Nothing new

I really have nothing new to report but I like to try to update here once a week or so. Work is busy as every. The girls are great! They really have been appreciative of some things I've been doing. Some of the rules and having them enforced is another matter and I catch hell for it from time to time. It's all in a day's work and they know not to "bite the hand that feeds them". I control allowance and whether or not they get to go on home visits every weekend so ...

Weight loss is slow going now; a least a lot slower than I'd like at seven months out. The surgeon warned me at my last visit that I'd be doing well to lose a pound a week soon. Boy, he wasn't kidding! I do feel that lack of exercise is playing a big role in the slower process but there are only so many hours in the day. I know it's all about planning and then just doing it but I have so many variables that I cannot control, the time I get out work being one. I get all set to leave, punch out, and then on my way out the door a crisis happens and I have to stay until it's over. That sometimes means not leaving for another hour or two and when it's already past 5 PM well ... I guess I may have to sign up for a 24 hour gym but I don't really think I'm ready for that. Wish someone in my area would go to the gym with me. That would at least give me a push. Going with the hubby just doesn't do it for me, you know? LOL

Anyway ... there you have. More drama with my girls but nothing I can do. I've tried to stay out of it and just be mom. I listen, offer my opinion (which they never really care to hear), and do my best to let it go. After all, I've screwed up my own life on many occasions so I guess now it's their turn. *chuckling*

Sunny here. Tim and I are going to go walk in the park later. I'm shooting for walking six rounds which will be 1.5 miles. I may take a break half way through and rest, I may not make it all the way, but I am determined to try. Hope you all have a beautiful day, where ever you are!

I'm Okay

Since the tummy incident I've been babying things a bit. I've also returned to my water aerobic class which is two nights per week. I forgot how strenuous that class is, though. Sheesh!

Was in an auto accident today while on my way to work. My car had to be towed due to the damage. It was not my fault as the other person totally blew through a stop sign. *sigh* These things just keep happening to me. *shrug* But I'm okay. I went to the ER to be checked out, after checking in at work and finding a ride home. They said I have muscle strain/sprain and to expect to be sore for the next 3-4 days. They gave me a shot or Toradol and a Valium at the ER. I fell asleep there for about 45 minutes. Discharged me with a script for Valium and Vicodin. Will have to wait until morning and pay day to get them, though. Until then, I'll make do with some Tylenol.

Other than that, life is what it is. My youngest daughter is going through some stuff and has made some poor decisions lately. She is dealing with the consequences. My oldest daughter isn't talking to me as she is angry. I gave her hell for harrassing her sister and she didn't take it well. They both need to grow up. They are parents and the choices they make affect so many more people than just themselves. Ah life goes on and everything will eventually work out.

As far as work goes, I'm adjusting. The hours are still a bit much from time to time. The girls in the home seem to have adjusted to my being there. They rely on me and trust me to make the fair decisions. The staff are another matter entirely. I'm finding they call off for any thing and are not very reliable. I really need to replace about half of them, at least. Slowly, I will weed out the ones who are useless. It's a process and I know it's going to be fine. I think I'm doing a good job and have had others tell me that they see a difference in the home so it must be okay.

More later. I'm going to go drop off the scripts so I can just pick up the meds first thing in the morning before heading into work.

I'm Around

I'm around but it's been busy lately. Work hours are so all over the place I find it hard to get online regularly. I'm working on it.

Went to the ER this morning. Ate a little bit of chili on top of a side salad at Wendy's on Tuesday night. An hour later I had bad stomach cramps. They lasted all night and kept me up. Went to the ER and they said there was no blockages. Said I am constipated. Don't know how I can be. I had two movements on Tuesday, one after the cramping started. Gave me a medication for the 'stomach spasms' which has seemed to help. Wanted me to drink magnesium citrate but made me gag. I did take a laxative, but so far, nothing. Haven't eaten much today. It makes my stomach hurt worse to eat or to drink. Will give it a couple more days and if it doesn't get better, will get referral from my PCP to see the surgeon. I honestly don't know what else to do. This hurts and I'm a big baby when it comes to pain.

My Apologies

I cannot believe it's been so long since I posted here. Life has been busy with the job change but that's really just an excuse. I haven't had much to share or to say lately. Today I did have an accomplishment, though.

