JUST FINISHED

I just finished my daily workout. Today I focused on my upper body. My arms are getting so much stronger. I love how working out makes me feel - afterwards. :-) I still have lots of loose skin I want to loose. Especially under my arms and in my belly area. But overall, I'm feeling great and healthy! :-)

PLATEAUS, EXERCISE, PHOTOS and BLOG

PLATEAU:
I really only have 15 more pounds to loose but have reached a plateau. I guess that is "normal." I have stayed between 175 and 174 for the past 4 weeks. I am eating a BIT more and I'm exercising consistantly too. Maybe I'll have to go back to beginning surgery eating to loose this last 15 pounds...?!
EXERCISE:
I have been consistantly working out Monday through Friday for two months now. I feel stronger. I look forward to my workouts. And I've never felt healthier. :-) It's not been easy. There are days when I want to scream and yell at my "coach." My friend, Amy, keeps me motivated to work out. We work out together using the Wii Personal Trainer. It's amazing, but we really like (and sometimes hate :-) ) the animated coach, Mia. I recommend this program to everyone. It's not like working out with a video because the workouts are varied. She also pays attention to progress, etc.
PHOTOS:
I have received some feedback that I need to post another photo of myself. Let me be honest, I still feel like a large person (emotionally) and so it is sometimes hard to put me in front of the camera. My friends tell me I look great but it's hard to wrap my brain around the concept of a skinny and healthy me. I haven't gotten a photo recently... but I will try to take one this weekend and post it soon!
BLOG:
Sorry that this blog has not been kept up like I like. I really do want to focus more on it.... I will strive to be better!

BUFFETS

Today my good friend, Amy, and I were discussing buffets. She confided to me that she didn't really like buffets much any more. She felt that there was too much food and you always felt like you had to "eat your money's worth." I have felt the same things in the past. But my thoughts about buffets have changed. I actually still enjoy eating out at a buffet once in awhile. But "eating my money's worth" means something different to me than it did pre-surgery. Before surgery "eating my money's worth" meant eating as much food as possible (to the point of being sick.) Now it means getting to TRY a taste of lots of different things. I definitely don't eat a LOT of food when I go to a buffet, but I tell myself that the "money's worth" is the tastes of many different kinds of things. It has helped me when I have had the chance to eat out. Maybe this small change of thought can help others too when they have to navigate the many tables of food at a smorgasbord.
By the way, I have only been to two buffets since my surgery, but I ate appropriately and didn't get sick. :-)

NOT SINGING THE BLUES

I'm not singing the blues for fudge this year. That may sound odd.... Let me explain:

My husband asked me to make fudge for the people he works with for Christmas. I've always dreaded making fudge because standing at the stove stirring for over 20 minutes always hurt my back terribly and my feet would ache too. But because I love my husband, I agreed to make 6 batches of fudge for his co-workers.

Fast forward two hours later. My back does NOT hurt! My feet are fine! And all the fudge is made! :-) I know it's because I lost the weight! Yahoo!

And, one more bonus: I'm not even tempted to taste my fudge. It doesn't sound good to me. I really don't eat chocolate much any more. Occasionally (like ever 3 weeks or so), I'll have one bite of something chocolate, but usually that is MORE than enough.

Life is SWEET! without eating chocolate! :-)

EMOTIONAL THANKSGIVING

I didn't realize how difficult Thanksgiving would be. Yes, I ate less. But I still got sick. I took one or two bites of each "dish." Which proved to be too much for my stomach. I think Thanksgiving has been the most challenging event since my surgery emotionally....

Being sick was not the difficult part. The difficult part was the emotions I had to deal with... the meal which dealt with traditions and "feel good" food. I was upset that I spent most of the evening throwing up. But I was more upset that emotionally I felt I was being "left behind" of our traditions. I did try to have less food than in the past. I prepared dishes that were healthier for my family. But I guess I wasn't prepared for the emotions I would experience this holiday.

I recognize that traditions based on food are NOT what we should focus on (so no need to leave another comment, L) but my husband loves the traditions that have been in his and my own families growing up for many, many years. Changing traditions is not easy. And I love my husband. If having a traditional Thanksgiving makes him happy, then it's a small price to pay for myself. It was just hard.

I'm already trying to change some "traditions" for Christmas. It's not easy. Scott still wants his traditional Christmas Eve dinner. I'm trying to convice him to change. I think going out to eat on Christmas Eve would be easier for me so that I can order appropriately and not focus on the food but the time together somewhere else. (Yes, it's going to a restauraunt but for some reason that is less challenging for me than a huge meal at home, and we do still HAVE to eat.) Emotionally this holiday season and the traditional meals are downright challenging.

for the "Anonymous" comment under "HAMBURGER"

I think it's pretty spineless to leave comments under the name Anonymous that are hurtful and rude. With that said, I also want to "defend" my decision on how I reward my kids. (Although I really shouldn't have to and the posting wasn't about rewarding my kids with food.) My husband and I did NOT reward our daughters with food. We felt we were rewarding them with an experience. We don't eat out often at all. So going OUT to eat was the reward, not the hamburger. We could have done that at home (for a lot cheaper).... We were rewarding our children with our time and a chance to eat somewhere else. Dinner had to be eaten. And the girls deserved a token of our appreciation for their good grades. Since we can't afford to pay our children for their grades... we thought we could possibly reward them with an experience. So please, whoever you are, do not post under Anonymous again. And do not judge others. We didn't do what you thought....

STRIPES!

For 10 years I have avoided purchasing clothing with verticle stripes. I had heard (and frankly this is a true statement) that stripes make you look larger than you are! Last week, I changed my tune. I didn't have any sweaters (due to the fact that I've lived in Arizona or Nevada for the past 10 years) and I was freezing (due to the fact that Kentucky is colder). So I bought myself a sweater on sale. It had stripes, but I liked it! :-)

HAMBURGER

Both Kiara and Katia got straight A's on their report cards. We celebrated by eating out tonight. I ordered a kids meal at Back Yard Burger. And I only ate 1/2 of my hamburger... But it was delicious... soooo tasty! I sorta wished I could have eaten more. But at the same time, I'm glad my stomach won't allow me to eat more. Does that make sense?!

HALLOWEEN SMILES AND FUN

Our family tradition is to dress up the same every year for Halloween. It has been difficult for me (and more expensive) because I've always had to order plus size costumes. This year I fit into a "normal" one-size-fits-most costume! :-) Talk about exciting! And I think I looked good too!

NEW PICTURE....

Mom has been begging for a new picture of me... so here it is! :-) We went to the zoo and I had to pose with one of my favorite princesses. Belle is my favorite. Snow White is my second favorite.
Anyways, I'm now at 193 lbs! :-) I feel great. Although I'm still struggling with keeping my medications/vitamins/minerals down....