gldngrrl

Exploring and preparing. I have Aetna Public Employee's insurance. I had to lose 5% of my weight (14.2lbs) before I could even be referred to the clinic. I have done that, plus more. I am exercising, and eating less- so I will probably continue to slowly lose weight until my surgery. I have met with the PA, Kat Redmond, at the Federal Way Bariatric Surgery clinic. She feels I am a good candidate for this procedure, as I am motivated to exercise and already am changing my eating habits.
At this point, I need only a psych eval and to do some online education. Before surgery, I will go on a 2 week low fat/hi protein diet to "shrink my liver", although Kat said she really didn't notice it on exam, so it's probably OK.I will probably not have surgery until the start of summer, so I can take the time off.I have been overweight most of my life. I have lost weight significantly twice- but even then, never to a "normal" BMI range. And it always came back. My immediate goal is to get my BMI to 24.9, then depending on how I feel there, I might lost more or stay. I want to be able to be active, run, hike, all that kind of stuff.

The above was written a couple years back, before my surgery. Now, I am about 95 lbs lighter. I have climbed Mt St. Helens, I have run my first 1/2 marathon and I run regularly now.
I have about 40-45 lbs left to reach my weight goal. I have started to meet my lifestyle goals: I can run (slowly and in intervals for longer distances), I can hike no problem (and my goal is now to backpack/camp), I can wear "regular" clothes, no more shopping in the plus sized/women's department, instead I can wear a med-large and a size 12-14.

I want to run faster, easier and to hike longer and be able to carry a 40 lbs pack (I currently carry a ~20 lb pack). I still don't see myself as a "regular sized" person yet. I have loose skin for sure, although I've been losing very slowly, so I think it is not as bad as it could be. There's still plenty of work to do.

I know that to reach my weight goal, things are going to start to get hard. Luckily I was able to mostly work my ass off (exercise) and I have been able to eat reasonably and whatever I pretty much whatever I want. Now, for the next 40lbs, I need to become much more restrictive of my intake....

I recently got married (after a long courtship and this is a second marriage) to a guy who's amazing and supportive- he trained by my side- him for a full marathon, me for my 1/2. He hikes with me and shares my passion for getting out a doing things, dancing all night and feeling fit and strong.


Anyhow I am coming over to this forum now, after all this time, to try to connect with folks with lapbands who have adopted a very active, athletic lifestyle. I run about ~12 miles a week, and I plan to increase that (I do a lot more in summer, as I teach and I have more time off), I also hike regularly, anywhere from 5 miles to 10+ miles a week and in winter, I snowshoe.