shirleyfhoffman
I want to become a personal trainer!
Nov 28, 2012
So, I have decided that I want to take a Master trainer class that will certify me as a personal trainer with advanced certifications in the areas of fitness nutrition, exercise therapy, senior fitness, youth fitness, and strength & conditioning. Plus, my husband is active duty so the military will pay for it without me having to use my husband's G.I. Bill!!! We want to split his G.I. bill between the children for their education so I was SUPER excited to share the news with my friends and family on facebook.
For the most part, everyone was really supportive of my decision and told my I'd be a great personal trainer because I already inspire them so much everyday they see me in the gym.
BUT there's always the group of overweight friends and family that are jealous and can't be happy for any of your accomplishments because they don't have any accomplishments of their own. "I love you, but you can't be a personal trainer! You took the easy way out." "Most people aren't going to be able to have the surgery so they won't go to you cause you cheated to lose the weight." "Who would go to you when you couldn't even lose the weight on your own?" It crushed me! These people are supposed to love me!
It really made me stop and think. Is that how people see me? Just some joke. None of my hard work counts? 175 pounds and 90% of my excess body weight doesn't count?!? Is that how perspective clients will see me?!? Those comments literally ripped away any shred of self-esteem I had built up. I wanted to go eat a bunch of the kids' Christmas candy and enjoy my pity party. BUT I hopped on my elliptical, did 30 minutes of interval training, and burned 400 calories instead. Then I posted the picture below on facebook and I'll write the caption I put on facebook underneath it.
Luckily for me, I have other friends who are absolutely amazing!!! My friend Anna suggested I do it anyway and try to get with a doctor who specializes in gastric bypass surgery to work with their clients and help them become success stories. Really show them how to use their tool in a way that will help them reach and maintain healthy weights. She's amazing!!! I think that would be the perfect job for me! Anyway, thanks for letting me vent!
30 minutes of interval training on the elliptical and 400 calories burned...Please take a look at all of that sweat and tell me again how I took the easy way out. You can continue to judge me from your couch for having the gastric bypass surgery to save my life... OR ...you can get up and join me so we can get healthy and be positive examples to our children together.
MY SURGERY STORY
May 23, 2011
I will be 3 weeks out tomorrow. I am a stay-at-home mother of three children ages 6, 5, and 3 and we homeschool them so I didn't have time to get nervous about my surgery until I was at the hospital. I had to leave my house by 5:30 A.M. to get to the hospital by 7:30 A.M. for my 9:30 surgery.
My husband prayed with me before I went in. Then he kissed me and told me that him and the kids would be there when I woke up. He parked and waited for the kids to wake up. Then he took them to breakfast and played at the park till they called him to tell him I was in recovery.
I had to walk into the hospital and check in by myself. A lady passing a kidney stone walked in and I was kind of early for my check in, so I let her cut in front of me. I've had a kidney stone before but it was too big to pass and I had to have surgery to remove it so I felt her pain. Then I checked in and was told to wait till someone came to get me.
I waited in the waiting area till a nurse came to get me and walked me to another waiting area. I sat in the second waiting area for about 15-20 minutes and THAT's when I started getting nervous. I'm talking, my stomach was in knots and I had to poop nervous! They came back to get me to get me prepped for surgery. I had to take all of my clothes off and put a gown on. It was a heated one that had a place for a hose to go in that would blow warm air into it. I was nervous and sweating though so I told them I didn't need it to be warmed. I also had to put on some purple no-slip socks on that they gave me. I put all of my clothes in a bag with my name on it that they gave me. I sat and waited.
Then, I nurse came over and started checking my information and handing me papers to sign...
Then the phone rang and it was the opperating room telling the prep room that they were ready for me!!! I was SO nervous that I was about to run out of the room and I didn't care who saw my big 'ol butt out of the back of my hospital gown! The nurses started scrambling then. They didn't even have my IV in yet!
The anesthesiologist came over to me and started asking me all the same questions the other lady had already asked me. I had to sign some papers for him too. I never mentioned being nervous, but he told me that as soon as they had my IV in, he'd be back with some happy medicine.
Then I saw my surgeon walk out of the opperating room across the hall and walk right up to me. He asked me all the same questions everyone else asked me (name, birthday, what I was here for today). Then he asked me if I had any questions for him and I asked, "Will you say a prayer?" AND he did! He prayed that God would guide his hands and help the surgery be an uneventful one. Then he prayed that God would watch over me durring my surgery and recovery. He prayed I would have a speedy recovery so that I would be able to become the wife and mother that I have always wanted to be. He even said, "In your name, Lord Jesus, amen." Suddenly, a wave of calm rushed over me and I knew I would be okay. I was ready to go!
