The Quest To Maintain!
September 28th, 2008
It has been a while since I hit goal so I thought I would check in and share on my never ending quest to maintain my weight. All is good! In fact it is better than good! I am now 15 lbs below goal! I am still losing weight! I now weigh 2 lbs less than I did when I graduated from high school =:-O !!!!!!! I really don’t know why this is. Believe me, I don’t starve myself! This is how a normal work day goes for me. I drink a protein shake and coffee in the morning at home. I take a banana and one of those pre-packed 100 calorie snacks (the Mr. Peanut butter crisps and Mr. Salty chocolate covered pretzels are my favorite) to have as a mid-morning snack at my desk at work. I also sip on water and diet coke all day. For lunch I have a weight watchers smart ones (I only really like two of them; I eat either the ravioli florentine or the fettucini with broccoli and both agree with me very well). I also have a baggie full of red seedless grapes. For dinner I have whatever we plan. We try to plan healthy dinners that have a variety of foods are are not overly fattening. Then for a treat I either have 2 slim a bears ice cream sandwiches (the 100 calorie ones) or two healthy choice fudgecicles (the 80 calorie ones) and that is it. Sometimes I will snack a bit here and there. Sometimes I will opt to take leftovers for lunch rather than the weight watchers smart ones.
On the weekends I pretty much eat the same way except I do allow myself to splurge at church life group or if our church small group meets, we go out for a meal (we don’t do that often; too expensive), or I just plain get the munchies.
So I am not starving myself but the weight still seems to want to be coming off! Believe me, I am NOT complaining! 
I do really try to watch it, I will say. I will give myself that. I am super paranoid about gaining weight back. So maybe I am just really being careful and it is working.
Just to compare, I did save one of my biggest sizes of jeans. I will post the pics of me holding the jeans and actually getting into one leg of the jeans.
I will post in another month or two to let y’all know how it is going! I will say this time and time again; having this surgery was the best decision I ever made in my life. I have zero regrets and would do it 10 times over again.
God Bless everyone!
Goal -3!!!!!!!
June 7th, 2008
I did it! I did it! I did it! And then some! I reached my goal weight this week and lost and additional 3 lbs. I can’t believe I am finally here! It came faster than I thought it would which is fine by me. I am pleased with the extra 3 lbs. as it gives me some wiggle room. Now the question is, how do I stop and maintain? I don’t really know.
I may try to lose a little more. I would be fine with that. Maybe another 2 to 5 lbs. That would put me in my high school weight range. Much more than that and I think I would start looking a bit too bony for my height and bone structure. I am tall and big boned. I will never be ’small’. I am just not built that way. However I can be healthy which is what I am now.
My whole adult life I have dreamed of getting to my goal weight and here I am. Now my next question is: what do I do next? Also, I still think I look fat. I am assured I don’t look fat, but I still see a fat girl in the mirror. I don’t quite know how to change my self image but with the good Lord’s help maybe that will change in time too.
One pound to goal!
June 1st, 2008
It has taken a while but I am now one pound from goal. I just wanted to update to let you all know I have not fallen off the face of the earth! The last pounds are truly the hardest to get off. That is so true! However finally, here I am, 1 lb from goal and so excited. I may see if I can lose a few more pounds beyond goal. I will try anyway. However, just to get to goal will be very exciting. I did this in the midst of my daughters wedding and changing jobs so that is an even bigger feat. I will add a picture of me taken the day of my daughters wedding. I was about two pounds heavier than I am now but not a noticable difference. I will say this; I am working very hard to get to goal. I have to watch everything I put in my mouth. This surgery is not an ‘easy fix’. You still have to work very hard and watch everything you eat. The surgery is a tool. I am still the one doing all the work. Next post and pics will be at goal!
Reflecting At One Year
February 7th, 2008
Yes, it has been one year. February 5th was my 1st ‘birthday’. I had my one year doctor appointment today. 124 lbs lighter and losing 70% of my body fat, I feel proud. The nurse practitioner was very proud of me. I guess I should be too. I am 17 lbs from goal. I did set a reasonable goal, one I know I can maintain and still be healthy.
