Boy - did I learn something today....!

In relation to yesterday's post.......I made a big mistake - had Optifast for breaky thinking I was smart and might lose more that way. Well it threw the whole day out and is the reason I was so hungry. I'm back to normal now thank goodness.

I rang the dietician today and fessed up to what I thought was wrong and she agreed that I need to think more in terms of "texture". Even down to the fact that I've been having yoghurt for afternoon tea if I get hungry - well that's a no-no too as it slides down easy and makes you hungry quicker. So I'm not going to have the fill on Thursday now and will keep my appointment in 2 weeks and I'm going to eat more substantial food.

I also said to the dietician I was happy with losing the weight slowly and being able to eat anything I choose in small amounts and she said 'that's what it's all about and that's what we aim for' - wow I thought everyone spewed etc and was dreading that!

I'll weigh myself tomorrow morning and hopefully will have lost a bit more! It will be 7 weeks since banding tomorrow so hopefully I will hit the 14kg mark which is excellent.

Restriction?

When I went to the surgeon a few weeks ago he gave me 2 appointments. One if I needed it this thursday and the other a couple of weeks later. I thought 'there is no way I will need the one on the 4th!" but today I've woken up HUNGRY!!

I've been hungry all day. Haven't eaten more than usual but I believe I may need a fill! So it looks like I'm off to N'Castle on Thursday. Now I know what they talk about when they say they've lost restriction and need a fill. I didn't really believe I had a lot of restriction but I think I need it now! Don't like being hungry......oh well I lasted a long time without one! I've been able to eat everything and anything but in small quantities and still lose weight which is how I like it. We will see how this pans out now!

I must be doing something right!

Today I had 2 compliments:

1. From a workmate who said she saw the cleaner talking to someone this morning but didn't know who it was and then after closer inspection realised it was me!! She said she couldn't believe how much I'd changed shape especially from the back.

2. A friend I went to school with didn't recognise me in the supermarket! (I only saw her about 3 weeks ago) - she did the double take and was astounded as to how different I look!

Wow - what a great feeling that is. I've never had this happen before and am so looking forward to the next 6 months or so to see what difference there will be between now and then.

I also had a bit of really fantastic news yesterday. We receive respite for Jess (usually once a month we get a couple of days/nights) and we also receive a bit of money from another organisation to spend on respite. This money doesnt go far as respite costs about $40-$45/hr so to go out for a night from 6pm till midnight is at least $240 out of our package for just one night out! So as you can imagine it doesn't go far and is easy to spend especially if we are to have any sort of social life. It has got to the point where people don't even ask us out anymore and I have a feeling it is because it has been too hard in the past for us to get away. So if you are reading this and you want to invite us out don't think I'll say no!!!

Anyway - I found out we've been given a bit more money and have to spend it before the end of the financial year. So if we can get care for Jess we are going to take Caitlin to the Cook Islands to a resort for 5 nights in September! I'm so excited as I've always wanted to go to somewhere (anywhere) tropical and we have never taken Caitlin on hols without the restriction (bad word I know but that is the best way to describe it) of having Jess with us. The last holiday we went on we went to Qld it took 2 days to get there, 2 days for Jess to recover and then we took her to Dreamworld and it took Jess 3 days to get over it! I just can't believe it's going to happen - this is like winning lotto to us!! It has taken us a long time to get used to leaving her with other people and have faith in their ability to look after her as well as we would expect but now we take advantage of it when we can - we have to get used to it for her sake and for ours. She needs to get used to being looked after by other people and we have to stop being martyrs and let it happen. Eventually she will go into care as we are not getting any younger and we need to have the knowledge that she is happy and well cared for before we die.

Anyway enough of the D & M - I'm going on holidays!!!! Hooray, hooray.

Losing Weight is Great!

Well here you go - a progress shot with a pair of jeans from last winter! Don't mind the stupid look on my face! They are way too big and will be given away tomorrow - or maybe I'll keep them just for shots like this!

I'll take a shot when I've lost 15kg of me on my own. By the way I've officially lost 12kg.

Progress Stats...

Date of Banding : 12/2/08
Measurements:
Bust 141cm
Waist 132cm
Stomach 151cm
Legs - upper 66cm
Legs - lower 47cm
Neck 45cm
Arms 38cm

21/3/08
Bust 127cm = -14cm
Waist 115cm = -17cm
Stomach 141cm = -10cm
Legs - upper 62cm = -4cm
Legs - lower 45cm = - 2cm
Neck 42cm = -3cm
Arms 36cm = -2cm
Total Loss in cm's to date = 52cm

A bit of a Reminder!