I completed, for the first time in over four years, the entire one mile walk with Leslie Sandsone ... her Walk Away the Pounds DVD. I used to do it when I weighed 530 pounds but did it from a sitting down position. Today I wanted to go walk outside, but it's raining and I don't own rain garb so ... I popped in the DVD and started to walk. I completed the entire workout standing up and moving my body. By the time I got to the half mile point, I wanted to quit but wouldn't let myself. I knew I owed it to myself to keep going. My thighs were burning and my calves were aching but I did it; I made it to the end!

Weight is still just under the 300 lb mark. Not much happening on the scale but the inches must be moving as people keep saying I'm shrinking. I don't see it right now, but okay. My hair loss has slowed but I don't see much new re-growth yet. I have an appointment with my surgeon tomorrow for my six month follow-up. It's about a month late because of scheduling but that's okay. The skin is becoming an issue and I'm dreading summer because of what I know may come. I'll document any problems because I may need that info later on to get the skin removal approved by my insurance company.

Hopefully, it won't be so long before I post again!

Two Milestones in 24 Hours!

I had another milestone happen yesterday. At the end of the day I had walked 8349 steps. That is the most steps I've ever had recorded on my pedometer. According to the pedometer, that was the same as walking 2.37 miles. Of those steps, 1885 of them were aerobic steps over 20 minutes which means for at least 20 minutes yesterday, I was burning fat. I did 20 minutes on the treadmill at an average rate of 2.5 mph but did bursts of 3 mph when the instructor had others running. My knees were screaming but I made myself do it anyway. I can run but I choose not to right now. With my knees the way they are right now running just isn't smart for me. In time, I know I will be running with everyone else, but just not right now. I also did 20 minutes on the NuStep machine. After that, we did the 'Cupid Shuffle' and the 'Electric Slide' in our strength training class. It was fun and nice way to get us doing aerobics without it feeling like exercise. Do a Youtube search on that and you'll find out what it looks like. We first did a slower version and then one that was pretty fast later on. It was quite the workout. The song is catchy and I had a blast. Then we slowed it down doing a workout with a long band and then weights, ending with stretching on the fitness balls. I felt so good after that class but boy was I feeling it. Today I have sore muscles and am probably retaining some water but that's okay. I'll drink extra today so the muscles can repair themselves.

I also met another milestone that is even bigger, in my opinion. I am now down to under 300 pounds today! Yep, that's right. I no longer weigh over 300 pounds. Today's weight is 298.6 Woo hoo for me! I've left what I have fondly called the Tri Cities for what I call Twoterville. I've now lost 232 pounds since starting this process four years ago. Another ten pounds or so and I will have literally "lost my husband". Wow! I've lost 125 pounds over the last year. Gosh but I'm feeling so doggone proud of myself!

26 Weeks Post Op

This week I am officially 26 weeks post op. That means six months and down 83 lbs since surgery. I'm averaging just over three pounds per week so all is well. If I continue with that average, I should be at or near my goal weight come September.

I still feel great, though I have been sick this past week. Caught a cold bug from somewhere and have been struggling with it all week. On Benadryl now to at least keep the eyes from watering and the nose from dripping. I feel slightly better but have a ways to go before I'm back at 100% again. I'm tired of sneezing. I'm tired of weeping eyes. I'm tired of being tired!

Work has been interesting. I changed from being the Overnight Coordinator (campus wide supervisor for that shift) to being a Program Manager of one individual home. It's been an interesting week. First day I had to deal with figuring out how to get a client downtown Chicago when I had no staff to transport. Second day went fairly smoothly. Third day there was a big fight between two girls and one ended up with a broken finger! Third day wasn't too bad. By Thursday, the girls were starting to come to me for help in problem solving. Friday was long and there were home visits to get approved and a long meeting to get through. I did survive the first week though. Have to head back in there for a few hours this evening and then I'm off tomorrow. Looking forward to that. Hopefully, week two will settle down a bit more but I doubt it. It's going to get worse before it gets better. That's the law of working in group homes, changing rules, enforcing rules, and making things work!

New Profile Photo

The photo to the right is my newest photo. It was taken over the weekend by my hubby. I'm wearing my Sparkpeople t-shirt and my new blue jeans. I have to say I feel so "normal" wearing those darn jeans. Probably doesn't make sense to most, but that's the only way I can think to describe it.

