stephvinnie

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So, since I started the liquid diet last week I've lost 9.6 pounds.  It feels good.  Today I'm starting to add real food into my diet.  This morning I had a egg and cheese omelet and turkey bacon for breakfast.  I snacked on a few more pieces of bacon and a banana for lunch and I'll make myself a protein shake for dinner.  Glad I still had it in me.  It wasn't easy but I made it through.  :)

 

I'm coming up on my 5 year Gastric Bypass anniversary in just over a month.  I have so many mixed emotions.  I am so glad I had the surgery and am down from the 290 pounds that I was when I started this journey but after getting down to about 195 I slowly started gaining.  Blame it on me snacking on carbs, two divorces, too many slider foods, emotional eating from losing my job, or no exercise but what it comes down to is... I gained 30 pounds and I want to get back on track.  

Today is September 2nd, 2013 and today I started the pre-op 2 week liquid diet that I did before surgery.  I'm hoping that this will get me back on track again.  I'm hoping the weight loss I experience will motivate me to stick with it and that after I will continue to eat like I was instructed to do from the beginning.  I also am setting a goal of checking in more often.  It's been more then 2 years since I've been on here.  I'd also like to be back down to 195 (or lower!) by the time my anniversary rolls around so I'm setting my calendar for weekly check in's on my progress. 

Just read my post from August and here it is 5 months later and I'm at 203.8.  I know weight is just a number but I really want to see that number go down. 

I went to the surgeons office 2 weeks ago to get my blood work results.  I had waited way to long to have it done so I wasn't all together suprised by the results... my levels were off.  The big shocker though... I'm EXTREMELY low in Iron.  3% saturation when usually most people are at 15% to 55%.  It explained a lot though... the fatigue, feeling sick all the time, dizziness, irritability, tingling hands and feet and restless leg syndrom... all symptoms of low iron.  I kept blaming stuff on other things.  I thought the fatique was from low B12 so I upped that and my levels are twice what a normal person has.  I thought the anger and irritability was just hormones.  I should have gone to the doctor sooner.

So, no more beating myself up. I'm moving forward. I've started walking with a friend 3 days a week, I'm taking my iron pill he prescribed 3 times a day, and I'm trying to keep the carbs in my meals to a minimum and eat smaller portions.  Hopefully when I check back in here in another few months the scale will be lower and I'll be feeling back to normal with regular vitamin levels. 

Well, here I am.  Humbled and Ashamed.  I think that's part of the reason I haven't been here in such a long time.  It's been a year since I recorded my weight.

Here's what has been happening with me this last year.... NOTHING!  I have lost absolutely no weight in a year.  I'm not even two years out.  I should be still losing or at my goal weight by now. 

When I weighed in on August 8th of 2009 I was 197.  Today I weight in at 201.4.  I had gotten up to 203 earlier in the month.  That is what opened my eyes. 

I had gotten complaicent.  I was eating whatever I wanted.  I wasn't focused on protein.  I was eating things like popcorn and chips and had even started eating sugar.  I also have not exercised in a long, long time.  I wasn't doing ANYTHING I was supposed to. 

So, here I am.  Ready to get back on track and doing something about it.  I'm going back to the beginning... all the way back.  I started the two week liquid diet today that I did to prep for surgery.  I'm going to use these two weeks to get my mind where it should be, hopefully shrink my pouch up a bit, and get motivated.  I was given an amazing gift with this surgery and for this last year I've wasted it.  NO MORE!

On a positive note... I started dating a man that I've known since I was 16.  He knew me and we actually dated for awhile at my highest weight.  We hadn't seen each other in 6 years and he was amazed when he saw me.  It will be so nice to do this with his love and support.



Today's weight: 201.4
Goal weight: 140
Starting Weight: 287

Weight Today: 223.6

Starting Weight: 287.6

WEIGHT LOST: 64 pounds!

Hello to all from rainy northern california.  I hope this update finds you all doing as well as I am. 

