MissKim

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My last post was exactly 1 year ago.

Today my clothes were slipping again... I thought "I can't possibly have lost more weight."

I stopped by another department that teaches kids about nutrition.  They have a scale that measures height and weight and gives you a print out of your BMI.   I took off my shoes and belt and jumped on.  (I am wearing jeans today, so I figured I would have to take off at least 2 pounds from what it says to be close to accurate.)  It read 156.7 - WITH CLOTHES.  That's 2 pounds down from my previous low "naked weight".  I have lost 32 pounds in the last year.  

I really, truly am at goal, given the excess skin I have.  My post skin removal goal is 140-145.  I am pretty sure I have at least 15 pounds of skin.  

I wear size 12 jeans.  (I love the Gloria Vanderbilt "Amanda" style.  Nice high waist to help hold in the skin.)  I am wearing medium tops.  Even my shoe size is smaller.  (7.5 med. width rather than 8 wide width.)

I am sending a note to my primary today to ask for all my annual labs, so I can make my 2 year follow up appointment with my surgeon.

I have been eating like crazy, hungry all the time!  How can I have lost 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks with all those carbs I ate???  I eat my protein and lots of veggies, too.  Don't get me wrong.  But I eat so much more than my skinny friends, and more than much of my family.  It's hard not to think I am over eating.  But I find I tend to lose a few pounds *after* going through a "hungry all the time-eat the kitchen sink" phase.   Weird.

I will see what t he docs say.  Only slightly worried that I will not stop losing weight.  More worried that I will keep eating what I want  and it will start coming back!  Just have to keep a reality check on the scale and adjust my food/activity as needed.

Dang... I got side tracked, and I clicked a link to update my photos... and forgot to hit save first.  I just lost a LONG post.  Let's try that again.  Grrr...

I lost weight on the cruise, but then did the yo-yo thing for a few months, staying between 205 and 215 until a few weeks ago.  On 9/26 I was 205, but hit "onderland" (199.8) on Tuesday 9/30.  I realized I wasn't eating enough protein, and upped my grams form 50 I was averaging to 80-100 that is recommended.  That boost fast-tracked my loss, and got me going again.  I have lost another 11 pounds in the last 8 days and was 188.7 this morning.

188.7  OMG

I went right on past that 193 goal of half my highest weight.  I am now less than I have been since...  oh, Sophomore year of high school.  My next goal is just 2 more pounds... at 186 I will have lost 200 pounds from my high.  Next goal is 174, which will move me form an "obese" BMI to an "overweight" BMI.  Then, when I hit my goal of 145, I will be a "healthy" BMI.  While the BMI system has it's flaws, I like having these markers as *something* go use as goals.

I am looking forward to my second cruise in December.  Mom and I should have a lot of fun puttering around to all of those Caribbean ports.  Saving my pennies for a little bit of shopping and to do some fun tours.  Mom gave me a bunch of summery things that are in the 14/16 size range, and I think they will fit by then.  I think I should be about 170 or so by then, and that should have those clothes fitting.  There is a GORGEOUS  dark green tie-day sun dress that really hope fits by then. I need 2 more inches off my chest for it to zip up, so that might be too much to hope for.  Will have to see.  In the mean time, hitting the thrift stores looking for dressy things for the dress-up nights in the dining room.  I will have 3 or 4 swim suits that fit.  Mom gave me 3, and I have one from Junonia in a 0X that will be just right.  I think 2 of the ones from Mom will work, though one might not.  Will have to wait and see closer to then.

OK, lunch break is over.  Back to the grind.

I haven't been posting much.  Life is busy.  Work is very busy and I have no desire to be on the computer when I get home. 

Life is good with the exception of a lot of low to medium grade back pain.  I am having issues with low back, mid-back (bra-band area) and my neck/shoulders.  Pretty much the whole thing is all jacked up.  My ice packs are my best friends!  A friend who is very curvy recommended a company to buy some medium density foam to add to my bed.  I will try anything at this point.

I am so excited.  Tomorrow night I take a red-eye to Miami with my mom and sister.  Monday, we join my aunt and cousin, and the five us us "girls" board the Carnival Fascination for a 4 day cruise to Key West and Cozumel.  This will be my first time using a passport!  I broke down and bought some clothes.  I just couldn't make the little I have work for what I wanted to wear.  I shopped the clearance rack at target and found 2 pair of shorts for 4.98 (edit: make that 4.24) each and a skirt that will be great for work for $11.  The skirt is slightly tight now, so I feel good about it working for a while.  (actually, I should try it again, since I lost 5 pounds since I bought it.)

