I DID IT!!!!

I'm down 80lbs today!!!!!! Almost 14 months to the day that I was banded! INCREDIBLE!!!! Now just 20 more til I reach the goal of 100lbs lost, and 40 more til my MAJOR GOAL!!! It's sooooo within my reach!! Thank you everyone for your support!!!! :)



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Another "I'm Alive" entry

It seems like all my posts are titled "I'm Alive"?! I guess when someone is on the PC all day long at work, the last thing they want to do when they get home for the day is log on the PC! I'm sorry I haven't been around, but such is life.

Here is a bit of an update of what's been going on since June. Geez, can't believe it's been that long since I've posted.

Anyway, so I decided a few months back that I was going to start singing again. I don't know if I mentioned that before, but in my younger days, I sang. I did musical theatre. I loved performing and just singing in general. I decided that I was going to find a voice teacher and start taking lessons once a week. Well, I did and they've been great. I did have an alterior motive, and it was called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I love this musical. It's my favorite! The part that I think my voice is most suited is that of the Narrator! So when I saw that auditions were coming up in Aug for a local production, I knew I had to get my butt in gear to do it. Hence the lessons AND starting Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. I started the shred on 7/8 and have been doing it daily for a good 27 days. I defaulted the last 4 days and need to start it again since I didn't go the full 30. Anyway.....so back to my story.

This week was the annual Scentsy convention! Luckily this year it was in my home state, so I was able to make it. My first one and I was thrilled. OMG- SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun!!! I had a blast and we got all kinds of freebies! I love Scentsy!! But anyway, so this weekend also was my auditon. But, it turned out to be a two-step process. Dance audition followed by a vocal audition. Ummm, ya, I'm not a dancer by any stretch of the imagination. I can move, but I'm NOT a dancer. Well, yesterday was tha dance audition. I kept having images of Chris Farley compared to Patrick Swayze in that famous SNL skit about a Chippendale dancer audition between the two. Ummm, ya....I was Chris Farley!! But that's OK, I wasn't the worst up there, but lord knows I was FAR from the best. I did my thing. I stayed. I DID IT and that's all that mattered to me. THEN, they dropped the bomb and announced they would only call a select few to hear them sing. I believe they would call today, and my phone hasn't rang once. :(

It's kind of discouraging that they didn't even want to hear me, after I've practiced for months. But, if that's how they want to conduct the audition process, I guess that's their right. It doesn't mean I have to like it. If they were going by vocal ability alone, I KNOW I would be in the running. I CAN SING!!!! :)

Anyway, so back to my workout. Jillian Michaels is the devil in spandex....BUT I'm feeling so much better after doing this. I have increased stamina, I feel so much stronger, and I think I've lost a few inches. I took measurements and before & after pics, but I'm not going to note everything until next Saturday. I'm going to do it for one more week and then see my progress. I don't think I've lost any weight (I keep bouncing between 187 & 184), but I think I've lost inches. :)

So in all, I'm pretty pleased with myself and my accomplishments this summer. I set goals, I completed goals, and that, to me, is awesome!!! :)

Here is a pic of me from last week.

Here is another one. I'm second to last on the left with my Scentsy sisters (and brothers- or sisters hahaha).

What I love most about this pic, and it made me tear up when I saw it, is that I'm not the largest girl in this pic. I look 'normal sized' compared to everyone else and I LOVE THAT!!!!!

I hope everyone is well and loving life. Everything else is great...band is getting another adjustment this week. I'm at a 4.9cc currently and feel I could be a little tighter. I'm still hungry between meals, but nothing like I was a month ago. Now if I could just get down to the 170s I would be happy as a clam!!

Bandiversary Pics!!

Here is a little collage I made of me! The firsts were taken almost a month out from surgery and I was about 16lbs heavier prior to surgery! GASP!



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Happy Bandiversary to ME!!!

One year ago today I was lying on the sofa, probably watching TV and nursing my wounds. :) One year ago today I was banded and it's something I have absolutely NO regrets on!!!!

A year later, I'm down 76.5lbs and I've lost a ton of inches!!! It's just amazing how things have changed in just one short year!!!

My Stats (roughly since I'm not very good at measuring!)
Waist:
Then-48.5in
Now-39.5in

Arms:
Then-18in
Now-14in

Thighs:
Then-27in
Now-21.5in

Hips:
Then-56in
Now-47in

Bust:
Then-44in
Now-36in

Wrist:
Then-7in
Now-6in

Calves:
Then-19in
Now-16in

Ankles:
Then-11in
Now-10in

Neck:
Then-17.25in
Now-14in

Ring Size:
Then-10
Now-6.5

Here are some things that I'm proud of:

• I went from a size 24/26 in Womens to a size 14/16 in MISSES!!


