routine, but I have to take every day one step at a time.  Food is no longer my enemy and I am making wise choices more and more naturally. 

I have been able to provide support for several friends who took the leap after me.  How great it feels to inspire others as to what is possible for a better life.  My doctor and dietician as well as the support group I attend provide me with positive encouragement.  I have read the testimonials from this website and been inspired by so many other people!  It has always helped me to check in here and read what others are going through.  Keep up the hard work, and know that what you are doing is so important to ensure a long, happy life.
Love to you all for a prosperous and happy 2011!  Tina

I can't believe how long it has been since I have checked in!  I have been working at the high school for the month of July--working with 2 special ed boys.  We have had a great time and it has been very interesting learning about them.

My weight has been at a basic stand still for a couple of months.  I am at 214 and would love to be moving on down towards the ONEDERLAND!  Only 20 pounds would put me there!  I have been playing around too much.  Started working out, but have been drinking!  I will have a couple of weeks to concentrate before the start of the new school year. 

Taylor and I are going on a short cruise on August 7-10 to the BAhamas.  It will be fun to just hang out and enjoy ourselves!

I am wearing some 12's but mostly 14's.  Getting a lot of wow's when I see people I haven't seen lately.

My journey is not over, it is just slowing down!  Love ya!

Today is the first day of spring 2009!  What a glorious day!  This week I wore my size 14 jeans I bought at SteinMart right after my surgery on 12/30/08.  It wasn't that long ago I was wearing 22/24!  I have given away almost my whole closet and have been on the lookout for new clothes here and there.  I now realize nothing stays on me longer than a few weeks. I was invited over to a friend's house to go through her size 14's that she had set aside for a rummage sale.  I have people asking me for my old clothes, so it has become a recycling event.  Last weekend, my 8 year old daughter and I went to Universal.  We spent Sunday at the theme park and had a blast.  I rode the Hulk and Dueling Dragons for the first time in years and I rode them without the lap extender!!  I got to ride like a normal person!  What a moment.  It was so liberating!  I saw one of my best friends for the second time since surgery and she was very impressed.  I am getting comments daily on my appearance and can't wait for beach weather!  I also got my pretty Lauren's Hope medical ID bracelet this week.  I love it.  I won't mind wearing it always and I can interchange the bracelet with other designs when I get tired of this one.  My scale is showing 225, which is a drop of 75 pounds since I started the journey in August.  Feeling good!

Today was my first visit to the behavior therapist.  We discussed many things for the hour I was there.  He talked about my expectations and how far apart they were from reality.  Usually it is for people who expect too much--I felt like I didn't expect enough.  Weight has been used to set myself up for failure and an understandable reason for my shortcomings.  Whether it be sports, friendships, sex or social situations, the weight has been the safety reason for any possible failure I need to explain.  We will meet again in a few weeks and I look forward to where our conversation will take me.  Until then--Happy Birthday Daddy!  He turned the big 75 today.  We will party on Sunday!

 Life has been good!  I got in to my size 16 pants this week!  What a wonderful thing!  I haven't been watching the scale as closely, but the crazy way my clothes are hanging on me is a great feeling.  I am weeding out the closet--getting rid of things I have held on forever.  Never before have I felt so confident in removing these big sizes and not keeping them for a later date when I might need them!

Activity level has been busy.  I have been meeting my friend Steve over the course of the process for various recreations.  We started out swimming, then working out in the gym at his complex.  Now, we are playing tennis a few times a week running around chasing balls!  I am riding my bicycle with my 8 year old daughter and it is a blast!  She wants to play tennis too.  Spring break will soon be upon us and I would sure like to go on a cruise and try out my bod!

I am a teacher and right now Florida is in big trouble with finances.  We are having a huge rally this Saturday and hope to have a great turnout.  It will be fun to attend to be part of such a process.  We need people to rally behind education and make sure our students get the funding they deserve.

Since August, I think I am down about 65 pounds.  People have been telling me good job all week.  Another teacher just brought me a big bag of size 16 clothes!!!  Yea!  I can't wait to try them on to see what I will be wearing tomorrow!  One thing I have learned--clothes are not lasting too long, so don't spend too much on anything right now.  I would love to buy a new bathing suit though!  It is one thing I use a lot.  Even when I was 300 pounds, living at the beach, I have always been a swimmer.  I look a lot different now though!  Come Springbreak--another month--I could be wearing a 14!! How small will I actually get???  I still have about 75 pounds I want to lose----what a concept to be a size 8!?!?!?  Could it happen????  Stay tuned...

