Kicking my own a$$ :-)

Last week I decided it was finally time to get my butt back to the gym.  I've belonged to a gym for years but have not used it regularly for about a year.  I signed up for a free group session with the trainer at the gym so he can help me design a program specific to my needs.  My plan for the gym will consist of 7 minutes of warming up with cardio, weight training (upper body/lower body) & abs, then 30-45 minutes of cardio.  Looks like I will be spending close to 2 hours in the gym at a time!  I then met with the trainer so he could show me each of the machines (seat/bar positions & weight used).  This definitely is doable as long as I put my mind too it.  I have gone a few times this week and worked out on my own with no problems.  I want to keep up this motivation for as long as possible so I have decided that I am going to start working out 1 on 1 with the trainer a few days a week.  I want to get the maximum results possible from this band/working out while also hopefully keeping away any excess skin problems.  I'm almost positive this trainer is going to kick my ass but that's why I'll be paying him, right?!

This weekend Peter and I decided to finally try a restaurant.  We have not been out to eat together since before surgery (6/8).  I picked Ruby Tuesdays because even if there was nothing on the menu I could eat at least they have the salad bar.  I have been eating salad with a protein almost everyday since starting on solid foods again so decided to read over the menu and find something I could eat.  I picked out a grilled salmon/shrimp (sauce on the side) meal with roasted spaghetti squash & sliced tomatoes on the side.  As soon as the food came I asked for a take-home container and put half of the food on the plate in the box.  There was 3 shrimp on top of the salmon and I put away 1 1/2 shrimps, so literally half of everything :-)  I ate all the protein first like I am supposed too then moved onto the spaghetti squash,  could not eat the tomatoes because I was seriously full!! Never in my life have I gone to a restaurant and not been able to finish off my whole plate, let alone only half of it!  Was great being able to take home that second half and have an entire dinner for the next night.  I could definitely get used to this :-)

Had an appointment with the nurse practitioner (NP) at the bariatric office yesterday for my 7 week check.  I am down a total of 26 lbs from surgery on 6/8/11.  Today was the day that I was possibly getting a fill.  A fill is when the NP finds my port (located under my skin near my belly button) and will add saline into the port making the band tighter if I feel like I need more restriction.  On the same note if I ever feel like I am too tight and have too much restriction the NP will then take saline out of the band.  If I was snacking between meals, grazing during the day, or not staying full for close to 4 hours they generally recommend getting a fill.  As of right now I am doing well.  I have 2 protein shakes a day as meals, snack of either non-fat Greek yogurt or 3 oz cottage cheese, and my 1 meal of 3 oz lean protein with 6 oz vegetable.  This feeling can change at any time but right now I am loving every minute of this full feeling on such little food!

 New shirt (2 sizes smaller!) newly hemmed pants, & heels, which I can now wear all day!!  Amazing how different I feel just losing the 26 lbs...looking forward to many more amazing days!

First Shopping Trip Post-op

I have been "shopping" in my closet for the past few weeks, and while I have a bunch of pants to get me through going down a few more sizes shirts are a different story.  I recently found a pair of nice grey slacks that I had hemmed last week and now look like a whole new pair of pants that fit properly (a size smaller)!

My shirts are now a size too big and are starting to look long and baggy, making me look messy.  "The girls" have also been getting smaller and I am now down any entire cup size!  While I do not want to spend a lot of money on clothes I will (hopefully) only fit into for a short time I decided it was time to buy a few essentials.

Ran to the mall this morning and while it is not as hot today as it has been I found the mall to be sweltering, almost positive not a single store had any air conditioning on.  Went to Old Navy & Target in hopes of catching a good sale on just a few fitted tee's I could wear to both work & the gym.  Found shirts that were a decent price but when I tried them one they were all see-through!  While I know the saying "You get what you pay for"  I was hoping the material would have been a little better than that.

Decided to leave the mall and try my luck at Fashion Bug.  As I was walking to my car it started down pouring and I was drenched within 30 seconds.  So far my shopping trip was turning into a complete disaster!  Was going to head home because at this point I now looked like a drowned rat but figured I was already in the car and head to the store anyway :-)  Made out like a bandit!  Walked away with 5 shirts all in XL (not the normal 1X or 2X I used to buy) and 3 bra's that were a whole cup size smaller...all for less than $85!!! Thinking I will need to go shopping for a few essentials every 25 lbs without going overboard. 

Go back to the doctors on Monday where it is possible I will get my first fill, although I am doing very well without it so I may decide to hold off til I need it.  Will update again if I get the fill!

6 weeks post-op

Exactly 6 weeks ago I went through one of the BIGGEST & BEST decisions of my life ( to date). I am down a total of 25 lbs and roughly 20 inches.  I am wearing clothes I have not worn in quite a while, its like I am going shopping in my own closet!  Today I even was able to wear little kitten heels to work and keep them on all day (I usually wear sneakers since my feet hurt all the time).  Its amazing what a big difference just the 25 lbs gone is making While there were some days in the first few weeks where I honestly thought I wouldn't make it through, I came out stronger on the other side :-)

I have been eating regular solid foods now for 10 days for 1 meal a day.  My daily food intake consists of 2 protein shakes, for either breakfast & lunch or breakfast & dinner, 1 snack, either 3 oz 1% cottage cheese or plain nonfat greek yogurt, & 1 meal of 3 oz lean protein on top of a 6 oz salad.  Never before would I have believe so little food would fill me and keep me full all day.  While my body will let me know when its near the 4 hour mark from my last meal, in between I rarely ever feel actual hunger.  The combination of low carbs (which suppresses cravings) & the actual lapband suppressing my appetite helps keep me from wanting to eat all the junk that got me here in the first place.  I can sit at a table surrounded by people eating pizza and be perfectly content with my salad / protein.  Do I still want that pizza? Maybe a little part of me does, but I signed up for this journey knowing it was going to be a long ride and I want it to run as smoothly as possible.

Made an appointment at the gym today to speak with the personal trainer on staff so he can help customize a workout routine for me.  I have a lot of work to do LOL!! I have another appointment tomorrow for him to show me a few machines.  Once I get all the machines down my plan is to hopefully set up some 1 on 1 sessions with him for a few weeks.  I definitely need to make time for working out.  Everyone keeps suggesting walking, but I find that soooooooo boring.  I do much better when I have a routine that I can stick too. 

Still hard to believe I am 6 weeks out from surgery...hoping my journey continues as smoothly as it has been :-)