Going Strong

Doing really well still.  I am at 147.0 pounds which is down by two pounds since I last weighed myself.  I am keeping my fat intake really low to help get to my goal weight of 143 pounds.  Honestly though, I would be happy with 145 pounds.  Maintaining that weight is all good.  Still avoiding buying those food items that cause over snacking.  One of the snacks I should have added to the list before was ANY of the sugar free candies….they sell them at many places, yummy mint patties, caramel chocolates, all kinds.  They are SUPER yummy and I have a very hard time not having a lot of them.   The worst part is that for most of these small candies 3 of them is 10 grams of fat.  YIKES!!  No thank you.  

LOTS of fluids though is helping greatly.  Water with some crystal lite in it (generic brand) and also lots of milk (1%).  Keeps my tummy full through the times when I can’t have a snack handy too.  James is being very supportive and is trying to remind me when he sees me getting ready to eat something not as healthy as it could be to grab a better meal option.  He is also trying to lose weight btw….he started at 213 pounds and is now at 205.   Good job James!!  He is just eating smaller portions...way smaller.  It’s a slow process but he is doing really good.  

The holidays are fast approaching as we all know.  I don’t think I will have any problems but to be on the safe side I won’t be buying any treats or goodies until it’s time for the dinners.  It will be good for us all that way I think.  :)

Banned Items!

I am discovering that there are some foods that I simply should not buy.  When I buy them I can’t help but eat them instead of a nice healthy meal.  I end up eating things that are not necessarily healthy, but just taste good.  Not that they have high fat in them even...but they just are empty useless foods.  So...which foods am I talking about?  

1.)  Cheeze It’s - I LOVE them so much….so so much….I buy the reduced fat ones but even still I could eat the whole box throughout entire day if I have them….I DO NOT buy those anymore.

2.)  Pure Protein Bars - I buy these still because I need them to hit my protein mark for the day but I only buy what I need for the day.  This of course makes for more trips to the store but that is good because I swear these things are like candy to me...I f’n LOVE them.

3.)  Rice Cakes - Talk about empty calories….these are 50 calories a pop, have virtually no nutritional value, and I could eat these all day.  They are for sure my snack of choice when I want something that is kinda sweet but isn’t too sweet.  

4.)  Mini Chimichangas - Oh these things are delicious.  I dip them in a little bit of sour cream and I end up wishing I was still able to stuff myself...because if I could stuff myself, I would do it with these.  BUT, I can not buy these anymore because they are 8 grams of fat for the two I eat and when you add in the sour cream, it is just too much.  NO MORE!!

I am sure there are many more items, I just can’t remember them right now.  The point is that it’s nice to know that I can at least recognize these things and put a stop to it before I get out of control.  I haven’t bought some of these items for a long time and the rice cakes are a recent discovery of the “no more buying” category so I will no longer be purchasing those.  I have instead been discovering new healthier items to buy….like salad mix that I can add some great ingredients too, or Dannons Light and Fit yogurt.  I will figure it out and continue to be a healthier me….this whole process is a exactly that….a process...and I am learning and changing my habits to keep myself on a good path.

Hopeful

I had another appointment with Dr. Dinick on Saturday morning.  He confirmed that everything is still healing well on my chest but there is one last tweak that needs to be done.  My right breast is still not sitting correctly and the nipple is a bit off center.  It of course hurts slightly too when I am in different positions because the implant is not sitting right.  So….right now I am just waiting to hear back from his assistant because they technically don’t have any openings to do my procedure before the end of this year.  BUT, I have to have it done this year because our insurance deductible has been met and so any surgery I have this year will be fully covered.  So if it happens in 2014, it won’t be.  SO…..they are going to try to squeeze me in since they only need 2 hours for the procedure.  I am just waiting for the phone call...that’s all I can do.  Otherwise I may have to wait until the end of next year….which isn’t the end of the world, but it would be annoying.  

In other news I am doing excellent when it comes to tracking my fat intake and protein.  I am currently weighing 148 pounds...which is fine...but I would rather be back at 143 pounds.   BUT, as long as I am doing what I am supposed to be doing I can’t complain.  If this is the weight my body likes then I will have to be ok with it.  HOWEVER….I gained those 5 pounds because I had a couple bad weeks of eating more fat than I should have been so I am hoping that if I stick to my plan….THE plan….the way I am SUPPOSED to be eating ALL THE TIME….then I can only assume that the weight will go back down to where it was.  We shall see.  I will of course keep you updated.  Whoever all of you are. lol

Diligence Update!!

Well diligence is paying off so far.  I have been tracking my food carefully and i am already back down to weighing 145.5 pounds.  It’s funny how easy it is to get out of the correct routine and into a bad habit.  I am doing good though….fighting against temptations to just have small nibbles on foods just because they are there.  That is another thing that I recently discovered I was doing and depending on the item that I am nibbling on I could be adding on to my fat intake very easily by doing that.  Trying to keep hydrated as well….I always have my drinks with me and some generic crystal lite to squirt into it too so it isn't just plain water.  I can’t stand drinking lukewarm plain water but if it has some flavor I have no problem at all.   Anyway….just wanted to give a quick update on how I was doing.  YAY for doing good!!  

Diligence!

