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BTW I don't know what is the deal with my toes. And yes I did paint my nails just for you guys. I have a bruised nail from a tripping incident a few weeks ago so without the polish you'd all probably be traumatized by my blue toenail. But I digress...
I was banded seven months ago on February 12th. I am down 80.8 lbs. (36.7 kg.). Here's a before pic:
This journey has been incredible. Here in no particular order are a few random things I've learned:
#1 - Stress is not my friend. This past week was the perfect example of this. By Thursday of last week, the cumulative effect of weeks of extreme chaos at work left me beyond stressed. I wasn't sleeping well. True to form, my lap-band tightened up like a vise. I took my kids out to dinner after a late soccer game on Friday and a couple of small bites eaten slowly had me puking in the bathroom. I had horrible acid reflux, something I haven't had to deal with since having a hiatal hernia repaired when I was banded. Things are finally settling down at work and I feel better, but I wish I knew how to deal with stress better than I do.
#2 - I wish I could blog professionally. I hate that I have been so out of touch with you guys. I know I'll never be able to catch up, but I hope I can keep up from here on out. It would be great if you could summarize what you've been up to for the last several weeks and email it to me!
#3 - I would highly recommend gastric banding to any person struggling with obesity. I used to consider WLS as my last resort in sort of a gloom and doom way. I would hold it out as punishment to myself, "If you keep eating like that, you'll have to have weight loss surgery.". I've since come to realize that DIETS DON'T WORK and gastric banding has been like a miracle in my life.
#4 - BMI charts suck. I am still obese for another couple pounds. I don't think I look obese. Other than the loose skin which I don't think is visible unless I'm naked, I think I look pretty good. Maybe I'm delusional. Here's a picture of me this morning. What do you guys think?
#5 - All foods in moderation. Every time I read posts, I see people talking about how they want to have this or that and are longing for it. If I want something, I have it. It is that simple. I know that for me deprivation leads to binges. So I don't deprive myself. Does that mean I eat everything I want all the time? No. No one can do that. I try to restrict desserts to the weekends and special occasions, more because I am not crazy about how I react to the sugar than to promote weight loss. My lap-band keeps my portion sizes relatively small. For me, that's all there is to it. I eat whatever I want. Lately, for example, I have been eating a lot of deep fried zucchini with ranch dip. Really! I also drink my coffee with REAL cream and sugar. I eat regular butter and cheese. I avoid low fat and sugar free like the plague.
#6 - High carb diets make weight loss difficult I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 18 years. As I've gotten older and fatter, my rate of weight loss when I dieted slowed to a trickle. My last diet lasted six months, during which time I lost 25 lbs. (11.3 kg.). I quit because I was losing too slowly and I became frustrated by not seeing any significant results from my hard work. I'm still a vegetarian, but since surgery I have tried to get 50 grams of protein a day and it has made a HUGE difference! I realize 50 grams isn't a lot by many of your standards, but without meat it is sometimes a stretch to hit that mark.
So that is me today in Onderland! I am so grateful to all of you who've been along for the ride. Your support and wisdom is a big part of my success.
25 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS! You deserve it after all your hard work.
Wow Amanda! You look fantastic!! You look better at 199 lbs than I do at 177 lbs!! You must be taller than me. I am 5'4", so 177 is still a lot!!
Can you let me know if you still want to meet, so we can set a place before we leave on our trip Wednesday early am?
We may not have a computer available while gone, so if we do not set the place before leaving, I may not have the ability to find out later on!!
I would email you, but I don't know your email address!! Thanks!
So very awesome! Congratulations!!!
I love this entire post but your #5 was written beautifully. I couldn't agree more!
Congrats Amanda, you look amazing and you are such an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your journey with us!
You look so incredible and not obese at all! Silly BMI chart. Congratulations on being in Onederland!
Congrats!!! You look wonderful! Or should I say One-derful!
Congrats!
Congratulations Amanda!!! You have done so well.
You look amazing! Congrats on being in onederland...
I agree that #5 was awesome. I subscribe to the same exact theory.
Keep it up, you are doing so well!
Congratulations! You've learned some great stuff. I agree with everything in moderation...and hopefully that's just what the band gives us...moderation. Keep up the great work!
I am so happy for you Amanda! You do not look obese by any stretch of the imagination either! You look great!
That's so exciting! Congrats!!
WHOO-HOO!!! Congratulations, Amanda! You look incredible and are such an inspiration!
Holy shit a brick! This is super news! YAY YOU!!!! I gotta go do cartwheels now - be right back! (unless I break my neck)
So great Amanda!! You definitely don't look obese.
obese!?!?! what the heck do 'they' know?????? You look FABULOUS. Congrats for hitting Onederland. Next thing you'll be posting 'GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL'. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the journey. As someone who's a week away from surgery, I really appreciate the insight
Congratulations for getting to Onederland. We were banded only 2 days apart and you have lost double what I have. No jealously, just proud that the band getting you to that nice place.
Awesome news. You look great.
Wow Congrats! That is such an accomplishment! You look great and are so close to goal!
WOW! You look AMAZING!!! I am so not joking, you look so good! Losing weight takes years off of you, also! I don't know how old you are, but you look way younger in the after picture.
I don't deprive myself of anything, I eat whatever I want, also. I usually want healthy foods so it works out!
Congrats!!!
Oh and I sent you an email about lunch in Eugene!
HUGE milestone, Amanda. I'm thrilled for you. Congratulations!
CONGRATS! You are a rock star, girl! I was banded about a month before you are, but the struggles of my band over the summer only have me at a pound shy of the 80 pounds mark. And? That just settled me into the upper 250's! I think you look fabulous - I can't wait to make my Onederland post, even if it's still awhile away ;).
Wow! Congratulations!! I'm so excited for you. You look amazing. Tomorrow is my 2 month bandaversary and my goal was to reach onderland by then and well we'll see what happens tomorrow.
Oh, I'm so happy for you!!!!!!
Fantastic job! I had no idea that you were doing it vegetarian style. That definitely makes things harder with protein intake & caloric intake, from what most Bariatric doctors want you to get which makes your success even that much more impressive! Great job.
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