• My feet have gone from a 7.5/8W to a size 6.5-7 regular!


• I went from a 46D bra to a 38C (not sure how I feel about this one! I'm starting a "New Boobs for T" fundraiser. You're all welcome to contribute!)


• I can sleep on my stomach comfortably and not wake up with my back killing me.


• I can sleep all night without tossing and turning because I can't get comfortable.


• I'm UNDER 200lbs!!!!


• I can get down on the floor with my kids and get up without feeling like my knees are going to pop off.


• I can paint my own piggy toes without needing a defibrulator(sp?) afterwards.


• I can go more than 5 minutes on my elliptical!


• I can easily climb stairs without needing an oxygen mask when I'm through.


• When I see pics of my profile, I don't believe it's me.


• I can curl up on the couch and REALLY curl up in a ball instead of a big lump!


• I haven't had a soda in over a year and I survived.


• I can now say 'no thanks' to donuts and cinnamon rolls (or at least to the WHOLE thing!)


• I'm under 200lbs!!!


• I can go to a restaurant and know I'm not the biggest person in there.


• I'm 36yrs old and I still get looks from men and it's WONDERFUL.


• Relations with the DH is amazing. ;)


• I'm under 200lbs!!!!!!!!!! :)

I'm sorry, I will need to post the before and recent pics later! They good collage I made is at the office. :( Sorry guys!

I hope you're well and loving life. I'm still dealing with dialated pouch, but I'm back on the wagon. I got a 2cc fill a few weeks ago, so I'm heading in the right direction again.

Although my journey hasn't been smooth sailing 100% of the time, and I've recently encountered some bumps in the road- I would change my experience with the band for anything. I honestly think my days would be numbered as I was on the fast track to 300lbs. Being only 5'1" (I always thought I was 5'2", so you might notice how I flunctuate in height on here! haha), it wouldn't have been pretty or fun at all.

If anyone stumbles upon this blog because you're considering the surgery, I can't say it enough. GO FOR IT!!!! It will change your life for the better!!!!

I suck

189. That's what the scale said this morning. Even though I won't record it until next Friday, the fact of the matter is I've gained three pounds from last week. It sucks. What sucks even more is that now that I have this freedom, I'm taking advantage of it.

Despite my daily walking/eliptical efforts, I'm still gaining and eating. It's awful. I've suddenly forgotten every band rule there ever was:
Small bites? Not hardly.
Chewing my food to mush? Ya right.
Not drinking & eating at the same time? Uh nope.
Stopping when I feel full? What's this 'full' word you speak of?

The few behaviors I'm continuing to do well is exercising & not drinking soda.

See what I mean though? I'm a mess. I feel like such a failure. It's almost my bandiversary and I wanted to be down 100lbs, but now I'll be lucky to be down 70 at the rate I'm going. (Not that 70lbs isn't something to balk at- but still, when the scale is moving in the opposite direction, it still sucks big hairy balls.)

I need to go back to see DK on Friday and I pray that I get some restriction back. It's obvious I need it. Hell, if I could have done it by myself, I wouldn't have needed the surgery in the first place. I can't help feeling like I'm going to undo everything I've accomplished so far and that scares the piss out of me.

I need help.

So now that I'm back...

I must share with you all the fun happenings from planet T.

First off, I'm out of saline. No restriction whatsoever. :(. For the last two weeks I've been having major reflux/ indigestion. Although my original visit with DK wasn't scheduled til this Fri, I knew I couldn't wait that long. I went in last Fri and they found that my pouch had dilated and I was on the verge of a band slip. HOLY SHEEP. Shocking. Thankfully I didn't wait until this week. Anyway, so they removed everything from my band, checked me under the fluoroscope and thank gawd my band went back to where it belongs. I go in in two weeks to check it out. I probably won't get a fill though. :(

I'm scared. It's shocking how quickly we revert to our old ways when given the chance. I said wasnt going to go all stupid and gain back my weight, but what did my dumbass do last night? Bacon cheeseburger & fries for dinner. :(. It sucked too, but I ate it anyway. Even though I went walking last night, as I've been doing every other day, I still feel like crap physically. What's worse is the guilt. I feel horrible. Like I gained 80lbs overnight. Uggh.

So that's that. I'm going to do better. I want to show DK that I'm not a complete failure and I can at least maintain my weight during this time. I just got a bunch of new clothes for my bday and I'll be damned if they're not going to fit in a month!!!!

Here's a pic of moi that i took on Monday. I'm at 185.5 this am (up from 184 yesterday. Dammit)



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I'm not dead!

Having a heck of a time trying to post on the site. Now I'm on my phone! Let's see if this works!


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