August Progress Picture

Thought it was about time to post my monthly progress picture. Here's the latest version of me and just for fun I even tucked in my shirt...something I never do! I don't think it looks too bad. I still have lots of work to do, but wow, I can really see the change in my shape and my posture. I just feel smaller finally. The shirt is a big and baggy 3X leftover from several summers ago and the pants are an 18/20 that I bought this summer. I can't believe how my hips have shrunk, I can actually stand with my arms hanging straight down rather than having them bow out to the sides.

Notice how funny my watch is hanging off my left wrist too. My watch has been dangling on my wrist for months, but if I take out a link its just a bit too tight and I haven't found one that I really like to replace it, so it just hangs off of me. Who knew you could lose fat in your wrists. LOL. I am so close to the 220's I can taste it. As of this morning, after my walk and in the buff on the scale I weighed 230. So awesome!

New Walking Shoes and Sugar Rush

I am so excited to put on my brand new walking shoes for my walk tonight. I treated myself to a new pair of Avia running shoes. They are so cute with pink and orange. I love the way new shoes feel, like they are just hugging your feet. Hope they don't rub and cause any blisters. I will just have to get them worn in. I am going walking later, but I need to wait until the heat dissipates a little bit. It's another hot and steamy day here.

Wow, I was on a real eating "binge" today. Seems like I was just craving all sorts of sweet stuff and I totally gave into it today. I had a piece of peach pie at lunch, coconut M & M's while I was driving today and to top it all off I also decided to have a vanilla cone dipped in cherry at DQ. I am guessing that TOM will be here next week and that's why I went on such a sugar high. I have no excuses though, I chose to eat all those things today. Needless to say, my calorie count may be a little off. I tried to compensate through the rest of the day, but I know that my healthy food choices today were few and far between. Oh well, life goes on!

Hello 231!

Wow, I had an unexpected surprise of seeing 231 already on the scale this morning--I'll take it! That's awesome! I have been walking like crazy, so I am glad all those miles have been worth it. Today's forecast high temperature is 100 degrees, so I am up early and ready to head out the door to the track while the temperature is still relatively cool at 70 degrees. It's gonna be a scorcher later so I better get out there now. I did 4 miles last night, I may try to get 4 in again this morning if I have the stamina.

I can't believe I have been blogging for about a year. I looked back and realized that I started my lapband blog in early August. It's interesting to read those first few posts when I was still working on getting surgery approval. What an amazing year of ups and downs--mostly ups. I am nearly 8 months out from surgery and I feel like I am making good progress.

New Face

I just can't get over the fact the my face has changed so much. I was taking a new profile picture and thought I would put the two side by side. The one on the left is my 303 picture from June of last year and the one on the right was taken today, August 6, 2010 at 232. I feel like I have lost 20 pounds in my face alone, LOL. Just another progress picture to save for posterity. What a difference. :)

New Number!

I love it when the scale is kind! This morning I am so happy to report seeing 232. Can't wait for the 220's. I am so close! This is just so amazing. Getting lapband surgery was one of the best things I have ever done for myself...perhaps the best. Losing weight is doing wonders for my self esteem and confidence. To be quite honest, I was dealing with depression last fall and thanks to a happy pill once a day and a new outlook on life because of weight loss, I am feeling 10,000 times better.

Nice Walk With My Sister

It was such nice weather tonight my sister and I went for a long walk down by the river. That was actually the third time I walked today. I got up early this morning and did 2 miles, then I walked a mile at noon and then finally tonight we did about 2 miles. Wow, what a great day. I am trying hard to keep up the exercise and hopefully I can go into fall with a good routine. I think I may consider joining the gym again, for when the weather turns cruddy.

Scale hasn't moved a whole lot this week, but I have also been challenged by a family reunion with a big buffet over the weekend and I have been out of my routine at work too, having to attend some work functions and have lunch on the run. I need to learn how to roll with those punches and still make good food choices. I am learning!

August Walking Log

Well, I did really well with walking in July, by keeping track of my minutes walking here on my blog, so I think I will try it again in August...here's my minutes:

August 1: Oops!
August 2: Oops!
August 3: 40 minutes at track...that's better. Kinda got off track for a day or two.
August 4: 40 minutes in AM, 20 minutes at Noon, 40 minutes in PM...wow!
August 5: 45 minutes in AM + 30 minutes in PM
August 6: 80 minutes at track...4 miles, woohoo!
August 7: 60 minutes at track
August 8: 60 minutes at track + 40 minutes at track
August 9: 50 minutes at track + 60 minutes at track with NEW shoes! Woohoo!
August 10: 45 minutes at track + 75 minutes lawn mowing
August 11: 40 minutes at track + 60 minutes at track
August 12: 60 minutes at track
August 13: 60 minutes at track
August 14: 60 minutes at track
August 15: 60 minutes at track + 60 minutes at track
August 16: 60 minutes at track
August 17: Traveling, couldn't squeeze it in :(
August 18: 60 minutes at track + 40 minutes at track
August 19: 60 minutes at track
August 20: 60 minutes at track + 60 minutes at track
August 21: 30 minutes walk around Fairgrounds
August 22: 60 minutes at track
August 23: 40 minutes at track AM + 40 minutes at track PM
August 24: 60 minutes at track
August 25: 60 minutes at track + 20 at trail
August 26: 60 minutes at track
August 27: Took a break
August 28: Walked around mall
August 29: 20 minutes at track

