July Pics

4 1/2 months post-op

icky week

Well... I gained this week. I had a gain of 1.2 pounds. I'm bummed... My week was kind of sucky. Didn't really feel good this week since Sunday. I did not eat/do anything different this week to gain weight so that makes it tough. I didn't make it to the pool at all this week. Between work, no car, not feeling good I never got to my water exercise class. I don't work on Monday so I will go early that morning and work on exercising next week.

My total for this month was 11 pounds, so I guess I need to think about that.

Well that's it for me. ..

Not much new on my end. I've been car less for 2 days. Well we have had to share one vehicle, which at times can be a pain. My car is in the shop. :( I go and pick it up tonight.

Anyway, since Sunday nights "gas" pains the 2 days after I didn't really feel good. Started thinking and thought I probably needed some extra salt since I did get sick. I remember Dr. Rutledge saying if you feel sluggish you don't need food, protein, or anything. You need salt when your feeling sluggish, tired, or weak. So yesterday I ate a few salted almonds we bought at Costco. It did make me feel better. I also hit the water pretty good. Anyway, feeling better today. I guess all the gas came from the sugar I put on the strawberry or maybe just the mix of the cheese and sugar and strawberrys. I don't know, but I don't want to do that again. No strawberry for me this week, I pass.

I will check in on Saturday after work.

Oh my god...

OK, last night was no fun @ all. Just picture the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka. Oh jeez, I was gassed up bad.

I don't know what gassed me up like the blueberry girl but it hurt like hell. So last night I made my men cheese quesadillas and I had to 2 small cuts. I also had a few fresh strawberry's with a bit of sugar on top of them. Not sure if it was the sugar, strawberry's, cheese or what but I was up all night in pain with gas. I was crying over the toilet from gas and I hurt pretty bad. When I had surgery we bought some gas x from Wal Mart to have just in case, good thing because I needed them bad. I took 2 gas X and in about a hour or two it passed. I feel pretty rough this morning and wondering what not to eat ever again the cheese, sugar, or strawberry's. It's not the first time for any of them, so I'm just not sure.

One thing I know for sure - that sucked!!

Down 3 more this week

Not a lot to report this week. Same ol, same ol... I did swim @ my local pool 2 days this week. I went on Monday before work and on my day off on Thursday. I am really enjoying it. On Thursday there were 30 people and we walked the pool around and around. One group was walking one way and the other group was walking the opposite direction. So that caused quite the wave and resistance when walking. That got my heart moving. My arms and abs were feeling what we did those days. Feels good to be moving again. There we two instructors in the pool that day, so one of the extra instructors was showing me the "correct" way to move and and do the routine. So that was nice of her and helpful. So they also do a water walking class on Mon, Wed, and Friday's so I'm thinking of doing that class sooner than later. I did buy the punch card so I can go anytime for $2.60 a visit. Not bad... Trouble is I have to drive 15 miles in and back from town, as I live in the sticks, but o well got to do what I've got to do, right...

Next week my schedule is strange but good because I can go to the pool several days next week. Don't go in till noon again on Monday, so I'm going then. That one teacher is going to be the instructor that day so I'm looking forward to trying one of her classes. She is filling in on Monday. I did talk to my boss as she has been scheduling me for more hours than I really want @ my job. I work in retail so it's hard to find and keep good help. She'll have me there everyday and with trying to work and work @ home with our business were trying to succeed with (D and S Greenhouses) it's just been to much. Now she even has me scheduled for the weekends. I need to be with my husband on the weekends at the Farmers Market and working hard there for my family. She was not respecting my needs @ all. We had a talk and she says she understands but... we'll see??? We go though a lot of people because it's sales/retail and the employees come and go a lot. I just want a part time job and it never works out that way as were always short handed. Right now there are 3 of us working the shifts that need to be covered and it's never ending with finding someone new and training them to work alone. I want to work part time, be a mom, a good wife, and help make D and S Greenhouses a success for our family. Besides cleaning up after my men, mopping, laundry, sweeping, and all the other things on the "honey do list".

Anyway, I am down 3 more pounds this week. So that puts me @ 236.6. That is 55 pounds. I am at 46% to my goal of 169. :) I can look at my self now and see changes in my arms and legs. I have to get a new pair of work pants as they are almost going to fall off at work. So today I am going to the consignment shop and dropping off my old clothes that are boxed up and see if they have anything or just drop them off till later. That's one way of getting new clothes from time to time and swap them out as I shrink. I'm loving shrinking.... Still can't imagine myself even kind of skinny but I'm excited. I can't even picture it in my mind...

Well I have blogged, and went on long enough...