Nothing much new on the weight loss front. Was losing at a good pace and then gained three pounds. It's the time of the month for that to happen and I know it will drop right back off but it's hard not to be discouraged nonetheless. Though I had surgery to help me in the weight loss arena, it is still hard work getting everything to work together.

Start the new job tomorrow. I'm kind of nervous about it even though I feel the Lord has led me in this direction. I KNOW I'll do a good job but there are so many things that are out of my personal control. I also still worry about the hubby and the effect this change is going to have on him. I did this change for me, though, and I know that it will be right.

Nothing else new to report. I just didn't want to disappoint my regular visitors with no updates. I try to get here and give you a little nugget at least once a week, anyway. LOL

I got the job!

I got the new job. I start on Monday so my last overnight shift will be tomorrow night (Thursday). I'm excited but scared too. It's a LOT of responsibility and will involve some challenges but I KNOW it is where the Lord wants me to be. One day at a time just like all the other changes I've made in my life.

For those who don't know, I will be a program manager in a group home. I will have eight new teen moms (most babies are newborns, oldest is four months old) and one pregnant teen in the home. I will supervise all shifts of staff and be involved in making policies and procedures and then enforcing them. I know it's going to be a lot of work but it's going to be so worth it. I want to make a difference in the lives of these young ladies and their babies.

I'm slowly approaching that milestone of being out of the 300s forever. As of today I'm now down to 305.6 which means in one year exactly from today I have lost 120 lbs. In total I've lost 225 lbs which is absolutely amazing to me!

I managed to buy my first pair of blue jeans in over 20 years today. Sure, they're stretch jean material. Sure they're still a size 26/28. Sure they have an elastic waistband, but doggone it, they're blue jeans! I'm looking forward to the day I can buy a pair of jeans with pockets, snaps or buttons, zipper, and belt loops. It's gonna come and I'm gonna enjoy that as much as my bargain today. Got them at my local Walmart on sale for $11. Woo hoo!

Hope everyone is having a great day. It's cloudy here in IL and supposed to snow or be icky later on. I have my nutrition support group tonight. I'm excited about going to that. Exercise classes are going well. A new six week session starts again next week. Between work and those classes I'm gonna be a busy lady but will still make time to get here and keep in touch with my friends.

I am free to run ...

I absolutely love a Christian song called "I am Free". It ran through my head this past week when I hit what for me was a major accomplishment. To the average person, this will not even be worth mentioning but for me it was HUGE!

The hubby and I had gone to the fitness center here at our apartment complex so I could walk on the treadmill and work out with weights. I didn't really feel like going but the hubby encouraged me as only he can. He knows that I'll be mad at myself if I don't go so ... At any rate, I went and got on and started my routine. I take a couple minutes at a pretty slow pace to warm up and then usually do the majority of the walk at about 2.8 mph. I've been working on building up to 3 mph and have gotten there but only maintain it for about five minutes right now before I start back down until I am barely walking for a cool down.

So I'm about ten minutes into my walk and I'm at 3.0 mph. I maintained that pace for five minutes and started to wonder how fast I would have to be going to run. I don't know what possessed me to think about running. I've never liked running; it's way too much like exercise! *chuckling* Anyway, before I know what I'm doing my finger is hovering over the increase speed button and then I push it. Up goes the speed ... 3.1, 3.2 Okay this is pretty fast, but it's more like I'm powerwalking now. (Remember when that was a big thing in the 80s?) The finger continues to hover and then I'm going 3.3, 3.4, and woo hoo! At 3.5 mph I was off and running. Oh my, I thought I was going to fall or die. My heart was pounding. The sweat was pouring off of me. My feet were pounding on the treadmill. My hands were sweating and I was holding on for dear life feeling like I was going to collapse. My knees and ankles were screaming. Fifteen seconds into it, I wanted to pull the emergency stop cord. But I could hear the trainers on Biggest Loser pushing the contestants to just do it. I remember Bob yelling at a girl named Joelle a few weeks back because she couldn't do a simple 30 seconds. So that became my goal. I ran like I don't think I've ever ran and I did it for 30 seconds. Instead of pulling the emergency stop cord, I then backed off to 3 mph. Wow, that didn't seem quite so quick anymore. I then backed off every few minutes a few more tenths of a mile and did my usual cool down routine.

