sewin-quiltin

My hair started thinning at 6-7 months and stopped at about a year. Then coming back. Funny thing is I ALWAYS had stick straight hair. It came back wavy, I now use a flat iron it when I want the straight look I always had. At almost two years since surgery I continue to take my vitamins, my iron is very, very low. So ! Per my regular doctor I take prenatal pill, biotin and special high dose iron and the type that is absorbed better. My haired nails are great. Taking all the vitamins has the side effect of constipation so I take daily pills for that.

The calories weren't worth the protein. Many of them seem to be a replacement for a candy bar for me and a trigger.

Yes, my weakness is candy and it takes such willpower to resist.

So my 2 year anniversary is coming up soon. I look back and reflect on life before and after surgery, would I do it again. Yes, I would do it again, because it changed my life in so many ways. Year one I put myself as the priority, year two has been full of distractions that I let get the best of me. I have put 15 pounds back on, and have given in to my demon of eating candy. The surgery is physical and mental and it is for life. I am getting myself back on track and the weight is starting to come off. Surgery or no surgery being consistent is the key, excercise, food tracking and keeping those trigger foods out of the house. So how's everyone else doing?

So, it's been 1 year and 5 months since surgery and I still feel it's a wonderful thing I decided to do for myself.. Cons: the surgery does not fix mental issues and they are a big part of the journey. At this point (17 months out) you understand that you can still over eat and throw it all away. I am still addicted to sweets and must battle that daily. Not always successful. Pros: the surgery and the extreme measures of having it spurred me to make life changes. Putting myself first and making my health a priority. I gave myself permission to pay for a personal trainer for 12 months. I made regular doctors appt. for all my preventative issues. Exercise is now second nature and I miss it when I don't go. I know what to do when I get off track (holiday eating....sweets) . I know to track my food, Water and exercise. My weight has fluctuated by 8 pounds between 97 pounds and 89 pounds lost right now I am at 92 pounds down. I smile more, don't mind having my picture taken and plan our family vacations around being active.

Setting goals and reaching them! I did a 5K race with extreme obstacle course yesterday at the Mud Factor in Southern California. Started and finished the race with my husband and son and it felt great, tough but great. I would have been sitting on the sidelines cheering a year ago. I initiated this. I'm down 94 pounds in nine months and have made exercising part of my regular life now.

Six month check yesterday went great! So happy that I finally made my mind up to get with the program to get healthy and fit. You have to do it for yourself, and be honest with yourself about your previous situations. Saying you want something doesn't magically make it happen. You need to be in the mind set to make a plan, work at it, set goal and keep going day in and day out. It's not a diet it is a lifestyle that is forever. You can lose weight with just the surgery alone but your results won't be rewarding. Adding activity to your daily life is a huge part of it and seeing your progress is amazing. Knowing before you were winded by walking to the corner, then you can walk a mile. Setting a goal of doing something you have NEVER done like a push up, just one please Lord, now you can do ten or more. I made the huge financial commitment to start with a personal trainer one month after my surgery. I needed to have someone I was obligated to with appointment times. We started small and I could only do 5 minutes on the treadmill, @ 2 miles an hour and no incline. My trainer had to modify things because I couldn't hold my legs up in the air so I used bands to help hold them. I could not make it through my 30 minute workout without stopping many times and I got sick a few times. This was two days a week, and a very small walk a few more days each week. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Surgery Date- July 23, 2013 HW-265 CW-178 Pounds lost 87 Clothing- Size 22 before, currently size 12 I have lost in excess of 50 inches total. I didn't start tracking my measurements until one month after surgery when I started with the trainer. Current exercise routine M-W-F I workout with the trainer, 30 minutes on treadmill (I go in early and do this by myself So I can have all my time with her training). Then 45 minutes of circuit training and cardio. T &Th I go to a local gym (military gym free to me) and workout by myself, treadmill and then weights. I engage my husband and teenage son to help me too. I have them help me with my medicine ball workout, they throw the ball to me while I do sit ups, or help count or time me while I do planks or other exercises ( I get lost counting, helps to have someone giving me updates on where I am at) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note- at the gym there was a contest from Halloween to Jan. 2 to not put on any weight during this tempting time. You paid $5.00 to join and the money went into the pot. I won the challenge with 17 pounds lost. I won $50.00! I was going to buy a new piece of clothes for myself, but that is short lived. So, instead I put the money towards a work out watch that tracks my heart rate, calories burned and target work out level. This is a long term gift for myself. I am doing my first 5K this weekend at a Color Me Rad event. I will walk and do a little bit of jogging for the 3.1 miles and have fun throwing color bombs along the way. Tammy

Surgery Date: July 23 HW:265 CW:189 76 pounds lost, current size 14/16 Went out today and bought all new underwear and bras. Before in Hawaii April 2013 with Husband Current-

This is what happened to me this week, a very nice surprise. Remember I was someone who did not work out before, but I wanted to give 100% to making my weight lose surgery a success. Who in the world would have ever thought this would have been me getting the award, but I did it. This is the write up and picture from the gym. P.S. I started with two days a week for 30 minutes with the trainer and it was a killer. Now I go to the trainer three days a week, do 30 minutes on the treadmill before hand then 45 minutes with the trainer. Then go two days a week to the gym over at the military base and work out by myself. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Congratulations Tammy Sharp-Mcclelland Our November Client of The Month!! Here is what her trainer had to say: "Tammy is dedicated and works hard at every workout! She has already increased her intensity, comes early to get extra time in on the treadmill, and works out on her own the days she's not with me. She has also lost a significant amount of weight, had large gains in her strength, and was recently taken off of her cholesterol medicine. She always has a great, upbeat attitude and seems to really enjoy her time working out!" AWESOME JOB!! WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU!!

I am in my third month of going to a personal trainer and I love it. Yes, it's a bit expensive but worth every penny for me. I started wondering if I could get it covered under my Aetna Flex Spending account. Started reading and in fact it states you can submit for gym membership and personal trainer if you have a letter from your doctor. I called my surgeons office and asked about it since they want you to exercise.They checked and the doctor wrote a letter for me. So tomorrow I will submit the paper work for reimbursement. So, others out there might want to check their insurance plans for coverage.

I received a call from regular doctor that my blood work was back and I can STOP taking my cholesterol medicine. My numbers were awesome!!! This was one of my goals and I am SO happy, I was dancing around the kitchen and had to call my husband at work. Today was my three month anniversary from surgery and I couldn't be happier. Down 62 pounds, exercising five days a week and making myself a priority. Life is good.

I have set several goals for myself most are based on the BMI chart getting from one level to the next. The only goal that is not based on that is getting under 200 pounds and I am so close I can hardly stand it. I am going to a personal trainer and I love her and love going, I just added a third day a week starting next week to get this ball rolling faster. The weight is coming off at a decent rate but the inches are coming off faster due to the exercise. 5 pounds from next goal of being under 200 pounds, it's been many, many years since that has been seen. HW:265 SW:240 CW:204 Surgery date July 23, 2013 Tammy

Sleeved July 23, down 20 since surgery date, 45 lbs total.