Day after Thanksgiving and the weight loss still continues, AWESOME!

Well, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was nervous about this time of the year.  This is always the time of the year where I gain typically anywhere from 5-15lbs.  This is where I'd gain the weight for the year, every year and get heavier every year because of it.

Halloween, no candy = success!
Thanksgiving - I did not cook, therefore ate out instead = success!
***going home for Christmas, I have an incredible family support system, I already know = success!

I weighed in this morning showing a total of 68lbs of loss! Super excited and so truly thankful again that I chose to tackle this issue the way I did.  I always said to myself that I could lose the weight, the where/how/when was always the question.  Once again, the reason this works for me, I cannot physically eat more.  For me that is a true blessing.  For others, they may be mortified that they have to give up their enjoyment of eating and not find enjoyment in eating anymore.  For me, it was enjoy food - live shorter, or find a way not to make food my enjoyment and live longer! I chose the latter.  I love life and living.  I, if possible my god's good will, want to live a long and healthy life.  I realize that things happen and that perhaps someday something could happen to me that has nothing to do with my weight, but circumstances.  But if I can be the change in my life for better for now, that is more important.

Living each day, to the fullest.  That is what my goal is.  I work hard, play hard, and love hard.  I want my life to mean something to myself - because once I'm gone and those around me pass into the next life, no one else will remember.  I want to look back at my life and say to myself, "I tried everything and did all that I could do to live a good life."

Thus far, I have not been disappointed.  I have done so many extraordinary things to date, that I have lived more than I ever dreamed possible.  I have had an amazing childhood, great travels, many wonderful people I've met along the way, and lived in many different places.  I have been truly blessed with the tools of adjusting to life as it comes.  I've had my share of ups and downs, just like anyone else, but one constant that I try to do is push through everything, no matter what.  There have been tough times in recent years, but it has only made me stronger.  I believe things happen for a reason and learning for that reason alone is what we need to do.  It may not be clear right away, but as time presents itself - the answer will be revealed.  I write this blog, not to impress people, I write this blog simply to document all that I am going through in this journey.

Of all my challenges in life, which I've had many and those closest to me understand me and those challenges, the challenge of my weight is one of the biggest ones I've encountered.  I've struggled for so many years, as early as I can remember, as the one constant I could never ultimately overcome.  I was an average child and teenager.  Looking back now, I did not really have a noticeable weight issue until my early 20s.  However, I've always felt fat.  I could always lose 20lbs, 10lbs, 50lbs, or more.  The dressing rooms in countless stores, I would also curse at the mirror.  The clothes that didn't fit the way I wanted them too, or the things I wanted to wear, but could not.  Always trying to look my best has not always been easy for me.  Sometimes it was just easier not to care.  But as I find myself now approaching 40 this next year and being in a good place with myself mentally, I realize that I quite like myself after all!  Once I reach my first milestone of weight loss, I am going to be easier on myself and give myself a pat on the back for a job well done.  Once I get the final milestone of my ultimate weight loss goal, I will try my very best to maintain the loss, however, will not obsess about it.  My final gift to myself, be happy and don't let it be my life.  I will hopefully have learned all the new valuable ways to eat properly by this point and have daily exercise ingrained into my life that keeping the weight off will be fine.  I will never go back to where I started at, I remind myself daily how awful that felt both mentally and physically.  I do not know who that person was, I think I simply gave up.  I had no hope, was so enraged by that number on the scale I went into a state of denial.  The mirror and clothes though gave me a reality check.

It can be done.  Changing your life in whatever circumstance you need.  Just find the tools you need to help resolve your problem.  For me, pretending there wasn't one was my issue.  When I got the call about my dad's health this past year, it woke me up.  All that he is going through, is all that would await me if I continued down the path I had gone.  I realized then, as I do now that you are never too young and have so much time to figure things out.  I have lost friends in the past few years, who were not considered old and died for various reasons that perhaps death could have been avoided if they had taken better care of themselves.  I've almost lost my husband twice, both times in his 30s.  We are not immortal.  We are human beings and we have to take care of this one body we are given.

