wanderlust_76

Janet....Let me know how it goes. I understand about the weather. That frustrates me too. I live in Southeast Texas. Saturday I was wearing shorts; today I'm wearing a down feather coat to stay warm! I've read they have treadmill C25K aps, but I've never looked at them. I just got a fitbit. I'm going to see how that goes. I'll let you know.

Yesterday was my 2 year surgery anniversary. Today I RAN my first 5k! I'm so freaking excited. I've lost AND MAINTAINED 100lb weight loss. I would like to lose another 20lbs, but I'm so pumped right now, I don't even care....lol!

It has been a while since my last post. I've been thinking about yall though! I am coming up on my one year anniversary and have been very reflective lately. First the good news. I am currently down 97 lbs. I went shopping Saturday and found myself in a size 12. My goal size! Yeah! I have gone from a 24 to a 12 in less than a year. How amazing is that? What's more amazing is how I feel. My two sons (50 lbs and 30 lbs) came home from the lake after spending a weekend with their grandparents. When they got home, I scooped them both up and started carrying them to the house. I made it to the garage (Dont be impressed. I teach in Texas. I dont have a big house. It was a pretty short trip). I was dying. When I put them down I thought to myself "****, I used to carry more than that every time I walked.". There is no description suitable enough to tell you how that AHA moment feels. I hope each of you have one at some point. Now the bad news. I am able to eat WAY more than I used to. It freaks me out. I know a lot of drs say you can stretch your stomach back out. I read an article the other day that said several drs did some research on sleevers that are 5 yrs out. They said none of their pouches had stretched. In all the patients studied, the pouches were leathery and couldn't stretch, the problem is how they eat. They learn how slowly to eat and just eat more. After reading that article, I think they are right. I paid more attention to how I ate and I find myself resting and going back. That was my bad AHA moment. Maybe though, now that I know, I can fight it. Anyway, my 1 year is on March 6th. Here's hoping I can say I've lost 100 pounds.

Sorry, I can't get this program to work right for me... Lol.

Thanks everyone. Even two days later, I'm pumped...lol. JanetPRN you can do it! If I can do it, anyone can! There is an ap on my phone called couch to 5k. You turn it on and it trains you to run a 5k. You walk and then it says, "Start running now" and you run until it tells you to stop. The first week you run at 90 second intervals. By week 5 or 6 you are doing 20 min. It works! I like the Run Double ap because it has a bunch of options and it dumps your Info into my fitness pal for you. It does cost though. There are some free C25K aps too. [ATTACH]42328[/ATTACH]

I ate so much I accidently told someone Happy Thanksgiving. . .lol!!! I think the worse part of having this surgery is holidays. I am ok just eating a little, but I feel like I insult people when I don't pile food on my plate. They will say, "That is all you are going to eat" with this hurt look in their eyes. I have learned to say "Yes, this is all I am going to eat", but it is still hard.

I hit several of those and they are frustrating. I have been on one for over 2 months. I KNOW what you are going through. When I was at my rapid weight loss (first year), I hit several. Here are a few things that I would do to get rev up my metabolism again. 1. I would change my workout routine. Most of the time that works. Add something in, or add weight to your strength training. You can even do it in a different order. All of these will shock the body and kick it into gear again. 2. Adding food. Someone above said something about adding calories. That is a GREAT way to get the metabolism going again. Eat the extra for a week or so and then back off again. 3. Make sure you are eating often. Try not to go long periods of time without eating. Digesting burns calories, so we want our body to always feel like it has fuel and to be digesting. 4. Last, if you are like me, I work out A LOT! I found that if I would give my body a break every once in a while, I would lose a few pounds and get off that stupid plateau. I hope this helps. The most important thing is to remember that we are human and our bodies are going to do what they are going to do. I doubt you are gaining a pound. You can retain a pound or more of Water. Don't give up! Good luck! K

Well...I had my one year anniversary last week. I have lost 100.2 lbs and 12 pant sizes. If you are at the beginning of your journey, it is worth every ounce of doubt, fear, and pain. Take a deep breath and jump. It is worth it!

