Vanessa J.

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OK - the scale has finally moved!  4 more pounds!!!!!!!!! I have upped my protein (Unjury - unflavored powered once to twice a day) and my fluids (not by much yet, another 20 ozs daily) and I am moving more.  Just in 4 days, I lost 4 more pounds and I am down 60 pounds!!!!  The inches are coming off fast.

New goal for the next two weeks:  I am going to the gym at least 3 days per week and will exercise at least 5 days.  I will drink at least 64 oz of fluids daily and of course keep upping my protein.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out of the stall!  I feel really good and don't look too bad either!

I am down to 259 as of this morning.  It seems to fluctuate on a daily basis.  I have not been exercising at the gym like I wanted to, but I am now in a 22 top and the bottoms go between 24 and 22.  I am excited that all of my 30's and 28's are way too big, and my 26's are very loose.  I have given away a lot of clothes and plan to do so again.  Some even still have tags on them.  

I have been getting a lot of compliments lately as well.  People really see it in my upper body.  I have noticed that everything is loose and flappy.  I have huge bat wings.  I will start going back to the gym and exercising better no that election time is over.

I also have learned that I don't dump. I can get nausated, but still do not dump.  I try to stay away from anything with sugar, I buy everything sugar free.  A lot of foods do not taste good anymore.  I also have a hard time remembering to eat.

My goals for next week are to lose 10 pounds, by upping my protein, fluid intake and gym time.

Today, I went shopping.  I wasn't planning on buying anything.  I just wanted to try things on to see what size I was wearing.  I decided to buy some new jeans since my favorite jeans are way too big.   I started looking for some jeans (without the elastic sides) and could not find any that I liked in a size 26 which is the size I thought I was wearing.  My husband picked up a 24 and said just try them on.  We ended up finding 3 pair for me to try one.  I was prepared for them not to fit or be too tight, to my surprise they fit!  I have never been so happy to wear a size 24!  I was wearing a 30 on Februay 27th!  I am thrilled.  

I find something that I cannot it - beef hot dogs!  I have been able to eat just about anything with very little problems.  I had about 3 bits and it felt like it was stuck!  

I still have to drink more water/fluids and I really need to exercise more.  I have noticed more jiggle in my legs.  I have noticed I can make a muscle in my arm and you can feel it on top, but my bat wings are horrible.

My wedding anniversary is on Tuesday and I am going out with my husband to a restaurant that I can get really dressed up.  I have a great dress and a pair of great shoes and I can't wait!

Yesterday morning I was feeling kinda bad about how slow the weight is coming off (at least in my mind).  I have lost over 40 pounds since starting this journey - which I haven't done in quite sometime - but still felt it wasn't adequate.  My husband was trying to make me feel better, but of course I didn't believe him.  I went to the convenience store that I go to every morning.  I was buying an apple and the clerk asked me if I was on a diet.  I said yes, she said "I knew it!  You are looking good!"  I was completely shocked needless to say, but it sure felt good. I get to work and my boss says, "the weight is really coming off".  I have been walking on a cloud.  My 14th anniversary is coming up on Tuesday, May 1st and I wanted to get a pretty dress to go out in.  I went to Macy's, which I haven't been able to do in quite sometime and bought a dress - a size 22 dress.  At first I didn't think I would be able to wear it, but it fit and fit nice!  Even my feet are shrinking!  I have lost so many inches from the waist up, that I can wear  2x, 22 and 24 tops!  I lost 9 inches in my waist alone!  Now, if I could get rid of the gut and the thighs!

I just had a thought, I have been working out faithfully (not quite 3 times a week, but at least 2 times) and I always do a cardio and then I weight train.  I also left weights at home - I hate my arms and would like to wear short sleeves one day without all the flabby bat wings hanging.  I have noticed that my arms, which are huge, are starting to tone up on the front side and I can actually feel muscle!  So, even though I have lost weight, maybe it is not as much because I am gaining muscle?  Just a thought (plus it makes me feel better!)

Well, gotta go for now.  Today is "Take your child to work day" and I have two of mine here.

Finally, I have dropped 2 pounds after a 3 week stall!!    I cannot believe I was 315 pounds in February and now I am down to 279!!!!  I am so happy with the 36 pounds gone.  

I know, I said I was going to try to go to the gym 3 times a week, but it doesn't look good.  I went on Wednesday and walked for a mile, rode the bike for 10 minutes (2 miles), and did a full circuit on the weight/condition machines.  I felt really good.  I am just so busy in my life that I have very little time to go to the gym.  I bought a stationary bike (which my 2 year old promptly broke), so on days that I do not go to the gym I will ride that and do sit-ups.  I will try to go to the gym tonight and early Saturday morning and possible on Sunday, but I have another busy day tomorrow.

I have been getting more protein in, but not drinking enough.  I am trying to figure out ways to drink more.  What I see happening is I forget to either drink or it is too close to time to eat.  I am going to have put myself on a "drinking schedule" as well as an eating schedule.  I have been doing really good with the my vitamins now that I can swallow the pills.  I was tired of the Viactiv and the chewable vitamins to the point, I did not want to take them.  I cannot take the iron everyday.  I don't want to curse myself, but I have not had a bad experience with food yet. 

I feel so good most of the time.  Some days I can get really tired and others I am alright.  I do notice that I sleep much better and I have to go to bed by 10.  Sometimes I can stay awake to about midnight, but that is rare.

So I must go for now and do some work!!!

Well, I have been at a stand still for almost two weeks now.  It was five weeks post-op on Tuesday.  At first I was concerned, but thanks to the Feb 2007 board, I feel much better.  We all seem to be in the same boat. Our bodies are now playing catch-up.  I have been losing inches.  I know I need to up my protein and get more fluids as well.  I have been so busy that I have not exercised in those two weeks either.  I have to plan going to the gym or exercising at home, so my goal for the next two weeks is to at least go to the gym or exercise at least 3 days each week.

