Almost There!

The pictures below were taken five years apart at the exact same point in pregnancy:

The picture on the left is of me at 37 weeks in 2007. I weighed over 350 pounds at that point (no idea how much I actually weighed because the scale at my OB's office topped out at 350 pounds and I passed that at the 12-week mark of that particular pregnancy...I'm guessing I was at least 370-380 lbs by the end, though). My face was extremely swollen from pre-eclampsia and I was induced one week after this picture was taken. I was quite miserable.

The picture on the right is of me at 37 weeks in 2012. I think my latest weight was around 245 or so, meaning I've gained about 35-40 pounds this pregnancy. I had a jump in weight gain at my appointment last week, but my doctor says it's pretty much all fluid buildup, judging from the state of my swollen lower legs and feet. Nothing else is swollen, though (my wedding rings are STILL loose!), and still absolutely no sign of pre-e. Isn't that amazing? I'm apparently already dilated 2.5cm as of last Friday and my doctor doubts I will last until my due date. I received this news with mixed feelings...I mean, as eager as I am for the birth, there's still so much to do to get ready!

But honestly, this whole pregnancy has just FLOWN by. I can't believe I'm only three weeks away (or less!) from meeting this little bugger that loves to kick my ribs and seems to prefer the right side of my belly to the left. It almost feels like I'm going through pregnancy for the first time...maybe it's because I feel just so much more in tune with my body now and I can actually see the baby's movements from the outside. Plus, my husband can feel them more easily, too.

Somehow I've been able to keep up with working my normal FT job, spend time with my 4-year-old, do transcription from home in the evenings, and still have the energy to clean the kitchen (once in a while). I almost feel bad for the myself-from-five-years-ago because she had no clue how much easier pregnancy could be if only she'd been healthier. THIS is why I did what I did to lose weight, and that is reinforced to me as each day passes.

Oh, and knowing I can start trying to lose weight in a month or so is kind of exciting, too :) Hopefully breastfeeding will help the weight just fall off. I WILL be under 200 pounds someday soon!

6 weeks left...eep!

I guess I haven't had much to say lately about how I'm doing...but hey, I'm still here, alive and kicking--and so is baby! I hit 34 weeks yesterday, meaning I'm due in just over a month. Holy cows. Met with my doctor this morning, and it looks like baby is already head down, heartbeat is great, and he's measuring right on track. As for me, my blood pressure is absolutely perfect (which is AWESOME), weight gain is also right on track (I've gained just over 30 pounds total), and apart from constant back pain and tiredness because I just don't sleep well, I feel actually quite good.

I had an almost surreal experience last night, though: I actually was yearning to go out and exercise. I mean really, truly exercise, the kind I just can't do while 7.5 months pregnant. How weird is that? But that's a promising feeling! I know I can't be absolutely certain that I'll bounce back after delivery and go right back to where I was before I got pregnant (you know, weight steadily declining, prepping for a race, etc), but I'm hopeful that the weight will come off quickly (here's hoping breastfeeding will help with that). I know it will be getting colder when the baby is born, but I plan to take him out on walks around the neighborhood while I'm on maternity leave. Should be great.

I've developed quite a sweet tooth throughout this pregnancy, though, and that's not a good thing. I never was a huge sweets eater--it used to be all about the carbs, the bread, the pasta, the potatoes. Since I have a hard time handling big amounts of those types of things now, I find myself eating more and more sugar. I regret that I've discovered I have absolutely no symptoms of dumping. I'm going to have to really reign that in once baby is born and I'm back to focusing on getting my body back in shape.

Anyway, that's where I am. I should have a brand-new baby boy in about six weeks here, and I'm so glad that I will be a much healthier mama for both him and his big brother. I'm going to actually be able to run and play with them. That's a good feeling.

28 weeks

So, I'm officially in my third trimester. I hit 28 weeks yesterday--crazy, huh? I met with the doctor this afternoon and things are going great! Baby is measuring right on schedule, heartbeat holding steady at 150. My blood pressure has been normal the whole pregnancy--124/68. What a blessing! Somehow my iron levels haven't dipped too low despite me not remembering to take the iron supplements as often as I should (I probably remember to take them about 4-5 days a week). I passed the glucose test, so no gestational diabetes. 