I apologize for this long ranting for today's post.  But, I felt it necessary to continue to reflect upon how I arrived at this point. Each day I find myself shaking my head, or nodding my head at some realization of what this weight loss has meant to me.  I know once I conquer this, I truly can do anything I put my mind too.

Here are some wonderful quotes that I find really inspirational:

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. 
Norman Vincent Peale 

Always continue the climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
Confucius 

If you can dream it, you can do it.
Walt Disney 


Until next time...

Learning from other's experiences...

Nothing is more helpful than those that are going through the same process as you.  I appreciate the support I get from friends and family, but there are so many questions, frustrations, and other feelings one goes through while you embark on this journey.  If someone ask me that they were considering this surgery, I certainly would have a lot of information and advice, but nothing prepares you for it fully until you are at that moment living it.

The information I learn and read about through online forums and clubs is so helpful and motivating that one bit of advice I would give, is be sure you have access to forums about obesity and specifically to those with people that have had the same type of surgery as you have.  So many little things along the way pop up that it's impossible to know it all before surgery.

I thought it'd be interesting to share with you some of the questions or revelations being shared so you can see what we go through on a daily basis.  I make sure I do this at least every day for now, as it keeps me motivated and at the same time some of my own questions get answered too, here are a few:

Well I have had two NSV's in the last two days:

Here they are

1. Had to get xrays done and needed to put on a gown, I fit in a regular gown and it tied! No more buttoning two gowns together for me!!

2. I tried on a size 16 pants today and they fit! Yup not even plus. That makes me feel good as it is officially half my former size! I started this journey at a tight 32! 

NSV= Non Scale Victory

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Living with Regret
I suppose I'm venting.  I started the process of gastric bypass at 429lbs I am now down to 364.  Before the surgery no one teased me, I was actually a very big healthy girl despite my weight, maybe it has something to do with my age which I just turned 27.  I was a very happy and out spoken person and the only time I've ever gotten sick is my once a year cold.  Now after the surgery I feel sick all the time.  I'm out of surgery for 5 weeks now and my doctor just told me to go on liquids for another week and I've been on them for one week already.  I feel like I'm going to die from starvation any minute now even though I'm not hungry.  I've gotten in about 800 calories over the last week.  I'm tired all the time.  I cry all the time.  I cry probably at least once a hour.  I'm nauseated and I throw up liquids. I throw up pills. I just think to myself was it better to be overweight and fulfilled; then become thinner and feel like I've given away my life? 

**Answers:

Dry those tears, Missy! Everyone has a bit or buyers remorse right after surgery.  Your body is in the early stages of healing.  Not to mention the crazy hormone swings from lack of nutrition and just having a very traumatic surgery!

You've been out of surgery for just 5 weeks.  Some people have an easy time, some do not.  But just about everyone, in the long run, is very pleased with the results.  Hang in there and do as you are told.  Don't be afraid to call your doctor's office every time you think you need to.I promise when you look back on this (in your skinny jeans!) you'll realize it was so worth it.

We are here for you too.
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Boy do I remember that time!

The good news: you are not alone. Many of us feel this way in the first few months of surgery.

The bad news: that doesn't make you feel any better, does it?

Ok, here is the REALLY good news. This time next year it is likely you'll be half the size you are now. You may even be even healthier, more fit and more vibrant that you were the day you went into surgery. By then you will have had a host of "non-scale victories" that take you by surprise. They are different for us all. For some it's crossing your legs for the first time. For others it's buckling an airplane safety belt with ease or running a mile or WALKING a mile. But whatever that "thing" is for you, you're going to surprise yourself...and it's going to be pretty awesome.

So consider this a "dues paying" period of sorts. Your body is putting you through the ringer. The good thing about the human body is that it is designed to correct itself almost immediately after we alter it. So even now it's healing. And as it does you will begin to feel more human. It won't happen overnight but if you work with your surgical team and take care of yourself it will happen!

So take heart. It sucks. BELIEVE me I know! Everything made me sick in the first few months following surgery and I hated everything about not being able to eat my misery away. But it gets better. 

And if none of that helps there's this: I'm really happy you joined this board. Welcome!

