Woo Freakin' Who!!!!

Ok so I hadn't weighed in a while I fig I really hadn't lost anything else since I am now back on reg food...... not that I have not followed the plan. But I just fig it was inevitable. Well I weighed and I am down another 1.6 lbs!!!!! That is 16.6 lbs total since April 5th :) and it has been so easy! I know it will not always be that way but I really have not been hungry. Today at work someone told me I needed to get some new jeans because the ones I was wearing were way to big!!! She knows I have had surgery and has had gastric bypass herself but it still made me feel good. I have been thinking for awhile that I needed to try on a smaller size pair of jeans. We all know those of us that battle our weight have multiple sizes hanging in our closets. When I came home I decided to try on the next smaller size of jeans. I grabbed a pair and it just happen that they are a size smaller but I have NEVER been able to wear them!!! I ordered them a couple of years ago and at the time I was the size on the label. But when they came in they didn't fit they were too small even though they had my size on the label. I started to put the jeans back in the closet and pull out another pair but I didn't I thought " at least try it.... what do you have to loose? If they don't fit put them back and try another pair " THEY FIT!!!! THEY FIT!!!! OMG THEY FREAKIN FIT!!!!!! It is little things like this that make it easy to stick with this and keep on going. I feel very blessed. I have been "morbidly obese" for years and other than my hip issue I have not had any health issues related to my weight. I know I am lucky as there is a HUGE long list out there of issues that I statistically "should" have at least one of and don't. I feel like I am taking my life back and it is going to be better than ever!!!!

The daily grind

Today it was back to the daily grind. My first day back at work went pretty good. I got there by 6am ( and then found out later that I didn't have to be ) Most of my day was spent in meetings. I forgot in the 4mos I was away how crazy they are about meetings. I was able to get my jeans on. They were already baggy on me due to the box project I have been working on and moving all those 45lb boxes around. They fit fine in the waist ..... I am sure they would have been loose if I wasn't still swollen from surgery. The two lowest incisions that I have ( one on each side ) are not on my waistline so they were not effected by the jeans. I did put extra padding over the incisions like I said before putting on a bra was on of the things that has been wigging me out. But all went well. I made my protein shake before I left the house and drank it on the way to work. I put in my protein shot to make sure I got it in for the day. This is the way I plan to do it so I make sure and get in the add 45g protein everyday. I packed stuff for another protein shake during the day, including the small blender I got to take to work. It is cool. The cup you blend in is the cup you drink out of. Nice and handy :). I also packed 1/2 Cup low fat cottage cheese and 6oz low fat yogurt. I did great getting my H2O in. I was able to get my full days requirement in while at work. Late morning I ate my cottage cheese and pulled away from my desk over by the window ( I work on the 4th floor ) and turned my back to the floor so I could concentrate on my small bites and chew, chew, chew plus plenty of time between bites. That and the H2O held me over until I got home when I made another protein shake. I stopped by Target on the way home and picked up a few things. For dinner I had 1/2 Cup chicken tortilla soup that I put in the blender and pulverized.......it was YUMMY :) I had planned to fix Jonathan dinner but he said he wanted pizza and ordered himself a philly steak pizza from domino's. I sat right next to him eating my tortilla soup and it didn't even bother me that he was eating pizza!!!! I am sure it will not always be this way but hey I will take what I can get. I am pretty tired but the day went really good... I "might" have an issue with a sabotager at work but at this point I am going to give her the benefit of doubt. If it doesn't get better we will have to have a talk.

One-Five

I got on the scales this am ( 9 days post-op ) and I am down 15lbs!!! What ?!?! That can't be. I got back on the scales..yep still showing 15lbs. I don't see how this is possible. I know I haven't been eating that much but still that is a hell of a lot to loose in such a short time. Not that I am complaining mind you .... but scared that once I really start eating I will put weight back on. I know that it is normal that I will fluctuate but not something I want to happen.

The bra

If you have read any of the previous posts your aware I am afraid to put on regular clothes. Mostly my bra! I have incisions that go right across the area that by bra band will be and I do not want to mess them up or cause any issues. Plus the thought just sounds painfull and not appealing.Well I HAVE to go back to work tomorrow and of course I have to wear a bra to do so. This afternoon I decided to stop being so stupid and such a baby and just put the damn thing on!!! So I find one of the two bras I own that do not have underwires and decide to go for it. I do the hook in front twist to the back move when I put my bra on so.... I get that done and then start wigging over having to twist. That doesn't seem like it will be very good ?!? I pull the band as high up as I can and start twisting. Takes me a while because I am being so STUPID but I finally get it twisted around and pull up the shoulder straps ...... and I have it on wrong side out!!!! But hey I got it on. I took it right back off though. I will put some extra padding over the incisions tomorrow before I put it on and hope all goes well. This will of course be at 5 freakin' 'oclock am. I have to be at work in Dallas by 6am. Which I hate but the getting off at 3 in the afternoon is going to be awesome :)

