Hello Everyone! I missed you!!!

Woweee! Christmas is OVER and now its almost a new year everyone! How did ya do over the holidays? Was Santa good to you? I did just fine and even ran on Christmas day, was glad I moved my tush.. I am maintaining my weight for the most part around 133-134ish, very happy with that. After my year appointment we talked about me going as low as 130 if I really wanted to.. either way I am happy where I am. I am looking forward to hitting the gym a lot more and starting some more vigourous strength training. I talked with Jeremy Gentles, the fitness guy here on OH.. he told me 1200 calories is just NOT enough to fuel anyone with strength training and building muscle.. so I will keep that in mind. He also told me that if I ever bring the exercise back down that the cals have to come down with it, that is where a lot of WLS patients go wrong and end up hurting themselves.. so my New Years goal is to get into a very "doable and comfortable" exercise ROUTINE.. that includes 30-45 mins of cardio (my running of 2-3 miles) and 30 mins of strength training.. I think this is very doable and will make a goal to do this at least 3 times a week preferably 4-5. What are some of you new years goals? What did you struggle with over the holiday season? Let's talk about. Also, would you like me to continue the daily eats threads? Please give me input. ALso do we still want Tuesday weigh ins? Should we change the day? This is a new year and we can always make new changes.. thoughts? Please, lets discuss it.. I hope the holidays brought you great things and the new year finds you and your families all healthy and happy! ((((GROUP HUG))))) P.s. thank you to all of you for the WONDERFUL Christmas cards, I really enjoyed them and hope we can do it again next year!!!

Hi! Merry 5th day of Christmas! I'm in a total cold-medicine fog but have had a really good week and so glad that the day has come and gone. Working in retail is brutal on the Christmas spirit. Mine is back in force now. My weight has been bouncing between 130 and 133 this week which is reaally great and I'm pleased with it. Been drinking pots and pots of tea and decaf which has hurt my tummy...the ulcers are back. BUT...it really helps the hunger pangs so I'm not wanting to give it up yet. just upping the ulcer meds for now. As for input on the weigh-ins and daily eats...I still want to do it because it helps with accountability and going into this second year I don't want to lose touch with that. Tuesday is tough for me since Monday is always such a rough day and I overeat and ruin my weigh-in with salty things. But, maybe it is best to keep the Tuesday weigh-in because it does give me something to try to control the Monday eating problems. Normally I never make New Year's Resolutions because they always end up being something to feel guilty over failing at. This year, however...I want to learn to like or love running. Preferably on a treadmill. Am saving my pennies for one and watching the upcoming sales and Craigslist entries. Gotta get up, I'm falling asleep on the keyboard here. I want in on the group hug too! {{{{{{{group}}}}}}}} Molly

Hi Molly! Sorry to hear you under the weather and hope you are feeling better by now.. Sorry to hear about the ulcers as well.. ick. I hope they have calmed down by now also. Thanks for your input on the daily eats and weekly weigh ins. I haven't had a lot of response but so far the feedback has been a "yes". So I will continue to post eats as often as I can (we all know I haven't been as good as I used to be with life being so hectic but it should be somewhat better now). As for the weigh ins.. I am totally willing to do another day.. Monday never works b/c I am getting off work and been drinking eating all night long.. so never accurate and honestly even Tuesday's weight seems to be inaccurate b/c of my off sleep schedule for a couple days till I get it switched around again. Should we try for Fridays? What do you think? Anyone else have any input on a Friday weigh in that might be reading, let me know what you think! I love your idea of wanting to run.. since you know I love running myself. I think that is a terrific goal and I think you will more than anything the stress relief it provides very beneficial to you.. it is for me anyway. Feel better soon. Hugs and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It is so nice to hear from you again..I can not wait till NEW YEARS is here. I have been so *amn Bad and have been eating so much crap it is not funny. I shoud be sicker then a dog but I am not;( We are actually going to SLC next week to visit my husbands family so it will be a good way for me to get back to healthy eating again. My husband made egg rolls tonight and OMG are they good. I am so ready to get back to weekly weigh ins and starting some type of DAILY excerse routine. *I agree on the cards..I loved everyone of of them. Hugs Diana

Nice to hear from you as well Diana! I have really missed being on the boards lately.. hoping I can be more present now that the new year is rolling around! Christmas is always so hectic for my husband and I as we have lots of traveling to do and many people to visit/see. I am sorry the holidays have been hard for you with eating.. its been hard on all of us, you are not alone. I have done well considering (I honestly thought I would do worse) but its no where near as good as it coulda been and the exercising took a back burner, which makes me overall feel like the rest of my plan is horrible.. ya know how it goes.. big domino affect. I have also noticed being able to eat a lot more now that I am a year out.. i can eat quickly and more than before, its very scary to me. I honestly feel like some days I haven't had surgery.. which I do not feel is right but I am trying hard to just keep good choices and measure.. I get full but it doesn't last very long any more.. thats more of what I am trying to say. Thanks for putting the card exchange together again.. it was awesome. I wish you and your family a very Happy and Healthy NEW YEAR!

