DXA Scan

Just had a DXA scan done. It is a scan that measures bone density and body fat and overall body composition. They said it is more accurate than the bod pod which is what I originally going to get. I am dissapointed, I thought I had less body fat than I do, but they said it is hard for any machine to tell with the excess skin. But I am now 37.2% body fat. Way better than I used to be. This is the picture they gave me. It shows my skin and all. Hope to have it done again in the distant future after skin removal. He is suposed to send me detailed report in English on my specific body regions and everything else. Will post when I get them. (click for larger. Sorry for the sideways pics.)

Ruckus Run

I did my first run in about a year. The Ruckus Run is a 4 mile military style obsticle course. It was so much fun!! Finished in 1 hour 46 minutes!! My hip was killing me and it was HOT, but I finished!! Can't wait for next year!!!!

Easter

So we just passed Easter. Let me tell you. I have been eating me some chocolate. Which is so weard. I have hated chocolate since I was a kid. Maybe a bite here or there but other than that, not a fan. But now, WOW!!! Anyways. Im having a BIG issue here, at Easter my husbands cousin says "wow you look like your a size 2 now, thats not fair" ....... ummm not fair??? I was serously taken aback. I just gapped like a fish at her. Jacobs aunt said no, it is because she eats only healthy food and is at the gym every day. I just, just, really??????? Sorry. That just really bugged me. Every bit of my weight loss was earned. I worked my ass off (literally) for this. Granted she is a kid, but really!!??!?!?! im done. sorry, just had to get that off my chest. Joshua saw a picture of me from July 2010. 5 months before my surgery, and asked who is that?? Really??Sara knew but he didnt. It is below.  Just kinda weard. He has known be big most of his life. oh well.

2012 Goals. Where Im at.

So it has almost been 4 months since I made my 2012 goals. I am having my hip issues again. Did my first road run a week and a half ago. I did 1 mile in 13min 49 seconds. Fastest so far. But since then, I have been having extreme hip pain again. I am so tired of this. I ENJOY RUNNING Why cant I run??? SO, im still working on my running goals. here is my list http://egoebelsweightloss.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-goals.html  I did meet #7 Meet goal weight!! YAY!! ok. for the pushup one, I figured Id try it now. I did 3 on my knees and it hurt my low back. FUN!! more bone issues hindering my progress. anyways, enough bitching. I hit a new low the other day. 173 WOW! wasnt even trying to lose. Im back up in the 175s. been staying there for the past few days. It is my goal so that is good for me. I need to do my measurements. I know they have changed and havent done it since december. I am also pretty confused. I have a few pair of 10 jeans. But I have a few pair of 16s that are tight or fit perfect. I bought some 15s that I need to return, that are falling off of me. I can also fit in small/medium shirts (depending on how they are made) WOW!!! If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Im an open book and willing to help anyone who wants it. Have a good day!!

WOW!

So today is the first time since meeting my goal weight that I have been back to it. And im under it by .2 pounds. (175.2)  I unfortunetely did not make it to the gym today, so hopefully I stay there or still lose more. I know, im at my goal, why do I want to lose more weight? It is normal to flucuate 5 or so pounds, I would like to get my goal weight range to be 168.4 to 178.4 That is a 10 pound range but my optimal stay weight I want to be around 172. 

Im so excited! I started my garden today. I buy so much veggies so figured why not!! Hubby tilled it up for me and I planted my spinach, romane, broccoli, and onion.  I also have tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, multi color pepers, pumpkins (for the kids :-) started inside. I plan on starting the faster growing plants in a few weeks then the Weekend of May 5th (which is the same weekend as the Ruckus Run) I will plant everything. YAYYYYY!!!

So this week im going to be trying a bunch of new recipes. Crock pot encholata soupish?, crispy brussle sprouts, stuffed peppers, qunoa burgers, cheesy cauliflower pancakes (maybe), and cauliflower bites. As normal, pics and recipes will be up after I try them.

whats new??

Well I haven't been posting much about me lately. Just my  recipes. Sorry. I have been doing pretty good here in maintenance. Staying at 177. My goal was 175 but I'm good with that. This past week I got a hold of a package of cookie dough. Spread out over a few days I consumed 24 servings @ 90 cals each. WOW! Needless to say a few days ago (march 7th) I was up to 181.2. So I buckled down. I'm back down to 177.4 today. Hoping to get back to goal. Haven't been at it since the day I meet it. I know I shouldn't have eaten all that cookie dough, but man was it good. I cant even tell you the last time I had some. But I just have to remember if it is that good it will most likely have a consequence. my bad!! I have signed up for a 4 mile obstacle course. I am so excited! It is Saturday May 5th. http://runruckus.com/ Below is my 1 month weight chart. In 2 days will be 1 month in maintenance.

