4me2be

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

I am still very happy I had the surgery, although I had a 20 lb. weight gain in a very short period of time last fall and Xmas. I was very sad and down, but now I kicked myself in the butt and got moving. First by walking more, then by eating less sugar and processed food, and now I work out with a personal trainer. I am feeling so much better and have lost 5 lbs over a 4 week period. I am on the right path and will continue exercise as part of my life. Although the 5 lbs seems small, it is a good 5 lbs with definite muscle building. I hope to continue with 5 lbs a month and I'm comfortable with this progress. I will give some regular updates. I am eating a more Paleo style type of diet, to keep my carbs down and have had no hunger pangs or cravings, like I had before. Yes, you can gain weight after a by pass because although you don't eat much at one sitting, you can eat more frequently, which was my downfall. I now cleaned out my pantry from all my sugar treats and processed food and I have upped my vegetable intake. I am excited that I am learning how to run on the treadmill, and I am doing sit-ups which I never could do before. My trainer pushes me and I have stopped whining and have embraced his motivation .

 

I am very please to be one year post op.  It is hard to believe that I was recovering from surgery a year from now. It seems like it never happened...meaning...let me explain...the whole process seems so long ago...I have a new life now and I don't identify with my old life anymore. Unless I go to the mall and I see the plus size stores and I look at them and think how they used to be the only clothing stores I shopped at. Now I just look at them and think how I never have to walk inside those doors again! I am now 175 lbs and wear a size 10 on my top and a size 8 pant/jean. I am a very fit 175 lbs. I don't have much jiggle anymore. I think that because I became physically active about 2 months after surgery and then lost the weight slowly, that this is the reason I am not looking at myself as a bag of wrinkles. I am 52 years old, so it was a concern that I may have a lot of jiggly parts and wrinkles, but I am very pleased. Of course, there are wrinkles and jiggles, but now too bad. I am also having major vein work done on my legs. I have gone to 4 sessions of injections to close the veins that have a bad appearance. I am having one more before summer. I am just a bruised mess right now on my legs, but I hope to be rocking some serious shorts soon! I have also joined the local T.O.P.S. chapter in my neighborhood, just to give myself some weightloss support to lose the last 25 lbs. I will not lie, but I have slowed down with weight loss and I am relying on exercise and good nutrition to lose the last bit. My family is so supportive and my husband is very affectionate towards me. I am also not afraid to speak to strangers, and be humerous and fun-loving....all things that I was fearful of. I hope to post pictures soon!

It's been over 6 months now and I have lost 70 lbs. I have been very busy with life since the operation...going out with friends and just being out there participating in so many things that I used to make excuses not to go so I could hide my weight and unhappiness from all. I am out of all the size 12 clothes that I had left from many many years ago and have gotten rid of all my old larger sizes...what a chathartic experience that was!! I am working a physical job so I find that I get enough full body exercise on a daily basis, plus I walk my dog twice a day.

There were many times through the last few months where I would stall with my weight loss but it was usually because I was eating too many sweets etc. When I consciously ate better (think--Canada's food groups!) I did better. I never had any issues with nausea, only a few times i had to lay down if I ate too much or ate too quickly. I am getting better and better at knowing my body and how much I need as time goes by. I get ravenously hungry but a few bites is all I need to get past it. Before surgery it would take a feast to quell a huge hunger! I find that I keep those 100 calorie packages of almonds in my car and my purse and that is a huge lifesaver especially since I'm on the road a lot going from client to client. I work usually 6 hours a day and that suits me well since it is highly physical work. I'm tired at the end of the day but happy! I haven't had too much trouble with wrinkled skin, probably because my weight loss has been gradual...not too fast. Can you believe it! I have had people tell me at my current weight that I should stop losing weight because I look fine!!! Hello...I'm 180 lbs...that is not fine! It's great and better than ever, but that is still not a good BMI to have and my waist size is still too large (37 inches). It's funny how people don't want you to change and if you are reading this you will find that you too will get comments like that. I have told people that not to worry, I won't waste away on them, lol. I have also lost a lot of hair over the last few months, it falls out from all around my head so I don't have any baldness, but I can see that it is growing back, so I'm not too worried. My hair stylist said that is normal with all my weight loss and it will come back.

