IT OCCURS TO ME - ONE YEAR FOLLOW-UPS ARE COMING UP...

Hi everyone: i know i haven't been on this site a whole lot. i usually go to my state site and bmi +50 site, but i have been checking in on a regular basis. and it occurred to me that we'll all be having our one year follow-ups very shortly. i fully intend to share my results and i'm hoping the rest of the feb '05 people will be willing to do so as well. along with any helpful ideas we've picked up along the way. it's been a whole year already!!! does it seem that long to anybody else? does it seem longer? again, i'm more concerned with my test results than the weight. i feel pretty good about the weight loss so far and know i need to lose about another hundred pounds. but how's the exercise going? are your old habits gone or as established as ever? i'm not just being nosy, here, either. really am hoping we can share our year's worth of results and all learn from each other. my follow up is the 16th, just thought i'd ask now so we don't miss anybody's if it happens earlier in the month. i'll update after my appointment. in the meantime - hope i hear from lots and lots of you. dorthe

Dorthe, I can't believe it's been a year, seems like yesterday for me. I go on Wednesday for my year labs (a little early but need to check my potassium). I had some blood drawn 2 weeks ago and my potassium was low again *sigh*, I'm really interested in seeing what all of my labs look like. I'll share my results also, the good, the bad and the ugly. My calcium level and protein level were also low, barely below the norm range but still low. Exercise is NOT where it needs to be, I did well the first 7 1/2 months then all heck broke lose, I do try to walk when I can but no set exercise schedule. As for eating, I can definitely eat more than I did early out but still not doing to bad, I monitor my daily calories, carbs, fats (sort of) and protein. I still struggle getting in enough without adding at least 2 protein drinks a day. I'd like to see what others are eating, how many calories, carbs, protein? Please share everyone if you don't mind. Dana

hi dana: thanks for checking in. i'm finding it hard to believe it's been a year, too. i'm actually ok with where my exercise is right now. i was out with the flu for a week but am back at 20 mins at 3 mph daily and very glad i'm there. i can eat more, too, but try to make good choices and stop when i'm full. i remind myself it's all about life choices, not dieting. i doubt i'm getting in enough protein, too, but i'll wait to worry about it until after my followup results are in. really am looking forward to hearing from all the feb 05 people. thanks again for letting us hear from you. dorthe

Yes it is hard to believe that it has been 1-year already to me it seems like it flew by. As far as eating at this stage I still have problems getting in the protein and water I have to drink an instant breakfast with protein powder in the morining and a few protien bars (slim fast high protein) or I can't get it in. Yes I am eating more than I was 7 months ago but still can not get in all I should maybe 1 very small meal a day. My potassium has been low and am on liquid potassium 3 teasp. a day (yuck). I had blood work done and my thiroid level was way down so that was uped again for the 4th time since surgery starting to scare me a little I wi**** would just regulate itself. I think that is a good idea to update after our 1 year checkups mine is next month. Cheryl

hi cheryl: thanks for the update. i've been on thyroid pills since my second pregnancy - she's now 15 years old. LOL i hope the potassium levels stabilize for you, cheryl, and i look forward to hearing from you next month, too. take care dorthe

Yes one year has flown by! I have lost 120 pounds and I am where I want to be at 150 pounds. I never started out with a goal. I just lost till I stopped. I have maintained it now for about 3 months. My 9 month blood work came back and everything was good. Is there a reason that you know of why y'all had low numbers on some of your blood test? I would just like to know incase there is something I can do to prevent it from happening to me. I drink around 20-40 grams of protein a day. I don't always get all the water I need. So I started mixing the Nectar protein drink with three times the water and a crystal light packet, and I get most of my water when I drink a 32 oz. Glass of a protein drink I try to eat protein first with a meal. I manage to get one good meal a day, and most times two. I have a problem with snacking at night. I have been working on this since the beginning. I try to snack on protein things, but that's not always the case. I am glad the holidays are over and all the candy and rich foods are gone! I gained a pound during them. I am just now starting to exercise for the first time. I need it too! I am so flabby and soft. I just couldn't get motivated. All I do is walk.

