Exercise. Simply put, I HATE it! However, I need to either find a way to start liking it or I need to just resign myself that I just have to do it, like it or not. I'd really rather start liking it, but I'm not sure I have control over that. I either do like it or I don't like it and I currently fall under the latter. I do hope if I make myself do it long enough that one day I will start to like it and want to do it because of that "high" that regular exercisers get. You know the one I'm referring to? My sister exercises ususally 5 days a week and hates it if she misses it because she just feels better overall when she exercises. That is what I want. I guess 3 weeks so far of doing cardio 3 times each week isn't long enough to have that feeling. The only way to see if I can feel that way is to keep on keeping on. Exercise is so important to my long term health and long term weight loss and weight maintenance. I love the way I feel after I'm done doing it, but I dread going and I ususally dread it while I'm doing it. I am working out with a new sleever friend, Cheryl, and that helps tremendously. Ususally, she listens to her music and I listen to mine until we are done. Tonight though, we actually talked through our cardio and it made it much more enjoyable and it made it go much faster. Soon, we need to add in weight training. I'm trying though to take 1 step at a time and not overload myself which would most likely lead to quitting exercise all together. So, for now, baby steps it will be.
I hope everyone is rocking their sleeve!
~Amy
Friday, August 31, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Caribbean Cruise
A Caribbean cruise. I'm going on a Caribbean cruise! I'm a part of a Facebook sleever's group. Most of us had surgery in Jume but others have since joined us. Anyway, one of the ladies in the group, Toni (hi girl!) brought up the idea of doing a cruise next June to celebrate our 1 year anniversary and we are doing it. Better yet, we are leaving on June 17th. That's one day before my birthday so I will be somewhere on the ocean on my birthday. I find that extremely cool. What's even more exciting is I get to cross 2 things off my bucket list......going on a cruise and swimming with the dolphins. I don't care if I have to go by myself, I'm swimming with the dolphins in Cozumel darn it! I don't know if I'm more excited about that or the cruise or meeting and hanging out with more of the girls from our Facebook group. I guess it's all really exciting. It's gonna be a LONG 300 days. Yes, I know how many days it is until the cruise thanks to an Android app.
I hope everyone is doing well. As always, more later!
~Amy
I hope everyone is doing well. As always, more later!
~Amy
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The "Fun" is Over
So last week weight was pretty much falling off me and I was in heaven! However, then Monday came and overnight I had "gained" about 3 pounds. The good thing though is I took it in stride. I had still lost over 3 1/2 pounds from the prior Monday's weigh in so how could I not. That's a good weight loss. This week has been more normal. It definitely isn't as much fun, but it is what is is. And, I am losing weight. It just isn't falling off me like it was. I am okay with that though. This isn't a race and I didn't get overweight overnight and I'm not gonna lose it all overnight.
On another more, I am part of a Facebook group for (mostly) other sleeves who had surgery in Jume of this year. There is discussion about possibly doing a cruise next June to celebrate our one year surgiversary. I've never been on one and it is on my bucket list so the idea of this thrills me! It would also be HUGE motivation for me to lose as much weight and tone up as much as possible between now and then. There are several people very interested in this, so hopefully it will all work out and 10 months from now we will be cruising and celebrating!
I'm continuing to attend Dr. Ashmore's weekly group Thurdays at 5:30 pm and am so very happy I discovered it. Not only do I love the support from the others there, but I'm already learning so much from the doctor! I feel very lucky to live where I do so that I can be a part of this group. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to attend it or something similar. I think it, as well as other things, are the keys to my success. I WILL BE SUCCESFUL! I will not waste this gift that has been given to me. Okay, this gift I paid $12,000.00 for.
I hope everyone is doing well!
~Amy
On another more, I am part of a Facebook group for (mostly) other sleeves who had surgery in Jume of this year. There is discussion about possibly doing a cruise next June to celebrate our one year surgiversary. I've never been on one and it is on my bucket list so the idea of this thrills me! It would also be HUGE motivation for me to lose as much weight and tone up as much as possible between now and then. There are several people very interested in this, so hopefully it will all work out and 10 months from now we will be cruising and celebrating!