Well - I had the first reminder today that I actually have a band around my stomach. Up until today I have been able to eat anything (except frozen coke) and not have a worry....but today I had a pain between my boobs that wouldnt go away! It didnt get any worse at all but just didnt get any better either. I thought OK this is indigestion so just move on, then I thought indigestion from what though - I hadnt had anything since breakfast and breakfast wasnt any different to yesterday. But it still didnt go away so I took 2 Nurofen Plus and it vanished. Very strange but a reminder that I'm not the same as I was before banding. I feel fine now.

I found out today that a guy I know has cancer and it's everywhere by the sound of it. He's only 42. It is just so bloody sad for him and his family. Just makes me want to scream, cry and why - it's not me that's got it. But I feel so sorry for him. He starts Chemo on Tuesday and I hope it ends up being a positive outcome for him.

A good thing did happen today - went to see a friend that I havent seen since banding. She was very surprised at how great I look and definitely noticed the weight loss. She also said I'd lost the ruddiness in my face. I might take a photo this weekend and see for myself and I might even share it with the blog! I weighed myself this morning - it's Monday isnt it? and I've lost another .5 so that makes 11.5kg so far.

I'm doing well !

I'm home from my visit to the surgeon and the dietician. For those that don't know I had my op in Newcastle which is 5hrs from here. My parents live about an hour from where the doc is so that's no so bad.

I was so nervous when I got there - fear of the unknown. I saw the dietician first and she was stoked at how much I'd lost. (although her scales only said 9kg! - I forgot I'd put on 2kg between seeing her and the op). But I've really lost 11kg now. She said I'm doing all the right things and to keep up the protein with each meal. I took a food diary of what I'd eaten in the last week which was a good idea too. She said she didn't see the need for a fill as I was still losing weight and still had some restriction.

The surgeon said the same thing. He made an appointment for 2 weeks time just in case I need it. (he does the fills himself which I'm impressed with). And I have an appointment in 5 weeks time as well. So it depends on how I go. I'm happy with that - No fill for now.

My dad's birthday dinner was great. It seemed strange going to an all you can eat (and boy did they have some lovely food there of every kind) - I strolled up and down trying to choose what was my absolute favourite! I got a small plate of food and nearly got through it! Before banding I would have had 2 heaped plates of food, plus prawns and then lined up for dessert! I couldn't have eaten any more than I did if I tried.

I've made a big decision today - I'm giving away my "too big" clothes! I have some lovely clothes but these ones are far too big now and as I'm never going back to that size again I may as well give them away. That is a biggie for my head to get around - I feel like I should hang on to them just in case.

A Poem I found on Tina's Blog from one of her friends....

Hope you don't mind Tina - I Loved this poem.

The Journey
I chose to go on a journey
The most important one in my life
It started out in a hospital
But was not with stress and strife
It began with much thought and soul searching
It was not so easy to do
I entered into it joyfully
With positive thoughts thru and thru.
It took me down long winding pathways
Places I've never been to before
But entered with great expectations
And I knew that I want to learn more.
My life had been full of trials, Prejudices and grief
It was time to turn the tides of disapproval
And to swim towards the shores of relief.
This journey was not going to be easy,
No magic bullet that would make everything right.
It takes a great deal of planning, Support and positive insight
Everything that I ever had lived with,
Would have to be changed overnight
The newness at times overwhelmed me
But I kept my eyes on the light
The days passed by ever slowly
And I wanted results right away
But anything worth having takes time
And Rome wasn't built in a day.
I didn't embark on this adventure
For anyone other than me
This trip was granted by heaven
The results are for all to see.
Some days brought joy and contentment
Some days were filled with fright
When ever I consumed the right item
It filled my soul with delight
So on and on I traveled
But no road weary person was I
I adored hearing the compliments
That lifted my soul ever high
Now whatever road my life seems to travel
Where ever I choose to be
I stand tall and slender
From this gift that was granted to me.
Written By: Annette McKitrick “The Journey”

Just another day - not much to say...

First of all - do you like the new look of the blog? I need votes for yes and no. I was told the last one was hard to read so this is just a test to see if this is better! (Hi Karen Boyle!)

I'll post again probably Monday night and let you know how I went at the doc and the dietician. I'm not eating any more than a cup at a time......which is what is expected. Feeling great. Over the exercise already! Might go for a swim this afternoon as it's very hot here today. (not as hot as S.A and VIC though apparently.

I'll post more photos when I've lost 15kg.

Till Monday - wish me luck!

Smiling.......

Well you can't help but smile when you put on clothes and they look like they belong to someone else and someone bigger than me!! Hooray, hooray!! I must measure again soon - it will make me feel better about those rotten scales!