hi corina: thanks for sharing. congrats on making it to where you want to be. i'm down 175 so far but still need to drop another 95 pounds or so. sounds like what you're doing is working well for you, though. i'm glad the holidays are over, too. but for really different reasons. i didn't have too much trouble with food and goodies, but it was the first year without my dad and brother. that totally bit. exercise is going easier too, (knock on wood). i've finally managed to make it to 3 mph for 20 mins a day and i'm very glad i got there. my goal for the treadmill is at least 20 mins a day at 4 mph. sooner or later i'll get there. for right now i'm just happy with what i'm getting done. again, corina, thanks for sharing your input. take care. i'll look forward to hearing from you soon. dorthe

Dorthe, my year won't be until Feb. 25th, but here is my update. As far as food, I eat whatever I want, except no sugar or soda. I have introduced bread back into my diet, but very sparingly and only if it's toasted. Compared to some of the posts on here about daily intake, I feel like I am eating WAY too much, however I continue to lose. So far I have lost 126 pounds and now weigh 145. My goal was 150 so I am pretty happy with where I am at. I have had some problems (kidney stones) because of fluid intake, but I have increased that considerably. During my sickness, they did lab work and everything came back within normal ranges. I don't take any supplements of any kind so this surprises me that things looked that good. I do try to drink a little orange juice for the potassium, and I eat lots of green leafy vegetables so I guess I'm getting what I need. As far as protein, I guess I'm getting enough of that too because the level was fine this time after being just a tad low last blood work. As far as exercise, well...let's not go there...lol. I did do a lot of walking this summer, but now that I am freezing to death (check my last post about fluid) I don't go out unless I have to. I do a lot of walking and such at work, so that's my exercise...lol. I sometimes feel that my old habit of grazing has come back to haunt me, as I find myself nibbling quite often. But, the amounts are so small, and the choices are usually good, and I am still losing-but I feel that I still need to get control of it again. Well, I have enjoyed everyone's updates, and look forward to reading more. Yay for all of us!!!! Sheila P.S. I promise to update my pic in the next few days

hi sheila: thanks for the input. kudos on reaching your goal and exceeding it. sorry to hear about the kidney stones. i'm glad it sounds like it's resolved, though, and that your tests came back in the normal range. good luck kicking the grazing habit. it just seems so little, doesn't it, the amount we take in nibbling? and i try really hard, too, to make the better choices. can't wait to see the update on the picture, sheila. and thanks again for updating us all. take care dorthe

Dorthe, I was so glad to see you on this board. yes, It will be one year on 02/16. It has flown by and I feel terrific. I am down 105 pounds and stabilzed at 161. I could probably stand to lose another 20 pounds but am not stressed about it. I wear size 12-14 pants depending on the style and med blouses. This is good for me. I work out 3-4 times a week. Mainly walking due to back problems throughout the year. My back is finally stabilizing but when I was losing so quickly - OH MY - I thought I would die. I even started taking narcotics just to function. Better now. I get a B12 shot every month, take 1200 MG of calcium per day and a woman's vitamin from GNC each day. I also take a vitamin that is for strengthening the hair as I lost so much during the weight loss. Everything has stabilized now and going well. I eat normal food - mainly dairy products and protien. Love veggies and try to eat them every day. I eat fruit but not much. I seem to get very full on fruit. I drink coffee, herbal tea and lots of water every day. My staples are peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, deli meats, crackers, popcorn, cottage cheese and nuts. I don't seem to get bored with it so am doing well. Emotionally, I am right on track. I feel good about myself and feel secure in who I am. I was bulimic as a young woman and know the obsessions about food and body image. God has removed it from me and I am so grateful. I enjoy life like never before. I love my family and most of my neurotic and obsessive behaviors have disapeared. I am so glad that you are doing so well. I have not come to this board in a long time. I mainly stay on the main board and only go on a couple times a week. I find that when I don't connect with people on the boards I don't do as well. Oh, all of my labs are great. No more diabetes. My doctor is very glad for me although I don't see her as often now. I am down to 3 meds a day and they are for my asthma. Before I was on about 10 for all kinds of things. Keep up the good work. Love, Sarah 266/161/140