ashleyxx

I am getting more excited and nervous as every day passes. I have not set a date yet though as I still have to go to my last two appointments before I can meet with the surgeon. I hate waiting. My last appointment was on the 3rd of October but the doctor rescheduled to the 5th. Not to bad, but still. I have my stress echo test where they hook me up with some chords and have me do some work on the treadmill. Then I have to go to see a cardiologist just to check out my heart. And I still need to get my blood work done. Then, after that I can FINALLY meet with the surgeon and have a consultation. Hopefully from that point I can set a surgery date. I think the worst test was the sleep apnea test, being hooked up to all those chords and then that sticky crap they leave in your hair. Then there was the EGD where they put you to sleep and stick a camera down your throat to check out your stomach to see if you are capable of having surgery. I was originally going to get the lapband, but I have been hearing so many bad things about it and the sleeve just seems like such a better option. Reading all the success stories and seeing the before and after pictures are really inspiring. So now it's just a waiting game, being patient and some more waiting. I hope that when I have the consultation with the surgeon I don't have to set a date a long time from now. I want to get it down NOW! I want to start my new life! I am ready for this! My size right now is 285 with a waist size of 46 inches. I am excited to watch all these things go down.

This week I lost three pounds and my therapist asked me how I felt about it. Anytime I lose a significant amount of weight I tend to get very anxious because I don’t know how to act. My body may have lost the weight but emotionally and mentally, I haven’t adjusted my way of thinking to this new, thinner person.
 
I know a lot of people say, “Well, just because you lose weight doesn’t mean you’re a different person. You’re still the same person.” I actually beg to differ on that. I’ve transformed from a person who weighed 330 pounds to a 240 pound person. Before the weight loss I went to work, came home, sat on the couch, watched TV, ate dinner, played on the internet, and went to bed. That was the sum of my life. I could barely breathe sitting down, or even get dressed in the mornings.
 
Now I’m participating in things I’d never be able to do if I was 330 lbs. I’ve been very active with my photography which requires a lot of energy to walk around for hours at a time. I’ve started weightlifting, kayaking, bicycling, and in general being very energetic. I have not only changed physically and have a lot more energy, but going from a sedentary life to an active one in just a matter of a few months requires a huge mental shift in the brain. Therefore, I am not the same person I was before.
 
In my hermit like existence I was not social at all. I didn’t like talking to people and I kept to myself. Because of all this activity, I’m being forced out into situations beyond my comfort zone where I have to interact with people.
 
Because of this weight loss I feel like I have broken out of a prison and like a freed prisoner, I want to experience everything life has to offer and everything I have missed out on all my life. This is why I am making an effort to become more active and even reach out to people for some social interaction.
 
The problem is that psychologically, my brain has not caught up with all of this and that’s what’s really causing the anxiety. I am very socially awkward. I don’t know how to talk to people because I’ve never had to do it. I don’t know how to act or react when people talk to me. I feel as if I have no social skills whatsoever.
 
I’m extremely shy and unable to hold a conversation or talk to someone in a social setting. I’m so shy and terrified that I wouldn’t go up to someone and start a conversation with them.
 
When I meet people I am paralyzed to open my mouth for fear of saying something stupid, dumb, or uninteresting. I’m constantly wondering what negative thoughts the other person must be thinking of me.
 
There are times I can be intelligent, interesting, and funny, but most of the time I think of myself as very dull. I guess all I can do is practice social skills by getting out there, into social situations. Meeting different people, meeting new people, and seeing how things go. Hence, it is torture to try to break out of my shell and venture out into the brave new world of humans.

I came across a great recipe blog tonight Emily Bites (Thanks to a member here on VST) and she makes these neat bites with woton wraps at the bottom, I loved the idea, but from what I understand they can be pretty carby, so I decided to try out some low-carb wraps instead, with some turkey sausage and onion egg bites(If you never heard of egg bites check out Eggfaces site, great recipes for all stages of WLS, shes awesome!)
 
OMG they came out amazing! It almost reminded me of a thin biscit on the bottom, I topped them with a little salsa, yumm! I will definantly make these again!

 

Well Im 7 months out, and this whole month I have lost maybe 2-3 pounds but I keep on losing the three it and gaining it back, I have no idea whats going on! I have had my slip-ups with eating, but for the most part I eat good. I still struggle to get in all the water I need to, Im not sure if that has something to do with it or not? I havent been tracking my food intake religiously, but from now on I will be.
 
My calorie goals will be 700 calories a day, as low carb as I can be, and at least 80 grams of protein a day.
 
I know when you get further out you lose slower, but no way I should be losing this slow, I still have about 80 something pounds I need to lose. I just hope that this week I will see a loss after tracking everything.

Hey everyone this is my first blog, I totally forgot I even made a acount on here!
 
Anyways since I was last on here I was awaiting my first consultation with my surgeon, it was a long process but I finally was able to have surgery done November 17th!
 
My starting weight was 360, start of liquid diet 350, day of surgery 338 and currently 251lbs! I am very thankful to been able to have surgery and complication free
 
Here are some before and current pictures, Im along way from goal but pretty happy with my progress so far.
 

 

Before: 360 During:275 (Im down 25 more pounds since this was taken)
 

 
Oh yeah and if you go on the other forums: Obesity Help, Thinner Times my name is the same on all 3 so feel free to add me