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My sister told me about running into her childhood bestfriend a couple of weeks ago at Sam's.  My sis was recounting how they had spent 45 minutes blocking the aisles while catching up.  She told me that the friend confided in her that she had seen Lisa's  husband at Sam's the previous week with another woman.  My sister told her that she was pretty sure "the other woman" was indeed me because I have lost a great deal of weight in the last year. 

I am not at my goal weight yet, but I guess this is my best trophy in the WLS quest to date.

It is hard to believe that the past nine months have went so quickly.  I had hoped to weigh less, however, I must admit that if I can maintain the weight loss I have achieved to date, I will be content.  The past three months have been crazy!  I have been taking two graduate classes and my work load is crazy.  I am staying in the town where I work during the week.  The long hours have ruined my exercise routine.  I can't wait for September 18th!  That's when my classes end and I will return home to a more normal routine that will include going to Curves and walking.

My check-up went well as far as all my lab work.  I have been faithful taking most of the vitamins, I have a hard time remembering the iron and need to develop a better habit taking that.  I don't have to take as much medicine anymore.  I keep hoping the high blood pressure medicine will go away like the meds for cholesterol and diabetes.

When I lose four more pounds, my BMI will be overweight instead of OBESE!

Today is my six month anniversary.  I have lost 57 pounds since surgery and 90 pounds since last May.  I am amazed that I fit into clothes that have a size 14 sewn inside!  I tried to buy a new bra last week and it was a size 38!  Since last year saw me in a size 52, I'd call that success.

I am trying to incorporate walking and going to Curves into my life.  I haven't made it to Curves this month because I am staying in the same town where I work.  I actually got up at 4 a.m. and went for my 3+ mile walk this morning before work.  I hope to get home early enough on Thursday to weigh in and get measured.  I will not be wearing a swim suit on my vacation because my thighs look worse than they did this time last year!  If I have the courage to go para-sailing, it will be in Capri's.  This vacation may find me on a roller coaster too!

For the most part, I can eat what I want, just not large portions.  I used to like my steak medium rare and no longer care for it prepared that way.  I have not experienced hair loss.  If I over-eat, I get sick.  I know better than to drink before/after meals.  I drink lots of Crystal Light.  I have to watch out for carbs, they still sneak up and over take me!  I  have lots of excess skin, but, that's not anything I am too worried about.  I think overall my health has improved greatly.  Not taking medicine for diabetes is one of the best rewards of this surgery.

My challenge is to keep doing the things I need to in order to maintain the weight loss.  My biggest challenge is to weigh what I do today (or less), in five years.  I don't want to see those numbers above 200 every again!

When I was lurking on the OH site before surgery, I read about people who had the goal of wearing their husband's jeans but I was not brave enough to publicly say that.  Well today I published that as a goal because it has happened.  Yesterday I tried his Levis on and they are too big. 

Where I am going with this is I am going to get braver.  I am going to say that I want to fit in the compartment and ride the roller coaster.  I want to not be considered obese.  I want to be healthy, I want to go to the water park, I want to have the energy to clean my house and go grocery shopping in the same day.  The most important thing, is five years from now, I am going to weigh less than today.  I am still not brave enough to envision myself weighing 160 pound (my goal) or less (the doctor's goal).  Thirty more pounds--I am going to do it by September 21 when I turn 49. 
 

When my son finished basic training, he left his "marshmallow" Army sweat shirt/sweat pants with me.  We are on a camping trip and these clothes were in the camper--I tried them on and they fit!   Now I know that wearing a size large in men's does not make me a candidate for the next top model.  It just meant so much to me!  I was even brave enough to tell my son how much I weigh now. 

Today was an interesting day.  I had a small family gathering, we all sat at the same table!  I kept things simple and couldn't believe we could enjoy such a simple meal. I tried to be reasonable and take just a small spoon of corn and green beans, a piece of ham, and settled for licking my fingers when I made the deviled eggs. I sent the cherry cheese pie home with my son and promptly divided up the homemade Italian Cream cake so I can't lick the frosting anymore!  I couldn't help but miss my 2nd born son.  He is stationed at Fort Sam Houston and this was my first holiday without him.  That's really not true, he left the week before Thanksgiving, we celebrated before he left.  He was home for Christmas.  It's just that I miss him!

