Gonna Get To Goal. Wanna Join Me?

[coops 1,790]

Happy Surgaversiary Swizzly!

You've had an amazing year and I am sure that it will continue... congrats on a great job well done! ANd a BMI of 24 is bloody amazing!! xx

[swizzly 901]

Thanks, Coops. :-) Means a lot to me.

[coops 1,790]

Wow... it has been a stressful week in work and I am dreading my weekly weigh in over the weekend... I've been bouncing up and all over the place through the week...

But I have managed to destress tonight by... wait for it... drum roll please... going SWIMMING!!

OMG I DID IT.... I WENT SWIMMING!

First time in two years and I did; 4 lenths warm up and 32 lengths - half a mile - in just over 31 minutes!

I really am proud of myself!!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Congrats to you! Great job.

[swizzly 901]

OMG I DID IT.... I WENT SWIMMING!

First time in two years and I did; 4 lenths warm up and 32 lengths - half a mile - in just over 31 minutes!

I really am proud of myself!!

That. is. AWESOME!!! :wub:

So presumably, you also wore your swimsuit in public as well?? How did that go?

Congrats, HUGE NSV!!!! <3

[coops 1,790]

Awww, thanks my lovely sleeve friends... you really know how to cheer me up and cheer me on! Peeps who ain't got a sleeve just don't 'get' it... all these little things that mean a lot to me/us mean very little to them. This really has boosted my confidence, just when I needed it.

My one problem at the moment is that I really am starting to get pee'd off with the lack of movement on the scale... I just want to see a 'little' move!! I know it won't magically jump to that magic number that I soooo want to see... but a pound down right now would really be the icing on the (UMMM) cake???LOL

I really am starting to wonder whether my hormones (HRT Patches and peri menopause - but other women lose well in this stage?) are the reason why I am proper stuck... and this is no minor stall of a day or two; a week or two ... we are talking since F'ing October ... four mths now with the same bounce! I know others have experienced this and got through it, I suppose I am just uber frustrated!

Ok, ok... I know you are saying; 'yes, but Coops, your clothes are fitting better and you look trim and great' and I appreciate that, really I do and I LOVE the way I am starting to feel! I just can't feel 'done' yet! I can't stop when maybe I should think about stopping as I really don't want to get to a 'dark' place with my weight loss again... do you know what I mean?

So, any handy tips on how to 'mentally' get through this ... you guys are such a wealth of experience, information and ideas...

hugs xx

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Coops... have you been measuring? How about taking a break from the scale for a month. Just measure once a week or something.... I have weighed everyday for a year... my scale just broke two days ago and Its the second day I have not been able to weigh. I wonder if I should throw my scale away for a while... just to see how it feels to not mini obsess on that number....just thinking....

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Coops you are almost to the goal line. It will take longer to get to goal, but it will happen. I've decided to not stress on the #'s which is hard but, I look so much better, I feel better, and I get to wear really cute cloths. I've decided not to focus on that damn scale and just keep doing what I've been doing. It does get harder the closer we get to goal. I would like to loose about 30 more lbs too. I know that it will come off, but I am going to have to work harder.

Do whatever it takes to kick you metabolism into burning. Just remember, you look awesome in your skinny jeans! You are feeling much better, and yes, it is totally frustrating! But the weight will come off. Hugs and kisses!

[MegInNOLA 531]

Happy surgiversary, Swizzly, and Coops, I agree with the above--why not take a break from the dreaded weighing and get out that tape measure? Because I have been this same weight for 6 weeks or so but have dropped a size--yeah, a full size. How that happened without any weight moving off my body, I don't know, but I'm in a 12 pants (loosely, mind you) and a large, not XL, in tops. My bra bands are on the tightest setting and are still loose. Even my shoes are a bit looser on my feet. I have no idea how any of this works; I know I'm not dehydrated, since we've been off work for Mardi Gras break and I've been paying good attention to that, but that's all I know.

I went to the farmers' market today and got inspired to maybe begin to focus on the healthfulness of food--without being a cliche, I hope, I'd like to try to eat more organic and local produce and less processed food. I have already cut a TON of processed food out of my diet--or rather, my sleeve has forced me to cut it out through its refusal to tolerate it!--but I still do eat processed food with all kinds of additives and preservatives and so forth. Those things can't be too good for me, right? I'm already eating a fairly healthy diet, but I think I'm going to try to substitute organic and local when I can. Small steps. :-)

[Escape_Pod 358]

I REALLY need to work on getting more veggies back into my diet. I got so into the habit of Protein, and that's still practically all I eat. Sometimes I think I really ought to go back to see a good nutritionist - I saw one a couple of times who worked in conjunction with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Anyway, I feel like I need some good advice on adjusting my diet as I transition into maintenance, and the NUT my surgeon referred me to wasn't really all that great.

