NatalieNTexas

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Since my last update I became a Neta cpt and a certified instructor. I also left the Ymca and found a sales job that was bad for my spirit and health. Hurricane Harvey came and went and was laid off. The lay off was the best thing that could have happened. 

The first week of April I went to see Dr. Lomonaco. While at the sales job due to stress and a back injury I slipped into some bad habits aka “Despite it all, I survived.” My body fat was up to 24% after being down to 20%. Dr. Lo said I only needed an extended tummy tuck. I cried a few times because I genuinely didn’t think I would get around needing both body lifts. I can almost taste my surgery now. 

weight=135

size= 0-4, xs-medium

 

Seems like I forgot to add a few things in the last post. I am not longer in the retail business. I work at the YMCA as a healthy living coach/personal trainer. I got certified in November of 2015. If you read my blog, you would understand how crazy that is. I am updating now because I was speaking to a member who is newly banded. I am horrified at the lack of follow up program in these new farm style wls places. Shame on you True Results. 

 

I finished my bachelors right after I started working at the YMCA. I just made two years here on august 15th. Since then, I finished my bachelors and have 27 more hours to complete my Masters in Education Technology. I Hope to be done by the end of 2017. I am alsot interested in possibly becoming a physical therapist or becoming involved with traditional chinese medicine.  The older I get the more I understand how important balance is when it comes to everything in life. While I believe there is a place for Western medicine and surgeries, I believe that if we invested in true preventative care and holistic living we would all be much better off. We are our own healers. 

Hello all! I just wanted to stop in and say hello. Its been about 15 months since my last posting. I am thankful for every day that I am here on earth. In the last couple of years, I have learned alot about health and nutrition. I suspect I will have a vegan diet in the future. "Corporate America"s goal is to keep us sick and unhealthy. They profit on us being mentally and physically unwell. Take the time to study the history of the decline of American health. Learn how our food is made. We do not need meat and dairy live. We surely do not need processed foods. Know that food products are made with the intention of causing us to have a euphoric and drug like responses. That is what keeps us coming back. Stay on the outer isles of the grocery store where there are fruits, veggies, eggs, yogurt, almond milk, fish. Beware of the inside isles in the grocery store filled with processed and packaged foods. Your food should expire. We should be shopping for groceries every few days. Or better yet, start to become self-sufficient and start your own garden. Eats whats in season. Buy organic whenever possible. Buy from farmers markets whenever possible. Educate yourself on the food industry.  Educate yourself about the healthcare industry.  http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/ is a site where you can watch documentary films for free online. And I am not saying to believe everything you watch, but I am telling you to go out there and find out for yourself. The more I learn, the angrier I get.  Stop watching commericals. Don't consume anything they have to make a commercial for. Think about that for a second. Why are we buying food products that are not immediately recognizable as food. We shouldnt have to be sold on the benefits of food. 

I think that surgery should be a last resort. I think that I may have had my surgery too soon before educating myself. I know that the journey that I am on is where I am meant to be. But I think that if we were all armed with real information instead of being fed lies that it may be easier to cure our obesity issues. 

That being said, if you are on this site to have weight loss surgery and are undecided.... please figure out your emotional issues that have led you to obesity. If you are able to clearly communicate what your issues are and your are honest with yourself then you should be able to make an informed decision on which surgery is best for you. Its fine to want to hear other peoples stories, just know that their stories are THEIR stories. I was told by multiple people that the lap bad was an inferior WLS option and that most people were unsuccessful. Well here I am to tell you that I KNOW that I made the right decision. I think that the difference between myself and others was that I went into the surgery with my eyes wide open about why I was dealing with obesity. Food was a comfort. I wanted to stop participating in life every time things got unpleasant. I would over eat and overeat the bad things so that my body would go into "coma-mode" and all i could do was sleep and watch TV. I was afraid to get out there any make mistakes because I felt I had made so many before. I now know that mistakes are how we get better. Mistakes are how we learn. 

