Tag Archives: milestones

Post-Op Week 66 Progress Report: Achievement Unlocked–Misses Size Pants

Posted on October 12, 2014 | Leave a comment

image This week saw me lose most of the gain I had last week.  How, I don’t know.   This was a good week for the most part, though.
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Posted in celebrations, challenges, choices, exercise, goals, head trips, la guerra, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, progress report, reflections, self-image, success, the little things, the sleeve, therapy, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!

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So Much More Than a Winter Coat

Posted on September 20, 2014 | 5 comments

This happened today:

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Last week, I’d put out a call to my peeps online asking where to buy a winter coat.  I knew that I would need one, as the two winter coats I currently have in my possession are 4 and 6 sizes too big for me, respectively.  My requirements for a winter coat were that it had to have a hood, a zip out liner, be long enough to cover my butt, and be water repellent if possible (this was not an absolute necessity).

So today we had gone to the mall so that I could drop off my recyclables at Kiehl’s (and pick up some more body butter; theirs is awesome).  At this particular mall, it is easiest to go through Nordstrom to get to the Kiehl’s, so we did.  I stopped to browse in the women’s section because I just wanted to look around.  I picked out a couple of long-sleeved blouses to try on, which fit and looked great so I decided to get them since it was triple points day (!!!!).  Then I saw The Coat.

I was not expecting to buy a coat today.  I wasn’t expecting this one to fit.  It was a misses size large, and I’ve been wearing extra large in my shirts and sweaters because that is what fits.  I looked through all the coats on the rack and no extra large was to be found, so I was a bit disappointed.  I kept looking at the coat thinking the shoulders would not be wide enough for me.

My husband, ever helpful and optimistic, said, “Try it on.”

I said, “I don’t think the shoulders will fit.”

He nudged gently and said, “Just try it.”

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Posted in big things, celebrations, goals, la guerra, NSV's, post-op, reflections, self-image, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!

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One Year Ago Today…

Posted on June 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

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…I physically started the march toward better health.

A year later, I am nearly 173 pounds lighter.  I am

  • healthier than ever
  • smaller than ever
  • sassier than ever (I totally didn’t think that was possible)
  • more confident
  • more poised
  • more physically active
  • more fierce
  • more mindful
  • less inclined to take shit from people
  • more inclined not to suffer any fools
  • happier than ever

There is still work to be done, and 54 more pounds to lose.  I feel like what I have done in a year’s time is nothing short of phenomenal.

And I haven’t even hit my one-year post-op mark yet.  Just wait.

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Being at 70% EWL, or, Within Striking Distance

Posted on June 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

On the eve of my 11-month post-op mark, this happened:

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On the left:  me, minus 215 pounds.  This represents what I’ve lost since I weighed my heaviest.

On the right:  me, minus 172 pounds.  This represents what I’ve lost since I began this process nearly a year ago.

I am at exactly 70% of my excess weight lost.  I’m aiming for 90%.  As I told my surgeon last May when he said that most of his patients lose around 70% EWL, “That’s not good enough for me.  I am an ‘A’ student.”

I am within 5 pounds of my surgeon’s weight goal.  I will get there before my 1-year appointment next month.

I still have 55 pounds to go to get to my goal.  I have no reason whatsoever to believe that I won’t get there.  It just won’t be in record time,  and I’m okay with this.  My objective is to be healthy above all else.

I’m aiming for March 2015.  This is not unreasonable.  With the exercise I’m doing, continued therapy and support group attendance, and staying with my current eating plan (with tweaks here and there), I fully believe I’ll get there.

It will be the second best birthday present ever.  Having my surgery was the first.

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Posted in celebrations, goals, la guerra, post-op, reflections, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!, what's up doc?

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Post-Op Week 42 Progress Report

Posted on April 27, 2014 | 2 comments

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This week’s progress: back on track.  I’m pleased with the loss of almost 2 pounds this week, given the fact that I fought hunger all week long.  Some of it was head hunger, some was stress-related, and some was just genuine hunger.  I am starting to wonder if I should eat more calories, but am hesitant to try going too far above 1000 daily.  I think I’m going to stick with what I’ve been doing for a couple more weeks and then reevaluate what I need then.  I’m getting better at listening to my body and figuring out what it needs.

