I think my doctors were right. The weight range I’m in now is probably a good weight for me. For the past 3 months, I have bounced back and forth, up and down around the same weight on the scale, and I am discouraged. I feel like I have disappointed myself. I’m not giving up this fight, but I’m not giving it my best, and I know it.
Posted in challenges, fighting biology, frustrated fat, goals, head trips, la guerra, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, progress report, reflections, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery
Tagged being authentic, being real, challenges, fighting the fat girl, frustrated fat, giving in not giving up, goals, I can't even, la guerra, life happens, maintenance, oh behave!, post-op life, progreso, progress report, reflections, self-image, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, stress, success, surgeon's goal, the body is a funny thing, the sleeve, VSG, vsg realness, WLS, work that head game
Not surprised by the slight gain this week–it is nearly that time of the month again, and this is par for the course for me and my body.
Posted in exercise, goals, habits, la guerra, NSV's, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged benefits of wls, challenges, exercise, I work out, la guerra, love thyself, NSV's, oh behave!, planning for success, post-op life, progreso, progress report, reflections, self acceptance, self-loathing, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, stupid hormones, success, swimming, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, WLS, work that head game, workin' on my fitness
This happened today:
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.”
Posted in big things, celebrations, goals, la guerra, NSV's, post-op, reflections, self-image, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged celebrations, fighting the fat girl, head trip, la guerra, little celebrations, milestones, NSV's, photo post, post-op life, reflections, self-image, she's got skillz, sleeve gastrectomy, so many questions, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the little things, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, WLS, work that head game
Completely surprised by this week’s progress. I don’t know what could have been the cause, because there were so many things I was changing at once (bad scientist, changing more than one variable at a time!). Whatever the reason, I hope this means I’m finally off the plateau I seem to have been on for the past 3 months.
Posted in big things, celebrations, challenges, exercise, goals, habits, la guerra, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, reflections, self-image, support, the body is a funny thing, the sleeve, therapy, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged benefits of wls, challenges, choices, eating, exercise, fashion, fatgirlslimproblems, goals, I work out, la guerra, love thyself, oh behave!, post-op life, progreso, progress report, reflections, self-image, self-improvement, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the body is a funny thing, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, WLS, work that head game, workin' on my fitness
Achievement unlocked: fitting into an airplane seat and not needing a seatbelt extender.
This is a big deal.
The last time I flew on a plane (American Airlines from SEA to DFW, BTW), I had to buy an extra seat, use a seatbelt extender, AND the seatbelt extender was just barely long enough to buckle me in. It made for a very, very uncomfortable flight in more ways than one. It was pretty much the worst travel experience of my whole life, which I’ll write about another time.
Posted in being thankful, big things, celebrations, head trips, la guerra, NSV's, post-op, reflections, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged achievement unlocked!, benefits of wls, big things, celebrations, fatgirlslimproblems, fighting the fat girl, head trip, la guerra, NSV's, post-op life, reflections, she's got skillz, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, WLS, work that head game
I am pleased with this week’s progress. It seems that taking the week off from the gym didn’t have as ill an effect as I thought it might. I did try to eat under 1200 calories every day to make up for the fact that I simply wasn’t as active as usual. I was in a knee brace until Friday, so I kept my activity to a minimum this week to let my knee recover from the sprain I sustained while running on Monday. Continue reading
Posted in challenges, exercise, goals, la guerra, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, reflections, self-image, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, what's up doc?
Tagged aspiring runner, challenges, exercise, goal setting, goals, I work out, la guerra, mental health, post-op life, progreso, progress report, reflections, runner wannabe, running, self-image, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the sleeve, VSG, vsg realness, weight loss goals, what's up doc?, WLS, workin' on my fitness
I had a one-year follow up with my primary care doc on Tuesday, which turned out to be fabulous. My labs came back beautifully:
My fasting blood glucose was 81 and my a1c? Completely normal. Liver enzymes were back down to normal levels after having been high the first two months of this year. My iron levels are great, and all my electrolytes are normal. Blood pressure is fantastic and better yet–my doctor used a REGULAR SIZE CUFF to take it! No extra large cuff this time! She was thrilled that my health was vastly improved, and we started talking about mammograms and all that jazz…yep, it’s time for me to start doing those on the regular as now I am a lady of a certain age. Since my gyno isn’t practicing any more, I got a recommendation for a new one (who ONLY does gynecology, no obstetrics–thank goodness) who I will be calling to see in the fall once school starts. I have to figure out if she is on our new insurance that goes into effect September 1. UGH INSURANCE.
