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Blogs by Donna Maris
HAPPY 2006!! Weight Loss Update 1/8/2006 4:49:27 PM
Observations and My Journey So Far! Hello Everyone!
I know I have not updated this in quite sometime, but if you check out my BIO page,there is a link to my WLS journey & that is always updated..But here is the link for you:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=M1118423242 I currently feature the video "My Humps" by the BEP..:-)
Anyway,its amazing that one year ago, I began the year hopefully looking towards laproscopic gastric bypass, after having attmepted and failed too many diets..I was not the failure, for each serious attempt,I included working out/gym/aerobics and weight training. I could never get past a certain point,until now. Right now I am the same weight I was in 1999. And even though I weigh the same,I look totally different..I looked older then & now everyone says I look 25! I have lost 75LBS since August with NO COMPLICATIONS. I thank my surgeon everyday for that. Also last year I began '05 in a tight sz 26 and now am in 18-20!! I no longer HAVE to shop at Avenue or LB! I buy my clothes at Kohls, Target, Dress Barn & Joyce Leslie! Yes! I can buy jeans on sale at $22! I just bought a leather coat at Kohls- it was $250 reduced to $79!! Hell yeah I am wearing it! AND IT IS WOM SIZE LARGE!! WOO HOO!!
Your mindset, your research and your willingness to change and modify your daily lifestyle makes that outcome happen. It is true that 10% of the result is surgery and 95% of it is YOU. U have control to make the right choices - the portions are smaller- but you don't have a 1oz tummy forever..you can handle 2oz then 4oz..Im between
4 & 6oz. I don't eat bread, or pasta everyday..Never did before..I can still enjoy Chinese food- like Shrimp fried rice, shrimp lo mein, kung po chicken, brown rice.Istill have to remind myself to eat somedays..Im full & forget! Lunch I order a sandwich- eat half & never eat the bread..I might have a bite of toast- but thats all I really do. Dinners are great- I can tolerate it all from steak - chicken - pork - fish - tuna - hamburgers - turkey, etc. I also was lactose intolerant before surgery & remain same- so I have soy milk and lactaid milk or carb countdown. I also drink mostly decaf coffee and crystal light/diet snapple/vitamin water. I LOVE VITAMIN WATER. I was in love with diet soda and kicked that in 2/05 along with Caffeine. Not sorry about it either. This whole experience is liberating to be honest. :-)
Your life before and after surgery is so different..You don't fully understand the contrast until you begin your own journey. Yes there is a learning curve and yes you do have a transitional adjustment period..but who doesnt have that with surgery? The great thing is you have very little "down time" versus say childbirth or a C Section or even an Open
gastric Buypass. I have 3 small little scars and thats it!
One of the advantages over LAP BAND is that you don't have
a device inside you or need to have your band filled. I hear
from "banders" in support meetings- that they cant tolerate things or throw up a lot (sorry)& have difficulty adjusting
& giving up food they love BESIDES the portions of food. They don't realize they basically are on the same diet as bypass patients. BIG DIFF is I don't absorb 100% of the calories of the food I eat..only absorb 20%!! That is why
your surgeon has to take blood tests every 3months to chek your levels & it is comprehensive. My surgeon does follow up on me for a whole year - many do not. I had anemia before surgery,still have it & Im still doing well. Two things
I will say: you have to adjust to your new regimen like its religon..get all your supplements in daily - walk and workout as much as you can - you have a very small window to accelerate your weight loss - you may as well take full advantage..third, plan on drinking 64+oz a day..this has to be fluids like I mentioned above. You probably will never be able to drink juice again..I do miss that- but its just ONE Thing! I did have pasta at Xmas.I made sure I had meat as well..I did have a slice of pecan pie (it was yummy) and the next day some apple pie (filling only) and STLL LOST 4 LBS
by New Years!! I never did that before! As you go along you learn what works best for you and your pouch will be happy!
For example, there is a girl in my support group,if I showed you her pic, you would not believe she EVER had a weight problem - but just hitting her 1yr anniv in DECEMBER -
she lost 172lbs, in 12months!! She looks fabulous - no plastic surgery and a flat flat stomach! YES she works out and has a trainer..so did I. But can you really put a price on her success? No. And yet for the whole year,she cannot eat Chinese food or rice, but her outcome is fabulous and inspiring..she wants everyone getting into their program. Its an amazing trip. Like she says, we are not saints - we still love food, but we modify and plan our strategy.
WE ARE IN CONTROL, not our surgeons.
Here is what I have learned: Everyone is different - what works for me, may not work for you, & vice versa.. Protein comes first,then veggies & fruit.You cannot and should not ever have anything with sugar again**very important**1) because we can't digest it, it automatically converts to FAT! 2)You may dump and sweat & make your heart race crazy..Do you really need your blood sugar spiking? 3)Why tempt fate & return that addiction?..btw I was never diabetic - but I see the difference in my system WITHOUT sugar & I prefer it... You need to change the way you think about your body and how it works. We had stomach surgery, NOT brain surgery..and Exercise IS IMPORTANT here is why:
1)you need to keep limber and walking as litle as 20mins a day makes a difference in your weight loss. Dont think MY surgery is doing all the work - you will not have the outcome you want & when you attempt to exercise it will be too little, too late.If you just focus on "losing weight" you will wind up with a smaller version of yourself from where you started.. 2)Aerobic vs Weight training - why choose? YOU NEED BOTH!!: you do raise your heart rate and increase endurance with aerobic exercise..however, you only burn calories for the exact time you are doing that activity. With weight training,you are building and growing lean muscle..you are strengthening your muscles..MUSCLES
burn more calories every minute of every day,even while you sleep!So long after your workoout, you are still Burning Calories!! THINK of your muscles as mini catabolic furnaces!
Don't you want those furnaces burning all day long? Fuel'em up! Get Pumping! Muscles will burn stored fat, but weigh more..so you will see your scale stuck at say 210, but your
measurements show INCHES LOST, your clothes will be HUGE. You are losing 100% FAT & ZERO MUSCLE. Do not think you are converting FAT to Muscle, because THAT will never happen.
3) a Woman can never bulk up her muscles the way men do, or the way female Bodybuilders do: a) because we lack the testosterone to do it & b)you would have to heavily weight train several hours daily,& follow a rigourous diet of protein & low carbs. But you don't have to believe me - any personal trainer or doctor will confirm what I just said...
Also, the closer you get to goal, the slower is your weight loss..so adding More exercise and weight training, not only makes you well rounded, it allows you to target areas you want to develop, and sculpt muscles - your arms, triceps, shoulders, abs, ABS I said! :-),hamstrings, quads etc. Ever notice trainers,have that "V" shaped physique? Its not accidental either - its discipline, working out, & believing in yourself that you can reach your goal, no matter what.
That sums me up for now. I am planning on the Discovery Health Challenge and that begins Next week. You can sign up for that at:www.discoveryhealth.com/people. Its cool and you get a FREE 2month pass to BALLYS..Im already a member, but its a great way to use their clubs and what do you have to lose anyway? OH YEAH... FAT!! :-) LOL!!