Listen to the Band

Wow, lately I have been getting stuck a lot on cottage cheese in combination with a variety of other foods. Then I figure, it's soft it will go down and inevitably I end up being miserable for 10-15 minutes as I try to make it either go up or down. I need to start listening to my soft stop again. I have a tendency to try to finish things, and right now my band is just not wanting me to clean my plate, so to speak. Like now, my brain says I should finish those last two spoonfuls of cottage cheese, but my band says, are you kidding me? I haven't even gotten to my fruit and yogurt I had planned for lunch. Might have to give that a few minutes and try to get my fruit serving later. It's not unmanageable, it's just a constant reminder to eat slowly and less--exactly what the band is for! Listen to the what the band is telling you!

70!!!

Woo hoo! I saw it, I saw it! The scale so kindly delivered a 233 to me today! That means I can mark "lose 70 pounds" off my list of goals and milestones. That is 44 pounds since surgery, which was about 32 weeks ago, giving me an average of about 1.375 pounds per week, well within the suggested goals from my surgeon. It feels so good to mark each and everyone of these milestones. I can't wait for the next ones...80, 90 and just 34 pounds away from onederland...that might take a while but I will get there. Life is awesome!

I Want to See 233!

I am so close to seeing 233, which would equal a 70 pound loss. I have been hovering close to it all this week and I have been walking like crazy this week. I am hoping tomorrow morning might finally deliver that next big milestone. I'm hoping! Even if it doesn't come tomorrow, I know that it will come eventually. It feels so good to be making such progress this month. I can't believe it is almost August. I have a fill appointment later this month, but I am thinking I don't necessarily need an adjustment and that I may be pretty darn close to the green zone. Maybe just a little tweak. I have been having a few sliming episodes lately, but I think I could avoid it if I learned to eat slower and choose some less gummy foods. All in all, I am doing well and love the changes I am seeing both physically and emotionally.

Walking and More Walking

I have been doing great this month with my walking. I have walked all but about 3 days, and most days I have walked a minimum of a mile and more often three miles. It has really helped my weight loss for the month, with a loss so far of about 6-7 pounds, woohoo! I'll have to wait until the end of the month for my "official" total. Hope I can keep up the walking through the fall.

The NSV of All NSV's...Dating Prospects!

Being the fat girl has always had an effect on my self esteem...that's how you get to 37 without much of a dating history. But I am so pleased to say that my NSV of the day is the prospect of dating! I'm like a giddy 16 year old. This is a brand new part of life I am not used to so it is exciting and scary!

So here's the story, my wonderful sister was talking to a new friend, both mentioned their single siblings and wouldn't it be great if they got together! Soooooo, in today's world of technology, instead of a first date, we had our first chat last night--I'll keep working on the face-to-face first date. So we talked for nearly an hour last night and I am hopeful that there are more chats to come and maybe a real first date. Eeeeek! So keep your fingers crossed blogger friends, and a little prayer couldn't hurt either! :)

No Dream is Too Big

I'm feeling very introspective today. I was walking this morning at the track and thinking about my weight loss success thus far. I remember when I first started writing my blog and reading the stories of the people who added themselves as followers. I was so envious of their success, and truly wondering if I would be as lucky as they were. Reading those stories has been so inspirational. It is awe inspiring to see the transformations of not only their bodies but their minds and how they think about life as a "skinny" chick.

Sometimes the slow progress on one pound at a time can drive you crazy, but all the sudden you take a look at a picture or re-read a post from months past and you can see both the physical and emotional transformation that is taking place. I feel more alive right now than I ever have. I feel like I can do anything and that no goal is too big to dream. To the rest of my blogging friends I hope that you will take a minute to praise yourself for the progress you have made so far and know that all your hard work is worth it. Have a super weekend!

Vacation...A Food Mine Field

Well, I had a wonderful time at the lake with group of girlfriends this past week. It was so relaxing and a perfect midsummer pick me up. I even managed to be good and go for a walk everyday, except the last day. I tried to choose good foods and we ate a crazy amount of fresh fruit, all yummy and good for you. But we also had snacks and chocolate and pasta and all I know that my portion sizes were bigger than they needed to be. But oh it was so fun.

It is definitely easier to stay on track at home where I have control over what foods are available. It was like steering your way through a mine field. But I hope the scale is kind tomorrow morning. I have about 8 days left in the month and still have a chance to possibly see the 70 pounds loss mark if I can just get a glimpse of 233. If I am lucky I just might get there! I better get back to walking, walking, walking and choosing the right foods for the rest of the month.

New Number!

Wow, this walking has really had a great effect on my weight loss. This morning on the scale I saw 235. I always love it when I make it to the 5's, because it's like getting past the hump, and sliding down in to the next 10 pounds increment. I definitely have to keep up the walking. So, so far this month I have lost 6 pounds, and there is still 2 weeks to go. So much better than the dismal 2 pounds last month. Well, I better put on my workout gear and head out the door!