I Love You Guys

How is it that I am now addicted to reading blogs all day and all night long? I long to see the udpates on the dashboard. I am checking from each computer I encounter- my BlackBerry, my laptop at night, my PC at work. I am hooked. I am like a voyeur. A stalker?

It's hard not to get excited to see updates, pictures, food logs, weight loss tickers. I love them, and I love all of you. I love your progress. I love the hope you inspire in me. I love how I feel when I see someone who is my height, around my start weight, and lose almost 100 lbs in a year! I love when I learn that that person now takes a size 12! Yay for you! Yay for me! That could/will be me in a year!

I know everyone's experiences are different, and that results reported in blogs are not necessarily typical, and that objects appear closer than they are in mirrors,but seriously, if they (or you) did it, couldn't I? Well, couldn't I?

Three days til liquids.

Closer and Closer

So, I continue to be motivated by fellow bloggers, and continue to slog through the days before my liquid diet. I am not dieting, but trying to stay motivated not to gain weight while saying goodbye to some old faves.

I had my birthday dinner on Saturday night with my hubby. Very nice, excellent food. We did the tasting menu with wine pairing. Very sophisticated, and delicious. It was a great experience- more than eating, but experiencing the food, the tastes, the way they combined with the wine. Very cool. My farewell to food continued yesterday with my birthday cake- chocolate cake with fluff icing. Mom made it. Very nice- made two wishes, one when I blew out the candles, and one when I sliced the cake- wanna guess what they were? My two year old was adorable, it was all "Happy Birthday Mommy!" all weekend, and even today when she woke up. I love her so much. I want to be here for her, to love her, and take care of her, and see her go to school, and spend as much time with her as possible.

For lunch, at work today, I had chicken on a pita, NYC style. It's grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, tzatziki sauce, on a pita. Yum. I feel really full- not busting, but really full. I will never be able to eat that whole thing again without PBing. I feel like puking now, just thinking about it. Thinking about how I probably didn't need to eat the whole thing now, maybe I would have been fine with half, or just the chicken, without the pita? It's more eating from habit than anything else. I am looking forward to new habits- healthy habits!

I will miss Captain Morgan and Pepsi, though.

Pick a Color

Where else but NYC can you get a gel pedicure, manicure, and neck/shoiulder massage for $31?

I work for a Jewish company, which means I get the high holidays off, and today is Rosh Hashana, Happy New Year!

My mom is watching my daughter and I am having a pre-birthday ME day! Yay!

Next, I am getting cut/color, and then a quick trip to the bookstore, or maybe fashion bug to get my last pair of size 24 work pants. I have been wearing my last two pairs of black fat pants for months.

I continue to be psyched up for the surgery, and even the liquid diet I start next Friday. My goal is to be 25 lbs lighter by Halloween- subject to downward revision if I lose 20 lbs on liquids, which I have in my head as possible, but am. Being too ambitious? I believe in stretch goals... Thoughts?

Xoxox
A

It's Not Monday!

So, I was inspired by Jen's post this evening. When she talked about where she is now- NOT hating how she looks, NOT stressing out about what to wear on an outing, and feeling great- that's what I want. Health benefits aside, and maybe it sounds vain, but I can't wait to feel good about what I look like. I can't wait to put something on in the morning, without changing my clothes six times. I can't wait until the person I am on the inside matches what I look like on the outside.



As always, the vets inspire me. If it's not Jen, it's Catherine, or Amy, or Drazil, or Joey, or Maria, or any one of the other many, many bloggers that I read and follow. What a powerful community we have at our fingertips! I am just getting started, and getting so excited to join the ranks of the successful. It's so heartwarming to read your stories and learn about how real women like me share the same struggles, and with this tool, this little band, are able to have what they need to stick to a healthy lifestyle and be happy.

Thanks!

Labor Day Weak-End

Well, it's the end of Labor Day weekend folks. We had beautiful weather here in NJ- perfect, sunny, breezy, and just perfect for entertaining outdoors. We had friends over yesterday for a Jam-becue- barbecue and live music! My hubby, brother in law, our friends Gary and Elyce all played music and sang, and we had a great time. I took a break from singing, as I was hosting, and watching my 2 year old daughter with my sissy who also has 2 year old twin girls. It was a lot of fun.

