Damn This is a Winding Road

So yesterday was my 3 month post-op check. I did not quite make my half-way goal of 55 pounds lost and was a bit surprised to learn why...not eating enough calories! We talked through my daily "menu" and figured I was eating around 600 calories a day. And crappy calories at that! I've been craving carbs for the last couple of weeks so I've been eating crackers, fruit, pretzels, dry cereal, etc. Apparently my body thinks it's starving and my metabolism has slowed to a crawl. That was unexpected! At 3 months my stomach has healed enough that I should be able to eat a little more. And I need between 800 -1200 calories a day.

So now along with my morning protein shake I can add oatmeal. Lunch is good with cottage cheese and fruit, but I need to add an afternoon snack with protein - like deli meat with my crackers or nuts. And I need to eat protein with dinner EVERY night. And a frozen fruit bar is not dinner. Neither is a handful of tortilla chips or pretzels. I stand by tapioca pudding being dinner since it has eggs and milk, but my husband disagrees on that one. I found some protein bars without peanut anything in them at the grocery store last night and added one to breakfast this morning. Plus I mixed some yogurt in with my protein powder and juice concoction. I had the usual for lunch, a cheese stick for a snack, and turkey deli meat, guacamole and chips for dinner. (I know, but I couldn't be perfect the first day!) I still need to work on getting in enough water, now up to 64 ounces a day, although I'm doing much better. I needed more fiber in my diet to fix some internal processing issues so now I add Benefiber to my after lunch water bottle. It also helps to have a friend with a lemon tree since I hate drinking plain water. Sticking to a menu plan at work is easy, weekends not so much. Not being on a regular schedule and eating out really messes with staying on track!

My last entry was about getting moving - getting back to the gym. I decided to start slow and the first week back I just rode an exercise bike for 1/2 hour each trip. And it wasn't too bad! The second week I decided I was ready for Tuesday & Thursday yoga class. So, I hadn't been to yoga since my back injury in August 2013. It all came right back, some positions were even easier since I've lost weight. Yep I was ready! WRONG.  The next morning, muscles I forgot I had ached so bad I could hardly get out of bed. Fortunately things improved once I got up and moving. Took a muscle relaxer before I left for work just to ensure making it through the day. The next yoga class, two days later, I took it a bit easier and climbed in the hot tub as soon as we got home. Actually felt pretty good the next day. I missed class earlier this week because I wasn't feeling well, but I had a good workout tonight; hopefully I can get out of bed tomorrow morning!

Anyway, armed with my revised diet and exercise plan, and a renewed sense of commitment, I am going to make my halfway point by next months check-up! I've lost a total of 47.5 pounds since surgery; just 7.5 to go to make my mid-way goal. I'm down 5 sizes, have said goodbye to half the clothes in my closet, and have said hello to a pair of over-the-calf high-heeled leather boots! A year ago my legs wouldn't fit in an over-the-calf boot and I wouldn't have even considered heels! Gotta love tangible results!

Thanks again for all your support and well wishes. Keep praying for me to have the strength and the resolve to make it down this incredibly winding road. Love, Karla

Welcome to 2015! Time to get moving.

When the nausea incident began my exercise bike and I parted ways. After my 2 month check up yesterday it's time to get reacquainted.

I'm doing well, lost 10 pounds last month for a total loss of 43 pounds. I am on track to make my 3 month goal of  55 pounds or "half-way to goal". After 3 months things start to slow down as my stomach heals and I can increase my calorie intake. Getting in enough calories had been a real problem for me up until last week. Then I quit taking Metformin (nausea gone) and I had a garage full of cookies (nausea gone); bad combination! As noted before, eating sugar has the same effect on weight loss as drinking alcohol...brings it to a screeching halt. So while I lost 10 pounds over the last month, I actually gained a pound in the last week. Not good - time to regroup!

I had the Celtic symbol for "New Beginnings" tattooed on my wrist the other day. It is placed so it's facing me when I look at it. The tattoo is a physical reminder to myself that I CHOSE THIS PATH;  I WANT/NEED TO MAKE CHANGES IN MY LIFE. No more back-sliding, no more bargaining with myself, no more eating foods I know I shouldn't. Time to be serious about drinking enough water and eating enough protein. Time to use the gym membership I pay for every month. Time to get off my ass and get back to yoga class. 

My first task is to get back on the bike. This weekend I'm clearing my closet of all the clothes that are too big (some of them I was waiting to get small enough to wear and now find I waited too long). The start of a new year is the perfect time for me to, not make resolutions, but take control again. I knew this road wouldn't be an easy one, but so worth the journey!

On a side note; remember the wrinkles from a few weeks ago? For Christmas my husband actually went to the Clinique counter at Macy's, explained my situation and asked for help in choosing products! Thank goodness the gal asked for my name and she just happened to be my consultant. So Christmas morning I unwrapped the most amazing kit of anti-wrinkle products! My husband looked a little nervous, he was afraid I might have been offended. Totally the opposite! Gotta love a man who pays attention to what I want, knows where I shop, knows what products I use, and isn't too timid to go to the makeup counter and ask for help! I am one lucky girl...

Switching to monthly updates from now on since I'm settling into a routine. Please pray for me to get back on course and stay there. Everyone's support means the world to me, I can't do this without you in my corner cheering me on. Love, Karla