I'm continuing to attend Dr. Ashmore's weekly group Thurdays at 5:30 pm and am so very happy I discovered it. Not only do I love the support from the others there, but I'm already learning so much from the doctor! I feel very lucky to live where I do so that I can be a part of this group. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to attend it or something similar. I think it, as well as other things, are the keys to my success. I WILL BE SUCCESFUL! I will not waste this gift that has been given to me. Okay, this gift I paid $12,000.00 for.
I hope everyone is doing well!
~Amy
Thursday, August 9, 2012
A Perspective on Stalls and Gains
Below is another post I made on VST but am making here too for documentation puposes and for anyone who reads this who is not a part of the VST boards.
First of all, I'm only 9 weeks and 2 days out so the perspective I'm offering here is what I call the "newbie stall or gain" and not the stalls and gains of those of you get who are much farther out than me and a lot of us I see post about stalls.
Since being released to eat soft foods, my diet has pretty much been the same. I usually eat 600 to 800 calories a day and for the most part, my intake is closer to the 800 calorie mark than it is to the 600 calorie mark. I weigh everyday, but only record my weight on my blog every Monday. When I weighed in on Monday July 30th, the scale showed a gain of two pounds from the prior Monday's weigh in. I had done nothing different that I could pinpoint as the cause of this gain. I wasn't happy about it, but knowing that it sometimes happens, I moved on from focusing on it. Throughout that week, I continued to weigh everyday as I normally do. The scale would show I was up one day and down one day but it wouldn't consistently go down. I was gaining and losing the same 3 pounds all week. When I weighed on Saturday my scale said 261.8. That is only .6 lower than my previous Monday's weigh in. I thought surely I was in for a little loss or a gain again in 2 days when I weighed in and recorded that weight. Sunday, though when I weighed the scale showed me losing 5.6 pounds overnight. It shoked me so much that I weighed 4 more times just to make sure it wasn't my scale going bonkers and yep, I'd "lost" 5.6 pounds overnight. I wasn't sure though that it would stick. I was hopeful, but doubtful. Then came Monday morning. I woke up, peed and hopped on the scale afraid of what I'd see. The scale showed exactly 1 pound heavier from Sunday's weigh in but it gave me a weight loss of 5.2 from the previous Monday's weigh in. It felt really good to put that in my blog considering the week before I had to put a 2 pound gain. Anyway, on to this week. So Monday, I weighed 257.2. On Tuesday, I weighed 255.6. I'd lost 1.6 pounds overnight and was down 49 pounds total. Yay! On Wednesday, I weighed 254.8. Another loss this time in the amount of .8 overnight. I was now only .2 pounds away from hitting the 50 pound mark. And all that brings me to this morning. I got on the scale and it said 253.2. Wow! I couldn't believe it. I'd lost again overnight. This time 1.2 bringing me to a total of 51.40 pounds gone forever.
So, my point to this is you have to look at the whole picture of weight loss and not just what happened today or over the past week or two or three. The week I gained 2 pounds was no different than this week where I've lost 4 pounds in only 3 days. I've been very consistent with my program and there just is no logical reason for what has occurred. Okay, yes there probably is but it is probably stuff a scientist would have to explain and we wouldn't understand anyway unless of course one of us here is a scientist. Anyway, I know that sometimes it is hard to look beyond what is going on at the present, but we really need to sometimes in order to keep our sanity. Stalls and gains will happen and we will hate every minute of them but when we step back and look at the overall picture, it will look a lot better than what is going on in the present.
I hope I've offered some insight to those of you struggling with a stall or gain right now and that it will give the ones of you who haven't expreienced this some comfort when you finally do.
First of all, I'm only 9 weeks and 2 days out so the perspective I'm offering here is what I call the "newbie stall or gain" and not the stalls and gains of those of you get who are much farther out than me and a lot of us I see post about stalls.
