Monday, January 22, 2007

WW to Finish!

Just wanted to let you know that I signed up for Weight Watchers online in an effort to lose my last 11-15 pounds. Actually, it set my goal at 150, and today I weighed in at 166.6...so, I'm aiming for a 16.6 loss and we'll go from there.

It's super cool in that it gives not only a way to track food intake, but little checkboxes for water, veggies/fruit servings, vitamin, etc. so you can also track healthy habits (which I'll admit, have been a struggle for me...can't seem to get a vitamin down the hatch to save my life!). I realize that while I've lost all this weight, there are other aspects of having a healthy body besides being at a "normal" weight. For example, I'm still eating too much of some things for a healthy heart (yeah, yeah, the cheese...), using artificial sweetners/chemicals as a crutch (crystal light...), and not getting in many fruits & veggies (and then complaining about my...uh, fiber-challenged body).

Anyhow, now with the clearance to exercise again, a 2nd wind (so to speak) from my joy around my post-plastics bod, I'm gunning it to my end-goal! My weigh-in day is Monday, and I'm going to post it here, too - even if it's ugly.

This entry is mostly to ask for accountibility from all y'all...but also a little pitch to those of you who may need a similar mechanism to continue your own weight loss. So, if there's any appeal, consider signing up - you get a week for free, and then it's $65 for the first 3 months. I chose the "flexible" plan where you count points (you all know how i love to track stuff) - but there is one with "no counting" as well! I figure, I paid thousands for my lap-band; another $65 toward the effort is a drop in the bucket...and I know that for me, structure yields the best results for my body (and soul, for that matter).

So here's a link. If you sign up, let me know! It's interesting balancing and integrating general weight loss philosophy/rules with the lap-band rules - it's completely doable - and I'd love some other folks who are working through the same adjustments to swap ideas, successes and failures:

www.weightwatchers.com/free

Thanks for all of your love & support down to 166.6 - here's to finishing!
~jenn

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Hey!

Hi everyone! First, I wanted to thank so many of you who have written such nice comments to me lately :) They make me smile, and also happy that I blog!

What do I have to report? Not too much, really. Still healing along - I'm allowed to work out (no impact) but have been going to the gym and doing stairs or elliptical or walking (outside) everyday. My weight is still where it was, but I have to be patient - I did have 13 pounds lobbed off, and then dropped another 4-5 during recovery - that's a good month's work. I just need to sit tight, but I'm anxious about the last 11 pounds...

I'm wearing 12's that are big on me, which is cool. I'm still swollen, but in a way that is normal and expected. I had to go to Portland for work and on the drive home I could feel myself swelling up! I got home and my loose jeans had become tight - so I'm trying to keep moving and yet, not overdo it...all in all though, I'm still kickin' along, getting my energy back, etc.

Last - can I rant? I yet again ran into someone who made the reference that people who lose weight without WLS "work their asses off to lose weight" as if we don't! GRrrrrrrr! Like, last time I checked, everyone I know who's had WLS has um, worked. Just a little bit. No? Really now...

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Bad Jenn!

Where did I go? I don't know, but once I was freed from the couch seems I've neglected my blogging responsibilities! So, let me catch you up...

Once the drains were out, I puffed up like a little sausage. Not fun! And since, I've learned that when skinny people PMS, the bloat is not only noticeable, it's undeniable! I think when I was fat, and extra inch or two of bloat was hardly noticable - now, it means a different pair of pants need to be put on. I look like I'm three months pregnant! That said, at my follow-up appointment, Melissa quickly determined that it was indeed just swelling and no fluid retention, which in the realm of medicine, is good news. I was kinda hoping she could just make it go away. Alas...two months before the swelling is gone.

I was overdoing it. Imagine. So Jill whisked me away to a no-internet-no-cellphone space so I'd chill and be ready to go back to work - which happened this past Monday. I had to hold still and lay on my back for 3 days after the drains came out, and to be honest, restful days = less puffy days.

Last weekend, I had the amazing experience of shopping with the lay people - normal sized clothes people. First, I didn't spend a lot - it's like I have a little innertube around my waist where my incision is...I'm a size 12 with it, and expect to be a 10 without it - plus I have 11 pounds to go...so, I went to Tar-gay, and Macy's sale rack, and the JC Boutique (that's Penney's). I spent not much, and rounded out enough of a woredrobe to go back to work. My sister and I were across the hall from one another trying on clothes for the first time in our lives!

Earlier in the week, I needed undies...Jill and I went to the mall and I walked by some place that said, "5 for $25 Undies" and my hips were killing me and I was like, "perfect!" so we went in, I picked 4, she picked one...then I saw sale bras. As of drains-out day, I was allowed to remove the chest binder! Bras, provided no underwire or push-ups, were permitted so I grabbed two "sports bras" that actually look like regular bras! Then, I was like, "Jill, what is this store? Where are we??" She said, "Uh, Victoria's Secret....do you not see all of the "VS's" all around??" I realized I'd never been in one. Funny! I went back with my sister Julie and got a few more.

Otherwise, I also accomplished clearing out every single article of clothing now too big. Every drawer, closet, on-the-floor-under-the-bed piece of clothing was tried on. I got rid of undies, bras, pants galore and some shirts. I let it all go! It felt great!!!

Lastly, getting back to work has been rougher than expected. First, sitting/being mobile all day is a switch. Using my brain in such a different capacity for 8 hours in the same day has proven exhausting (yeah, my job, as it turns out, is more challenging than surfing the web, watching Arrested Development and sleeping...). And, the swelling is not as tolerable when you have to sit up all day...so I've been doing some good working from home, lying on my couch, laptop propped up on pillows on my belly. Gettin' it done, but feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed - it wasn't the piece of cake I'd hoped it would be, but I'm sure it's more the transition/adjustment than the actual work.

Overall, I'm still 100% delighted with my outcome! My chest is in good order, I've had minor incision pain for the first time (at 4 weeks...weird!) but usually only after I've gone braless for a bit - so I keep a sports bra, or the little t-shirty bra from target on and all is well. My waist is swollen in the front (have I mentioned that???) and across my hips in a bumpy way; I am to massage it whenever I think to...so I do. It's not the most fun thing but hey, in the realm of recoveries, I cannot complain! The incision itself is symmetrical, healing well, and I am I truly happy about it.

Sorry for the hiatus, getting back to life again zapped my energy and time! I'm going either this Friday or next for my official 1-month photos and I see the doctor himself for the first time (complication-free peeps only see the nurse, which is fine by me!).