naenaern777

3 months post op. Half way there'

First before and after! It's amazing what just 50lbs will do.

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Hey everyone! I feel like I've been away for awhile... But I wanted to post some updated before/during pics.
Just to catch up.....
My name is Misty. I had my VSG (sleeve) done June 2013. My highest weight was 245lbs. I've lost apporox 119 lbs (ignoring today's weight bc the past few days have been "cheat WEEKEND" LOL). For the most part, I eat very well (I've given up rice, bread, potatoes, Pasta, and a few other things I've deemed unworthy to be in my little tummy). I enjoy my gym time very much & consider myself somewhat of a "gym rat."
Tonight is my last cheat meal (today is my birthday!) -- which will consist of my first piece of pizza since my surgery and a piece of Godiva chocolate I purchased for the occasion.
Beginning tomorrow will be a strict ban on all things bad for me... Back to "normal" life, which I quite enjoy. I'm hoping to drop just a few more pounds in the next 6 months, then planning for plastics.
Hope everyone is doing well!!!

Sorry...that's supposed to read "140 pounds lost and holding" but it wouldn't let me edit the title.....
I haven't updated in a while, so I thought I would share a pic I snapped from this morning, a little over 14 months post op. I've lost 140 pounds and I am holding steady, rocking a size 4!!! I would love to lose 5 more, but hey....considering where I started, if I never lose another pound, I am ok with that too. My life has definitely transformed in a lot of ways. I have more confidence, more energy, I've run a 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, and am currently training for my first full marathon, and I'm healthy which is one of the best parts! I know that I have a much better chance of being around for a long time for my kids. I've learned a ton about myself, loving myself, and my vices through this process.
Good luck to all of you at the beginning or in the middle of this crazy journey!

I respectfully disagree on the "you like it or you don't" part. I HATED running as a kid, in my teens, as a young adult, pretty much always. I was never ever a runner. I hated couch to 5k....except for the feeling of accomplishment when I did it. I hated running for the first six months while I was building my base. But I wanted to give it a fair shot because I liked how I felt afterward and I liked what it does for my physical fitness and abilities. I didn't start to like it till about the sixth month... I think sometimes you grow to like it once you can really DO it and not before. So I encourage people to give it a fair shot and try it. And wait to decide if you enjoy it (I wouldn't miss it for the world now) until your body stops being exhausted and sore whenever you attempt it--who enjoys that? It wasn't till it got easier that I began to enjoy it.

Yes!!!! It gets easier!!! I was just thinking during my run this morning about halfway through 5 miles that my legs didn't hurt they weren't even tired and I wasn't breathing very heavily!
I started running in January, a month post op. Started VERY slow with couch to 5k (actually I think my app was 5k runner). I could barely run the 10-15 sec run intervals. It was a killer, all the way through the app! And didn't even get up to 5k. Intervals kept me going, 5min run. 1 min walk. Still do them on anything longer than 5 miles.
Another thing that helped me post c25k was to join challenges in Map My Run app and sign up for events. A mile a day streak challenge from Memorial Day to 4th of July shifted my thinking to "its only a mile". Who knew that was possible for me? I didn't even run in PE in HS! I waked at the back of the back gossiping.
I have done a triathlon, two 250 mile marathons where I ran 15-20 miles total over three legs (one in the desert on trails!). I've done countless 5 & 10k's trail and road and won my age group in several, and I finished a half marathon!
Never in my life would I have believed it was possible, but in short YES it gets easier.

Yes! It gets easier. You'll have good days and bad days though. That is the nature of running. This summer I was half assing C25K on the treadmill at the gym. Then, in September, a friend asked me to do a 5k in October. So I got serious. I started running outdoors, which I found was much easier than the treadmill. On the treadmill you have to keep up with whatever pace you set. Outside, your body makes natural adjustments for your stride and energy. I ran that 5k and I kept with it. A couple of days ago, I ran SEVEN miles. I couldn't believe it. It felt wonderful. I am an addict.
A few things really help me. I have learned to eat something at least 30 minutes before a run. Either a Protein Bar or a banana. It really helps with energy. Hydration is also very important. Before, during, and after. They make lots of accessories to help with this. Belts or hand straps to hold your water bottle.
Most importantly, have a plan. I do my best when the day or night before I decide where I'm gong to run and how long or how far. I don't always make it but I give it my best. Your body always wants to stop. It wants to save it's energy so running becomes a lot of mind over matter. Get in the zone.
Don't forget safety. Run in a well populated area. If you're going to be at a park where you may find yourself alone at times, take a pepper spray somewhere on your person.
Try it for a while. Pick a 5K this spring to enter so you have a goal to focus on. And last, running isn't for everyone. If you continue to hate it, or it's too hard on your body, definitely do something else

If you want to continue running, I would recommend you start slower. Don't focus on speed at least for the first year. Use a Couch to 5K app to go through a gradual training plan. Most of them start at running for about 45 sec walking 2 min and than repeating for about 30 min, not 1 mile!
Run slow enough so that you can still talk while running. Don't run every day; your body needs time to rest. Check out YouTube videos for Chi running form. It will put less stress on your joints. Also get fitted for good running shoes. If you have knee pain, I would recommend a zero drop or low heal shoe.
Set a goal, for example, you can probably run a 5k after training for 10-12 Weeks, so sign up for a race. Don't worry if you can't run the whole thing. There will be many people that will interval run or even walk most of the race. Running feels great when you're in shape and have trained. I do my best creative thinking on my runs.
Finally, I always look at three things when I'm running. If I'm having trouble breathing, I slow down. If my legs are hurting, I give them a good roller massage after I'm done and a hot soak in Epsom salts. If I'm fatigued, I analyze what I ate and drank before running. You shouldnt need any additional food for a 30 min run, but I need to fuel up for weekend long runs.
I started running a month after surgery when I was about 70lb to goal. Ran my first 5k using intervals after 3 months. Ran my first 10K after 9 months and ran my first half marathon after 11 months at 48 yrs old. I'm back training for a 10K after having plastics in July. I started back using the Couch to 5K app and ran a 5K this weekend.

