Testing...Testing...1-2-3

I'm going to start the 5-Day Pouch Test tomorrow.  I've been struggling since the holidays with being a "good bandster".  I've continued to loose weight (a little over 10 lbs. in the new year), but only by sheer luck and the skin of my teeth, I believe.

I got a much-needed fill a month ago, and had another one scheduled for this Thursday.  But this morning I called to cancel it because I don't feel as though I *deserve* a fill.  I haven't worked this last one like I should have, so I cannot justify getting another fill until I truly know what this one is doing for me.

I've been eating crap for the past few weeks.  Pizza?  Yup.  Chinese take-out?  Uh-huh.  Too many sweets at work?  Roger that.  The kids' lunch granola bars?  Pretzles?  Peanut butter straight out the jar?  Yes, yes, and (shamefully) yes.

So, this morning I decided that I am going to do a pouch test.  If for no other reason than to get myself back on the proverbial wagon and rid my body of those darn carbs and sweets.  I'm hoping also to find out where I am restriction-wise when I'm on a good WLS diet.  And, lastly, I want to challenge myself to really work the band and let it work for me.  I haven't come this far to just fall back into old habits.

So, does anyone want to do this with me?  I'd love to have a pouch-test buddy over the next five days.

Anyone?
.
.
.
Bueller....?

Things People Say...

Since my surgery in June and the subsequent 80 lb. weight loss, obviously my physical appearance has become a major topic of conversation.  It is a rare day that goes by without someone commenting on my appearance.

Don't get me wrong.  I love to hear the observations, compliments, and encouragement regarding the drastic changes I've made in my life these past eight months.

But some days, not very often but SOME days, I want to be talked to about something other than weight-loss surgery, my new "diet", how much weight I've lost, etc.  I feel a bit like a broken record...   
....

"You are looking fantastic Jenny!  Aw, thank you!

How much weight have you lost so far?  Oh, a little more than 80 lbs.

Wow!  Do you feel amazing?  Oh yeah.  I feel totally different.  I have more energy, I enjoy being active, (etc. etc. etc.)

So, do you ever miss eating?  (laughing)  I still eat.  Five or more times a day.  It's just smaller portions and better quality food.  But no, I don't miss it.  I suppose I might if I was hungry all the time, but I'm never really hungry."
...

And the conversations go on and on like this, day in and day out for almost nine months now.  Like I said, I really do enjoy the compliments and I don't mind sharing my story with others at all.  I am happy to answer questions about what this experience has been like for me.

But sometimes I just get tired of answering the same questions and having the same conversations over and over again.  I know its because the changes in my appearance are still a "shock" to people.  And I'm changing from week to week, so that will continue for a while still. 

Nonetheless, I feel like a broken record.

ABCs of Me

Something to pass the time...

(A) Age: I will turn 30 on June 9th (also my 1 yr. bandiversary)
(B) Bed Size: King.  I needz mah sleepin' space, yo.

(C) Chore You Hate: Laundry.  Laundry is the bane of my existence.

(D) Dogs? Love them.  But can't have them (son's allergies)

(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Toothbrush

(F) Favorite Color: in general?  Yellow.  To wear?  Peacock Blue.
(G) Gold or Silver? I wear more silver jewlery.

(H) Height: 5' 8"

(I) Instruments You Play: I played the clarinet in middle school and I used to play the piano.

(J) Job Title: Elementary School Nurse and Mom
(K) Kids: Two sons.  Cameron is almost 9 and Connor just turn 5.

(L) Live: The most perfect place in the world... Loveland, Colorado.

(M) Mom's Name: Betty  (she hates it)
(N) Nicknames: Jen, sister

(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? Five days with each c-section with my sons and one night when I was banded.
(P) Pet Peeve: lateness.  I hate waiting for people.  Hate.It.

(Q) Quote from a Movie: I'm not bad.  I'm just drawn that way.  -- Jessica Rabbit
(R) Right or Left Handed? Righty

(S) Siblings: Yes.  One sister (younger by two years).  She's my bestie.  ♥

(T) Time You Wake Up? On school/work days, between 6-6:30a.m.  On weekends, I'd better not see anything besides the inside of my eyelids until at least 8 a.m.

(U) Underwear: baggy.  I need to go buy some new undies.