I Met My Goal Weight!

After 13 1/2 months 117 pounds down I have met my goal weight of 175.4! My starting weight was 292.4 My starting BMI was 45.8 now it is 27.1 I lost 40.01% of my body weight. I owe each and every one of you a HUGE THANK YOU! Even if you didnt know it, you helped me keep motivated. Kept me accountable. Now that I have reached goal, that doesnt mean my journey is over. I will still have the battle of being in "Maintance" of maintaining my weight. I do plan on getting down to 170.4 just so I have a little wiggle room. It is normal to go up and down a few pounds.

Need Some help

As I get closer to my goal, I want to be able to eat a more normal calorie amount for the rest of my life. I have no room with 900 calories a day. If I want to eat a piece of pizza or have an extra coffee or something one day, I want to be able to. I dont understand why my body's metabolism is so low. If I eat over 900 calories and dont exercise (normally burn 300-400 daily) I will gain weight. I would love to be up to 1100 even 1000 just so I have a little wiggle room. But how do I do it? Do I just start eating that amount for a while to get my body used to it? but then I will have all this extra weight that I put on because of it, then how do I get it back off without dropping my calories again. Im so freaken lost. There are days when Im still hungry but I cant eat because I will go over. That is not what this should be about. Any help will be greately appriciated. I need to do something.

170's Woo Hoo!!

So today I finally hit the 170s! I'm 179.4  I have offically lost 113 pounds in almost 13 months. (1/27/12 is 13 months)  I only have 4 more pounds until I meed my goal of 175.4. YAY! I end is so near. Can't believe it sometimes. Now I just have my skin issue to deal with. Im working on getting my insurance to get the removal surgery covered. Not an easy feat. What are you eating this week? Try any new recipes??

WLS NOT EASY!!

This is one of those things that really irks me. Just because I chose to have WLS does not mean I took the easy way out. Does not mean I just sit on my but and lose weight becuase the band does it for me. IF it did everyone would do it. There is a reason you have to have a mental evaluation before you have the surgery to make sure you are aware it is a lifestyle change, that you will eat right, and exercise. My band is just another tool in my weight loss. Just like a treadmill, food scale, my food log, weight machines. You could have the surgery and NEVER lost any weight. You have to do the work. You have to make the right food choices. I choose to eat little to no fat in foods, I choose to eat little to no carbs, I choose to eat the lowest caloric foods I can. I choose to KILL MYSELF at the gym EVERYDAY. I could sit at home on my couch and eat a whole bag of my favorite chips. Instead If I CHOOSE to indulge on my favorite, I only put the correct serving size in a bowl and eat only that. Even if I want more. 7 chips for 140 calories is no laughing matter when you only eat 800-900 calories in a day. Not MEAL like some people, DAY!!! I made my own success. My band has just helped me along.  
Sorry if I sound like a bitch, just something that really agervates me. Here are some great links that goes along with this.
http://www.bandedliving.com/public/Weight_Loss_Surgery__Is_It_The_Easy_Way_Out.cfm

http://obesitysurgery-info.com/wlsnoteasyway.htm

More drabbles from me

Ok. I put together a list I forgot to add last post. Or things I wanted to expand on. So if I repeat myself sorry. It is important.
Motivation Find someone who motivates you. Someone to help you on your way. When I first started out, I was wondering around like a lost puppy. So I found some other WLS patients on Youtube. My favorite is BandedWendy. The link to her chanell is on my links page. I learned everything from her. She is my WLS HERO!! Reciently I have added a few band patients on my facebook. We share recieps or hardships. When one of us has a victory or big day, we share together. Can always find some motivation. You can always find someone who has lost weight to ask questions but if you have a band specific issue, it is always nice to have someone who understands in your corner. When my band got extremely tight when the temp dropped a month or so, I turned to my banded friends. I was freaked out. They helped me so much. I feel I owe them.

