mngreeneyes

You Rock! Keep it up!

Thanks @@Inner Surfer Girl. This is the one area I feel like I am struggling a bit. I found a meeting near my house and will go check it out. pam

@@jess9395 Thanks for the encouragement. You have put my mind at ease about continuing to push on. Your story is an inspiration. I understand what you say about listening to your body about hunger. I should clarify that what I meant was about hitting the wall, not hunger. I have experienced this already as I ramp up my mileage. A few weeks ago as my mileage and duration increased, I found myself hitting a wall both when running and after. I felt like I had zero energy. No gas left in the tank. I upped my calories from 800 to 1000 and added a snack before I run. That combination made it so I don't bonk when I run or after. I have been a little bit hungrier, but not too much and I plan to stay with my calorie count unless and until I find myself bonking again. On a side note, I ran 4.1 miles on Saturday, my longest run to date. I also paired up with another slow runner from my group run and encouraged her to keep going when she wanted to quit. She ran farther and faster than she had before and thanked me for being her encourager. We are planning to run together again. It sure made the time go faster too. Thanks again. Keep up the great running! pam

I have not ever had problems getting enough to drink either. I am now 6 month out. I started eating ice chips like crazy as soon as I woke up and I was able to drink all my Water within days of surgery. pam

I have to say that one of my most amazing NSVs was flying down to my nephew's wedding just over 2 months after surgery and not needing the extender AND being able to lower the tray table to its appropriate position. It was so hard not to share the excitement with the flight attendant and my seat mates! I feel your pain. One of my last flights was international to Israel from Atlanta. I was already sick, didn't fit the seat, and had broken flaps for me to lean my head on to sleep. It was a miserable flight. pam

@@KristenLe That is me too. Also my stomach and chicken wings. pam

@@Christinamo7 and @@Andrea72 I just had a great chat with one of my friends and he gave me a good pep talk. He says go for it and if your body says stop, you stop and only then. The big thing is to keep believing that I can do it. I am going to continue on with the belief that I can do it. Not in a defiant I'll show them I can do it kind of way, but in an I'm capable kind of way. As Bryan, my friend, pointed out, people get injured all the time even if they havent' had the surgery so if it happens it happens. I just need to keep being careful like I have been and listen to my body. Thanks for all your encouragement and hugs. I am feeling better since talking to Bryan and hearing from you two. Today is an easy/cross training day so I am walking with my running budy (from pre-marathon training.). Tomorrow and Saturday are runs again! Still on track! pam

@@Christinamo7 Thanks. Its more of I have dropped out of so many things over the years for one reason or another and this just feels like an excuse to quit, just like all the others. I acknowledge that my head knows I shouldn't feel this way, but my heart is breaking because I was so excited about being able to accomplish something as big as this. I guess it had become my proof that I'm no longer "the fat girl". Validation of the new me. That the old me is gone forever and I can conquer this. There are actually tears in my eyes and a catch in my throat as I write this. Thanks for the encouragement, pam

@@Andrea72 - I don't want to be a wet blanket now, but make sure you talk to your surgeon's office and your NUT. I went to my 6 month post-surgery appointment and was informed that they don't think I should do the marathon! They have known about it for more than a month because I called almost right away to talk about nutrition during long runs, etc. Their stated reason is that there isn't much research out there about bariathletes. What I have been able to find has no recommendations as to when a person can start thinking about events like this or what length. The information I read even talks about bariathletes doing ultra events and multi day events. They have decided that they can't tell me I can't, but they don't recommend it. I am frustrated. I don't want to do anything to damage myself or hamper the effectiveness of my surgery, but I also don't feel like they have given me a good reason not to do it. One of my support group friends thinks I should just keep training and listen to my body. It will tell me when it needs a break, needs more calories, etc. If I had known all this a month ago, I might have waited a year and not signed up, paid, started fundraising, and told so many people. Now I feel like I'll be a failure if I drop out. sadly, pam

@@Andrea72 You'll be surprised how fast those miles add up. I figure it is about 3 months give or take. Good luck! You can do it! pam

