03-16-00- Hello! Just thought I'd take a moment to check in here and post an update. I'm so happy with the weight loss. It's been 119 days since my surgery and I am presently down 76lbs (current weight 231) and feeling wonderfully.
My biggest stumbling block still seems to be my protein levels. Try as I might, I have a difficult time getting it in and subsequently I'm losing hair faster than I care to mention. After I posted my journal entry last month, I sent the link to my nutritionist so she could keep up with my progress only to quickly receive a reply from her telling me that Hair Loss can be controlled as long as I am getting in my proper protein portions. So now I guess you see why I'm having a problem with hair loss. I keep vowing to do better, but it never seems to fail me that at the end of my busy day, I take stock of what I accomplished for the day only to realize that another day with little or no protein has passed. HELP!! I need some incentive and ideas on what I can do better. After all, how nice am I going to look...nice and skinny and BALD ? :)
Okay, nothing really new for now, except that my dad is back in the hospital, so that keeps me running - between visiting him and caring for my grandmother, sometimes it feels like there is not much time left for me. But maybe I should be thankful, since I've been kept so busy, maybe I have been able to surpass some of the difficult food hurdles other experience after surgery as they are learning to eat again. Being so busy has definitely helped me to keep up the loss. Oh yes, regarding the scar patch I talked about in last months journal entry, I did not order it yet, but will keep you posted if I do. I'm growing accustomed to my scar and have been thinking that maybe that $100+ would be better suited in my wallet than on my stomach :) We'll see....
I have updated the weight chart and I had these pictures snapped this morning before work.
March 15, 2000
3/29/00 - Well March is almost over and nothing much has changed for me. My body continues to change even though I've not lost any additional weight in about 2 weeks. By "changing" I mean, I keep noticing subtle differences in the "lines" of my body. Clothes are really exciting right now...I've just pulled out some old size 20 jeans from storage...and lo and behold they fit...
I've taken lots of clothing to a local consignment shop and believe it or not, they sold and I got a little bit of a return on my investment. So if you looking for an inexpensive place to pick up clothes as you go down through the sizes and you're not lucky enough to have saved "everything" from your earlier steps through the sizes, check out consignment shops. And just for fun, pick out some of the things you've outgrown, and give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to get even after the clothier took their commission.
On a personal note, I think I've finally gotten over my "water problem". By that I mean, I found it difficult, not only now, but all my life, to drink water. I just did not like the taste of water. Through past diet attempts I had forced myself to drink it, trying to follow that old 8 glasses a day rule, but I still hated it. Well, lately, I have really made a concerted effort to only drink water....nothing else. And I have found that a friend of mine has water that I really like the taste of. It's nothing special, just city water, but I like the taste. I too, have city water in my home, but it seems to be so heavily chlorinated that I don't like the taste. So I have taken my gallon jug to her house frequently and "filled up" and now I believe I have kicked my problem.
Also, I'm getting a little better at getting my protein in as well. The hair loss is still significant, but I assume it will take awhile at a higher protein level until it slows and eventually stops falling out all together.
Well, thanks for checking in on me, and good luck to all those considering WLS and continued successes to those that are on their own journey. Nothing new to post to the weight loss chart, so I just snapped a picture this morning but won't have anything to report regarding pounds or inches lost. Maybe with the next post. Bye for now.
