Totally Surprised!!!

Hey! I was over joyed yesterday when I was pleasantly surprised in my closet. Okay, for starters, I've been going on and on over the last week or two about my size 18 jeans not fitting right and even being a bit tight...remember? So yesterday, we were going to get out of the house for a little bit. I went in the closet and stared down the size 18 pants and really didn't want to mess with them. I even thought about putting back on my size 20's just to be comfortable even though they just practically fall off of me.  So, I got a little crazy and thought I'm going to try on one pair of 16's just to see how far I can get them up...thinking that this would motivate me to push myself a little harder. Wellllll, you won't believe this because I sure didn't, but I fit into that pair .... it was a perfect fit and comfortable. So, I thought, it's just the brand and how they cut them. So, I pulled out another pair of 16's. They fit, too! What is going on? So, I pulled out all 9 pairs (some pants, some jeans, some capri's) (And yes, I hoard my old clothes...always with the hope I'd get back into them one day) and started trying them on. ALL of them fit perfectly....now, 2 of them were a little tight in the waist but still, they fit. They're all different brands and so it's not just a different cut or anything. I'm in total shock! I'm thinking that my 18's were just a tighter cut brand...I only have 3 pairs of those.

Anyways, I'm so excited over this! I came out modeling for my husband with every single pair. He wasn't surprised like me...he said he could tell I'd lost more. He even told me I had some sexy curves! So, I'm feeling really good right now but I'm just blown away by this. So are my 18's really size 14-16's? Whatever, I love that 9 pairs of 16's fit!!!! Hot dog! I'm loving it!

23 Weeks Post-Op (Quick Update and Me Talking to Talk)

Hi all! This week has been the coldest week so far this fall...or soon to be winter. I'm so excited that Christmas will be here soon even though we are no where ready for it. I hope you all are doing wonderfully!

Okay, a super quick update on my weight. I've lost another 2 lbs. since my last update about a week ago. This brings me to 196 lbs. I'm very happy about this. Hopefully it will keep falling off.

I have to say that even though this journey hasn't been the easiest...you know, with the surgery and recovery...and the getting used to all the life changes.............I feel like the weight comes off with so little effort. As ashamed as I am, I haven't exercised much and I still get to eat some junky foods that if I'd even looked at before, I would have gained 10 lbs. just for the simple look. I do still get all my protein in and I try to get all my liquid in...which most days, I do. And I don't eat junky food every single day either but when I do, I feel as if I have this high metabolism that a naturally thin person has. I'm pretty sure I don't and maybe it's just the fact that I can't stuff myself silly even after I'm stuffed (you know, going back for seconds or thirds or for that matter, eating whatever it is all day long). And possibly because my appetite is almost nonexistent .... and when I do want something that's high carb, high calorie, high fat, and no protein, I'm satisfied with only a very small portion....especially compared to what I used to eat or drink. I don't have to tell myself that I need to stop...I just really and truly have no desire to eat another bite. I love this about the sleeve! I don't really know why I'm going on and on about this except to say that the sleeve is so wonderful and unlike any kind of diet I've ever done in my life. Oh wait a minute, this isn't a diet and doesn't feel like it either. Maybe that's why I love my sleeve so much! If I ever needed or if I could ever have it done again, knowing what I know now, I'd do the surgery again in a heart beat. I wouldn't think twice and I wouldn't worry like I did the first time. I would be begging the doctor to do it right away. And I don't think I'd have the buyer's remorse the second time around like I did the in the first month after surgery this time around. I'll stop with all that....REALLY, like I'll ever need it done again! Ha! lol I heart my sleeve!!!

And just to mention it, I don't have any left over problems that some surgeries have. I have no malabsorption problems, I have no food restrictions (except maybe raw celery...I think that's one that I can pass on...and maybe raw coconut...not something I eat much of anyways), no twinges or pains....really nothing. I LOVE MY SLEEVE!!!!

21 Weeks Post Op (Almost to "Onederland")

Good Morning! So sorry I didn't manage to get back on here yesterday morning. Things have been super crazy around here.

So,  I was hoping that I would be able to report this morning that I was now in onederland! No such luck! But I'm very close! I'm now weighing in at 200 lbs. This means that not only have I lost 80 lbs. so far but that I'm not even 5 months post op and have already passed up my 6 month goal which was to lose 50% of my excess weight (75 lbs.). Once again, I love my sleeve! It's not always easy and I do have to make an effort to eat and drink the right things but for some reason, not sure why, my sleeve makes things so much easier. 

On another subject, my blog friend, Roslyn asked me about my sweet tooth and if I had one. Yes, I do have one but now it's a lot different than it was before surgery. My whole appetite has changed. Most of the time I have to remind myself to eat. But I do have days or weeks were my hormones are all over the place or my hubby and son are indulging in those "oh, so delightful" sweets and I find myself wanting them like crazy. I don't refuse myself. I just make sure I don't over do it. A tiny little bowl of ice cream or a small bite of candy....you know, I just don't eat and eat like I used to AND I have no desire to now. It doesn't take much to satisfy my sweet tooth. In fact, if I over do it, it makes me feel like I've had 2 big bowls of ice cream and am going back for more....YES, nauseous!