Bye Bye

Steak

We went to Sizzlers tonight for dinner. I ordered off the kids menu and decided to try the kids steak. It was yummy. It is always kind of worry-some when trying something new for the first time. My tummy seems to be ok and feeling fine. I chewed the steak very well and ate about 9 bites or so of the steak, and remember the bites are not the same ol bites as before surgery. My bites now are small, and never put to much in my mouth as I chew everything really well so I keep my bites small. I also had just a bit of salad @ the salad bar and I was done. I was sure hoping I would not have any trouble with steak as I hate feeling icky or sick. All good with my tummy and trying a new food. Going swimming tomorrow, and I'll check in later with all of you. Have a good Thursday. I have tomorrow off work so I will enjoy my day. My son (Jonathan) has a orthodontist appt. so were doing that and going to get a movie.

Till later...

Door Measurements...

Made me giggle...

My Week

I am able to go to the pool tomorrow (monday) morning because I don't have to go into work till noon. I work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday full days. I am off on Thursday so I'll go swimming that day 2. And I also work Friday all day. I already ask a lot from my boss, so to ask for more time off to swim in the morning will not work as I am her morning/afternoon girl. I have no desire to be at a video store @ 11pm at night alone. I won't do it. I have never closed and never will. They do give me that at least. At least my job is not a sit down, sit on your butt kind of job. When I run the store it's mine because were there alone 90% of the time. So I am moving my body there too. Tomorrow is my 3 years with Movie Gallery. Yippee... jump for joy. Think they will give me a raise??? Hmm think not... :) Anyway it's a job, and I like my regular customers a lot. That makes it fun.

Anyway, that's my week. I'll check in later.

Bye...

Adkins Protein Bars

They taste to me as if I am cheating.

They are yummy. Adkins does have several different kinds of protein bars and for sure some have more calories then others. You really have to look at the nutritional facts. 2 I found and one I love that have low calories and high protein and ONE gram of SUGAR...

Adkins Advantage Double Chocolate Crunch Bar.
150 calories
7 grams of fat
100 mg of potassium
1 gram of sugar
12 grams of protein

Yummy!

My first 50 pounds gone!

3 more pounds gone this week. I'm @ 239.4 down from 291 since Feb. 21st 2007. I seem to be melting... and enjoying it!

I have found that I seem to be pretty open about telling people about having WLS. In the beginning I was un sure what to tell people or what I wanted to tell them about my decision. But when people ask what I am doing to lose weight I have been open to share, which surprises me sometimes. I thought I be more shy and would not want to share. But I think it's wonderful and I want to share and teach people that ask. That's just something that has been on my mind this week and feeling surprised about.

Went to the pool yesterday. It was so so so much fun. I really enjoyed myself. There were all different sizes of people, gray hair, old people, young people. About 30 people there at the water exercise class. I can't wait to go back! I hope my schedule next week allows me to show on Monday as well as next Thursday and Friday. Sometimes on Monday I don't have to go in till noon, which would allow me to go before work. I can feel the muscles we worked in my side, arms and shoulders today. My hip must of popped 5 times in the pool while jogging and moving in the water. This just might be a great thing for my body and hips. Yesterday my hips felt better then they have in a long time. It was a good workout and I enjoyed it very much. I'm excited for the next class, which feels great! I will pick up my work schedule today for next week. Thanks for the pool hint Barb, as the pool never really crossed my mind for a great workout and a great place to start to get me moving. The Dr. told me the more I move my hips and such the better they will feel. The pool is perfect because of the low impact to my body right now.

39 more pounds and I'll be under 200 for the first time since I past it up years ago. Not even sure when that was... A long time ago..........

off to the pool

Just waking up before I put on my suit and go try the water exercise class @ the pool. It is a instructed class and I hope it's fun.

I will blog tomorrow about my scale this week and how the class @ the pool went. I am committing to the punch card and sticking to the pool for awhile till I lose some more weight. I think it is just the "thing"for myself.

Have a good Friday friends...

51 pounds

I'm coming clean... He he

I stepped on the scale today.
I know.... It's not Saturday.

Anyway, down to 240.6 today. Cool
291 to 240 and I'm excited. That's my first 50 GONE. Next 50 is going to be even more exciting as my body will really feel better and change. I had my 3 month check up yesterday with my primary physician and all is well. Did not do blood work yet, as he is going to pull blood @ 6 months and check on me. Felt kind of silly being there as I feel fine, but I said I'm do my check up's and I did. His scale match's mine. My BMI is @ 35% from 45%.

I did also yesterday on my day off called and checked into the pool schedule. They seem to have a instructed water exercising class each day from 9-10am. Won't work on the days I work, but sometimes I do have Thursdays and Fridays off if I work the weekend. So I'm going this Friday to the pool to get my ass moving. I can't let my pain take this chance from me. I have to get moving somehow and work with what I have. I have to push it like so many of you are doing. The pool will be low impact, something different and sounds fun and a good workout I hear. They also have a water walking on Mon. Wed. and Fri. at 11am. So that's a idea too.