I just found out another good friend of my has had WLS about a week ago.  However, she is not doing very well and has been really tired.  She has always been a picky eater and now it has been really hard for her.  Keep her in your prayers.

Nothing more to update except I am now ready to get rid of some of my largest clothing.  It is just too baggy.  My favorite jeans are going away!

 I can't believe I have not posted since the beginning of March.  I am back to work full time.  I actually started last Thursday and boy was I wiped out.  On Monday, I ended up with the stomach flu and felt horrible - I stayed home.  I am feeling really good and I am losing.  I notice the scale fluctuates between 285 and 282 (down from 315 - beginning and 309 post-op), so I am happy.  I am starting to see it more and more.  I know I have dropped one pant size and almost down another.  I started out wearing a 28 (knocking on 30's door though) and can squeeze into a 24.  The 26's are loose.  I am really pleased with the surgery so far.  I am dropping inches everywhere except in my thighs!  I have slacked off on exercising because of other obligations.  I need to put it back into my schedule.

I am no longer mad at my husband!  He has been much better, but told me to stop talking about things and just do it!  I am happy with his support.

The surgery went really well with no complications.  I actually had a pain in my chest and told the nurse.  I then had to have an EKG and blood work to make sure that I was not having any heart problems.  Thank God - it was only indigestion!  My nurse thought he heard something the next day and I got another EKG.  Again, they found nothing.  Better safe than sorry!

My hospital stay was great.  I had the best nurses.  Nothing was too much and no question was too stupid.  My surgeon visited everyday and kept me posted on what was going on.  

My very good friend had her surgery on the same day as me and we got to share a room which made everything so easy.  We were basically on the same schedule for the nurse visits.  It is so nice to have someone that is going through the surgery step by step with you.  It is nice because I believe we have become even closer than before because we have experienced a life change event together.  We have another friend that is being wonderful as well. She is going walking with us and is keeping us motivated.  She is a natural cheerleader, always happy.

I am having issues with my husband.  I think he may be bipolar.  He was sitting in the room with me and the kids playing on the computer.  Then he got up and started complaining about the house not being clean or something to that effect.  He then went on to say how lazy I was and how if something happens, he said that I will blame him for everything and it will be his fault.  So now he is not speaking to me or my older two girls.  I know one thing, I am tired of his cranky ass.  I will not let him bring me down and make me miserable.

Other than my husband being cranky, I am doing really well. I think I am getting enough fluids.  I have been trying to keep track on fitday.com.  I do take the liquid pain killer, but sometimes have an allergic reaction and start to itch, then I have to take benadryl which makes me very sleepy.  Everytime I move, I try to take a drink.  I think this 2 weeks on liquids will be the hardest as I am bored already and it has only been 4 days.  But I do not want any complications, so I will follow my directions to a tee. 

Well, thats it for now.  I am going walking with my friends.  Can you believe it?  I am actually looking forward to going walking!  I went through the hard part, so I want to make sure I use the tool!

Today I had a visit with my surgeon which will be it until the day of my surgery which is SIX, yes 6, days away.  I am too excited to be nervous.  I have so much to do before Tuesday.  I want to get my house cleaned, I must do a handbook for the temporary at work, clean and organize my office.  I have already told my family that I don't plan to cook for them for the next 6 weeks.  I told them I do not want any stress when I come home from the hospital, the first argument, or first bit of dirt, I am at the hotel until Sunday!

I wanted to enter some of the goals that I look forward to once I get to the loser's bench:

I want to sit on the bus in one seat
I want to go to Amusement Parks and actual ride
I want to wear short skirts (DONE - 4/23/07)
I want to wear tank tops without the flabby arms
I want to be able to give myself a pedicure
I want to wear sexy shoes/heels and not look like I am digging for coal because the heels go so deep into the dirt
I want to buy myself items from Victoria Secrets without everyone looking at me like I am crazy
I want to buy clothes at Old Navy, Express and places like that
I want to go to the beach and not look like a beached whale
I want to be able to keep a handbag up on my shoulder
I want to be able to run up the steps without being completely out of breath (DONE - 05/07)
I want to be able to chase my two year old at the park
I want to be able to wear my oldest daughter's clothes
I want to be under 300 pounds by April (DONE - 3/08/07)
I want to be under 250 pounds by July 19th (my 41st birthday)
I want to be under 200 pounds by February 27th (my first WLS Anniversary)
I want to be 150 pounds by July 19th, 2008 ( my 42nd birthday)
I want to exercise at least 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes
I want to exercise at least 4 days a week for at least 30 minutes
I want to exercise at least 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes
I want to put a seat belt on and have extra room (DONE - 5/10/07)
I want to cross my legs without me having to pull up my leg (DONE - 5/10/07)

I really should be in bed, it is after 2:30 am and I am wide awake.  I have a vacation day from work because I have to do my pre-op testing and also a stress test at my PCPs.  I decided to take some time and write.  I went to the gym yesterday and walked on the treadmill for one mile.  As this is only the second time I actually walked or exercised, I thought I was going to pass out.  I weighed myself and the scale is saying 301.  I am excited as that is about 14 pounds less than my highest weight.

I am so blessed and thankful as I have a good support system.  My pregnant neice (due on 3/20) is going to have all four of my girls spend the night the day before my surgery so my husband can go with me and be able to stay in the hospital.

I am still taking the prevpak for the H-pylori and have two more days.  I am so tired of the nasty taste in my mouth.  It has been really gross!

Well, I just wanted to update and will write again soon.