I overdid it a bit, food wise. I think I am in the "last meal" phase- not good. We had snacks, sangria, dungeness crabs, grilled lamb chops, fresh corn, couscous, and burgers and dogs. I didn't eat much food- some crab and a hot dog, but I did have quite a bit of my delicious citrus sangria, and quite a bit of crab dip with pita chips. I must say that I cannot wait for my pre-band liquid diet to start- I may start it a few days early of the two week requirement. My birthday is next weekend, and the hubby and I are going to a special restaurant to celebrate. Then it's cake with my family the next day, and then I am going to either start the liquids, or be really good for the few days before I start liquids.

I am so excited that this time next year I will be much smaller! I can't wait to begin to wear what's in my closet that I have gotten too big for- I probably have work clothes from size 14- size 24, which could be depressing, but some of them have been with me for about ten years or so- too good to throw out classic Jones New York suits and dresses and stuff. Most of my wardrobe is in the 18-20 range, which I am looking forward to wearing again around Christmas time. I have put together a goal sheet for myself, averaging from 8-10 lbs per month. I hope to get a good jump on the weight loss with the liquid diet, as well, so I think 40lbs by Christmas sounds reasonable.

With the weather getting cooler, I am looking forward to getting my bike out again, and begin exploring our new neighborhood. (We moved in November)- I have been doing all of my exploring by car, but now it's time to start breaking out the walking shoes and bike. We got a seat for the back of my husband's bike for my daughter, so there are no excuses now! Should be fun.

I always feel like September is the beginning of the year- between my birthday, and all those years of school, so here's to a new year, a new me, and lots of accomplishments!

(Thank you to my eleven followers for believing that what I say is worth reading. I get a thrill every time the number inches up!)
oxox
A

Pre-Weekend Fun Stuff

So, had my blood work today. Getting pretty psyched about the big day coming up in the next few weeks- 10/1 is the big day! I am hoping my thyroid levels are getting to where they need to be, since my MD said that it could be an issue if they are not. Does anyone out there have hypothyroidism managed with medication and a lap band?

Starting to think about food post band, and what I will miss. I had pizza for lunch, and realized I probably won't be eating much pizza. My first reaction is who cares, I have eaten enough pizza to last a lifetime as it is, I won't miss it. Ice cream, however, well, let's not go there just now. I need to ride the will power wave and not think bad thoughts.

I am thinking of getting a scale for my birthday- next Friday- maybe a boring gift, but I am thinking of it as a friend, someone who even when I dread greeting them, I am left with some insight.

Thank you new followers! I am focusing on writing each day at this point, and getting something real down. I get funnier.

Different Scale, Different Tale

So...I had occasion to see my regular doctor- a Physician's Assistant, actually, regarding some follow ups and because I have been feeling blah. The medical assistant knows better than to ask to weigh me, so it didn't come up as she was checking my vitals, but once she left the room, and I was alone with my nemesis, the scale, I decided to take a peek.

Now mind you that I had been to my surgeon, Dr. Ren's office on 8/4 for my surgical consultation and scheduling meeting.

Is it possible that I GAINED ELEVEN POUNDS in three weeks? Really???!!!!

Well, at any rate, the number was horrific. Have you ever had that experience where you set the scale manually to the last number you saw, and then have to keep pushing the pound indicators up, up, up, up, up...well, you get the idea, it was ELEVEN ups!!!!!

The PA came in, I had zero'd the scale out, and we discussed my health, my decision to get surgery (she's happy for me), and my latest blood work. No fatty liver disease (this seems to be a hot one lately, along with Vitamin D deficiency), my cholesterol is good. She took my blood pressure 120/70 in one arm, and 130/90 in the other. Weird.

So far this seems like the most boring story ever told. Sorry!

To make matters even stranger, I later dropped my prescriptions off at the window at CVS, ran a couple of errands with my daughter, then drove back to pick them up. The guy at the window doesn't ask me my name, just thrusts a prescription bag at me. I say, "wow, I guess I am pretty memorable, huh...you don't even need to ask me my name, I'm flattered!"... he gave me a furtive, speculative look, "heh.., that will be $45. " I said, "hmm...for synthroid and eye drops?" He said, "heh...Seroquel?" I said, "no, not me". He looked panicked and went back inside the window, I googled seroquel on my blackberry, and low and behold, it's an anti-psychotic. Anti-psychotic???

Hmmm...