Long time no post...
NicoleL874
Posts: 675 Member
Hey everyone! Checking in! Needing to find ways to hold myself accountable and all of you helped for the first two years of my journey...so, after a year, I'm back!
To recap:
I'm Nicole! I had VSG 10/15/15. Starting weight was 307. I lost down to 142lbs by July of 2016. I was too thin. But, I maintained that for about a year. In July of 2017, I was up to 155 lbs and comfortable. I went to Mexico and had a ton of skin removed (13 lbs). I ended up with MRSA and had a really rough recovery.
Through all this, there were my dating adventures! I used to post regularly about my dates...specifically, one guy "Food and Fun". Well, on Sept 22, 2017, I had my first date with Paul. It moved pretty quickly, he moved in after 5 weeks. We're still together and it's going great.
Food and Fun ruined even the chance of a friendship by proving himself to be a world-class DB.
Paul used to be overweight, as a young adult. He's got the skin, only way I believe him. Now, he eats whatever he wants (within reason) and doesn't gain. So, having him move in and grazing all evening, I started joining him. He started making dinner and making our plates, so my portions slowly grew. I started picking at foods I know I shouldn't be eating. I started buying "him" cake and just having a "bite".
In December of last year, my mother was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. It's basically Parkinson's and Alzheimer's all in one evil disease. There's been grieving, and emotional eating tied to that. She had major back surgery in the Spring and lost all her marbles from an infection mixed with opioids. We didn't know if she'd ever really come back to us...she finally did. There's been a lot of ups and downs, and all gave me excuses to eat.
NOW. I reached my high, and don't even know where it was. On Saturday, November 10, I decided enough was enough and started Intermittent Fasting. I eat between 10:30am and 6:30pm. The idea is burning through the body's glycogen stores to then burn pure fat for as long as possible. This has seriously curbed my calorie intake, with a tiny tummy it's hard to eat a lot of healthy foods in those eight hours. On Tuesday, November 13, I was brave enough to hop on the scale. 167.7, not as bad as I thought. Today, November 20, I am down to 163.4. My happy place is going to be 145 - 155. So, I don't have quite 10 lbs to lose, minmally.
Through everything, I've stayed active. This summer we kayaked all weekend, averaging 6 miles a day. Plus, we swam everyday, I was swimming up to a mile at a time. But, I stopped lifting. I'm softer, I don't feel as fit. So now, I'm back to weights. I'm slowly working my plan to full body workouts 3 days a week with 2 swimming day and 2 optional/rest days. Paul, ironically, is a member at the same gym, so we go together whenever we can. He always swims, so it's nice when we have to share a lane...
That's it! Getting my crap together! Coming here to post as I can...still, days are easiest for me while I'm at work in front of a computer. I look forward to getting to know/reconnect with you guys!
Nicole
To recap:
I'm Nicole! I had VSG 10/15/15. Starting weight was 307. I lost down to 142lbs by July of 2016. I was too thin. But, I maintained that for about a year. In July of 2017, I was up to 155 lbs and comfortable. I went to Mexico and had a ton of skin removed (13 lbs). I ended up with MRSA and had a really rough recovery.
Through all this, there were my dating adventures! I used to post regularly about my dates...specifically, one guy "Food and Fun". Well, on Sept 22, 2017, I had my first date with Paul. It moved pretty quickly, he moved in after 5 weeks. We're still together and it's going great.
Food and Fun ruined even the chance of a friendship by proving himself to be a world-class DB.
Paul used to be overweight, as a young adult. He's got the skin, only way I believe him. Now, he eats whatever he wants (within reason) and doesn't gain. So, having him move in and grazing all evening, I started joining him. He started making dinner and making our plates, so my portions slowly grew. I started picking at foods I know I shouldn't be eating. I started buying "him" cake and just having a "bite".
In December of last year, my mother was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. It's basically Parkinson's and Alzheimer's all in one evil disease. There's been grieving, and emotional eating tied to that. She had major back surgery in the Spring and lost all her marbles from an infection mixed with opioids. We didn't know if she'd ever really come back to us...she finally did. There's been a lot of ups and downs, and all gave me excuses to eat.
