Okay, so after 10 months of this journey, I have been on a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions, set backs, and awesome progress. After 10 months, you are pretty much set in your food routines, eating small portions, choosing good options, staying on track because now its more of a habit, it’s a lifestyle. What else can there be to report? Well, for me personally, These past couple months have been spent keeping busy with my few found energy levels, along with finding myself and no longer hiding behind my fears and insecurites. Not only does weight loss affect you physically, it affects you mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I don’t know about other “fluffy’s” out there, but for most of my life, I obliged to the needs of everyone around me, regardless if they were taking advantage because I truly believed I had to do for others in order to be liked because I clearly wasn’t being liked for my looks. Decades of this mentality make you believe that you have no value unless you always do for others. This in turn, has made people walk all over me for a long time. When I finally started to get busy with my own life and started having courage to say “no” to people, their phone calls stopped and our relationships became almost non existent. This enhanced the feeling that I am only good enough if I make myself always available for others. During this surgery process, I really began to see who were true people to hang on to in my life. Those that called me constantly, texted and messaged me with positive words, encouragement and amazing words to help me push forward. People I hadn’t talked to in a while would pick up the phone and call me to see how I was feeling and to tell me how proud they were that I was finally taking care of myself. This feeling was so overwhelming that I knew that I didn’t have to be at someone’s beckon call to have love in return. There were those who were once closest to me who never picked up the phone, never texted and never once referenced my surgery, progress, or crazy weight loss. These were people that I used to bend over backwards for, do their mundane tasks for them and was constantly walked over and then become ghosts when the spotlight was off of them.
The reason for this rant, is because I have seen a few posts on Social Media, like Instagram and Facebook where people have posted about their families or closest friends not supporting their surgery, or making them feel guilty for having the surgery. Often times I read that these poor people, who have tried everything and finally found an answer, are being told that this is the “easy way out” and/or its cheating. I too, have been on the receiving end of that conversation. I recently had a family member tell me that the only reason I lost weight was because it was easy and cheating. I was told that I have had no real accomplishments to my name and the only reason I was fat for years was because it’s easy to be fat and it takes work to be fit and healthy.
I didn’t respond to those words. Instead I walked away from it, wiping my hands clean of the drama. There was nothing I could have responded with that would have made them understand or give them a heart to beat with. At the end of the day, I overcame my obstacles and when you are fat, its too easy to be the constant punching bag and when you take that away from someone, they try to attack everything about you.
A message to those who have been on the same receiving end, Bariatric Surgery is CHEATING!
Yes, you read that right, it is CHEATING because YOU…ARE…CHEATING…DEATH. You are cheating diabetes, high blood pressure, and illnesses. You are not cheating in any other way. If you have been through the surgery, or know someone close to you who has had the surgery, you will know that it’s the hardest thing you will ever have to go through. It takes an amazingly strong person to endure that life from day one to your current day.
Do not let anyone try to deter you if you want it in your heart. Only weak people pry on the weaknesses of others and you have the ability to rise above and no longer care about the opinions of negative people. Do what is right in your heart. Those who truly love you, will support you no matter what!
If you are being bullied by family or friends and feel trapped not being able to talk to someone, talk to me, talk to other Bariatric people, find support groups. There are people out there and you will never have to go through it alone!
Now that my rant is over and I feel better, it’s time to post some updates!
My 10 Month Surgiversary was yesterday and here were my most recent stats!
Total Weight Loss to date: 148 lbs
Pant Sizes Lost: 8 (From size 26 to size 10)
Total Inches Lost: 91.50*
*Chest 13.25 in, Stomach 16.75 in, Hips 19 in, Biceps 14 for both, Thighs 16 for both, Calves 9 for both, Ankles 5 for both.)
Some of my NSV’s and accomplishments since last time…
* Made it to ONEderland! Never as an adult, have I EVER weighed under 200 pounds. This was the most momentous moment of the whole journey thus far!
* Erick was able to pick me up and carry me around which was something I was never able to experience until right now!
* I was able to sit in the driver’s seat and climb over to the passengers seat. Something you might not think of to do, but for me, I just always knew I couldn’t do it..and now I can!
* My weight loss App now lists my weight as Overweight instead of Obese (Or Obese Class III which is where I was at the start of all this!)
Never in my life have I EVER been a size 10. I could not believe it!
I only have about 40 pounds to go before I hit my final goal for now! Until then, Here are a couple up to date Before and After Pics!
The Pink Before an after show that I am starting to look curvy which motivates me to want to start toning and wearing more form fitting clothes instead of trying to hide behind baggy clothes and sweaters all the time!
The Second picture is from my highest to my lowest thus far. I just bought these Size 10 pants and was so stoked!
Some other fun excursions in the last couple months was that Erick and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary! We went out to dinner to celebrate!
We also went to Vegas and for the first time in our lives, we actually WON MONEY!
I know it’s cliché, but I truly believe in my heart that if you allow yourself to be happy and you start making small steps in one avenue where your life needs improvement, then that energy flows into all other aspects of your life. I am not saying that if you have the surgery or lose weight, you will win money in Vegas! What I am saying is that when you make steps of positive change in your life, you almost attract lot of positive things. Ever since I made the decision to have the surgery, I find that my life is improving in every aspect around me.
Some might be done with the mushy gushy stuff and want to go straight to the food pics. Without further ado…
Pork Loin barbecued with some Sweet Corn
Pork Chops again with some French Cut Greenbeans. I love Pork Chops because, like Chicken, you can do so much with it.
Cream of Mushroom Chicken with Brown Rice and Roasted Curry Cauliflower
Barbecued Short Ribs with Green Beans. Prolly my favorite Protein to date because of the flavor and tenderness.
Balsamic Whiskey Steak and Peas. Steak and red meat can be a little tough to digest and break down, but it’s definitely nice once in a while.
By Far our favorite dish to date! Chicken Florentine on a bed of Gluten Free Pasta, Barbecued Porkchops and a Side Dish of Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions and Spinach with a little cream sauce. I made big portions so that we have lunches and dinners throughout the week. Makes prepping so much easer when you can cook a couple different things on Sunday and enjoy them thereafter!
As always, Thank you to those around me who have been unbelievable supportive of me and my journey. People still have been following me and asking for my opinion or recipe ideas and I am so glad that I can pay it forward and help someone else on their journey!
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Until Next Time…