Distractions When I first started exercising at the gym, I found myself bored or not physically able to keep going. (doing cardio) So I pulled up my youtube and watched BandedWendy videos. Told myself I couldnt quit until she quit talking. So when I could easly do 1 video, I moved to 2 videos. Soon I had no problem doing a hour straight. Still today, I will read books on my phone. Helps move time faster. Or Ill watch something on the TV that is on the machine. When I dont have my earbuds, I read the captions. Keeps you even more distracted.

Exercise Since im on that train, Ill keep going. I used to be intimidated to work out in front of everyone at the gym. But we all are there for the same reason. To get fit and healthy. I didnt want people seeing my fat ass saying wtf is she doing. But I realized, they dont look at you that way, they have the mind set, good for her, she is doing something to help herself. Yea, there will be assholes that are like that, but screw them. Show them what you can do!! haha. Another thing is the weight room. Was so intimidated because it was always full of these big buff body builders. I met with a personal trainer to change up my routein and she pushed me in there. Now, I love it! Those guys are the greatest. It is normally the same guys since I go at the same time everyday. You get to know each other. If you have a question about something or how to work a certain muscle, they jump right in to help you. Then argue on the best way to do it. Crazy men!! Don't be afraid of what others think, it will only hold you back. Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to be a better you. (dont forget to stretch either) I have had some injuries because of to much exercise and not enough stretching. Had to stop running because I had overusage of a muscle in my hip. 6 months later, and I still cant do what I was. Also it helps you get lean muscles instead of bulky muscles.

Food Log I know I mentioned this before but I think this is VERY important. Keeps you on track. Wether you do it in a notebook or electronically. Just do it!

Weekly Pictures/Measurements This helped me alot. I could physically see the differences week to week. I now look back at pictures from the begining and am amazed at what I have accomplished. I can also use my measurements to see how many inches I have lost.

Eating ok I could go on about this forever. But I will just share a few tips and will do a post later just on this. I like soups, but with the broth you get extra calories, and it makes the food move quicker through the band. I drain off most of the broth off my soups. Then it is more filling and less cals. win win. Remember DO NOT DRINK DURING OR 45 MINUTES AFTER EATING. Even if you dont have band, it is a rule to follow. It flushes out your stomach and makes you hungry. Fast food. ok, just because you are on the run, doesnt mean you cant eat healthy. I will do a full post soon on what I order at different resturants. Just remember your calorie goals, and do according to that. Im a boredom eater. So if I am bored I just automatically grab something to eat, So now I try to grab some gum. just something to chew and keep my mouth busy. Also remember if you feel hungry, you could be thirsty. If you are exercising like you should be remember that your muscles need the water to heal and work.

Excess Skin Uhh the dreded excess skin. I have tons of it. HATE IT! But I worked for that excess skin. it used to be filled with fat. So, I guess, it is a good thing. (saying that hurts, just so you know!) Not everyone gets it. There are those out there that have lost more than I have and were bigger that dont, just depends on your genetics and stuff. Dont ask me how that works, I have no clue. I do plan on getting it removed at some point. It is your personal choice on what to do.

Discouragment  (is that a word?) dont let other discourage you. Ill go out with my friends and ill hear are you serously eating that? or is that all you are going to eat? just answer with a simple Yup! Or they will order the greasiest fattening thing on the menu. Do I want it? Hell yes I do, but do I eat it no. It is hard, you have had these eating habits engrained in you for so long, that is why you, I, got fat. It is not easy, but your hard work will pay off.

Fat Again Do I fear getting fat again? That is a Big Fat YES! That is why I work so hard to prevent that. That is why I kill myself at the gym. That is why I eat this instead of that. It terrifies me. I yoyo'd for so long. I WILL NOT GO BACK TO THAT. That is another reason I like my before/after picture. I am so discusted with myself. How could I let mysef get that big. Granted, I have medical issues that make me starving ALL THE TIME, and I dont process food the same as others. That is why I was as big as I was. But I also made horrible choices. It is alot better now, but I still have days or weeks that I am starving all day. Just have to make wise choices now.

Cant exercise off bad eating choices Remember that. If you want a slice of pizza, fine, great! Just remember that when you grab that 3rd or 4th slice, that 1 you are overfilling your stoma, and 2 no matter how many calories your burnt off at the gym that day, you can fix that. Are there days, when I just give into my eternal fat girl and pig out, HELL YES I do. but I remember that I made the bad decisions when I see a gain the next day or 2.

