Is this really me?!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know how great I'm doing. Once my stricture was fixed, I became a new woman. I joined a gym and have been working out like crazy. I've been alternating swimming laps one day with treadmill, bike, and weights the next. For the first time in my life, I'm loving exercise! It's hard to believe that just a couple months ago I could barely walk, and would come home from work so exhausted all I could do was veg out and watch TV, counting the hours until I could finally go to bed. Now I'm sleeping much less and I have endless energy. I actually feel surges of energy throughout the day where I have to get up and take a little walk! I hardly recognize myself! I'm able to eat almost anything (within reason) and I've been trying for at least 70 g of protein a day, and 1000 calories. I've noticed that if my calories get too low I stop losing. I had my 6-week followup yesterday, and it was great. I've lost 46 lbs since surgery on April 4, for a total of 52 lbs. Having this surgery was the best thing I ever did. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support! Lisa

Lisa - congratulations on your success! Sounds like you're doing great and well on your way to a new and healthy you! I know what you mean by hardly recognizing yourself...this journey has been so much more than just abou****ching the #'s go down on the scales. It's the new found energy, spirit and confidence...and shedding all the "not's" and "no's" from the past - not able to do this or that, no energy, no confidence...whatever the no or not was. Keep up the great work!

Thanks, Tammy. I appreciate it!

CONGRATULATIONS!! Sounds like you are doing wonderful. I need to get my butt into the gym more, that is for sure. Good for you for having such discipline. I need to do the same. I don't want to just lose weight, I want to be in great shape. Great work!!

Hi Jessica, Thanks so much! I was able to join a very fancy gym that was just built my employer, so it made it easy. Otherwise, I don't know how I would have ever gotten started. Best of luck, L

Big congrats your way Lisa!! I love that feeling of enjoying exercise. I still can't drag my behind out of bed to walk at 5 A.M. the way I want to, but I've gone from a 5 minute walk to a 20 minute 3/4 mile walk just in the last 3 weeks. Every night we walk and every night it gets a little longer or quicker. I can't wait to my one month so I get the okay to join the gym and do some weight training woohoo to the new you! Inky

Wow Inky, your progress is incredible! I'm impressed with your walking! Thanks for the kind words, L

I know all about that energy. I'm getting up like at 7 or 8am, when I used to sleep till noon or later. Now I just can't wait to get up and go. Today was my first day back to work though, and I only lasted like 4 hours, I used to work like 10 before my surgery. Hopefully I'll get back to "normal" soon. I see how ppl are getting more calories, I'm trying but I don't know how to do that, unless I eat like constantly. And once I am really back to work, it's going to be really hard to do that, because we only get one 20 min break, regardless how long we work. And it's next to impossible to go to the back to drink anything.

Hi Wynette, It's normal to be tired for a few weeks. I didn't really start feeling great until 4-5 weeks out. That sounds like a tough situation at work-will you be able to carry a water bottle with you?

No, I can only keep drinks in the breakroom. We're not allowed to have any food or drinks out on the sales floor. I can sometimes sneak back to get a sip or two, depends on how busy we are. Like this weekend, maybe I can get something like every half hour or so if I'm lucky, unless we're pretty dead and have enough help.