Hi Melissa, how are you?? Did you have a nice xmas?? I am sorry I have been so MIA, but I work my full time job, my job waiting tables( i am shocked that me feet and back don't hurt standing anymore) and being a full time mom and wife keeps me so darn busy. I like my second job, I make good money so I am pluggin along with it. I come on here and read and post when I can. I went to my 1 yr appt and weighed in a 169, my labs were great!! my iron was a little low, so I am taking more of that. Before xmas I finished a 5 week cycle of working out with weights and wow what a difference in my body, I am almost in my size 8's. I may never get to goal, but people tell me all the time how amazing I look, so if 170 is what I stay at then that's ok too. I am starting to lift again this Weds, I have been sick and out of my routine. All has been well for me, I want to go to my plastic surgery consult pretty soon, maybe I'll do it in the summer?? Hope you are having a nice holiday and I do think of my online friends often.. Happy New year I put a xmas pic on my profile, talk to you soon.. Erin

Hi Erin! I am great, thanks for asking, I did have a wonderful Christmas.. it was a good trip, it appears the family is getting used to the "new" me (whew!) Sounds like you are staying very busy! Wow.. hope you can have a moment here and there for yourself. We all need that. Glad you can "keep up" with your new job and are doing well with it.. amazing what the surgery does for us isn't it? Uhm, loved the new pic, you look incredible! Congrats on the one year follow up appointment! That is awesome! Glad your labs were awesome.. wonderful news! Love that you are doing weight training I am gonna pick that up as well.. remember that your weight loss my totally stop with that but you will still lose lots of inches and its good for our bones to weight train and we burn more calories at rest with more muscle.. very good.. glad for you! You inspire me.. i need to get back in the gym.. the treadmill at home is not enough these days I am afraid. Keep us updated on the plastic surgery stuff.. that is exciting! Let us know if you get a consult and how it goes! Happy New Year my friend! May it be a healthy and blessed year for you and yours!

Thanks Melissa, yes I am busy. But it's paying off my husband is happier at his new job(he too a cut in pay) and I really like my 2nd job it makes me feel young, and I make good money to boot!! As far as the wt training, I have lost a little, but I was stalled for 2 months anyway. My size 10's are getting a little loose though, and I feel firmer. As far as cardio goes, I do a little here and there. It just really tires me out so I would rather lift then burn myself out on the eliptical. I have a lot of energy too!!! Have a wonderful new years day!!!! Hugs, Erin

Hi, I know this is a couple of days late. Like everyone else I have been traveling and caught up in the holidays and it was just impossible to get to a computer and connect with everyone. It's hard to believe there are STILL places in the US where high speed internet is not available - my parents live in such an area Anyway about Christmas... it was better than I expected it to be. To be brutally honest - I haven't been taking good care of myself for a while now. I blamed it on Thanksgiving and then on the Christmas/New Year's holidays. The truth is that I have just been in denial and didn't want to move out and DO what I know I need to do. I haven't been taking my vitamins daily for almost 5 months now. I haven't been getting a full amount of protein in my diet and I am taking in more carbs and sugar that I should. My daily calorie intake is between 700 - 1000 calories; and I don't exercise everyday anymore. So, as should be expected, I am stalled and haven't moved below 161 lbs. I don't know when I weighed more, I would have to check - but I know I have been between 161 and 165 for about 3 or 4 months now. I went home for Christmas this year and I was really dreading it - considering my weakened will power. I have to say that I did pretty good though. I won't lie, I didn't turn down the sweets or the fatty carb-filled foods. I just ate a bite or two and then stopped. Which I consider better than just stuffing myself. I woozy from too much sugar two times and was actually sick to my stomach once. The stomach upset came from eating a very fat serving of brisket and not chewing well enough. I knew I wasn't eating right, and I just didn't reverse my behavior fast enough. That isn't to say I didn't try to be good to myself. I had the best of intentions. I brought a case of Achieve One drinks and they were true life savers. I also had a lot of dannon light & fit carb/sugar control yogurt on hand and a lot of low fat cottage cheese, kashi go lean, and low fat cheeses. I didn't sit around and watch everyone else do stuff - like I used to do. This year I tried to get out and walk each day - whether it was down the road to get the mail or walking through Wal-Mart or around the small downtown shopping area window shopping. I guess I did make some major changes from my pre-WLS days - I just know I could have done better, and that disappoints me inside. Either way, that has passed and now I am in a new year on a new day and I am doing good today. I had some SF oatmeal and an Achieve One for breakfast and I haven't had any snacks so far, just SF Decaf coffee drink and a crystal lite. I'm fighting the last bit of a head cold so I'm not too hungry, just real thirsty. For lunch I plan on having chicken and vegetables. Dinner is too far away to know yet - but I have yogurt and sf pudding in the breakroom fridge if I need something to eat. I also have some pork rinds if I just HAVE to have something to crunch on. I will be going in two weeks for my annual check-up with the WLS surgeon. I plan on sitting down and really going over my food journal with the nutritionist in order to make a maintenance plan. I will let you know how that goes. Thanks for making this post - have a great new year! - Kerdeeya

Hi Kerdeeya! Happy New Year! Thanks for updating us on yourself. Sounds like you had some rough times lately but you are holding your own and that is good. More than "losing weight" though I really hope you can get those vitamins in. I can tell you from experience.. my husband, he suffered from this (low b12) from not taking his and it was quite scary. So I beg you to keep up with those if nothing else.. take it a day at a time. Make small changes, baby steps if you will... maybe do a bit more protein each day or a bit more exercise each day, don't go completely hog wild or u will burn out.. ease into it.. you can do it.. they say it takes 2 weeks to develop a habit, I really believe this.. Hang in there cookie, you are doing good and have a good head on your shoulders.. come here for support whenever you can. We are here to support you and see you to all your goals. Hugs and thanks again for keeping it real.. love ya! Melissa