Since being released to eat soft foods, my diet has pretty much been the same. I usually eat 600 to 800 calories a day and for the most part, my intake is closer to the 800 calorie mark than it is to the 600 calorie mark. I weigh everyday, but only record my weight on my blog every Monday. When I weighed in on Monday July 30th, the scale showed a gain of two pounds from the prior Monday's weigh in. I had done nothing different that I could pinpoint as the cause of this gain. I wasn't happy about it, but knowing that it sometimes happens, I moved on from focusing on it. Throughout that week, I continued to weigh everyday as I normally do. The scale would show I was up one day and down one day but it wouldn't consistently go down. I was gaining and losing the same 3 pounds all week. When I weighed on Saturday my scale said 261.8. That is only .6 lower than my previous Monday's weigh in. I thought surely I was in for a little loss or a gain again in 2 days when I weighed in and recorded that weight. Sunday, though when I weighed the scale showed me losing 5.6 pounds overnight. It shoked me so much that I weighed 4 more times just to make sure it wasn't my scale going bonkers and yep, I'd "lost" 5.6 pounds overnight. I wasn't sure though that it would stick. I was hopeful, but doubtful. Then came Monday morning. I woke up, peed and hopped on the scale afraid of what I'd see. The scale showed exactly 1 pound heavier from Sunday's weigh in but it gave me a weight loss of 5.2 from the previous Monday's weigh in. It felt really good to put that in my blog considering the week before I had to put a 2 pound gain. Anyway, on to this week. So Monday, I weighed 257.2. On Tuesday, I weighed 255.6. I'd lost 1.6 pounds overnight and was down 49 pounds total. Yay! On Wednesday, I weighed 254.8. Another loss this time in the amount of .8 overnight. I was now only .2 pounds away from hitting the 50 pound mark. And all that brings me to this morning. I got on the scale and it said 253.2. Wow! I couldn't believe it. I'd lost again overnight. This time 1.2 bringing me to a total of 51.40 pounds gone forever.
So, my point to this is you have to look at the whole picture of weight loss and not just what happened today or over the past week or two or three. The week I gained 2 pounds was no different than this week where I've lost 4 pounds in only 3 days. I've been very consistent with my program and there just is no logical reason for what has occurred. Okay, yes there probably is but it is probably stuff a scientist would have to explain and we wouldn't understand anyway unless of course one of us here is a scientist. Anyway, I know that sometimes it is hard to look beyond what is going on at the present, but we really need to sometimes in order to keep our sanity. Stalls and gains will happen and we will hate every minute of them but when we step back and look at the overall picture, it will look a lot better than what is going on in the present.
I hope I've offered some insight to those of you struggling with a stall or gain right now and that it will give the ones of you who haven't expreienced this some comfort when you finally do.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
My "Present"
I posted this on VST, but I thought I'd post it here for documentation purposes as well as for anyone who may have happened across this blog who isn't on VST:
Today, I am exactly 9 weeks out from surgery and I got a "present" for my anniversary. For the last couple of weeks I have been gaining and losing the same few pounds. Although I understand that is part of the process, I still don't like it. Anyway, I woke up yesterday and weighed as I do every day and the scale was done 2 pounds. Yay! This morning I woke up and again weighed and the scale was down another 2 1/2 pounds. Yippppeee!!! That makes up for stall I was in for the 2 weeks prior. Okay, but all that isn't but my "present". What is my present is that I'm at 49 total pounds lost now......1 more pound till I hit the big milestone of 50 pounds. I've been waiting to hit that milestone and now I'm on the door step to doing it.
For anyone reading who may be considering having the sleeve, do it! It is one of the best decisions of my life. I started this journey at just over 300 pounds. I had high blood pressure for which I took meds and my cholesterol was on the border of needing meds. My whole body hurt all the time and just normal daily activities were a chore and literally a pain to my body. Bending over to tie my shoes or shave my legs was painful and left me breathless. I sweat at the least little exerction and stairs were hard. I felt so helpless to control my relationship with food and thus lose any weight. Food controlled my life and I was miserable. Today, just a short 9 weeks later, I am so different. My body only has occasssional pains now, I'm down to 1/2 my dose of blood pressure meds, I can tie my shoes and shave my legs with no problems and I have tons of energy these days. Food no longer controls me. Yes, I still have mental battles with it but I'm working on those and learning to quiet those noises in my head that want me to graze all day. I had tons of pain up until I was 4 weeks postop. Knowing what I know now, even that wouldn't stop me from doing it all over again if I had to.
