Back at it!

Yes, I'm still alive! I haven't updated about my weight loss journey for over three years, so it's way past time. I've been reading through my blog posts lately and all that struggle is once again fresh in my mind, but it's so helpful to remind myself of where I have been and what I have overcome.

So, how am I doing now? As many out there in the WLS (weight loss surgery) crowd know, once we pass the honeymoon period, it becomes a daily struggle to avoid that beast of all beasts, the dreaded 

REGAIN

I admit right now that I have regained. I have regained more than I ever should have let myself regain. I started snacking at work. I stopped putting protein first in my diet. I didn't go to the gym much. I tricked myself into thinking I was still doing just fine. I didn't have a scale at home, so I would either weigh in at the gym or at the doctor's office, neither of which I was going to very much. I had a check-up in July to refill my thyroid medication, When I stepped on the scale, the number 297 felt like a slap in the face. I had been so close to my goal weight when I got pregnant, but I never got back into weight loss mode after I had my baby and now, almost three years later, I was up almost 100 pounds. I felt so ashamed. 

Then my doctor ordered a round of blood work. I had been feeling pretty tired lately, which we quickly discovered was because I was anemic and had practically no iron stores. I was also low in vitamins D and B-12. I needed to start taking a bunch of supplements (iron and Vitamin C 3x a day, Vits D and B-12 once a day but not at the same time, regular multi-vitamin, calcium, plus my thyroid medication and folic acid). I installed a reminder app on my phone to help me remember to take them all throughout the day. I knew that this would help my health on a metabolic level, but I still needed to do something about my weight. 

I credit my husband with the next part. He mentioned wanting to be better about his eating habits, and I told him about My Fitness Pal, an app I had started using right before I got pregnant 3+ years ago. You put in your current weight and activity level, then select how much weight you want to gain or lose and the rate (up to 2 pounds a week either way), and it will adjust your daily calorie goal for you. He started using the app and said he didn't realize how much he had been eating until he started paying attention to calories. 

Within a few days, I reactivated the app on my phone and starting tracking everything. I quickly realized how much my snacking was out of control. I wasn't eating a lot at once, but enough throughout the day that I rarely really felt hungry. I was also drinking with meals, which is a no-no for me with my small stomach because it helps the food slide straight into the small intestine and you don't feel full. I stopped snacking and limited liquids with meals. I started going to the gym again, at least 2-3 times a week. The weight started coming off again. Whew.

Now, three months later, I'm happy to report that I have lost about 30 pounds since that wake-up call at my doctor's office. I'm still around 80 pounds away from my all-time goal, but I'm on the downward slope again and I am NOT going to turn around. I feel better and I have more energy. I'm more aware of what I'm putting in my mouth. I successfully weathered the Halloween season with minimal candy intake, and now that we're headed towards Thanksgiving and Christmas, I know I can do this--not only will I not gain, I will lose weight this holiday season. I am recommitted to being healthy. Weight loss surgery was a tool, and I am using it today to build a better me.