A funny but true food story

Ok so Monday 4/5/10 the day of my pre-op appointment I am sitting in the parking lot waiting to go upstairs to the Dr's office. I got there a little early because I wanted to make sure I was on time and I didn't know how the traffic was going to be. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and write out my check because I had to give them my check today to pay for the surgery , testing etc. I pull out my checkbook and the check that is starring me in the face has a chocolate truffle in the corner by my name and written across the check in the background is the word "Indulge" .....NEXT....I am not going to write that check to the weight loss Dr. The next check was not any better it had a piece of chocolate cake by my name and said "Bliss" written across the background...AHH NO!! NEXT... Ice Cream sundae with the word "Delicious" ok I only had one more option it would have to do..... a chocolate covered strawberry and the word "Decadent" ok that was going to have to do plus I figured it was the lesser of the evils. Did I mention earlier how much my life was tied to food that I really never stopped and thought about? Of course I got the checks originally because they reminded me of Scrapbook Paper. Pale pink background with polka dots in brown, green and the word written in the background.... but still FOOD! I gave the receptionist the check and she didn't say a thing. It still made me laugh. I guess I will have to find some new "skinny" checks

One Week Post-Op 4/16/10

For the most part I feel back to normal physically. The stabbing pain in my left shoulder comes and goes but it is nothing like it was. I still haven't left the house and am still wigged-out about putting on clothes but I don't have a choice soon I have to go back to work. I had not planned to take this much time off from work. But I think it has been the best thing for me to do so. Plus when I go back I have to be at work at 6:00am in Dallas which means I am getting up at 4:00ish and I will also be going back and working with a group of people I have never met. I can not imagine burping and tooting in front of them all day! I sure hope all or most of that has passed before I go back on Monday. I started reading Khalia Ali's book today Fighting Weight. She is one of Mohammed Ali's daughters and has walked the same "Long and Winding Road" with her weight. She also has had lap band surgery. So far I am really liking it. Someone on the lapband.com website recommended it. Pat (my fiance) came over tonight and I asked him to bring me some "soft" foods ( I still haven't left the house ) He picked me up some low fat yogurt, sugar free pudding and low fat cottage cheese. He also got me a Wii!!!!!!! I said several weeks ago that I would like to have one to get moving and have fun at the same time. Plus they have a Wii Fit that I want to do, and he bought it for me !!!!! What a great surprise. It was very sweet of him and a great way to show his support for me. He said he will play the games with me too. Jonathan (my youngest son) said they are too boring for him. We sat down and ate and I had to really concentrate on small bites, chew, chew, chew ... put my spoon down and wait enough time between bites. I finally bit the bullet and ate some yogurt and cottage cheese I mashed up with a fork. It is going to take me awhile to get used to eating like this. I am so used to just shoveling it in. Another thing I am going to have to get used to is not drinking with my meals. That is gonna be a tough one. He picked himself up a salad at Target while he was there. It looked really good. Romaine lettuce, Grilled chicken breast with strawberry quarters, blueberries, 2 goat cheese slices and poppy seed dressing. I sure hope I am able to eat salad. Some banders can and some banders can't it just depends on the person. I LOVE salad and it is good for you ( as long as you don't drown it in fattening dressing ) I really hope it will not be a food I have an issue with.

Day 6 Post-op 4/15/10

I took my measurments today but I am not ready to share that on this blog. I will keep that info in the personal written journal I am keeping. Let's just say SCARY!!!!! Today I am able to start a "soft" diet. But guess what ?!? Yep this freaks me out!!! I know it is crazy but it does. It is almost 3:00 in the afternoon and I haven't tried anything. Yesterday for the most part the shoulder pain wasn't that bad but today it has come back with a vengance!!! I got up to walk around and see if I could get some of the gas out and decided to try and pick up the kitchen a bit. One of the things cluttering up the island in the kitchen was my TvFood Magazine. It made me stop and realize how much of my life is tied/connected to food in one way or another. I finally got the courage tonight to try some "soft" food. I tried some malt-o-meal. I got out my "Bozo" spoon from childhood and went for it. In my fear I got the malt-o-meal too watery and ended up throwing most of it out. Not a successful 1st attempt. The "Bozo" spoon made me think of my childhood at my grandparents house so I called and told Bampa the story. He of course cracked up!! He said he would tell Nana and I am sure she cracked up too. Funny how I am using the spoon that I first learned how to eat with to learn how to eat in my "new" life. I ended up making a capuccino protein shake. Today was the first day really that I felt pretty much back to myself.