7 Months Already

I can't believe it is already 7 months out from this amazing life changer.  I am so sorry it has gone so quick and I haven't posted for my couple of followers :).

Here is a snapshot of my progress at six months. It has been one heck of a journey and it not over yet.

The Food

Well the food is easy.  I try and restrict my carbs as much as possible, this is not always the way my day turns out but I have some easy go to foods to get me through the day.

I can now eat a small Mandarin, half and apple, a small banana or about three strawberry's as far as snack fruit goes.  I have an egg, small amount of porridge (my carb fix) or fruit for breakfast. Unfortunately something has happened were I have lost my tolerance to yogurt, I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else so I think this is my own intolerance. It makes me run for the ladies, I was stubborn and tried a few times before I linked the two.  Sad, I loved my yogurt.

I can eat anything so this is were the will power has to come in.  Biscuits are just the right size for a snack so NO NO.  I try and have nuts in my draw at work and only allow myself small serves.  I could never guts on nuts anyway.

The Exercise

I have started Konga which is a class like dancing with boxing moves.  I certainly can feel my muscles start to recondition.  I am still walking the dogs. I haven't been to the Gym for a while the opportunity's have lessened since I started my new job in the city however I am starting one evening a week of training at Roller Derby in two weeks.

I am already keen to be more involved in physical activities and have played squash, been on longer walks, riding around my scooter, walking in the city to work with no issue as well as Kong.

Hair Loss

The hair loss was quite bad for a while.  I could not tie a hair lacky twice around a pig tail before now I can get it around four times.  It is very thin however it has stopped falling out as bad now.  It is sort of growing again at a slow rate and the shine is beginning to come back.

The progress

Over all I have lost 41kg starting at 127kg.  I still have 19kg to go.  My weight loss has slowed to about 1.5 kg for the last month.  I am not letting this worry me as I am moving more I feel this will improve.  I expect my muscles are rebuilding as I was so week at about month five and then I started to move and exercise.

I am wearing a 16 and the odd 14. My goal is that by Christmas I will be a solid 14. I will be wow happy about that.

The Self 

This has been the best thing I have done for myself.  I feel so much better, the only thing that concerns me is the wrinkles on my face. I expect they were in hiding and have come out to play.

3 months - and counting

 3 Months from Surgery

My Stats are 20 Kg lost since surgery 27 Kg lost in Total. I am five foot tall and apparently shrinking.

I am now 100 Kg and just dying to tip the scales to double digits.  99 never looked so good. Below are two photos of me, the left one at 127 Kilos and the right one at 100 Kg.  I squeezed into a 16 Jean but I think it will be a couple of weeks or more before I can say I am a size 16.
My confidence has grown ten fold, my movement has increased twenty times.

I am going to bali again in 5 weeks and hope that I feel a lot better than in the above picture.  I remember feeling sluggish, self conscious, embarrassed, huge and unattractive.  These are things I will not allow on my journey forward.  Any one who is on a similar journey should remember to take what you need forward and discard the rest, it will only weigh us down.

"remember to take what 

you need forward and discard the rest"

My diet is so much better than I can remember.  The mornings are a bit awkward as I toss up weather to have my morning cup of tea or breakfast before zooming off to work, it doesn't really matter, I just have the cup of tea or the breakfast at work. I should be more systematic for my own organisation.

I think i am getting about 30 grams of protein in a day without the shake which is not enough, so I will keep working on that.  I have hit a stage where the shakes are not going down as easy as they were, but with a lot of things since the surgery, this will pass I am sure.  I went through a stage of not being able to stand Yogurt and it passed.

To everyone going through this journey or about to embark on it, good luck and congratulate your self regularly - YOU ARE A STAR!

It is the Gym for me!

I am nine weeks and have lost 17 Kilos since surgery and 23 Kilograms since 12 weeks when I first started my preop.

I have upped the exercise and go to the gym 3 times a week on top of walking the dogs etc.

I feel the exercise has made it easier to loose and move my tummy along to the toilet if you get what I mean.



I am wrapped but still feel like I have a long way to go. I am just going to stay excited about the progress.

I can eat most things now, just not much of it.  Sometimes I dont know if I have pushed the limits a little, I dont want to do damage by accidentally overeating. I can eat approximately 1/4 of a cup, or a half a sandwhich (not a fat sandwhich).

My diet includes one protein shake, very small serving of porridge, half a sandwhich or cup of soup and a very small serving of what ever the family is having for tea.  I have had a table sppon of ice-cream for sweets but I will not make that a habit.

