Amanda131

I would rather... 1. Run! Who knew hitting the pavement would feel so good and empowering? 2. Check this site... it's staved off more than one urge to munch! 3. Use all of this new-found energy to play with my little girl. I end up wearing a lot of tiaras these days. 4. Straighten my home... things are more organized than they have been in years! 5. Chat with friends and family. I am lost that slightly anti-social edge that obesity seemed to give me. Great topic, SK! Amanda

Yay for you Sunny! I started running two months ago and I have seen amazing improvements in my fitness, physique and overall health. For me, the scales did not move very much for almost a month because I was building some serious muscle. Keep your tape measure handy- that's where I bet you'll seem some big changes in the beginning! Amanda

I am betting you did not eat 5,400 calories OVER your daily caloric needs on this trip. That's what you had to do to truly gain 1.5 pounds. My money's on the Water weight that those awesome tasting, sodium infested snack foods always leave behind. I'm betting you are back to normal after a few days of your usual routine. Regardless, you recoginized a hazard in your new life and are now aware of the potential for danger as you move forward. Good for you! Amanda

I've actually been a diagnosed reactive hypoglycemic since age 14. I have kept it at bay for 15 years through my diet... even when I was obese. The secret to RHG is to never eat sugary foods alone. You must pair it with a complex carb and/or Protein. If I was to eat a candy bar alone my blood sugar would be in the 50s within a two hour window. However, if I ate a balanced meal followed by a candy bar then I would typically be okay. When you have an RHG spell orange juice is the best thing to ingest to quickly right your blood sugar levels. You can also purchase glucose tablets for these incidents (I keep a pack in my car). This is a quick fix though and must be immediatly followed by protein and/or complex carbs to stop the cycle. To be properly diagnosed for RHG you would need to see your doctor and chart your blood sugar levels and symptoms. Further testing would include scheduling a 6 hour Glucose Tolerance Test and possibly a follow-up 72 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. RHG is not something to be taken lightly. True suffers can pass out from too low of blood sugar- it's terrible, trust me. While I have lived with this issue most of my life and gotten pretty used to it, I have noticed an upswing in "incidents" since surgery. I had attributed this to having to learn how to balance my eating differently than I need pre-surgery. It never occurred to me that surgery may have exacerbated the issue. Thanks for the heads up! Amanda

Definitely call you doctor. If you have your gallbladder still, that could be the culprit. Take care of yourself! Amanda

I struggled a lot with trying to figure out a goal weight- I even posted a topic on here about this. I finally settled on 165 since that would be a normal BMI (I am just shy of 5'10"). However, I recently had my body fat measured and learned that if I lost only fat from here on out that I would under 20% body fat at 190. That is considered athletic for women. Even now at 227 I am already wearing a 14/16. I have now mentally amended by goal to somewhere between 165-190. I really would like to be in a size 8/10 so we'll see where that lands me. My only advise is that while goals are good, don't be afraid to amend your goal if you get down the road and learn that whatever goal you set previously wasn't realistic. For some goofy reason I, at first, felt like saying that I may not hit 165 was a failure rather than seeing this as a realistic adjustment based on new information.

Passive aggression at it's finest. I am fortunate in that my husband also choose to get healthy with me, but I haven't always been this fortunate. About five years ago, I dropped 80 pounds and, I swear, my husband did everything in he power to eat as terrible as he could while I lost weight. I, of course, wanted him to join me in weight loss because I felt great, wanted a partner in my fat-fighting, and I missed a thinner, healthier Hubs. The more I pushed, suggested, etc. the more he ate. I finally learned that this needed to be his decision and, other than support him once he was ready, there wasn't a darn thing I could do about it. It's frustrating, I know. I suggest that you continue on your healthful path and not mention it to him again, maybe even pick him up his favorite treat to indicate you aren't judging and then wait for him to come to you. When he's ready, welcome him but don't push. He has to want this for himself. Best wishes to you! Amanda