Life here is good.  I started my new job which I really like.  It was a little overwhelming at first but I'm starting to catch on and the guys and girl there are really nice.  I'm still getting used to the drive and having to get up at 4:30am but it's getting easier and easier.  Plus I like being off work at 3pm. 
The first big news I'll share is weight related.  Coke bought me some new polo shirts and tshirts for work.  Well I didn't know what size I was wearing so they bought a bunch of shirts in various sizes.  I AM DOWN TO AN EXTRA LARGE!!!  I know that may not sound like much to some but I was in a 3XL before surgery (probably should have been wearing a 4XL at times) and a 2XL before I left Georgia.  I literally can't remember the last time I wore an extra large shirt.  I also bought a sweater in a size 18/20.  I was wearing 26/28 before surgery.  I can't tell you how excited I am and how good it feels to be succeeding in my weight loss.  I've also met a few people out here who have had the surgery and they've told me they would support me any way they can so I'm excited about that. 

Secondly... I walked 3 miles yesterday!   Before surgery I was lucky if I could walk 15 minutes.  Now I'm walking for over an hour!  I felt it today when I woke up.  My body was sore but it will get easier and easier.  I was walking with a friend from grade school that I've hooked back up with since moving home.  His name is Justin and it looks like we are going to be making our walks a regular thing.  It makes walking so much easier when you have someone with you.  Honestly we were talking the whole time so I didn't even realize how far we had gone.  When I'm by myself I'm constantly asking myself, "should I turn around now?  am I done yet?  do I really want to walk anymore?"   So, walking with someone else will be a nice treat and probably get me much better results.  Plus I'm rebuilding a friendship and that is an added plus!

With all the weight talk I figured I should probably show you guys a new picture so here it goes...

Before: After:
It's a little blurry so here's another one from the waist up:

And now the dreaded side view...
Before:  After:

As for today... my mom and I went down town and walked around a bit while my dad took Chloe for a walk.  It was fun going into all the little shops on main street.  When we got back we worked on my bedroom.  It's been a total mess for a long time.  It's still not perfect and I have some more work today but we at least got my mom's stuff out of the way in a corner and I have a whole dresser to myself now so I can start putting my clothes away.  haha 

Well I think that's about it for now!  Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to talk to  you all soon!
m.a.

Starting Weight: 287.6

Current Weight: 227.0

Weight Lost: 60.6 pounds!!!

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated.  It's been a crazy couple of weeks.  Between Christmas, driving for 6 days to get back to California and then the cold I got I've been a little distracted!   But I'm here at my parents in California, I start my new job tomorrow and I've lost 60 pounds!! 

My next goal is to lose 8 more pounds and be out of the 220's.  I can't believe how close I am to weighing less then 200 pounds.  It actually seems doable!

It's been great catching up with some old friends.  I even got to see a friend I haven't seen since we were 12!!  It was great!  Driving around Mount Shasta is weird though.  Every place I go has memories so my past has kind of been popping up in my face the last week.  It's okay though.... I'm looking forward to making new memories.

For those of you I haven't been able to see yet since I've been home... I haven't forgotten about you and as life calms down I promise to get in touch and make some plans.

Well, I know it's quick but I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still here and doing fine.  I'll try and update with more pictures soon.

m.a.

Weight: 237.6

WEIGHT LOST: 50 POUNDS!!!

I did it.  As of this morning I am officially down 50 pounds!  I'm so excited!  I've never lost this much weight before and I'm more motivated then ever to keep on going.  As a matter of fact I just packed my gym clothes!  I might even try and tackle the weight machines.  lol

Have a great week everyone!

m.a.

I had some free time.... here's the before pictures:

 

Here's today's, 47 pounds down.

 

I do see a little difference.  Expecially in my face and in the side view.  :)

:)

m.a.

I am SOOOOO excited.  I have been waiting for this day to blog and although it took me a WHOLE lot longer then I thought I made it.   I am out of the 240's!!

