ending the year with a :D

It's really neat to see how far I have come this year, and scary to think where I would be without this surgery. I am so thankful I was able to have this surgery because it has changed my life. I am healthier and on my way to a weight I have never seen on the scale in my adult life!

Back in March of this year my best friend and I decided to do the Color Me Rad 5K. We walked the whole time and it almost killed me. I don't remember how long it took me to walk 3.1 miles but I do remember I got the largest size t-shirt they offered and I couldn't even get it on. In November I tried the shirt on again and not only could I get it on, but it fit!

Goals for 2014

*loose another 50 pounds

*workout EVERYDAY

*make working out a habit vs. a chore

*RUN a 5K and maybe work my way up to a longer race

and last but definitely not least....

get healthy enough to start a family!

The main reason I started this journey was so that one day Travis and I could start a family. It has been a life long dream for me to become a mommy and at the weight I was, it wasn't going to happen. It was unsafe for me and baby and I wasn't going to put our child at that risk. Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I cannot wait to become a mommy one day and I pray that, that day is within the next 2-3 years.

new stats...it's been a while

Hey y'all!! I know it has been a while since I posted...okay maybe longer than a while. I decided that taking progress pictures every 2 weeks was a little too much. I know y'all say you can tell a difference, and I don't doubt that, but it was discouraging for me to look at them week after week and not see a difference. I told myself I'd try once a month and I have to say I think it worked!

So, let's back up a month; I had just had my first fill. The month in between my first fill and my second was a hard one; I only lost 8 pounds. Even though my doctor reassured me that 8 pounds was healthy and normal and that I was successful during that month I didn't feel it. I knew I had made poor choices in what I ate, I knew at times I ate too much, I knew I hadn't tried my hardest.

Now with the second fill under my belt I have been able to fix some of those failures I struggled with the month before. I still crave the "bad" foods and cave into those cravings. However, I have noticed the amount I am able to eat is less than before. The band is doing its job, and I have to do mine! I have started walking on a more regular basis and I have found that having a workout partner is great motivation! In my last progress picture I was 26 pounds down. I am now 34 pounds down and counting!

HUGE accomplishment...I'm stoked!

Okay so I know I just recently posted but I did something I am so proud of I just have to share! Most of you who read this will probably laugh and think I am crazy, but for ME this is a HUGE accomplishment!!

Let me just start by saying that before my surgery I did not workout consistently. I would get on a healthy kick for a few weeks and then it would stop for a few months or more. After surgery I knew I had to get active to help my weight loss and also just to be healthy. So I started by walking. Each day I walk I always try to go a little further or a little faster than the day before.

Today I was walking with my adorable nephew and his mommy Sabrina. As we were almost finished I decided I wanted to go around one more cul-de-sac before heading home. As I looked at the uphill cul-de-sac I took a deep breath and decided to start running.

Y'ALL I RAN THE WHOLE WAY!! 

When I reached the bottom I was completely out of breath but I did it! I ran! Even in grade school when I had to run the mile...I couldn't. Now I know this is nowhere close to a mile and this is probably a pretty good description of me...

BUT it is great motivation for the future. :D

one month down...the rest of my life to go :D

I started my journey with the lap-band 6 weeks ago. After getting a great start and loosing 13 pounds with the pre-op diet I had the surgery that changed my life for the better. I am only one month post-op but I feel so much better and I am motivated to continue this journey. I have lost 26 pounds and I don't plan to stop there!

Yes, I have days where I want a big fat cheeseburger and greasy french fries... and before this surgery, every time I got that craving, I let it take over and my "diet" would end right then and there . However, I can now see past the cravings to the benefit my body will gain if it doesn't have to digest processed/greasy foods. It is amazing how you can go from eating horrible and barely drinking water, to trying new vegetables and craving water daily! 

The picture on the left below is a reminder of where I came from and where I will NEVER be again. The one on the right? Well that PROGRESS. A job that is not completed but is on the right track. 

first fill :D

Hi all! So I've had my first fill in my band and I have to say it feels great! Before the fill I was struggling with what I ate. The swelling from surgery was gone, so the band wasn't restricting; although my stomach has gotten used to eating less since surgery, I could have eaten a lot more. The days leading up to my first fill I found myself eating larger portions and making some choices that weren't the best. I knew it wasn't what I was supposed to do, or what was best for me, but I have had a life-long struggle with what my mind rationalizes is "OK" vs. what my body needs.