Self-development is what I wish for all of us. To constantly, be in pursuit of a better "us" than we were yesterday. I wish for all of us to be curious about the world and to not just accept what is given to us. Find out for yourself. There is a lot of evil energy in the world that thrives on us having no sense of self and being afraid to get to know ourselves. The distractions are plentiful and hard to avoid. Some call me a conspiracy theorist, I like to think that I just allow myself to pay attention. The evil is out there. Be careful, pay attention, dont be afraid of being uncomfortable. Welcome it. You can withstand more that you ever knew. 

 

Physically, I am looking great and feeling great. Since starting weight lifting in 2014, I have gained probably about 10 lbs of muscle but I look like I have lost weight because of the way the muscle is reshaping my body. I wish I would have been working out I was first losing weight. So if you are a new WLS patient... get in the gym asap. Stength train as much as you can. Do some stuff at home if you must. Drink your water and take your vitamins. I only had one fill within my first 12 months after surgery and not another since. I wish all of you well on this journey called life. Remember, WLS is just the beginning. I thought it would be the end of something for me, but it was just the opposite.  You can find me on IG at TRUETOMYSPIRIT

Well the website looks nice and fresh =) It's 2014 and I am almost 7 years post op. I had a bit of a weight loss again in about 2012. I got down to 140. Which was entirely too thin. I have been alternation between 160 and 190 the last three or four years. My fluctuation is due to emotional stress and environmental factors and my undeniable desire to be defiant. But this is no surprise. It's why I wanted the band in the first place.  So I can honestly say that my band has truly exceeded my expectations. My emotional roller coaster of weight is not longer from 140 to 250. My weight is now manageable.  I have met lots of people of the past 7 years who have had the band after I got mine and everyone seems to be impressed at the way I have been able to continue to lose and essentially keep off my weight. I am not sure if I am any different than everyone else other than I KNEW prior to having surgery the cause of my weight issues. I KNOW that when my emotions are in distress that I take it out on myself..physically, emotionally, and otherwise. So if you are reading this... you MUST do some self reflection. The mind is an amazing thing. This summer I went and bought a beautiful sheath dress at Ann Taylor. I left the store with a size 12. I ended up going back and exchanging it three times before finally getting a size 6. So even as self aware as I am, my mind still plays tricks on me.  I remember putting on the size 6  at home and the person I was told me that I was always buying things too big. And he's right. I never realize it until after the fact. I think half of it is body dysmorphia and the other have is need to have my plastics done. Not sure how that is going to happen but I hope to do so eventually. 

If you look back through my posts... I have frequently stated that I refuse to ever work out unless its dance class. Well needless to say, I started working out in Feb. Nothing too drastic, just strengthening and conditioning at home. I can see my legs getting back to normal. I say normal because I have always had muscular legs. People always ask me if I work out. lol. I have to think my daddy for having lean strong legs....well him and my heels. But that is the other thing. Feb 28th made my one year anniversary of being unemployed. I got laid off. But it was a good thing. I was at my last job with my favorite boss at our second company together and heading to our third when he died. He was my mentor and one of my biggest supporters. His death crushed me. You never realize how much someone means to you until they are gone. I never realized the impact he had on me until after 6 years of basically talking to each other everyday that I can't talk to him anymore. He had my back and always made good on his promises. Loyalty was reality to him. I feel the same way. Which is probably why we got along so well and also probably why my previous company of 5 years tried to fire me after I refused to sell him out. Corporate America.... what a gem. But when he brought me in, he told me my locations lease was due in less than two years and that if I couldn't make it work then he would just let the location go. So it wasn't a huge surprise. But without him to work for... the ignorance and downright dishonest behavior of the company disgusted me. And I am not disgruntled, the company has since been bought out so their goal all along was to get lean for purchase. But you know, what do I know? It's not like I predicted their shenanigans or anything....oh wait... I DID. ha!  But my layoff was perfect in time. I starting school full time in Fall and here I am. I should be done no later than Fall 2014 with a Bachelors of Multidisciplinary Studies degree. My goal is to do online instruction and/or blogging. I have become a huge conspiracy theorist and frankly am sick and tired of the powers that be. I feel that the internet is going to be our only savior. We can overthrow the douchebags if we are all on the same page. The internet will be the only way for us to do it.  but any who........