Speaking of weight loss, my body is following it's monthly cycle of weight loss, and I have just lost another huge chunk.  I now weigh 215 pounds.   I am getting close to my next goal, which is to weigh under 200.  If I maintain that, I will have done "enough".  I expect I won't stop quite there.  My next milestone is 193.  At 193 I will be at my lowest adult weight. (In my senior year of HS I lost from 229 to 194, but only maintained that a few months.)   At 193 I will also weigh exactly 1/2 of my highest recorded weight.

I am trying to not make this about the numbers on the scale.  The scale is just a tool to use as markers.  This is really about:  My diabetes is gone.  My high blood pressure is gone.  My sleep is much better.  I can walk for miles.  The next non-scale markers involve things like being able to do a push up or a deep knee bend.  Not sure I am there.  I am thinking yoga might be a good way to gain strength, though I feel resistant at the moment.

Ok, I need to go hunt down the rest of my stuff to pack and continue to get ready for my trip!  Sooooo excited!

Today's scale: 233

After that long plateau, I have lost 10 pounds in the last week! *boggles*

I had planned to do a lot of house chores today.  It didn't happen... again.  But what did happen is that I took a long training walk.  I left my place on 39th, and walked a few blocks up to MacArthur and had breakfast at the cafe.  I spent 2 hours lingering over very yummy coffee as I read.  I then took off up MacArthur and walked all the way to Fruitvale!  I spent about 15 minutes looking around the Diamond Branch of the Oakland Library, bought a used hardback book for .25, and then walked over to Farmer Joes.  There I picked up a 1/2 liter of water and some bulk nuts.  I walked across the street to Pete's and ordered an iced coffee (decaf this time).  I sat, lingered, read some more, and left an hour or so later.  I stopped at the food mill on my way back, bought a bag of goods, and continued my walk.  I stopped at a store that has a lot of traditional African clothing, and bought a pretty skirt that is "free" size.  I think I am now a part of the "most" that one size fits "all" will fit, now.  I will try it on soon and see how it looks.

I got home 6 hours after I had left.  about 3 hours sitting on my butt reading, maybe another 45 minutes shopping, that means 2.25 hours walking.  NOT BAD!  My right knee is a little sore, but not while I am sitting, just as I walk.  I will take the car out in a little bit to see exactly how far the walk actually is.  My guess is about 5 miles.  Twice what I have done on any other day.  Tomorrow I will walk again, but probably not as long, but intend to do another long-ass one on Monday.

I have been doing lots of 1 to 1.5 mile walks, but those don't cut it as training.  They are GREAT as general exercise, but not enough to train for this MAJOR event that I have been ignoring, almost since I signed up.  I am doing pretty good on my fundraising, and I know that is what is most important, but I don't want to hurt myself, or have to quit barely after starting when the event actually comes.  So, today, I have a renewed determination.  I am actually amazed that it didn't seem that far as I did the walk.  I had the energy to return right way, and it was only tired right knee and both ankles slightly sore that had me take the hour rest.  I knew I didn't want to overdo it.  I don't think I did.

EDIT:  I am slightly disappointed to find that it is only 1.75 miles each way.  With the slight detours I made, and the walking in the stores, I think it was more like 4 miles all together.  *sigh*  I have a long way to go.  The 3-Day's Virtual Trainer said I should have walked 8 miles today to be "on target" in my training.

I hit a goal this morning.  Tomorrow is my 6-month surgiversary, and I have lost over 100 pounds in those 6 months!  I weighed 239 this morning! 

High - 386
Surgery - 340
Current - 239
Goal - 150ish (I am 5'4.5")


Shorter term goals:
236 - to be down 150 from my high.
199 - ONEderland!  (If I stopped losing weight here, it would be "enough")
194 - My weight when I graduated high school and lowest weight in my adult life.
186 - 200 down from high weight

Really though, I am already a complete success with this.  With an unmedicated A1C of 4.8, my diabetes is considered resolved.  My hypertension is resolved.  I am SO much healthier already.  THAT is what matters most.

My last weigh in at the doctor was 4/9, and I weighed 257.  My last weight posted here on 4/14 was 249.  I spent the following month moving between 245 and 250.  I was anxious.  PLATEAU!!!!

I was eating a lot more carbs that I thought I really should be.  I was craving them, and feeling obsessive when I ignored the cravings.

