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!!!!

NIV's So Far!

This has definitely been an interesting journey so far. I have definitely had my share of ups and downs (not just my weight). It always seems that as I'm in the mist of feeling like, gosh, this just isn't working out for me, something happens to change my mind. I've given myself lots of pep talks and I've had cries in the mist of many frustrations. Yes, sometimes everything seems like it's going at a snail's pace but when I look back over the last 3-4 months, it feels like it has just flown by. I've now lost a total of 55 lbs. and that puts me at 225. That's less than what I weighed after giving birth to my son 8 years ago. So I suppose I could caught that as one NIV.

A few things that have happened over the last couple of weeks makes me almost believe that my looks are starting to change. When I look in the mirror, I still see a large person but my face has more definition. I can see my jaw bone. I can see some definition in my neck. So there's another couple of NIVs.

I have 2 sister-in-laws. One that I see pretty often and am so incredibly close to. She is my sis! Her and I think just alike. She's one of the most thoughtful and caring people that I know. I love her to pieces! Anyways, I picked her youngest son up from school about a week ago and kidnapped him for the weekend. At one point over the weekend, she came by and got so excited about my weight loss. She said I was looking so cute and ran her hands up and down my sides because they had thinned out so much. I was so excited! She made my day!...My week!!!! She told me that she could really see a difference. Wow! So this is really working! Awesome! Another NIV.

My other sister-in-law which I love also but I'm not as close to because she lives a couple of hours away and we just never see each other much. But I did get to see her yesterday. This was the first time since Christmas that I've seen her. She told me that she could tell that I'd lost a lot of weight and wanted to know what I'd been doing. I never told her that I had surgery and made the ones that knew keep hush, hush about it. Now?!!... I don't care who knows for the most part. So, I told her. She was in shock! But very supportive and told me that she thought I was a very brave person for doing it. That made me feel great! Another NIV!

My clothes are definitely getting too big on me. I've already gone down a couple of sizes in my shirts. My jeans? Ummmm...well, they are really super baggy and I can now get down into the next size. The next size is a 22w. That size fits fine but I like my jeans a little lose so I have still been wearing my 24w....which are a lot lose. HA! I love it! Another NIV!

This weekend I was going through some boxes in the garage that are full of old SMALL clothes and for once, it didn't depress me. I was excited because I knew that there was a big chance that I would be able to fit into a lot, if not all, by next summer...or sooner! Did I say that I love my sleeve?