nottheonly1

It has been 6 months since surgery and I'm doing really good. I have lost 51 #'s so far although I had a pretty long stall. It lasted about a month or so. I didn't worry about it because I knew it would be over and I would start losing again. I am now working on getting more water in as that is hard for me. I am in no rush with this weight loss as I did not put it on overnight and don't expect to lose it overnight. Of course it's coming off faster than it would have do to my tool so I'm happy with where I am at this point. I have started doing strength training and will focus on that for the time being so that I can tighten and tone up. I also want to lift my butt:) since I lost some of it. I'm so happy with my tool and will continue to work it to my advantage.

So I haven't been on here for awhile, life has gotten very very busy!! I see that I have lost almost 60 lbs since my last entry. I am oh so close to my goal. My problem these last few weeks has been the dreaded plateau. But I exercise daily, and I try to eat right. I think my biggest struggles are getting enough food in to meet an adequate calorie count (I know they say calorie counts don't matter but even when I tell them that my daily calorie intake is only 600-1000 calories even they are concerned). I'm just not hungry. And add in exercising 500 calories a day, then you can see that I'm basically stopping my own metabolism with the calories in/out. So I know why I'm not losing any more weight now just to fix it. Greek yogurt still is my go to. The protein intake struggle is still there. I'm lucky to get 60g a day, nevermind the 80-100 I should...
 
But some positive things..
 
Last Friday I participated in, for the first time in my life, a cardio kickboxing class. I don't know why it was called a kickboxing class, there was def no kicking involved. The biggest thing for me was that I was able to keep up with the other girls, most of which were athletes!! For once I was considered an equal instead of the "fat girl in gym class" that my brain was used to. Downside?? I kinda overdid it with my MS and haven't been able to walk too well over the weekend. But I did it!! Now just to wonder about going back
 
Even better news, December 7, my husband got a kidney transplant. Something that we were told never to expect because of how highly sensitized he was from his first transplant. We never expected that phone call and even more miraculous was the fact that the woman who passed was the equivialent of his twin, there was no better match. We pray for her and her family every day for this gift of life she gave him. I have my husband back!
 
The weight loss has greatly improved my MS symptoms, I can exercise without going into a relapse (ahem as long as I don't go crazyy), I use the elliptical every day for 40 min then tone and do strengthening to try and tighten up some of this skin. I am determined not to have skin removal surgery.
 
What else....
 
I will upload a new updated pic later on. What a difference when I look at my pictures on facebook!! But I definitely need to pay attention more to my eating..
 
Till later all!! Take care!

Holy Toledo! Of course I couldn't be simple- I had to reach my goal weight in dramatic fashion! God's divine sense of humor has struck again...
 
So I had a first/blind date with a gentlemen officer who ended up getting sick on Sunday and cancelled his date but asked to reschedule. Well, last night he texted me and told me his work (he's in a higher level officer training course at the moment at our local military installation) will be at my University on Thursday- for the lecture I'm co-hosting for a General who's speaking. This would be the same lecture I've been nervously working so hard for because my ex boyfriend was going to be attending and I wanted to take the opportunity to show off my new me. Apparently God's seeing fit to screw with my head and put them both in that lecture hall at the same time..... Spanx and hot bodycon business dress- don't fail me now! Thursday is D- Day for me as far as I'm concerend.
 
Then I woke up... I woke up and got on the scale and I made my goal weight this morning... And the guest lecture I'm hosting that the ex and current male interests are both attending is in 2 days.... Well played God. Well played.
 
I <3 my sleeve!!!!!
 