The only thing that I didn't like hearing was the weight gain--I gained 9 POUNDS in the last four weeks. Overall that puts me at a weight gain of 24 pounds since my first appointment, which my doctor is totally fine with, so she spent a good portion of the appointment reassuring me it's good weight gain. I'm glad she understands the difficulty I have with accepting the idea of weight gain as a GOOD thing. I really appreciate her as a doctor. She's been so reassuring and supportive and always mentions how much healthier I am with this pregnancy. I know it's a good thing to gain weight at this point--it'll all be worth it for my little guy. I just hope it comes off quickly once he's born...gotta get back to exercising and losing those last 20-30 pounds!

Pictures below...yup, that's no longer excess skin. That's definitely a baby belly :)

So Blessed

I am now *technically* half-way through my pregnancy--I hit the 20-week mark two days ago. I say technically because I didn't even find out I was pregnant until 6 weeks into it, so it sure doesn't feel like half-way. But anyway, that's how far along I am.

I started this week with a much-anticipated ultrasound on Monday. Our little one was breech (which is fine since it's still so small and will continue to keep moving around and doing flips and whatnot for the time being) and facing downwards. It was wiggling a lot, but luckily the tech was able to measure everything that was needed. The one downside to the ultrasound? Baby was too modest so we couldn't find out the gender! It just refused to show that angle. We were a little bummed to not have found out, but my main request of this ultrasound was that baby is healthy, and as far as we knew when we left, it was.

I then got to follow up with  my actual OB yesterday and confirm that yes, baby is measuring great--just one day behind in terms of my dates (I was 19w5d the day of the ultrasound and baby was measuring 19w4d). It weighed about 12 ounces. All the parts and pieces looked good: spine, heart, brain, face, legs, etc. My doctor was disappointed as well that we didn't find out what we're having.

As far as me personally, I am happy to report that I have gained a total of 10 pounds since my first pre-natal appointment. That is exactly right on track. I was surprised, because I honestly feel like I am eating constantly and my appetite is never sated. I had also not been exercising because I am just so tired lately. Instead of going to the gym on my lunch break, I've taken to lying outside on the grass and reading a book--it's one of the few times I get any downtime. But anyway, while I was kind of freaking out that I'll find I've gained 30 pounds or something it's only 10. And I'm okay with that. If I only gain a pound a week from here on out (which is the recommendation), that puts me at a total weight gain of 30 pounds, which is right in the middle of the recommended 25-35 pound weight gain for pregnancy. I can do that, right?

Oh, and my blood pressure was normal. No sign at all of pre-eclampsia. Haven't really noticed any swelling, either, and my urine was normal (thought you'd want to know that part). Wa-hoo!

Also, since my doctor is awesome, she said that we should do another ultrasound to check for growth of the baby, due to my being a somewhat high-risk pregnancy because of my limited nutrition and food intake. And of course, she said, while they're at it, we should have the technician check for gender and hopefully be able to tell us this time around. That'll be in another 3.5 weeks. I'm hoping that goes well.

All in all, I'm feeling pretty good. I can't believe how well things seem to be going with this pregnancy. All of my doubts and fears about getting pregnant so quickly after surgery and wondering how we would survive if I can't keep working because of complications--all those have been pretty much completely dissipated at this point. I mean, there's always the chance that something else will happen, but so far, we're okay. I am so blessed.

Moving along...

I have such supportive friends! I posted last time in a moment of weakness and, yes, almost terror of what is ahead of me, and I received such kind words of love and encouragement. You all rock.

I'm not wearing exclusively maternity clothes yet, but very few of my pants still fit--and if they do fit, by the end of the day my poor belly just hurts. Luckily, my awesome sister K loaned me some of her maternity pants, and so far, they're great! I went shopping the other day with my sister B, and I got a couple of maternity shirts at Kohls. They didn't have as great a selection of maternity clothes as I was hoping, but that's okay. I'll make do.

I haven't posted pictures of myself in a while, and I really should keep track of what I look like these days. So, here is a picture of me this afternoon! Yes, that shirt looks huge, but it's one of the maternity ones I got at Kohls and I wanted to make sure there was plenty of room for baby to grow.

Gotta do the side view. Disclaimer: I'm honestly not sticking my stomach out, but it's sad to say that that bulge really isn't quite where the baby is, as it's still below my belly button. That's my extra skin. It sticks out more these days, though, and I wonder sometimes if it does that because everything below it has moved up to make room for baby, haha!