I was a little nervous about what to expect from the actual fill and after. The fill was very simple. I had to squeeze my stomach muscles while the doctor filled the band with saline. Afterwards I drank some water and was ready to go home! My first meal after my fill I could really tell a difference. After a few bites I could feel the food filling up the pouch (the smaller part of my stomach)! Since then I have been able to eat smaller portions again and have continued to loose weight! This first fill was only 1cc but I go back in another month and I'm assuming they will put more in than they did this time. Either way, I am just happy it is going its job and helping me get healthy!

My main goal now is to build up my exercise routine and make it as consistent and important as drinking water has become for me in the past couple of months! I used to go days before realizing I hadn't drank any water. Now it's all I drink and I crave it throughout the day!

Progress pictures coming Tuesday! I am excited to see and share but as always a little nervous!

seeing the big picture

Hi all! I know it has been a while since I last blogged. Honestly I planned to blog at one week post-op but decided not to because of the negative outlook I was having at the time. Surgery went well, it took about 3 to 4 days of laying around before I really felt "back to normal." Once the soreness was gone and some of the swelling went down I started to feel HUNGER! I was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks post-op and I was hungry...all of the time! Protein shakes got old really fast and although I wasn't a soup eater before, I have now tasted every soup imaginable. When the one week mark came around I was so consumed by the hunger I didn't feel posting would be very positive, so I chose not to.

I am now 2 weeks and 1 day post-op and I am able to eat solid foods again YIPEE!! I also now have a much better outlook and I am able to see the bigger picture instead of focusing my energy on the small things.

For example, I am an avid scale user. I weigh myself every morning without fail and most nights as well. (Even though I know the nightly weight-in isn't accurate.) So about 1 1/2 weeks after surgery my weight STOPPED. I didn't gain (thank God) but I also wasn't loosing consistently. I emailed the nutritionist  and asked why this could be happening and she told me it was because of the sodium in the soup I was eating. Yes it was a bummer and it slowed down my progress but the big picture is that I have lost 20 pounds on this journey that I carried around with me just 4 weeks ago! I will post my 2 week progress pictures even though I cant tell a big difference, and hopefully 2 weeks from now I will have rocked it out and lost more weight!! Thank you for reading and supporting me!

 

the first day of the rest of my life

Today is the first day after surgery! I have to say I am beyond thankful for all of the family and friends I have supporting me. It was such a wonderful feeling to see Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and voicemails sending me words of encouragement. Also to have my husband and daddy by my side in the hospital; Travis is doing an amazing job taking care of me I couldn't have gotten through the night without him!

So for the people who are curious I'll give you a run down of surgery day and what happened while in the hospital. Once we got checked in I was taken back to a prep room where I got an IV and met all of the doctors and nurses that would be with me in the OR. I didn't know I was dehydrated until it took 2 nurses and 4 sticks to get an IV through. After that ordeal was solved they gave me a couple of liters of saline to get some fluids in my body before surgery. The scariest part was definitely being pushed into the OR and being strapped down to the table. After that I was put to sleep and the surgery began. The next thing I remember is having to lift my back up to get an x-ray of my stomach which was painful. I knew there was a chance I would get sick from the anesthesia because when I had my wisdom teeth removed I got sick. The nurse told me they had given me 3 different medicines for nausea but I guess that wasn't enough. :/ After they got that under control I was taken to a short stay recovery room where Travis and my dad met me. It was so good to see them but I was in a lot of pain at that point so the nurse gave me some medicine and all I wanted to do was sleep. After a while I was ready to go home! I was pretty sore last night but after resting and taking some medicine I was able to get some relief.

So far today has been easier. I haven't needed as much medicine and I have been moving around a lot more. After today I should be able to add some liquids other than water, ice chips, and protein shakes to my diet. Well, that's all for now. I will update again in a few days! Thanks again for following my journey! :D

2 weeks down and the BIG day

Progress, progress, progress! It's going to be a long process and the progress will be slow and steady but I am ready! Today is the last day of my pre-op diet and I am happy to report I am down 13 pounds in 13 days! Every pound was earned let me assure you :D This hasn't been an easy two weeks but it has been worth it.

