Winnie_the_Pooh

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This year really went fast.  Yesterday I had my 1 yr. follow-up appointment with my surgeon.  I met with the dietitian and the nurse practioner first.  All were thrilled with my progress.   My D3 went from 23 at 6 months to 87!  Yeah.  The dietitian could not believe the turn around.  She asked me what I did.  I told her I took 50,000 units for 100 days and now I take a 50,000 every other day. 

I am down 107 lbs.
I am off 3 diabetic meds.  My fasting blood sugar is normally around 100 in the mornings.
I am off my cholesterol meds.  My total cholesterol was 148.
My blood pressure was 116/76.

 

Although I love to shop,  spending money on new clothes so often is difficult for this frugal accountant.  I have learned which Goodwill stores close to where I live and work have the best stuff and which don't.  The one thing I have done pretty well with so far are blazers.  I had a wide range of colors and sizes.  While I used to not bottom them because they are too tight,  now I don't button them because they are too big.  I am to the point now that I have had to quit wearing some of them.  I guess after over 100 lbs that is to be expected.  Today I wear a navy and pink houndstooth blazer that I will probably not wear again because it is too big.

In January I started zumba.  I loved it.  But it was tough on my knees.  I tried wrapping.  Still my knees were giving me trouble.  I knew this was a possibility.  Since it was better than nothing I decided to give water aerobics a try   It is a much better workout than I thought.  And....no knee pain!!!

I went to deep water then shallow water back to back on Saturday for 1 hour and 35 minutes.  Plugging it into the fitness tracker of Sparkpeople I burned as many calories as I do for 1 hour of zumba. Since I think I can be more consistent with the water aerobics this is a good thing.  They offer it on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for 1/2 hour,  Tuesday and Thursday evenings for 50 minutes.  And with open swim each morning and evening I think I can increase my exercise and calories burned. 

Certaining hoping to pick up the weight loss now that I am 11 months post op today  (104 lbs. down).  I would love to be 120 lbs down by my 1 yr. appt. on June 14th but won't be surprised if that doesn't happen. 

I guess I better go buy a couple more bathing suits.  One more in my current size and one more in the next size down!

There is a lady in my office who repeats everything.  As long as you know that going in and not tell her anything that you don't want posted on the billboard on the busy expressway you will be fine. 

She commented on the pants I was wearing recently.  She said she wasn't sure what I had on under my clothes  ( I said underpants).  Then she said that I don't look nearly as bad in the lower tummy area as she thought I would after losing so much weight.  What?  Is that supposed to be a compliment?

About a week later I was telling her about the Easter dress I bought.  She asked me what size it was.  I said an 18.  Then she asked me what size I wore before surgery.  I said a 26.  Then she asked me how much I weighed before I had surgery.  I told her that I wasn't answering that question.  She said she wasn't sure if that was a rude question or not.  Hmmm........ I think so!

It has been over 2 months since I posted.  I guess I better update what is going on.

I recently had a follow-up sleep study about a week ago.  I am hoping that the doctor  tells me it is all gone.  I have an appt. on April 21st.  But yesterday when I got home the doctor's office had left a message for me to call and the sleep study department called as well.  I was assuming the study was messed up and I'd have to do it over again.  Ugh!  So I called the doctor's office today and they said that the study showed I had very very mild sleep apnea but since I am a bariatric patient I will need to get a C-PAP machine and need another study to set the pressure.  I told them that I think they were a little mixed up.  I had surgery 10 months ago and was having the test to prove the sleep apnea was gone. I had a C-PAP machine and the doctor knew I wasn't using it anymore.  She said to wait until I saw the doctor.   I think he is going to say "close enough." and I will go on my merry way.  I am not having another study.

This week I was able to get 4 free tickets to the Cleveland Cavs game.  I knew my hubby and daughter would like to go so I got them.  We get there and walked completely around the arena to our seats.  We sit down and I can't believe how much room is in the seat.  So, of course I am wondering if these are extremely wide seats or is it really that much.  That was worth the drive to Cleveland.

 

I went to Zumba classes 3 times a week for 2 weeks.  I really like it.  Each class is taught by someone different.  The problem is that my bad knee has started to bother me.  This past week I put a knee wrap on.  I missed Tuesday's class because I worked until 7pm and the class started at 7 pm.  Since I work 30 minutes from the YMCA I could not go.  I figured I would give my knee time to heal a little.  Thursday we had lots of snow and it took me almost 2 hours to get home so I did not go on Thursday either.  I did go on Saturday and had my knee wrapped.  I could not do all the moves with the brace on but that was probably for the best as far as my knee is concerned.  My knee wasn't sore afterwards so I took off the brace. 

Hopefully this means I can continue Zumba as long as I wear a brace. 