I was amazed. But as I ran, that song just kept running through my head. "I am free to run! I am free to dance! I am free to live for You! I am free! Yes, I am free!" What a liberating experience it was! I'm so proud of myself. It may be a while before I try that again, but I know that I can and I will.

So, after a pretty crappy week of minimal loss showing on the scale, early on I even gained three pounds overnight and got a little freaked out (which isn't my normal reaction to a gain but three pounds; come on), I managed to push through it all. I am now down to 308.8 this morning. I started last week at 315 something. It was a good week, after all. The crap was just something to help me focus and push on through. I feel GREAT! Another two weeks, I'm hoping, and I will leave the 300s behind, tackling the 200s and heading further downward toward my goal. I'm no longer the "little engine who thinks she can". I'm the steam engine who KNOWS she can!

Have a great week, everyone.

Busy Week

This last week has a busy one and the one coming up promises to be even more challenging. Doctor appointments, heading back to water aerobics (since I promised the trainer I would return once it was above 32 and it's heading into the 40s next week), exercise classes, and a new marriage group we joined at church ... well our week is full!

Here is a tidbit I got from the internet about how many pounds I've lost and how many calories I've burned. I find it interesting and love to see how it changes. The link is

http://www.naturalphysiques.com/howmanypounds/

Enjoy! I tried to post the link as clickable but it did not work. Sorry.

You entered 217 pounds (99 kilograms).

217 pounds is the average weight of 1.23 30-year old men.

How Much Fuel Is That?

To lose that amount of fat would mean to burn 759,500 calories or 3,177,748 KiloJoules! That is the equivalent of 24.54 gallons of gasoline. Humans, however, are far more efficient than cars, getting about 912 "miles to the gallon". If you could dump this many calories into the tank of a Honda Civic, you would be able to drive it about 833 miles before running out of gas!

Let's see how your goal would convert to other forms of fuel. 759,500 calories is equivalent to:

* 24.54 gallons of gasoline, or
* 271.25 pounds of coal, or
* 376.75 pounds of oven-dried wood, or
* 33.24 gallons of propane

This amount of energy would ...

* Brew about 2,118 pots of coffee, or
* Light a 60-watt light bulb for 14,712 hours (613 days = 1.73 years)

Cutting 759,500 calories is the same as saying "no" to:

* 9,494 apples, or
* 7,595 bananas, or
* 44,676 cups of cabbage (whew!), or
* 5,238 baked potatoes, or
* 9,494 large eggs, or
* 6,329 cups of 2% milk, or
* 547 pounds of ground beef, or
* 8,730 glasses of wine, or
* 2,351 Snickers bars, or
* 3,165 Clif Bars (4,219 Luna Bars), or
* 5,464 cans of Coke, or
* 4,468 pints of Guinness beer, or
* 1,544 Big Macs, or
* 1,475 Quarter Pounders w/ Cheese, or
* 1,085 Whoppers, or
* 2,302 Subway 6" Oven Roasted Chicken Breast sandwiches, or
* 4,468 Taco Bell crunchy tacos, or
* 3,232 slices of pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut

What it Takes to Burn 759,500 Calories

To burn 759,500 calories, a 190 pound male would have to:

* Backpack for 1,257 hours (52 days) nonstop, or
* Walk for 2,910 hours (121 days) at 3 mph straight, or
* Walk 8,730 miles (5,456 kilometers), or
* Bike for 2,201 hours (92 days) at 10 mph, or
* Bike 22,014 miles (13,759 kilometers), or
* Play basketball nonstop for 1,211 hours 50 days), or
* Play billiards for 3,516 hours (147 days), or
* Go bowling for 2,932 hours (122 days), or
* Stay on the golf course for 2,201 hours (92 days), or
* Spend 979 hours (41 days) playing competitive football, or
* Jump rope for 925 hours (39 days) straight!

You would have to walk the length of England about 14.54 times to burn 759,500 calories.

Totally amazing!

(Oh, and Cindy, I am 5'6 inches tall.)

