Finally :)
Firstly, my weight has been bouncing between 200 and 203 all month... I only saw 199.8 one day...I'm just sticking with 200lbs for my official one year weight and not celebrating 199 just yet... hopefully by next week!
Here are my comparison photos compared with my last set, which was taken at 8 months post op:
(Don't see much difference in the front view. Wearing smaller shorts though!)
(Something about the angle is funky, so this doesn't look right... but I do notice that my back and butt look smaller, and I have some muscle perking up in my thigh!)
(I see less fat by my armpits, above my elbows, and my stance isn't as wide!)
So those are the small changes.
Now for the big changes, comparing to the beginning!
Measurements
I have lost a total of 77 1/2" off my total body measurements since the beginning. I've updated my stats on the
weight loss page if you care to see specific measurements :)
Food
At one year post op, I still eat roughly six times per day and I eat usually 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food per meal. The amount my stomach will hold varies by time of day, what else I've eaten that day, etc. I always have to pay attention. I have only thrown up twice since surgery, both times forced when I ate something that made me feel too full or too sick. For the most part I've done very well at being aware of my fullness level. I can eat fats and sugars, but not really large amounts without feeling upset to my tummy (a milkshake is just too much, and that was one of the times I threw up... I no longer want to ever have one again.)
I can eat surprisingly large amounts of carbs if eaten alone (i.e. a big bowl of popcorn) so I try not to do that very often. If eating ONLY dense protein, such as a chicken breast, I can still only eat about 3-5 ounces. I feel heavy inside when I eat fried foods, so I usually avoid them. I still usually follow the rule of protein first. I can still get full on a protein shake in the mornings. I still do not drink soda (and never plan to), very rarely consume any alcohol. I DO NOT DRINK WITH MEALS and for an hour afterward. I get 60-80 ounces of water per day.
Exercise
My level of exercise varies greatly because of my pain levels. The 'ideal workout schedule' I shared previously doesn't seem like something my body will allow me to adhere to. I am doing Curves 3x per week and doing hikes most weekends, a couple more walks or other cardio thrown in here and there but not as consistently as I would like. Just have to keep trying and hope my pain will eventually subside... the back and hip problems I have give me bad days and better days, no real "good" days right now, but I do think I can try to do a little more than I have been doing.
Clothing Size
I am now wearing 14 or 16 in pants. In the beginning I was a 26/28 for pants. I am wearing 14 or Large for dresses... I started as size 24 or 26 for dresses. I am now wearing mostly size L in tops (some mediums, some xl), started as a 3X/4X in tops. In the past couple months I have dropped in size for both pants and tops... yet my measurements haven't changed too much, so not sure what that's all about except the fat may be coming from some interesting areas lol.
Current Challenges
Food is difficult. With the amount I can eat now, I can consume as many calories as a normal person now if I don't watch what I'm eating.
Exercise is difficult because of my pain. So in the past, I've exercised more to counteract my food choices, but that is a challenge now.
I have lost 15 lbs in the past six months, which in my opinion is not nearly enough. I believe I can do better.
Game Plan
I think it's time to bite the bullet and put a little more structure into my weight loss efforts. It's hard to feel like I need to do things I have done in the past that I thought I was done with... but I have decided to re-join Weight Watchers. I will be doing it online because I don't think the meetings would be worthwhile to me whatsoever. I plan to still adhere to high protein, low carb as much as possible... but I think a little bit of structure of paying more attention to my food choices, my activities, etc... will be good for me. I have 40 more pounds to lose, and I would like to do so by November.
We are going to Hawaii in November - more on that another time. While that isn't my main reason for choosing November as a time to reach my goal weight, it is certainly a little extra motivation and gives me something to look forward to. It's right at the beginning of Nov so I essentially have all of June, July, August, Sept and October to lose my last 40 pounds. I believe I can do it, but I also know that AFTER the body has already lost this much weight, it's harder. And as I get smaller, it gets harder to lose also. I have challenges with my ability to work out. This is going to take a lot of attention and determination.
I am going to do my best!!
Overall Recap....
WHAT A YEAR THIS HAS BEEN!!!!!!!!!!! I can't deny SO MUCH HAS CHANGED FOR THE BETTER :) I have some challenges, and things are not totally smooth, but I have made very positive changes in my life and I have no doubt I can finish this journey. I am so much stronger and healthier and I can do so much more now.... it feels great. Thanks for following along :)