I ran seven miles without stopping last week! Planning on running a half marathon in April, the day before my 42nd birthday.

Yesterday, I stopped by the bariatric nurses office at the hospital where I had my band put in. A couple of weeks before my surgery we had to go in for some tests and education. While there, they took all of my measurements, got me on the Tanita scale for analysis, and took a before pic. So I stopped by yesterday to see if they could do the Tanita scale for me. I'm always interested in my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) which is how many calories your body burns just to live. Attached is my before and after pic they took and also a pic of the paper showing my measurement changes and the print out from the Tanita scale. I was floored at the pics. It still amazes me to see before pics. I don't have a lot of them because, like many others, I hid from the camera. I love my band. And I am loving life!
 

Graffiti run 5K August 10th and Pittsburgh Great Race in September 10K

@@SillyAuntDi that is a fantastic pic of you! You look amazing! Great job!!

5K run this morning

Completed my first 5k today!!


My company had the largest amount of participants this year.

I really enjoy reading everyone's post. I am going to start jumping in and input what my yesterday workout. I did a 5K in my back yard. It was slow but I am getting there it took 40 minutes. Also turned around and did 300 jump ropes. Everyone have a great workout today!

Just wanted to share this today....It doesn't take a marathon!
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/07/28/even-a-5-minute-run-can-help-prevent-heart-disease/
Even a 5-minute run can help prevent heart disease Good news for runners: A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests running, even for a few minutes a day, can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease – whether you plod along or go at race speed.
Researchers studied more than 55,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 over a 15-year period, looking at their overall health, whether they ran and how long they lived.
Compared to nonrunners, those who ran had a 30% lower risk of death from all causes and a 45% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, investigators found. In fact, runners on average lived three years longer than those who did not hit the pavement. When data was broken down by age, sex, body mass index, and smoking and alcohol use, the benefits were still the same.
“That’s important to note,” said Dr. Warren Levy, a cardiologist and chief medical officer of Virginia Heart in northern Virginia. “Even with all the negative factors, such as obesity, smoking and diabetes, those who were, let’s say, obese and ran had a less likely chance of dying from heart problems than those obese people who didn’t run. Same with smokers, diabetics, etc. ”
The speed and frequency of a person's running routine did not make a huge difference either. The data showed novice runners who ran less than 51 minutes, fewer than 6 miles, slower than 6 miles per hour, or only one or two times per week still had a lower risk of dying than those who did not put on running shoes.
D.C. Lee, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at Iowa State University's kinesiology department in Ames, Iowa, said the researchers found runners who ran less than an hour per week have the “same mortality benefits compared to runners who ran more than three hours per week.” So more may not be better.
“Its been shown that after a certain amount of running over a certain period of time, the benefits seem to wane,” said Levy. “We aren’t quite sure why.”
However, researchers did discover that consistency was key. They found participants who ran consistently over a period of six years or more gained the most benefits, with a 29% lower risk of death for any reason and 50% lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke.
There have been many studies that have shown the benefits of exercise on the heart. But this study is one of the largest to pinpoint the positive effects of running, especially for nonmarathoners or nontriathletes.
"Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an attainable health goal for mortality benefits," Lee said.
Activities like running can lower your blood pressure and decrease the production of glucose, which cuts your risk of developing diabetes, according to the American Heart Association. Running also seems to protect the innermost lining of the arteries, keeping the walls and cells intact, which cuts the risk of blockages or clots that can cause strokes or heart attacks.
Levy, a runner himself, said people considering taking up running programs should talk to their doctors first, especially if they have chronic conditions.
“A lot of weekend warriors just go out without preparing for their run. It’s the runner who takes it gradually and trains correctly, even for a run around the block, who's the one who avoids injuries and other complications."

While away my activity included zip lining hiking in rainforest swimming with turtles hitting the gym on ship once but as soon as I got home next day Sunday I did a double at the gym and am back to my regular routine boy I missed it

Well I know I haven't posted on here in a few days, I am still going to the pool and walking, but I got some very sad news last week...I had been feeling some bad pains in my right hip...to the point some days I could hardly walk. Well old man Arthritis has really done me in...there is nothing but bone on bone in my hip joint. Waiting to hear about an appt with the Ortho doc...gonna try to see about putting off surgery as long as I possible can...I need to get the weight off before they go cutting on me again, and I am no where near green, so it is coming off slow...so folks if you keep folks in prayer...I could really use some!!! Thanks...but until I am told otherwise I am going to the pool...it makes me feel like I can do anything when I'm in that pool.

So I did my first run on Saturday. 2mi.
Place (women): 64 Time: 27:36 Pace: 13:48
My time was so much better than I thought it'd be! And I could have kept going. Which is a good thing, because I'm signing up for my first 5K - 8/15. Also, I'm so freaking proud of my husband. He's hasn't had surgery, but he's been supporting me every step of the way and getting healthier too. He's down 60+lbs to 215 now. Place (men) 102 Time: 21:53 Pace: 10:56

Thanks catfish! It felt great!!

Ran another 10K yesterday same time 1:10 so proud I did 2 in one week!!

Thanks catfish! It felt great!!

It might have been a fluke but I'm pretty proud nonetheless!! Today's jog/walk was slower, about 14min/mil, but I'm gonna chalk that up to being sore from my first day of yoga yesterday lol
Thanks!! Congrats on your progress too!!