They got my IV in really easily and even gave me some numbing medicine before they put my IV in so I didn't feel a thing. It was great! My anesthesiologist came back and gave me my happy medicine.
Then they wheeeled me across the hall to my opperating room and I had to move from my bed to the operating table. They asked me my name, birthday, and why I was here again. I laid my head down and put my arms out on the table and was out!
I don't remember much from the recovery room except they kept trying to talk to me and all I wanted to do was sleep. When I did wake up, they asked me if I was in pain and I tried to say yes, but fell back asleep first.
Eventually, they wheeled me back to my room but I was still in and out. I remember hearing some kids in the hallway and thinking, "Those kids are loud! Where are their parents and why are they folloing me?" Then I realized they were my kids. LOL I remember wanting my husband to stay longer, but I fell asleep before I could ask him to stay.
He went home with the kids and I slept till the afternoon. I woke up and told the nurse taking my vitals that I had to puke. She gave me some medicine, but I still had dry heaves. She gave me something else and the next thing I remember is waking up around 8 O'clock feeling great. The nurse that was taking my vitals asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was ready to walk. I overdid it so I was tired and I wanted to go back to sleep. I had alot of gas pain in my neck and shoulders so I was pushing the button for my pain medicine ALOT! I was sleeping most of the time, but I could only get medicine every 6 minutes. If I pushed it too early it would beep a few times to tell me that I couldn't have any medicine right now. I remember pushing the button in my sleep cause it would beep to tell me I couldn't have any medicine and wake me up. I also had some weird things wrapped around my feet that would squeeze them and let them go to prevent blooc clots.
The next day I slept alot in the early morning but by about 10 A.M. I was feeling SO much better. I got my catheter out and they took me off of my pain button. I was able to walk without bringing that stand with me. I walked for an hour. I was burping and farting and it made my neck and shoulders feel SO much better!
I got chicken broth that night for dinner. 1oz. every 15 minutes for a total of 4oz. It was great! I also got ice chips. They gave me 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water. I was allowed to drink 1oz every 15 minutes.
I got to go home the next morning. They gave me some lortab right before I left and a pillow for my stomach. It was a rough ride home. I got home and slept alot.
By the third day home (5 days out from surgery), I was taking adult liquid tylenol durring the day and lortab at night. On the 7th day, I was off all pain medicine and started walking on my elliptical every day for 30 minutes (10 at a time) I was even able to have relations with my husband that night.
I will be 3 weeks out tomorrow and I am feeling fantastic! I even walked on my elliptical for an hour today! I have lost 20.5 pounds in the 20 days since my surgery and 75.5 pounds total! I know it's still early, but having the RNY is the best thing I have ever done for myself! I don't have any regrets at all. I can't wait to play with my kids instead of watching them from the park bench!!!
1 comment
My husband prayed with me before I went in. Then he kissed me and told me that him and the kids would be there when I woke up. He parked and waited for the kids to wake up. Then he took them to breakfast and played at the park till they called him to tell him I was in recovery.
I had to walk into the hospital and check in by myself. A lady passing a kidney stone walked in and I was kind of early for my check in, so I let her cut in front of me. I've had a kidney stone before but it was too big to pass and I had to have surgery to remove it so I felt her pain. Then I checked in and was told to wait till someone came to get me.
I waited in the waiting area till a nurse came to get me and walked me to another waiting area. I sat in the second waiting area for about 15-20 minutes and THAT's when I started getting nervous. I'm talking, my stomach was in knots and I had to poop nervous! They came back to get me to get me prepped for surgery. I had to take all of my clothes off and put a gown on. It was a heated one that had a place for a hose to go in that would blow warm air into it. I was nervous and sweating though so I told them I didn't need it to be warmed. I also had to put on some purple no-slip socks on that they gave me. I put all of my clothes in a bag with my name on it that they gave me. I sat and waited.
Then, I nurse came over and started checking my information and handing me papers to sign...
Then the phone rang and it was the opperating room telling the prep room that they were ready for me!!! I was SO nervous that I was about to run out of the room and I didn't care who saw my big 'ol butt out of the back of my hospital gown! The nurses started scrambling then. They didn't even have my IV in yet!
The anesthesiologist came over to me and started asking me all the same questions the other lady had already asked me. I had to sign some papers for him too. I never mentioned being nervous, but he told me that as soon as they had my IV in, he'd be back with some happy medicine.