Today’s weigh in also sees me crossing from “morbidly obese” to just “obese” per the BMI chart.  I know a lot of people don’t put a lot of stock in that thing, but when your doctor bases his goal weight for you on it, you pay attention to it.  Since my doctor’s goal weight places me squarely in the obese category, I revised my personal goal to place me at the upper end of overweight.  I know I will never have a “normal” BMI, and I’m okay with that.  Besides, if I did, I would look sick and not healthy.  I am aiming for looking healthy and feeling good about how I look.  I’m nearly there.  62.6 more pounds to go.

I can do this.

This week, I’m focusing on starting to get ready for my next 5k in July and just staying the course.  Trying not to let the stress of recent events (gallbladder ultrasound, stepmother’s passing, end of the school year, WORK) take its toll on my efforts, but these next few weeks, that’s going to be tough.  Just gotta remember not to eat the feels.

I’ll write more later…right now, it’s bedtime.

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Posted in challenges, expectations, goals, la guerra, little things, NSV's, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, reflections, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!

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Milestone

Posted on April 9, 2014 | 2 comments

Yesterday marked 9 months post-op for me.  I began the day by stepping on the scale to mark my weight since I collect data on the 8th of every month.

I stepped on the scale, off and on, like I always do, because I don’t believe the number I see every week.

When I finally stepped on for the final time, the scale settled at a number I’d hoped to see by the time this month rolled around.

As of yesterday, I officially weigh

200 pounds less

than my heaviest recorded weight.

I did not ever think I would see this day.  But it is here.  And it is glorious.

I have a 9-month follow up appointment tomorrow.  I plan to mark the occasion as I’ve marked all my other surgeon’s appointments:  by wearing a black and white dress.  I’ll be wearing the dress I bought 2 years ago that I’d intended as a “goal dress” during my last bout of weight loss.

Now, I’ve reached that goal (exceeded it, actually) and will be wearing it for my appointment.

Then I’ll take it to the tailor over the weekend and have it taken in, along with a bunch of my other professional clothes which are a wee bit large for me now.

It’s a good week to be me.

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Posted in big things, celebrations, la guerra, post-op, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!, what's up doc?

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If It Fits, It Ships: Time for New Pants

Posted on October 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Today I finally realized just how much smaller I am.

As I stood in front of my class today to teach, I noticed that my pants were way, way more baggy than I’d previously noted. You know how when you wear pants, you’re not supposed to be able to feel the skin of your thighs touching, because really, your pants should fit such that your thighs clad in fabric are touching one another.  Well, that was not the case for me, and it felt really odd.

Then, I was walking around my classroom, teaching and observing the work my students were doing on the lab they were working on, and I kept having to hitch up my pants.  This annoyed me to no end because I was trying to save my tummy from hanging out (these pants do not have belt loops, so I couldn’t wear a belt) and making an unnecessary appearance.

That sealed the deal for me:  it was time to finally buy new pants.  Continue reading →

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Posted in big things, celebrations, daily bites, eating, economies of the scale, head trips, NSV's, post-op, success, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!

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Knocking Down Milestones at the Speed of Light

Posted on October 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

Today is one for the books. Today I woke up and achieved more than I ever thought possible, and really, I didn’t do much!

This morning, my Rotary Club had our annual fundraiser out at a local shopping center.  It was an Amazing Race type competition, and racers had to figure out clues to be able to move from station to station, where they had to complete certain tasks.  I arrived at our home base this morning to receive instructions about what my task for the day was and to see if anything else needed to be done there.  I saw that everyone in my club had on t-shirts that indicated they were volunteers and I thought, well I should probably get one.  So I approached the table where they all were and scanned the offerings:  medium, large and extra-large.  The guy who was in charge of ordering the shirts came over and immediately began apologizing, saying that because the shirt order had gone in late, that a XXL would have cost extra, and the budget was only so much, the biggest size available was an XL.  I said, “Well a couple of weeks ago my husband bought me a t-shirt in XXL and it fit baggy then, so I bet this will fit.  No worries.”  Then I grabbed a shirt, took off my jacket and put it on over the shirt I was wearing at the time.

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Posted in big things, celebrations, daily bites, eating, goals, NSV's, post-op, success, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!

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