I think I have such a big smile on my face because it's Friday and another work week is behind me :P

How am I feeling? Good...but exhausted. I don't sleep well these days, and I have little to no energy to get up and exercise or anything like that. It's rough. I'm on iron supplements now, so hopefully that will help. Weight gain has been minimal, luckily--about 6-7 pounds, last time I checked, and I'm trying to keep my suddenly voracious appetite in check. I don't always make the best choices, but at least I keep the amounts small because, well, I have to. Next doctor check-up is in two weeks, and I have an ultrasound to check up on baby's growth and progress on the 18th. Fingers crossed that all is well!

Am I mentally ready for this?

Disclaimer: I am SO excited to be pregnant again. This is what I have wanted and prayed for. But I need to get this out for my own sanity. Thank you for indulging me.


I'm officially 15 weeks pregnant today, and I'm just 16 months post-op from my RNY...and it's really starting to hit me how differently I need to look at weight and clothing fit and all that. Over the past year plus, I've seen the scale go steadily downward, I've had struggles with keeping even small amounts of food down, I've been motivated to exercise--and I have yet to see that scale go up or go back to bigger clothes because my small ones don't fit. Well, that's over.

I went to the gym on Monday for the first time in a week and a half (I've been struggling with a cold or allergies or something that just wouldn't let me go, so I took time off to let my body heal itself). It may not have been a good idea to step on the scale that day since I hadn't been working out regularly. Sure enough, I've gained weight. It's just a few pounds--probably only about 4 or 5 since my first OB appointment almost two months ago--but I gained weight. I just barely entered my second trimester and I'm going to need to gain even more. Some of my pants are getting tight. I forgot to wear a belt with my jeans the other day and I didn't have to struggle to keep them from sliding down my hips because they stayed up all on their own. That was weird.


Okay, so I know you all are probably like, "Duh, Carina, you're pregnant! Of course you need to gain weight and your pants will get tight! There's another person inside of you!" My husband is constantly reassuring me, when I grumble as I head to the kitchen yet again because I'm hungry, that "baby needs food too!" And I know all of that, I really do. But that doesn't mean I'm mentally prepared for what's ahead. I got so used to seeing the scale going down that I'm having a hard time seeing it go back up, even though I know it's for a good reason and I *should* be able to lose it again after baby is born. It's just that this surgery is only thing that has really worked for me to lose weight with any degree of permanence, you know? I worry that, with gaining weight this pregnancy and then hopefully breastfeeding and all of that afterwards, my pouch won't quite "work" anymore and I'll be back where I was--maybe not over 400 pounds, but bigger than I was when I first got pregnant. And just when I was getting used to shopping in normal stores and actually liking getting my picture taken.


I really do go through these cycles, don't I? Everything is fine for a while, then I have a bad day or two, then everything's fine again, then I plunge down one more time...that's part of life. It doesn't help that I've got extra hormones affecting my emotions these days. I just really had a hard time of it on Monday and, while I'm feeling a little bit better about things now, this is a struggle I know will crop up a lot over the next 5-6 months. Maybe it'll be easier to handle once I can really see a baby belly--some people have told me I'm "showing" already and I just don't have the heart to tell them that no, that's just excess belly skin...the baby's still below my belly button! And maybe once I can feel baby move (any day now!), it'll be more real. But it's still rough. Anybody out there deal with this sort of thing?

3 months and going strong

The cat's out of the bag now...I'm havin' a baby! I announced it here and on my family blog first, then waited a day to announce on Facebook and WOW did the floodgates open! I am so loved and supported by such wonderful people. They say pregnancy is supposed to make you more emotional, so I guess I should be crying when I think about how many people out there have been thinking about and praying for me...I'll let you know guess as to whether or not tears were actually shed.

I'm guessing people want a little bit more details, or at least more than some abstract reference to me wanting a baby a couple years ago. Well, I will not disappoint. In fact, this will likely be information overload. Feel free to skim if you want. I just want to record this stuff before I forget...and I didn't have a blog the last time I was pregnant, so please indulge me. Here we go.