@@Andrea72 I had a few of those situations trying on bras and now I stick to the kind that close like regular bras. I'm in this for the exercise not the contortions! I don't know if anyone mentioned to you, but make sure to replace your shoes after about 300 miles. Knowing that 300 miles will be before my marathon, I have already bought my next pair (on sale) because I wanted to make sure to get the exact same kind. I wear Asics Cumulus. They number the models and they change slightly from model to model. I wanted to be sure I got model 16 and since the 17s just came out, 16s were on sale! I chose a different color scheme so I don't get them mixed up and wear an old one and a new one! I won't start using my new ones for another month or more, but I have them so I don't have to think about it later. Getting the same model number means I already know how they will fit and it should take minimal breaking in time. I am 3 days into getting up early to run before work. So far so good, but this is a hard habit for me. My bed is way too comfy and warm in the mornings! It takes me 3 alarm clocks in different rooms of my apartment to get me out of bed! Good luck! You can do it one step at a time! pam

I am 6 months post surgery today and I have already reached so many of my "goals". I can cross my legs. I can shop in the regular size section. I ran a 5K about a month ago and have another one in early June. I am off all my weight related meds. I fit comfortably in an airline seat without a belt extender. I found my cheek bones and collar bones. Still working on the hip bones! I am not telling you all this to brag, but so you know that it is coming! You will get there. Still on my list, single digit clothing sizes. (currently a 16 edging towards a 14.) Getting into ONEDERLAND!!! Running/doing a marathon in under 6 hours (scheduled for October 9th). Doing a mini triathlon in under an hour (scheduled for August 14th). Being able to build a decent, small size wardrobe once I hit goal (not goodwill and second hand clothes that only fit for a month or so). Getting to a point where people don't remember the fat me. You can all do it! We all can. pam

I don't have the issue, but I have to say I hope it gets better for you. It sounds terrible. pam

Thank you for sharing your journey. You have done a service by sharing the warnings. Do you believe that emotionally you were ready for the surgery? Because of the eating disorder? This is not meant as a criticism, but an honest question. Do you think you would have had a more positive experience if you had gotten more therapy for your eating disorder before the surgery? Again, I know, hindsight is 20/20, but perhaps your thoughts will give hope and pause to someone else who is battling an eating disorder like you are/were. As one of my support group friends likes to remind us, "this isn't brain surgery!" That part has to be dealt with separately. I am still working my way down to my goal weight, but have seen some of those old habits sneak in from time to time. Frozen pizza and corn tortilla chips have been my arch enemy so far. They have been my continued comfort food, although now that I am aware of how I was using them, they are a bit easier to resist. I think sometimes that although we give lip service to our surgery being a tool, we do expect some amount of miracle cure. I say I prepared for the worst and hoped for the best, but the best is miracle cure! And that hope for a miracle sure can be dangerous for your expectations. Its valuable for newbies that we point out that there are people who struggle, and struggle mightily, after the surgery, and that this isn't a miracle cure. It may fix it quickly and for a time, but it is also work. The thing I believe is that it becomes the same work that NORMAL people tend to do, unless you have an eating disorder, and that adds another layer of complexity because your relationship with food and body image are so intertwined and hurting. What I mean about normal people is that, if you observe people who are "normal" sized generally, they have to work to stay that way. They workout, they try to eat healthy, they make choices that are either positive or negative to their health. To me, this surgery has helped me "start" from normal instead of having to spend years to get back to normal and on the way to normal, I get to learn/practice as much as I can about "being normal". I can see how eating healthy and small amounts can make a difference, instead of feeling like no matter what I eat I just keep getting bigger. I can see that a reasonable amount of exercise can make me stronger and healthier, instead of feeling like we can't do enough to be able to see results. I think that for people without eating disorders, that is how this whole process can work, but having watched and supported my best friend from college as she faced down her eating disorder, I know that for you and others with eating disorders your process and mindset will be vastly different and I don't think we give nearly enough attention to those differences and how they affect this whole process. None of what I said it meant to lessen your experience in the least and I am a year behind you so my attitude and thinking could change as I move further on. I am so impressed that you have been willing to share your struggles. I know you don't know me from Adam, but if there is anyway I can be of support to you, please let me know. Best wishes as you continue on your journey, pam PS sorry that got long and perhaps a bit preachy.