So the person I was dating that i spoke of earlier disappointed me in a huge way and i think I was depressed for about three weeks and then I just stopped. Thats one of the reasons I started working out. Yes, looking better when I see hi next is a part of it. But i also look at it as me finally having the courage to fight to have my needs met. I am extremely easy going in a genuine way and it hasn't been beneficial for me in my personal life. I must demand more from others and with that i must demand more from myself. I am actually ok being alone. I hadnt dated 6 years prior to the last person and I was really happy. I was going to concerts by myself and eating out by myself and going to ballet class. So I decided to get back to my happiness. Some days its hard. Some days I do feel alone. All of my friends are either married or they have kids or whatever. Which is great...but when I want to go socialize after studying all day...there isn't anyone that can just get up and go have a drink with me at 11pm. So I have decided that I must change my behaviors in order to get different results for my personal life. So I am really making an effort to change my health habits and lifestyle habits. I am the junkiest person in the world. And as soon as I blocked that assholes number I started cleaning my home in a way that I never have. and I have been keeping it up. It was like a weight was lifted from me. Don't get me wrong... I don't think he and I were meant for each other long term..but you simply don't have to be an asshole about it...especially since we had been dating off and on for two years and I all I ever asked for was honesty so that I wasn't wasting my time. But assholes will be assholes. Assholes will beg you to spend time with their family during the holiday season all while they are actively dating other people. Sounds assbackwards right? Yep. Thats the kind of hateful behavior I was dealing with. So needless to say, My home is in the best condition it has ever been in...EVER. I realized it was because I hated anything that reminded me of him. Typically, after a breakup ...I move. But since I bought a house three years ago...I can't move so easily. So I had to change everything else about my living space other than the location lol. 

So any who... hope everyone is well and I guess I am going to go find something productive to do =) See y'all later!

So I never got to have my plastics consult in FEB. But yesterday was my day. I met with Dr. Lomonaco. I was very comfortable with my consultation. I think I spent about an hour  Between talking with him and having my "before" photos taken. I feel as though my expectations have been properly set. Everything I want can be done. THhe only part I am concerned about is my arm lift. The possibility of those horrible scars almost defeats the purpose . but guess i will have to "wing it". HA! I kill me! In addition to that he would like to do the surgery in two stages. I understand the reasoning behind it and will do whatever he feels will help him to be sucessful in creating the body that I want and give me the best chance of recovery and healing. 

now the hard part is going to be coming up with the 21k for my first stage of plastics. *sigh* wish me luck all.

But Dr. Lo was very complimenary of my surgery and said that I should not lose anymore weight and that everything I was trying to lose was excess skin. =( So surgery is my next goal. Pray for me.

It was July 18th. So it has been 4 years since I was banded. WOW wee.  I want to give a little back and tell you about how I feel about my decision to have weight loss surgery.

Its still one of the best decisions I ever made. i was still able to eat most things that i shouldnt from year 2 thru 4. Now a days I am now having difficulty eating fried chicken. I know I shouldnt have been eating it but i did. At first it was fine to eat as long as it was fresh and I ate slow. Now even when I attempt to make fried chicken myself knowing its fresh i still cant keep it down so i figure whats the point. I was probably a naughty patient because I still kind of ate what I wanted to just in super small quanities. But now things simply dont feel right in my stomach anymore! I have started switching at few meals a week to straight clean eating. Like fresh fish from the fish market and fresh vegetables. I have made slight physical activity changes. I consistently park farther away when going to the mall or grocery store. I took ballet class for a few months last year.... i also too zumba for a few months this year. I cant get into the exercise kick. maybe one day i will.   i have run into a few people who have had their bands for a longer time and a shorter time than mine who have not have had as good of time with the band that I have. I like to say that it was because it was because i made better decisions. but it was probably a little bit of that and a little bit of luck. lastly, i think that my expectations for this surgery were realistic based on the lifestyle that i lead.

