1 year later

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Thursday will be my 1 year anniversary since surgery. Prior to surgery, I set some goals:
1) get off my bp meds 2) get off my cpap machine 3) exercise regularly 4) lose 100 lbs. which would be all of my excess weight.
So, 1 year later:
1) OFF the bp meds 2) I can go without my cpap, but I'm so used to it that I find I have a hard time sleeping without it. It's become a security blanket. So, I continue to use it for now even though I don't actually need it. 3) I was exercising regularly until I went back to my part-time job two months ago 4) I've lost 77 lbs now--my lowest was 79 lbs but I'm up 2 since then.
What I know 1 year later:
1. I need to find a way to work my full time & part time jobs and still get in exercise. I have to accept that even though I am really tired on my days off of the p-t job and have so many other things to do, I have to take the time to first exercise for my body and health. I cannot let that slide anymore.
2. I have not lost the weight I had envisioned. Most of that is on me. The last 2-3 mos I have not eaten as well as I should and have let carbs start to slip back in more than they should. I have not exercised the way I should be. BUT, I also recognize that the goal weight I picked was just a number, and I only picked it because it was a big goal and a round number. There was no medical significance to it. If I lose just 5 more lbs I would be in the normal BMI range and maybe that would be a more significant number. Plus, despite not eating as well as I should or exercising, I have basically maintained my weight for the last 2 mos. So, I choose to view this as a success instead of a failure to meet the goal.
3. Eating in a healthy way is still not second-nature to me. I don't think it will ever be. I gravitate to sweets and carbs. I know that when I eat sweets I do not feel good- and yet I still want them. I still think bad carbs are heaven. Maybe my head hunger will always be with me and I will fight it forever. So, I will continue to log my food and keep track of what is going in my mouth. I would love to get to the point where I didn't have to track my food, but if that is what it takes for me to be healthy it isn't really such a sacrifice.

Going into year 2:
1) Lose that last 5 lbs (and maybe shoot for 10)
2) Exercise regularly
3) Less sugar/carbs
4) Enjoy the improved life that I have as a result of my 1st year post-surgery.

Replies

  • Thaeda
    Thaeda Posts: 834 Member
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    Going into year 2:
    1) Lose that last 5 lbs (and maybe shoot for 10)
    2) Exercise regularly
    3) Less sugar/carbs
    4) Enjoy the improved life that I have as a result of my 1st year post-surgery.

    I think you have had GREAT results!! Well done! Your goals for the next year sound reasonable and doable. I love your attitude about your first goal weight being "just a number"--I might need to borrow that attitude the next time I am fussing at myself for being a little bit over my lowest weight--sometimes I give too much importance to the number and fail to emphasize how drastically my body and my life have changed over the past 2 years. I also hear you about how easy it is to go back to old habits--- I always said a "lifestyle change" never worked for me because the changes i made when I was dieting felt like they were someone else's lifestyle-- not mine. This time around, looking back i can se i have made a lot of long term changes for the better that are now truly a part of how I live. I still have foods i like that my body does not (like anything with sugar) and I still have times when I choose to eat those things, but overall my "eating lifestyle" is totally different than it used to be. I invite you to really take a look at how much your eating patterns have changed this past year-- I bet you could be giving yourself a lot more credit. :) Keep up the great work and happy surgiversary!!
  • loriloftness
    loriloftness Posts: 476 Member
    edited November 2015
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    [quote"Thaeda;34616112 Keep up the great work and happy surgiversary!![/quote]

    Thanks Thaeda! I should have added another goal: Watch for Thaeda's book to come out and recommend it to everyone. You are an inspiration to me and your words have helped to ground and center me during this past year when I have really needed it.
  • Thaeda
    Thaeda Posts: 834 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Thanks Thaeda! I should have added another goal: Watch for Thaeda's book to come out and recommend it to everyone. You are an inspiration to me and your words have helped to ground and center me during this past year when I have really needed it.

    Well IDK about the book, but thanks! Be blessed. :)
  • lenac87
    lenac87 Posts: 383 Member
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    It sounds like you have had an amazing journey so far! Way to go on reaching most of your goals! It sounds like you have a really solid plan for year two. Awesome job!
  • GalgoMomAnita
    GalgoMomAnita Posts: 84 Member
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    Sounds like a great 'year one' to me, and the fact that you have so much insight into your status shows that you will always be successful. Congratulations on doing such a great job!!
  • JreedyJanelle
    JreedyJanelle Posts: 645 Member
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    Congrats! You have done well!
  • Mwrarr
    Mwrarr Posts: 27 Member
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    Congrats! You've done a fantastic job. :)
  • pawoodhull
    pawoodhull Posts: 1,759 Member
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    Awesome year my friend!
  • momsnewride
    momsnewride Posts: 21 Member
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    Oh my goodness I could have that exact same post. Well maybe not as motivated but its day 1 of getting back to exercising. I didnt meet my 100 lbs lost goal either and have let poor hsbits come back in. Thank you for your inspiration this morning. We can do this! It's a new year!!
  • janet0513
    janet0513 Posts: 564 Member
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    You have done well. Life sometimes gets in the way but what makes us successful is adapting. I know you will figure it out and hit that goal again. I agree, weight is just a number. I think when we throw a goal out there, we don't really know what that looks like. Eat healthy, live health and the rest falls into place. Have you considered re-vamping your diet? I am not an advocate of low carb diets. I find that eating carbs (good ones, not junk) gives me the energy I need to power through my day and my workouts. Yes there is a little bit of a gain at first but it is just fluid that the carbs hold on to. Great job and I know year 2 will be a success as well.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    A Low Carb diet is considered to be 150gm ,or less, carbs per day. I logged a typical day, post sleeve, just to see what I was eating and I totalled just over 400gm a day! Until I changed what I put in my mouth (avoiding bread, grains, processed junk, candy....) I wasn't going to be healthy. Now that I've been LCHF for nine months I am healthier than I've ever been and I've lost more weight than I did with the sleeve!

    Carbs are addicting. They make you want more, and more, the more you eat them. I hope you find the balance you need to achieve the health you desire! Oh, and the less you eat of the carbs, the less hangry you feel!