Weight:  239.8

Total Weight Lost: 47.8

I'm also excited that I'm less then 3 pounds away from 50 total pounds lost!  It seems kind of unreal though.  I was talking to one of the girls from work yesterday and I told her that although the scale says I'm down I don't notice any difference in the mirror.  I see a little in my face but my body still loods the same to me.  I can tell the loss in my clothes though.  The stuff I was wearing is really loose and the stuff I've had in my closet for over 2 years that has been just a bit to small is now fitting!  It's like having a new wardrobe.  I actually gave some of the old big stuff away.

At work they take photo's for our work I.D.'s.  I'm having one of the girls at work take another picture this week so that I can compare the difference.   They will be close up face shots.  I think the first picture was taken just as I started the liquid diet.  She's going to email them to me and when she does I'll post them.  I'm also going to try and take my own pictures of my whole body (with clothes on this time, lol) and I'll post the "then and now" photos once I get them taken.  Maybe if I put them side by side I'll notice something.

Oh, and another big milestone.  This is the same weight I got down to with weight watchers 3 years ago.  So, one more pound lost and I'll be the smallest I've been in over 5 years!

As far as everyday life, things are going pretty well.  I went to Atlanta last weekend to work for my friend John at the SEC Championship game.  It was a long, cold weekend but I love working for him and the people that I get to meet so it was well worth it.  I also got to see Atlanta for the first time.  Now that I've been there and know how to get there, I can go again and really site see.  I saw lots of stuff that I'd like to do.    I'll be working for him again on New Year's Day and this time I'll be going to Orlando for the Capital One Bowl.  It will be a quick trip down and back but I could really use the money and I've never been to Orlando so it will be fun to check it out really quick.

Thanksgiving was good.  Very quiet.  It was nice though.  I made a turkey breast roast, some green beans and even made a sugarfree pumpkin pie!

Now on to Christmas.... I'M GOING HOME!!!   I can't tell you how excited I am.  I'll be leaving on the 20th and will be back the 30th.   It's been 2 years since I've been home and I'm like a little kid waiting for Santa.  This next week is going to go by so slow!   haha.   For those of you in Northern California reading this... I want to see you.  If you don't have my number send me a message and I'll give it to you so that we can connect up when I'm home.

And just for fun.... here's my tree

Well that's about it for me.  I'll update more in the next few days when I have some pictures to post.  Thanks for being so patient.  I promise the next update won't take so long.  :)

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!

m.a.

Weight: 246.0

Weight Lost: 41.6 pounds!!!

Wow, can you believe it?  I've lost over 40 pounds.  21 of that is from the liquid diet and 20 pounds in the month from surgery.  I'm starting to believe that I may actually reach my goal.  I haven't talked about it before but there is this part of me that feels like his is just going to be another failure.  I don't know if I'm trying to protect my self from being hurt if I fail or if I've just tried this so many times and never met my goal that I don't know what it "looks" like.  But, slowly as the weight comes off my mind set is changing.  Slowly I'm believing in myself and this surgery. 

The last couple weeks have had a few little victories.  First, I was able to fit into a shirt and pair of pants that I haven't bean able to wear in 2 years.  It's fun to be able to go into my closet and put on "new" clothes. 

I also had my 4 week appointment with my surgeon.  They take measurements and since my first trip to see them I've lost 2 inches off my thighs, hips and waist and an inch off my arms and neck.  They are a little worried since 3 of the last 30 pounds I lost was muscle so I have to step up my exercise and REALLY work on getting my protein in.  That means drinking protien shakes again but I'm able to have fruit now so I've been adding some to my shakes and that helps get them down.

Oh, and I also took out the stitch out of the incision on my stomach all by myself!  It was the weirdest thing I've ever done but it was time.  It was being irritated by my clothes so I snipped it and pulled it myself!  I continue to amaze myself.  lol

And last but not least I'm going home!  I'll be in Mount Shasta for Christmas so if any of you are around between the 20th and 30th I'd love to see you!  I can't tell you how excited I am to see everyone again.  It's been two years since I have been home and I miss my family so much.

Well I have to head to work so I'm leaving for now but below are the new pictures of my incisions.  They are much harder to see as they heal but hopefully you get the gist. 

Have a great day all... until we talk again.

m.a.