I'm under 200!

Finally! Six months after surgery and I'm 85 pounds down! Sweet! I'm feeling incredible and find that I have so much energy. I guess I really didn't believe how much my weight affected my activity level.

I'm making sure I'm eating right and so far, so good. While I can't eat turkey, pumpkin pie, melted cheese, and sugar substitutes, I can eat baked potatoes, baked chicken, baked ribs, pasta and rice.

Now I have to really concentrate on my workouts because I want to tighten everything up. I love the treadmill and recumbent bike, which is what I use the most.

I'm also finding it hard to believe that I'm fitting into smaller sizes - sizes I haven't worn in over 14 years! But don't get me wrong - I'm enjoying it immensely!

Well, off to do some more housework. Go Team USA (men's ice hockey!)

Happy (Belated) New Year!

All in all, I think 2010 is going to be a good year for me. I'm now down to 209 pounds for a total of 75 pounds lost in 5 months. I'm feeling better than I have in years! Plus, I just got a brand new furnace which is keeping my old house nice and toasty for a lot less money!

The Chinese New Year - Year of the Tiger - is coming up on Feburary 14th, I believe. That should be fun. Only two more years (2012) until we're back in the Year of the Dragon - which is my sign.

Anyway - Happy Belated New Year to All and have a wonderful 2010!

Wow!

I can't believe it's been over 2 months since my last post! I guess that's because so much has been keeping my busy. I've been working out 2-3 times a week - mostly on the treadmill and bike, with weights thrown in here and there.

So - as the ticker indicates, as of today, I am down to 220 pounds! That's 64 pounds down from my top weight in July. I can hardly believe it!

Thanksgiving was depressing, though. It turns out that I can I can no longer enjoy turkey or pumpkin pie. Major bummer! But still - I can eat stuffing and baked chicken, so it's not that bad - in the whole scheme of things.

Back to the gym tomorrow and hopefully I'll be another 10 pounds down by Christmas!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Two Weeks Later

I'm so glad I went back to work in the middle of last week. I couldn't believe how much it took out of me - getting back into the early morning routine, morning rush hour, and just the general day-to-day stuff. As I near the end of my first full week, I find I'm much more acclimated to everything and I'm actually enjoying myself. I thought I was getting stale but being away has given me a new appreciation and focus.

The really good news is that I'm now eating regular foods and found that beef and fish don't bother me. Chicken and pork are still on the watch list, but the fact that I can get some basic protein in is encouraging.

Next week is my birthday and I'm so glad I'm facing it almost 40 pounds lighter! I can't wait to see where I'll be this time next year. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but it seems more possible somehow. As if the losing a significant amount of weight in a short time has given me the incentive to do more - eat better, workout, and try to be more healthy in my habits.

Been a long time . . .

Yes, I've been able to eat real food, but after a few days (and with the cottage cheese gone), I was sick of the stuff. I've tried eating real food and have been able to tolerate it well - as long as it's thoroughly chopped and shredded to a very fine consistency. I don't know if this is strictly legal, but I was unable to stomach any more protein powders or shots. It's more the smell than the taste, but the plain fact is that I got nauseous at the thought of downing any of it.

I've tried drinking more water, which seems to help. Plus, I've been getting my exercise, so I hope that's helping. The only bad news is that I haven't lost any more weight in the past week. I've got my fingers crossed that this plateau is only temporary. I'm still taking my vitamins and supplements, so hopefully, it's just a stage.

I can't believe I go back to work next week (the 16th). It's hard to believe it's been a month already. Ah, well. The time off was nice while it lasted!

FALL IS IN THE AIR!

Finally - Some Real Food!

I just had my two week checkup and everything is going great! I'm down to 257.5 and I can finally eat some real food! The first thing I had was some cottage cheese and it tasted great! Tomorrow it's mashed potatoes and applesauce! I'm really excited about how well I'm sticking to the new food regimen and my vitamins. Those were two areas where I thought I'd fail.

I go back to the doctor's on October 7th for my 6 week check up and I hope to have lost even more! After that it will be one week of soft food and then I'm free to eat regular food (providing I can tolerate it).

I'm really glad I got the surgery done because it's given me a totally new outlook!

So Far, So Good

I'm really ready for real food. By that, I mean I'm ready to be off this liquid diet and actually have something to chew. I have my first follow-up appointment on Monday, so I want to see what the doctor has to say. I can definitely tell that my digestive system has changed, but what I really like is that whenever I think of food, I'm craving healthy choices. Like a nice broiled fillet of salmon with a side of spinach or a grilled chicken breast with green beans. I hope that's a good sign.

However, I still tire easily, so I know I'm not ready to return to work yet. Just running around on errands this morning with my son knocked me out for a four hour nap as soon as I got home. But at least I got my walking exercise in for the day!

Speaking of exercising, I'm finding it pretty easy to stick it, which I find surprising. I've never been one for working out, but I know I'll look and feel better if I keep it up. Now that I can actually tell that I've lost some weight, I'm getting excited. I can't wait to see how much I've lost since the day of surgery. One of my friends (who had the same surgery about five years ago) told me that she wouldn't be surprised if I've lost 15 pounds already. If true, I would be down to 257!

Back to the shakes and soups for now. Can't wait until I get clearance for cottage cheese! Mmm!