Typically I eat some kind of Protein for Breakfast. I teach so usually it is whatever they are serving or an uncrustable pb&j on wheat. At 1030ish, I will eat a banana. At 130 I will eat a lean cuisine. I'm a horrible snacker, I usually eat chocolate or cheese crackers when I get home. For supper I cook and try to do healthy, but usually I don't eat much if it. I am eating A LOT more which freaks me out a bit, so I am very conscious of my snacking. I was on a plateau for about 2 months and then it just started dropping off again. Even that 2 months though, my body was changing.

So, I am one of those crazy weird people that exercises at 5 am. Today, as I was walking into the gym I noticed how many people were circling the parking lot looking for a close parking space... Hahahaha!

Is it bad that I want to "lose" my drivers licence so I can take a picture 90 lbs lighter?

I think if we are honest with ourselves, this is probably everyone's biggest fear. For most of us, this is the end of the road. Everything else has been tried and we failed. I think for me, the support system that is in place is what helps me. I have my family support (my mom was sleeved too), my medical support, and communities like this. I don't tell many people I was sleeved. It isn't anyone's business, but I need to talk about what I'm feeling, my success, my fears. All the other diets, I truly felt alone. This time I have a team of cheerleaders. We can do this together! You're not alone and I believe it is what is going to make the difference.

I think you are having normal, human emotions. I felt the same way. I think about it now, and I really feel like I was scared it would fail. I mean EVERY thing else had. What if I cut out half my stomach and i'm still fat? I got it done anyways. I hated myself for one week. Then, life started getting back to normal. I started moving better. I felt the weight coming off. Almost 8 months later, I have lost 87 pounds. I love to exercise (gasp)! I LOVE not having to shop in Women's World! I LOVE playing tag with my kids. I LOVE people telling me how great I look. It is not always easy and there is definitely a learning curve, but you can do it! Good luck!

I was reading a blog of a lady who has lost 300 lbs. She said when she finds herself going off track, she will do a 3 day liquid diet. She said it jump starts her weightloss and gets her head on straight. Maybe you should try that.

So 82 pounds and 7 1/2 months later, I just played hide and seek with my 6 & 2 year old. Woo-hoo!

So I went for my six month check up (a month late). I've lost 87 lbs...woo-hoo! My doctor said I'm doing great. While we were talking I asked what he thought my goal weight should be. He said the government guidelines say I should be 135. I started cracking up. I told him my skeleton weighs more than 135 lbs. Under 150 people start asking if I'm sick. So here is my question...what bobble head decided what I should weigh? No wonder we are never happy. Others have "goals" that are completely unobtainable for most of us. I don't want to look like a runway model. I call them hangers. I'm still a woman. I still like curves. I just want them in the right place at a healthy size.

EXACTLY! I have a big bone structure and I'm athletic. I'm ok with not being 135 lbs. I just wish I wasn't embarrassed to tell people my weight. I know I look great , but being 184 lb girl is still embarrassing.

Thanks, y'all. It is a lot of fun. When people ask how much I lost, I tell them a 6 year old and a 2.5 year old. I've lost more than my two kids put together. Staring at them thinking that used to be on my body... Mind boggling