Tomorrow is the BIG day! I will have a surgery that will change my life, and I cannot wait. The surgery and all that it involves is scary but I know my God will protect me. I can't wait to share my progress along the way but for now I will share pictures from day one to day 13!

milestones

Hi y'all! Sorry it has been a few days since my last post. I have been at the beach, in Florida, getting a little R&R and great fellowship with these ladies.

 

I am one week into my 2 week pre-op diet and I wanted to report my struggles and successes. When I started this diet a week ago there were two things on my mind.

 

1. This is not going to be easy by any means

2. This is the first "diet" you can't quit...it's a LIFE change for the rest of your life

 

With that in mind I also decided I would take it very seriously and try my hardest not to cheat because the bottom line is, the doctors could say my liver didn't shrink enough to do the surgery. The first day was the hardest. I probably cut my calorie intake by 2/3 and I was starving all day. As the days passed the hunger started to subside but the temptations were still there.

 

We went to a Mexican restaurant at the beach one night and all I could think about were the chips and salsa sitting just out of my reach. (I only ate 4 chips when normally I would eat a whole basket) I also passed up Chick-fil-A on this trip, which if you know me you know how much I love Chick-fil-A!

 

However, with all of the struggles I faced, to eat carrots instead of cookies, there was success! I have lost 10 pounds in 7 days!!! YAHHOO!! I know for some of you, you are thinking well why don't you just stay on this diet and not have the surgery. I could but it would turn out just like the other 500 times I've started a diet and lost weight. I end up giving into the junk food and gain it all back plus more. I am determined not to let my temptations interfere with the surgery that will help/force me to get healthy and stay healthy....forever.



firsts and lasts

Tomorrow I start my pre-op diet which also means there are only 2 weeks until the BIG DAY! :D So, for the next 2 weeks I will be on a low carb, no sugar, lean diet to shrink my liver and prepare me for surgery. I am excited to get started and see how much I can loose! The hardest part is that I leave for vacation 2 days after I start the diet! I know I will be with my amazing family and they will help me as much as possible, but still, it's vacation. I just have to keep my eye on the prize. This is the first, but DEFINITELY not the last time I will not be able to eat what everyone around me is eating. I AM ready.... I NEED this life style change. Here is  picture numero uno; I have to say this is very hard for me to post because I usually avoid full body pictures at all costs. Seeing this picture was an eye-opener for me and definitely motivates me to NEVER have to take another picture at this weight again!!

Before pre-op diet

LAP-BAND...what to expect before and after

Like I mentioned in my first post, I chose to get the LAP-BAND to use as a tool to achieve my weight loss goals. After going to the information seminars, talking with the doctor, and praying (a lot) I decided that this is the right thing for me.

So what should I expect? Well two weeks prior to surgery I will start a liver shrinking diet. This will help the doctors when I go into surgery because it is all done laparoscopically. After surgery I will be on a liquid diet and slowly add in solid foods a little at a time. My band will be adjusted, as needed, and I will be able to eat small healthy meals to reach my weight loss goals!

On top of being healthy, I have other goals I want to achieve after loosing the weight! Anyone who knows me knows that I have a love for children and I have wanted a child since before I was old enough to have kids! I was the girl on the basketball team smiling and waving to the baby in the stands while my coach was yelling at me to run the other way! So my most exciting goal is to have babies (yes  plural!!) There are other goals I have but that's the big one! Thank you all for your support and love, it would very hard to do this without the support of my friends, family and most of all my husband!

from the beginning

FIRST POST :) I am starting this blog to record my weight loss journey. I hope that it will not only help me, but also help other people who are struggling with their weight.

Me at age 7

As a child I wouldn't have considered myself overweight however I always knew I was "chunkier" than the other kids in my class. It wasn't until high school that I started really packing on the weight! I was one of the first girls in my group of friends to get their license; which means I was the chauffeur.  Having a car meant I was in control of where and when I ate, and I chose to eat out...A LOT!

Me at age 18

During high school, college, and adult life I have tried every diet pill, diet shake, diet period! Some worked....some didn't but all success was short lived and was usually followed by me gaining the weight back PLUS a few more pounds. (Oh joy!!)

So now, after almost 9 years of unsuccessful attempts to loose weight, I am choosing to change my life...for the better/forever! I have made the decision to get the LAP-BAND. I know that this may have a negative connotation for some people but I am using this as a tool to reach my goal NOT as a "magic fix." It's not only about loosing weight and looking great in your skinny jeans, its about being healthy and being able to live life to the 

F U L L E S T!