Well, it's over...for another year. The one day where more food is prepared and served than any other day...and I made it.
This year I was invited to share Thanksgiving with my daughters future in-laws. They are a wonderful large and loving family! I was so thankful to be included in their celebration. They are also fabulous cooks and so I knew that everything was going to be delicious. So I had a plan.
I started my day with a run - my longest run to date - 4.71 miles! I was actually going to try for 5 miles, but at about the 4.5 mile mark my right knee began to hurt. As I turned to head back to the car, it started to hurt more and more. By the time I got back to the car, I could barely bend it. Damn!! I do not want to get injured so that I can't run anymore! I went home and took a hot bath. Then I rubbed ointment on my knee and wrapped it in an ace bandage. The good news is that this morning it hardly hurts at all ! I am going to give it another day to rest and then tomorrow I am going to try a shorter run and see how it goes. I have a 5K coming up in a couple of weeks and I don't want to miss it!
I ate a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of bacon at noon. I figured that would hold me until dinner that night and it did. We got to the house around 3:30 and the party was in full swing. I got a glass of wine and sat down to visit. I had 2 crackers with brie and fig paste while I visited and then a handful of pecans. Big mistake! That little bit of appetizer filled me up to the point where I really couldn't eat dinner! I think I had 2 small bites of turkey and a few green beans and that was it. Damn! Wish I could undo that and not have taken a bite of anything until dinner! At least it made me far too full to even contemplate eating any of the lovely deserts on display! But I did it...I made it through the biggest eating day of the year and didn't overeat, or eat anything that would set me back in my journey, and it wasn't even hard! Hooray!
I am still at the same weight...160.4 I have been at this weight for about a month. I am trying very hard not to be upset about it. I know these things take time and that if I keep working hard, the weight will begin to come off again. But it's hard to wait. It's hard to stay positive. It's not hard (surprisingly) to stay motivated...I am still very on track with exercise and eating...but I do find myself doing a lot of negative self talk and I want to stop that.
Right now, my goal is to lose another 10 pounds by my 1 year surgery anniversary. If I can do that, I will have lost 75 pounds in a year. When I started the journey last February, I was convinced that I could lose all 90 pounds in that first year. I heard that the first year is the "honeymoon" year and that after that, it is much harder to lose the weight. Well...that is not going to happen and so I am going to have to lose weight after the honeymoon!! I am determined to get down to 140 at a maximum weight...and 130 as a minimum. Once I get to 140 and am able to maintain that weight for more than 6 months, I can begin to plan for my breast lift and tummy tuck. If I am going back under the knife, it will only be when my body and mind both are ready for it.
So here's to the start of the holiday season...a time where candy and cookies abound...and a time where family is together and we can set aside (even for a short time) the troubles that plague us the rest of the year. I am looking forward to my daughter coming home during college break and I am looking forward to turning on the Christmas lights after a long day at work and just soaking in the holiday spirit!
Cheers!
Friday, November 27, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
My 4th 5K is in the books!
Things have been slowing getting back to "normal" around here. No more trips scheduled...my project at work has been given a 6 week extension which will allow me to at least enjoy the holidays...and my return to the gym has been going well. I am 9 months post op and have lost 64 pounds. SW 224 CW 160 Am I where I want to be? No Am I where I had hoped to be almost 10 months post op? No Am I glad every single day that I had this surgery done? YES!
My food choices are what is derailing me at present. The only thing that VSG does for you is limits the actual quantity of food you can consume in any single sitting. After you are completely healed, and you can tolerate most different types of foods, it's up to you to choose the foods that are healthy, low calorie/low fat/ low sugar! VSG doesn't fix your head...it only fixes your stomach!
I find myself eating more frequently than I did 6 months ago. 3-4 months into the process, I could eat about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of food and be completely satisfied. I wouldn't even think about food for 4-5 hours. Now I find myself "shopping" in my own fridge. Wondering what I could have, what I could make for dinner, or what would satisfy the craving rattling around in my head. Danger...DANger...DANGER!!!! The only thing I can do is to redirect my thoughts onto something else and hope that the craving goes away. It reminds me of the scene in the movie Jaws where the boat captain was telling them the story about the ship going down during the war and the sharks coming. They would yell and kick the sharks and group together to fend them off. He said, "sometimes the sharks go away...and sometimes they don't go away". That is exactly how I feel about my cravings! Sometimes they go away...and sometimes they don't.
