What I’ve Learned After LOSING 50 POUNDS!

I’m so excited to let you know that when I got on the scale this morning, it showed that I’ve lost 50.2 lbs so far!  Here are some fast facts about this weight loss:

• My highest weight of 315 was recorded in September 2012 at Jenny Craig.
• I accomplished this weight loss while staying smoke free since August 2010.  This was my biggest hurdle, because I used to smoke when I was stressed, upset, angry, etc, and once I quit smoking, I replaced food with smoking, and turned to emotional eating.  It took a LONG time to work past this. This was the main reason it took me 2 years and 9 months to meet the weight loss requirement.
• I developed plantar fasciitis in the fall of 2012, which hurt my progress because it really limited my workouts.
• I lost 15 lbs while on Jenny Craig (from September – December 2012).  This was a very expensive 15 lbs, and while it set me on a losing path, I wish I hadn’t spent that much money.
• It wasn’t until January 2013, when Tinkerbell and I really started supporting each other, that my weight loss really took off.
• I’ve lost 35 lbs since January 2013, 12 lbs since surgery 2.5 weeks ago.
• The eating plan that worked?  Following Kaiser’s pre-op plan.

After trying everything under the sun for two years and 4 months, I finally went back to where I began, following Kaiser’s pre-op weight loss plan.  I’m not into regrets, and I really do believe that everything happens for a reason.  So I was meant to follow a long and very challenging path to this weight loss.  Those many, many months of trying this and that, having so many weight loss stalls, losses, and gains led to incredible frustration, but they also showed me how strong I am. How determined I was.  How much I persevere in times of trial.  It taught me how STRONG I am.

But really, if I was advising someone else, I’d say to just follow the plan that Kaiser outlined.  1200 calories a day, high protein, good carbs.  Well balanced meals – protein, fruit, veggies, complex carbs.  3 meals a day, no snacks so that pre-op patients can get used to the lifestyle they’ll be living post-op, when grazing leads to weight gain.  I veered from the strict “3 meals a day” plan with the nutritionist’s blessing because of how early my day begins. I rearranged the 1200 calories so that I could include two snacks – one between breakfast and lunch and the second between lunch and dinner. Exercise 30 minutes, 6 days a week.  My own exercise averaged more like 4-5 days a week, 45-60 minute sessions.  But Kaiser’s overall point is to make exercise a daily part of life.

You guys know that I crave variety in my life, and especially in my workouts.  So I made a point throughout this journey to keep my exercise creative and fun.  I’ve done all sorts of activities to get my calorie burn in:

• walking (most of the time with Sofi!)
• elliptical machine (I adore this machine, because it’s easy on the joints, and makes me feel like I’m running on clouds)
• recumbent bike (this was a godsend when I developed plantar fasciitis)
• Zumba
• On-Demand workouts – I love Jill Coleman’s kick boxing workouts
• Yoga (Bikram is a fave, but I really enjoy the free classes at my local Lululemon, too)
• Aqua aerobics
• Swimming (all summer long!)
• Hot Hula

I am excited to get back to the gym and to all of these activities.  Of course, some of them have to wait until I’ve recuperated a bit more.  I’m even more excited to get to the point where I can start working on some of the things on my Fitness Bucket List. Long after I’ve made my weight loss goals, fitness is going to be the thing that keeps me engaged.  It’s what will drive my strong competitive side.  I love seeing what I can do, and I know that fitness will bring me tons of NSVs for the rest of my life.   I may never become a marathoner (no desire), but I will become as fit and active as I can possibly be.

Another huge factor in my weight loss was logging what I was eating on MyFitnessPal. I have tried so many different online tools for tracking calories, and none of them can compare to MFP.  I love the sense of community and support that I find on there.  Many of my friends on MFP are also WLS patients, so they understand exactly where I’m coming from. I like the ability to see my friends’ food logs so that I can get good ideas for my own meals.  When I see friends logging exercise it spurs me on to get my steps in before the end of the day, too.  I can’t recommend the tool highly enough!  You can click here to friend me on MFP, just make sure to write a note and let me know how you found me.

