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Update from surgery date- 8/20/2008

I know I've been a stranger to this forum for a while. I tried out a few groups on Live Journal, but it didn't work out too well for me. A lot of people had different kinds of surgeries, so I haven't really had the same problems.   Hopefully posting here will give me a little more insight, and I'll receive a better response from others who have had the same procedure.   SO, here's my update!   It's been an interesting journey after surgery. I've come a long way in my eating habits. I feel great, and I've lost two dress sizes. It's really had to say how much weight I've lost, since I don't have a scale, but I had my first fill on October 2nd, 2008, as recommended by my surgeon (Dr. Ponce De Leon in Sugar Land, TX) 6 weeks after my fill. I had lost 16lbs from before surgery! What a relief it was to hear that, because I didn't really feel too different after surgery.   I didn't really go through the mushy stages the way I should have, and I didn't stick to my protein shakes too well in the first two weeks or so. I was so miserable feeling that I decided something had to change. I pepped myself up by looking at pictures of myself pre-accident and reading lots of health and fitness magazines.   I decided that I needed to really do this, if I was going to do it. I guess I thought that this would be an easier fix-- it wasn't AT ALL what I expected. I guess I was poorly educated about it to begin with.   So, it's now November and I am about 3 months out of surgery. I have made some very positive changes since then.     I have started exercising again at the gym, but I've also found new ways to get exercise that are a lot more fun- long walks with my dogs, early morning jogging with my boyfriend, playing outdoors with my nieces, etc.
I've revamped my kitchen to make healthy cooking easy, delicious, and most importantly, lap band acceptable. A few key things I have done- I buy plenty of fresh and frozen produce to cook with, egg beaters, fish, nuts, and salad. I brown bag it to work nearly every day. I cook dinner at night and make enough for me (and the boyfriend) to lunch throughout the week. I'm eating tons of soy- soy milk, soy beans in salad (yum!), tofu in veggies, and substituted a lot of my meat intake for meat-substitute products, that contain less fat. I have also given up almost all fried food completely (with the exception of the occasional french fry, which I can't eat many of anyway!).
I've been keeping a food log to count calories and keep on track, plus all sorts of health stuff (365 Days of Change)
I've subscribed to more women's health magazines, which has really helped me "keep the eye on the prize".
I would give you an update on how much weight I've lost since October 2nd. I was so excited by my progress, I bought a snazzy new Weight Watchers scale! Much to my disappointment, when I took it out of the box, it wouldn't turn on... so I'm off to Target to exchange it.   I'm going to start weight myself. I want to overcome the fear of stepping on the scale. I want to turn my self denial into something more productive and make this a rewarding journey instead of hating myself all of the time for putting on the pounds.   Wish me luck!
luvzlulu

luvzlulu

3
 

The time is now.

It's been a rough couple of months for me. I have decided that if I am going to take on the challenge to change my body and transform my life, that I am going to go all the way. I joined this forum to meet others like myself, gain a deeper understanding through learning, offer support to others, and to tell my own personal story to the best of my ability.   Oh, and I love to blog.   So here it goes....   I am your average 25 year old California girl (who's been living in Houston for the past 15 years). I have a wonderfully supportive and mildly insane family. I love my two fluffy dogs and my sister's kids like crazy.   All in all, I'm a well rounded individual (no pun intended) with high aspirations for her life. I survived a near-fatal accident with a drunk driver in 2002. The accident left me in a wheelchair, barely able to move around on my own. To make a long story short, I beat the odds and regained the ability to walk. After the incident, my weight got out of control.   On August 20th, 2008, I opted for weight loss surgery to regain my life. I'm ready for the challenge. I welcome the change to change my body and in turn change my life, but I need support. I desperately need to meet individuals who have gone through the same things, so I can learn about myself through others.
luvzlulu

luvzlulu

4
 

Ready, set, go.

