Monday, June 21, 2010

Photo Collage


I thought it might be fun to make a photo collage of my journey so far, its amazing to me to see the differences in my picture from surgery to today

1. just a sweet little girl
2. approx 7 months before surgery
3. minutes before surgery
4. Day after
5. 3 months out
6. 5 months
7. 5 months
8. 6 months
9. 8 months
10. 8 months
11. 9 months
12. 10 months out and 201 pounds down

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Today is a HAPPY DAY!!!!


Today, I have officially lost a total of 201 pounds. I have gone from 485 to 284 in a year and 3 months. Words cannot even describe how happy I am today.
And to top it all off, my dog Griffin is about to become a daddy today. His first Girlfriend a black dane named Jilly has been in labour since 3:30am and her water broke at around 9am...so we are just sitting and waiting to hear some news.
Great day all around!!!!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Like McDonald's Iced Coffee...Try this instead


If you like Iced Coffee...boy do I have something for you to try...soooo good

Iced Coffee
Ingredients:

3 cups strongly brewed decaffeinated coffee, chilled
1 cup fat-free or 1% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons granular sugar substitute
Ice cubes
1/2 cup fat-free or light whipped topping

In a pitcher, combine coffee, milk, vanilla, and sugar substitute; stir well. Fill 4 (10-ounce) glasses with ice. Pour coffee mixture over ice. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping into each glass.


I left the whipped topping off of mine and it was still delicious, I also had to add more splenda than called for as I like it a little on the sweeter side (maybe the whipped topping might have helped with that)

Nevertheless this is very tasty and refreshing on hot day

Nutritional Information:

50 calories
0 g fat (0 g sat)
6 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
0 g fiber
45 mg sodium

compared to the 200+ calories in the McDonalds version I think this is pretty darn good

Time for an update?? Mother says yes


Its definitely been awhile since I posted a new update, but I really didn't feel like I had anything to write about.
Since my last update, I have finally seen 300 on the scale for the last time. I am now down to 287, that's almost 200 pounds lost since my journey began, not bad for a year and 3 months.
My life has changed in so many ways that i'm still trying to get used to it all. I have a new feeling of freedom, freedom from the fat..lol I enjoy trying to get out in the world. I have been to the beach and even wore a bathing suit!!! I haven't done that in years. I've been to the zoo, spent 2 hours walking around with Darren, before enjoying a picnic lunch. It was fantastic, last year 2 hours of walking would have killed me, and I wasn't even winded. I am getting a suntan also for the first time in years, because I am actually enjoying going out in the sun.
I haven't had one of my usual pre-weight loss rashes in along time, and those really made summer almost unbearable.
I thought it might be fun for myself to make a list of things that I can do now, that I haven't been able to do in a long time...so here it is

1. I can shave my own legs
2. I can put on my own shoes
3. I can find clothes that fit in walmart!!! (very excited about this one)
4. I can lay in the tub to wash my hair, no more using a measuring cup
5. I can dry myself properly (no rashes)
6. I enjoy walking my dogs
7. I am finding going out into stores a little easier
8. I went to the movies for the first time since 2005
9. I can drive my car again
10. I can clean my house
11. I can stand long enough to do the dishes
12 .Gardening
13. I can mow some of the lawn
14. I can sit in a plastic chair with out it breaking..lol
15. I don't constantly worry about fitting into chairs
16. Shopping for clothing doesn't leave me in tears
17. I got under 400 pounds
18. I got under 300 pounds
19. I can sleep laying down, and not propped up against the wall so I can breath
20. I have learned how to make healthy meals

I'm sure there are so many more things, these are just what came to mind as I was typing.

I'm not going to lie and say that it has all been a bunch of roses, its has been a hard journey so far. I have horrible mood swings, one minute I'm feeling great, and the next I feel like someone else has taken over my body and I can't get it back. My hair has fallen out (not all of it) but its a lot thinner. I've had to say good-bye to my boobies... I'm still in the mourning process, I was quite attached to them. I've had to learn the hard way which foods my pouch can't tolerate, and that isn't a pleasant experience, but on the other hand, its not one that you will soon forget either. Depression and Anxiety have gotten worse, The Dr's think its due to the amount of my medications that I absorb now...they have no data to know if I'm getting too much or not enough (they are betting on not enough) So my medications have all been increased..decreased, and increased again. I feel like a guinea pig sometimes.

I hope to be around 250 by my sisters wedding in September, that's 38 pounds...hmm might be a little unrealistic because my weight loss has slowed down, it has actually come to a halt a few times. I am going to try my best though. With the nicer weather here, I will be able to get out and walk, I just need someone to kick me in the ass and get me motivated to do it. I just don't want to look like a blimp on her wedding day, i want to look at the pictures and think "damn I look good".

I still have a long way to go, my goal weight is 180, so I have another 108 pounds to lose. I know I can do it, its going to take work, but I want this new life.

Last night I made some no-bake homemade protein bars, they were very yummy. Peanut butter, oatmeal, dried fruit...YUM

Well that is all I can think of to talk about for now, Next update will be....whenever I feel like it...lol