You can't please everyone and I have gone from being a people pleaser to a person who knows how to say no. The changes you will go through are so positive in so many ways...like being good at making boundaries, knowing when to say no, etc. These are such good skills to have. I don't have any desire to fix people any more. I've become a very good listener now and not a fixer. This is a huge improvement.

PHew! I didn't think I had much to share...but look at this blog!

I started working 3.5 weeks ago at a physically demanding job. I am now working for myself as a cleaning lady! After I did my first 2 hour job, I went home and had a long nap. My first week I only had 2 clients. My second week I got one more and on my third week I got two more. Next week I have 2 new ones too. The clients all want me to come back every two weeks so this is great. I went from working for one client in a day to have 2 clients in a day and a few days ago I worked for 6 hours with just a 1/2 hour break...then I went home and cleaned my own home for 2 hours!!! This being said...can you see how much stronger I'm becoming!!!

Now, for my background....I am a University educated individual with also 2 college diplomas under my belt...why the heck am I cleaning homes!!!

Number 1: I need the money
Number 2: I need the money
Number 3: In my city, most social work (my field of expertise) jobs require you to be fluently bilingual in French and English
Number 4: I have been out of work for over a year with the wait for surgery and post surgery period
Number 5: I was looking into using my credit card (credit card balance is getting up there) again, to obtain a gym membership
Number 6: As a cleaning lady I make my own hours and I am PAID to work out! No more need to use borrowed money to work out!
Number 7: This is a work experience for me that is helping me to achieve a few goals, in the meantime, while I continue in my job search

OK, I have justified my work to you all and I am not ashamed but incredibly proud of myself. I now have (independently) entered the self-employment arena and have 7 clients in 3.5 weeks since I started!

I come home tired but happy that I have a body that is effectively operating on a high level and I have a few bucks in my pocket (cha-ching!). I am 51 years of age and if you told me that I would be doing this kind of work in the past I would not have believed it.

This week I have also learned to give myself one day off a week which I pencil in my planner. This time will be used to enjoy a summer day with my kids or just to do nothing!

I am still losing weight slowly but surely. I am now 202 lbs. and hope to be at 200 for Canada Day in 5 days.

Hope to hear from my readers some feedback!

Love, Virginia xoxo

Wonderland.....I love the terms they use on this website. Since I first started here, I have heard the term "wonderland" (finally being in the 100's) and it was such a good term. I was fascinated with reading about other people who achieved this goal, it was one of their biggest goals and I clearly was happy for them as this seemed like such a huge accomplishment. I am now about 9 weeks post-op and after a few plateaus that I wrote about I am seeing the one hundreds in sight. I am now 206 lbs and the wonderland goal is almost there and it has given me such an incentive. I have increased my walking. I walk 2 times a day for 45 minutes...that is 1.5 hrs of walking each day!!!! I couldn't have believed this would be possible a few short months ago, I was out of breath just going out my door to the end of the driveway. As each pound disappeared, my strength increased and my goals became achievable. I have been job searching for the last few weeks and have even sat confidently in interviews....I was deathly afraid of interviews before the surgery and wouldn't even look for work it depressed me so much. While I still am unemployed, I do not dread an interview at all anymore. I look at life in such a different light today. Yes, I am still a big girl, but I don't feel out of place anymore, mentally I fit in with the rest of the world again. I attended a Zumba class this week with over a hundred women in the class....I was still one of the largest ladies there (I still compare myself!) but I felt like I belonged which is the feeling that I haven't had in so long. I got through the class and was so happy and excited after. I will be going every week now! As far as the job front goes I will take anything now (I used to earn $27.00/hr but have been given a few offers of 14 - 18 dollars an hour). It will just be for the time being to earn less...I just need to get in the game again. I am confident that the job I want is out there for me and it will be a matter of time and luck and it will happen. Take care and love to all my new friends!
Virginia

OK, now I've got your attention!

