Cecilia

I'm so happy for you!!! That's a wonderful accomplishment!!!

I wish I knew... Between cats feuding (If I lock them out of my room they meow so loudly to be let in that they wake up my kids, and they let them in my room, and then the party begins) and my weird work schedule, I feel like I never get enough sleep. On days I don't work, I wake automatically at the usual time, then usually fall back to sleep for another 4 hours. Some days I have gazillions of energy, other days you could mop the floor with me. I do think a lot of it depends on what I eat. I just realized it's been long enough that I can be eating fresh salads, and I had a large organic baby greens salad with slivered almonds and Paul Newman Spicy Peanut dressing. ZOMG! I was in heaven! So far my stomach isn't hating me... we'll see if I manage to sleep through the night!

Congratulations to everyone!! Is it safe to say that we are all satisfied with our weight loss so far? I know in the beginning it was so hard, with all the adjustments... Now it seems like we're finally beginning to see payoffs!

Congratulations on your fabulous weight loss!!!

Happy, Happy Birthday, Babs!!!!

That IS baffling! Besides being pleased, did your doctor explain this to you?

I haven't had that problem... usually the woman's or trainer's voice tells me I'm almost there, then to stop and do the heel lifts, or whatever. That's odd...

I uploaded a fairly decent pair of photos that show the 10 week results so far. Disregard what it says about images not found. I'm pretty sure if you click, they're there. [Edit: And when I look at these, I can understand, and perhaps forgive people for commenting all the time. It really is amazing. AND crazy to think there were people who told me I didn't need the surgery, that I looked just fine before]

If I'm doing the math right, I'm 6 pounds away from being half-way there, and a few pounds away from being "just" overweight. These are my next two goals!!! What about the rest of you? What are your short-term goals?

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL? So it's been what--a week or so since I told you I was eating badly and had gained 2 pounds back? Well, that made me super-aware of what I was doing, right? And every time I found myself staring into the bright lights of the open fridge door, I'd shut it and get a glass of water first. One glass turned into two, and suddenly I realized I'm not getting enough to drink. So I started making hash marks on my cup at work to make me mindful of what my goal was. And I started packing extra food for work, "just in case." As a result, instead of eating something blatantly not good for me, I had something a lot less damaging. It's that darn black-or-white thinking I need to shake. "If I can't eat a 100-calorie all-protein snack, I may as well have a chocolate chip cookie?" Really? So now I carry the Nature Valley high protein granola bars. 200 calories, but far healthier than a cookie. And I thought "either I run or I lay in bed a failure for not running." Instead, I counted raking the garden as exercise and riding my bike to work as exercise, and it got me out of bed and feeling better about myself. Anyway, small changes, and today I jumped on the scales and I'm down the 2 pounds I gained and then some. I'm so jazzed!!! I'm off to take another two HUGE buckets of big clothes to Savers and to shop for new slacks for work. Again. Another first: Never thought I'd get sick of shopping for clothes in smaller sizes, but there you have it. Hugs to all of you who encouraged me with your words, or who held me in your thoughts. I love you all! Cecilia

I am delighted for you!!!

Oh, you poor thing! Be assured that if you are gentle with yourself they are short-lived. Meanwhile, stretch, rest, and take time off training until the pain goes away, usually in another day or so. This year was the first ever that I did not get shin splints. I was shocked.

I like it! "It was a great ride, why, are you planning on starting to bike to work too?" or "It was great! You should get out your bike and do some riding when you get home tonight, then you can share with me tomorrow!"

You are ten pounds ahead of me, girl! Don't let the turkeys get you down. You are losing at EXACTLY the rate that is right for your body!

WOWWW!!!! Congratulations!

Happy birthday, girl!

I had my surgery in February and hope to be sporting a totally fabulous figure for my 50th birthday in October this year. My primary reasons were also to reap the health benefits (blood sugar is regular, no more aches and pains, can exercise again) and to sail into the second half of my life with more energy and joy than I finished up the first half with. The best is yet to come!

