Friday, April 20, 2012

2 Years 6 Months

How time flies... 2 years and 6 months since my surgery.

As a quick summary... I am not where I want to be but back on track. If you have been reading this blog you will see that this past year has been a big struggle for me and how to eat right and find what works. I unfortunately have missed out on the restriction boat. Maybe I am just not meant for the band since 80 percent of the time this past year I have not been full when I should. I have battled the head hunger and physical hunger every day. It hasn't been easy.

Sometimes I feel disappointed of my weight since I hoped to be further along. Would I still do the surgery knowing I could only loose 30 pounds? I would have to say YES! My life has improved greatly. I am so much healthier than I was. I have a lot more motivation and confidence in myself. With the little bit of weight coming off these past few weeks it has recharged me.

What to strive for in the next 6 months... well in shorter terms I have a wedding dress fitting at the end of May. I want to keep off my 10 pounds... maybe get rid of a little bit more. Sure for the wedding... BUT also since we would like to try to have a baby after we are married. Sometimes it isn't as easy as 'one time is a charm' so we hope for the best outcome to happen for us. We will be married at the end of July. So not too far away!!! Aside from the weight loss I really want to push myself with working out and feeling happy thru my work days. I don't work out as hard when I am by myself so I want to work on that. The with work I am feeling lazy and lacking motivation. I need to recharge my brain for a better more efficient workday. In my relationship I need to be more patient. Since we now live together, I need to understand that we are getting used to one another in a new way and finding out each others living habits and quirks. It is a great feeling to come home to him each day.

Weight for today: 196

Friday, April 13, 2012

Speeding Past 10

Could be a figment of my imagination since it is Friday the 13th... but this morning I was down a half a pound... sure that isn't much from the day before... but you know what this means...?

I am past the 10 pound mark!!!
Sweet!

Oh little half pound, How I love thee..

Onto 15, then maybe 20 next? You never know. They say the first 10 is the hardest. Not sure who 'they' is but I will definitely vouch that 10 is a hard number to get to but feeling the rewards today. Shit, I have been waiting a year for this moment.

Weight for Today: 196.5

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Down 10 Pounds

I think this is how I should of been eating all along. Wow, imagine that... Do you see my stupidity light bulb above my head?

Yes, I am admitting everything that I have been bitching about and not loosing weight was really just me with very bad habits and overeating. Not that I am on top of the world right now. But just getting things into perspective on what I have been doing wrong. It all boils down to - to many calories... every single day.  Sure I kept my same weight for the last year and maintained it, but I haven't been happy with myself and still falling back into bad choices. In some way I thought the pounds would still come off just as easy as it did the first few months. Reality check! It never did.

Not say that it has been easy the past 2 weeks... and I haven't struggled... It is just easier to get past it when you see the results day to day versus giving up when there are no results for months on end. I am officially down 10 POUNDS as of this morning! I have been holding onto that last pound before I would blog about the loss. In the last 2 weeks I have cut my calories in half or more on some days, drank more water, worked out harder and thus RESULTS... 10 wonderful results.

The lowest I have been since being banded was 196. And that was when I had the flu. So with not being sick and sticking to the new plan I am one happy person today. And with the complements and people noticing makes it even more spectacular.

I can now check off my list of to-do's before wedding... loose and inch in my waist to fit into my wedding dress. With only 10 pounds I think I have lost it has been more than an inch. Aww Yeah! Goal is completed and all before I have even scheduled my dress fitting. I am ahead of things... not to be boastful but maybe I can get down another 5 or more in the coming weeks....  Cross those fingers! And even more motivation I am coming up on two and a half year mark.

I have given in a 3 times to bad foods. I had smaller portions to get my fix. I ate pasta, rice and even french fries. The next few weeks, until my bachelorette weekend, I will be just as good. Cause you know I am not going to stick to a low calorie plan that weekend with all those pool side cocktails. After that weekend - Back on track.

Things I have learned to GAIN weight:
- Drink a lot of fruit juice.
- Visit Starbucks multiple times a week for drink and pastries.
- Eat till its gone - Not eat till I am full.
- Compare what I eat to others.
- Not go to the gym - It is harder to get back into the groove once you missed it.
- Negative thoughts and actions - In the end you just hurt yourself.
- Make for dinner what he wants versus what we can eat together.
- Add too much sugar to your over-sized portion of oatmeal.
- Over sleep on weekends - lazy is contagious. 

Goal for this week: Keep it going - No pasta, rice or bread.

Weight for today: 197

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Back On Track

Last week I was frustrated and upset that I was still at 206/207 lbs. It has just been too long that I have been at this weight. Granted I haven't been focused on what I put into my mouth no matter how hard I did work out. I figured the more I pushed myself the scale would move. It never did.

I thought a fill was my answer. I kept my check up appointment with my surgeon and went in to see him. Hoping for a small fill, he told me that he didn't want to give me a fill. He didn't want the area above my port to expand and even cause me acid reflux or heart burn. At first I was kinda disappointed but all in all I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING WRONG! I am eating too many calories.

