Little Green

I ALMOST sneezed today - first time post-op. It was coming but as I flailed around to get a pillow to splint my belly, I lost it.  Usually I hate that feeling but in this case I'm okay with it. I'm not pain-free yet so I would love to avoid a sneeze until then if I can! 

I ALMOST sneezed today - first time post-op. It was coming but as I flailed around to get a pillow to splint my belly, I lost it.  Usually I hate that feeling but in this case I'm okay with it. I'm not pain-free yet so I would love to avoid a sneeze until then if I can! 

I ALMOST sneezed today - first time post-op. It was coming but as I flailed around to get a pillow to splint my belly, I lost it.  Usually I hate that feeling but in this case I'm okay with it. I'm not pain-free yet so I would love to avoid a sneeze until then if I can! 

What’s up with the bedsheet statuses? Lol

I do not have any social media platform. This is all I get on the internet, so....What’s on my mind!?!? Why this world is full of evil people. A family friend was stabbed last night in his home church and he’s in critical condition. Another was stabbed to death. I’m so angry 😡 😤 😠 

Despite the cruddy overcast weather, I’m feeling oh so good. I was in beast mode at the gym. Did a ten min warmup, my weights (went heavier today), then a 30 min intense interval training on the bike. My sweat was literally dripping all over the machine. Lol. Out of consideration for others, I did wipe it down with the cleaner they have available. Just wish others would do the same. Anyway, feeling pretty good here, and healthy. Just finished a 3oz snack of a Greek Quinoa Salad. Yum. Full of nutritious goodies. Y’all have yourself a blessed day. Off to the mall....

Just had my 7th and final nutrition appointment this morning -- 5 weeks to go!!  Paperwork goes in for approval next week.  Pre-op diet starts on Feb 27th.  Excited!!!  

Desperately craving peanut butter & banana on toast. This is the first time on the liquid diet I've been truly hungry - had my last protein shake around 9:30, so 4+ hours ago. My stomach is rumbling and gurgling and I can't get the thought of the PB&B toast out of my mind!!! AHHH!!!!!! Not tired enough to sleep yet, but hopefully soon!

Got my date!!!

February 15! 

I'm doing so well on the new plant-based way of eating! It's been 1 month since my final diet visit, where I found out I had gained about four pounds since my previous visit in November. That meant I had only lost 3 pounds overall from March-December 2017. Ugh, sad trombone. However, in the last 3 weeks of eating a plant-based diet I've lost 13 pounds from my December visit weight! And that includes Christmas and a vacation! So definitely not a "perfect" month by any means. I'm really hoping this way of eating will support my goal of reaching and maintaining 100% of excess weight lost. 

A little bummed because I still have not heard from the office that does endoscopies to get mine scheduled so I can get my surgery date! Between the holidays and the recent snow, I can understand why, but it's still frustrating. Impatiently waiting! 

A little bummed because I still have not heard from the office that does endoscopies to get mine scheduled so I can get my surgery date! Between the holidays and the recent snow, I can understand why, but it's still frustrating. Impatiently waiting! 

Happy New Year! I can now say that I will be having WLS this year! Hope you all have a safe, happy, and healthy year. 

I am mentally preparing for the Thanksgiving weekend in the US - dealing with everything from changing my routine (bus trip, staying at my sister's house which is a snacker's heaven - or hell - not sure which).

I am less concerned about the big Thursday feast which I know I can manage than I am about the constant exposure to processed carbs.

I had gotten out of the habit of tracking everything in my mouth the past several weeks and am now back into that habit which supports me in being very conscious about what I eat.

I have also planned various exercise/working out and other activities to support me in staying active and out of the kitchen and away from the TV.

This will be my first non work-related trip since surgery 6 months ago - wish me luck!

Been away for a bit - went out of town the beginning of August and since then have been struggling with depressive episodes so all I do is lay around and watch YouTube lol. However, I had my diet visit today and it went well. I lost 4.6 lbs over the last month, which is all right! I have an appointment next week with a psych doc from my therapist's practice and we are going to discuss possibly starting Wellbutrin to help with anxiety and depression. It has some slight appetite suppressant qualities (and the NP today said it's also used for smoking cessation) so it would be a good fit compared to some medicines that might increase hunger/weight gain. So... overall, I'm coping. School starts next week and getting back into that routine will be a blessing. Thank you for reading & have a great week!

I was behind my mom in the weekly Fitbit challenge so I went to the gym tonight and pulled out 5k+ steps to beat her! I'm more competitive than I thought!

Struggling at the moment, the last few days have been pretty bad. Feeling frustrated and angry. Have made some crappy eating choices since Monday and having an awful flareup of knee pain that is affecting my walking. Trying to stay positive and not let some bad choices affect my overall path.