[MegInNOLA 531]

I have sort of the opposite issue, since my sleeve doesn't tolerate a lot of animal Protein, so I've been a "forced" lactovegetarian for most of my sleeve journey--not that I mind, because I love eating this way, but it makes it challenging to get enough protein and makes low-carbing an impossibility--again, okay with me, because my body functions best on a balanced diet. BUT that's also why I feel like I need to pay closer attention to the nutritional content of the food I do eat--I don't want to waste sleeve space on stuff that's not really contributing to helping me feel great! :-)

[coops 1,790]

Hey you lot!

Thanks for the suggestions re measuring... I measured a couple of weeks ago and there was no change! I'll have to do it again soon.

As for adding veggies and healthy foods, I eat a lot of greens... mange tout are great as they don't take up too much room, same with green Beans and peppers... I eat a lot of peppers, red, orange and yellow are my favs! I have also tried some curly kale as Feedyour eye suggested and it was lovely, again in a stir fry. I usually put the greens with a portion of chicken/pork/beef/ fish and I feel it makes a really balanced meal that keeps me full for a long time! I rarely eat processed foods now too... i don't like the texture and prefer to see what goes into my food... however, I do like tinned Soups and baked Beans now and again. I really believe in moderation, so the opening a tin now and again isn't gonna do any harm.

I weighed this weekend and I am back to the top of my bounce range again... I know it is Water as my rings are tight ... I am also having another visit from 'aunt flo' second in 20 days and this one has lasted over a week... as did the other one. It isn't heavy now... but still there if that makes sense...TMI??? I shouldn't really be getting visits now I am HRT and this is leading me to believe that my hormones are affecting my weight? I am not looking for excuses here... ust trying to work out what the hell is going on...

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I went to the farmers' market today and got inspired to maybe begin to focus on the healthfulness of food--without being a cliche, I hope, I'd like to try to eat more organic and local produce and less processed food. I have already cut a TON of processed food out of my diet--or rather, my sleeve has forced me to cut it out through its refusal to tolerate it!--but I still do eat processed food with all kinds of additives and preservatives and so forth. Those things can't be too good for me, right? I'm already eating a fairly healthy diet, but I think I'm going to try to substitute organic and local when I can. Small steps. :-)

I hope eating healthful veggies is never a cliche in my book! (I'm from California though.....) The farmers market is inspirational... why not eat local and organic!? Its smart is so many ways. Support your local farmers. I have been eating some Omega three eggs lately, and they are so much better tasting than the regular....

I am hoping to come to NOLA at the end of April... any suggestions for good veggie restaurants?

[MegInNOLA 531]

I am hoping to come to NOLA at the end of April... any suggestions for good veggie restaurants?

Great! The end of April is a lovely time to visit--Jazz Fest, beautiful weather, etc. There aren't a lot of veggie restaurants around here, honestly--tons of great seafood and creole/soul food places, though. I like Mediterranean places for the most part. In New Orleans, on Carrollton Avenue, there's Lebanon and Mona's Cafe, both excellent. There's a Zoe's out on Old Metairie Rd that is wonderful--my husband and I both really enjoy that. It's fresh, light, and really delicious; they make white Beans slow-simmered in olive oil and rosemary that will knock your socks off, plus it's the best Greek salad in town, I think, with just a light vinegar, oil, and herb dressing. Yum! Good thing I just ate Breakfast or I'd be getting hungry now. :-)

Most of the Mediterranean places here do a version of moussaka that is yellow squash, onion, and Tomato layered with olive oil and baked in casserole--it gets tender and delicious and is one of my favorite things ever. You can find hummus at almost any restaurant nowadays, so that's an easy one--I usually ask for cucumber slices instead of pita bread, since I can't tolerate the pita.

On Magazine Street, check out Nirvana and the Whole Foods market--the market has a huge selection of prepared foods and a nice cafe area in which you can sit and eat.

In the Quarter, it's a little trickier, but definitely check out The Green Goddess--yummy, yummy. Like all places on this list, they are not strictly vegetarian; most New Orleans restaurants will include seafood, if not all kinds of meat and dairy.

Give me a holler when you're heading this way--would love to maybe meet up for coffee!

[Lila21 36]

So jealous of you ladies hanging out in NOLA! Hope you get some coffee with chickory! Coops, I definitely think your hormones could be having an effect, although I don't know what can be done about it. Maybe see a good nutritionist who can recommend Vitamins and supplements to help balance the hormones. Swizzly, many congrats on your surgiversary! You've done so well, and it must feel great!

I, too, am trying to get more veggies into my diet. I really like veggies, but realizing that i just don't tolerate raw ones as well since the sleeve, so I'm just going to get more cooked veggies in the form of Soups and stir fry. I just saw a documentaty about a guy who cured himself of an auto-immune disease by juicing (which i don't really want to do, but it did make me think more about nutriets). At any rate, as for me, I am doing really well on the fitness front, but I just have NOT been following my eating closely enough. I already mentioned this a few weeks ago, and I still need to get back on track!!! I just went through a really stressful time at work, but I think things are finally calming down so I have room to breathe! So this week, I am going to do Diva's "bootcamp." I'm really, really hoping I see a weight loss through this. I've been stuck at the same weight for a while!