OCTOBER 2014

[amylynns 802]

@Shadow427--Thanks for the tip! I feel like I drink a ton of Water, but I'll increase it more and see if that helps.

That is awesome about your weekend away with "your date!" And to find out he had gastric bypass too!? That is amazing! To have someone that TRULY understands you and what you've been through. So happy for you I can see the happiness in your pictures! You look great! And the little "sliver" of what I could see of your date, LOOKS GREAT! Hehee!

[Shadow427 272]

Amylynns - also, ice your knees for about 10-15 minutes after working out. It keeps the swelling down. If you don't have an ice pack, use a bag of frozen veggies!

And thanks... He is a sweet gentleman....

[PinkPolkadot619 337]

Another smile...

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Absolutely stunning!! And incredible that he would be on the same path and have the understanding of the journey you are on!! So lucky!! :-) I hope to see more of this "date" soon

[Beni 1,484]

@@Shadow427

That's freaking unbelievable. He had RNY as well. What are the chances! What a wonderful surprise. I am sooo glad you had a fun time. Live is here for the living and for so long we did not live. That's the honest truth. I survived but I did not "LIVE." Now I feel there is nothing I can't do. That power is something I had forgotten I even had, isn't that the saddest thing. Being Morbid Obese sucked the life out of me both physically and emotionally. I was like the lobster placed in the pot of cold Water. All was good, I was feeling a little cozy as the water warmed up, but I was okay. I was complacent to my predicament. I hardy even realized if I didn't jump out of that pot I was going to boil to death. That's what obesity does to you. It saps your life away. Isn't that the truth?

[Beni 1,484]

@@amylynns

The period and retaining Fluid didn't help but it also occurred to me your knee pain may be related to the fact that you have not exercised like you have lately in years. Our knees had to put up with all that extra weight in the past and they have worn a little. When you combine that with the fact we don't have the muscle developed to support the knees, I could see some discomfort coming our way. Perhaps focus on building muscle with weight/strength exercises before biking, running, etc. Just to get the muscle in place first. Take it easy, don't try to do too much too soon. We want you as healthy as possible so you can rock those Jeans like they should be rocked, right? You will get there. I too feel a little knee pain once in a while. In fact, sometimes, I can seriously hear my knees making loud noises. I go, I'm sure the entire room is not supposed to be hearing my knees (i'm sure they don't) and I try to modify my step and it usually improves. For me, I have to walk in a more active way. Like I have to be aware of the muscles supporting my knees. If I walk completely carelessly throwing my legs in whatever way, I hurt. Locking my knees as I stand is also really bad. With my knees I feel like all the padding is gone and they are just bone on bone. I am sure that's not true or I would be in terrible pain but my knees are thin now. Imagine that, lol.

Your last photos looked great. I am at 162 and decided I do not want to drop any more weight. I am a size 10 pant size. Perfect for me. I will work on tummy toning instead. Toning everywhere really. I am beginning to feel too thin. Maybe in a couple months I will look at it again but for right now I am happy at 162. Everyone in my family agrees I am good. I talked to my Nutritionist about maintaining my current weight. But I lost 2 more pounds since I saw her. Heck!

[Beni 1,484]

BEST COMPLEMENT EVER

I was at my doctor's office last week and ran into my doctor and he did not recognize me. That's what 108 lbs loss will do to you. I knew him well. We had 3 appointments before surgery and a web seminar face to face and I went to all of the support group meetings and saw him there twice. In other words, it's not like he didn't know me. I was sitting in the waiting room and as he walked by me, he thought I was someone waiting for a patient, he honestly didn't recognize me at all. Isn't that the most fantastic complement. My own doctor!

I also had a handyman whom I knew well. he had been to my house several times (maybe 10 times in the past 5 years), he too didn't know who I was. I ran into him at a friend's house and he was clueless as to who I was.

My neighbor 3 houses down also didn't recognize me, the principal at my son's school. the list goes on an on. If I changed my name, I could be someone else, lol.

[Bronxmerci 312]

I found this pic on my moms phone at 301lbs

[Shadow427 272]

Bronxmerci - oh my! You've come a long way baby!

[amylynns 802]

@Bronxmerci--Wow, what a difference! Way to go girl!!

[LisaCO 169]

Bronx you rock! Looks like your skin bounced back well.

[Beni 1,484]

@@Bronxmerci

What a difference! Well done.

How come you have anemia? What did the doctor say? After surgery you had all those blood cloth complications but by now you should have recovered. Is it related to Vitamin deficiencies? I say that because anemia makes you weak. I had it after losing a lot of blood with my second child's birth. Not a fun time. I worry about you being able to take care of your son and work.

You do look amazing.

[Beni 1,484]

Today I reached my goal of 160lbs. That's a 110 lbs loss. FREAKING UNBELIEVABLE.

Yesterday, I realized I fit in my teen daughter's clothes. Not that I am going to wear them, that dress was way too short but hello, I could. If I wanted to look like a "tart." You know way too short dress, trying to look like 20 is not a good look, lol.

I was perfectly happy with 165 and then in the period of two weeks I lost 5 lbs. Not sure how. I am busy like a bee but I am eating 3 meals and one snack. Sometimes 2 Snacks or even 3. My next challenge is going to be not losing any more weight. Not sure how I'm going to accomplish that. Must eat more! Never thought I could say that about me. I already have Snacks everywhere. I never leave the house without stuffing my purse and my car with snacks. I actually eat more in my car then I ever did. I' always worrying that I must eat, or not forget to eat. I don't have head hunger, in fact, I have the opposite, I am hardly ever hungry. I feel weak and know it's because I need to eat something. Does anyone feel that way? Do you feel hungry? I am curious about what your relationship with food is like a year after surgery.

