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 It has been forever since I posted, but since I have gained a bit of weight I need to get back here and on BE to get motivated again!  I am about 9 lbs up and so I want to renew my efforts and I know this is the place to do it.  Why did this happen?  Oh I know exactly why!  Too many carbs, not tracking what I eat, summer, weddings, vacations and "letting things slide" a bit!  This did scare me a bit, but I know I can get back into control and I will never let this get above 10 lbs!  In fact, I will take off that 10 and then go for another 10 since I was still about 10 lbs over what the dr. wanted.  

I am back exercising and eating only protein and veggie carbs.  This week it is back to school, work and a schedule and I know that will help.

 Bill and I just spent a great 10 days in Orlando..golfing, going to shows and Disney and have a great time together.  My new things...wearing sleeveless tops in public at Epcot, walking for 10 hours straight in a park, new golf outfits purchased off the rack in regular sizes at IZOD, eating in front of people in my BATHING SUIT at the pool, walking around the pool without a coverup on!  These are things I never would have done last year and 120 lbs ago!  What a great feeling!

The holidays are nearly over and I have not had time to post.  We hosted Christamas Eve, Christmas Day, a big brunch on Sunday 28th for Erin and John's first anniversary and then a game night! Whew!  Everyone is finally gone.  Erin and JOhn left on Sunday, they both had to work on Monday.  Sunday was their one year anniversary....last year at this time I was down about 40 lbs and feeling great in the size 18 Mother of the Bride dress--sold that dress at the consignment shop!!  This year I am 175 and size 12-14!  Anyhow Alissa, Bryan and baby Maya (7months old) left on Monday..we miss the baby so much when they are in Cincinnati.  My niece Michelle and her boyfriend also spend the holiday in our house so we had 6 extra people and a baby for a week.  It was a blast with all the young couples around.  I cooked every day, but kept on track.  I am up 2 lbs since last week, but I lost down below 175 so I could eat a bit more on Christmas.  Was it worth it?  Not really.  I felt lethargic and tired when eating so many carbs.  I am cutting back to my regular eating plan now!

We are leaving on Jan 1 for 10 days in Orlando.  So this year we will not have our typical New Year's Eve party with our old neighbors.  We will have quiet day of packing and resting before we leave for the trip.  Bill and I on Christmas Eve

We had a great Thanksgiving at Alissa's in Cincinnati. I had all my kids and my beautiful grandbaby Maya there!  It was a great weekend!  Here are some pics!
I am steady at 177 and feeling great.  I will probably continue to inch down little by little.  I am determined not to gain over the holidays although I did have a bite of more things than I did last year at this time.  Last year I was only 2 months out of surgery and still feeling very limited in my eating.  Now I can eat anything..even sugar does not bother me, the bit that I have tried. 
I enjoyed cooking with my daughters and making some low cal treats too.
Looking forward to a busy December and then a trip to Florida in January!

 October has flown by and it is already November!  We have been so busy with re-decorating in our house and working time has slipped by.  We are redoing our bedroom, bathroom and my study..new tile, new countertops, new fixtures, lighting, paint and carpet...whew...what a job!  Even though we had most of the work done, just getting everything out, organizing the jobs and keeping it clean has been stressful.  This weekend we finally have everything done except the counter tops so we can put things back in order.  The closets and my study were the worst--but it did give me a chance to sort through clothes again.  I eliminated lots of things I bought at consignment shops and kept some of the nicer things I have been buying.  

 I am fairly stuck at size 12-14 for now, but lately I have been on the move down again in terms of lbs.  I have been between 175-178 for a month back and forth.  I think it was just a settling time for me and my body to get used to this size.  

One of my current issues is my fat pads on the outside of my upper thighs and my hips.  The PS said these will not be reduced much more by losing weight so they need to go with a lower-body lift.  I am probably not going to have PS for this due to the risk and the cost. I feel like I was pushing the envelope to even have the gastric bypass surgery so another surgery just to do something for looks is not really something I think I should put my family or my self through due to the risk. So the issue is that the smaller I get the larger these areas look in relation to the rest of my body.  Right now at size 12-14, it is in proportion, if my legs and waist get smaller and the hips and thighs stay the same I think it will look worse than I do now.  So that is the dileamma. I think I will try and lose about 10 more lbs and so how that looks and then decide.  At 165 I will be 10 lbs over the Doctors goal and 20 lbs under my original goal of 185.  I am actually very happy right where I am.  Easy to maintain and I feel great!