I feel like I have been quite the slacker lately.  Indulging when I shouldn’t be and that is not good.  It’s not like I am over eating in regards to the amount of food...I am not stuffing myself or something.  But I am eating more fat content than I should be and that is bad.  Yesterday I was much better and today I plan on being as well.  I can tell it is just that I am buying things that I know are my weakness. It’s not like I have put on a lot of weight.  But to me putting on any weight is just a bad trend that I don’t want to start.  I want to be at 143 pounds.  That is where I ended and where I want to stay….but yesterday morning I was at an annoying 148 pounds.  5 pounds more!!   ugh.  Again, I know it isn’t a lot to most people...but to me that is a big deal and something to be slightly concerned about since it could lead to complacency and bad habits returning.  I have to be so aware of myself if I want to really maintain this weight and new body that I have been blessed with.  So I am going to be diligent.  Use my app on my phone like crazy….and just take care of things right.  I think my downfall was going camping.  I had to eat different stuff, more fattening stuff...and it just made me lazy.

Work is going well though which keeps me walking a lot and of course I have been going to the gym regularly.  James still seems QUITE happy with the new me and is always complimenting me and grabbing on me.  It feels great and I love all the attention from him.  Hoping that this new excitement never goes away….because it sure is fun!  One more procedure to go and then I am done….I wish it would hurry up!!

Recent Check Up

I just had another check up two days ago.  Dr. Dinick is really pleased with how my scars are looking.  I will be having another check up in 3 more months (November) and at that point he will schedule my final small procedure.  My right breast needs one more tweak done and then it is complete!  I can’t wait.  Thought it was complete the last time, but I was wrong.  That is ok.  Just really hoping that this last thing is really truly the last thing though because the last surgery cost us more again....and I really don’t want to keep adding more onto our credit card.  James hates debt.  

My healing process is going so well though.  I couldn’t be happier.  I still have some numbness on and around my scars, but that is a small price to pay for having all that extra skin removed.  Even if all the feeling never comes back around my scars I would still say it is worth it.  My nipples don’t have full feeling yet either, but I am hopeful that will change within the year mark of my surgery and you know what, even if it doesn’t....again....a small price to pay for everything to be put back together.  The only down side to the numbness I have is when that spot is itchy and I scratch it, it does no good!  I can’t feel myself scratching it!  ugh.  lol

I have been going to the gym regularly still.  Working on my stomach muscles is still not happening, it hurts too much with the tummy tuck so I imagine that will take more time in the healing process.  Maybe I will be able to do those kind of exercises once the year mark hits in February.  I can do 4 sit ups right now...4.....that is nothing compared to the 25 I used to do.  But I am gaining ground.  

The swelling in my stomach is going down as well.  This is another great healing sign.  I haven’t lost more weight but I am down another pant size (size 8!) which to me just shows that the swelling is steadily going down.  I can’t wait til a couple years has gone by and I can see the final product.  Things are so exciting.  Even with the swelling though I don’t mind how everything looks.  I have been brave and am wearing an actual bikini top now when I go out swimming and to the beach.  I was nervous at first but now I am comfortable with it.  Feels good to be wearing one....something that I never ever dreamed of being able to do.  

How is it that God has blessed me with this whole experience?  I feel so fortunate that I not only had the gastric bypass procedure but that I had it and had ZERO complications.  THEN....I had the reconstructive surgeries...and still no complications!  I am just so thankful...so very thankful.  I feel like I have a new life....I get to be healthy....run....walk up hills, play with the kids....feel sexy for my husband...and just feel like I look good in general.   I can’t express how wonderful it is to shop in the regular section...instead of the plus size one.  To not worry about where I park and if I can squeeze out of my car....to have the towel wrap around me all the way....paint my toes....and have James easily pick me up!  So much to appreciate....it is mind blowing.   

I will write again soon and update on what other things are happening....for now I guess the overall theme though is that I am doing great, sticking with the gym, eating right, and feeling wonderful.  God is good and life is great.   Amen!

Progressing

Things are coming along really well.   Since my last procedure my chest is healing up really nice and looking even better.  I am still going to the gym and I am trying to take it easy but its hard.  Sometimes I do too much...and hurt myself...but I am learning my lessons for sure.  I can always tell when I hurt myself because its almost like I feel a slight tear in my chest.  Nothing does tear of course...but that is just what the pain feels like.   So I am currently avoiding doing stomach exercises and chest ones for now.   I don't know how much longer I will need to... but I will figure it out.  

Adjusting to life as a skinny person is still odd.  I feel like I have ZERO idea how to speak to the male population without coming off like I am hitting on them.  I am learning that even friendly chatting can be taken as flirting.  And sometimes I don’t have to do anything...they just notice me and immediately  give me a “look”, or say something that implies something else.  It is strange and I am adapting.  I don’t want to give people the wrong idea of course.  

But it is natural I think as well for me to like and even appreciate some of the attention.  Trying to not let it go to my head of course.  People compliment me or say how pretty I look and I just try to remind myself that although it is great to look nice, it is not the most important thing and that what really matters is showing God’s love to others.  I have been trying to read my Bible at work....and discuss church more in front of people...in the hopes to have those kinds of conversations come up.  Then I can say what a huge blessing from God this surgery has been...and give him the glory.  

I have an appointment coming up in August.  I may or may not need one more small procedure on my right breast but that should be it.  I thought I was done....but Dr. Dinick really seems to want to do a couple more fixes.  They are ones that I agree with too...so it’s all good.  I want things looking the best they can as well.  :)   I will write another update later.   Bye for now.  :)