Goal!!!!

Well here it is! The day has finally come! I hit my goal! This morning I weighed 175lbs! That’s a total loss of 116lbs! From a size 24 jeans to a 10/12. All in 11 months! My gone jar is full and my to go jar is empty! I think I will buy a different color stone to put in the gone jar for the pounds I lose past my goal. Thoughts??

It’s a good feeling to know I set my mind to accomplishing this and I actually did it! For the first time in my life I started a Weightloss journey that I completed! 

But I can’t help but think, what now? I am still going to work toward my running goal. I truly want to be a runner! I’m going to continue on my Weightloss program and I guess we’ll see how much more weight I lose. I am taking control of my life in many ways and I am excited to see what the future has in store for me!

Milestone

At the first seminar I went to in the beginning of my Weightloss’s surgery journey, there was a guest speaker. She was a sleeve patient who was 5 years out of surgery. She was tall and very thin and I would have never guessed she once weighed almost 400lbs. I remember being so inspired by her! I remember thinking, “I want to be her, someday I want them to ask me to speak at a seminar!” And I still hope that some day I get that opportunity, but something happened recently that was almost as good. 

I received an email from the Weightloss clinic asking me if they could use me for their transformation Tuesday post on their Facebook page! Every Tuesday they feature a successful patient with a before and after photo. I was so over joyed! It made me feel so accomplished! I mean how wonderful that I have done well enough that they would want to show me off! 

It really made me feel like all my hard work was not only paying off but that perhaps I could inspire others as well. This was truly my proudest moment since starting this journey! I felt that this was an honor and a notable milestone for me! And someday I truly hope to give a speech to a group of people looking to change their lives!

Something I found funny also about this was that the memories function on FB showed me the post I had made one year before, it was my public announcement I posted on Facebook about having surgery. How ironic that I would’ve featured on that exact day!

April Weigh-in & Measurements

This is going to be a big post, I’ve been meaning to update on my measurements and weight loss but sometimes life gets in the way and I just don’t have time to sit down and write like I want to, so here we go!The big news that I hit the 170’s!!!! I weighed 179 on Wednesday, I waited a few days to verify that it was not just a fluke, and sure enough this morning I was still 179!!! I am so excited! This puts me only 4lbs from my goal weight! I really want to hit my goal by June when I got back for my one year follow up! I think I can make it! 

I notice when I get stuck if I change up what I’m eating, even staying In the same carbs and calorie counts it seems to jump start my weight loss. I added strawberries to my diet the last few weeks and I feel like that contributed to my weight loss this month. I could be wrong but I swear little changes really make a difference. 

Below is my measurements, I had some losses and some gains from muscle build. I feel pretty good about this progress! 

Week 2 C25k

I have completed week 2 of the C25k running program! (I completed it Thursday but haven’t had time to post.) I am so incredibly proud of myself! This week was challenging but I did it! I know that starting week 3 will also be a challenge as the program gets progressively harder with longer running time, but I also know I can do this! 

Humana Vitality

Every year I have to take a vitality health assessment on the Humana website to fulfill my living well promise for my health insurance. It is essentially a questionnaire about your health and habits. At the end it tells you what “age” your body is loving in comparison to what your true age is and gives you suggestions on how to improve your lifestyle in order to improve your health. 

Last year my vitality score said I was 45 years old, I was actually 31. It suggested that I lose weight, manage my stress better, improve my blood pressure and blood sugars and sleep more. 

This year my vitality score said I am living like I am 34 years old! I am 32! It had no suggestions for improvement! Amazing! This really made me feel so very happy! Having gastric sleeve and changing my lifestyle has completely turned my health around! 

Because I Believe

Today was week 2 day 2 of C25K running workout! I just finished and I’m sitting in my car outside the gym. 

Since I started this running journey I have only shared the idea with a few people. I have gotten a mixed response from surprised looks with affirmative head nods to out and out laughter. I have not felt that much of anyone supports the idea or thinks I can actually do it. Much like my weight loss journey I have been met with comments like “don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work out” and “why do you want to do this?”. I don’t feel much support, encouragement or over all belief in my abilities from those around me. But I have made a decision, it doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter if no one believes in me or wants me to do this! What matters is I believe in me! I know I can do this! I know that I have the ability and the willpower to accomplish this goal, just like I had the ability and willpower to lose what is now 111lbs! (Only 5lbs to my goal weight!) I can and I will and the rest of the world can sit back and watch me!

Cheer!

I think I have mentioned in previous blogs that I coach a pee wee dance team. This year I was asked to assistant coach the 4th/5th cheer team at the school where I work. Today was our first performance, a pep rally. It went so well! I was really nervous because the other coaches couldn’t be there, I was on my own with 25 cheerleaders! I was able to pull them from class have a impromptu practice and get them ready for and through the performance. They did an awesome job and everything fell right into place. I was so proud of them but I was also proud of me! Before my weight loss, this would have been so difficult for me physically. I would have struggled to keep up with the girls, I would have been out of breath and miserable having to squat down on the sidelines to direct them. Today I did these things with ease, I didn’t get tired, I squatted side line without a second thought. It just amazes me how different my life is, how I can enjoy myself and live like a normal person. A year ago this would have exhausted me, now I’ll finish my day babysitting and run on to bootcamp for an hour before I go home. I only wish I could have changed my life sooner!

No Pain, No Gain…er, Loss?

So yesterday I busted butt at the gym and today my body has paid the price! I’ve felt sore in my muscles, which is good and actually feels good, oddly enough. But I also seemed to have strained or twisted my left foot. It’s been sore when I step a certain way, not bad, just noticeable. The real story is my left knee! Somehow at boot camp I managed to bruise it real good! I assume it happened when we were doing lunges, I have started touching my knee to the ground when I lunge. I was very proud when I got the strength and stability  to do a proper lunge, but somehow I injured myself. I didn’t notice when it happened, it doesn’t hurt and until I took a shower this morning and saw it I didn’t know it had happened. I guess I’m going to have to be more careful in the future! 

Week 1 C25k & Bootcamp

Today I completed day 3 (week 1) of the couch to 5k program! I can not explain how proud of myself I am! I am finding that I really enjoying the running! It’s getting easier, I can breathe better while running in comparison with the first day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a gasping heaving mess but it’s definitely getting better! 

While I was doing the workout there were two of my friends in the gym also working out. When I finished they came over and asked me about what I was doing and I explained my new goal to them. One said, “well you are doing great! You run like a deer! Graceful and quiet, I didn’t even know you were running until I looked over and saw!” I took this as a great compliment! I always imagine myself as uncoordinated and clumsy. It really made me feel like I was doing something right. 

I completed the C25k and did 15mins on the elliptical. Then I ate a snack and waited for it to be time for bootcamp class. I was worried I would feel tired before class but I actually felt energetic and ready to get started. It was a very good routine tonight. I used 4lb weights. I was scared to jump straight from the 2lb to the 5lb like Billi suggested, so I used the 4lb. It was more difficult but I completed the class with them. I had to rest a few times but felt I did pretty good. Funny story; there was a little girl from school there with her mom. At one point during the workout I heard her say, “look at Mrs. Margaret! She is rockin’ it, mom! You should do it like her!” I couldn’t help but laugh! I thanked her and told her to remember that when she sees me all tired tomorrow at school. 🙂 this also made me feel like maybe I’m doing something right. 

So I thought I would include a little before and after. I’m not sure when the before picture was taken, I do know it was sometime last summer just before my surgery. 

   
 

110

Today officially marked 110lbs gone. When I weighed this morning I weighed 181.5! I am so elated!