Wednesday morning I was 248.7 on my scale, and 248.5 on the doctor's scale.  8.5 pounds lost since 4/9, but that was all that first week.  But then I started looking at the body composition details.  It turns out that I lost 25 pounds of FAT in those 35 days!  I gained 16.5 pounds of lean body mass.  Almost 12 pounds of that is water, and nearly 5 is pure muscle fiber.  The doc's assistant says that most of the water gain is most likely not water retention, it's the water in added muscle!!!   I guess I needed the energy I was getting from those foods I was craving.  I can't really argue with 25 pounds of fat lost.  DAMN. The scale wasn't moving, but I did shrink 1.5 clothing sizes in that time.  I went from tight 22(WP) jeans to not so tight 20(WP) jeans.  Most of my tops are all 18/20 or 1X.  Thats a far cry from the 5X I was wearing "before".

I haven't been getting in as much walking as I think I should to be training properly for this endurance challenge of the 3-Day, but I guess it's been what I need to be getting a lot stronger.

And this morning the scale is 243.3, so I guess things are on the downward movement again.

Sorry to be so few and far between with my updates.  Either I am too busy out there being active with my "new" life, or I was depressed because I had hadn't lost and thought I was f*&#ing it all up.  I talked to the PA and she was pleased with my progress.  She did recommend that I pull back a little on the starches, and made some suggestions for better choices when I am craving those things.   I am feeling optimistic again.

This morning's scale:  249

137 lost from highest, 91 since 11/20 surgery.  Woohoo!

BMI was 65 at my very highest and is now 42.

Today, I got to check 2 more things off of my "LIST" of things to do when I lose weight.

Put my tray table completely down flat in front of me on the plane -- Check!
Take a plane ride WITHOUT a seatbelt extender - Check!!

YAY YAY YAY.   that's right folks.  NO SEATBELT EXTENDER NEEDED!

I teared up on the plane.

It was a one way flight from Seattle to SFO.  I drove up there Friday night with my friend J.  She was headed up there to move her girlfriend "E" down, and I wanted to make sure she stayed alive on the 15 hour road trip, since she planned to drive all night on no sleep.  Since they needed all the car space available for the drive home for all of E's belongings, I had arranged a one way flight.  I hadn't thought I had lost enough to not need an extender.. yet.  But I have!  YAY!

I then got myself home by BART and 1 bus, and a 1/4 mile walk.

My world just got a lot bigger.

*smile*

Now that I have made this huge commitment, I am trying to figure out how to balance out the time and energy to train, fundraise and do everything else in my life.  The short answer is that I have deleted a bunch of stuff off my DVR, and am watching about 6 hours a week of TV (rather than 3-4 an evening.)

I have started fundraising, and sent messages to a few email lists I am on.  I have already had 4 donations from that, totaling $180, so that's not bad at all.  Today I spent my lunch writing a letter I am going to give out at work.  I think I will get a lot of support here.

Last weekend (a week ago) I went on a 2.5 mile hike in the hills. It was too much and I was sore/stiff for several days.  Saturday,  was my first day back at it, and I went to the gym.  My hips were sore after just a mile, so I got off the treadmill and went and changed into my swimsuit and did 30 minutes of moderate/hard water aerobics.    Sunday I went for a walk that was planned to be about 1.5-2 miles, but I made a wrong turn and got lost, so it ended up being 2.5-2.75.  That last .75 miles I was uncomfortable.  I got upset, even cried.  I worried, "What if I can't do this?"  My dear friend that I was walking with encouraged me and assured me that I *can* do this.

I sent a note to the nurse and PA at my doctor's office so that I can get some advice on additional supplementation and how I should be eating right now.  The nurse has some concerns about this level of exercise while in the "rapid weight loss" period after surgery.  She has given me some good resources and I will be in the office for support group Wednesday, so she and I will talk then.  I love how available and supportive the office is.

I was on a plateau and even gained a few pounds (though shrunk in size) after I started moving more. That has finally broke, and I was 258 this morning.

Ok, break time is over, back to the salt mines.

This is where they say I should be:

Countdown: 23 Weeks

Your Training Schedule for This Week:

Monday	Rest
Tuesday	3 miles	Easy walking
Wednesday	Rest
Thursday	3 miles	Moderate walking
Friday	30 minutes	Easy cross-training
Saturday	4 miles	Easy walking
Sunday	3 miles	Easy walking

I am not sure I *can* do 3-4 miles at once, but at least now I know where they think I should be.  I will need to start where I am now, and then push a little harder than they recommend in order to catch up to where I need to be.