(V) Vegetable You Dislike: broccoli.  tastes like feet.  Blech.
(W) What Makes You Run Late: Nothing.  I never run late unless there is an emergency of some kind.  My motto is  "if you're on time, you're almost late" so I'm early everywhere I go.
(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: a couple on my feet to check for breaks (I'm very clumsy) and a chest xray or two to check for pneumonia.

(Y) Yummy Food You Make: Tonight I'm making Chicken Florentine.  YUM!!
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Penguin

Totally Over-Did It...

You know that kettlebell class I took on Saturday?  Well, I TOTALLY over-did it and am now paying for it in a big way.

I knew I would be pretty sore, but I had no idea it would be THIS sore.  Yesterday and today I could hardly move.  Every step makes me cringe in pain.  Getting up from a sitting position is torture, and forget about squatting down.  Totally out of the question.  Its mostly just my quads, hams, and buttocks that is unbearably painful.  But it's causing me to walk funny, which is causing my hips to go out which is, in turn, causing back/hip pain.

Yup, definitely over-did it.  It's one thing to be a little sore after a good workout, but this is just stupid.  I can hardly walk, let alone go to the gym and hop on the elliptical.  Today is *maybe* 10% better than yesterday.  I'm going to my mom's house tonight after the boys are in bed to sit in her hot tub.  Hopefully I can scorch some of the pain out of my muscles.  LOL

So yeah... let this be a warning to you.  Working hard is good.  Over-doing it, notsomuch.

Anyone have any quick and legitimate remedies for insanely sore muscles?   *cringecry*


On a positive note, I am down 2.7 lbs. this week.  I am a bit concerned that I'm not getting enough calories in, though.  Which might explain some of my plateau these last several weeks.  Today I consumed 650ish calories.  I'm not hungry and I'm going to bed in about three hours.  I think I may get too few calories probably three days a week most weeks.  I need more of a balance from day-to-day.  Any tips on how to up my calories without filling up on junk?

On track...

Just popping in for a quick update on how I'm doing now that I've kicked myself in the ass to make to my goal of 100lbs. lost by June 9th...

I'm back at the gym at least twice a week, hopefully more like 3 times a week from now on.  I've cut out virtually all "junk" food, especially the sweets that are ever-present at work.  And I've upped my water intake.  Just increasing my water has made me feel a lot better overall.

Today I took an Intro to Kettlebells class at my gym.  I've worked with kettlebells before, but only very basic moves for very short periods of time.  I learned SO MUCH in today's class and I got one heckuva workout!  My arms are so sore and my legs feel like jello.  But in a good way, kwim?  I'm going to do a full kettlebell workout once a week which is the perfect combination of cardio and strength.  Full body workout in one fell swoop, here I come!

I haven't lost any weight this week, but thats only because I gained last week and am now back down to where I "started" at 218.  If I lose 1.4(ish) lbs. per week, I will be 100lbs. down by June 9th.

I really think I can do this.  I really want to see a 1 as the first number in my weight.  It's been a looooong time coming.

I Can Do Eet!

**sorry for the random Rob Schneider reference.  I can't help but say that phrase like that.**

Yesterday I weighed in at 217 lbs.  My goal is to be under 197.7 by June 9th (my one year bandiversary) making my total weight loss in one year 100 lbs.  I like to know what I'm up against, so I crunched some numbers.

June 9th is 16 weeks away.  I have 19.3 lbs. to lose in those 16 weeks.  If I lose 1.21 lbs. per week, I will reach my goal by June 9th.  That's TOTALLY attainable and I really believe I can do it.

Although I must admit that I'm getting easily frustrated by how not-easy it is to lose weight these days.  If I'm honest, the first 70 lbs. came off easily.  Yes, I ate right.  Yes I exercised (albiet not as much as I should have).  But it still came off easily whether I stuck to the plan 100% or not.

But since Christmas I haven't been able to drop the pounds without REALLY working at it.  If I don't work out at least three times a week, I won't see a loss.  If I "cheat" with sweets and sliders (like I fell back into after the holidays), I will gain a pound or two for a few days before going back down to my "starting" weight.  I know this is normal.  The first six months tend to be the fastest loss and then your body settles into the "new you" and you plateau more often.

But it's frustrating nonetheless. 

So here is my proclaimation for the world to hear (read?)...

I hereby commit to "walking the walk" as a Lap-Band patient.  I will drink my water, eat my protein, and get as much exercise as I can.  I will NOT sit around and hope that the band will do all the work for me.  I will NOT test the band and it's limits, no matter how good it has been to me these past eight months. 