I have lost 30 pounds since the surgery, and 50 overall (50 to go). Here are my favorite non-scale victories: Being able to cross my legs! Being able to sleep on my stomach again! Being able to run without pain in my hips, knees, and feet! Being able to shop in the Misses section of the store!!!!!!! Being able to do a sit-up, or paint my toe-nails, or tie my shoes without my belly causing all the air to whoosh out of my lungs! So pleased to be able to share with all of you!

I soooooo hear ya! There is one secretary here who, for lack of a better word, is a nosey-parker and a gossip. Today she asked me if I rode my bike in to work again. Me: yes. Her: And how did that go for you? Me: Fine! Her: Did you take a longer route? Me: Nope, just the usual one. Her: And how was your ride home last night? Me: Fine. Gorgeous weather... and on, and on, and on... WHY must she interrogate me like this ALL. THE. TIME?! It's noseyness under the guise of concern and casual conversation, but it is nevertheless intrusive and IRRRRRRitating! LOL! I know, I know, I'm probably overreacting, but I know you all understand. Sometimes you just want to be left alone!

My latest pet peeve? The guy at work who speaks authoritatively about WLS. Yesterday: Him: How's it going? Me: I explain. Him: Oh, I see. Well, enjoy this phase. The first six months are the honeymoon period. After that it becomes a struggle, and I just hope you don't become one of the ones who have the weight come back after a year... Me: Did you have the surgery? Him: Who me? No, no! I never could! I love to eat too much! Me: Grrrrrrrr!

I have heard of special massages that promote the flow of lymphatic fluid back into the circulation system. And anywhere you promote circulation is a good thing!

That's my stomach, my butt, and my upper arms. I spend a lot of time poking it and wiggling it. It's so weird. Reminds me of a birthday balloon you find behind the couch three days later. Wrinkly and soft. LOL!

Good God! I read your comments right after SoccerMomma's comments about loose skin, and I thought your *actual crotch* was bagging! LOL! I caved and bought new pants when our unit secretary said I looked like a little kid with a poo in his diaper. Charming.

True confession time: I actually *gained* two pounds back. Or that's what the scale says. I'm probably just retaining water because I've been cheating with salty snacks and not getting enough to drink to flush it through. So anyway, I had a heart-to-heart with myself today. "Self," I asked myself, "what gives with all the crazy wrong eating? The bag of jaw breakers you bought the other day, the popcorn and chips at work, the TWO cookies?! What--are you *trying* not to lose weight?!" ... and the answer came to me crystal clear. "Of course." I think something snapped when everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY from the hair dresser to the check-out lady at the grocery store, to the housekeeping staff at work comments on my weight loss. No matter how nice or supportive it is, it's flipping overwhelming. Then there's the trip to the Cities last weekend (that's Minneapolis/St Paul for you non-midwesterners) and hitting four consignment/Savers type stores and loading up on clothes, some of which already feel loose (yes, even with the 2-lb weight gain). And finally, I'm sure taking all my "fat clothes" to a resale shop here was the last straw. I'm "shrinking" as one coworker put it, and I just want it to stop for a while. I want to catch my breath and get used to being this size before I get smaller. I look at my poor daughter, 15, who weighs what I did a year ago, and it's shocking. Was I *really* that big? I was! And now I'm tiny compared to her, and I could shop from the regular women's sizes at the store, and I ran two miles with no pain or shortness of breath, and the whole thing is just a little bit too much. This realization has put me back on track somewhat. I've bought my own high-protein snacks for work so I'm not tempted by the starches (which, BTW, make me nauseously gassy) and I'm indulging in canned fruit when I want to get my fill of sweets, but I need support. I need you all to reassure me that we will get through this together, because going from a size 22 to fitting --tight, but zipping up!-- into a pair of Misses size 16 pants in just two months is making me a little crazy. Love you all, and hope to hear from you. If you're experiencing anything like this, please share!