Another advance...crunch, crunch!

Yes, I've been "advanced" again...this time to the "advanced" foods.  I saw my surgeon and his team yesterday, and got the okay to eat whatever I can tolerate.  That includes salad and raw veggies!  I've been cooking my veg. soft (not quite mush, but bordering on it) for the past 6 weeks, so I am looking forward to the change.  Since I'm vegetarian, I haven't had to deal with the experience of eating and perhaps not tolerating meat-substances, so protein sources will remain pretty much the same.  However, a little more crunch will be welcome. :-)

Since schedules meant my 2 week follow-up was at 3 weeks, and my 6 week follow-up was at 9 weeks, we decided to have my blood drawn yesterday and skip the 3 month visit.  (It would be 3 weeks away...seemed a little much.)  They gave me a B-12 shot and sent me on my way.  So long as everything continues to go well, I will go in again in the middle of May.

And, they say everything IS going well.  I've lost 82 pounds, 42 of it since my surgery December 14, so according to them, that puts me right on track as far as weight loss.  They warned it might start to slow soon, and that exercise would be especially important moving into that phase.  I am having a lot of pain in my left hip (where I have no cartilage left), so may ask my primary care doc for a referral to PT again to see if some new exercises of the hip muscles are in order.  I thought it was interesting that my nutritionist mentioned the changes our bodies must make as we shift our weight (either up OR down).  She is pregnant (due in April) and used herself as an example!

   On a somewhat related topic, my clothes have been falling off me (especially my pants), so I went out to a couple of thrift shops after my doctor's appointments yesterday.  However, I came home with pants that were too small!  I think I was compensating for the annoyance of having to hitch my pants up when I walk--but it is very frustrating.  Now I'll have to go out again, probably to different shops because they didn't really have good choices in the next sizes up anyway.  I really was clueless about pants sizes, but think I overestimated my progress.  :-(












On a totally UN-related topic, it's a three day weekend!  Although I of course have grading and such to do, it will be nice to have three days to sleep in a little and hang around in my (very baggy) casual clothes.  If you get a holiday also, hope you enjoy it!

10 Things Thursday

Ten things!

1. As of today, I have lost 80 pounds--exactly half-way to my preliminary goal of 175 pounds!
2. I have lost 7 inches from my chest.
3. I have lost 8 inches from my hips.
4. I have lost 10 inches from my waist.
5. Walking on the treadmill this evening, I spontaneously walked to two songs without holding on.  (This is a big deal.  I have arthritis in my hips, and usually have to steady myself by holding the sides of the treadmill.)
6. I bent over to tie my shoe.  (Just once. Just one shoe. Not sure I could repeat this consistently yet.)
7. I have to wash clothes twice a week because I run out of work pants before I run out of week.
8. There are about 5 full kitchen-trash-can-size bags of clothes that need to go to the thrift store.
9. I need to get some clothes from the thrift store.  I am thinking pants with belt loops.  Otherwise my pants might fall down when I have to lean over to pick up my white board marker (which I'm always dropping) during class.
10. I asked my partner to take new photos of me today, because I haven't taken any since before my surgery.  Of course, we did it right after I was done exercising (because the previous pics were in the same location--standing on our treadmill).  I was sweaty and my hair was all fuzzy.  However, here's the comparison below if you want to see.  :-O

 

October 2012 vs. February 2013:

Just for fun video...

I know I don't always watch videos that people post, so it's okay with me if you skip this one, but it has such a simple, important message that I had to put it up.  Some days you just need a positive phrase in your head!  (The kids in it are very cute, too.)

Grandaddy Nature Anthem:

75 pounds lost...and let's not find it!

Yesterday I reached a nifty milestone:  a total loss of 75 pounds since I started this journey on August 28.  That's when I got the preliminary approval from my insurance company--with the requirement to lose 5% of my body weight.  My weight then was 335.

December 14, by then 40 pounds down, at 295, I was wheeled into surgery, and was wheeled out with a gastric bypass.

Fast forward to January 31, just about 7 weeks after surgery, and I'm down another 35 pounds, at 260, for a total of (yes, it's math) 75 pounds lost.

Lost...and let's not try to find it!






If you read my last post, you know I had a little turbulence after talking to my insurance company nutritionist last week.  A little overreaction on my part probably--I got a bit of a judgment vibe from her, that I wasn't losing fast enough since surgery.  Turns out it was just a blip on the radar.

In another 2 weeks, I have my next follow-up with my surgeon and his team, and expect to be released to an advanced diet then.  It probably could have been sooner--for some people it's at 6 weeks out--but scheduling conflicts meant February 14 was the soonest I could get in.  I keep moving forward--and the timing for everything just is what it is.

I realize I haven't used this blog to set any specific goals--more just reports, and my thoughts on the process.  I want to change that, and there's a fun challenge going on over at Bariatric Foodie.  It's Week One in the Bariatric Foodie Pledge!  Check it out if you want to try it--there are even prizes!  So, here's my Week One pledge:  I will walk on my treadmill for 30 minutes at least 6 days this next week.

Let me know what your Week One goal for February will be!