I hope to get some pics on here soon.  

Week 7 - wow already

It has gone quite fast really however I am feeling like I am not getting in enough food and protein and that has slowed down my weight loss.  Since surgery I have lost 14 kg.  That is an average of 2kg a week so not too shabby.

After seeing other peoples scars I have come to the conclusion that I am very lucky and am going to share the lovely work of my surgeon, Dr Ravi Rao.

You can only just make out the four small marks, I am so happy with that.  My large scar is within my belly button so if I was every going to wear a bikini (ha ha) it wouldn't be too much of a drama.

Food:-
Like I said I am struggling to get all of it in.  I have a half pack of minute porridge every morning, on weekends I have a poached egg courtesy of hubby and his girls (chooks).  For lunch I have a cup of soup or left over from dinner the night before.  Dinner I just have a little of what the family is having. I avoid the rice, pasta and potato were possible. PROTEIN FIRST.

I try and have  a shake a day but have to admit to not doing that for a few days.  My weight loss slows when I am not getting in the protein.  So does my energy levels. Back to doing the right thing by my body today.

Here is a little shot my little boy took of me at six weeks.  He thinks it's funny to make me look small.

I am now wearing size 20 and 18 jeans after over five years in 24's and the odd 22.

Hope your journey's are going well!  Talk soon.

Lets Talk Bariatric suitable food

So I am in the Puree or Mushi food stage.  I am afraid I am still too busy trying to get any food in to cook any special recipes as such.

Here are some easy go to foods for this stage:

• Chabani Yogurt
• Softly scrambled or poached egg
• Small amount of runny porridge with a little honey
• Creamed Corn (not a favorite, I never really liked it but some people love it) 
• Mushed Pumpkin
• Mashed Avocado (guacamole) 
• Refried beans, with a little salsa and low fat cheese

There are some great recipes to be had out there, I recently discovered this website with recipes written by a chef who has had Gastric Surgery herself.



So pop in and have a look, she has some wonderful recipes and a beautiful way of presenting her website.

I hope my list gives you a couple of idea's of easy mushy food to reach for.

Three Weeks from my Bariatric Sleeve Surgery

I am currently three weeks from my surgery date. 

What am I eating?

I have just started puree'd foods.  So far I have had mashed Avacado and Cauliflower puree.  For different meals of course.  I can only eat about a quarter of a cup of food before I can not eat any more. 

I was so looking forward to porridge for breakfast and forgot I was allowed to have it.  So tomorrow I am having a little porridge. 

I am eating Chobani Low Fat Greek Yogurt which is very yummy and refreshing.  I have about half a pouch for breakfast then finished the rest off later in the morning. 

 

I am still forgetting to get more water in, I need to say no to my morning cup of tea and drink more water.  Other than that I have to make  time to get my vitamins bought and started.  

What do I miss?

Not a lot really.  I am looking forward to being able to chew things however I am so busy trying to work out what I can eat that I haven't had much time to miss anything. I am not feeling hunger but I do get weak if I havent taken the time to eat or drink a shake. 

Have I exercised?

Well in the last week I have increased my activity.  I have been walking the dogs as per usual however we also did the race as per my post previous were we ran for half the day around the city.  I was so tuckered out however I am going to make more and more effort to be active and involved. 

 Have I lost any weight?

I have lost some weight, it is my three week mark today and i have lost 9 kilos.  I am happy with that.  I dont know what to expect but I am very happy with that amount.  I have lost 15kg all up.

Do I regret the operation?

I am not allowing myself to have negative thoughts about this decision. I made this decision to be healthier and that is what I have heading for.  A healthier me!  On the forum I am a member of there are definitely people who have thoughts of self doubt and regret but with he right support they are all moving forward.

Race around the city - being active!

My first of many things that I am intent on being more involved.  On Saturday I dove in head first with my husband and two freinds and joined in a wild race all other the city in fun, games and treasure hunts.

It was in the name of Backpacker Medics for their fundraising event Organised Chaos.

Our team went as The Wallys and boy did we get some attention throughout the city.

Anyone who lives in Perth who wants a fun and very active day out should give this a go next year, great fun and great cause.

As I only had my surgery a couple of weeks ago, it did take it's toll a little, I was exhausted.  But so were the other three skinny minis with me so I didn't do too bad!  We came 11th out of 63, next year we are aiming for top 5.  It was alot of fun, I have vowed not to lay down and let life pass me by there will be much more of this joining in to come.