We are going to Alissa's in Cincy for Thanksgiving.  I am cooking this year and making lots of low cal, low carb things for dinner.  Everyone is on the program so it will be fun and we can't wait to spend more time with our darling Maya.  More pics later!

My doctor's office has a yearly Celebration Dinner for those who are more than a year out or have reached their personal goals.  I went this year and was so glad and motivated to see all the successful people.  WOW!  So much weight loss...50 of us were there and had lost over 9,000 lbs.  How cool!
We had fun meeting new people at our table and talking about their experiences and journey!  I upload some pics in the Photo Gallery and will embed them when I am on my PC.

I discovered that I cannot copy and paste photos into the blog from my MAC, just from my PC in my office. 

So now I am on to year TWO...seems amazing that a whole year has past since the surgery.  I can remember when I was just wishing it was one or two months past the day when I was waiting for 9/11.  The goal this month is to be consistent with exercise and continue to eat right...keep the carbs out of the house and continue to push protein!

Seems just like yesterday that I was waiting for surgery and now it is a year later!  I am excited this week for our Bariatric Graduation!  They have it every year for those close to goal..for motivation and congratulations.  I am going since I am so close to goal.  I also have my one year check-up this week.  My bloodwork came back with a Vitamin D deficiency so I need to take more of that or go in the sun more! Everything else was great...my cholesterol is 167...so great!  I am blessed and happy! 

 

 

 

 

It is a day of celebration!  One year ago today I was having this surgery and starting my journey!  It seems like forever and it seems just like yesterday!  I am healthy and happy and about 8 lbs away from my goal!   Everyone says I am too skinny and I think my face looks a bit haggard, but I know it will all even out and catch up eventually. Here I am in the outfit I wore to the hospital...only thing I saved!

I am committed to an exercise program and eating this way for the rest of my life!

Oh, I have been so busy that August just slipped by!  I have been reading the keeping up with others, but not had time to post.  In August, I joined FitWorks and have been focused on adding regular WORK OUT type exercise to my routine instead of just walking.  I am scared that I am done losing and so I know I need to up the activity.  I hate going, but love how I feel after I work out.  I try and go early in the morning before work or any activity so I get it out of the way.  It is a good feeling late afternoon to know I have already worked out.

I am very busy at college with the new term starting and all my added responsibilities in the department.  Not liking this!  I am supposed to be retired!  I really need to reconsider these roles since I am determined to take care of MYSELF instead of always saying YES to every opportunity!

We are IN LOVE with our new granddaughter..another reason for not posting too much!  Lots of travel to see her and have her at our house.  Cincinnati is really far!  Wish I could remember how to post pictures in this forum!

I guess I am still losing at about the same slower rate for the last 3 months.  Sept 1 I am at 180 still this morning which is 3 lbs down from last month and I still have 2 weeks.  I would LOVE to be in the 170s for my one year check up!  If it is meant to be it will happen!

 We just returned from our bi-annual Family Reunion Vacation in Michigan on Baseline Lake.  Thirty of us stayed in one large house right on the lake with kayaks, canoes, jetskis, and speedboats.  We had a blast!  I did so many things I would not have attempted 10 months ago!  I also stuck with my eating plan and came home 1 lb lighter!  Even though FOOD was a major event everyday with so much bad stuff, I did not partake and just ate in my usual way.  I felt great!  .  Pictures are posted in the Photos at the left and I finally changed my avatar.  I loved this picture of me in the kayak with my skinny knees and shoulders!  

Since my WL has slowed so much, I am going to Fitworks this week for a 2 week trial to see if I like the program.  I know I have to exercise more and hope it works out!  BUT I am still going down in size and am happy with the way I look.  Only 19 more pounds to go!