And I will lose 19.3 lbs. in the next 16 weeks or I will die trying.

Amen.
The End.
Peace Out.
*fistpumppeacesign*

The Insanity of my Obsession aka I Love This City

When you live in a town called Loveland aka The Sweetheart City, Valentine's Day is, by default, a big deal.  We're known around the world for our Valentine re-mailing program, there is an annual Valentine business decorating contest, and we even crown a Miss Loveland Valentine.  I could go on (and on and on) about all the crazy things we Lovelanders do during the month of February. 

But there is only one event that gets my blood pumping: the annual Hunt for the Heart.  The week before the big day (Valentine's Day, of course), the local newspaper hides a heart somewhere in Loveland and leaves clues each day that leads to the heart.  The person that finds the heart wins a nice little cash prize in the vicinity of $500. 

Needless to say, I am a bit obsessed.  Luckily, so is my sister, husband, and many of our friends.  And those that aren't as obsessed as we are?  Well, they usually end up participating whether they want to or not.   

(I have a vague recollection of my father walking a frozen river bank last year while I was stuck at work.  That's love, people.)

So today was day three of the Hunt for the Heart.  The clues have been tricky, but my sister and I figured them out (except for one small piece of yesterday's clue) and I drove straight from work to Devil's Backbone.  You might have heard me talk about it before.  Its a hiking trail west of town that I hiked for the first time in my life this past summer. 

Today?  Well, today I hiked it again.  60 lbs. lighter.  Alone.  In fading daylight.  In 12* temperatures with a wind chill of 3*.  Wearing jeans and a fleece jacket.  Muttering the clues to myself as I trekked the THREE MILES up to the keyhole and back, stopping every few yards to look under benches, rocks, and signs. 

Yes, I'm that crazy. 

I spend 90 minutes *scouring* every inch of that trail looking for the heart.  I didn't find it.  Halfway back down the trail my sister and her friend met me going up.  They looked until they ran out of daylight and then her friend went back after dark with her husband and their head lamps. 

Yes, we're that crazy.  I would have done it too if I had a headlamp.

Tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. my husband is going out to get the newspaper.  And we will be damned if someone else is going to find that heart before we do!  Forget that there are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people in town doing the same thing.  Clearly they don't have the level of dedication that I/we do.  Nevermind that as I walked the trail, no longer able to feel anything south of my hips, I saw dozens of other footprints from others who had done the same thing earlier that day.  Clearly they aren't as dedicated as I am because I DID IT WITHOUT THE PROPER ATTIRE. 

My face is windburned and my hands are still numb.  And even if I don't find the heart, it will have been worth it because this is what I saw today while I hiked Devil's Backbone on the outskirts of the amazing city of Loveland that I am lucky enough to call home... (warning: cell phone pics)

 

This.

This?  Actually happened today.

Ignore the disheveled hair, no makeup, and messy background.  Focus instead on the fact that I am WEARING MY WEDDING GOWN from almost 10 years ago!!  Its even a little big!!!!

*dies*

Brrrrr...

As I'm sure most of you know (and are experiencing first-hand), the majority of the US is in the throes of a nasty-cold winter.  While the east coast has been hammered with storm after storm, things have been relatively mild here in Colorado, which is quite uncommon.  But starting on Monday, our temps bottomed out and the entire state was under a cold-temp. advisory.  Schools were closed for two days while the temperatures plummeted into the -20's.  Yes, I said NEGATIVE TWENTIES.  Wind-chill at night got as low as -40 here in Loveland one night.  Crazy, right?

One thing I've discovered since losing almost 80 lbs is that I am NOT the warm-blooded girl I thought I was.  I was just fat and well-insulated.  Now that I've lost this weight, I am freezing cold all.the.time.  Jeff got tired of me stealing his blankets at night and bought me an extra blanket for our bed.  I now sleep under two giant blankets and I still get cold most nights.  ((TMI Alert: I can't stand to sleep in clothes, otherwise I'd get myself some warm pajamas))

My hands and feet are cold 24/7 and I can't be outside for more than a minute before I'm chilled to the bone.  I take hot showers and baths every chance I get just to warm up and I have to wear layers whenever I go out.

Oh, the crazy things that happen to our bodies when we shed the pounds.  Not that I would change it for a second.  I'd rather spend the rest of my life with icesicles haning off my nose than be back up to 300 lbs for even a day.

Freeze On!!