Saturday, April 4, 2015

One Year and Counting

It has officially been one year since I've had my gastric sleeve. My surgiversary passed on April 1, which happened to be a really stressful day. However, I am finally getting a chance to write about everything that's happened in the last year.

I have officially lost 111 pounds!! I'm not done losing weight, but I feel incredible. I'm not thrilled with the lack of elasticity my skin has, but I love that I can fit into jeans that are 5 sizes smaller, shirts that are about 5 to 6 sizes smaller, I'm getting a new tiny leg, I can walk for an hour on the treadmill, I get about 10,000 steps every day, I have energy, and I am successful in everything that I do.

For those of you who may not know, I recently accepted my first teaching job. The teacher's place I took got promoted to an assistant principal, and I inherited her class. This year is hard, but I really love teaching! I can also stand and do all the walking involved with being a teacher. Teaching is no easy feat, but with my new found energy I know I can give it my all!

I still track my food and water intake every day. I have a streak of 389 days on MyFitnessPal. I have the Fitbit Charge HR to track my steps, sleep, and water. I seriously think these two things have been the most important tools to my success, other than my doctor taking 3/4 of my stomach out. I try to be honest when I eat and track my food. I think having that accountability is really helping me continue to lose weight.

Here are some random, fun pictures. Please ignore my messy room, but please enjoy these hilarious pictures! 

These are the pants from my first picture! I can squeeze into one side of them. 
111 pounds GONE!!!
Working those jeans!
My face is so different! 
One of my more awesome days!

And that's life...


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Work baby, work!

This is a very honest and unorganized post. Enjoy!! Ha!

Before I had my surgery, I tried to imagine myself skinny (or even healthy). What I came up with is nothing like what I am currently. I wondered what I would notice. Would my knees look weird? Would my feet lose weight? What would my "assets" do? I just couldn't imagine any of that, and thought that I would be the only person ever that this surgery didn't work for. However, I am pleased to say that is nowhere near the case. Am I down to goal weight yet? No. Am I closer than I've ever been? Am I happy with my results? Yes and yes.

I have to remember sometimes that I started out at a weight much higher than some people. Losing 100 pounds won't make me skinny, it'll just make me less fat and more healthy. I'll say it again; I wish I would have done this when I was 18. I look down at my wrists and get this weird trippy feeling because they actually look cute and small. I can't wear any of my rings (even James Avery) because my fingers are so much more slender. I can squeeze through a crowd with relative ease because my hips and butt are so much smaller. I still have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but I'm so much closer than I've ever been before.

It's hard to always see the weight loss. I see myself everyday. I mean, my clothes fit better (or not at all in some cases), but I see myself without clothes. That part is not cute. Let me assure you. No one should have skin like mine so young. I hope to one day have the plastic surgery to "fix" what has now been fixed with the weight loss. That means I have to get down to my acceptable weight and maintain that for a bit, but it will happen in due time.

Now onto more exciting things. I have been going to the gym almost every day most of this year. I can't believe how dedicated I now am. I go on Saturdays and Sundays. I go after school. I am actually... looking... forward... to going. Who am I?! I am learning about a whole new me. Learning to eat well and treat my body well. I have truly changed my life. However, it has been a major learning curve.

Not this weigh in, but the last one I had plateaued. I wasn't eating as well as I should have been and I paid the price as it were. I easily slipped back into old habits. I ate what I wanted in tiny portions, but it eventually made a difference. It was a much needed wake up call. I redoubled my efforts, started the gym, paid more attention to planning my meals, saving my calories, eating all of my protein (including shakes), etc. I am happy I plateaued so that it made me pay attention again to what was important. It made me focus. It gave me determination. It sucked, but it was the push I needed; so it was worth it.  

I am, however, in desperate need of a leg. We are working on this, but seems to be moving at a snails pace. Uggghhhh!!! I just want a new one. Now, please. Thanks!
(My favorite comment so far!!! Hahahaha!)

And that's life...


Thursday, January 1, 2015

New year, better me.

I am starting this year off over 100 pounds lighter than last year!!! I will not be a "new" me this year. Instead, I am resolving to be a "better" me. I mean, I'm pretty awesome already, but improvements can be made. Ha! I spent New Years Eve amongst friends and New Years Day with family (yes, I consider all of y'all family). So far 2015 is shaping up to be incredible!!
There is an 18 month "prime time" for weight loss with this surgery and I've gotten a little bit off track. The honey moon phase will end soon, and I'm so not done losing weight yet. I am going to try to cut out carbs and alcohol until April. I don't need either and they're both bad for me. I'm putting this on here so I can keep myself accountable, not for your comments or suggestions. And, no, I do not have any transfer addiction or anything like that (trust me that would have already happened with the whole leg situation). I just want to be a little healthier and lose more weight!


We are thinking about getting a gym membership for this year. It will greatly help me if I can go right after work without stopping at home, collecting $200, etc. I have noticed once I'm home, I'm done. It's soooo much harder to get motivated once I've already made it home. So I am going to commit to working out during the week. I'm not promising to go every day or walk 12 miles or anything crazy, just that I go at least once a week to start off with, then more once my routine is good.

I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for me. I already wrote the date correctly, which is a pretty big deal... I am hoping to get a big girl job this year and finally feel like I'm using that degree. I know it's been a rough couple of years, but I'm excited for positive changes and new opportunities.

We found out via our lawyers that my old insurance (since I'm 26 I don't have any right now...) will pay for all of my leg expenses. That being said, I should be up for a new leg this month!! This one, along with most of my clothes, no longer fits. Woohoo!!

I've had a lot of people ask why I can't eat when I drink. I think this video will help to explain it. I skipped to like 2:00, but you can watch it all if you'd like.

Here are a few hilarious pictures in case you missed them, plus other random ones. Enjoy!


And that's life...