Five Months Post-Op and Progress is Being Made

Next week will be five months since my surgery. I decided to change my dates for weight, measurements, photos, and progress updates to the first of the month for simplicity sake. Here is how things are today.

Start Weight in Jan. 2005: 530 lbs.
Pre Surgery Start Weight in Feb. 2008: 425 lbs.
Surgery Day Weight in Sept. 2008: 387 lbs.
Current Weight today: 315 lbs.

As you can see I've come a LONG way! I've lost 72 lbs. since surgery and 215 lbs. since embarking upon this journey. I am proud of my accomplishments and progress.

Inches gone since surgery are as follows:

Bust -6 inches
Waist -6.5 inches
Hips -8.25 inches
Bicep -3.25 inches
Thigh -1.5 inches
Neck -1.5 inches

Total inches gone are 23.75! I think is quite an accomplishment.

The hubby took new pictures of me today. I am literally melting away and there is a considerable difference in the photos. I lost a total of 15 pounds during the month of January. My average weight loss since surgery has been about 3.4 lbs. per week. Now I've had weeks, like this one just past, where I lost nothing. I've had at least one week recently where I lost five pounds. But it's the average that is important to me. Yes, it's slow going but I feel GREAT and am getting healthy and that's what it's all about for me!

I'm not be in Onderland, YET. I'm not even out of what I've fondly called the Tri-Cities. I haven't entered Twoterville, but I'm getting doggone close. Yes, I've come a LONG way. I still have a ways to go but I know that I'm going to get there. One day, one step, one meal at a time ... I am going to do this!

Nothing much to say

I honestly don't have much to say. I'm tired of the cold. I'm tired of snow. I want warmth and sunshine and am out of luck on both. Mood is a bit down today. Not sure what's up with that but think it's hormonal. Nuf said!




Above is my current weight ticker. I think the start weight I used was my pre-op weight. Of course I've lost a LOT more weight than that but that's what I was tracking. Gonna be another lazy day until time to go to work tonight. I have zero motivation right now.

Blessed

I'm having a blessed day. Down in weight to 317.2 lbs. today. I cannot remember exactly when I was this thin. I know it's been over 20 years for sure. I'll likely post updated photos shortly after February 8th which will be the five month mark of my surgery.

I have my nutrition support group tonight. I went to exercise class last night. I went to the fitness center here at the apartment complex first. Walked on the treadmill a total of 30 minutes yesterday with 27 of those minutes being aerobic steps. It felt good but I think I may have pushed a little too much. I also did 20 minutes on the NuStep machine which was a new goal for me. After the equipment class, we did a weight workout on the fitness ball. We did a band routine. We tossed some medicine balls around. Then we stretched. I got a little dizzy on the ball and thought I was going to pass out. From then on, I was a little spooked so took things easy until class ended. I did alert the trainer just in case.

On a final note, I got the results from my bloodwork back. All was good except my protein levels were down slightly. Only direction was to increase my protein so I have to find a protein drink I can tolerate. Got a couple samples at a seminar last week I'll give a shot and we'll see how it goes. It's tough to eat 80-100 mg of protein and stay under 100 calories. At least it is for me.

More Exercise News

I am progressing in the exercise arena, obviously. Today the hubby and I went to the fitness center here at our apartment complex. I managed to walk on the treadmill for 18 minutes. I was shooting for 20 but then decided at the last minute to increase from 2.6 to 3.0 mph near the end of the walk. Oh my! My heart was pounding. My breathing got very labored. The sweat was pouring. I did the 3.0 for a total of one minute but it was a HUGE accomplishment for me. Now I know I can do it. The entire minute I was chanting "I can do this. Yes, I CAN!" I was very happy to make it to the one minute mark and slow back down to 2.6 mph. After the 3.0 mph, the slower pace almost felt too slow. Imagine that!

Another plus about those minutes on the treadmill is the fact that my pedometer registered 17 out of the 18 minutes as aerobic steps. I set a new personal record for number of aerobic steps during my walk. I have to admit that I'm pretty doggone proud of myself.

I also did a ten minute strength training workout with weights. It felt great and I'm finding that I can actually inspire myself to move my body lately. That's a BIG deal for me, a former couch potato who weighed over 530 pounds. As of today, I'm down to 320.4 lbs. I feel so great ... about my progress, my courage, my inspiration, my motivation, and just about life in general. Thanks for reading!