My iron is a little low so I have to up my iron to two pills a day. Also there was a glitch in my protein (overall longterm). I know when it happened. I had a bad bout of diverticulitis a while back and basically did not eat for several days. My short term (now) protein is fine. The NP said it was showing that at some point in the past few months it dropped. I told her about the diverticulitis and how sick I was and it all made sense.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Do I have any regrets? NONE. Having this surgery changed my life and I have no regrets. Yes, there are rough days here and there and things I can’t have but nothing taste as good aas shopping at Old Navy or easing into those size 14 jeans feel.
One year later my doctors office is very pleased with my results. I am thrilled and blessed to have been able to have the surgery. Here is to getting this last 17 lbs off!
I know it will be hard, but I also know I can do it!
Out With The Old, In With The New!
January 1st, 2008
Awwwwww, a new year. I love New Years. It always brings the hope of a fresh start.
2007 was not a very good year for us. Well for the most part, it was not. The surgery was good, that I will attest. But everything else seemed to have the opposite of the midas touch. It has been one struggle after another and one loss after another. The death of my Dad cut so deep and hurt so badly. Work has been beyond any stress any one person should have to bear. I won’t go on, however, because I do not want to dwell or complain.
2008 will be better. I know it!
The loss of my weight, however, has been wonderful! Here I am one year since the last holiday season and 121 lbs lighter. That is like a whole small person. Yes, I have indulged this holiday season and gained a few lbs. However, that will easily come back off.
One struggle I did have up until a couple days before Christmas, however, that I would not wish on anyone is diverticulitis. It created stomach pain that had me doubled over. I never thought it would subside. When I had it I was losing nearly a pound a day because I barely ate anything. I had no appetite. Finally after 2 rounds of Cipro and a lot or prayer, I feel good again. Praise God.
As for my surgery; would I do it again? YES, in a heartbeat! I have zero regrets about having the surgery. Sure there are foods I will never be able to eat again. I cannot eat the amounts others do. But that is OK! I am fine with that. The weight I have lost is worth it all!
I am about 25-30 lbs from goal. It is so weird. I have been trying to lose weight since age 10 and it will be strange to get to a point where I can stop. I don’t know how to ’shut it off’. I have been so programmed into “I have to lose weight” that when I do make it to goal I feel like I will still be in that mind set.
Here are two pics; a before and after. One is me Christmas of 2006 and the 2nd is me of this Christmas just past 2007. There is 120+ lbs difference. Next pics will be when I get to goal.
Finally!
November 17th, 2007
I finally did it. After weeks of plateau’s and going a little up then a little down, I did it! I am 100 lbs down from my surgery date. That is 109 lbs down from consultation and 116 lbs down from my heaviest ever.
There are a few reasons it took me so long.
1. No exercise. I sprained my ankle very badly several weeks ago and still struggle with pain and swelling from that. I do have a brace I can wear. Now that the weather is getting colder (I am freezing all the time and I have never been like this before), and the days shorter it is harder to find time to fit the walking in. STILL, that is NO excuse. I can clock out at work and walk the building if I need to. Where there is a will there is a way and I need to find it.
2. I am still very depressed over losing my Dad this past summer. I had no idea it would be *this* hard. However, it still has me very depressed and I miss him so much. It just makes everything more difficult.
3. My Hashimoto’s disease decided to swing again and the dosage on my meds had to be changed. Anyone with a thyroid condition knows it goes for the weight first. I will just leave that at that. No further explanation needed.
4. The biggest blame is on myself and my inability to stay out of the candy jar at work. There is no one to blame but me. I know better and though I feel blessed I can have some sugar there are other days I feel cursed and wish it just made me feel unwell. I don’t get it. I get some small pinwheel wraps from Wal Mart, eat only two of them, get an upset stomach…..yet I eat sugar and nothing. It makes no sense to me. This is when I pray to the Lord for strength and resistance. I have been getting better.
I eat well, I just have to watch my snacking. I get so anxious and uptight at work it really is a bad time for me.
So see……….this is not a magic cure all. You have to work the program for it to work for you too and I have learned it all too well.
The next few months are pivotal for me as I will be closing in on my one year and most people lose the majority of their weight in the first year. I think if I can just stay out of the candy jar and start walking I will be fine. My hashi’s seems stabilized right now.
It has been tough. But I did it…….it took a while, but I arrived.
I would like to lose another 35 lbs or so. I am a comfortable size 14 and in reality that is a dream come true for me. I was a size 26-28 when I started.
