Long lost blogger, new update :)

Hi all!
It has been a while since I've updated my blog, so since I'm home and have a few minutes....here we go.
It has been 10 months since my surgery and I'm staying right around 176 lbs now.  That's a total loss so far of 118 lbs!  I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to have the surgery - it has truly helped me change my life.  I enjoy walking (and even jogging), working in my yard, and just generally being outside now.  I'd rather be outside than inside now - which is a complete change from last year this time. 
I'm able to eat a little more now, which makes me nervous, but I still try to make healthy choices and eat protein first at every meal.  Protein is hard to get in, but it is so important! 
I've also started working on toning up...working with weights, doing squats and lunges and yoga.  I'm actually happy with the weight I am now - so my goal is to tone everything up and increase my endurance when running.  I'd like to be able to run my entire neighborhood without stopping by the end of the summer...that's a little under 1 mile.  I would be so proud if I could do that!

I took measurements before my surgery, and then just a week ago.
June 2013
Waist: 49"
Left bicep: 21.5"
Neck: 15.5"

May 2014
Waist: 39"
Left bicep: 16.5
Neck: 13.5"

My surgeon's goal was for me to be in the 170's by my 1 year surgi-versary, and I'm already there...so I know he'll be pleased when I go to see him in July.

Happy Memorial Day - enjoy time with your family today and remember to give thanks for our Armed Forces for all of their sacrifices!

:) Amanda

100 pounds (and I'm coaching soccer!)

I hit the 100 lb loss mark last week!  

I'm late blogging about it because I have a lot going on.  I've started classes online for a Specialist degree in Administration (next step towards a PhD) & I have volunteered to coach my son's soccer team!  Yikes!

I signed my Ricky up to play soccer with the rec center, and they sent out this mass email saying that if they didn't get volunteers to coach that our kids wouldn't get to play.  I thought about it and decided I could do that!  So, I went to a coaching course and downloaded the manual and I think I'm ready to do this.
Whew - what a difference 100 lbs makes!  I would never have thought about doing this before WLS.
Here's an updated photo - it's amazing to see the difference!

6 mo Post-op Update

I can't believe it's been 6 months since my surgery - so much has happened in my life in this past 6 months.  It has been an amazing journey.
I try not to weigh every day, but I hopped on the scale yesterday morning and what did I see?  200 lbs!  finally!
So, that's a grand total of 94 lbs lost since I began this journey.  And, I've reached my first goal. 
I also did a few measurements to see how many inches I've lost. 
Waist:  started at 49", now at 40".  9 inches down!
Left arm: started at 21.5", now at 17 3/4". almost 4 inches!


The 500 Miles in 1 year challenge 500 Miles in 2014
 that my FB friend Jessica started is underway, and I have to get busy to get caught up.  The monthly goal is 40 miles, to reach 500 miles by the end of the year.  I sucked wind this week because of the cold weather....but I will catch up by the end of the month!  I am hoping that by adding lots of walking and some yoga, I will be able to tone and firm up.


I tried to upload more pics to this post, but blogger is being a booger and not cooperating....so, more pics to come.

91 lbs!

Well folks, it's been almost 6 months since my surgery and I've lost 91 lbs!  I am so blown away by what has happened over this past 6 months.  In addition to losing an amazing amount of weight, I've completed my degree to be a Special Ed teacher and I've landed a job at a local high school.  My new job starts next Monday.  I'm not a teacher yet, but I will be a parapro in a special ed classroom.  I'm so excited to have a job so soon after finishing school, and I know this will be a great step to finding a job as a teacher (hopefully in the Fall).

Back to the weight loss: a friend asked me today if I had anything special planned for when I reach the 100 lb mark.  I haven't really thought about it...I wonder what other people have done?  I'll have to ask around.  I am scheduled for a 6 month follow up appointment with my surgeon on 1/20, and it's my goal to hit the 100 lb mark by that day. 

70 lbs gone!!!