Down 4 pounds this week, and things I've learned so far...

All good here... My Saturday weigh in is today. I am down 4 pounds this week. Loving that. I have past the 50 pound mark from my totals from a doctors visit in December of 2006. One more pound and I have reached my 50 pound goal since surgery. As un-patient as I have been in the past few months, I am now feeling like this surgery is going to work for me. I found myself in the past several months feeling like I was going to be the one person this surgery didn't work for. I'm not alone, as I have talked to other friends that battle head games too. Silly head games, but I have thought about it. I'm sure it comes from years of failure. I don't feel like that anymore. I'm sure it won't come easy and I will have to watch and work at it, but I can do this. My eating is going well. Still amazes me how much food it doesn't take to fill me any longer. Still have a hard time sometimes with how much to serve myself on my plate. It's still always too much food. That's ok, I just save it or throw it out. It's just different, and a life long habit of over eating. I have had no trouble with getting sick or trying new foods. I don't do milk as it made me sick 2 times and I don't like throwing up bile, so I will stick to soy milk. I can do cheese, cottage cheese and have no trouble. I like the way bread and rice tastes but I don't like the way it makes me feel to full. I usually just take a bite or two and toss the rest aside. I am still not drinking coffee as that is a big surprise to me. I am functioning and getting through life without coffee... WOW, and I'm amazed. I think about coffee a lot though, but if I have learned to go through life without it I guess that's good, but I still do miss my cup o joe. I can't do sweets/sugar or it goes right through me. If you read my DOTS story from mothers day you know what I'm taking about. I have learned that I need to put low calories and protein into my body and fill my tummy with good things for my weight loss and health. If I eat something sweet or it has to much fat, I just feel plain yucky, drained and need to lie down. I have learned the past few months to use food for fuel now and to feel good, rather than filling another need. Doesn't mean the old habits just fade into the night, because when my wonderful cat Mr. Orange died last week I could not push down that sad feeling with food, and I missed it a bit. But the point is I didn't but I did think about it as a first reaction. Gosh I miss my fat/wonderful cat sooooo much. Strange when I come home and he's not here to love me and say meow.

It feels like something has been lifted off my shoulders and I have control now. Partly because you "can't" over eat, and it doesn't take but a few bites to fill your stomach, which is great.

Well that it for now... happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

inventory @ work...

Phew...

I am so glad we are done with inventory for 3 more months @ work. Inventory sucks and it's very hard work. You scan and run around the store like chickens with no head. At my weight all inventory meant to me was I was going to hurt and not be able to walk for 2 days after without a lot of pain. For those of you that don't know, years ago (20) I was in a car wreak and my left ankle was shattered and has limited range and motion. It does not have the same flexibility or movement. Since it does not move the same it has made me limp for years and has never been the same. So after long days on my feet it swells, and then I sit down for a bit it gets so stiff that it has made me cry trying to "walk it out". Anyway.... my point to this is I just did inventory from 12pm last night to 8am this morning and did it with no pain meds. I did it! I was so worried these last two days, I can not tell you how many times I thought about how inventory was going to kick my ass and I am unable to take pain meds of any kind to relieve the pain if I don't have to. I've always had to pop a Tylenol to "get through" the hustle and bustle of inventory and the pain with every step. You have to count everything 3 times in the entire store and find what the report says is missing and count it again. I was happy! When I came home I told my hubby "i did it, and with no Tylenol". I must be feeling lighter on my feet as I lose. I am tired and yes my ankle is stiff and sore but I managed and that has to be because of my 45 pound loss so far. I can't wait to feel 170 pounds. I can't wait to do the things my weight has limited me to do all these years. I have never done a lot of things because of my extra weight. It's sad, but true. You don't want to admit that your weight limits you, but it does. Does not mean I was not happy, it just means that it was always there and in your mind. Not happy with that part of my life and disappointed. And it did stop me. I am so excited for my future and how I am going to feel in these next few months. I am going to feel so blessed. 170 or a healthy weight is something I have NEVER experienced (well I passed it by once in my life time).

And I deserve it.

picture update

Today is my day to weigh in and write it down. I am down 2 pounds this week. That's great, I'll take it. Derrel took my picture today @ the Farmers Market where we have been selling at this year. The pants I put on this morning were in a stack that didn't fit anymore. They do now.

Ta Da

So here is June's photo:

gotta get some...

Sugar Free Popsicle's.
I'm hooked...
15 calories, yummy, good treat...
and did I mention 15 calories!