Update

Well I'm not doing as well as I had expected but at least I'm still trying. I am now in the 180s. I joined a gym back in November and I've been working with a personal trainer. She says I'm getting smaller. To a certain extent I believe she is right. I am in a size 16 bottoms and an XL top. I probably could go down another size in the tops, but I don't like it when the remaining rolls show.

I've gotten rid of most of my old clothes since they do me no good. I'm not buying too many replacements either. I'm just buying them as I find a need for them. I just bought a size 16 skirt from Old Navy and I am absolutely thrilled since their sizes run small.

I'm going out tonight with my boyfriend so I thought I'd take a picture of me in the outfit. I feel a bit trashy really, but what the hell! Only live once. Anyway, I've decided to post that picture and one from a week or so before my surgery. See any difference? I'm not so sure that I do.

My best guess is that I am not necessarily losing weight, but I am losing inches. Of course the surgeon would never know that since he doesn't actually take measurements other than a height and weight. My trainer said that is most likely the case. I have an appointment with the surgeon in February. I guess I'll just have to see what he has to say.

Ouchie!!!

I am taking a day off from the gym. My right arm is so sore!!! I did a half hour on the treadmill yesterday and tomorrow I will do a full work out. I'm so behind in my job search stuff that I'm going to have to take the entire day today just to catch up.

Had an appointment at the surgeon's office yesterday. According to their scale, with my clothes on, I weigh about 201. The doctor said that in reality it is about 198 with all the clothes off. That pleases me and confirms that my bathroom scale is close to accurate. I am getting enough protein and they are happy that I've joined the gym. I was sure I was going to get yelled at for not having lost enough. I didn't think I was on track at all, but the surgeon's nurse said that I'm running average. So she is pleased with my progress. My next appointment isn't until the February 9 and I have to have blood work done for that one. This of course means that I must take my prescrips and my vitamins on a much more regular basis. I have a hard time taking them because a handful of pills for me is an entire meal. I've tried separating them out into smaller amounts throughout the day but I still find it difficult. They usually upset my poor tummy. The nurse suggested that I try Flintstones Chewable multi-vitamins since the one I'm taking is so huge. I'd just need to chew 2 instead of the 1 you'd give a child. That's cool with me. Anyway, things are progressing just as they should and I can't wait to get to the goal weight.

125 - 130 here I come!!!

Long time...no update?

I haven't blogged in a while. Not any particular reason, just had nothing to report.

Last week I joined a local gym and have been working hard to get in shape. I am doing about 30 minutes on the treadmill, then 45 minutes of weight training, then another 20 to 30 minutes of cardio. This morning I was at the gym by 7am for a yoga class. That was no easy task since my arms were sore from the previous days workout. It's going pretty well so far and now I have a workout buddy. It's good for me to have someone to hold me accountable and to encourage me. I still think that sweating is gross even if the trainers say that its a good thing. It's GROSS!!!!!

Anyway, I am committed to being healthier and its just as simple as that. I'm even trying to be more responsible by taking the bus to the gym rather than the car. Less gas money and less parking money.

My weight has been below 200 for the last 5 days or so. While this sounds good, its really not. I should be down more than that. But before I joined the gym I wasn't getting enough exercise. That will certainly change now. I also intend to take measurements from time to time. Even if I'm not losing poundage I could be losing inches which is also fabulous. It makes me wonder however, that the surgeon did not take measurements of my body before the surgery. Even more so that he hasn't wanted measurements since the surgery. Either way, I'm going to do it on my own for my own benefit. This is the first time I've been below 200 pounds since high school 11 years ago. Every time I get on the scale and see a 1 in the front of my weight I do a little dance. The first time I saw it I cried.

So anyway, progress is being made. Slow and sure. That might actually be better than losing so rapidly anyway. It might give my skin a chance to bounce back a little which might eliminate some of the need to have excess skin removed later. Whatever...its all good!

Aside from being jobless, exhausted from the gym, and hungry (which rarely happens now)...I feel great!

Beach Time & A Few Surprises

At the beach for the week. First of all my bathing suit is huge on me! This is awesome and also slightly irritating. Primarily because I feel like one wave is going to rip it off of me. I also feel like the bottoms of the suit are dragging behind me.

One surprise is that I walked 2 miles this morning and 2 miles this evening in the sand. The other huge surprise is that I've been hit on twice by the same guy on the beach who I keep running into on my walks. Nice guy, but I'm not interested. At first I thought he was just being friendly, but now I think I need to change the direction I'm walking in.