My husband and I have been married for 22 years and with my weight gain over the years (and he has gained too- well, not as much as I did) it certainly had slowed down our libido. For myself it was due to embarrassment in the bedroom with my figure. With him....I don't want to speak for him, but I'm pretty sure I know the reason and perhaps it had to do with my weight.

Well, with the 40 lb weight loss thus far, I must say we are doing better and better. From once a month (before surgery) to now (8 weeks post op).... this week.....ta dah....2 times....yippee!  I feel that this is the measure of success in our relationship because as many of you know it is the most intimate way of being with your mate and connecting. I feel fulfilled (wink wink) and I totally feel like my gastric by-pass has been a success.

I am renewed this morning in my efforts to lose more (yes...weight loss slows down) weight and to chose wisely the food I consume and to keep exercising.

I sailed into my first job interview with confidence, all due to my 39 lb weight loss so far. I was able to wear an outfit that I hadn't worn in a couple of years and it was still cute. My hair co-operated and make up was fine! I was 10 minutes early and it felt like all the planets and the stars in the universe were starting to line up for me. I haven't felt this way in eons! Thank goodness for the surgery...I can't seem to say this enough. Whether I get the job or not...that doesn't even feel important any more, it was just how wonderful it felt to be participating in the world again. I'm not hidden any more and I am out there---HELLO WORLD!!!

In my efforts to get back into the workforce I took an all weekend course in First Aid, CPR and Defillibration Certification all day Saturday and today Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm each day. It was intense and full of information and lots of movement on the floor doing scenarios etc. It took everything out of me, including getting up and out the door at an early time to drive cross town for 40 minutes to get there. I guess this is a bit of an eye opener for me for when I go back to work as the hours are similar.

I can't believe I'm doing this so soon after major surgery and I am pleased that my body is co-operating and healing so well. Kudos to my surgeon Dr. Yelle from the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus and his team.

I believe I will spend the day tomorrow comatose and taking it easy. I just had to share with all my friends especially those who are awaiting surgery and those who had recently had their surgery. Everyone is different after they recover, so I'm not saying that this is for everyone. My friend who had surgery 14 months ago, told me that she did nothing for the first 3 months. Other people I have read about have returned to work after 4 weeks, so there is a whole gamut of experiences everyone can share.

I am excited and very grateful to feel like I am getting close to normal again.

ARRGGGGHHH! I was complaining to others that I had lost only about 1-2 lbs a week since the middle of April and now I have been the same weight all week!

I even had a nasty comment from a family member that surgery wasn`t worth it since you could lose the same weight without surgery! Blah blah blah

I am burning ketones (I still have ketostix from being on Dr. Bernstein) like crazy so I don`t know why I am stalling so badly. I eat about half a cup of protein 3 times a day and the rest is salad or other greens. Un-friggin-believable!

I need to practice patience.....!

It is officially a month out of surgery and I have posted my one month pictures and I even got my daughter to help me make a split screen before and after. I see a difference, a little here, a little there, and I feel different too! I feel so good, I am happy to get up in the morning and happy to do anything, even housecleaning is more fun! It is amazing how much more mobility you have after a 30 pound weight loss!

I watched the Royal Wedding this morning and was so inspired looking at her beautiful gown and all the other women who had lovely dresses. I haven't worn a dress in ages...I get really big thighs and calves with weight gain...so I'm ever so hopeful to rock a dress again, maybe when I get under 200 lbs. , and a cute summer dress too! I saw another member's blog where she was so excited to have cute sandals with an ankle strap! I can relate to that too! An ankle strap would not be even thinkable before...so many possibilities! I won't be doing any shopping yet, as I do have enough outfits to get down a couple more sizes, but watch out...maybe in the month of June!

Well I'm going on and on but I actually have good news, my husband and I are going out for dinner tonight, for the first time since the surgery and also it has been about 4 months since we last went to dinner just the two of us. I hope we have a lovely, romantic time and enjoy each other's company. I promised to myself I wouldn't bring up any hot topics that could ruin the mood and just focus on each other and having fun. I really feel we need this moment in time to have fun and set the tone for the future. The future looks bright!

Take care all,
Virginia