July 27/11 - 6 weeks out!

So I am about 6 weeks since surgery and Im finally starting to feel back to normal.. or should I say like the new me!  Up until now I hadn't really noticed much change.. but the last few days my pants have been falling off and my shirts are super loose! 
I have lost 45 pounds since I started Optifast.. so in two months... I have been trying to loose that for years lol... I already have more energy.. I cant wait to see how losing another 45 pounds will make me feel!
And real food!  How Ive missed you!  And how I appreciate every bite now!  The first few meals that I measured out made me sad.. looking at my plate with hardly anything on it... thinking to myself that there is no way this will fill me up.. but honestly I hardly ever finish my meals!  I get soo full so fast so I try to make every bite count.  Filling up on my protein first and my veggies... and meal plannings not as hard as I thought it would be.. especially when you can get four meals out of  a piece of chicken lol
Im trying so hard to remember all of my vitamins... Ive set reminders on my phone.. I do forget the odd one here and there.. but there are just so many!  I know how important they are though so I will keep going.
I went to my very first OH support group meeting.. although I actually missed the meeting part and got there just in time for coffee!  It was really great to meet people and put faces to names... I also got to meet 3 of the ladies that I am going to New York with in October for the OH Sex in the City event... here's a "before pic" of the four of us.. cant wait to take another picture in October!

I recently started Zumba for Wii at home.. OMG is it ever hard lol.. maybe its just because I have no rhythm but I'm finding it so hard to keep up even with the instructional parts!  I thought I should try to learn the steps though before signing up for a real class and embarrassing myself! 
It hasn't been the easiest road.. but I'm glad I started this journey!

July 15 - One month check up.

So last week I had a three week check up with Dr. Hagen....

The whole appt only lasted about 3 minutes. Dr. Hagen weighed me asked if I had any questions or concerns. I said nope and he says I'm doing great and that I will be very happy I did this. And he wants to see me in 3 months.

So far I have lost 35 pounds... Ive been sitting at that for over a week now.. and although I know its normal it was still nice to have the reassurance that everything was normal and that I'm right on track.  He thinks I should easily lose 30 - 40 pounds in the next 3 months.. and he said he thinks Ill be able to lose 150 pounds no problem :)

Not sure if it was worth the 4 hour round trip but oh well...

And today I had my one month check up at HRRH with the dietitian.  I had Denise who I know some people have complained about... I'm guessing it worked because I have met with her twice now  and both times they went very well.
Again I was weighed.. and now am at 295 (39 pounds lost with clothes on) since I started optifast.

My BMI when I started this was 55.... I am now at 49 :)

I'm finally out of the pureed stage and I'm able to start soft solid food and work my way up to crunchy and normal!  I'm so excited.. and nervous to try new things... I'm just glad I can start to get back to my new normal routine lol

I was sent to PATTS again for more blood work.. apparently my hemoglobin and iron is low... soo much blood they took!!!!!!!  Thank god I dont have to go through that again for a while!

And now on to the next stage of my journey... exercise!  Ive been walking alot more than I'm used to and now with the puppy and walking back and forth to work...  its daily.  i was thinking about joining Curves.. but after talking to a lot of people on the forum I'm starting to think its not the best route for me.  So I'm looking into other options... I really want to join a Zumba class.. but I'm scared I wont be able to keep up with everyone yet lol....

So far things haven't been as hard as I expected... but its still hard.  Thank god for my husband... he has been my rock through this!  its nice to start to be able to see results though... my clothes are definitely getting looser... and I'm not sure how much longer my wedding rings are going to stay on! 

Anyway I'm doctor free for the next 3 months ... which is so nice since it takes me forever to get there and back! 

Life is good :)

July 2/11 - First time in 13 years!!!!

Today I got on a bike for the first time in 13 years!  It was super hard at first.. and a bit embarrassing.. but I did it, and once I got started it was much easier. Like they say.. "Just like riding a bike!"
My husband was going to buy me this perfect bike for my birthday in May but they didn't have them in stock at the time, so we went today.. and there it was!!!
My husband is such an amazing supporter, and ran along side me the whole time to make sure I didn't fall... I love him soo much!  He tried to get a picture of me while I was riding it, but he couldn't figure out the settings, and I was afraid to stop to show him how thinking I wouldn't be able to start again lol

I do have to admit I think I may have tried a bit too soon... my stomach is hurting a little bit now.. Probably because I was moving in ways I haven't in years! lol

I cant wait to get out there and ride with my kids... One of the many things I was looking forward to doing after the surgery!!!