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Alright, I'm tired of eating the same old food. I need some spice in my life. I've been eating chili, lunch meat, cheese, and shrimp mainly. Eggs kept making me sick so I had to give up on that, but I'm just starving (as it seems) and sometimes I don't want to eat just because I'm so bored of the food. Anyone have any examples of awesome food they were able to get away with? I.E, homemade thin pizza, seasoned chicken, etc. I've checked out recommended websites, but I just don't seem to see anything that catches the eye I guess.**Answers:

It will depend a lot on what you are allowed to eat and how far out you are.

You mention thin pizza how about crustless pizza? get Italian sausage spread it thin like crust on a broiler pan so there is a pan under it for any grease to drop into and brown it til it's cooked add tomato sauce, cheese and any other fave toppings you are allowed to have then put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted and the edges are brown.. or look up a recipe for coliflor crust pizza.

I love a good seasoned chicken sometimes with low sugar or sugar free bbq sauce.

Meatloaf goes down real well for me I just use ground beef, eggs, whole wheat crackers (sparingly) and seasoning topped with low sugar ketchup and bake.

while I can't handle most pork products I can eat about 2 bones of ribs..yummy. And I cook bacon in the microwave between two papertowels til crispy and the papertowels soak up all the grease. I then break them into pieces and eat like chips.

my friend who had this surgery loves cottage cheese with cinnamin and splenda. (I don't like cottage cheese so can't speak from personal experience)

good luck! I too get in a rut when I'm too lazy to cook but boy when I cook does it taste good!

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I eat a lot of steamed edamame, cottage cheese with a tsp of no sugar added preserves, Carb Master yogurt, pistachios, tender steak, shake n bake boneless pork chops, and protein ice cream from http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2008/08/protein-ice-cream.html

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I've been where you're at, so I started checking out alot of high protein/low carb
& WLS cookbooks from the library. My latest is checking out Pinterest since I'm more of a visual person and I like to see the pictures before I try a something new. I don't want to go thru the hassle of making a new recipe if it wont visually appeal to me in the end. 
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People Just Don't Understand

Only a select few people at my job know I plan to under go weightless surgery. Today I work I overheard two of my coworker Making fun of people who have procedure like this done; in general
not directed at me. It still however hurt. What they were saying was so mean and terrible. I could not beleive my ears. I dont understand How people can be so mean. I just need to walk away take a break.
This is my way of venting. Thanks for being here. November 27 is the First day of my new life.

**Answers:

Thanks, I only want a few people to know I am having the procedure specifically to avoid chitchat gossip that goes on in the office setting. My family and close friends are supportive whi h is the most important thing for me. This is clear example why I do not say anything to anyone about my decision.
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I have just learned to let it roll of my back because I know I needed this surgery. I am 1 week out and everyone knew i was having this done, only a few ppl have said bad things that actually knew me, the other bad things came from ppl that didnt know me and what i have been though. Just pay no mind to these ppl most ppl who say bad things are either jealous they cant do it themselves and/or dont want you to be happy, you know mesiry loves company and the ones who are naturally skinny they just dont get it and when ppl dont understand something they automaticaly say bad things about it.

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You could speak up and tell them you don't think it's nice to make fun of people or that making fun of people that need surgery (any type of surgery) is inapproriate.  I would do that, personally, whether I had WLS or not.  Making fun of people is just not OK.

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Wonder what your HR department would have to say?

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I cant eat any meat, not even tuna. After a couple of bites I get a sharp pain then vomit. I told the dietition at my dr's office & she said to just keep trying. Anyone else have this issue? Any advice would be great. Thanks!

**Answers:

I did not move to solid foods until I was 8 weeks out.  My thinking is that it is just too early.  Sometimes meat is too dry or the pieces are too large to be chewed well.  I would take a step back to soft foods then try again in a couple of weeks.
The first time I tried chicken I got the foamies and very sick.  I was not able to eat chicken until I was about  or 7 months out.  Just be patient.  What you are experiencing is not unusual.