Here are the pics. My hair is really short now. Long story short: Hair was very dry on the end from the thyroid issue and the surgery after affects. I showed my wonderful hairdresser a pic and he cut it a bit shorter than I wanted. I did not really like it so he came back and layered it. I like it better layered but still think it is too short. I would love some comments because I am getting tons of compliments on it. Hmmmmmmmm……… I look like my mom too with the short hair. That is a good thing though, she is a beautiful woman. She also looks way younger than her years.
So here I am 100 lbs lighter from the 1st picture posted on my blog!
I did it! I did it! My first, I did it!
September 10th, 2007
100 lbs from consultation! Yep 100 lbs and 91 lbs from my surgery date. I just wrote about being at a plateau for several weeks and as of this morning the scale was moving again! I am thrilled! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
One other sidenote on a number I forgot to mention was my bloodpressure. It has been running about 100 over 65. I have actually been cautioned not to let it get much LOWER than what it is! Ha! So another healthy number for me.
Pictures in 9 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plateau’s and Numbers!
September 8th, 2007
First the plateau. Yes, I am at a bad one. The cuplprit? My sprained anke. 
I took a bad sprain to my left ankle several weeks ago. It was actually my foot that was hurting and swollen so I went to see the nurse practitioner. They sent the film to the radiologist because they thought they saw a fracture. YIKES! Turned out to be an old fracture from my car wreck in 1999 ( my legs and feet got all mangled in that, but we won’t think or talk about that ). I felt silly because I did not even know how I sprained it! She said this kind of sprain, the worse kind you can get, is common to get without knowing how you got it. They put a ’lovely’ big splint on it and said I could start walking again in a few weeks but had to take it slow, etc. So, the walking slowed down and so did the weight loss. I am at a standstill, but it will start moving again once I start walking, I am certain and plateau’s are very common anyway.
The BIG, EXCITING news is my numbers from my endocrinologist! I am jazzed.
My cholesterol went from the 260’s to 196! SWEET! My triglyceryde’s went from the 500’s (yes, the 500’s) to 131. I am NO LONGER, yes, now I am saying this, NO LONGER insulin resistant with my endo stating I have “Excellent” sugar control with (read it and weep) a NON FASTING blood sugar of 100 and a A, C blood sugar of 5.3 which is < the 7.0 required. I also have not had any hypoglycemic episodes in months (a tale tale sign of insulin resitance). That is another sign of its disappearance. Since my Dad died from Diabetes, I am so thrilled this. He also struggled for years and was even on medication for high cholesteral.
I think he would be proud. Oh how I wish he was here to know about these numbers. :-( He would be proud, I just know it!
The only number I question is my thyroid number. As a woman with Hashimoto’s disease, it is a never ending roller coaster for my poor thyroid. My endo stated my dosage is now too high and I just don’t know. Hashi’s makes the thyroids hypo and it is hard for me to believe he wants to lower my dosage. I have heard so much from other thyroid patients about how the bloodwork on thyroids are not accurate. It took an uptake test for them to even figure out I was hypo…. my bloods were all on the lower end of normal! So, I am going to drive 30 miles to Lynchburg and get a second opinion from another endocrinologist (a colleage of mine, her daughter goes to this lady). I do not like woman doctors, but endocrinologist around here are hard to find and very slim pickins’. Plus my colleague really likes this lady. I have no signs of being hyper and I cannot see starving my thyroid of needed hormone, making my goiter bigger and my hashi’s worse because of an over sensitive blood test that might have been thrown off simply because of a 90+ weight loss.
Other than that…….. keep me in your prayers as I make my race for 100. I am struggling with this hurt foot and need all the thoughts and prayers I can get!
In The Race for 100!!!!!!
August 11th, 2007
Even though I am in the dog days of losing with just under (yay, UNDER!) 50 lbs to go, the weight seems to be moving steadily.
I nixed my rice cake habit even though I eat a small bite of candy at work here and there from my friends candy jar. I monitor it very carefully. I figure my boss, married to an airline pilot and looking like a model, can steal a bite of chocolate, so can I!!!! I figure, ‘eat like a skinny person would’. A skinny person would have one or two hersey’s kisses and the old Kelli would have had a handfull of candy then went to the vending machine for more. Not the new Kelli!
