Weight and Other People's Pantries

I weighed in at 257.6 this morning. I am down 1.2 pounds! I worked out on the elliptical for ONE HOUR this morning! This is a personal record for me. The longest I have gone before was for fifty minutes. That has probably been at least four weeks ago. I burned 671 calories! The workout felt so good.

Now, onto the subject of other people's pantries. I have babysat for this family for right at three years. They are all normal "healthy" weights. My eyes really have been opened since having surgery to not only how I view food, but how I see that food impacts the lives of others. I am at their house at least once a week, but up to 7-8 times a month. I feel that I have gotten to know them pretty well. Here are a few things I noticed about them...

1. They have food that stays in their pantry for a long time. I'm talking "bad" type foods. Cookies...that will take them a month to consume (if they don't end up throwing them out because they are bad).
2. They eat fruit as a snack often.
3. Although the dad is a Chief Advertising Executive for a major fast food company, they maybe have it two times a month....if that.
4. They always have leftovers in their fridge. They seem very discerning about when they are full, and don't go back and get more just because it is there.
5. Physical activity is a part of their lives, but not a huge part. They exercise maybe two-three times a week.

It is just interesting to see the little things that can be done to help you achieve/maintain your goals. There are many things about myself that have changed since I had the DS.

1. I rarely have fast food. (Maybe 1-2 times a month. Usually that is chili from Wendy's or grilled chicken with no bun.)
2. Although I didn't exercise for the first 4 1/2 months, I am now a consistant exerciser.
3. When I buy food it lasts a whole lot longer. Granted my stomach size is much reduced, I could still eat a whole lot of something over the course of the day. I just don't do that.
4. Coke...I have not had a Coke since surgery. This is a huge deal to me. I was majorly addicted to Cokes. (I once calculated that based on the Cokes that I consumed each day, I had the potential to gain 54 pounds a year. How scary is that? What is even worse, after calculating that, it didn't make me stop drinking them.)

Surgery was not a major fix. Yes, it is a major help. I have to do my part. I really am trying.

MTV True Life

Very Interesting Video.

Thoughts...Pretty Much All Over the Board

I weighed in today at 258.8 pounds. I am down .8 tenths of a pound. I just finished up a 45 minute workout. I burned 500 calories!

On a most significant note. I only have 99.8 pounds until goal! I am under the 100 mark!!! I am 3.8 pounds from an obese BMI. I am 67.8 pounds from an overweight BMI. When I get to goal (at this time my goal is 159 pounds) I will have a NORMAL BMI.

I have come to the startling conclusion that I actually have RIBS. I have had so much fat and flab for so many years, I really never could feel them. When I lay down at night, I can feel them pretty defined. That is so wild to me.

Now, onto thoughts about my mom. My mom has not really been encouraging about my weight loss at all these past several months. It is not that she is mean or rude, she just simply doesn't say anything at all. This morning as I was working out, it hit me. I think the reason for this is because I am about 20-25 pounds from weighing the same weight as she does. In some weird odd way, I think she feels threatened by the fact that I could be smaller than her. Maybe it isn't the case at all, maybe she just doesn't care enough to compliment me. Who knows. I'd love to say that it doesn't bother me at all...but it does bother me. I do care. I wish that she did.

I am thinking about my trip which is in 48 days. I am going to be gone NINE days! I am very excited about this, but also apprehensive. I have decided that I am going to workout each day I am on the cruise (I think we are on the cruise 6 days and 5 nights.) I feel certain that they would have a scale, but I think I am going to call and ask. That way I can at least keep track of my weight for part of the trip. (I am so happy for those people who can stay off the scale for days and weeks at a time, I am simply not one of them. I wish that I could be. I just need the reality of the numbers each day.) If I knew that TSA would not take away my $75 electronic scale, I'd pack it with me as a carry on. I somehow feel that they might think it is a bomb. Perhaps I could just weigh myself on the things that weigh your baggage as you check in.

I know we are going to be pretty active for the whole trip, so I know I will get in exercise. I just don't want to "gain" weight on the trip. I am taking my Nectar Protein drinks. I am going to take enough for two a day, which would give me 46 grams of protein. I also am going to take some protein bars (enough for one a day if I needed them), and some nuts. On the cruise I intend to concentrate on my meats and cheeses to keep my carbs ultra low. Since food is always available on the cruise, I don't feel I will have a problem getting in my protein. I just want to have a PLAN. This is the plan thusfar. When I get back from the cruise the next day is my eighth month post-op. If anyone has any suggestions, I am very open to them.

I am going to take my measurements again tomorrow. I took them on September 1. I wish I had done this from the beginning, but I didn't. It will be cool to see how they are changing each month.

My BUM

My butt hurts. I think I need to buy a donut pillow. I wish I could redistribute some of weight so I could have more cushion on my tail. I loved watching Hamlet last night, but the chair killed my bottom.

