shae32

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Yes!!!  I crossed that 300 lb marker, and I pray never to return.  Okay, I'm still awfully close to it, but I am on the better side.  :-D

298lbs.

I'm still in shock.  I couldn't believe it.  I actually looked at it, then looked away without it even registering when the number popped up.  I mean, I looked at it...then I waited for it to increase up to the 300lb mark, where I've been for the past 2 weeks.  Then I looked at it again, and I was so shocked, I was scared to move.  Talk about a double take...LOL.  I did, though.  I got off, then right back on...mentally saying that it was okay if it went up a little...but it DIDN'T!!!  It went right back to 298.8 and stopped there.  From 345 to 298 in 4 months...you just can not beat this.   Last time I lost weight, it took me 6 months to go from 340 to 303, and I couldn't get any lower.  I feel GREAT!   Next goal, 280 lbs....here I come...

Until.....

Hi, it's me again.  LOL.  Well, several weeks later, plus a second fill, and I'm at 301.  I've been sitting here since April 20th, shortly after my second fill which was on April 16th.

I'm still doing well.  I'm happy, losing, but fighting to cross over the line into the 200's.  That's my first mini goal, and I'd love to wake up in the morning and see it.  I wouldn't know what to do with myself...LOL.

I dropped to 301 on the 20th, but went back up to 303.  I finally dropped back down to 301 on Monday.  I know, I really need to stop weighing every day.  :-)  Anyway, I was still there this morning, minus a couple tenths of a lb.  I think I'm really getting ready to drop down some more.

This is really amazing to me.  I know I keep saying that, but it is.  Even if I eat something that I shouldn't (like a tiny piece of birthday cake) I'm still doing okay.  I have noticed that my inches are beginning to drop down again.  Oh, and I'm SO excited about being in size 24 jeans!!!!  I actually went shopping in my own closet. LOL  These are jeans I haven't worn in a couple of years, and I grew out of them shortly after having purchased them.  They were still in slightly used condition when I pulled them out of the back of my closet two weeks ago.  Talk about exciting.  I mean, I was in my 28's which were growing excessively tight when this process began.  Now I'm in my 24's which are actually beginning to loosen up.  Trust me, you can't beat this...

Until...

Well, LOL, a week later, and I'm still at 305.  Which is fine with me.  As long as I drop a few lbs over the next couple of weeks.  

The inches have started going down again.  That's a good thing, and I'm excited about that.  Maybe that's my new process.   Drop inches, then lbs.  

It's also my 3rd month bandiversary.  Whew, 3 months in and 40 lbs down.  That's enough to be happy about!  I can't wait until another 3 months have passed...

Until...

Wow...it hasn't been a full 2 weeks yet, and I've dropped from 313 to 305.  Yes.  305.  I'm 2lbs from the lowest I've been in almost 5 years.  I am truly amazed, and thankful.

Amazed, because I personally don't think I've done all that I should to get this low.   I'm actually waiting for the fight to kick in.  I didn't exercise like I should yesterday.  I mean, I'm doing more moving around then before.  My activity level has definitely increased, not that it was horrendous before.  

Anyway, as long as it's willing to fall off, I'll take it.  I'm down by 40lbs now, and happy as ever.  Boy do I love the weekends.   My diet losens up some, and the lbs simply fall off.  I'll have to figure out how and why later.

Until...

Wow, has it really been almost a month since I last posted anything?  

Well, I'm still doing good.  Matter of fact, I'm doing extremely well.  It's amazing to me.  Initially, I was going through the "this is moving to slow" train of thinking.  I didn't even realize it, until just now.  When I looked at the numbers, and where I've come from.  I started this journey at 345.  Actually, my initial consult with the surgeon that I could not get approval from through my insurance had me at 350.  A weight that I NEVER thought I would be, and I still refuse to claim.  Something must have been wrong with their scale.  *rolling eyes*

Anyway, as of this morning (which is not an official weigh in day, I just happen to weigh in daily...LOL) I was down by 32 lbs.  Which makes me 313.  I'm just shocked.  Mentally, I keep thinking I'm at 345.  But, I'm not.  It's weird.  I look different, I can see it, I can feel it.  I've received compliments, and with the exception of my last weekly measurement taking, my measurerments are consistently moving down.  The last one they pretty much staid the same.  I could see changes in my overall shape, and not just where I typically take the measurements from.  For those of you who have been my size, you know what I'm talking about.  Those flabs of flesh that surrounded the waist, or were around the stomach, are disappearing...and the area is smoothing out, while the actual measurerment isn't going down.

Anyway, I feel good with the changes.  Mentally as well as physically.  So, I'm going to continue this journey, and I'll keep you updated.

Until....

This has been an interesting weekend for me. 

First, at my weekend job, one of the women who is always cooking and bringing food to share (it's an adult education program, and we're at the satellite location.  So, it's real small and cozy) asked me if I was on a special diet.  She, first off, has noticed that I don't eat with them like I did in the past...and I've started bringing my own meals.  But, that wasn't her reasoning.  Because she then says, with a big smile, that I look like I've lost weight.  

Then just a day later, my mother's real good friend tells me the same thing.  That I've lost weight and I'm looking good.  She has a daughter, who is also around my size...if not heavier.  I can't tell.  The one thing that I've realized now is that my perception of how "big" I was - wasn't the best.

Anyway, after completing me, she then asks me if I would tell her daughter what I was doing.  As you know, I wasn't that thrilled with telling anyone else about my surgery.  I'll have to play it by ear.  I definitely want to help anyone else who is in a similar situation to me.  I just have to prepare myself for it first.