Good evening all!
I've reached another milestone today, I have lost 70 lbs since my WLS adventure began, and am FINALLY at my pre-pregnancy weight. (yeah, I know that was over 5 years ago...but I haven't seen the 220's since then!)

I am so excited, I never imagined that I would have lost so much at just under 4 months post-op!
 

Lately, I have had several people ask me what I eat now - so I'm going to share what a typical day in my new lifestyle looks like.

Breakfast:  half of an Ensure Protein drink, or a sausage and cheese sandwich (which is a half piece of turkey sausage, half piece of wheat toast and half slice of cheese with a small amount of apple butter).  I can't eat the whole thing when I make the sausage sandwich...but it's a nice change of pace every once in a while!
Snack:  some days I get a little hungry between breakfast and lunch, so I will have a slice of cheese or a cracker with peanut butter on it.
Lunch:  Lunch is typically left over from dinner the night before - and it's usually only 2 small spoonful's of it.  Today, for example, I had 2 small chunks of chicken with a little gravy and a few small slices of carrots.
Dinner: Dinner is whatever my family is having, just a really small portion.

Yesterday I made chicken in the crockpot and served it over mashed potatoes with a side of broccoli and carrots.  
From that I had: 1 small spoonful of mashed potatoes and 2 chunks of chicken with a little bit of the gravy mixed in. 

 Crockpot chicken is much easier to eat post- WLS, because it is so tender.  Chicken can pose a problem for a lot of us, especially if it's tough.  My nutritionist recommended cooking my meats in the crockpot, and it sure makes a difference.

I get full really quick, and the hard part is learning to STOP before I get full.  It's definitely a learning process, and I am improving when it comes to that.  Eating until you're full is a BAD idea, because the food is still expanding in your stomach at that point.  Bread is really a no-go now, as is anything with a lot of sugar or anything that is starchy or has a lot of fiber.  I know as I continue to adjust and my body finishes healing, I'll be able to add some of those things back into my diet.  But, in the meantime, it's a great opportunity to get out of those bad habits that I had developed.  I no longer want or think I need bread at every meal, and eating starches is a treat that I don't indulge in often at all.  I stick to protein and vegetables now at meals...and by the time I've eaten the protein, I really don't want anything else.

Halloween, post WLS

Well, I survived my first Halloween post surgery and I'm so proud of myself! Typically, I would be the Mom sneaking the candy but this year I don't even want it. What a difference a few months can make! P.s. I'm also down a total of 69 lbs!! I am going to post more pics soon....stay tuned!

55 lbs and a new perspective on food

As I'm talking with a  friend today about the surgery I had, she asked me "what do you do at events?", "did you get depressed?".  The answer to those questions:  Yes, I did go through a period of depression.  Food is a major part of our lives, whether we are eating healthy or not...especially in the South.  We eat at every occasion - Weddings, Church, Funerals, Birthdays, Just Because....it's part of our culture.  My husband and I love to eat!  We love good BBQ and stew, we love good steaks and burgers.  It is still hard to go out with my family, to my favorite places, and only eat two bites.  It was hard today at the faculty meeting at school not to enjoy some of the yummy snacks that were available - I mean good grief!  They had a fall table set with apple pie, sliced apples with caramel sauce and apple cider.  Of course, the old Amanda would have had some of all of it!  The new Amanda had a small cup of cider.  And you know what?!?!  I didn't miss the pie or the caramel sauce. 
I now know when I am hungry, and I know how to make healthy choices.  I also know that every once in a while, it's ok to have a small bite of something yummy and sweet.  I shouldn't deprive myself totally - but I also don't CRAVE those things anymore and I'm so thankful for that!

I consider the few weeks after my surgery as my "detox" period.  That was the hardest part - getting the bad stuff out of my system so I don't crave it anymore.  And a friend who has actually gone through a drug rehab detox program, said that a lot of the things I experienced were very similar to what was experienced by them in rehab.  It was tough, I wouldn't ever want to do it again, so I don't want to put the bad stuff in my body anymore. 

 Lesson learned - I'm not going back!