When the scale doesn’t register a loss no matter how hard I’m working, the thing that keeps me sane is support.  My family and friends are tireless supporters, who put up with every calorie I count, every miniscule weight loss brag, every crying jag when I had a down turn. The support I get from writing this blog amazes me on a daily basis; I’ve made true friendships with people I’ve never even met in real life. Watching YouTube videos of other WLS people, as well as those who are losing weight without surgery, have inspired me immensely.  I even started making videos myself.   When I started to go to the WLS support group at Kaiser in January, it lit a spark in me that continues today. There’s nothing like the freedom of discussing all the changes we’re going through in a forum that feels comfortable and safe.  Even FB has given me support in the form of the Sassy Sleevers group I’m a member of.  I’ve learned lots of tips (like the GasX that saved me post-op), and I’ve been incredibly motivated by the successes shared in that group.

These first 50 pounds lost were incredibly challenging, but they led me to the steps that will take me all the way to my ultimate goal. And looking at them from the other side, I can say that each hard-earned pound was worth the effort.

 

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2-Week Post-Op VSG Appt/ Stage 3 Foods

This morning I had my two-week post-op appointment with the surgeon, and it was refreshing because it was the first time I had an appointment in the bariatric department when I wasn’t worried about making the weight loss requirement.  Unlike my previous appointments, I even had breakfast (a protein shake) prior to weighing in.

I got on the scale, and it showed 266, which is an 11 pound loss since the day of surgery.  (It also means that I’ve lost 49 lbs so far, so I’m hoping that a big, celebratory post will be in order tomorrow!).  Then they took my blood pressure, something that in the past has always been on the lower side of the high range.  Today it read 119/79, which they said is perfect!  I’m thrilled!!  They asked me a series of questions about my medication, my diet, my pain, as well as my overall feeling, and told me they were really impressed with how well I was doing.  That I was following everything to the letter, and that it showed.  (I felt like they were giving me a gold star, and being the girl who is the perfect student, that was amazing).

Then I met with the surgeon, who said that he was impressed with the way that my scars were healing, with my level of energy, and my general health.  He said I was a model patient!!  He answered a few of the questions that I had, and the entire appointment went really smoothly.

Today’s visit:

• cleared me for driving!!
• allows me to move on to more activities than just walking.  Bike, elliptical, and light weight training – here I come.  As soon as all my incisions completely close (2-3 days’ time), I can start swimming!!
• moves me into Stage III foods!!!!

Stage III Foods

The exciting thing about Stage III foods is that it opens up a wide set of textures and tastes that make me feel like more of a normal person again.  I get to chew my food!  😀  On Stage III I can eat:

• eggs (although I don’t think I’ll be partaking, since I’m not a huge fan)
• deli lunchmeat, like turkey, chicken, and ham
• soft fish, like tilapia, salmon (in moderation), etc.  (No shrimp yet, since those are firmer)
• canned tuna and chicken
• tofu
• dairy: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, semi-soft cheeses (like gouda, mozzarella, etc).
• all fruit!!  I have to peel the skin off of fruits like apples and pears, but otherwise, I can have all of them.  Pre-op I was limiting my fruit because of the carbs, but now that my portions are so small, I’m going to have fruit with most meals.
• most veggies, well cooked.  (Stage 4 is where I can have raw veggies and greens, which I cannot wait for).  They did say to avoid overly fibrous vegetables, like asparagus.
• hard crackers and well-toasted wheat bread
• mashed potatoes

I can work with that!  I’m already thinking of fun meal plans. Today I kept things fairly simple:

I can’t tell you how delicious the peach tasted!  And having crackers and tuna?  So  good!

My veggies have to be “well cooked,” and since I really don’t like overcooked vegetables, I decided to grill the eggplant.  One small eggplant yielded enough for lunch and dinner for the next few days.

I can already tell that my grocery bill is going to go way down.  It’s going to take some getting used to not to overbuy, but I guess that’s all part of my new lifestyle.  I am definitely going to keep Eggface’s blog in my bookmarks, because she puts together food that looks so appealing (maybe because Shelly’s Italian, too, so we like the same foods?). In any case, I put one of her famous bentos on my Amazon wishlist, and I’m hoping I get it for my birthday.  If not, I’ll buy one before school starts, because it really is perfect for portion control post-wls.