So Long, Farewell....

to the 260's!!! I weighed in at 259.6 this morning! I am down another 1.2 pounds today. I have lost 134 pounds to date. The biggest thing is that I am 4.6 pounds from an obese BMI!

I was eating soup last night outside at Panera. I overheard another table's conversation. There were three women in their thirties, who were all normal to slim weight wise. One of them was talking about her daughter, and how she shouldn't let her "weight" stop her. That she could do anything she wanted. (In this instance the lady had been talking about a sports team.) I have no idea what her daughter weighed, but what she is saying is not true. Weight stops you from doing so many things. Some things it stops you from are physical, you just cannot do them. Others, it is much more of a mental battle. Her perspective was certainly coming from someone who had never been overweight a day in their life.

Exercise Routine and Random Information

I have been doing 30 minutes on the elliptical machine each morning. I am doing this at level 3 resistance. I average between 330-345 calories each time. In the evening, I have been doing 15 minutes on the elliptical machine at level 4 resistance. I average about 170-185 calories burned then. I like this system. I want to bump up the time in the evening. I want to have a thirty minute evening workout. :)

In other news...I am getting a Pink Motorola Razor Phone. Ok, so I know the rest of the planet has had a razor forever. My contract came up, and it was time for me to get a new phone. That is the one I picked. I should have it in two days.

I am going to see Hamlet tomorrow night with my mom. Fun times. We are going out to eat. All I can say is SEAFOOD!!! SHRIMP SCAMPI with lots of garlic butter! I love my DS!

Weight and Weird Comments

Today I weighed in at 260.8 pounds. I am almost out of the 260's!!! I'm down another 1.8 pounds. I am getting so close to that obese BMI I can taste it.

Another significant thing for me is that I am about to break the barrier of having less than 100 pounds to lose. I am just barely over 100 pounds until goal. That is so wild to me. Having lost over half my weight gives me more confidence that I can reach my goal. THIS IS SOMETHING OBTAINABLE TO ME. I can do this. (Although, after reading Sharon's blog about WLS failures, I do realize that there is due diligence in maintaining your weight loss.)

I had a really crappy comment about my weight loss the other day. I was at the school I used to work at for a meeting. After the meeting, I see one of the assistants I used to work with. She says that I am looking really good. I tell her thank you. She asked me how much I lost. I told her 131 pounds. She replies, "I never thought you were THAT big." (With a whole lot of emphasis on the "that.") I know this lady, and really know that she was trying to be sincere. Do people not think at all before just BLURTING stuff out of their mouth? I know people have had much worse said to them, but this is my first experience with negative comments.

I can honestly see why people after a while don't really want to share a "number" as far as how much they have lost with the masses. You can be instantly judged for it. I am going to start reserving the specific "number" of how many pounds I have lost to those whom I am the closest to.

Six Months Post-Op Today

Wow....what a journey it has been the past six months. I weighed in at 262.6 this morning. Down another two pounds. I have lost 11.4 pounds this month. (I am only 7.6 pounds from an obese BMI!)

So here are some fun facts for your reading pleasure....

• I have lost 53.6% of my excess weight.
• I have lost 33.2% of my weight from surgery. (How cool is that, I've lost a 1/3 of my body in SIX months!)
• If you average it out per day, I have lost an average of .69 pounds a day.
• I have lost 131 pounds to date.
• I have shaved off 20.5 points off my BMI. (I am so close to an obese BMI. That is pretty remarkable considering I was "Super Morbidly Obese" prior to surgery.)
• Pre-Op I was wearing a size 36 pants. I can now wear a size 24 pants.
• Pre-Op I was wearing a size 4X-5X shirt. Now I can wear a 18-20 shirt.
• I am now exercising 30 minutes a day on my elliptical machine. I have been doing this for almost 6 weeks now.

Having the DS has saved my life!

Things are Good

I weighed in at 264.6 today! :) I am down another 1.6 pounds! Only 9.2 pounds away from an obese BMI!!!

I have lost 129 pounds!!!

I will be back in the office today for the first time in two weeks. Things have really been swamped. I have been on the road non stop. I think my boss may have to mortgage her house to pay my travel check.

I have to stop by the school I used to work at this morning. I have had to make several stops there since the year has started because of various things my new job entails. I have received many compliments. Today, I am wearing an outfit that actually is a great fit for my body. It will be interesting to see what people say. Not that I am "trying" for compliments, but it sure is nice to hear them from people who have known you for a long time.

Six Month Pictures Two Days Early

This top is a size 18/20. The pants are 26/28, but I could certainly wear the size below in them. I just have not bought new ones.

I cannot believe how much LESS of me there is from this side profile!

This dress is a size 20/22!!! :)