Catching Up

Hello All,

I have decided that I need to get caught up on my blogging and stick with it. My goal is to begin blogging at least 3 times a week for the next 6 months.

Since my last post a lot has changed with regard to my journey in weight loss. After many years of struggling with dieting and the "ups and downs" of my weight, I opted to have weight loss surgery. This is something that I had considered as a last option and I felt that I had come to that place in July/August of last year. I began the process to get approved by insurance and completed the process in October 2010. After consulting with physicians and my family I decided on a procedure called the Vertical Gastrectomy, or "The Sleeve." My surgery date was 11/10/10. So I am almost 90 days post-op now.

On October 27th I weighed 293 lbs. YEEOUCH!!! Today I weighed 227.8 lbs. So in total that is 65.2 lbs. My goal is to lose 138 lbs. So, I am almost to my half way point. Which is where my doctor thinks I should be this month.

By no means has this been the easy way out. It has been tough. I won't bore with all the details that I should have been blogging about 3 months ago, but it has been VERY tough for me mentally and psychologically. I feel good and did not have too many complications but my mind is still catching up with my body these days. I went to a group support meeting in January that was a amazing and really helped me see that I am not alone. My struggles with food addiction and "couch-potato-ness" are things that many people want to overcome. This surgery has been a tool for me to reach my lifetime goal of being an average weight person.

Some of the things that I have been doing to get fit have been really fun! Jenni and I have been going on two hikes a week with our dog, Oskar. This has turned out to be a family event and something I really enjoy. We have been trying to do one difficult hike and one leisurely hike on the weekends. It has been a great way for us to discover more about the Bay Area, but also get some exercise for us and our pet. We have also been playing the Kinect a couple times a week. My favorite is the beach volleyball game. This gets my heart rate up and it is a blast!!

Well, I am going to post some progression pics up this week, but they are on Jenni's computer, so I will have to wait. It is very strange to lose weight this quickly. Sometimes I forget what size I really am, until I see a recent photo, and I am like, "Oh yeah . . . I have lost a lot of weight."

Things that are Easier:
Eating small portions
Walking long distances
Going up stairs
Sleeping comfortably
Sitting for long periods
Driving the car
Riding the bus
Sitting in the bath tub
Buying Pants :)

Things that are Harder:
No Pizza
Getting all my liquids and proteins in
Going out to eat
Not having beer or soda
Not being able to guzzle water
Taking pills

Well, that is all I have for now, but more to come!