Something about you looks different...what did you do to your face?

Okay, so the person that asked me that today, could be reading my blog and I don't know it. Three that I have changed about my face:

1. Stress level has decreased at home. Less stress equals a happy me.
2. I have stopped taking crap from people at work. No longer going to be mad or grumpy or just ignore the garbage. God lead me to a passage last night "Do not be afraid of people when you have God in your life." Again, making me a happier person.
I have never been good about sticking up for myself. I am learning. I HATE being bullied and walked all over.
3. Oh yes, I have lost 50 pounds. 8 inches, 10inches and 3 inches off my neck.
4. Being a happier helps to get up in the morning, do the make-up and hair and want to leave the house.

I feel like my legs could run, maybe I take some Aleve and try it this week.
Wearing my boots this week for a little hillbilly power. : )

Yep my face has changed! In sooo many ways!

My new face

 

Wearing my grandma's wedding band.

 

in my work out pants

measurements are sooo exciting

Another week down, a few pounds down, several inches gone! I have fallen in love with green tea and only think about Dr. Pepper when I see it. I still eat chocolate a couple of times week. However it is not the amount of candy I use to eat or as often. Sometimes I just need a little sweet. I can cross my knees, my ankles, my legs and wear my grandmas wedding band. I can wear my black jeans I purchased the last time I lost weight. I can reach to shave all of my legs. I can use the small stalls in the bathrooms. My hips have lost 9 or 10 inches, I can't say for sure since they were larger than the measuring tape. My waist is about to move down to the next 10's place.  Most of pants are sliding down, down, to my ankles. And the awesome part is: I am still loosing weight. In two more weeks I should have lost more than I did the last time I lost weight. By Christmas I should be the size I was when I got PG with my baby seven years ago. By my anniversary I will be able to wear my wedding dress again. My neck is almost four inches smaller. I have lost the weight of my youngest child. I have very little excess skin. This is a really good thing since any skin removal surgery could have serious scar issues for me, so I don't know that I would ever go through with it. My back does not hurt anymore. My neck is healing and only hurts about once a week. I hope to soon be able to start riding my bike. Eight more pounds until I buy my boots. I bought a new dress before surgery. I bought it to small, it now fits pretty well. It is a size 22. I was wearing a size 30-32. I often get compliments about how nice I look. I DO NOT ever want another McDonald's hamburger. (Just chicken nuggets)

Downside: I do have access skin on my arms and chest. My arms are not getting smaller like I want them to. Most of it is muscle and does not squeeze into dress coats or heavy coats. I have a huge medical to pay. I have more medical bills coming in. My insurance did not pay what they said they would. The claimed that the Dr. didn't file the paperwork correctly. Please pray for our finances. I hate to file a chapter 13. I want to by my family a home within the next year. I have been sick the past week after getting chicken stuck and having to spit it back up. That grossed me out and I vomited. The vomiting is what causing the problems. My calves are to muscular for the boots I want. Yes, it is 17 inches of calf muscle. Well built for carrying the extra two adults around all the time. Milk products seem to give me the runs and cramps. This possibly started before the surgery. I had went to see a gastroligists in January and he didn't have any answers for me as to why I had the runs so often. He thought I was taking in to much fiber.

Whew, this was a long one! Have a great week and thanks for taking the time to read!

Angie

Lactose Intolarant? I can't even spell it!

Okay, so I knew it was a possibility. But, really? a reality?

I keep having bouts of diarrhea this last week. To be honest I started having issues with it before I became banded. I went to the Dr. and she sent me to specialist. No ever thought about my issues being from milk products. When I became sick in the classroom yesterday my co-worker said, okay what did you eat today, then what did you eat yesterday. The common ingredient was milk. I have learned to like cottage cheese and l love Greek yogurt. Apparently they don't love me and just want to run away.

As a matter of fact I have been not well since Saturday morning I decided to make my protein shake with milk. My tummy was not happy. A few hours later I ate Weigh Watchers Grilled Chicken breasts. Then I got stuck, then I vomited and well...this week has not went well. I guess milk and I no longer agree with another.

I am still loosing weight properly, just irritated about the irritation. On the other hand, I can't eat ice cream or chocolate without making myself ill.

Good think I am not hungry, because there are very few foods I can eat.

That was awful! Stuck!