But I am continuing on the good habits that I have formed. I am meeting my friend at the gym 2 nights a week. I am pushing "play" on the DVD player and choosing a workout from my 21 Day Fix DVD at least 2 nights a week. And I am continuing my 5K running challenge that I set for myself back in July. My daughter and I decided that we were going to start running 5K's together and that we wanted to run one per month. We started in July...missed August...but ran one in September, one in October, and one yesterday! This one was by far the hardest one yet. It was at 8 in the morning about 40 minutes from where we live. We were not able to do the pre-race packet pickup and so we had to get to the race early in order to get our bibs and be ready to run. The 5:45am alarm did not make me a happy camper...and neither did the 29 degree temperature outside! I do not have the right running gear for 29 degrees! We got there in plenty of time and got lined up for the race. My legs and my torso were fine - thanks to my fleece lined leggings and my new thermal long sleeved undershirt. But my face and my hands were frozen solid by the time we crossed the starting line. They did not thaw out until I hit the 2 mile mark. By then, my back was hurting thanks to my super stiff running style (think frozen solid) and all I could think of was crossing that finish line and getting something hot to drink! I was pleased with my time (40:50) and still want to have a sub 40 minute race (which I am getting really close to). My daughter and I are now rethinking a December / January race...unless we can get some warmer running gear...or at least some hot packs for our hands!
Thanksgiving is this Thursday and I am not super excited about it. I know what I need to do, and I will be having a lot of talks with myself this week to bolster my courage to do what's right and make it through with flying colors! With the holidays looming, I know that there will be challenges galore and it will be up to me to keep my end goal in my mind. Only I can get to where I want to be. I am determined to succeed.
Gobble gobble...
My food choices are what is derailing me at present. The only thing that VSG does for you is limits the actual quantity of food you can consume in any single sitting. After you are completely healed, and you can tolerate most different types of foods, it's up to you to choose the foods that are healthy, low calorie/low fat/ low sugar! VSG doesn't fix your head...it only fixes your stomach!
I find myself eating more frequently than I did 6 months ago. 3-4 months into the process, I could eat about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of food and be completely satisfied. I wouldn't even think about food for 4-5 hours. Now I find myself "shopping" in my own fridge. Wondering what I could have, what I could make for dinner, or what would satisfy the craving rattling around in my head. Danger...DANger...DANGER!!!! The only thing I can do is to redirect my thoughts onto something else and hope that the craving goes away. It reminds me of the scene in the movie Jaws where the boat captain was telling them the story about the ship going down during the war and the sharks coming. They would yell and kick the sharks and group together to fend them off. He said, "sometimes the sharks go away...and sometimes they don't go away". That is exactly how I feel about my cravings! Sometimes they go away...and sometimes they don't.
But I am continuing on the good habits that I have formed. I am meeting my friend at the gym 2 nights a week. I am pushing "play" on the DVD player and choosing a workout from my 21 Day Fix DVD at least 2 nights a week. And I am continuing my 5K running challenge that I set for myself back in July. My daughter and I decided that we were going to start running 5K's together and that we wanted to run one per month. We started in July...missed August...but ran one in September, one in October, and one yesterday! This one was by far the hardest one yet. It was at 8 in the morning about 40 minutes from where we live. We were not able to do the pre-race packet pickup and so we had to get to the race early in order to get our bibs and be ready to run. The 5:45am alarm did not make me a happy camper...and neither did the 29 degree temperature outside! I do not have the right running gear for 29 degrees! We got there in plenty of time and got lined up for the race. My legs and my torso were fine - thanks to my fleece lined leggings and my new thermal long sleeved undershirt. But my face and my hands were frozen solid by the time we crossed the starting line. They did not thaw out until I hit the 2 mile mark. By then, my back was hurting thanks to my super stiff running style (think frozen solid) and all I could think of was crossing that finish line and getting something hot to drink! I was pleased with my time (40:50) and still want to have a sub 40 minute race (which I am getting really close to). My daughter and I are now rethinking a December / January race...unless we can get some warmer running gear...or at least some hot packs for our hands!
Thanksgiving is this Thursday and I am not super excited about it. I know what I need to do, and I will be having a lot of talks with myself this week to bolster my courage to do what's right and make it through with flying colors! With the holidays looming, I know that there will be challenges galore and it will be up to me to keep my end goal in my mind. Only I can get to where I want to be. I am determined to succeed.
Gobble gobble...
Friday, November 13, 2015
Life's been a whirlwind!
Haven't posted regularly because life has been crazy! Two 5 day business trips in 14 days, a new roommate, my daughter in town, and work that has ramped up to frantic pace...what's not to love?!
My latest trip was to San Antonio, Texas. I left a couple of days early so that I could rent a car and drive to Sumner, Texas to visit my late father's brother. I stayed with my Uncle Wayne for two days and nights. For those of you who don't know, Sumner is in north east Texas just outside the city of Paris. It is rural folks...really, really rural. I am from Paris, Texas originally...and I like to think that there is some "southern girl" still in me...but Sumner is NOT my idea of bliss. I do love my Uncle though...and since I don't get down south very often (this is only my second visit in 7 years) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit. One thing about the south...they know how to welcome a guest! Some cousins came over to see me, and they wouldn't let me help with anything! It was a great family feeling.