How did I find out? The date was March 16th, 2012. Yes, that's right, I found out I was pregnant the day before I ran my 5K. Talk about great timing! Now the whole feeling dizzy and almost passing out after the race thing makes a little bit more sense, yes? Anyway, back to that Friday. My cycle had been quite erratic for some time, so although I had technically been "late" for a week or so, I wasn't really sure that meant anything big. I had noticed an increase in appetite--like, a lot more, which kinda worried me because I was still trying to lose more weight--and, strangely enough, it was almost like I could feel this...weight...in my lower abdomen. I was sure that was my mind playing tricks on me. I hadn't really felt nauseated, which was the biggest thing with my son, and so I just kept flip-flopping back and forth as to whether I thought it was worth taking The Test.

But you can only go so long without a period before you think, "Okay, something's up." So I took a test. And it was positive. And I freaked out a little bit...until I noticed the date on the box. It was EXPIRED! Carina, what were you thinking, having an expired pregnancy test around the house? Silly girl! Luckily, I had another one in my medicine cabinet, but I had to wait to take it because I really didn't need to pee anymore. Mid-morning, after lots of water, I checked. Positive. Texted a picture to my husband..."It's faint, but I think that's a plus sign!" And then we both freaked out again.

I had to put it behind me and concentrate on my race for the next 24 hours or so, but as soon as I could I got yet another pregnancy test at the grocery store. It was hard to hide it from my sisters, who had brought me shopping with them...luckily it was their suggestion for us each to go off on our own to get what we needed, and I got paper bags "just because" (really just so I could hide the test...I'm not sure I ever told them this part of the story) I just really had a hard time believing it was real.

So, then what? My worry at this point was the health of the baby. I mean, you're supposed to wait until your weight stabilizes before getting pregnant, which is around 18-24 months post-surgery, and that is what we had been planning to do. It had only been 14 months since my surgery (13 since the second one). Plus, I'd been training for a race, so I worried that I'd been getting enough nutrition and hadn't exercised too hard. My biggest desire was to find an OB that would realize the seriousness of my situation and that would be willing to give me (and baby) the extra care that I knew I would need in the coming months. Luckily, I found a practice that I felt really good about and made my first appointment for a couple weeks later.

That appointment went really, really well. The doctor was so thorough in her examination and ordered a battery of tests, reassured me that they would watch certain blood levels and likely do a couple of extra ultrasounds later on to make sure the baby is growing as it should. She also kept talking about how this pregnancy should go along a lot better for me than my last one, since I'm starting out almost 150 pounds less. I sure hope so! She also ordered an ultrasound the next day to make sure of my dates, and sure enough, I was right on schedule--8 weeks along (at that time). I'm officially due November 7th.

Since then, I did have a bit of nausea--no morning sickness for me, though, more like evening sickness--and only a couple episodes of getting sick, though I'm not sure if those were more surgery-related (you know, eating too fast) or due to pregnancy. It's mostly subsided by now. I had another appointment last week and heard the heartbeat, 168 bpm strong, and now that the secret is out, I have finally accepted that it's real.

I have to admit that I am extremely nervous about doing this again. I mean, it's what I've been wanting for years, but am I ready? Can I do it again? What will this do to my body? Will my body even allow me to breastfeed after what it's been through? What will my stomach look like with all this extra skin stretched out over a pregnant belly? I have to get a whole new maternity wardrobe! How can we afford this? Will I have a hard time getting back into the losing weight scheme after the baby is born? Can I keep up the exercise when I'm so exhausted all the time? Will I even have time to exercise with a husband, two kids, and two jobs? What am I thinking?

But I know I can do it. It will be hard, yes, and I know I'm not totally out of the woods and anything could still happen, but Someone is watching over me. I am humbled and blessed to be at this point in my life, and I cannot wait to hold my new little one in my arms this fall. Thanks to you all for being willing to accompany me throughout this whole thing.

Temporary Change of Focus

I've kept up this blog for a year and a half now as I have sought to lose weight and become healthier. It has been a marvelous way for me to record my journey, to see where I've been and how far I've come. I really do re-read this thing all the time, and it brings tears to my eyes to read about my life and what support I have from some very dear people in my life. I have very much appreciated all the words of support, encouragement, and love from all of my friends, and even a few strangers, along the way. Please keep it up--you help me more than you know.

Well, just an FYI: I will be temporarily changing the focus of this blog, because weight loss is suddenly no longer a priority. In fact, I'm going to need to gain weight over the next 6 months or so...all for a good cause (it's even doctor-ordered!). I had no idea the Lord would hear my wish/desire from two years ago and realize my dream so quickly, but He did. And I couldn't be happier!