Non-Scale Victories Last Week

So, I forgot to tell everyone about two significant NSVs (non-scale victories) I achieved last week. That tells you how frustrating a week I had, that I forgot to share these things. Then again, it gives me something to share today. LOL

First was hitting just under 7000 steps on my pedometer Tuesday. The most I'd ever hit before that was just over 6000. Woo hoo! I couldn't believe that I walked that many steps in one day. I remember a time when I lamented that I couldn't even hit 1500 per day and felt like the biggest loser (and not in a positive sense) because everyone else I knew was doing so much better.

The second NSV happened as an accident, so to speak, on Friday. I need to go do laundry. We generally go to a laundromat because it takes all day here at the apartment complex and sometimes someone sneaks a load in on you and then it takes even longer. I HATE community laundry. So ... we take it out and have it all done, including folding in under two hours.

Anyway, I had no pants to wear. All of my usual pants were dirty and most could not be worn again, even to go do laundry. I was searching in my drawers and came across a pair of pants a friend (Greyhounder here at SP) sent me a few months ago. At the time, they were a little tight so I just put them away thinking yeah, maybe one day I'll fit into them. They are a size 3X. I think by now, you all know where this is headed. Yep, I cam across them and figured what the heck! I'll try them on. Can't hurt, right? Well, it was way cool that they fit! I am so happy. I am now into size 3X in tops and pants. It's amazing to me. For so long I'd been wearing 5X and in a matter of five months I am down to 3X in most things. There are some pants that are still too tight, but I'm getting there. I cannot believe it, really.

So there you have it. Been doing my own thing. Eating has been good. I think my hair loss is starting to slow down a bit. At least, there seemed less hair on my hands in the shower today. I'm not sure about new hair growth. I probably should look for it but I figure in all due time it's going to be okay. It's just one of those things that happens to many who've had gastric bypass surgery and everyone has lived to tell about it.

I'm feeling great and that's what matters most. I'm off to church shortly. Then it's "incidental exercise" via grocery shopping and laundry detail. Back to work tonight. It's all good. At least the temps are back up to a more tolerable range. Have a great week, everyone!

Chugging Along

I'm still here and chugging along. I've been going to the fitness center in our apartment complex to walk on the treadmill and work out with free weights. I go to classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This past week my abs have been screaming since class. Who knew I even had them? LOL

Went last night to a health fair sponsored by the hospital where I had surgery and the bariatric center. It was nice. I had my body fat measured. Oh boy! I found out that my body fat is 47.5%. My fat weighs a whopping 152 lbs. My lean weight (fat-free) is 169 lbs. Those numbers are WAY too close, huh! I'm also still a little less hydrated than I should be. The good news is the more I exercise, the less fat I should have, the more muscle I should build, and the better I feel. At least I know I'm on the right track.

They had a raffle and I really wanted to win the Wii and Wii Fit. Unfortunately, Tim won a one hour massage and I won fitness bands and a workout on the ball DVD. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for the bands and DVD but I really wanted that game system and game. Guess one of these days I'll break down and buy it but it's going to be a while.

It's been very cold here in northern Illinois. I'm really tired of snow and even more tired of below zero reading with really below wind chills. I'm so ready for spring and winter has only just begun. *whining*

Incidental Exercise

My sister came up yesterday and we went to a good sized flea market here in Chicagoland. According to my pedometer, we walked over a mile just there. I did very well with all the walking. At one point I could have sat down and rested but there was no place to do that so I trudged on through. My knees were screaming near the end but I never complained. I just kept going. I will say that not only my knees, but my ankles as well are letting me know that they were pushed to their limits yesterday.

Other parts of my body are aching today, too. I shoveled snow through the day for a total of just over an hour. We got twelve inches of that white junk and I shoveled multiple times to keep on top of it. It works for me and it keeps me from having to do one big shovel job that is way too heavy. I honestly don't mind shoveling anymore. I see it as one more way to get in natural, incidental exercise. My hubby thinks I'm NUTS!