Then I saw my surgeon walk out of the opperating room across the hall and walk right up to me. He asked me all the same questions everyone else asked me (name, birthday, what I was here for today). Then he asked me if I had any questions for him and I asked, "Will you say a prayer?" AND he did! He prayed that God would guide his hands and help the surgery be an uneventful one. Then he prayed that God would watch over me durring my surgery and recovery. He prayed I would have a speedy recovery so that I would be able to become the wife and mother that I have always wanted to be. He even said, "In your name, Lord Jesus, amen." Suddenly, a wave of calm rushed over me and I knew I would be okay. I was ready to go!
They got my IV in really easily and even gave me some numbing medicine before they put my IV in so I didn't feel a thing. It was great! My anesthesiologist came back and gave me my happy medicine.
Then they wheeeled me across the hall to my opperating room and I had to move from my bed to the operating table. They asked me my name, birthday, and why I was here again. I laid my head down and put my arms out on the table and was out!
I don't remember much from the recovery room except they kept trying to talk to me and all I wanted to do was sleep. When I did wake up, they asked me if I was in pain and I tried to say yes, but fell back asleep first.
Eventually, they wheeled me back to my room but I was still in and out. I remember hearing some kids in the hallway and thinking, "Those kids are loud! Where are their parents and why are they folloing me?" Then I realized they were my kids. LOL I remember wanting my husband to stay longer, but I fell asleep before I could ask him to stay.
He went home with the kids and I slept till the afternoon. I woke up and told the nurse taking my vitals that I had to puke. She gave me some medicine, but I still had dry heaves. She gave me something else and the next thing I remember is waking up around 8 O'clock feeling great. The nurse that was taking my vitals asked me how I was feeling. I told her I was ready to walk. I overdid it so I was tired and I wanted to go back to sleep. I had alot of gas pain in my neck and shoulders so I was pushing the button for my pain medicine ALOT! I was sleeping most of the time, but I could only get medicine every 6 minutes. If I pushed it too early it would beep a few times to tell me that I couldn't have any medicine right now. I remember pushing the button in my sleep cause it would beep to tell me I couldn't have any medicine and wake me up. I also had some weird things wrapped around my feet that would squeeze them and let them go to prevent blooc clots.
The next day I slept alot in the early morning but by about 10 A.M. I was feeling SO much better. I got my catheter out and they took me off of my pain button. I was able to walk without bringing that stand with me. I walked for an hour. I was burping and farting and it made my neck and shoulders feel SO much better!
I got chicken broth that night for dinner. 1oz. every 15 minutes for a total of 4oz. It was great! I also got ice chips. They gave me 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water. I was allowed to drink 1oz every 15 minutes.
I got to go home the next morning. They gave me some lortab right before I left and a pillow for my stomach. It was a rough ride home. I got home and slept alot.
By the third day home (5 days out from surgery), I was taking adult liquid tylenol durring the day and lortab at night. On the 7th day, I was off all pain medicine and started walking on my elliptical every day for 30 minutes (10 at a time) I was even able to have relations with my husband that night.
I will be 3 weeks out tomorrow and I am feeling fantastic! I even walked on my elliptical for an hour today! I have lost 20.5 pounds in the 20 days since my surgery and 75.5 pounds total! I know it's still early, but having the RNY is the best thing I have ever done for myself! I don't have any regrets at all. I can't wait to play with my kids instead of watching them from the park bench!!!
7 Days till my surgery!!!
Apr 26, 2011
I can't believe that this time next Tuesday (May 3), I will be in the operating room! It seems like it has taken SSSOOO long to get to this point. My family keeps asking me if I am scared or nervous and they don't believe me when I tell them I am just SUPER excited and ready to do this. Plus, I just found out that my surgeon is the vice cheif of surgery at my hospital so I'm EVEN more confident in him and his abilities!!!
I plan on getting my hair french braided into two braids for my surgery so my hair isn't everywhere in the operating room. I have a TON of thick, long, curly hair. I also have a bag packed with comfy clothes, fuzzy no-slip socks, my cell phone charger, a music player with headphones for walking in the hospital, a word search and highlighter, a journal and a pen. They said I won't need a pillow, chapstick, or toiletries because they will give me all of those things.
My doctor doesn't require a pre-op diet or a bowel prep before surgery, but I want to use up these Slim Fasts and Lean Cusines before my surgery, so I put myself on a modified diet. Slim Fast for breakfast and lunch, then a Lean Cusine for dinner. I also have string cheese, applesauce, yogurt, and granola bars that will go to waste before I reach that stage in my diet after surgery, so I have been giving them to the kids as snacks each day.