Southern food however, is NOT a part of my eating plan! I managed to keep it under control for the most part, but the night of the "fish fry" gave me a case of the foamies! Nothing worse than having to bolt from the table with a murmured "excuse me for a moment" while you run to the bathroom and stand over the toilet praying not to hurl up your Uncle's home cooking! My body is just not used to fried food anymore!
After that visit, I went to San Antonio for a 3 day business conference. Good things included...lot's of walking, workouts in the hotel gym, and fun with a couple of my favorite coworkers. Bad things included "conference breakfasts" (read: disgusting) and too much alcohol. Fortunately, I bring protein bars with me wherever I go now...and so when both morning breakfasts were nothing short of inedible, I had some fruit and a protein bar. I am glad that summer and travel is at an end though, because I found myself drinking way more than I should. Now that I am home for several months, I can get back to my eating, drinking, and exercise routines!
I am happy to report that I didn't gain any weight on either of my recent trips. I am unhappy to report that I didn't lose any weight either! I am ready to rededicate myself to getting this last 25 pounds off my body! I am hoping to lose 12 pounds between now and my one year surgiversary, which is February 5th. It is going to take some dedication to the gym in order to make this happen! That loss would put my weight firmly in the 140's and that is my first goal. My second goal is to get into the 130's. That is where I need to stay for 9 months or more in order to feel good about having a tummy tuck and breast lift in early 2017! That is my pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and I am determined to make it happen. I have about half the money saved already and I am not going to stop until I reach that goal.
Future happenings include another 5K in two weeks and my first Thanksgiving with my daughter's future in-laws. Then I will begin the countdown until my baby (she's 22) comes home for Christmas!
I am doing great and there is not a single day that has gone by where I have not been extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to have the VSG surgery. My life is so much better now that I am not carrying so much extra weight around with me. I know that as I lose these last 25 pounds, I am just going to feel better and better. I can't wait to post my next set of pictures when I reach my first goal of getting below 150. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.
Until next time...
My latest trip was to San Antonio, Texas. I left a couple of days early so that I could rent a car and drive to Sumner, Texas to visit my late father's brother. I stayed with my Uncle Wayne for two days and nights. For those of you who don't know, Sumner is in north east Texas just outside the city of Paris. It is rural folks...really, really rural. I am from Paris, Texas originally...and I like to think that there is some "southern girl" still in me...but Sumner is NOT my idea of bliss. I do love my Uncle though...and since I don't get down south very often (this is only my second visit in 7 years) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit. One thing about the south...they know how to welcome a guest! Some cousins came over to see me, and they wouldn't let me help with anything! It was a great family feeling.
Southern food however, is NOT a part of my eating plan! I managed to keep it under control for the most part, but the night of the "fish fry" gave me a case of the foamies! Nothing worse than having to bolt from the table with a murmured "excuse me for a moment" while you run to the bathroom and stand over the toilet praying not to hurl up your Uncle's home cooking! My body is just not used to fried food anymore!
After that visit, I went to San Antonio for a 3 day business conference. Good things included...lot's of walking, workouts in the hotel gym, and fun with a couple of my favorite coworkers. Bad things included "conference breakfasts" (read: disgusting) and too much alcohol. Fortunately, I bring protein bars with me wherever I go now...and so when both morning breakfasts were nothing short of inedible, I had some fruit and a protein bar. I am glad that summer and travel is at an end though, because I found myself drinking way more than I should. Now that I am home for several months, I can get back to my eating, drinking, and exercise routines!
I am happy to report that I didn't gain any weight on either of my recent trips. I am unhappy to report that I didn't lose any weight either! I am ready to rededicate myself to getting this last 25 pounds off my body! I am hoping to lose 12 pounds between now and my one year surgiversary, which is February 5th. It is going to take some dedication to the gym in order to make this happen! That loss would put my weight firmly in the 140's and that is my first goal. My second goal is to get into the 130's. That is where I need to stay for 9 months or more in order to feel good about having a tummy tuck and breast lift in early 2017! That is my pot of gold at the end of this rainbow and I am determined to make it happen. I have about half the money saved already and I am not going to stop until I reach that goal.
Future happenings include another 5K in two weeks and my first Thanksgiving with my daughter's future in-laws. Then I will begin the countdown until my baby (she's 22) comes home for Christmas!
I am doing great and there is not a single day that has gone by where I have not been extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to have the VSG surgery. My life is so much better now that I am not carrying so much extra weight around with me. I know that as I lose these last 25 pounds, I am just going to feel better and better. I can't wait to post my next set of pictures when I reach my first goal of getting below 150. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.
Until next time...
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