I hope everyone is rocking their sleeve and loving life!
~Amy
Today, I am exactly 9 weeks out from surgery and I got a "present" for my anniversary. For the last couple of weeks I have been gaining and losing the same few pounds. Although I understand that is part of the process, I still don't like it. Anyway, I woke up yesterday and weighed as I do every day and the scale was done 2 pounds. Yay! This morning I woke up and again weighed and the scale was down another 2 1/2 pounds. Yippppeee!!! That makes up for stall I was in for the 2 weeks prior. Okay, but all that isn't but my "present". What is my present is that I'm at 49 total pounds lost now......1 more pound till I hit the big milestone of 50 pounds. I've been waiting to hit that milestone and now I'm on the door step to doing it.
For anyone reading who may be considering having the sleeve, do it! It is one of the best decisions of my life. I started this journey at just over 300 pounds. I had high blood pressure for which I took meds and my cholesterol was on the border of needing meds. My whole body hurt all the time and just normal daily activities were a chore and literally a pain to my body. Bending over to tie my shoes or shave my legs was painful and left me breathless. I sweat at the least little exerction and stairs were hard. I felt so helpless to control my relationship with food and thus lose any weight. Food controlled my life and I was miserable. Today, just a short 9 weeks later, I am so different. My body only has occasssional pains now, I'm down to 1/2 my dose of blood pressure meds, I can tie my shoes and shave my legs with no problems and I have tons of energy these days. Food no longer controls me. Yes, I still have mental battles with it but I'm working on those and learning to quiet those noises in my head that want me to graze all day. I had tons of pain up until I was 4 weeks postop. Knowing what I know now, even that wouldn't stop me from doing it all over again if I had to.
I hope everyone is rocking their sleeve and loving life!
~Amy
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Support
I'm still on the subject of support and I have two things to talk about.
First, I went to the weekly group led by Dr. Ashmore that I talked about earlier. All I can say, well not all, but WOW! I think I'm really going to like this group and I also think I'm going to learn a lot in dealing with the "head issues" that are the majority of my battle in being successful in losing my weight but more importantly, in maintaining it. I highly recommend something similar to anyone who has that option.
Second, on the VST boards, I've connected with others in my area. We've decided to meet for lunch the first Saturday of every month. Today, there were 5 of us. It was really nice to meet them and hear their stories but more importantly, we all understand each other in ways that people who haven't had surgery don't. It's just another form of support and I really don't think a person can have too much of it. I really look forward to getting to know those women better and meeting others who are able to join us in the future. Thanks Toni, Amanda, Jacqi and Susie for a wonderful time today! I can't wait to hang out with you girls again.
I hope everyone is rockin' their sleeve and lovin' life like me!
~Amy
First, I went to the weekly group led by Dr. Ashmore that I talked about earlier. All I can say, well not all, but WOW! I think I'm really going to like this group and I also think I'm going to learn a lot in dealing with the "head issues" that are the majority of my battle in being successful in losing my weight but more importantly, in maintaining it. I highly recommend something similar to anyone who has that option.
Second, on the VST boards, I've connected with others in my area. We've decided to meet for lunch the first Saturday of every month. Today, there were 5 of us. It was really nice to meet them and hear their stories but more importantly, we all understand each other in ways that people who haven't had surgery don't. It's just another form of support and I really don't think a person can have too much of it. I really look forward to getting to know those women better and meeting others who are able to join us in the future. Thanks Toni, Amanda, Jacqi and Susie for a wonderful time today! I can't wait to hang out with you girls again.
I hope everyone is rockin' their sleeve and lovin' life like me!
~Amy
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