I have also been walking on my elliptical for 45 minutes to an our each day trying to lose as much weight as possible before my surgery. I would like to be down a total of 60 pounds before my surgery. That would put me at 280 pounds. I started at 340 pounds. I am already feeling more confident in myself and sexier in the bedroom with my husband! After surgery, I would love to be between 135-145 pounds. I know I will have to work really hard to reach and maintain that weight. I am already walking on the elliptical everyday. Once I hit 250 pounds, I plan on adding weight training 4 times a week. My husband is in the Air Force, so my ultimate goal is to meet the physical standards for a female who wants to join the Air Force.
7 days till I get to start my new life!!! I can't wait!!!
2 comments
I plan on getting my hair french braided into two braids for my surgery so my hair isn't everywhere in the operating room. I have a TON of thick, long, curly hair. I also have a bag packed with comfy clothes, fuzzy no-slip socks, my cell phone charger, a music player with headphones for walking in the hospital, a word search and highlighter, a journal and a pen. They said I won't need a pillow, chapstick, or toiletries because they will give me all of those things.
My doctor doesn't require a pre-op diet or a bowel prep before surgery, but I want to use up these Slim Fasts and Lean Cusines before my surgery, so I put myself on a modified diet. Slim Fast for breakfast and lunch, then a Lean Cusine for dinner. I also have string cheese, applesauce, yogurt, and granola bars that will go to waste before I reach that stage in my diet after surgery, so I have been giving them to the kids as snacks each day.
I have also been walking on my elliptical for 45 minutes to an our each day trying to lose as much weight as possible before my surgery. I would like to be down a total of 60 pounds before my surgery. That would put me at 280 pounds. I started at 340 pounds. I am already feeling more confident in myself and sexier in the bedroom with my husband! After surgery, I would love to be between 135-145 pounds. I know I will have to work really hard to reach and maintain that weight. I am already walking on the elliptical everyday. Once I hit 250 pounds, I plan on adding weight training 4 times a week. My husband is in the Air Force, so my ultimate goal is to meet the physical standards for a female who wants to join the Air Force.
7 days till I get to start my new life!!! I can't wait!!!
LOVING this new sense of self-worth!!!
Apr 20, 2011
I started dating my husband over 9 years ago when I was a senior in high school and he was a sophmore. From day one, his family has been nothing but hateful. We have been married for almost 7 years now and have three beautiful children. His family has always treated me like crap. I guess it's easy to let other people treat you like crap when you feel like crap yourself. I have worked VERY hard to lose as much weight as I have so far. I have been working at it since Septemer and I haven't given up or gained all of my weight back. My surgery is scheduled for May 3. Again, my husband's family has been trying to start all kinds of drama. They are saying things to my husband like he better get a divorce before I lose my weight and start drinking and cheating on him. They are even trying to start fights with me on my Facebook page. I live my life for the Lord and even homeschool our children with a Christian curriculum. I have never drank, done drugs, or even thought of looking at another man. In the past, I would have just let them talk that way about me.
BUT NOT TODAY!
I stood up for myself for the first time in over 9 years! I said, "This is a very emotional, stressful, and wonderful time in my life right now and I need all of the positive encouragement and support I can get. From now on, I will not be allowing others to insult me, make up lies about me, or put me down. I will also be deleting any hurtful or negative comments from my Facebook. I want to be able to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our lives, but not at the expense of my feelings. Now that I am starting to see my own value and self-worth, I will no longer allow the people in my life to be spiteful or unkind to me; instead, I will remove those people from my life so that I can continue to live in peace and without drama. I have too much to worry about right now than to deal with this nonsense."
I am LOVING this new sense of self-worth and for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel good about myself! I haven't even had my surgery yet, but I can already tell that this is the best thing I could have ever done for myself! I just wanted to share. Thanks for listening!
1 comment
BUT NOT TODAY!
I stood up for myself for the first time in over 9 years! I said, "This is a very emotional, stressful, and wonderful time in my life right now and I need all of the positive encouragement and support I can get. From now on, I will not be allowing others to insult me, make up lies about me, or put me down. I will also be deleting any hurtful or negative comments from my Facebook. I want to be able to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our lives, but not at the expense of my feelings. Now that I am starting to see my own value and self-worth, I will no longer allow the people in my life to be spiteful or unkind to me; instead, I will remove those people from my life so that I can continue to live in peace and without drama. I have too much to worry about right now than to deal with this nonsense."
I am LOVING this new sense of self-worth and for the first time in my life, I am starting to feel good about myself! I haven't even had my surgery yet, but I can already tell that this is the best thing I could have ever done for myself! I just wanted to share. Thanks for listening!
About Me
CA
Location
27.3
BMI
Surgery
05/03/2011
Surgery Date
Mar 24, 2011
Member Since