What do i count When logging my food, I really only count calories and protein. It is so important that we get our protein in. Remember Protein first. So If I choose low calorie high protein, my carbs will automatically low. carbs drive up your calories. I have a daily goal of 800-950 calories a day. And the womens daily protein requirement is 60g a day. So I try to meet that. Some days, I dont get that in, but its ok. Just try harder the next day.

Rewards/Goals Set goals. They are important. Gives you something to push for. I used to set goals to meet a certain weight by certain date. (remember to be reasonable about it) And it is ok not to meet them. as long as you do meet them eventually. Sometimes our bodies just want a break. If you meet a big goal, reward yourself. Yes, meeting the goal is a reward in itself, but sometimes it is good to give yourself a little extra. When my calves shrunk enough to fit in boots, you better believe I went out and bought myself some hot ass boots! etc etc you get it.

You are a success Dont discount your successes. Dont say I ONLY lost 20 pounds. I only lost 40, 50 etc. YOU lost 20 pounds!!! That is great! You are x amount pounds lighter than you were before. I have to catch myself sometimes. I do think. I only lost 110 by my 1 year mark, wanted it to be more, but HELLO!! 1 year ago I was almost 300 pounds, not 180s.

Mental Game This is as much a mental game as a physical one. Not only are you pushing your body, but you are fighting a mental battel. Do I eat this or that, can I skip the gym today. I never had the motivation to do this before. Once I got my band something clicked in my brain. I got my mental game on!! Now get yours!

To tell or not to tell That is the question. Do you tell people you had surgery? That is a personal decision you must make. I do tell people, I dont just blurt it out but when someone askes "how did you do it" ( I hate that question by the way) I will tell them That I had had the band but I feel the need to expand on it. I always say, I had the band done, but it only controlls portion controll. I eat only low calorie foods and exercise everyday. I feel like people look down on wls patients. The band is completely different than bypass. Not to discredit their successes, they are amazing too, but the band is harder to lose weight. That is a benifit and curse of it. You can still eat the same as you did before and not exercise and not lose any weight. Just the fact of the matter. Losing weight is not easy. No matter which way you do it. I plan on doing a post about this too.

Fills/stucks Fills are what makes your band work. you can find some great videos on what exactly happens when you get a fill. I did alot of research before my first fill. I was scared. but once I got it, I realized there was nothing to be scared of. Didnt even hurt. Remember it may take a couple of fills to feel restriction. That is normal. So, with fills, you will get "Stucks" . That is when you eat something you arent supposed to or dont chew somethin as good as you should, or something you just cant handle, and it gets stuck in your band. Im not going to lie, the first time you get a stuck or even times after, it will scare the crap out of you. I still get scared sometimes. I always think is this the time that it wont clear. And man does it hurt. Mine feels like the food is stuck in my sternum. The breast bone in the center. DO NOT try to drink or eat anything if you have a stuck. It will make it worse. I have found Paypia Enzime. They are chewable pills. I take 4-5 of them and it helps digest the food that is stuck there. They take longer than some others, but works. I have tried regular old digestive enzimes. I had the capsule kind. I opened it up and poured about half on a licks worth of applesauce and ate it. Hurt even worse for about 3 seconds then it was instant relief. If it doesnt fix on its own, you have to go in and get an unfill. If that doesnt work then surgery.Remember you can have issues from them. When my band tightened when it got cold here, I had a stuck everytime I ate. Didnt matter what it was. After a while my stomach got irritated and swelled, which made everything worse. I got an small unfill and it was like magic. I have never been so happy to eat before in my life!!  Things I cant eat. Bread, comes and goes. Sometime I can eat a few bites and sometimes even the smallest nibble will get me. The crunchier the better. sticky noodles or rice. big no no for me. mashed potatoes, nope, dont go there. Cod. I know that is weard. No matter how it is cooked, just cant do it. I dont understand it. snap peas. that is another one. Some things your body just doesnt tollerate. You will learn, and as you get more fills things will change. There are things you could eat before and cant now. Just remember to chew chew chew.

Food amounts There are days I read what people eat and feel like a cow. Remember not everyone can eat the same amounts. Some may have more or less in their band, that makes a big difference. There are days, I can eat a lot in one sitting, and some Ill have a few bites and be full. Just the way it is. Dont let it get to you. There are things im mentioning in this post I still have to work on, but I know I have to work on them, so that helps me work on it.