I went shopping again and bought some size 14 pants!  I can't believe how much more fun shopping is when you have the whole store to scout out.  I found some great stuff at a consignment store.  I have two new suits in a size 16 to wear to work!  This week will mark my 4 month anniversary.  I can't believe I am doing so well.  I wish I weighed less, what else is new?  The energy is rewarding.  I cleaned house yesterday like I did ten years ago.  Did I mention my body is complaining today?

Today was the first time in > 20 years that I weighed in less than 200 pounds.  Granted, it was only 199, but still < 200

I have made it to Curves for three workouts per week and managed to walk 2+ miles on most of the other days.  I had to go to Chicago for a conference last Sunday-Tuesday, that cramped my style.  It also altered my eating and drinking habits.  The rest of the week I felt sluggish from being out of sync.

I had a family dinner at my house on Thursday evening that resulted in lots of leftovers.  I tried a bite of my hashbrown casserole, but it has so much cheese, butter, and sour cream,  it just didn't taste good.  In the past, I could have eaten the whole pan.  The Tollhouse pie was not touched and there is still 3/4 of the "Fat Man's Misery" (a layered chocolate pudding/coolwhip/cream cheese concoction) left over.  I sent the bakery cookies and cupcakes home with the guests of honor.  I don't need any temptations!  My guests were headed home to Florida or they would have gotten all the rest of the leftovers too.  The fried chicken has been made into a huge bowl of chicken salad for this week.  I may have overdone the onion in it, but, besides that, it is tasty.  I wish I knew someone who would enjoy the leftover lasagna. 

I am still monitoring my protein and calories.  Most days I average 90 grams of protein and around 900 calories or less per day.  I know there are days when I am retaining water because my rings are so tight.  I would have never dreamed I could eat so little.  I got a glimpse of myself when getting ready for bed last night; my skin looks like it is experiencing a "waterfall" effect.  You would think I could pass on that side effect since I am losing so slowly!  I just keep telling myself, this is the least you have weighed in twenty years.  It will only get better.  I go for my 3 month check up on Tuesday.  I am going to see if they can help me make an appointment with a nutritionist.

One of my friends treated me to a white jacket in a size 20 last week when I was away from the office.  It is really cute, but the fun part is that it is too big!  It used to take 30 pounds before I went down a size.  I am thinking that perhaps 10 pounds equals a size may be true now.  I had bought a pair of pants in a size 18 on February 26.  They are already baggy! 

My menstrual cycle seems messed up.  December - February were brutaly heavy periods with spotting in between.  For the month of March, I have spotted and never really had a period.  I hope I am experiencing PMS and it starts today!

It is hard to believe that I am nearly two months post-op!  When I went to the doctor last week, I had lost 42 pounds since weighing in on November 25.  I am greedy and wish it were more, that is only 27 pounds for two months.  I had counted on that for one month.

I am not having any problems with eating for the most part.  I am pretty sure I cannot eat most fried foods.  I got sick on fried fish but that didn't stop me from trying fried okra tonight, and guess what, it made me sick!

My biggest complaint is missing my diet cokes and Mobic arthritis medicine.  I have had a couple of diet cokes but just finished the last one yesterday and will not be bringing any more into the house.

One thing I was not prepared for is how the people I work with act.  Those that I know well, know the story; others ask me if I am losing weight, how much weight have you lost? The best one was when one gal asked me if I had a boob job.  I'm not sure if she thought I had them reduced or enlarged and did not want to continue that conversation.  Last night my husband and I were at Menard's and a former high school classmate asked me if I had lost weight and I thanked him for noticing, that didn't bother me at all.  I can't figure out why some people make me so uncomfortable when they ask.

I guess if I were buying new clothes, they might be a size 18-20.  Since I am trying to make do, I only have a couple of pieces in that category.  I have a dress in a size 1X that I hope to wear to my son's Army boot camp graduation on February 26, wish me luck!