I am now at 89 lbs since surgery date and 97 lbs from my consultation weight! I am getting to 100! I am also closing in like a nighthawk on my 5 ft 4 in Irish husband. Mwhahahaha! I can honestly say, I don’t out weigh him by much now. Add the 4 or so inches (depends on who measures me whether I am 5 ft 8 or 5 ft 9 in.) and our BMI’s are IDENTICAL now. Actually since I have lost more, mine is probably a tad bit lower than his and he is NOT in any way, shape or form fat. Stocky, yes, fat, NO!
But why do I still see the size 26-28 girl when I am now a very comfortable 14-16? That is what I see in the mirror. Why? The clothing says different. I can even wear my husbands t shirts and even repossesed one from my youngest daughter that she never wore (Old Navy size large). Why do I still see the big girl.
My nick name at work is ’skinny’ (no, far from skinny but it is all relative). I still see the big girl. Hmmm????
So I am on my way. Aw and a new happiness for me…. we used to buy these Asian salad packages. They were lettuce with snow peas and a few dried cherries and won ton strips. With the sesame orange dressing 8 grams of sugar and 10 gr of fat (note on South Beach they prefer you use regular dressing and I am not getting much other fat during the day). I tolerated it fine, so we are back in business for our Asian Salads! :-) (Happy dance!)
Pictures in 12 lbs and counting!
What I eat in a typical day…….
July 30th, 2007
I realized in all these posts I have not put much about what I actually eat. While losing weight and buying cute little outfits is exciting, I want to help others who are on this journey so I thought I would add a post about what I eat on a typical day.
The one thing I want to stress is PROTEIN. In the early days you will hear PROTEIN, PROTEIN and PROTEIN. I cannot stress it enough. It has gotten me through the worse of my ‘hair loss’ with minimal effects. It will keep you as least tired as possible (although I am warning you, you will be tired for a few months: your body has been re-wired and you are living on 700-800 calories a day!). And it will keep your muscles strong. We are supposed to get at least 60 grams a day. SO, in order to assure that I do this I start each day with an Amplify vanilla smoothie protein shake. I get the mix at GNC. With my discount card it is $32 for a month supply. Well worth the keeping of as much of my hair and as much of my muscle as possible as well as retaining energy.
My drive into work each day is about 45-50 minutes so I get my coffee ready and my shake and drink them in tandem. Mmmmmm both are good. I am warning you, however, I have tried other shakes. Amplify is the only one I like.
After settling into work, I eat a fruit (usually a banana) and about 2-3 times a week add a boiled egg (more protein) to that. I also drink my minute maid fruit juice drinks (20 cals) and waters in between. Water/ liquids are also very important for keeping hydrated and promoting weight loss. On days I don’t have an egg, I may have a 4 pack of peanut butter crackers if I am hungry enough.
Lunch is either left over dinner, a lean cuisine, 1/2 can of healthy choice vegetable soup, homemade chile (my recipe; bariatric friendly), PBJ on 35 calorie toasted bread with baked chips or carrots and dip and I always have fruit with lunch.
During the afternoon I may snack on another fruit or something small. I did snack on rice cakes, but they became a RED LITE food with me. I just ate and ate the caramel and chocolate ones and was worried I would have an issue with them so quit buying them.
I have gotten into a TERRIBLE habit of chewing gum. I am NOT supposed to in case I swallow it. They have to do a surgical procedure to remove it (there is not very many calories in the sugar free/ the calories are not the issue). I need to stop that.
I don’t smoke; never have and never will. I think it is disugusting, so I guess the gum keeps my choppers busy. I am usually on edge at work and it helps with anxiety.
At night we have normal dinners now. The only thing I rarely to never partake in is pasta and rice. If those are being served I skip them and substitute or go without. We just eat healthy; grilled chicken, kabobs, lean pork chops, casseroles from South Beach and other diet cookbooks. We eat lots of lean meats and vegies. And then at night, my one treat *insert angelic music*….. my bunny bar. This is a 70 calorie, sugar free, 50/50 piece of heaven. Rasberry and orange both with vanilla on a stick. No sugar and no fat. And at 70 cals I can tolerate and incorporate just fine. It is my nightly treat.
If I get hungry in between, I sometimes munch on crackers, baked chips, carrots, fruit and other things mentioned above. However, I try to drink a lot of water to keep myself ‘full’.
OH, and YES, I do EXERCISE. I walk 3-4 times a week and do some resistance training. While I should do a bit more, bear with me, I am getting there!
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