Glucose and Lipid Screening

Thanks to everyone for your advice on my last post. I haven't yet had the chance to implement any of the changes I want to make, but I will! It's hard during the week when I get from work and just want to rest. I hope to make a good shopping list and get some healthy stuff this weekend.

I had a glucose and lipid screening a couple weeks ago at my work. I love that they have these occasional health assessments--and best of all, they're free! So how did I do, you ask? Well, let me tell you. I did this same screening last year (almost to the date--last year it was March 30th, this year March 27th), so I'll compare the two.

Okay, so first off, my blood pressure: Normal is 120/80. Last year? 136/88. This year? 114/76. Yeah, baby!

Glucose level: Normal is between 65 and 100. Last year? 90. This year? 78. Beautiful.

Cholesterol: Less than 200 is good. Last year? 187. This year? 139. I'd say I'm good, then.

Triglycerides: Desired range is less than 150. Last year? 225. This year? 61. AWESOME.

HDL: Desired range is over 40. Last year? 34. This year? 56. Yep.

LDL: Desired is less than 130. Last year? 108. This year? 71. Hooray!

So, guess what, everybody? I HAD COMPLETELY NORMAL BLOODWORK. At least, it looks normal to me. I'm getting these results just from a piece of paper from the Health Center. They haven't been reviewed by anyone, and printout says "it is your responsibility to share the results with your physician and to follow up about what the results mean and anything you should do about them." I think I'll just bring these the next time I see a doctor and see what she thinks. But like I said, it looks good to me, so I'm not worried.

I named this blog "My Pursuit of Health" for a reason. It's never been about how much weight I could lose--I mean, that's an important part, and I have really enjoyed the benefits (and you all are so sweet with all your compliments! Whenever I have a bad day, I just come here and read all the nice things my friends say about me...cheers me up in no time), but my reason for doing what I did is to get HEALTHY. Just because you have a normal weight doesn't mean you're healthy. That's why I like to look at these kinds of results. I'm still overweight (working on it!), but those numbers don't lie. Those are healthy ranges and I am beyond thrilled to see them. It's been a long journey, and I can only hope to continue on this path and keep seeing these types of numbers for the rest of my life.

Food

My relationship with food has changed a lot over the past 16 months. Of course, that's a given when you go through something like I have. But it's still weird to think about. I mean, I never used to worry about what I would order when I went to a fast food place or a restaurant--there was always SOMEthing I knew I could eat. Now, that's totally different. I find myself checking menus online, analyzing the size and the carb/protein content to get the best bang for my buck. I'm still not used to it.

But I've noticed a difference over the past little while. I can tolerate a lot more than I used to. I mean, I'm still far away from being able to eat a plate of spaghetti (I don't think I'll ever get back to that point--noodles just aren't my friend anymore), but I actually had a grilled cheese sandwich the other day. I ripped off the crust and it took me at least 20 minutes to eat it, but it was tasty. I think I'm going to look into getting some low carb bread. Pretty sure it's available somewhere.

I think I need to be more creative with what I eat. I find myself making poor choices when I don't plan ahead. I mean, I'm still not overeating--believe me, it's almost impossible for me to overeat because of how sensitive my pouch is--but instead of eating the protein-rich chicken or fish, I'll have some peanut butter crackers or something like that. Still very small amounts, but I need to focus more on getting the protein that my body needs. And the veggies--lettuce is hard to digest sometimes, so salads are unfortunately not the best option, but I find that cucumbers are quite tasty. I guess I'm kinda like my son in that way--or he's kinda like me. I love cucumbers and Catalina dressing. So tasty.

Anyway, so I hereby resolve to look up some more wieght-loss-surgery-friendly recipes. I know of one blog, bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com, that has some very intriguing recipes on there--the hard part is just buckling down, actually buying the ingredients, and taking the time to make it! It's difficult finding the motivation for something like that when you work full-time, you have a family, and you have another job from home in the evenings. I just hate spending the two hours I get with my son every day cooking my dinner. It's so much easier to grab something ready-made. But I shouldn't do that anymore. Maybe I should find some crock pot recipes...anyway. Just thinking out loud here.

