One year later

Well, last week on Oct. 20th was my one year surgiversary.  It was a pretty uneventful day.  I stayed home and held a little pitty party because I was laid off from my job.  Thankfully though, because I have senority I was able to get another one relatively quickly and in the interim I was able to use what's called transitional leave so I was still getting paid.  In my new job I will be taking a demotion and a pay cut as a result so I will be making less than what I'm making now, but hey-a job is a job is a job....right?). 

The bad news is-I'm having a hard time dealing with the desire to dive into emotional eating and with Halloween so close, the candy is taunting me and I have to be honest...I have had some and then felt horrible after-not only for the sugar coursing through my veins but because I feel bad that I'm finding myself resorting to eating junk food again.

The good news-I'm meeting with my PCP on Monday to be reevaluated for anxiety and depression and get put on different medications so I can deal with the stress going on in my life right now.

The great news-When I started this journey, I told myself I would like to get to 180lbs.  When I stepped on the scale on Oct 20th of this year I was 178lbs!  I set a new goal of 165lbs and I'm going to work towards that goal and see if I can reach it. 

But first I need to get back on the wagon of exercising and following my program because when I stepped on the scale this morning I was 183lbs...definitely not the direction I want to be going in.  But on the plus side, I realize now that the honeymoon is definitely over and I can put the weight back on in no time if I don't follow the rules and do what I need to do to stay healthy.

Now because I am so amazed at how far I have come, here are some pictures that I have taken at day of surgery, 3 months out, 6 months out, 9 months out and one year.  The part that amazes me the most is the changes in my face-there are days when I'm 100% sure that the person looking back at me is my mom and not me! LOL

Dos-front:


Dos-side


Dos-face


3mos-front


3mos-side


3mos-face


6 mos-front


6 mos-side


6 mos-face (LOL)


9 mos-front (sorry it's blurry my daughter took it)


9 mos-side


9 mos-face (umm, I was a little tired in that pic! LOL)


1 year-front


1 year-side


1 year with pants from day of surgery


1 year-face (My daughter and I were playing dress up and I had on pretend glasses)

 Wow!  You look great!  What a journey huh?  Thank you for sharing this, it's so fun to watch you melt away.  I'm having a tougher time too and I just have to remember to do the right things.

Good luck on the job, it may not be the one you really want, but it's there and I'm happy for you about that!  Stay strong!

Tess

YAY you, Look how far you have come...Awesome job.....

And now the hard work really begins.....Your right the honeymoon is over, and it's good you know what you need to do.....If you follow the plan for the most part and stay on track and get in exercise you will be fine.....

There are a lot of us out there struggling that are 1+ years out.....I will be 3 years in January, and realize that I must eat my protein 1st, etc....And exercise....It's all KEY in loosing or at least maintaining....

Good luck and I'll be here cheering you on.....  Kelly

WAY TO GO WOMAN  keep up the great work!!!!!!!

WOW....what a change...you look wonderful!!

Now the fun begins...maintenance.....it gets a little harder now. Keep following your plan and you will do awesome.

Hugs....connie d

You have done a great job. WOW Keep up the good work and stay true to using your tool. I know stress does bad stuff to us, but you can overcome. You look fantastic. Carol