[tacycakes 127]

I go through days like I am so hungry and feel like I've eaten all day, and then others where I forget to eat and still feel full. Not sick or anything. I realized though that on the days where I feel I've eaten a lot; I have probably only eaten a small portion. Some days I just buy food but don't eat it. It's like an old habit/compulsion. I'll go to Bojangles and buy 2 wings and a sweet tea, or buy a kitkat or last week went to mcdonalds and bought a french fry and a hot fudge Sunday. At Panera, I might buy a scone, coffee, and Mac and cheese.

As soon as I try a bite of any of these things, I'm satisfied (or repulsed) and I bring them home to my husband or the trash. I ate a salad for lunch today and picked up a cookie on the way out off of a salad/dessert buffet and brought it home. I guess I'm doing this as a "I used to love these!" Kind of deals, but it's so weird. And costly. If I do try to force myself to take a bite of say fried chicken or Mac and cheese, my stomach rebels as soon as it's in my mouth and can't swallow and I immediately want something cold and clean like watermelon or Water. It's not even a head hunger or craving that makes me buy. I think it's habit. But then I'm like, what the heck? I don't even want this! I'll throw whole sandwiches in the trash or give them to the guys at work. (Who are vultures and like that I'm on a 'diet' so they can eat my food.) I don't do this a lot, but maybe once a week. It's like a comfortable blanket to just have it near me I think. I once had an eclair in the fridge for over a month and my daughter asked me if she could throw it out and I told her no. She asked why, bc it was practically moldy, and I told her that I like it there. Later, I wondered why. Is it bc when I open the fridge and take out a yogurt that I actually "chose" the yogurt over the eclair? Is it a reminder of where I've been, or of something I used to love and want it there like a blankie to reassure me? I think I like looking at it sitting there, and I smile to myself and shut the door. Like, "you don't have power over me anymore!! See, I don't need you!" Idk. A psychologist might have a field day with me but I feel like I did when I was having food funerals, only I was sad then and powerful now.

On most days I eat a Protein Bar on the way to work or a yogurt, a cheese stick as a snack, chicken with nuts and fruit for lunch and then maybe a Protein Shake for a second snack. For dinner, I eat maybe taco salad, a cup of chili, or chicken salad. Something lighter so I don't feel heavy when I go to bed. Plus I'm not usually hungry by then. Watermelon, berries (all kinds) and cantelope are my daily friends.

That's where I am on this 11th month, still trying to honestly understand my relationship with AND without food.

[amylynns 802]

@Beni----Doing the HAPPY DANCE for you Beni!! Way to go!!!! I'm like you. I was perfectly happy at 160 and then it seems my body isn't quite done yet. I'm at 151 and now I kinda want to get to 149 to make it an even 100 pound loss. LOL. But no, really---I'd be happy staying right here. I weigh every few days, just to keep myself on track. Really concentrating on only eating foods with actual nutritional value. Skipped corn last night because, really--what does it have in it that of nutritional value?

I am truly in awe of what we've all done over the lasts 11 months. WOW. We are serious rock stars!!

With that being said---I know the "honeymoon" period is 12-18months, right? So then the 2nd half of our battle starts. I know way too many people that have had this surgery that end up gaining some or ALOT back. I DO NOT want to be that person! I really feel SO CRAZY in control right now that I can't imagine "going back!" But in the back of my mind I'm terrified because there have definitely been times in the past where I was doing everything right and it's like my body rebelled and wouldn't lose, or even gained for no apparent reason.

@tacycakes--I do THE SAME thing!! I'll buy something that I used to eat, like a comfort thing--and for me, I don't have intentions of even eating it, I just kind of need it there. So weird! (but maybe not? Maybe we're totally normal, "for us.")

Last night I bought Skittles at my son's football game. I ate 2 and passed them on to people around me, LOL.

As far as hunger. I feel it a bit more than I used to. It used to be just feeling weak. But now maybe I recognize the feeling before I get to the weak point? It's not like my stomach growls like it used to, but it's almost a pain, or an empty feeling where my pouch is. I take it as hunger and eat something.

I'm eating 3 meals and 2-3 Snacks a day too. Snacks are fruit in the morning. (around 10:30) and usually raw veggies in the afternoon. Or Laughing Cow cheese wedge and 3 or 4 triscuits. Sometimes in the evenings I'll have air popped pop corn, or an apple. But I've found that typically it's mindless eating at night.. Not real hunger.

I was having BAD reflux still and getting very frustrated. I started taking my last set of Vitamins around 8:30pm instead of when I went to bed (around 10-11pm) That does the trick most night now. DUH. And no eating past 9PM.

I am absolutely LOVING college!! I sure wish I could go full time!! I'm doing well too, grade wise, LOL! ( a bit shocked, LOL)

Shoot--gotta run for now. So good to keep in touch with you all!!!

[Beni 1,484]

@@amylynns

So glad you are loving college. It's nice to be in the middle of things.

Your "hunger" sounds exactly like mine, a bit of pain in my stomach and if I don't eat something then the sensation gets worst. I too eat well and I am perfectly happy with my diet. I eat everything, just in very small quantities. The usual food is very healthy but I will have a bite or two of something. Like your two skittles, 1/2 a banana, a sliver of pie (but not alone, I have to eat sweets only after a proper meal or I get a funny feeling.)

My pants are too big again. All my size 12 pants fall off. Blast, I am never going to settle on a size! I'm a size 10 now which for me is perfect.