Wow, Diva! You OWN those jeans (both literally and figuratively )! What I absolutely love is that you are a poster child for reminding the rest of us that the number on the scale and BMI are just numbers. I love that you are in the low 180s and toned, muscular, fit and a size-freakin'-four! I think seeing your success and small size at 180 is SOOOO healthy for the rest of us. My doctor had suggested that 180 may be my stopping place due to my current body fat and I just couldn't accept that... until I saw your photos! You make 180 look DANG GOOD! Thank you for sharing! Also, if anyone is interested in learning to run, USA Fit is a relatively cheap organization that will help you train for a 5k, Half-Marathon and Full-Marathon. They are normal people just like us who happen to like running. There are all body types out there- including this 230 pounder! The best part is that most groups have a social aspect so you start making friends with like-minded, health-conscious, fun people. That has really helped me. As the weight fell off, I started to realize that I had cut-off a lot of my friendships and the ones I had left were food-centric and those friends wheren't always jazzed to hang out with the girl who was into eating right and fitness. I also enjoy having coaches and "people in the know" to help me with my questions and keep me accountable! Congrats again, Diva! Amanda

Myori- You look fantastic! I agree with those before me; so athletic! I'm curious. Were you into cycling pre-surgery or is that something you've picked up just in the months since surgery? Hubs and I have started running and he wants me to consider a triatholon with him but I literally haven't riden a bike since grade school. I'm curious as to how long it takes to get proficient. Amanda

Hey there Groove! First, congratulations on the sixty pound loss! As for Protein, I do not consistently drink Protein shakes or eat Protein Bars. Really, the only time I have a protien shake is after a long run because I've found the Muscle Milk Light with caffeine really aides recovery. I do, however, track my protein intake in an online food journal. I try to stay at 80 grams of protein but sometimes drop as low as 60. I agree that tracking sometimes feels like dieting but I want the record in case things ever stop working as well. This way I can go back and look over what I've been doing. I'm trying to think of it as a lifestyle change. Just like I keep up with what kind of fuel I put in my vehicle and how it responds, I need to do the same with my body. Good luck to you! Amanda

I used to adore milk chocolate and I find it sickeningly sweet now. In the same vein, I thought dark chocolate was horrid pre-surgery but I absolutely love it now. I also love iced coffee now and rarely had it before. I can't stand tortillas anymore... it just feels like a giant mass of dough in my mouth. I also really don't care for pork anymore. It just seems really rich now. I now love greek yogurt, chicken wings, and eggs; all of which I rarely ate in my old life. I'm sure there is other stuff but I can't think of it right now. Amanda

I worked in a High Schooll when I was sleeved last year. I found keeping almonds, protein bars and tuna lunch packets in my desk helped me relax and not worry so much about things cropping up and not getting my protein as a result. I also brought a four pack of greek yougurt each week to keep in the lounge for a snack during off times. I also kept a few protein drinks under my desk that I could pop in the refridgerator if I forgot my lunch or got bogged down and missed lunch. It wasn't that bad. Good luck! Amanda

Hi Gem- I'm on the west side in Katy.

N2B8R- I don't know about anyone else, but I had Aetna and they were a dream. I was approved in less than three days. They never even hesitated to cover my surgery once I completed the 3 Nutrition visits, 3 Dr. visits and Pysch consult in the 90 day period. I was thoroghly impressed with how they handled my case. My BMI wasn't crazy high (44) and I had no co-morbidities other than slight sleep apnea. I hope your insurance experience is as awesome as mine was! Amanda

I LEARNED so much reading your post! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Good stuff! Amanda

Jenny, It would be more worrisome if you weren't worried about this! If you think about it, we have all found our way to this surgery because we were unsuccessful with keeping weight off. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that a big concern would be whether this will work. I remember saying these same things to my husband before I had surgery. I kept thinking that I was taking the "nuclear" option and that if it didn't work I'd be left with no other option but to be fat forever. He'd shake his head and reassure me once again. Of course, you've got to get your head right and make sure you're figuring out the triggers that have caused you to gain weight back in the past but the surgery will serve as an amazing tool to help you first lose the weight and then keep it off. No regrets here! Good luck to you! Amanda

I've lost 70 and I have to admit my arms looks worse from behind. However, I am focused on running right now and haven't done a lot of toning exercises on my arms. They say it takes at least a year for the skin to play catch up so it will be a while before we can make a definitive call on whether they'll shrink up. I'm relatively young at 31 and really hoping that helps me!