dr spivak asked me when i went in for my consultation how i would feel if i only lost about 50 lbs. I said fine. My inital reason for weight loss surgery was not to be thin without any type of work involved. It was to gain control of something that i never had control of. now when i go through emotional turmoil i only gain maybe 10 or 15 lbs instead of 50 or 60. my band was the tool that helped me take control of my weight. its not an end all to my issues.

things i would have wanted to do differently if i had the willpower....
exercise throughout my inital weight losee and diet throughout and meet with a nutrionist.  Had I done these things i would probably have less of a need for plastics.

also something that i think that we should all consider is clean eating. i am concerned about the health of america. if you know anything about me you would know that i am anything but a health freak or tree hugger. i simply think that we need to wake up to all of the health issues that we are having and really take a look at the food we are putting into our bodies. i think our government and corporations are benefitting from how unhealthy we are in certain ways. i also think its bullshit that it costs more money to eat healthy than it does to eat crap. since i have started using fresh herbs and recipes i can really feel the different in the way i feel after eating and in general.  just think about it. im not all food guruish. im just throwing it out there! =)

I have scheduled an appt with Dr. LoMonaco. I have an appt Feb the 11th with Dr. Lo!  I am terrified and excited. I am terrified that I may go through with this plastic surgery. But I feel that it is necessary. My visit to Victoria's secret was the eye opener for me. Even though I have lost weight I still look frumpy. I can honestly say that my constant weight change is the culprit. In my teen years gaining and loosing weight didn't really effect my skin. But i guess as you get older things change. I need a tummy tuck/body lift, I would like breast augmentation as well because i also have one breast that is noticably larger than the other.. I wear a size 10/12 but the muffin top is ridiculous. Clothes that fit me in the "waist" do not fit my anywhere else since I have always carried my weight from the waist up.

Can I afford this surgery? Absolutely, not. Do I still want the surgery? Absolutely.  In 2010...... looks are more important than ever thanks to tv and internet and our ability to reach people. I consider myself a realist. I know that in order to lead the kind of lifestyle and to have the kind of partner that I would like, I need to be more pleasing to the eye. I do not think that I am unattractive. I just know that the game is more cruical than ever. My desire is not to be a size 3. But to look good at the size I am now.  I would like to be able to wear form fitting outfits with out skin bulging from everywhere. *shrugs* You may call me vain.... but again... I call myself a realist.

I am afraid of the recovery after the surgery but I feel as though I will regret not having the surgery now. I came to the same conclusion when I decided to have my band. My bestie rolled her eyes at me when I told her previously about my desire to have plastic surgery. I stripped naked for her two weeks ago.... and she gave her approval of my goals. lol. seeing me and then seeing me naked is two totally different things.

I am sure that I will be discouraged from the surgery since I have yet to have any children but I feel as though me not having surgery will hinder my ability to find the right parter. period.

that is all for now. good luck to you all in your endeavors to health and happiness in 2011. I intend on moving towards mine.

I am alive and well. I had a weird moment. I went to victoria's secret to get a new bra. The lady was measuring me and insisted I show her how the bra looked. After we did that , she said... "wow you have lost a lot of weight havent you?"  She went on to talk about her breast implants and things. So for the first time, I was seriosuly considering having a tummy tuck and some of this skin removed. I guess i have been up and down so long that the extra skin was just a part of my unattractiveness that I was used to. So I have decided that in the next three years I would like to have a tummy tuck,and whatever other skin removal can be done without major scaring and maybe a breast lift. By the way the INCREDIBLE bra at vs is awesome. So if a bra can make me feel super good imagine what getting rid of thos excess skin could do. ha. unnecessary...maybe.... vain....maybe...worth it?? only time will tell. ha.  screw it. I bet i can finally like the way my clothes fit again. lets be real. i have lost a lot of weight and dr spivak is very happy with my long term results. but this excess skin is sad. i remember being in highschool and weighing 170 and being a size 7. i weight almost 190 and am i size 12/14.  we shall see

just a couple of weeks away.

A bought a house. I am back into ballet class for about a month. Im going twice per week. trying to get it up to 3 times per week. I have decided to get back into ballet so i can regain my strength and flexibility.wish me luck