Today was a great day, the whole way around.  Not only did I have a stellar appointment, but I am eating food I really enjoy, AND I got to spend the day with my dad.  He was kind enough to plant a bunch of flowers for me.  (See my IG photo —->).

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Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-In: Week 1 Post Op VSG

Summer’s here! Which means that fun in the sun is a daily way of life.  Getting outside and getting active is easy, and it’s on my agenda for each and every day this summer.  Being on summer vacation means I don’t have any of the workaday responsibilities that can get in the way of my plans.  Now that I’ve had the VSG surgery, achieving my weight loss goals is only a matter of time, and this summer is going to be HOT.  Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. I’m not on a diet, I’m establishing a lifestyle – my new life. My Sunday progress updates will be called Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-Ins.

I was looking forward to today’s weigh in all week long.  I’ve been weighing myself every day, and recording those weights in MFP, but I was still excited to get on the scale this morning and see what my total for the past two weeks was.  When I weighed in minutes before surgery, the scale showed 277.  When I weighed in when I got back to my house, after surgery, I had ballooned up to 284 due to the air they pumped in my stomach during surgery, the resulting gas and bloating, as well as issues with regularity.

The suspense is killing me, what did the scale show?

I weighed in this morning at 267.2, which is a loss of 9.8 lbs since surgery, and a total of 47.8 lbs lost from my highest weight. This is incredible progress!  Especially since I was up more than 7 lbs right after surgery.  I am so thrilled with these numbers, and completely excited to see how far I can go during these three months of summer.

In terms of how I’m feeling, I’m happy to report that I’m feeling almost back to normal.  I’ve stopped taking pain medicine of any kind (including the liquid Tylenol) because the pain is more of a soreness than anything.  I still can’t reach all the way down to the ground to pick things up without pain, but each day it gets a little bit easier.  In terms of my energy, I feel almost back to normal, but I do notice that if I don’t take a nap in the afternoon, I end up going to bed really early (9:30pm).  This is unheard of for me!  I am not a napper, and never have been.  Even when I was young, I would spend my naptime playing in my room instead of sleeping.  And you guys know that I usually function on 5-6 hours of sleep a night.  So this is a whole new thing for me, but I know my body is healing, and since I have the luxury of not really needing to be anywhere at any certain time, I might as well take advantage of it while I can.  The bloating is gone, although I’m still struggling with regularity.  I know it’s because my diet has consisted solely of protein with no fiber or roughage of any kind. I know this will improve as I am able to add more variety to my diet. Speaking of which…

Tomorrow is my 2-week post-op visit with my surgeon, and I’m looking forward to quite a few things:

• The removal of the surgical bandages that have been covering my incisions.  I’ve been able to shower with them on, but they’re starting to come loose from the skin, and they are annoying and ugly.
• The okay to drive again.  I’ve been cooped up for the past two weeks, and I can’t wait to get that freedom back.  My family has been incredible about doing errands for me, but there’s nothing like being able to do things for yourself.
• The approval to start swimming and other active activities. You guys know how much I love to swim in the summer, and I’ve been longing for the peace and serenity I feel in the pool. Plus, it’s an amazing full-body workout.  I’m also looking forward to getting back to the gym.  I want to start weight training as soon as possible, but more on that in a separate post.
• Moving to Stage III foods.  I haven’t minded the Stage II foods that much because my mom made me some delicious soup from Ina Garten, and found great soup flavors from Trader Joe’s (creamy roasted corn and red pepper, Latin black bean, roasted red pepper and tomato), but I miss chewing.  Stage two opens up a whole new world of flavors and textures, and I’m looking forward to that.  I’ll write more about that in another post.

I’m so happy with my decision to have VSG surgery, and I couldn’t be prouder of how well I’m doing.  I’m sticking to the nutritionist’s plan to the letter, which isn’t always easy, but it’s what I know I have to do to be successful.  This feeling and knowledge that I WILL achieve all my goals is what I was striving for those 2 years and 8 months, and though that path was arduous, it was worth every step (or misstep), because it brought me to this moment.

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