NSV Non Scale Victories. These are great! These are goals or victories that have nothing to do with your scale. Like the boots. or my first time wearing skinny jeans. Or the fact that im being hit on left and right. (great feeling!!) Fitting into something that I did in highschool, or that same things now being to big. my first 5k. Getting a better time on my second 5k. Embrase these! Just another thing to keep you motivated.

Ok. im going to shut up now. Sorry for they typos. Im just typing away before I lost my train of thought. If you have any questions or just want to say something about this please comment. Like I said, I plan on doing more posts about what I eat, things I order at different places, starbucks, my daily exercise, and peoples view on wls. Thanks for reading. Hope this helps you.

10 Rules of the Band

10 Important Rules

Here are ten rules for eating, drinking, and exercise that will help you get the best results you can with the lap band. How willing you are to follow a new way of eating is key to making your lap band operation a success.

• Eat only three small meals a day.
• Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (approximately 15 to 20 times a bite).
• Stop eating as soon as you feel full.
• Do not drink while you are eating.
• Do not eat between meals.
• Eat only good quality foods.
• Avoid fibrous food.
• Drink enough fluids during the day.
• Drink only low-calorie liquids.
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Rule 1: Eat only three small meals a day

Lap band surgery creates a small stomach pouch that can hold only about half a cup (3 to 4 ounces) of food. If you try to eat more than this at one time you may become nauseous. You may also vomit. If you routinely eat too much, the small stomach pouch may stretch. That will cancel the effect of the lap band operation. Frequent vomiting can also cause certain complications, such as stomach slippage. You need to learn how much your stomach pouch can hold comfortably and then not exceed this amount.

Rule 2: Eat slowly and chew thoroughly

Food can pass through the new stoma only if it has been "chopped" into very small pieces. Always remember to take more time for your meals and chew your food very well.

Rule 3: Stop eating as soon as you feel full

Once your stomach is full, your body receives a signal that you have eaten enough. It takes time, though, for you to become aware of this signal. If you hurry your meal, you may eat more than you need. This can lead to nausea and vomiting. Take time over your meal. Try to recognize the feeling of fullness. Then stop eating at once.

Rule 4: Do not drink while you are eating

The lap band operation can work only if you eat solid food. If you drink at mealtimes, the food you have eaten becomes liquid. Then the effectiveness of the lap band is greatly reduced. You should not drink anything for one to two hours after a meal. That way you can keep the feeling of fullness as long as possible.

Rule 5: Do not eat between meals

After a meal do not eat anything else until the next meal. Eating snacks between meals is one of the major reasons for weight loss failure. It is very important to break this habit. (I DO HAVE 2 SMALL SNACKS. TRY TO KEEP IT UNDER 150 CALORIES BUT NORMALLY UNDER 100)

Rule 6: Eat only good quality foods

With the lap band in place, you should be able to eat only a small amount. So the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your small stomach pouch with "junk" food that lacks vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in protein and vitamins. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, and cereals are good foods to choose. Foods high in fat and sugar are not. You may eat apples and oranges, but try to avoid orange juice and apple juice. Ask your lap band doctor or dietitian before you take any vitamin supplements.
Note: Solid food is more important than liquid food. The lap band will have little or no effect if you eat only liquid food. Liquid food passes through the stomach outlet very quickly and does not make you feel full.

Rule 7: Avoid fibrous food

Food such as asparagus that contains many fibers can block the stoma. That's because you can't chew this food well enough to break it up into small pieces and your saliva can't break it down. Fibrous food should be avoided. If you would like to eat asparagus or other fibrous foods once in a while, then you must be sure to cook them well, cut them into very small pieces first and then chew thoroughly.

Rule 8: Drink enough fluids during the day

You will need to drink large amounts of liquid every day in order to urinate more and excrete these waste products from your body. Individual needs will vary, but you should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. Remember: you should only drink water, tea, or coffee (without milk or cream and sugar). Also keep your food and drinks completely separate during the day.

Rule 9: Drink only low-calorie liquids

Drinks including those containing calories simply run through the narrow outlet created by the lap band. If you drink liquids high in calories, you will lose little weight, even if you otherwise follow your diet.