Work is good. I'm currently completing my Certificate 3 in Government and Cert 3 in Business primarily via RPL. More work than I thought but at least I'll have another piece of paper at the end of it. I might even venture on to more studies yet.....might not too.

Looking forward to going away this weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday and to see surgeon on dietician on Monday. Hope they are happy with my progress too.

A friend of mine told me she was pregnant today. I'm so happy for her and her hubby. I love getting good news - too many bad things happen in this world and you never hear good things! But this was very welcome news and a baby - I love babies. No more for me of course - I'm not going back there but I love other people having them so I can cuddle them and give them back.

Nothing in particulaur

I weighed myself this morning - yep a day early and guess what - I've lost a measly 100gms! I know that is because I'm back on solidish food but geez I was expecting more as I'm exercising and all. I have no answers to this one but I dare say it is because I lost so much initially and it's just adjusting or plateauing out. It's not as if I can do anything differently - I can't eat any less!

So this week I will endeavour to Exercise more and Drink more water.

I have had cordial (which wasnt diet), yoghurt everyday (half a cup for morning tea and half a cup for afternoon tea) which is 94% fat free - I think that's ok? and one Caramello Koala - yes just one. I'm also drinking skim mocha jarra instead of coffee. Can't see what's wrong with that!!! I think I will keep a food diary this week and see what goes in......and discuss it with the dietician. I started solids this morning - had half a crumpet with jam for breaky...that was disgusting. Then a coffee for morning tea. Then a small chicken & cheese wrap for lunch. Water so far would be 600ml.

That's about all for now. I will officially weigh in tomorrow morning and measure myself. Hopefully I will lose a little bit more today so I get a nice surprise tomorrow!!! I feel good and people are noticing the weight loss so that's all that matters for now.

Back to normality....

Funny how this process dominates your life for a while. I'm coming back down to earth now and back to worrying about my friends and their problems rather than myself which is what I do best. That's just how I am - it's not a bad thing and I've got broad shoulders. My shoulders are just going to have to be strong rather than fat from now on. I love my friends and I'd rather they unloaded on me than someone who doesn't give a continental.

I went out for lunch today with one of my best friends and was absolutely starving when I got there. She was a little late so I ordered a coffee, drank that.....still hungry...she turned up and we ordered. I ordered a chicken and mushroom crepe without the salad as I'm still on mashies.....it arrived and I looked at it and thought is that all! Well I got through half of it and I was full - wow - how's that for change! Before I would've eaten that and the salad and wanted dessert!

Went shopping this afternoon and bought lots of stuff for cardmaking which is my new project. I also went grocery shopping which is now a necessity and not something I do for fun - I used to love grocery shoppping and now I only go when I have to. Then I went and had the hair coloured, foiled and cut with my lovely hairdresser. Didnt get home from work until 7.30pm but hey I havent had that much time to myself in ages which is something I must do more often.

Weight Loss so far

Ta Da......I've lost 10.2kg as of yesterday morning and I'm exercising finally - that cross trainer sure gets the heart rate up!

Now I can't wait till next monday when I weigh in again. I wore some pants to work today that haven't fitted me in a very long time.....god I felt great! One of my friends has offered to take my work pants in for me and my first thought was "no - they will fit me again soon when I put the weight back on" and then a little voice said "hey - it aint going to happen this time, you've got the band now" - Wow what a feeling!

I can't believe I feel so good and am eating so little.....but hey who cares - it's working!

Progress

I don't weigh myself until tomorrow but have measured and guess what.......I've lost 38cm! Man that's a lot. I've lost 12cm off my boobs alone! I'm getting a lot of comments as I've lost it around my face too.

Had a good experience today. Went to a cafe for lunch (actually we went yesterday too but we got the wrong day - my friends thought that was hillarious) - anyway the owner new I was coming back today so she thought about what I could have for lunch today when I returned. She suggested scrambled eggs with shredded chicken and cheese. It was just lovely - of course I couldnt get through it but it was a very nice gesture. Everyone else had a big feed and then lined up for waffles, icecream and caramel sauce which I love but just couldn't possibly have eaten it. Go the band!!!

I'm not going to need a lot of fill I'd say when I go cos I'm not eating a real lot now. I'd be happy to leave it as it is.

Hi to all the people whom I've discovered this week that read the blog and don't put in comments - it's good to know people are interested in what's going on. One friend I ran into said "Hi -dont tell me how you are as I know from reading the blog!" which is great cos then you don't have to tell everyone the same story over and over. I reckon you all should have blogs too so I know what you are all up to as well!! Anyway on to another week - can you believe on tuesday it'll be 3 weeks since the op!