LauraCLT

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California living has been good for me!  Our quality of life is amazing, and we get a lot more exercise with our hikes and just every day living.  

At the end of July (2 years, 3 months post-op), I had surgery to remove the excess skin, as well as a tummy tuck and breast reduction/lift.  Everything is looking good, and I hope it's the last surgery I ever have.

Having bariatric surgery is the best decision I ever made. 

 What an adventure I've been on these last few months!  We were relocated to Los Angeles, and I'm loving the life out here.  Technically we live in the Thousand Oaks area, so I've been walking/hiking these fabulous trails for miles and miles.

I still wake up grateful every single day.  My weight seems to have stabilized at 175-178, and I frankly don't care if I never lose another pound.  I am living a life that money can't buy... walking my daughter to school (1.75 miles each way), hiking (up to 8 miles at a time), and swimming.  In the next couple of weeks, I plan to go kayaking around the Channel Islands.  In April of 2008 I would have laughed out loud if anyone had told me that I would hiking 8 miles and loving it.  But exercise has become such an "I'm so happy I can do this now" moment, rather than a chore.

Since February I've run three 5Ks -- and hope to do more -- but as far as my weight/looks are concerned, I'm only concerned about some plastic surgery to get rid of this extra skin.  A nice problem to be concerned about :)

And on top of all of this, it is so wonderful to walk into a room and not be the largest woman there -- and to realize, in fact, that I am beautiful.  
 

And what a year it has been!  Quite frankly, I find it hard to imagine a new year that could be better than this past one.  Losing the weight has truly lifted the veil of numbness that I never even realized surrounded me.  All of my senses seem to be sharper, and I'm loving life more than I could imagine.  In addition to working out, I've been running anywhere from 2-3.2 miles at a time, and I'm looking forward to running an actual 5k race soon.  

On another more realistic note, I've also noticed that the weight loss has slowed down, and that eating is not so hard anymore.  I now understand why it is so important work on good habits during this honeymoon as I've caught myself grazing a couple of times without even realizing it!  So while a year ago it would have seemed depressing to be reminding myself to eat at the right times, protein first, water, etc..... I can say it is MUCH easier to be saying those things to myself as a "thin" person.  The guilt and shame is not involved :)

And what a year it has been!  Quite frankly, I find it hard to imagine a new year that could be better than this past one.  Losing the weight has truly lifted the veil of numbness that I never even realized surrounded me.  All of my senses seem to be sharper, and I'm loving life more than I could imagine.  In addition to working out, I've been running anywhere from 2-3.2 miles at a time, and I'm looking forward to running an actual 5k race soon.  

On another more realistic note, I've also noticed that the weight loss has slowed down, and that eating is not so hard anymore.  I now understand why it is so important work on good habits during this honeymoon as I've caught myself grazing a couple of times without even realizing it!  So while a year ago it would have seemed depressing to be reminding myself to eat at the right times, protein first, water, etc..... I can say it is MUCH easier to be saying those things to myself as a "thin" person.  The guilt and shame is not involved :)

I simply can't believe it has only been 7 months since my surgery!  With over 100 lbs gone, my life has opened up even more than I ever dreamed.  Of course, I knew I would be healthier, but I simply didn't realize how much my weight had been holding me back -- mentally.

Losing weight didn't make me happy and content -- I was happy and content before.  But it sure frees up the emotions to truly ENJOY life.  Guilt free.  In the past 2 months I have spent 2 weeks in India, and taken a cruise in the Caribbean... and I truly, truly enjoyed every minute of both vacations.  Sounds like a silly revelation -- I mean, who WOULDN't enjoy the trips?

But before I lost weight, travelling was humiliating and filled with guilt about eating, which caused more eating, and constant mental games about starting my next diet "as soon as I get home."

But now... I have a new life.  And I'm having fun with it.  Hence the picture of me in my husband's clothes.  He's a runner who has never, ever, been overweight and has consistently weighted between 165-175 his whole adult life.  And soon I will weight less than him.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I flirted with the 100 lb mark last week, but have now hit it two days in a row.  I'm simply stunned that I've lost this much weight in less than 7 months.  And it really hasn't seemed that hard!  I listen to my body, and exercise more... but I don't dump (yet) and I can eat any food that I want.  I just eat less of it.

I'm also running 2-3 miles each time I set out.  Again... I'm simply amazed.  We just returned from a 2 week trip to India, and will be going on a cruise over Thanksgiving.  There is NO WAY I would have enjoyed any of these trips 7 months ago.

I'm grateful every day.

Wow ~ what a journey this has been!  As I've mentioned previously, more has changed than just my weight.  I just returned from a 2 week trip to India, and it was so wonderful to actually fit in my airline seat.  In fact, on one leg of the journey I was in the middle seat -- and it was quite comfortable.

As of today, I've lost 94 lbs -- and started running.  In fact, today I ran 2 miles, and will start training for a 5k soon.  Life is really good... and I'm looking forward to the holiday season.

I was sick this week -- and not sure exactly with what!  The chills and fever could have been caused by any number of inoculations I had to have (going to India next week), allergies, or bronchitis.  But I'm pretty sure the kidney pain was caused by a hot stone massage that went terribly wrong.  I think the newbie massage therapist was ignorant in asking me to LIE DOWN ON TOP of the hot stones -- and I was even more so for actually doing it.  For 40 minutes I was lying on top of stones -- something my chiropractor would not approve, I'm sure.

Anyway, I'm sure the 5 lb drop was week was because of illness, and I'll stabilize here for a while.

 What an unbelievable journey!  I finally reached "ONEderland" -- and since I've weighed less than 200 for three days straight, I'm hoping it sticks :)  [I've uploaded new pictures.]

But that's not what I'm most proud of... I ran for 2 miles straight this week!  Two weeks ago I was ready to give up trying to run at all after a particularly evil 3 minute run.  Then a friend ran with me and explained that I was going too fast!  She showed me how to run at a slow pace -- and especially encouraged me to simply slow down when I feel that I've reached the end of my rope.  She was so right!!  So while I've NEVER thought of myself as a runner... it appears that I can do it!

I am still constantly amazed at this process (and still a newbie, of course) -- but I still believe it is the best decision I've ever made.

Today I weighed 201 lbs.  So close to being back in the 100s

Oh well... since my official weigh-in in on Fridays, you'll just have to check back next week to see if I made it.