Rule 10: Exercise at least 30 minutes a day

Since physical exercise consumes energy and bums calories, it is very important to successful weight loss. Exercise can help improve your general health. Your size may make it hard for you to exercise as much as you should. But get started, even if it is a little at first. The more weight you lose, the easier it should get. Start with simple exercises, such as walking and swimming. Gradually expand your program to include more vigorous forms of exercise such as cycling, jogging, and aerobics.

Increase your activity level in the course of daily living. For example stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, be outside rather than inside, walk rather than drive, climb the stairs rather than use the elevator, etc. Always check with your lap band doctor about the amount and type of exercise that is best for you.

Note: Although these rules restrict your food intake and the types of food you are able to eat, make sure to keep your diet as varied and balanced as possible.

Got them here http://forum.lapbandsurgery.com/showthread.php?1843-The-10-Lap-Band-Success-Rules

Also different set.

The Basic Lap-Band Rules1. Eat only three main meals a day, plus two planned snacks.
2. Eat slowly, taking pea-sized bites, and chew thoroughly until your food is a mushy
consistency.
3. Stop eating as soon as you feel restriction from the band. This will feel different from the
“full” sensation you had prior to your surgery.
4. Do not drink with meals, or for one full hour after eating.
5. Do not eat between meals, or planned snacks.
6. Eat a variety of high quality nutritional foods.
7. Consume recommended amounts of fiber daily.
8. Drink 64-100 ounces of non-caloric fluids between meals.
9. Do not drink carbonated beverages of any kind.
10. Exercise 30-60 minutes on most days.

Got them from http://forum.lapbandsurgery.com/showthread.php?1843-The-10-Lap-Band-Success-Rules

Things I have learned or just stuff for new banders

Ill start at the clothing aspect since I was just purging my closet. That is the greatest feeling getting rid of clothes that don't fit, because they are to big now instead of to small. Over my journey there are some things that are clothing related that I didn't think about before. Like I never considered I would need smaller underware. HELLO!!!haha Also my shoe size shrunk 2 1/2-3 sizes. REALLY??? never knew I had fat feet. Guess I did. I loved stocking up on smaller clothes and trying them on every few weeks. I liked seeing the difference, and when they finally fit it would be a happy day in my house!

Accountabilty I have found that it helps to keep everyone updated on my blog and facebook on my progress. I feel it keeps me accountable. If I start gaining weight, people are going to be like WTF Erin?? It just helps me.

Food Log Along side exercise I feel this is one of the most important things I do. I record everything that goes in my mouth. If I dont know how many calories is in it, I look it up first. It keeps me on track with my daily calorie goals. I dont feel I would be even close to where I am without it. I use DailyBurn You can track your eaten calories, calories burned, weight, etc. You can get motivators that can help you along. Join challenges and groups with people like you. I use it online but mostly on my phone as an app. There are tons out there, find the one that works best for you.

Food since we are on the food subject, ill just stay there. I have completely reinvented the way I eat. I stick in my 900 calorie limit (for the most part). I have found that even though I eat so few calories, I still stay full because I pick such low calorie foods. DONT deny yourself something you really want. You can have something "bad" just remember moderation. If you dont allow yourself things, your will gorge yourself and later regret it. UHH I HATE resturants. Not all of them have healthy options. And when they do, they still arent healthy. A salad that is 1500 calories??? REALLY!! no, order fat free or low fat dressing, no crutons, grilled chicken rather than fried. I have found a place I love, The LO-Cal Cafe in Edwardsville, Il. Great food and it is all low calories. They even have premade foods you can get for lunches or for quick dinners.
Keep low cal staples in the house for snacking. I always have low fat cottage cheese and light cheese sticks. ALWAYS! Hummus on veggies is good too. you can check out some of my food posts. People have noticed my new Starbucks addiction. Ill do a post soon on some great things you can order that are still good. get fat free milk instead of their normal. cuts calories majorly! My favorite drink. Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte with extra expresso shot and 1 sweet n low. about 100 calories and 10g protein. better than some 800-900 drinks that taste the same. Ask for sugar free syrups. Enough of that or I will make this my starbucks post. haha I plan on posting my food more often. maybe do a weekly post of all my food for the week. You can also check my dailyburn daly. So, how do I cook? I broil most all my meats I cook. I also bake and grill. I rarely ever fry anything. Even hamburgers. If a recipe calls for pan frying something, I use a bit of Pam and do it that way. about 100 less calories than using olive oil. Ill do more food posts later.