Discovering the new me has certainly been an adventure!  I have had a great time doing more things than ever and looking better and better every day!  I have more energy and more life.  Looking forward to lots of new experiences.  I am having some personal difficulties with some friends.  I don't know what intentions they have, but not feeling very good about how they are treating me.  On the other hand, I feel like I have more friends than ever.  People who normally don't speak to me are offering their congratulation on my new look. Letting me know they notice my weight loss.  I am wearing a size 18 in jeans comfortably right now--down from a 22.  I already have a 3 pair of 16's and 1 pair of 14's waiting in the closet.  I hate baggy pants!  The Images Art Festival is this weekend in NSB and I am looking forward to walking around and seeing the art work.  I was supposed to go to the GP this afternoon, but he canceled the appointment.  I see the surgeon on Monday afternoon for my one month follow-up.  I will get the official weight loss at that time.  I think I am down around 245. We will see.  Gotta go for now!  Good-bye January! Love ya!

I have spent very little time on the scale. I think I am down about 20 pounds since the surgery.  Every doctor's scale is different and no one weighed me when I came to the hospital.  It seemed kind of strange to me that didn't happen when you go to the hospital for WLS!  It sure seems like weight has always been noted for every other event with the doctor!

Last night, I visited my friend in the same hospital I was at 3 weeks ago.  She had the same operation and she was in a lot of pain.  They had nicked her liver in the procedure and she was having a lot of bleeding through her drain port.  I am worried about her recovery.  I hope she does as well as I have done.  I also saw another lady who was in the same room as I was in ( I knew two of her kids from school) and she was doing great!  It was fun seeing them in the same place I had been just 3 short weeks ago.

Yesterday, I started soft food.  So far, not much different than the pureed foods--I am eating cottage cheese with applesauce and cinnamon for breakfast, refried beans with cheese and salsa for lunch and chicken or ground beef with a vegetable for dinner.  Trying to get in enough exercise, but probably not as much as I should.

I have gone down several sizes so far.  Steve and I went shopping on Saturday and I got some new jeans.  I hate baggy ones, so even though I know I won't be staying in them very long, I have to have pants that fit.  Most days, I am wearing something that is baggy.  Still having to adjust to my smaller size already.  Total head trip.  My feet are even changing!  I am so much more active and involved in things.  This is very exciting!

I am so lucky!  I have had the best experience with this surgery.  Lots of loving friends and family to see me through the process. Great care by my doctor and team of professionals to make sure everything goes well. I am on pureed food right now and it is not the best.  One more week of it and I will be moving on to soft.  I have already lost weight and getting lots of compliments and questions.  I am a school teacher and work with middle school kids.  The kind that are very honest.  Some of commented on my new "hairdo" tellimg me it makes me look great!  Needless to say, I am shrnking before their eyes!  Clothes are being tossed already.  Keep up the good work!  I tried to eat pureed Chinese food last night and got deathly ill.  I don't want to go through that again. All day I had said I couldn't believe it was only 2 weeks since my surgery and then I had a great idea to get Chinese takeout!  Put it in the blender and wow--put me on my back!  I see food affects people in different ways.  I am going to keep experimenting.  I am in awe of this whole process!  Love it!

Wow!  Can't wait, can't wait!  25 days to go and getting more excited every day.  I have been reading other people's blogs on the website for a couple of weeks now.  Realized I need to start documenting my journey.  Things will start happening really fast now.  I am getting ready to start my pre-op diet on the 16th of December.  Right through Christmas, but that is okay!  The results will be worth it.  Trying to get my house, my job, my child and my life all in order before entering the halls of Halifax Hospital on the morning of December 30th.  Starting the new year off with the final diet to end all new year resolutions from the past!  This year it should be a resolution that will actually come true! Learning how to eat to live--what a concept!  Small amounts, chew thoroughly and eat slowly.  Does anyone know of a "motivational" tape you can play on a headset?  I keep reading all I can get my hands on to help me imprint it on my brain. Gotta go pick up my 8 year old daughter! The main reason I am doing this!