I laid out all day and actually fell asleep a few times and now I feel much warmer. Thank goodness because I almost froze to death last night. Less and less body fat. Not that its a bad thing, but totally burr!

I'm hoping that by the end of the week I'll be able to work myself up to 6 miles per day. That would be totally awesome. As it is, I'm walking one mile in one direction and then back. I'd like to be able to make it to the water tower which must be at least 2 miles up the beach from the house we're staying in. We'll see how it goes.

Wow!!!

I just decided to get on the scale this morning and see how far I have gone since my doctors appointment last week. At the appointment I was at 217.5. This morning I'm at 210.3. Holy crapinoly!!!! I think that when I hit the below 200 mark, someone had better be around to make sure that I'm not on the floor laying in a puddle of my own drool. That will be the first time since highschool that I've been below 200, when it happens that is. I am so happy I had this surgery and I am so excited for my future! Even my father, who as previously discussed, never has anything positive to say about my physical stature, said last night in front of the entire gang at the fire department that I was looking good. Holy Crapinoly!!!!!!!!!

One Month Follow Up Appointment

I had my follow up appointment yesterday. On the day that my drain was removed I weighed 231.5. When I was weighed yesterday I was down to 217.5. I have lost 14 pounds so far. While this is good, it is not enough. I felt that I should have lost more than that. Doctor says its about average and I should have expected so much of myself for the first month. I trust his opinion and when I go back for my 3 month visit, there will be more of me missing. Having been given the go ahead for some more vigorous exercising, I'm going to start a walking regimen. I already have a pedometer, but I don't think it gets enough of a work out either. Time to start a more strenuous walking program. Speaking of...I'm going now before it gets too hot.

Dumping Syndrome

So...lets be totally honest here. Dumping syndrome SUCKS!!!!!! I found this out today first hand. It began when I went to get my nails done. I was sitting in the chair while the lady was filing my nails (which by the way the look awful). She was happily filing away while my guts were churning like Hurricane Ike! Sweat was pouring off of me. By the time my nails were done and I was waiting for the bus to come, the paper towel I had been using to wipe my fevered brow was soaked through. I got on the bus (which finally arrived 10 hot minutes later) and immediately recognized the driver as one I had had before. One of course that has the hurry up and speed like a demon to the next red light where he slams on the breaks so bad that everybody lurches forward with the momentum of the bus.

I was finally released from bus hell at the corner of Craig and Bayard where I promptly exited to the sanctity of solid ground. On the half block walk to my apartment I stopped twice to hold my tummy and groan, not feeling like I was actually going to make to the bathroom in my apartment. The idea of having a bathroom type of accident in the street near my apartment terrifies me.

I finally got to my building and while waiting for the elevator to arrive I leaned against the nice cool germ covered wall. I know I only live on the 2nd floor and could have walked it, its difficult to climb a flight of stairs when you're squeezing your cheeks together so you don't have an accident. Once in the elevator the smell of cigarette smoke from the building manager overwhelmed me and the urge to vomit almost overwhelmed me. On my way out of the elevator I unbuttoned and unzipped my pants in anticipation of walking through my door, throwing my stuff off my shoulders, slamming the door and having a nice intimate relationship with my porcelain goddess.

Finally my door was staring me in the face, but I could manage to get my key in the door. My hand was so shaky that I had to hold the key hand with the other hand and guide the key to the key hole. I finally got through the door to the beautiful release that I had been longing for. Needless to say that I was on the potty for at least 15 minutes. Shortly after I decided that it would be best to cancel my doctors appointment. After canceling the nurse called me back and we went through all of my symptoms and were able to determine that it was definitely a dumping syndrome incident. Now tomorrow morning I have to call her back and let her know that I'm okay.

I slept from 3:00 to 7:00 in the same fetal position that I had started off in. I never stay in the same position when I sleep. I still had the TV remote in my hand, though I had never turned it on. My cell phone, which had received several messages, never even woke me up. All I can say is that DUMPING SUCKS!!!!!! I aim to never do that again, but I'm not sure how to not do it again since I don't actually know what the hell caused it. All I ate was an extremely moist chicken meatball. Nothing unusual, unless there was a new spice that I hadn't had yet. Either way, I'm having a bit of broth for dinner and that's it. Then I'm going back to bed.