Exercise I have always liked exercisng. I have tons of bone issues that make it hard for me, but I dont use that as an excuse. Most of the time I push through it all. The only way to do it for me. consult your dr for what you should do. I normally exercise 5-7 days a week. Normal is 6 days. about 45 min to 1hour 15 min. sometimes more. Had to cut back with my pain issues, but I still go. It is not an excuse for me. I prefer to go in the mornings. If I dont go or go later, I am like a crack addict going through witdraws. Im all shaky and cant sit still. crazy times. Even if I dont make it to the gym, I make myself more active. Every night when I make dinner I plug my ipod into the speakers and me and kids dance like crazy while I cook. Give me and kids exercise and it is fun!!

Im sure im leaving things out. I can always to a continuation post. Remember your band rules you recieved from your surgeon. They are IMPORTANT!! If you dont have them, find them. Ill post in a bit. Gotta get kids out of bath. My bathroom floor is soaked!!

1 year Surgaversary!! & Happy New Years

WOW It has been 1 year since my surgery. Hard to believe it has passed already. I have come such a long way in such a short time. I have to remember that when I start thinking that I havent met goal yet (8 pounds away) or that I havent lost enough, or stopped losing for a while. I have lost 109 pounds!!! There are days where I still feel huge. I guess that is a huge mental hurdle I will have to work on. Also welcome to 2012! This is my first year in my new body. Hopefully this year I can tone it up a bit and look even better.

2012 Goals

So  I plan on havibg a set of goals for 2012. Who actually accomplishes their resolutions?? Ok. Here they are 
1. Run 10:30 mile
2. Run 40 min 5k
3. Do 5 push ups
4. Do 5 backwards push ups (back to foor)
5. Do 5pull ups
6. Run 2 miles without walking
7. Meet goal weight

Unfill

Monday I had my 1 year post op appt. had to get a little unfill because everything is getting stuck. Just couldnt eat anymore. Afterwards. It never felt so good to be able to eat something. I actually did a fist pump. Hangs head in shame. Will be posting my 2012 exercise/weight loss goals soon.

Finally New measurements

SO, it has been several months since I have been able to find my tape measure. So I found it today!! Have new measurements. I have lost 42 inches 107.8 pounds!! I did my first measurements a week after I started dieting. So, I have some unaccounted inches. Lost quite a bit that first week. That was 12-22-10 Did these today.

Had to renew my lincence today

Im turning 26 next weekend so, I had to get my lincence renewed. But I needed a update anyways!! I got the short stick so I had to redo my test too, no big deal there. passed! While the guy was verrifing all my info he said whats your new weight because this is obvsly wrong. makes me feel good that it was noticed. anyways here is my before and after. Picture was from when I was 21. so 5 years ago. I lied my weight down then too...

Todays Lunch!

I picked up some of those Tyson cooked chicken breasts the other day. I decited to make some for lunch today. So 1 serving is 3oz. I wanted a little more so I did 4.5 oz. 1 1/2 serving. Then defrosted for 20 sec in microwave and sauted a bit with pam. broke up the pieces and added about a 1/2 tbs of teriaki sauce with about 2 tbs of water. mixed and ate!! YUMMY! and WOW look at the nutritional values!! 

168 calories	3g fat	3.9g carbs	32.5g protein

In other news, I am now down to 189.8 today. I havent been in the 180s in almost 10 years! Hard to believe.  have lost 35.09% of my body weight. Lost 102.6 pounds.

100 pounds down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW! As of today I am down 100.6 pounds. It has been 10 months 11 days since my surgery. There are days when I get discouraged that I havent lost in a month or when I gain 2-3 pounds but I just have to remind myself that I have lost 100 pounds. That doesnt come without some ups and downs. I should expect some stalls. I have exactly 7 weeks till my surgaversary. 49 days. I would like to hit my goal by then. 16 more pounds. several months ago, I would say no problem, but I havent lost much since August. 
Today 11-8-11 I am 191.8
10-8-11 I was 200.0 pounds
9-8-11 I was 199.4 pounds
8-8-11 I was 204.0
7-8-11 I was 215.8
6-8-11 I was 220.8
5-8-11 I was  224.4
4-8-11 I was 234.2
3-8-11 I was 247.2
2-8-11 I was 253.6
1-8-11 I was 264.8
12-27-11 surgery date 272
12-16-11 Pre-Op appt 292.4