This is my resolve to be better. I am holding myself accountable and asking you to do the same! Thanks for all your support!

I feel pretty :)

So, I wore a dress to church the other day. I actually felt confident enough in it to not even wear a cardigan to cover my arms or my midsection. That is a huge accomplishment for me. Of course I had to take pictures to document it. Please forgive the messiness in the background and focus on the confident woman in the foreground :)

Check-Up with my PCP

I had a check-up with my primary care physician this morning. She's a good doctor--she's always very reassuring and thorough with putting my concerns to rest. This particular visit was just to get some blood drawn and make sure my thyroid levels are going steady with the same dosage of thyroid medication I've been on for the last 7 years (it never changed throughout pregnancy or even before/after my surgery). A few good things:

1. Checked my weight. I rely on the scale at this particular doctor's office and hold it to be the best gauge of how much weight I've lost, purely because it is on this scale that I received my highest weight ever--437 pounds (that was in October 2010). This morning's weight? 203.6. That's a good feeling.

2. Blood pressure. The last time I had my BP checked with this doctor was last June, and the results were far from pleasant. I had been hoping and praying that things would be closer to normal today, especially since I haven't taken BP meds for months and have felt fine, even with the training I've been doing for the 5K. I was very, VERY surprised to see the final reading: 123/64. That's almost a perfect reading. Oh, how sweet it is.

3. Got my blood drawn. Piece of cake. Stuck me once, just a little slight bruise--the whole process was like 30 seconds. So amazing.

Anyway, that's it. I should have the results of my blood test by Friday, but the doctor went ahead and wrote me a prescription for my normal amount and we'll change it if needed. SO glad! This whole blog has been all about my pursuit of health, and I am humbled that I have reached such a healthy state so quickly. Thanks be to all of you for your support and thanks be to my Father in Heaven for blessing me so much.

I did it!!!!!

Just 15 short months ago, I never would have thought that I could run a race. I mean, I'd done a 5K once before in my life, but that was a long time ago and I didn't think that I, who got winded walking the 7 stairs from my front door to the hallway of our duplex, could ever, EVER do that again. 

Yesterday, I proved myself wrong.

It was cold. It was windy. The hills were killer. The last water station ran out of cups before I got there. I had to stop and walk a lot more often than I wanted to. I got really dizzy and almost passed out while waiting in line afterwards for some post-race goodies (granola bars, bananas--you know, healthy stuff). But the important thing is: I DID IT. And it actually felt good to do it. 

My time was 39:19. It was a little longer than I had wanted to, but I beat my original goal of under 40 minutes, so I'm happy about that. I actually learned later that this particular course was just slightly longer than an actual 5K (by a 10th of a mile or something like that), so maybe I did beat my time from 2005, I'm not sure. I may do another one later this summer, and I can make another goal for that race to beat my time from this one. Yes? =)

Up until now, I've only posted pictures of myself on this blog, but I need to make sure I recognize those in my life who have pushed me to reach this accomplishment. Plus, this blog is becoming more of a journal for me, a chance for me to look back and see how far I've come. So, here are some pictures! 

Here is everyone crowded at the start of the race:

 My adorable son, waiting to cheer me on from the bleachers with his daddy:

 Coming up on the last leg of the race (that's me in green--hey, it was St. Patrick's Day!):

 Gotta speed it up for the last lap!

 Almost...there....

 I can see the finish line! Just around the bend!

 Me crossing the finish line! And while the time says 39:54, that's from when the cannon went off...my actual time of 39:19 was measured by the electronic chip thingy on my shoe, which didn't start until I actually crossed the starting line, since there were mobs of people there:

 I did it!!!!

 This is everyone that did the race with me. My sisters B & K, K's daughter M (who rode in the stroller, of course), K's husband R, and myself. 

 My family and my reason for living. I'm so glad to know that, because of the changes I have made over the past year plus, I should be around a lot longer to enjoy these two wonderful men in my life. Love you both so much.

And thanks to you all out there for your support! I couldn't have done it without you!!!!

It's Coming!!!

So, it's two days away...the 5K is this Saturday. I picked up my T-shirt, bib, and electronic chip thingy to put in my shoe to keep track of my time. Am I excited? Strangely, yes! Am I nervous? Oh, yeah. Especially since it's apparently supposed to rain. I didn't think about the elements affecting me reaching my goal. I'm sure I'll finish, and I'm not too worried about the length, but it's going to be hard. The first leg of it is a pretty steep hill, which I've been trying in vain to train for with some incline on the treadmill...but I'm sure it'll still kick my trash. As long as I do my best, that's all that can be expected, right? I'll post an update after the race, for sure!