It's been a while! I've missed the peace of mind this place gives me.   So, let me start off by saying, Happy 2009! I know this year will be the best yet!   December was an incredibly stressful month for me. I was taking a mini-session class (which takes an entire semester's worth of work and crams it into one month) AND still putting in close to 50 hours at work on top of that. Needless to say, it was stressful, along with the holidays, and I am grateful that I even made it through last month alive!   I started yoga in December and oh my goodness, do I LOVE it! The things it's done for my body have been amazing. The added plus is the reduction of my stress levels. Not to mention, being able to do all of the poses while being in a class full of skinny people is a great ego boost!   I'm still not tracking my weight on a scale. Old habits are hard to break. In fact, I still don't have a scale in my house... but I bought my first pair of size 14 jeans in years, last weekend. My old size 20's have gone to Good Will.   Some days, I feel like I'm not doing enough. I know that I'm not. My doctor hit my "sweet spot" in November, so I have been losing steadily, but I know I could do more if I got more cardio in. I really love yoga, but I know I need to get moving more. I've been going to the gym, but it gets boring, and I'm easily de-motivated! I am looking for my next "athletic high" meaning, something fun, dynamic, that I'll really enjoy. I'm still searching for it.   So, aside from being a bump on a log the month of December, I'm really trying to kick it into high gear now.
luvzlulu

luvzlulu

2
 

Conquering the Plateau and An Eater's Manifesto

I finally broke my several week long plateau! I will eventually break down and splurge on the Wii Fit for the scale(it's supposed to have the most accurate scale on the market, and check your BMI and fitness age-- not to mention, it's fun!!), but according to my $7 Taylor non-digital scale, I've lost 5lbs since I last weighed myself two weeks ago. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it feels great to know that I'm doing this the right way! I've been fluctuating a lot and having some ups and downs since I last saw the doc.   My last fill was in November '08, which put me up to 8cc's in the 10cc band. I'm starting to get used to it now, and food isn't getting "stuck" as much. It leads me to believe that I'm losing restriction in the band and need to get another fill. I have an appointment to see my surgeon next month for a check up. I get a little anxious every time I see my surgeon, and I don't feel like I've lost enough weight. I know it's just a mental thing and I need to get over it, and remember that I'm doing this for myself.   I'm glad that I'm finally getting into a routine that works for me. I'm getting in plenty of exercise now-- I'm hitting the gym 3 times a week, getting in some outdoor activity, and going to yoga on the weekends. I feel like a different person. What I really want to do is look into joining a sports team, or find a running/biking buddy, or just joining SOMETHING where I do FUN activities with others, so I'll get out and do them more often. I'm thinking about joining a Nia class or signing up for the upcoming Houston Aids Walkathon.   I'm practically living off of protein shakes and salads now. I really enjoy my trips to the local farmers market. It's all part of my plan to eat healthy, minimally processed, "clean" foods. I am eating whole foods, lots of vegetables, and cooking all of my meals from scratch to avoid preservatives and excess salt/sugar. Eventually, I'd like to stop supplementing with protein shakes, but for now, I feel like I need the added boost they give me. I went from barely eating anything because it was uncomfortable, to eating 5 small meals a day to help fuel my metabolism. I think that my plateau was due to the fact that I wasn't eating enough good calories. I've been reading a lot about the science behind weight loss, and now I'm feeling on track.   Also, I've been reading a book by author Michael Pollan entitled "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" that has really changed my perspective on what I put into my body. Here's an excerpt from the book for a little insight into what it's really about:   “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy. We are entering a postindustrial era of food; for the first time in a generation it is possible to leave behind the Western diet without having also to leave behind civilization. And the more eaters who vote with their forks for a different kind of food, the more commonplace and accessible such food will become. This is an eater’s manifesto, an invitation to join the movement that is renovating our food system in the name of health—health in the very broadest sense of that word.”   Pretty good read, in my opinion. :thumbup: Some people call him a "stealth vegetarian". I don't necessarily agree, but then again, I've always loved eating my veggies so maybe I just don't see it. Just pick it up, and give it a read, decide for yourself... He also wrote another book called the Omnivore's Dilemma, which I haven't read yet, but is supposed to be very good.
luvzlulu

luvzlulu

1
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