Today will be a day on what I call incidental exercise. We'll go to church this morning where I will sing to praise and worship and I will be dancing around as I do so. This afternoon means a trip to the grocery store for our early week shop. We'll go again on Thursday or Friday so this will not be a complete shop, however, since I choose to walk every aisle of the store no matter what, it will still be beneficial as far as exercise goes. After that, I'm going to rest and veg in front of the television watching stuff I recorded last week but haven't had the opportunity to watch yet.

The weight continues to come off. I lost five pounds last week. I'm encouraged by all my progress. I was going to go back yesterday to the fitness center in my apartment complex but with all the walking and shoveling I did, I chose not to go. Maybe Monday will be my next trip. I choose not to do any formal exercise on Sundays. It is my one day of the week that I make the conscious decision to only get incidental exercise. Everyone needs a day to rest, in my opinion!

Have a great week, everyone!!!

Anonymous ... I had surgery at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. They have a wonderful bariatric program with awesome follow-up care including support groups, nutriton groups, and exercise stuff. My surgeon is Dr. Van Vallina. I have Blue Cross Insurance. They do lapband as well as gastric bypass surgery. A good reference book I found very informative and helpful was "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" which I purchased through amazon.com for less than $15. I can honestly say I've not had one regret since surgery, though I wondered a time or two if I had done the right thing in the beginning. Feel free to email me privately if you want to talk further or want more information. I'm always happy to share and try to help others in their battle with the weight. My email is norakeno@yahoo.com

Working it out

I'm pretty proud of myself today. I went to the fitness center at our apartment complex and walked on the treadmill. It was a spur of the moment, while I was out and about decision. I forgot my water bottle or I would have walked a little longer. At least I did it, though!

I also did a free weight routine I learned last night at my strength training class. I usually use three pound weights but they didn't have those so I used five pounds today. Bet I feel that tomorrow! LOL

I'm still going to my exercise classes (equipment training and aerobics) two nights a week. I've stopped going to the water aerobics because of the cold water for now. I still pay for it (or consider a freebie cuz you pay for three classes thru where I go and get the rest free) so I have the option to start up again as soon as I feel it's warm enough.

I'm going to join a local gym. It's only $8 to join and $20 month. They have a good amount of equipment there and a lot of centers I can choose to go to. One is actually right on my way home from work so I can stop there at least three out of five days and get a workout before heading home and to bed. I'm going to give a try and see what happens. If I don't use it, in a couple months I can cancel it with no penalties. It is month to month and no hassles.

Other than that, weight is still coming off. As of today I'm down to 325 pounds. I cannot remember when I last weighed this little. Tim and I did some figuring and it has to have been at least 20 years ago. I'm still amazed that I've lost 200 lbs and continuing to lose. Yeah, I know I had the surgery last fall but dang, it seems I've been trying to lose weight my whole life! Finally, it's working.

Brief Update

Should have read my last post here but I'll just post this anyway. LOL

I managed to gain about three pounds over the Christmas holiday. I think it was the extra sodium that got me. Well, that and the two Hershey kisses per day as well as grazing instead of eating my normal three days and one to two snacks if I got hungry. I know what happened and have since lost those extra pounds so it's all good. Life continues.

I feel great and am looking forward to getting back to working out this week. Most of my classes were cancelled two weeks ago due to inclement weather and last week no classes due to the holiday. I'm definitely ready to get back into the swing of things.

That's it for now. Not much to say so I'll just quietly go on over to Facebook and play a game or two there. Recently discovered the site and have been enjoying some of the games they offer. Also been connecting with some old friends there.

Have a great week and hopefully I'll be back to posting more often now. I don't believe in resolutions but I do need to set some goals and when I'm ready, I'll share them here.

Happy New Year

It's a little late but I wanted to wish all my friends here a happy new year. So much changed for me last year and this is the year I should be able to make it to my weight loss goal. I certainly have all the tools available and now just need to use them properly.

I don't have much to say. Christmas was great. Had a wonderful time with my sister and her boys, playing Rock Band and Guitar Hero. It was a blast and I can't wait to go back to visit and play some more.

I'm doing well. Gained about three pounds but have dropped them again so it's all good. I grazed and the darn potato chips got me! Back on track and moving forward. Haven't been to exercise class for two weeks due to the holidays and bad weather. All will start again next week and we'll see how it goes.

Have to run and do some errands before going to bed. I'm off work tonight, woo hoo!