In other news: looks like the weight loss plateau might be broken. Weighed in at 207 today! I don't know how that happened. I mean, I'm sure the scale at the gym isn't the most reliable thing, but still. It's weird to think that I'm only seven pounds away from "onederland"...pinch me, I must be dreaming!

I found an app for my phone that has really come in handy with my eating. It's from myfitnesspal.com, and it's really cool! You put in your height, weight, activity level, how much weight you want to lose and how quickly (1 pound a week, etc--be realistic!), and other information, and then it will tell you how many calories you should eat per day to reach that goal. Then, you can log every single thing you eat--like a food diary, but cooler because it already has a database of almost every food you can imagine, complete with the caloric total, fat content, protein, etc. You can even put in your exercise, and the app adds those calories that you burned to your total calories for the day, so you can eat more (if you want). Seriously, try it out!

It's actually really brought my attention to a few things I've been meaning to address. I wouldn't be completely honest here if I didn't admit to eating things that are FAR from appropriate for a post-bariatric surgery patient. I've been eating ice cream, chips, Cheetos, donuts, pop tarts...I mean, that's not ALL I eat, but I've been letting myself indulge a lot more than I really should. Granted, I can't gorge myself on these things, but having two pop tarts for breakfast is not nearly as good as some Greek yogurt and a banana, you know? So keeping track of these things on My Fitness Pal has helped me see that, while I'm not really having a problem staying under my caloric goal, the fat and/or sugar content of what I've been eating could--and should!--be better.  Of course, I have good days and bad days, as do we all. But it's helping me resolve to be better.

Oh, and I put on some pants for work yesterday morning, pants that I bought in October and already had my mom take in on the sides over Christmas break, and...yeah, they're totally too big. The crotch was hanging down about mid-thigh. I think my weight has been redistributing itself, even though my weight hasn't changed a ton over the past couple months. I'll take it :)

Run today

Just an update on my goal that I posted yesterday.

I had to take an extra-long lunch today due to office time constraints, so I decided to do a full 5K and see how long it took me. That way, I would know how much work I have to do in order to beat my 2005 time :)

I am pleased to say that I did the full 5K in just under 39 minutes (38:57 or 8, to be exact)!

Granted, that was on a treadmill, so I didn't have the difficulty of elevation changes added in, but I think that's pretty stinkin' good. That time included a warm-up of 6 minutes at 4.0 mph, then alternating periods of 5 minutes at 5.5 mph followed by 3 minutes at 4.0 mph (so running for 5 minutes, walking for 3). I'm sure that I'll finish up with a good run/sprint at the end of the actual 5K--or at least, that's what I'm planning to do. I think I can shave off 2 minutes in the next three weeks, don't you? :)

The Latest

I'm sure people get tired of hearing about what's going on with my weight loss, but you know, this blog is more for me than anybody else, so I'm not stopping anytime soon. I need this blog to look at where I've been, and I need to post pictures so I can truly appreciate how far I've come. Now that I put that out there, here's the latest in my life.

I'm still right around 212 as far as weight goes. I think I may have hit a weight-loss plateau, which honestly is all right with me. The weight is redistributing itself due to my exercise, I'm almost positive, because...guess what? I bought SIZE 12 PANTS. They were on clearance at Kohl's, and they fit great. Here's a couple of pictures of my outfit today:

And that's a size L top that I also got on clearance. If I didn't have such a saggy midsection and therefore prefer a little baggier of a shirt, I may have even gotten an M. That is just WEIRD.

Do I like running yet? Nope. I mean, I feel good when I'm done with it, but I still have a hard time getting through the whole workout. My right hip has been hurting a little bit after each run (I do it 2-3 times a week), so I wonder if my running gait needs correcting. I should go to a running shoe store and see if they can help.

Up until now, my goal as it relates to the 5K has been to finish in less than 40 minutes. Actually, you know what? I did a 5K back in 2005. I was 23 years old and in some of the best shape of my life back then. I just looked up my time for that race, and it was 37:14. New goal? Beat that time. I want to finish this 5K in 37 minutes or less. I can do it.

