Summer is in full swing!!!

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here. Life just gets so busy sometimes. Between work, kid activities, and going back to grad school, I sometimes feel that I don't have any time to focus on myself -- meaning my "diet" and "exercise." I know that I've blogged about this before...and I wish I could say that I've been able to change some of these bad habits.

But, unfortunately, things haven't changed. I'm still struggling with the carbs and the lack of exercise. It's not that I would call myself an inactive person. It's just I can't fit a regular exercise workout into my daily routine.

As for my weight, I've been fortunate that I've been at the same plateau for about six months now. I teeter between 2-3 pounds and I'm really happy with where I am, but I would honestly like to lose another 10 pounds. I'm finally in a size 12 and I'm very comfortable here -- it's been a while since I've been here (11th grade, to be exact).

Now that it's swimsuit season, I notice all of the "wouldn't it be nice if's". Wouldn't it be nice if:

- I could lose just one more roll from my stomach
- I could have toner legs
- I could lose the jiggle from under my arms

These are all things that I'll have to work on as I continue this LIFE LONG journey. It's all worth it and so am I.

To all of my friends out there who are reading this and struggling with their own journey, we can do this together. Our decisions to have WLS was a huge decision in and of itself. Everything that we've been through all ready was well worth it. We will continue to have struggles throughout the next 2 years, 5 years, and throughout the rest of our lives. Just think of the wonderful new lives we've created for ourselves and remember that, in the end, WE ARE ALL WORTH IT!!!

Eight months out!

Tomorrow will be eight months since I had my WLS. I really can't believe how quickly time has flown right by. It seems like just yesterday that I was sipping those nasty protein shakes and trying desperately to get all my protein in so my hair wouldn't fall out. Wow, it's amazing how much things can change in eight months.

Officially, I am down 95 pounds and I've gone from a size 22/24 (or 26/28 in some tops) to a size 12 or 14 (depending on the style of clothing). I never would have imagined that my life could have changed so much. I am, for the first time since high school, comfortable with how I look. I feel great and my energy level, for the most part, is the best it's ever been.

Of course, I am the first one to admit that there are some things that I need to work on. With the new year right around the corner, I have taken some time to think about the changes that I need to make in the new year. After all, I was given this wonderful "tool" and this new lease on life, so now it's my turn to make it all worth it.

Here is my list of resolutions for the new year:

1. Drink more water. This is something that I've never been good at. No matter what diet I was on, I would start out strong, drinking all my water every day. But, that doesn't last long. I'm just not a big water drinker. Unless I have a water jug glued to my hands, it's something that I simply don't think about while at work or home. I vow to make this a priority as I need to drink water to feel healthier and help clean my body out.

2. Exercise, exercise, and more exercise. Again, not something that I enjoy or that comes naturally to me. After losing the 95 pounds, I can say that I'm starting to notice some more jiggle to my wiggle. I have a good 5-6 months before spring/summer is here, so I really need to get my ass in gear now rather than later. I have a membership to the YMCA, and rarely go because it's hard to fit into my schedule (full-time job and three kids at home). I do have a treadmill in my basement, so I need to start utilizing that more when I can't get to the YMCA.

3. Less carbs. Seems that I've fallen back into a bad habit of relying on carbs. I can honestly say that I am a carb addict - have always been and probably always will be. I need to better plan my menu and snacks so that I eat less carbs, and more healthy foods.

4. More veggies and fruits. Again, this is something that I need to plan better and more of. I'm not a huge veggie fan, but I do need to concentrate more on eating the veggies that I do like.

I've been sort of at a standstill for the past month or so, hovering between a 93-pound and a 97-pound weightloss. That 100-pound milestone is right around the corner, and I really would like to get there in January. What a wonderful way to start of 2010, wouldn't you think so?

Well, best wishes to you for a happy 2010. May the new year bring you whatever your little heart desires. Peace out!