I wanted to mention this because right at this very moment I have a pumpkin pie cooking in the oven that I'm taking to my grandma, mom, and brother...along with a roast, potatoes, onions, carrots, and rolls.....at the nursing home that my grandma is at. We're celebrating Thanksgiving tonight because we will be out of town on a vacation next week. Anyways, was I craving anything at all this morning except for my coffee? No! Now that I'm smelling the pumpkin pie, my mouth is watering. So, yes Roslyn, I do still have a sweet tooth. :(  Am I really hungry? No way! :(  It just smells so good and my head says that I need it. Ha! So, I do have lots of head hunger, too. You'll figure out as you go how to control what actually passes over your tongue. But don't worry about it if you have a little here and there....even naturally thin people do....AND now you have the tool to work around those cravings and not over indulge. You are normal and I don't think that having a sweet tooth makes your surgery a failure. I'm pretty sure that that's pretty normal and that a lot of post sleeve people deal with their own little devils when it comes to food. Just have a bite or two and then stop! I bet you will be totally satisfied....oh, and make sure to eat some dense protein before you do....this will probably take away your sweet craving completely. Most of the time, that works for me but sometimes nothing will overcome the sweet tooth and I just have to have it. It's okay and not the end of the world!

Have a blessed day! I'm not sure I will be posting anything next week because we will be out of town. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and I will jump back on here as soon as I can.

40 Days Post Op, (It's Been a While!)

Hi! Yes, it has been a while. Sigh! I suppose that I just wasn't very motivated to jump on here and update. I had really started thinking that this surgery was pointless. It just seemed like no matter what changes I had made, the weight just wasn't going to come off. I think the number on the scale plays a big part on my emotional state sometimes. I would even go days without weighing because I just knew it hadn't budged. Well, I'm very happy to report that "NO," my scale was not stuck and neither was I. The scale wasn't moving but my clothes were getting loser. There's a sign for me! Ha! Even though I knew that, I was still very convinced that this was all for nothing. I know, sad! Then, finally, this last Friday the scale slowly started going down. At first, I thought it was just that the scale was a little off compared to the other days that I weighed. Then I thought, it's the clothing that I'm wearing. Nope, it was really my weight going down. So, since Friday I've lost 6 pounds. That's a short 5 days! That's 1.2 lbs. per day! Okay, I know, I'm getting technical! lol I can't help it.

So, here's my weight loss breakdown so far.....25 lbs. during 3.5 week pre-op (started at 280...then, day of surgery...255).....10 lbs. first 2 weeks post op (started at 255...stopped at 245).....nothing for about 4 weeks (Plain old cross eyed! Sigh!)......then, the 6 pounds I just lost. That brings my total weight loss so far to 41 lbs. and I feel pretty awesome! So I started at 280 lbs. and am now at 239 lbs.

Things are looking up! If you're in a stall, keep doing what you're doing and it will come off.

FOOD? Huummm...well, yes, I'm getting to eat more than protein shakes and soup. Thank goodness! lol But ...okay, hang on to your seats...I have just a tiny bit of moaning to do...lol...  I'm getting really tired of the same old things and then the lack of veggies and fruits. I miss them! It's almost time for me to have those things again so I'm getting excited about that. I'm so looking forward to a mouth watering salad, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Not that I will have a lot of room for them but hey, even a taste to run across my tongue will be decadent! Also, right now, trying different types of meat can be tricky. Some are perfect for going down my esophagus. Then there are some that feel like they get stuck. In fact, I've eaten canned chicken, crock pot chicken, and chicken cooking in a skillet and they've gone down fine. But we bought these healthy pre-broiled chicken patties so I would have something a little different. They seemed very moist after I heated it up. For some reason though, it didn't go down good at all. In fact, it felt so stuck that I thought I was going to throw up. I had only eaten a bite or two. My husband thought that maybe I didn't chew it well enough or I was eating too quickly. Both are possible but it could just have been the chicken. Eggs sometimes feel as if they are about to get stuck but then they never do. Anyways, I was starting to panic because it felt really bad. My hubby said to take a drink of water. So I did. Then I threw up about 4 or 5 minutes later but it was totally clear.....no food. So I think the water came back up...makes me think that yes, indeed, the food was just sitting there blocking the way to my stomach. Scary! After a little while, it went on down and I felt much better. Our doggy got most of the chicken. Lucky her! Besides that, eating has been going fine. I still don't have much of an appetite. I have to really remind myself to fix something for myself and my son during the day...I'm just not hungry. Every once in a while, I feel a little bit of true hunger but rarely. Then there are times when I'm not really hungry but my mind says, "Oh, that looks really good or smells really good!" I will start off by feeling really sad that I can't eat a whole plate full but then something really interesting happens, I take one bite....chew, chew, chew....take my second and maybe my third bite...chew, chew, chew....and THEN feel totally disgusted by the food and could care less about it. That has even happened with a iced mocha drink. I never would have dreamed that that would be my relationship with food....a love it, then hate it, and leave it relationship. I love that that is how things are now. I'm still a bit self-continuous in restaurants because I'm sitting there thinking that people think I'm starving myself. My husband and I will decide on one meal. When it comes out, I cut a very small portion off for myself and then the rest goes to my hubby. I really don't want anyone thinking that I'm starving myself because believe me, I feel totally stuffed when I finish...like I just ate a huge meal, plus seconds, plus dessert,...OH and soda to wash it all down. lol