NOW. I reached my high, and don't even know where it was. On Saturday, November 10, I decided enough was enough and started Intermittent Fasting. I eat between 10:30am and 6:30pm. The idea is burning through the body's glycogen stores to then burn pure fat for as long as possible. This has seriously curbed my calorie intake, with a tiny tummy it's hard to eat a lot of healthy foods in those eight hours. On Tuesday, November 13, I was brave enough to hop on the scale. 167.7, not as bad as I thought. Today, November 20, I am down to 163.4. My happy place is going to be 145 - 155. So, I don't have quite 10 lbs to lose, minmally.
Through everything, I've stayed active. This summer we kayaked all weekend, averaging 6 miles a day. Plus, we swam everyday, I was swimming up to a mile at a time. But, I stopped lifting. I'm softer, I don't feel as fit. So now, I'm back to weights. I'm slowly working my plan to full body workouts 3 days a week with 2 swimming day and 2 optional/rest days. Paul, ironically, is a member at the same gym, so we go together whenever we can. He always swims, so it's nice when we have to share a lane...
That's it! Getting my crap together! Coming here to post as I can...still, days are easiest for me while I'm at work in front of a computer. I look forward to getting to know/reconnect with you guys!
Nicole
5
Replies
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Wow what a journey so far!!! Keep at it1
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@NicoleL874 So sorry to hear about your mom. That really stinks. Happy to hear that she did come back after surgery.
I'm 18 months out now, and trying to maintain. so freaking hard!!!! I was at 142, and am up to 146, no its not a lot. But I'm so scared that it'll continue to come on. So I am back to the gym more often, going to get my at least 4 days of working out in. I do one day of Kareoboxing, and one day of TRX, so 2 days at the gym, strength and cardio.
I'm not sure if I could handle IF, I get so darn hangry!!! I know for me, I just need to back off the crap, the slider foods. and refocus on the lean protein and veggies!0 -
@Samquentin the IF is really helping me focus. The first few days were rough. After that, I've been fine. This week, I haven't thought about food. The first few days I was constantly wondering when I could eat in the morning.
I've dropped another .2 lbs overnight. I know a lot of this is from drinking more water, and cutting the crap back out, but I'll take it. My curves are starting to show again, and I like it. lol
I just want to get past Thanksgiving, do my reset, and try to focus and gain control over mindful eating. My issue has been eating to eat, not because I need food. People think it's fantastic that I don't feel hunger since surgery. It sucks, I have to actually sit and think if I'm hungry, or thirsty, or bored, or angry, or whatnot. I don't have the physical alarm that I need food. It causes me to seriously UNDEReat, or OVEReat, the moderation is where I need to be...1 -
Nicole, you're doing great considering all that life has given you. I'm 3+ years post-op and have gained 9 pounds. In the past 4 months my brother took his own life, my daughter's apartment burned, and both of my dogs got sick. I ate and sat on my *kitten* when I should have exercised off my stress.
I'm working on getting back to where I was. I'm reading The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung. Post surgery I did intermittent fasting 3 days a week and it really worked, since that time there have been lots of studies that show it's good for the body.
My surgery anniversary is coming up in in a couple of months. I need to drop 9 pounds so I'm at the same weight when I check in with the doctor's office. Although holidays are coming I have determination on my side. I started the day after Thanksgiving with controlling my portions. I'm starting my intermittent fast as soon as I get home next week.
You can get back to your preferred weight and I you're on the right track.4 -
Hi! I haven’t been in groups for a long time either! I have maintained my news feed, and some friends there, but that’s it, for the past couple of years myself. I’ve been taking care of my parents during their times of illness (mothers immobility after broken hip and then the other femur from trying to support her weight, and then infections, then this year the plate and rod separated in the one leg and got infected again) and I’m just getting them back to being a bit more independent. So, I have a bit of free time and get to be me again!
I’ve been able to maintain my weight through it all, thankfully!! I believe that using the keto way of eating has been my saving grace. Otherwise I would have been packing the pounds back on with stress eating through all of this. Especially the hospital sitting part (72 days just this year)!
So, it’s great to be here with you all. I want to be as supportive as possible and in turn receive the inspiration I need too! Have a wonderful Sunday!! Sending big hugs to each of you!!2