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I am 5 months out and cannot stand to eat meat.  What a twist, huh?  I did ok in the beginning with meat and what I mean by that I was able to eat tuna, chicken if I chewed it to death and I can do fish. The meat has to be moist.  You have to give it a little while.  Just make sure you can eat other forms of protein. I know this can be problematic but at eight weeks I would focus on fluids and protein of the soft kind, yogurt, beans, cheese.  But first and formost it doesn't matter what I post, what is important is to eat the plan your surgeon has you on.  He may not even have the items I listed as foods to consume.  I can sympathize.  Best of luck! 

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So, I didn't know where else to go and I may call the doctor tomorrow.  But since I've lost 50lbs in the last 2 1/2 months, I think my skin is having a hard time keeping up.  My point being, the last two days I'm experiencing a rash right in the middle of my (sorry for the wording, fat roll on the bottom).  I am usually pretty good at showering and cleaning at least once a day.  I skipped my shower on Saturday and last night I noticed an odour. When I looked I about died.  So immediately I jumped in the shower and soaped and cleaned up the best I could.  Then I put on some talcum powder to help get it dry in there.  Of course my skin is irritated a bit and it burns a little bit.  I was fine until tonight, the same sensation and odour re-appeared.  So I soaked in a bubbly jet tub for like an hour.  Then I rinsed with the removable shower head really well with cooler water.  I added the talcum powder again.  It still burns.

So, is there anyway to get rid of this on my own, or do I have to get meds from the doctor?  I really prefer to clear things naturally, if possible.  I hate taking a pill for every little thing, if I don't have to.

Any advice or experiences would be great!  

Thank you!  

**Answers:

Your doctor can get you some medicated anti fungal powder. Also this sounds gross but it works and no one will know but you.

Take a clean sock, douse it in powder that has corn starch in it, Insert it into the folds of your skin so that the skin holds it in place, if you really have to use some medical tape to hold it in place.

The Sock and the cornstarch will wick away the moisture and your rash/fungus will be history.

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I'm certainly no doctor & there has been alot of good advice already.  However, I used to get severe rashes in the crease under my boobs (I know TMI) right after I had my 3rd daughter.  After not being able to deal with the uncomfortable burning anymore, I grabbed my daughters Creamy Desitin (diaper rash cream) & smeared some on the rash just before bedtime, then washed well in the morning.  It was a life savor & my body naturally healed it on its own with no issues or antifungal treatments.

Hope you find some relief!

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Doctor's office says to use a stick of deoderant, it helps create a dry barrier and allows for the fungus not to be able to "feed" off the moisture.  This works really well, however, if you've scratched, it'll burn.

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My 20th class reunion is on Saturday.  I was not a heavy teenager.  I did start to put on some weight my senior year, but nothing too major.  
I have kept in contact with a handful of people from my graduating class.  They have known me huge and now the new me.
I am so excited to be attending my reunion about 20lbs smaller than I was the day I graduated from high school.
I went to my 10 year and I remember fretting for months over finding an outfit.  I had just had a baby and felt so huge, even though I wasn't close to my highest weight.  NOW I can wear almost anything I want and I am having a hard time deciding because everything fits nice and I don't have to compromise my outfit for something that I have to wear just because it is my size.

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I could post so many more, but you get the idea.  I haven't edited the spelling or content because I wanted to keep it real.  This is real people going through Weight Loss Surgery (W.L.S. is the acronym used frequently).    As I continue to write this blog, I have learned a great deal about this process over the past year.  It has been about a year now since I took the first step in working towards getting this surgery.  In December of 2011 I had my first doctor's appointment.  July 26th was my surgery date.  As of this morning I have fluctuated again, down 61lbs.  I suspect this latest "stall" is due to the fact that my last round of loss lasted three weeks and lost another 12lbs.  My body tends to stop for a week or so and then the weight loss will resume again.  I have gotten used to this.  I don't "cheat", I stick to the same plan.  I don't eat less to try to lose weight and I don't overdo exercise or any other means.  I am trying for a new "healthier" approach and doing anything else distorts the real weight loss.

I know this will be a long road, a lifetime.  But, in the end I will be better for it and live a longer life.  I did this for me, and that's all that matters.

Here are some wise words to end this segment:

"Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life." 

Herbert Otto

Until next time!!!!!!