March 6th had arrived. I was so freaking excited!! My parents had decided to take the boys to the lake for a week so I could recover. The only thing that was giving a twinge of worry was the drain. I am not good with medical things. I even hide my eyes and gag a little when a doctor gives a shot on TV. So this drain is a huge source of panic in my world. My surgery was scheduled for noon. I had to be at the hospital at 10 am. That gives me time to sleep in a little, spend a little time with my family, and reassure my husband that this is what I want to do. I am going to a side note here, but this is not a sillly observation, it is a sincere one. My husband is someone that I can say truely loves me. Not who I think I am or who I want to be, just me. He has loved me at size 12 (when he met me), size 18 (when he married me) and size 22 (when he followed me into the hospital that morning) and all the ups and downs in between. He has never made me feel fat or ugly. He is truely a beautful human being. When I made the decision to do this, I saw the panic on his face. Not because of the money or time, but because he said he is scared to live without me. I have had to give my brother my medical power or attorney because my husband said he won't pull the plug. He said he can't be the one to kill me. He did assure me that he respects my decision and will not fight my brother; he said he just can't be the one that makes that decision. So, at 9:30 we dropped my boys off at daycare. With tears in my eyes, I kissed them each good-bye. I knew that I was going to be fine, but there is always that chance. Telling your kids good-bye is a little scary when it might be the last time. I sent my step-daughter a message telling her I loved her. Then, we started out for the hospital. I was chatty and my husband was nervous. He did not feel like talking so we fussed at each other. I took it with a grain of salt. I knew he wasn't mad at me. When checked into the hospital, we were immediately sent to the pre-op (no time to change my mind). I weighed in there and I had officially lost 20 pounds before my surgery. Woo-hoo!!! I was put in my room, changed my clothes, and met all the pre-op nurses. My parents and mother-in-law joined us and helped me pass the time. I cherish those moments. I guess when you are in a situation like this, you sit back and thank God for the little things that make us happy and my family is it. The nurses came in and tried to start an IV. Because I had been on a liquid diet for a week and clear liquids the day before and NPO since midnight, I was a little dehydrated. It took two nurses one hour to find a vein they could use. They kept saying, "Your veins are so deep". (Sidenote: If any of you are nurses reading this, when you say something like "your veins are so deep" what your patient hears is "You are so fat, your arms are even carrying a load. Stop eating cake, fat butt" Well, they finally got the IV started in my hand using a baby needle. If that didn't solidify my decision about having this surgery I don't know what could have. The time had come and they were finally wheeling me to the OR. The nurses are just talking away. I finally looked up and said "You know I know what you are saying". The nurse looked at me in shock. They apparently forgot to give me the wacky juice I was supposed to get before they carted me off. When I got to the OR, a line of nurses was waiting for me. They even did the wave as I passed by. I said "They forgot the wacky juice, I am soooo going to remember you doing that!" Everyone laughed and began talking at once. I was able to help them get me to the operating bed. I talked to the doctor that was going to put me to sleep (Side note: I know what the name is and no idea how to spell it, so don't judge!) I mentioned to him that I was going to remember speaking to him and I BETTER NOT remember any of that surgery. He promised me that he hasn't had a patient remember in 18 years, and he promised not to blemish that record. Thankfully, he was right. Unfortunately, when I woke up, I did not like him or anyone else very much. I HURT!!!!!. . .

Today I am doing something I haven't done in FIFTEEN YEARS (15) YEARS!!! I left my house with my shirt tucked in and put on a belt. HOLY COW!!! Actually, skinny cow!!!! I am so excited. And people are talking. I have had a TON of people ask me how it feels. I am so freakin' happy. I just had my 6 month anniversary and I have lost 74 pounds. If you are just starting this journey, stay strong. One day you too will leave your house with your shirt tucked in!!!

So I went to weigh in and my nurse was excited to tell me I am now "obese". I was like "uh...thanks". She goes "no, I mean, you're not 'morbidly obese' or even 'severly obese'. Now you are just obese. Next stop overweight"...hahahaha!

Ok, so I'm pushing to lose 11 lbs by July 25. I woke up thus morning, worked out for an hour, came home and ate 3 donut holes...really?

I have been sleeved. My four month anniversary was the 6th. We are going on vacation at a waterpark on the 25 th and I want to be in one-derland when I go. I'm ok if I don't make it. It is just a goal. I was kinda laughing at myself this morning. I just tell myself I'm not going the rest of my life without eating a donut hole. I do want to read one of those books though. I do think I self-sabitage.

Today is my four month anniversary, and I have lost exactly 62 lbs. I have to say the day I woke up from the surgery, I was not sure it was worth it, but 4 months later I can safely say "IT IS WORTH EVERY OUNCE OF PAIN." I still have some things that I am struggling with such as eating out. I thought by now my brain would catch up with what my stomach already knows, but I find myself still wanting to eat everything on the menu. I still want to order the big meals. I find that frustrating. I also feel like I am not eating as well as I should. I just don't eat as much. I know that right now it is ok, but in five years it will bite me in the butt.

Do you eat or drink before you workout? I did that too and I started drinking a protein shake or eating a yogurt before I work out and it helped with dizziness.