Side note: I went with my family to a Brazilian Steakhouse on Monday, can you believe it? It's an all-you-can-eat buffet with loads and loads of some of the tastiest meat you will ever eat. They let me pay the child's price and I had everything from garlic sirloin to linguiça to filet mignon to pao de queijo. It was SO GOOD. And I didn't even overeat. I knew my limits and I kept to them. It sure felt good, though. I love me some Brazilian meats.

Another "Anniversary"

I know lately all I've been posting about is how "it's been a year since such-and-such happened," so please forgive me if I do one more. This is an anniversary that I really don't want to commemorate, but yet I can't help but look back. It was a year ago today that I was lying in bed, going through some of the absolute worst pain of my LIFE (and that includes childbirth). Little did I know that I'd be having another surgery the next day and stay in the hospital for another week. I just re-read my post about that experience, and it brought back a flood of memories about that whole ordeal. My goodness. 

Now, here it is, one year later. I was 365 the day I had surgery, and today I'm about 212. I can eat a lot of things now--portions are still small, of course, and I'm still sensitive to certain foods, but I am so much better off than I was back then. I was one sick woman that day. Now? I'm in a little bit of pain today because of my workout regimen (running is HARD!), but it's a good pain. I almost feel like I can take on the world. What a difference. 

Oh, and I also wanted to post this little picture of flowers, a teddy bear, and chocolates that my husband sent me for Valentines Day yesterday. He even made sure to get me a small box of chocolates because he knows my limits, but yet I can still (slightly) indulge. We had a nice, quiet little evening last night, and we made sure to avoid Café Rio, which was what we had last Valentines Day (and may have contributed to the whole ordeal--I guess we'll never know). Anyway. Yeah.

Exercise!

I'm still training for that 5K! I'm doing this Couch-to-5K plan my sister found online, and it's going pretty well. I discovered today that having a good playlist helps a LOT when it comes to running. If I don't have music in which I can lose myself, I find myself watching the clock and it's so hard to keep moving. Today I ran for 90 seconds, walked 90, ran for 3 minutes, then walked 3 minutes, and I did that cycle twice. Really broke a sweat, which was lovely for the rest of my work day, right? 

Some pictures: 

Look look look! See those baby hairs? That's my hair growing back! As annoying as it is to have these little hairs all over my scalp, I am SO EXCITED to have my thick hair back :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my pseudo-birthday today. One year ago at almost this exact time, I was slowly coming out of anesthesia and waking up in a recovery room, after having had my initial Roux-en-Y surgery. It's been a crazy year since then, but one that has made me who I am today. I've had another surgery, a week-long hospital stay, two endoscopies, lost over 200 pounds, gotten a new job, and discovered a whole new perspective on life.  I honestly don't know that I would change a thing.

One Year Ago...

This day last year was a really hard day for me...it was the day I was originally supposed to have my surgery, but it got postponed. What emotions ran through me that day! How little did I know of what I would look like and who I would be just one year later!

I did it, guys. I have officially lost over HALF my body weight. I weighed in at 217 at the doctor's office today, so I'm down a total of 220 pounds from my highest ever (Nov 2010). I'm guessing you want to see a picture...

 Yes, I think I need new jeans.

I had my annual check-up with my surgeon today, even though it's a little early since my actual surgery date. I'm no longer obese! I'm now officially simply "overweight." I don't think I've ever been happier to be called overweight. The doctor asked me what my goal weight was, and I said around 190. He said that's a good goal, that I should be able to get there if I continue the way I'm going. I'm only 27 pounds away! I can do that, right? Blood levels were good, BP was normal...I can't even believe it. I don't recognize myself in pictures. I really don't. It's weird.

The doctor also asked me today about skin removal. Not that he was encouraging it, but just letting me know that it's an option if I want it. I will spare you a picture of my saggy tummy, but here's a lovely picture of my arms right now:

I don't think they're that bad...I'm going to keep doing some strength training and see how much I can tone them up. Maybe in a few years.

My sister and I have decided to run a 5K in March. It's going to be awesome. I don't love running and I'm not sure that I ever will, but I do have a life goal to run a marathon someday (hey, Biggest Loser people can do it, so why not me?), and this is one step closer to it. Wish me luck!

Thanks for your support, everyone!