So...here's what's strange to me.  Yes, I've lost weight...but, according to my scale, I've been around the same weight for the past 2 weeks and I see both of these ladies on a regular, weekly basis.  Are they just noticing?  I will admit that my measurements are continuing to go down, even though my weight is bouncing around the same 2-3 lbs.  I also know that muscle weighs more, but I haven't done a thing towards working out, yet.  So I doubt that I'm building muscle, yet. 

Don't worry, I'm starting tomorrow.  I signed up this past weekend for a local club.  My orientation is scheduled for tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.  Oh, and I've got to learn to be more gracious when I'm complimented...and just say thank you and move on.

Until...

I'm trying to make sure that I don't let too much time pass between my posts.  I'm still doing great!  I've reached the end of my first 6 weeks, and starting tomorrow will be allowed to start adding back in all foods one at a time.

Unfortunately...the second that I do do this, I'll get my first fill.  LOL.  I'm scheduled for my fill on Monday, Jan. 26th.  I'm looking forward to that.  For several reasons.  First, it's also my official weigh in day.  Second, and most important, my appetite has returned in full force.  

I haven't really slowed down, at least I don't think I have, as far as my weight loss is concerned.  But, it's getting rough.

Here's more good news.  I know I have to get off my rear and excercise.  Not that I spend all that much time sitting around.  I keep a very busy schedule.  But, I haven't put that much effort into having a focused work out session.  So, I'm joining a women's excercise club.  

I am starting to realize that I have alot more energy then in past.  Sitting at my desk consistently makes me feel as if I'm about to jump out of my skin if I don't get up and move around some.  

So, I look forward to sharing my first experience at the new (to me) excercise club a little later on this weekend...and to my first fill!

Until...

Okay, I may have mentioned it in passing, can't remember.  Anyway, I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).

One of the effects/symptoms, whatever you want to call it, that this has resulted in for me is AN (Acanthosis Nigricans).  Which basically means that my insulin level - while not diabetic - is out of control.  I produce so much, that is not used or stored, that it ends up in deposits up under my skin.  People with this condition can have rough feeling, dark splotches on their elbows, neck, armpits, inner thighs, and under their breasts.   

For me, I have a dark neck.  I never noticed it until I was in College, when my roommate pointed it out.  Oh yeah, fun.  That was YEARS before I even knew what it was.  I was just the overweight college student with a dirty neck - no matter how much I scrubbed it - I kept hidden. 

More importantly then my neck, though, were my elbows.  I can't think of a time in my life when my elbows did not have this dark rough patch on them.  I remember being under the age of 12, and having an Aunt who was visiting discuss them with my mother.  

They talked about all types of "stones"  (I now know she was describing pumice stones...but to a kid I thought she wanted to walk out side and pick up the nearest piece of rock she could find) my mother could use to scrub away the "dirt".  I can not explain to you the humiliation and pain those scrubbings caused.  Because of course, they were scrubbing my CLEAN skin, which was covering up the "dirt" they were trying to scrub away....and not the reverse.

Well, I said all of that to say this.  The "dirt" is now fading away!!!!  :-)  If you could have seen me last night.  Standing in the mirror with all of the lights on, arms bent, inspecting every millimeter of my elbow, you may have thought I was slightly off.  Whew I can't wait for more of this weight to fall off, more of my internal hormonal systems to straighten themselves off...and for more people to wonder what the heck is wrong with me.

And, if you just happen to be one of the ones who think I'm slighlty off... :-)  that's fine with me...cause you haven't seen nothing yet!

Until....

Well, my BMI is slowly rolling down.  Pretty soon, I'll be out of the 50's...can't wait.  I started this journey around 55.  Now, I'm at 52.9 with only 17 lbs lost.

Went for a follow-up visit yesterday, and my surgeon said that the incisions have healed up nicely.  I had to laugh, because he told me to keep doing what I was doing.  So far, I haven't "been doing" anything.  Just following the general rules and hoping my body heals correctly.  Actually...suprise of all suprises (that was sarcasm)...after I left his office, I started getting a pulling/cutting sort of pain on my left side.  Right around where I know the port is located.  I think, well I hope, its just gas.  It comes and goes, and a couple of burps always make me feel better.

It just started up, so I'll give it a couple of more days.  If it doesn't go away, I definitely will give my surgeon a call. 

Other then that, all is well.  I'm actually set to go back on Feb 26 for my first fill, and I get to start soft foods this Friday.  Time is really flying.  I knew it would.  So, if you are just in the beginning stages, hold on.  This too will pass....

Until...

I realize to day that I was hungry.  Actually, it wasn't really that I was hungry, but that my stomach was growling.  Initially it didn't effect me.   It just rumbled and grumbled for a while.  

I kept drinking my water.  Then all of a sudden, I had to eat.  I mean I was hungry.  I managed it well.  Didn't let it control me, and maintained what has become my normal eating habits.  But, let me tell you, I was hungry.

I've got one more week of pureed, then I get to move to soft foods.  I hope the soft foods are more filling.  Either way, I do understand what everyone means when they say it doesn't really start working, until the band is filled.

Now, its time for me to start moving.  We've talked about getting a treadmill at home.  I think we're going to definitely have to work on doing that this weekend.  I consider myself to be active.  I was before, but I know that I'm going to have to push it up a knotch to really see some results.  I was just "gently" reminded of this.  ;-)

So, I've got some "walk away the pounds" dvds at home.  I guess it's time to dust them off, and get back in the swing of things.

Until....