That was the first doctor’s appointment of the week. Today’s appointment was the bigger deal since it was with my surgeon, who I had not seen since last August when my husband had surgery with him.
I went in prepared. Like any other ‘A’ student, I had a list of questions to ask.
Posted in big things, celebrations, challenges, expectations, goals, la guerra, post-op, progreso, reflections, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged benefits of wls, challenges, dr. nicholson, goals, la guerra, little celebrations, photo post, post-op life, progreso, reflections, self-image, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, what's up doc?, WLS
I’d made a to-do list for today, and at the top of it was giving my new running shoes a go at the gym. That was moderately successful. I tweaked my left knee and aggravated a decades-old knee injury, so there won’t be any running for me in the foreseeable future.
Second on that list was to call each of the credit card companies that I had accounts with for stores that sold plus-sized clothing so that I could close the accounts. I sat and called each one, methodically, systematically, and with great cheer closed each account.
As I closed each one, I felt a weight being lifted from my shoulders. It also felt a bit like slash-and-burn clear-cutting of a field. And I suppose it sort of is, in a way: I made way both literally and metaphorically for new clothing choices by shedding the keys to the stores that for so long were my only choice for clothing.
And now that I can wear an XL in misses clothing, the possibilities for me to look pretty freakin’ awesome are wide open.
Posted in big things, celebrations, choices, economies of the scale, exercise, goals, la guerra, NSV's, post-op, reflections, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged aspiring runner, benefits of wls, freedom!, I work out, la guerra, little celebrations, NSV's, post-op life, reflections, runner wannabe, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, what's up doc?, WLS, workin' on my fitness
This week’s progress was a surprise, as I was on the road again this week at a conference in Houston. Travel tends to wreak havoc on my routine, and I sometimes don’t make the best choices with regard to eating and exercise despite plans to do so.
Continue reading
Posted in big things, celebrations, challenges, exercise, goals, la guerra, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, reflections, self-image, success, the sleeve, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!
Tagged anger, aspiring runner, being authentic, being real, benefits of wls, big things, challenges, excavating the crap, exercise, grief, head trip, I work out, la guerra, love thyself, mourning myself, NSV's, oh behave!, post-op life, progreso, progress report, reflections, rewarding myself, runner wannabe, self-loathing, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the struggle is real, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, werk!, what's up doc?, WLS, workin' on my fitness
My husband and I went to the hospital where I had my surgery last year and tried to recreate the photograph we took before I went in for my surgery. I didn’t keep the outfit I wore to the hospital, so I chose something that was pretty darn close.
Today is a pretty important day in my life. A year ago at this time, I was recovering from my sleeve surgery.
Posted in big things, celebrations, challenges, choices, fighting biology, goals, head trips, la guerra, NSV's, oh behave!, post-op, progreso, reflections, self-image, success, the body is a funny thing, the little things, the sleeve, therapy, vsg, weight loss surgery, werk!, what's up doc?
Tagged anniversary, benefits of wls, challenges, choices, dr. nicholson, exceeding expectations, exercise, fighting the fat girl, goals, head trip, I work out, la guerra, little celebrations, moderation, NSV's, oh behave!, planning for success, post-op life, progreso, rebirth, reflections, self-image, she's got skillz, shit is hard, sleeve gastrectomy, sorry for sleeve rocking, success, the body is a funny thing, the sleeve, things of win and awesome, VSG, vsg realness, WLS, work that head game, workin' on my fitness
La Guerra de La Gorda 