I decided that I needed to get serious about exercise in the new year.  So on Monday,  January 2nd I went back to the YMCA to exercise.  My 18 YO daughter went with me.  We spent 30 minutes on the recumbant bike and then some strength training.  I took a class schedule with me.  I saw that there were Zumba classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.  So I went.....to all three classes.  Each class was taught by a different teacher. Each class had a different "energy."  Each class was good.  Tuesday night the class was packed.  Maybe 80 people.  The teacher was very young and spunky.  She jumped around a lot.  This class seemed younger but there were some there older than me.  The
Thursday class was taught by a woman in her 30's.  Energy not quite as high but a good pace.  The moves were different,  the music was more oldies and less "zumba" music.  There was probably 35 people there.   Saturday was taught by a gentleman.  The class was by far an older crowd.  This class was more on basic steps and less dancing.  Still a good workout. 

All three classes had different music,  diffent songs and different steps. 

Hopefully I can continue all three as much as possible.

It's been a while since I added to my blog so I thought I should add a post.

I went to my 6-month appointment in December and it went well.  I am down 91 lbs. and the nurse practioner seemed happy with that.  I really need to get back to exercising since I know the loss slows down after the first 6 months.  I really wanted to hit 100 lbs by 6 months but I am okay with 91.  I no longer need Prilosec daily.  I just take as needed which I probably won't.  I never had an issue with acid. 

I have been in a stall for about 6 weeks at 1/1/2012.  I know this is due to Christmas cookies and lack of exercise.  Both which need to change now that January is here. 

I am on the bubble of dropping from size 22 pants to size 20.  Some pants I wear now are size 20 but not all.  I am wearing anything from size 1X to XL tops.  I still wear some size 2X but they really are too big.

I am eating meat easier now.  I have had steak right after my 6 month anniversary.  My son wanted to go to Outback for his birthday.  I ordered the small steak and ate about 1/2 of it. 

I do not do well with bread but I do no crave it or care.  I eat very few white carbs on a regular basis (now that the Christmas cookies are gone).  I don't eat white bread/buns.  I would rather just eat the middle out of the sandwich and skip the bread altogether.  Fries don't really call my name anymore.  I can eat 2 or 3 of someone else's and I'm done.  I use splenda in baking instead of sugar, etc.

I do not dump so cookies are an issue for me.  I don't buy or make them normally but I did have some on hand for Christmas.  Since my MIL always made cut outs and said she couldn't this year my daughter made them for her.  My MIL always made them for my husband.  I'm not sure he thinks they are his favorite but she does.

I was off work the week between Christmas and New Year's Day which is good since I did not have to be tempted by all the food brought in.  There was food between Thanksgiving and Christmas but not as much as usual.  I found that abstaining is easier than limiting what I eat after I start.

This holiday really became more about family.  My MIL was in a nursing home for rehab after breaking her ankle last year during the holidays.My sister went through a divorce.  My 17 YO son signed up for 6 years in the National Guard.  My brother has been in the hosptial 3 times in November and December (twice for blood clots in the lungs and once for cancer) and is getting ready for a hip replacement.  I had a cousin that had surgery and another that is in cancer treatment.  Somehow  this makes it easy to know what your priorities are.

What I want to work on in the next 6 months (not necessarily in this order):

1.  exercise
2. dense protein
3. exercise
4. cooking for the family more
5. exercise
6. spend more time with my mom/sister/brothers
7. excercise

Happy 2012 everyone....

Today begins the holiday season of non-stop food.  Hmm..... this year should be interesting.
Actually, Thanksgiving is usually not that bad for me.  It is one meal on one day.  Unlike Christmas which starts tomorrow with parities,  people bringing in food (sugar) to work daily, baking, etc.  I am hoping to continue losing during this next month.  I do not want to waste that month. 

I am on vacation next week and the week after Christmas.  I need to commit to going to the YMCA and exercising this month to help get through this time.

Wish me luck!

Tomorrow I will be 5 months post op. 
I went to my PCP last Thursday for the first time after surgery.  She is so excited.  I am off all my diabetes meds and my last A1c was 6.1 without meds so she is happy.  I just discontinued my cholesterol meds as well.  My last two times I had blood work done my Total cholesterol was 119 which is too low.  I was already taking 1/2 of a pretty low does as it was. 


I have lost 88 lbs since I started Optifast  (58 since surgery).
I can eat most foods now.  I haven't tried streak yet but can eat chicken, pork, ham if cooked tender.
I don't think anyone at a restaruant would notice how little I eat.  I often get soup and/or salad. 

I went from size 26 pants to size 22 (almost in 20's)
I went from 3X or size 24 tops to 1X or size 20.
I went from 46 C to 40 C bras

Things are going pretty good right now!