Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-In: Week 8 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.

Week 8:  I can’t believe that it’s been two months since my surgery.  In some ways it feels like I’ve been living this new life forever, but then in other ways time is flying by.  This week I made good progress on my Summer Bucket List.  I took a 5-mile walk with my cousin around the Presidio of San Francisco on Thursday and then on Friday, Ani and I went to Vasona with the pups for a nice, long walk.  This week my schedule is very open, so I’d like to cross at least one other place off my list.

So, how’s the scale looking?

I weighed in this morning at 246.0, which is a loss of 2.2 pounds this week, and a loss of 31 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 69 pounds from my highest weight. I’m really satisfied with this weight loss because last week I had an almost 4-lb loss and last night I went to Tinkerbell’s house for her birthday party.  I watched my food, but let’s just say I had more than my fair share of Skinnygirl margaritas.  It never fails to amaze me that I can go to a party and indulge the night before a weigh-in and still see great results on the scale.  I know a lot of it has to do with the hard work I’ve put in all week, but I can guarantee that pre-surgery I wouldn’t have seen a loss like this.  (Mostly because pre-surgery I would’ve eaten a lot more than I did).

Last week I set an end-of-summer goal of getting to 235 by August 11th.  I’m still going to aim for that number, but I’m not sure if I can pull off 4 lbs per week for these remaining 3 weeks.  So I think I’m going to amend the date and try to get to the goal by August 18th.  That date is actually closer to my 3-month post op date, and a heck of a lot more realistic.  And you know what, that’s just fine.  I like having a goal to shoot for, and if it takes me an extra week to get there, that’s still amazing progress in my book.

My plan for the week is to continue to enjoy each day of this week.  It’s been an amazing summer so far, and I just want to continue to appreciate the joy I’m finding in everyday.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-In: Week 7 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.

Week 7 is ending a really high note.  Including this week, I have four full weeks left of summer before my school responsibilities (registration, professional development days, teacher welcome day) kick in and then school begins.  I really want to fit in as much “summer” as I can, and there are a few local places in the Bay Area that I’d love to visit before reality strikes.  Things like walking the Golden Gate Bridge, visiting Muir Woods again to see how I’ve progressed, and riding my bike around Vasona, just to name a few spots. I guess it’s my Summer Bucket List. If you have any other ideas, please leave them in the comments.  I’m looking for ideas where I can see the beauty of the Bay Area and do something active at the same time.

So, how’s the scale looking?

I weighed in this morning at 248.2, which is a loss of 3.8 pounds this week, and a loss of 28.8 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 66.8 pounds from my highest weight. The thing that’s so great about this week’s loss is that it’s coming directly after a 4.2-lb loss last week AND after a week in which I ate almost all of my meals out.  I was in an unfamiliar environment, totally shook up my routine, and still made it work.  I’m really proud of myself! I did exactly what I set out to do last week, and to be honest I’m really amazed at it all.

Specifically for this week, I’m going to get in great workouts, keep the protein high and carbs low, and go to at least one Summer Bucket List spot.

Since I have 4 weeks left before my schedule isn’t my own anymore, I think it’s time to set an end-of-summer goal.  By August 11th I’d like to be at 235 lbs or less.  That would be 13 lbs in 4 weeks, which seems completely on par with my weekly average.  It would also mean that I’ll have lost 42 pounds over the summer and 80 pounds overall.  Now THAT would be fantastic!

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-In: Week 6 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.

Week 6 was my first full week on Stage 4, and it was also my birthday week, which meant that I went out 3 nights, and then celebrated the 4th of July. That’s a lot of fun and festivities packed into one little week. This coming week is going to be a bit of a challenge. I’m heading up to Sacramento this afternoon for a 3 1/2-day teaching conference (for those of you who might be interested, I’m going to the AVID Summer Institute). But because I have my new lifestyle well in place, I’m not really too worried. It’s just going to take a bit of organization, but more on that in a minute.

So, how’s the scale looking?

I weighed in this morning at 252, which is a loss of 4.6 pounds this week, and a loss of 25 lbs since surgery!!! I’ve lost a total of 63 pounds from my highest weight. I am thrilled with this week’s loss!!! This is my biggest loss since my first week after surgery! Stage 4 is going fantastic, just like I knew it would be. I feel like I’m hitting my stride, and have finally reached the “sweet spot” that I’ve been hoping for. I mean, to go out to eat on three separate nights plus the 4th of July, including a bit of alcohol on three of those occasions, and to still have these results is amazing.