I am interested. I am training for my first marathon in October and my first mini sprint Tri in August. In the meantime, I am running a few 5ks which I signed up for in January before I even considered this marathon or tri thing. So excited about all of it. I am slower than a turtle running through Peanut Butter, but I compete against myself, always trying to get a PR. My goal for my marathon is to finish before the bus that picks people up. For TwIn Cities that is less than 6 hours or about 13ish minute miles. Good luck to everyone on their athletic endeavors. pam John "the Penguin" Bingham calls us "Adult Onset Athletes". I've always loved that phrasing!

You look great. I hope you feel great too! Congratulations! pam

I went out for lunch yesterday with my parents. I ordered a mushroom and swiss burger with no bun and no fries. They brought me a plate with a patty covered in cheese and mushrooms and 3 pickles! It was tasty and just the right amount. I had to give my dad credit. He is really starting to get this. He doesn't set a glass for me on the table at home anymore and when we sat down at lunch yesterday, he told the server that there were 3 of us (mom was in the restroom), but we only needed two glasses of Water. I was so surprised I thanked him. The server still brought us 3 glasses of water, but Mom drank mine! He's trying. He's really trying. pam

I had my surgery the week before Thanksgiving 2015. My 7, 9, and 11 y.o nieces and nephew were coming to Mom and Dad's for Thanksgiving. I was at Mom and Dad's for recovery. My sister in law told them before hand so they wouldn't hurt me when they hugged me! She explained it in terms of me getting healthier, but that I was also going to lose weight and get smaller. My 9 y.o. nephew said, But I don't want Pam to get smaller. I love her just the way she is! (okay so he's a keeper). Now they are just so excited to get to go running/walking with me. They love that I have more energy to play with them. I don't know that there was anything said about not telling, but as far as understanding, they all got the basics. They even asked me questions about my surgery at Thanksgiving. They had some great questions. They have grown up with eating healthy. They frequently will tell me that it is healthier to drink Water than pop and that sort of thing so they really understood about wanting to be healthier. Even the nephew who didn't want me to change has come around now. I think for all of them they were worried by change. They all sounded so relieved to talk to me on the phone after my surgery. And even more relieved when they actually got to see me at Thanksgiving. pam

WHOOHOOO!!! You've been bit by the running bug! Keep it up! You will go far. Congrats! pam

I am so sorry to hear about your stress. At the same time, I am so excited for you about the marathon training. Does setting an alarm help with reminding you to eat? I would suggest making the healthiest best tasting favorite things for yourself, but I dont' think you want to get back on the reward yourself with food train. Perhaps reward yourself for eating all you are supposed to when you are scheduled to with a run? My thoughts and prayers go out to you. HUGS pam

I will second what Go Blue said. Everyone is different. I have been drinking water/eating ice chips since I woke up from surgery. I had severe cotton mouth from the anti-nausea meds. At first you won't get that much in, but was you heal and your swelling goes down you will be able to eat and drink more. It sounds impossible now, but most, if not all, of us do it regularly. pam

Congrats! I'm so glad you have recovered from all your challenges! Keep it up! pam

I also had less pain that I was expecting. I had never had surgery before so I had no idea what to expect. I was walking within hours of surgery and doing laps around the floor by the next day. I was terrified of the gas pain so I wanted to walk before the nurses even suggested it! I had some pain, but for me it was more about tiredness than pain. I was out of my desk job for 2 weeks, but that was more because I was tired than pain. I stopped taking pain meds of any kind, including children's tylenol, within a week. (I couldn't swallow the pills yet so I took the kids liquid, it was AWFUL!) As far as pain meds, take what you need to sleep and heal, but listen to your body and stop moving/doing before you get tired or hurt. For me the big pain went away pretty quickly. I hope you have a similar experience. pam

Congrats! Don't you love it when all of a sudden the scale has a new littler number! Way to Go! Keep it up! pam @@LisaMergs Don't forget to fix your ticker to further celebrate!

Congrats! Mine went really fast, like that. I had two weeks to the day from being all approved and going in for surgery. Fortunately for me, it was the date I had been hoping for. (It was the Wednesday one week before Thanksgiving, so I had Thanksgiving break to use for recovery!) It will fly by and you'll be on the losing side soon! Congrats! pam