Post op Day 20...

I haven't posted an update for a few days because I was feeling blue. Mostly TBH- having a pity party because the scale had not moved in a few days. I also was reading too many post on here and sometimes I would compare myself to others, or chastise myself for not counting the calories more. But honestly most of the food I I have been eating is at 1/2 a cup or less. I have found for me to get in my protein I am needing to continue to drink at least 1 Premier Protein drink  a day. Sometimes I also add an isopure, because I am so scared of not meeting that goal. Plus I noticed some hair coming out in the shower...not much. But it has been soooo long since I lost hair (to be exact since 2010 when I had my son) My husband has been so helpful...and encouraging. Last night I made vegetarian chili with three different types of beans. It was much more satisfying then having a little bit of sweet potato (which I never liked until after surgery) I do not really care for my post op diet. It has me eating a lot of  low fat cheese/ diary products and beans. I am not really a fan of diary to begin with. I am just getting tired of not having real protein I suppose. I am ready for some grilled chicken!! On a side note after I cooked dinner and read my son a book I got on the treadmill....I am noticing I cannot walk as long (my back starts killing me and my tummy hurts) but at least I walked. I know this isn't very motivational but I want to remember the highs and lows. 

Yes, I'm still up...9:18. Trying to stay up for a few more mins. I am here in bed, lights off, thinking about how "all of a sudden" my body is aching the way it did with 25+ lbs on it. Is there such a thing as a period after weight loss when all the previous aches and pains decide to come back and wreak havoc? Hip bursitis has flared up pretty bad. My other hip is achy. I felt like my collar bone was about to snap with a piercing pain earlier. All I did was lift up the clothes hamper. My knees are aching an awful lot. Usually happens with bad weather coming but there's nothing in he forecast that I know of. Of course my shoulder that was injured in an accident few months back hurts. My feet hurt again, they haven't for a while and now they do??? 

All I know is that I'm WAY TOO YOUNG for these issues. Please tell me something gets better!?!? Almost feels like I'm going backwards. 

Now, I know I need to stay positive and work through these things. I think my lack of sleep is coming out with the complaints and not so positive attitude right now. My poor kids felt the mom-not-herself attitude earlier. I'm made it to 9:25. I think I'm calling it quits. Goodnight y'all. 

Had my 3rd diet visit today (which is a restart in the process since I missed 2 appts) and it went very well. I lost 10.58 pounds (4.8 kg) since my last visit of April 28, about 10 weeks ago. They were very proud and encouraging. I talked a long time with the NP (bless her patience!) about some of my fears and anxieties about getting surgery and besides giving me lots of good info she reminded me that since I still have five visits to go before we can submit for approval, I have plenty of time to make decisions.

I am enjoying the new protein-focused diet which I find easy to stick to at the moment, and I am swimming every day which is also helping! Between the nutrition changes, therapy, and sleeping a bit better I am feeling pretty positive about my chances for success.

It looks like December is totally out for surgery since my final visit with the surgeon is 12/15 and the NP said it's 3-4 weeks for approval usually. So looking at the middle or end of January at the earliest. That will change some of my plans for school, but thankfully I planned ahead and I already have all the classes I need to transfer in the fall, so I can just take online or half-semester courses to allow for some downtime in Jan & Feb. I do need to be enrolled in at least 6 credits to keep some of my merit-related things in place, but I think I'll find something that works.

So once I get approved, they schedule a pre-op visit with anesthesia to get cleared for surgery and I will attend a class that gives all the nitty gritty about post-op care and diet. That will also be the start of the 2-week liquid diet which will continue for 2 weeks after surgery (or 3 weeks if I change to the VSG). I'm really looking forward to getting to this stage! I'm at 362.75 pounds at the moment and between the liquid diet and my pre-op diet changes, I would love to hit the operating table at 299. Can I do it in six months??????

Sorry for the rambling update! Hope everyone has a great weekend, and stay cool out there!!!!

Met with my therapist today and we discussed sleep. Less than six hours sleep affects hormone production and can cause heart attack or stroke. I haven't slept more than 6 hours regularly for years. One solution might be for my husband and I to sleep separately, which I am fine with but my husband is extremely upset by. Have had issues with sleep for over 15 years, so I'm willing to try just about anything.

Met with my therapist today and we discussed sleep. Less than six hours sleep affects hormone production and can cause heart attack or stroke. I haven't slept more than 6 hours regularly for years. One solution might be for my husband and I to sleep separately, which I am fine with but my husband is extremely upset by. Have had issues with sleep for over 15 years, so I'm willing to try just about anything.