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