But it’s not all the sleeve. Yes, the sleeve is a tool that helps me tremendously with my portions, but it’s not the thing that had me going out at 7:30 or 8am each morning taking Sofi on 40-minute walks, plus other workouts. It’s not the thing that had me say no to bread and stick to higher protein foods. It’s not the thing that kept me drinking 8+ glasses of water a day. I did that. I’ve had this in me all along, and I’m so thankful that the sleeve is allowing this part of me to finally shine.

As I mentioned, the beginning of this week is going to be a huge change in my routine. I know I’ll be able to make good choices for lunch and dinner, but breakfast is always challenging. The continental breakfasts that they usually offer aren’t exactly protein-heavy, so I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands.

I’ve got my pre-measured protein powder and blender bottle for breakfasts each day.  My vitamins are also all organized (I’d purchased a really cute vitamin holder about a year ago, but unfortunately, with the size of the chewables, I can’t really use it anymore, so the baggies were a good option).  And I’m bringing a few Quest bars for late afternoon snacks (I sometimes eat half a bar in the afternoon to up my protein count).

I checked into it, and the gym at the hotel is open 24 hours, so I’m bringing my sneakers and workout clothes so that I can get a workout in between dinner and bedtime.  (The conference starts at 8am each day, so instead of getting up at 5am, I’d rather go to the gym in the evening).  What a change from even one year ago, when I would’ve just figured these days would have been “rest days.”

I’m so proud of my progress so far, especially the fact that I haven’t had one week where I haven’t lost weight.  Some weeks might have been light on the weight loss, but I haven’t hit a stall yet.  So, despite a new challenge, I’m ready to have another great week.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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Sizzlin’ Summer Weigh-In: Week 5 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.

Week 5 showed me that I’ve fully moved into my new life.  I had my 6-week post-op appointment a few days early (6 weeks officially starts tomorrow), and got a clean bill of health. This past week was a good one – I got in solid workouts, ate “new” foods, and fit into new sizes.

So, how’s the scale looking?

I weighed in this morning at 256.6, which is a loss of 2.8 pounds this week, and a loss of 20.6 lbs since surgery. I’ve lost a total of 58.4 pounds from my highest weight. This weight loss is fantastic, because I’m back on track with losing about 3 lbs per week.  I’m in the mid-250s, a place I haven’t been in a couple of years.  And I’ve lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks, which is also pretty amazing.  Lots of milestones are just around the corner, which is so exciting.  I think the difference is in higher protein, lower carbs, and longer workouts.

I mentioned this before, but I really think that now that I’m in Stage 4 and can eat almost any protein I want (steak is going to wait until 6 months+), I think I’m going to see strong successes.  My portions have increased to 3oz of protein per meal (as I can handle), which means that reaching 60-75g of protein/day should be so much easier, without adding a shake supplement.

Eating out with friends/family is going to be so much easier now.  This week is a big one because my birthday is on Tuesday and then we have the 4th of July on Thursday.  Two big holidays, and I’m not at all worried about not losing weight.  I love my sleeve!  The built-in portion control is such a great tool, but even more important is this new lifestyle that I’m leading.  I’m so happy and content with the way I’m eating, the workouts I’m completing, and the way I’m feeling.  Plus, if I want to indulge, I can do it without going overboard.

For example, last night my soon-to-be-6-year-old niece and I had an impromptu sleepover.  My mom had brought over Dryer’s slow-churned ice cream (which is 1/3 the fat of regular ice cream, not to sound like a commercial), and as I was dishing it out for my niece, I decided to have a bit for myself.  Instead of serving myself a heaping helping, I stuck to the 1/2 cup serving, and was completely satisfied.  The funny thing was, my niece ate more than I did!  Actually, with all of the meals we’ve been having together lately, I’ve noticed in awe that I’m eating less than my 6-year-old niece!  That blows my mind.  In the best way  possible. Even more mind blowing is the fact that I didn’t worry that I was having ice cream the day before my weigh-in, as I would have in the past, because I knew that a tiny scoop of ice cream wasn’t going to blow a week of hard work. I love that I can have treats in small portions now and again without blowing everything.  And yes, I realize that this is how most people operate in their daily lives, but pre-pre-surgery, there was no moderation in the way that I ate.  I applied the “all or nothing” philosophy, which was unhealthy. Now it’s as if a switch has been pulled, and I don’t even think about over-indulging.  It has less to do with the sleeve and more to do with all the hard work I’ve put in to get here.

For the upcoming week, since it’s going to be filled with celebration, I’m going to concentrate on keeping my workouts solid and enjoying my new life to the fullest. I’m always a positive person, but this week I’m feeling extra happy!!

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

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