One of the foods that like to get "stuck" in the band is chicken. I have never had a problem with it until today (at least I didn't think so). Today was the first and the most awful horrible stuck issue I have had with food. I did everything I could to get it down. I walked, I jumped, I jumped until shorts fell onto the floor. It had been about ten minutes. Then I remeber one blog that I read said to drink warm water. I did then, the food release and came back up. It was gross, not like normal vomit. This is what people call a productive burp. Then it became more than that turned into actual vomit. Not alot, just a little. But it feels terrible. I was able to have a little humor in it all. My shorts are way to big at this point in my wieght loss journey. So here I am standing in the bathroom near my sink, jumping up and down, feeling my breath knocked out with every jump and then it happened. My shorts fell off. Clear to the floor. I guess it is about time to buy new clothes.

So....for at least the next 24 hours I am on liquids only. My tummy is sore, my shoulder hurts a little.

Sweet Spot and Energy Levels

I seemed to have hit the sweet spot or a least really close. I am only hungry at lunch and dinner. My meals consist of a Pure Protein Shake made with fat free milk for breakfast. Bumble Bee tuna or Chicken salad for lunch. Then some typ of Turkey or chicken meet for dinner. As of this morning I have lost three pounds since my fill my last week.

My students now tease me about my refriderator full of water instead of Dr. Pepper. However, for the first time ever I have energy to spare at the end of the work day. Yes, without caffine! On the occasion I have a drink with Caffine I get hyper like I use to years ago and can't stop talking.

I was able to wear my grandma's weddings for one day this week. Then the rain kicked in and swelling started. Oww! My finger is bruised now. I took them off with lots of lotion. But I know in a few months I will be able to wear them as my wedding rings.

Saying hello to my dancing shoes!: Hit my two month goal!

Saying hello to my dancing shoes!: Hit my two month goal!: Last week was my first full week of work. Thankfully my last fill has done the trick and seems to be almost that sweet spot. I no longer fil...

Hit my two month goal!

Last week was my first full week of work. Thankfully my last fill has done the trick and seems to be almost that sweet spot. I no longer fill hungry other than twice a day. I still want food, this is where the challenge comes to play. I am eating about 3/4c of food when I eat. The problem is I am eating food that I shouldn't be eating. I must stop eating McDees chicken nuggets. Yesterday was my sons 18th birthday. That meant ice cream and cake. Today was the church picnic. I ate one hot dog, 1/8th c. of beans and potato salad, handful of chips, small slice of cake and two bites of a brownie and a half chocolate chip cookie. This is all I have ate today. In the past I would have ate two huge platefuls of food that would equal to about 8 meals. So, this is still an improvement. I also know I must workout tonight.

On Thursday of this week marked two months post surgery. I did make my 60 day weight goal and have lost a pound since then. I still need to loose another five pounds to hit the fifty pound weight loss mark. I think if I am more careful and workout this week (which I have not done in two weeks)  than I should lose that other five pounds.

It is all good that this fill seems to helping. The last fill left a severe bruise and I know it has to heal before they cant stick me again. It appears to be another three weeks for the bruise to heal. 

Goals

Almost there...I have just a couple of more pounds to meet my Aug. 8th goal for my Dr's. office.

I have set a reward goal for myself. I need to loose 17 more pounds than I will buy myself new clogs and an outfit to go out with it!

So, this is day one with my band half filled. I looked at the candy bars and didn't want them. I looked at the cookies and thought my kids would like those, instead of I want to eat all of those cookies. I ate 1.5 cups of food for dinner, 1 cup of soup for lunch and half a protein shake for breakfast. I love not being hungry at 10pm! I love that it has been almost two months since I had a Dr. Pepper! Me! I! have not had ANY DR PEPPER! Wednesday August 8th, marks two months without pop! I drink vitamin water, green tea, smart water, and other bottled waters absolutely love the new me.

Fill, Dr. visit and weigh in day

Yesterday I went in for another fill. Everything went very well. I did not become ill this time! According to their scale and mine I have lost two pounds in the last two weeks. A total loss of 42 pounds I think! My clothes are starting to get to big, but not big enough I have to purchase new clothes just yet.

I start back to work full time today. This is going to be the hard part of this adjustment. I am going to keep lots of water, nuts and Greek yogurt at work and fat free sugar free pudding at work. This way on those days I don't have twenty minutes to eat I can have still keep my protein up and stay hydrated.

This week has been really stressful me. I am thankful that I can't wait ever I want. I know if I could then this week I would gain ten pounds.