Height: 5'9
 
Highest (Surgery) Weight: 216
 
1st Primary Goal Weight: 169 (achieved 11/27)
2nd Optimal Goal Weight: 145
 
Sleeve Journey:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 8/17/12- PreOp/Surgery Day w/Pics Posted in Blog
Week 1 (8/24): 204.8 (-11.2)
Week 2 (8/31): 200.6 (-4.2)
Week 3 (9/7): 196.8 (-3.8)
Week 4 (9/14): 193.5 (-3.3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 9/17/12- 1 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-22.5 lbs)
Week 5 (9/21): 191.6 (-1.9)
Week 6 (9/28): 190.1 (-1.5)
Week 7 (10/5): 187.0 (-3.1)
Week 8 (10/12): 181.9 (-5.1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 10/17/12- 2 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-11.6 lbs)
Week 9 (10/19): 181.4 (-.5)
Week 10 (10/26): 177.9 (-3.5)
Week 11 (11/02): 176.8 (-1.1)
Week 12 (11/09): 174.7 (-2.1)
Week 13 (11/16): 173.3 (-1.4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> 11/17/12- 3 Month Anniversary w/Pics Posted in Blog (-8.6 lbs)
Week 14 (11/23): 173.1 (-.2)
***1st Goal Weight Achieved Week (11/27): 169.5 lbs***

I won't lie to anyone it is hard work trying to live with out food as my crutch and sometimes (even with the surgery) I fall short of my ideal behavior when it comes to food. There are people who have told me that I've taken the easy way out. I disagree with them but I don't waste my breath arguing with them anymore. Even with the surgery I still have to closely monitor what I eat and be more active. The surgery has given me the help I need to lose weight but it doesn't mean that I woke up from the surgery cured of my old bad food habits. But I manage my eating much better. I'm encouraged that I'm moving closer to where I want to be. Good things that have happened to me since my surgery:
I can walk to my car without having to stop and take a breath
I'm not in constant pain because of my knees
I have given away over 10 bags of clothes that are way too big for me--I'm down 4 sizes so far
People sit next to me on the train (I used to feel so guilty taking up two seats when the train was crowded)
I cooked dinner at thanksgiving and it didn't wear me out --being on my feet for a few hours easy peasy
I look in the mirror and I recognize myself!
I do have a figure(my waist line is returning)
my bath sheets wrap around me there's no big gap!
there is really cute lingerie in my size
Oh my doctors have taken me off a couple of my meds
I realize I can only eat so much so I visually measure out a cup of food and that's my meal

There's a lot of little things but mainly I'm just thankful that I was able to do this surgery. I'm grateful that my insurance covered it and I'm grateful that I chose the right program. I feel really blessed by the whole experience problems and all.

Well I'm now 3 weeks post-op, and I went in to my nutritional appointment at my sleeve doctor's office this morning. I now get to add eggs, cottage cheese, low fat cheeses, fish, canned chicken, tuna fish, beans(like black beans, kidney beans, soy beans) I can also have chili, and soups with beans now! It seems so great to be able to have more variety of things to eat! I was so sick of protein shakes, yogurt, and the few other things I could only have for the passed 5 weeks! At least at Christmas time I will get even more choices by then too. I have been feeling better day by day, and my 5 incisions are almost completely healed now as well.
I have lost a total of 69 pounds now since last April 2012 when I started my weight loss journey, and I have lost 15 more pounds since my sleeve surgery 3 weeks ago. I'm running out of clothes that fit me, because most are way to big for me now! What a great feeling to have clothes that a TO BIG! LOL I actually had to give my little sister some of my old clothes, because she wears 26 W like I use to wear. I'm now in a size 20 W, and it won't be long I'll be in a size 18 W. I'm hoping I will wear an 18 by my husband's shop Christmas party December 15TH, and get me a new outfit to wear to the Christmas party.
Last Christmas I went to the shop party wearing a size 26/28 W, 3 piece black pant suit. I was so self conscience the whole time at the party that I couldn't really enjoy myself. I looked around and thought, "I'm probably the fattest one here"! I couldn't wait to leave the party that night! This year I'm hoping my weight loss will help my self esteem, and I can enjoy myself with my husband this year. I have to get me an outfit that I feel good in, pretty, and allot thinner in. :wub: Better, healthier, thinner days are a head of me now, and I can't wait!