I'm a fan of the Celebrate Multi-vitamin with iron. Doesn't taste bad and has a boatload of the vitamins and minerals we need.

Awesome News #1: Today, I woke up and stepped on the scale to finally see myself at the halfway point! I have lost 69 pounds and I have 69 to go to reach a normal BMI. This put a pretty big smile on my face since the scale hasn't been that friendly of late. Awesome News #2: I have signed up to run a 1/2 Marathon on January 30th with my husband. This is a pretty big goal for me. One of the reasons I finally decided to have surgery is that I signed up for a training program last year and was too big to keep up with the workouts. It was a wake-up call. Anyway, last Saturday was the official first meeting for the new year with the training program. I was SO nervous. Last year, I went thinking I would be able to run to only learn that I could barely walk the 1.5 miles (I was in serious denial about my weight). This year, I wanted so badly to "be a runner". I went out there and easily ran the 1.5 miles in 18 minutes with Hubs. It was AMAZING! Tonight's homework was to run for 20 minutes. Which I did. Without walking. For the first time since I was 18 years old. Kinda feeling like a rock star right now. Thanks for letting me share my excitement! Amanda

They have a 5K, 1/2 and Full Marathon. Here's the link: http://usafitmarathon.com/ I agree, the lottery is no fun! I think I may run the El Paso 5K too, since I'll be there to cheer on the friends who won the lottery anyway. Of course, I'll be thrilled with being under 35 minutes... 30 would just be crazy talk.

I didn't win the lottery for Aramco. But, USAFit hosts a marathon in Sugarland on the 29th for all those who don't make it(and anyone else who wants to run). It's called Everyone's Marathon and they keep the course open for eight hours so that even walkers can complete the full. I think this one may actually be better for me since it's more relaxed than Aramco and I'm sure I'll be a stress-ball. It honestly never occurred to be that I could be at goal by the marathon but now that you say that it makes me REALLY excited. That would be glorious!

I thought the plan was from Runner's World but it looks like it was probably Self. They're all very similar though. If you are a magazine reader, I would suggest a subscription to Runner's World too. I've learned a lot from them. It's only like $18. And, they aren't just geared to hardcore runners like I thought. Happy Trails! Amanda runners_training_plan.pdf

Smile and state, "I appreciate your concern, but I am comfortable with my decision." Then change the subject. Some people are convinced they know what's best for EVERYONE. It's pointless to argue.

Hi Ali- I think we are very close in surgery dates- I am 4.5 months out. I've found that things go south anytime I stopped recording my meals; particularly tracking Protein and carbs to make sure I am getting enough or one and not too much of the other. From the information you stated, I think your cravings could be fueled but not feeding yourself enough and by actually giving into your cravings. Some people find that anytime they give in and enjoy Cookies, cakes, etc. that they then crave them like crazy. However, they also state that the cravings subside considerably if they refuse to eat them for a while. I am not sure what you mean by "2-3 meals" but if somedays you're literally only eating 2 meals then I don't think it's possible for you get the protein you need to be healthy (and happy!). Have you considered planning out your meals and Snacks for each day the night before? Then set the alarm on your phone to remind you to eat! Many times, stalls can be caused by failure to eat enough. Good luck to you- I know this can be really frustrating at times. Amanda

If you are looking for something for the purpose of training in walking, running, or biking, then I would also suggest checking out the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch. It's worn like a watch and tells you in real time your speed distance covered, minutes passes, heartrate and calorie burn. I am not sure how much the fitbit is but the Garmin runs $135 through Amazon. It comes ready to go for outdoor workouts. If you want to track your pace on a treadmill you'll also have to purchase the footpod which I think runs$50 more. The Forerunner isn't for tracking calories and steps around the clock, but it is awesome for training. The data from the watch is later downloaded to a free site that shows your route on a map. You can click of any point and see your pace and heartrate in that point. It also shows overviews of the entire workout and stores all of your workouts. I had a body bugg and while I found it interesting I wasn't dedicated enough to wear it all of the time. I like the Garmin's accuracy and detail a lot.My husband and I both have one as we train for a 1/2 marathon and we never leave on a walk/run without them. Just thought I'd toss it out there. Good luck in your search! Amanda