At the surgeon's office I weighted in at 207lbs. Ouch. Time for a reality check.

The bad thing about the gastric band is you don't have that satisfying feeling once you eat. Sure you loose weight but in the end you do more effort than it doing it for you. It took me awhile to get this. The first 30 came off fairly easy within that first year. Then the next year - nothing. Now I am almost at 3 year mark wit October slowly approaching.

Going back to the basics of what allowed me to loose the first 30 pounds, I realized how little I ate. So since last Thursday I reduced my calories greatly. I am not counting the exact calories since when I do I try to squeeze in random and not healthy things just 'because there is left over calories'.

No rice or breads
Lots of water
Protein shakes
Fruits
Veggies
Chicken / Fish / Beef (for dinner)
Yogurt
Salads
(and of course no Starbucks visits)

I am feeling full on what I am eating. If I am hungry I do eat - just not as much. Not eating out helps. It is working... I am down to 200 LBS... only 5 days later! I am excited.


Goal for this week: Keep it up!

Weight for today: 200 lbs

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Starbucks es mi diablo!

Not loving where I am at... I am up to 206 this week. I have been hanging around this number for a few weeks. it is amazing how quickly one can gain back some weight but it is so hard to get rid of.

Starbucks is the Devil!
I blame my addiction to Starbucks as my problem. I have been a major addict the past month or two. I have a Grande Soy Chai a few times a week. Not only do I get the Chai, I always seem to find myself ordering a pastry. Three of the mini vanilla Scones. Damn you cute little treats. I either need to not go at all or mix it up with a hot plain tea... if I go. Or just take more efforts in making a breakfast the night ahead. I know what I have to do but I just feel stuck mentally int he wrong place.

Today I have an appointment with my Surgeon. In about an hour. I hope that he will give me a little maintenance fill to put me right back on track. You would think a wedding would be motivation but yet it hasn't been one at all. Now even more of a motivation it should be to have some babies... we want to start trying right after the wedding. I ideally wanted to be down 20 pounds pre-wedding... instead I am up 6 - 8 depending on the day. The odd thing is, my body is toning up more. I am a little less flabby so I hope the working out differently is helping me tone and just not showing on the scale. I highly doubt my 6 pounds is due to muscle gain either. I always get a BIG reality check when I go see my doctor.. I am sure I will get one today. Wish me luck.

p.s. I bought a Shakeweight.... silly but try it.. you will feel that burn.

Weight for today: 206

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I'm ALIVE!

It has been since DECEMBER since I have posted. I just have been so busy with life that I never made any time to focus on myself and blogging. Normally work is slow and I play on the internet most of the day... Lately that is not the case. Work has picked up a lot and I now have an employee.

So much has happened since December. Good and Bad. A lot has changed in my relationship with my husband-to-be. We are even closer now than before. Really being there for one another and it definitely takes you to a new level in one's relationship once there is marriage in the near future. One can't understand it until you go thru it. I never understood it before BUT now it is way different. With all that has been going on we communicate better and just appreciated one another more. We have had a lot go on with his family not agreeing with his choice to get married. I will just leave it at that. It is just way to much to go into. What is a wedding without drama, right?

Wedding planning is going smoothly. I am enjoying it. I am in the process of booking my last vendor. The catering company. I think I put it off the longest since it is the most expensive thing to pay. Overall the wedding is on track and now the main vendors are picked... now the small details are next. It is very easy to design items for other people's weddings for freelance work BUT once you do your own... I am so damn picky or can't pick what I like. Funny how things are. You would think you would know your oneself best!?! July is coming very quick and soon I will be a wife.

I am getting in touch with my inner chef too. I have been cooking at home for the two of us. I find it very rewarding to cook for us. We save money eating in, we eat lower calorie meals and just the overall eating together is a good bonding time. It is down time at the end of a busy day. I love having the kitchen to myself and getting into the cooking zone. It is fun to see the results and prepare myself for 'wife' duties.

Aside from eating well at home, I eat crappy any other meal. I over eat and with stress at work mixed in. Not a good combo for me. I never went for my fill appointment. I had put it off since I have been eating like crap and felt kinda tight the last month or so. I have been so hungry all the time and eat whatever is in front of me. Not good when a wedding is months away. Well I rescheduled my appointment until next week. I go in for a check up and possible fill. I have not weighted myself in almost a month. I know I have gained and I am afraid of what that evil scale will tell me.. aside from the truth.

I feel like I am just waiting for the damn bell to ring and I will be out of my funk. I work out more but eat poop. I don't snack but I do drink near meals. A big no-no. I have to find that happy medium. Hoping the time change will help me as well with doing a small walk or run after work. I enjoy the day more with the sunshine up when I am done for the day.

Now it is time to catch up on my favorite blogs I have missed so very much.