Made it through turkey day without any problems...

I was, to say the least, really scared about Thanksgiving Dinner. After all, it was the first one with this new stomach of mine. I was afraid that I'd overeat and stuff myself to the gills and then regret it later in the day. Carbs, my downfall, would take over once again and I'd have to admit defeat. Or so I thought.

For the first time in 8 years, I was NOT cooking. My brother and his wife graciously offered to cook Thanksgiving dinner.

I will admit that I probably ate more carbs than I should have. Turkey. Stuffing. Mashed potatoes. Oh, and some of my homemade macaroni and cheese (my "big" contribution to the Thanksgiving feast). Should I have had green beans, maybe some peas, and less carbs? Sure. But this was Thanksgiving and I was sure as hell going to enjoy it with what I really wanted.

So, I fixed my plate with little helpings (probably half the size as last year's) of my favorites. I ate slowly and made sure that I chewed everything well. I am pleased to report that I had absolutely no problems. I felt full after dinner, but not busting at the seams like I have in years past.

I enjoyed the day, the company, and the good food (aka carbs) for just that one day. It just goes to show you that poor, unhealthy eating habits of the past don't always have to come back to bite you in the ass!

In the meantime, I was seaching my computer for something and came across this awful photo of me from April (right before my WLS). I posted a recent photo of me next to it just for comparison and holy crap. I almost didn't recognize myself. See for yourself.

BEFORE:



AFTER:



Wow, I really can't believe I ever let myself get to that point.

Anyway, that is the OLD me. I'm loving the NEW me and the healthy, normal lifestyle.

Until next time, peace out!

Slowly but surely...

It's been almost seven months since my WLS and I'm still trudging along strongly. I am down a total of 92 pounds and I've gone from a size 22/24 (or 26/28 in some shirts) down to a size 12/14. I've really slowed down a lot the last two months or so, which is to be expected of course.

My bloodwork at my six-month check-up was great -- no vitamin deficiencies or any issues to be concerned with. I've been really focusing on making sure I get all my vitamins in each and every day. Here is my typical vitamin schedule:

Morning

Flintstones Complete chewable vitamin
Vitamin D (1000 IU plus 117 mg calcium)
Citrical Calcium Citrate w/Vitamin D (500 IU vitamin D plus 400 mg calcium)
B12 sublingual dot (1-2 – 500 mcg each)
B-1 tablet (100 mg of B-1/thiamin and 80 mcg of calcium and 24 mg of phosphorus)

Dinnertime

Flintstones Complete chewable vitamin
Citrical Calcium Citrate w/Vitamin D (500 IU vitamin D plus 400 mg calcium)
B12 sublingual dot (1-2 – 500 mcg each)
Iron tablet (65 mg iron)
Biotin tablet (5,000 mcg of biotin w/ 132 mg calcium)
Fish oil softgel (1,200 mg)
Fiber Choice chewable tablet

I do need to talk to my nutritionist about the frequency and any vitamins that might counter each other, because a good friend told me that some of the vitamins that I'm taking might be negating each other. Have that on my "to do list."

Anyway, for the most part, I feel great. I've been getting back into my exercise routine (trying to get the YMCA 1-2 days/week for cardio and weightlifting) and doing the treadmill in my house 1-2 days/week. I'm really enjoying running on the treadmill, and who knows, maybe one of these days, I'll turn into a runner!

Here's a photo of my daughter and I that was taken recently:



Until next time, peace out and enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!