Long Time No Blog!

Mar 02, 2012

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted anything!  I've been so busy living la vida loca which has been wonderful. 

Tummy Update:  I'm headed towards 18 months post-op and have had no complications.  I love my sleeve!  I can eat a little more, but I don't push it because it will still come up if I do.   The tossing cookies is a good reminder to stay within limits.  I do feel hunger again, but it's only about 10-15% of what I felt pre-op.  I love that my stomach does not growl and have pangs anymore.  I love that I'm in control of my stomach & food versus the other way around. 

Exercise Update:  I'm down to a size 10 and have been that way awhile.  There is still 15 pounds hanging around I would like to lose, but the scale has not been moving much for months.  I think it's because I started running despite my physical therapist discouraging this because of the risk of burning muscle instead of fat.  It was just nice to be able to challenge myself in that way and I used the Couch to 5k iPhone app to train up.  However, when we went on vacation to Florida to visit my Dad, I resumed walking as my husband was with me.  Since we live in the country without sidewalks, it was a joy to walk in Florida on paved sidewalks with warm mornings, sunshine, palm trees and no real hills.  We also biked with my Dad.  Got lots of exercise, but it was a good pace and I actually lost some weight.  So, there is some truth to keeping the exercise moderate.  Since we've been back, I've just continued with vigorous walking on an incline and lifting weights.  I'm getting smaller though the scale isn't changing much. 

NSV Update:  I'm fit.  I'm able.  I'm happy.  My blood pressure yesterday was 116/72 at the dentist.  I wear my husband out.  I can keep up with just about anyone.  The winter wasn't nearly as bad as in the past for seasonal affectiveness disorder (SAD).  I have plenty of clothes that I love.  I easily fit in the airplane seat and was able to cross my legs.  In fact, I cross my legs a lot now and it's not a struggle.  I get stared at in a good way now.  I don't feel like all the public is glaring at me if I eat a cookie in public.  It's great when people don't recognize me.  I know my parents are proud.  My husband has received comments that "he's a lucky guy".  One friend of a friend asked him if I had a sister.  I feel empowered and that's the best feeling.

Still Some Issues:  I still will have occasional nightmares that this is all a dream.  In the dream, I've usually eaten one thing and I'm suddenly 100 lbs heavier again.  I also still do double-takes on myself.  Sometimes, it's good and sometimes it's a bit scary.  I've noticed changes in people too.  Friends I had who were male now seem a little uncomfortable around me as do their wives though they have nothing to worry about.  Some of my heavy friends are more standoffish now.  I have some excess skin, but not as bad as thought.  I still grab & pull it to see what it might look like if I had cosmetic surgery.  One of my cohorts just had some cosmetic surgery after her weight loss and I'm excited for her.  It's not as expensive as those surgeons at the conferences charge, but I still can't justify it when the economy is the way it is.  We'll see what happens in the future.  In the meantime, I'll keep lifting weights and trying to fill out the skin with Sarah Connor-like muscles.  It's all an adjustment, but I wouldn't trade my health and this new life for anything.  

I feel soooooooo blessed, grateful, thankful, excited, empowered, etc!!

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