Traveling and the NSV's that come with it ;)

A few weeks ago the scale finally dropped to the previously unimaginable 100 pounds lost! 6 months since surgery and 27 pounds til my goal weight. Its been a very long time since I had something that big to celebrate, so I decided to mark it in the best way possible. I booked a last minute trip down to the Dominican!

The resort it self was all right, but the experience was so incredibly eye opening. I travel south yearly, but with all the changes since surgery, it was unlike any trip I've done before.

PACKING

At 327 pounds, I had a set packing list.  Most of it chosen specifically to cover up all those pounds. Needless to say, at 227 pounds, my suitcase contents required an update. Thankfully, it's the last of summer season so I was able to find some new clothes at great prices.

The best part was only needing one suitcase! I used to joke that one of my bras weighed as much as some women's whole outfits ;)

I forgot that bathing suits stretch a little when wet, so I had to pin them to keep from falling out of them. Normally I would have been mortified to be wearing an ill fitting suit, but for the first time I was yanking on my suit because it was too big. Sure beats trying to keep the rolls from spilling out!

THE FLIGHT

The plane was always the worst part of any trip, but I finally got to experience an embarrassment free flight. I didn't have to ask for a seat belt extender. I wasn't in pain from the arm rests digging into my hips. The tray table actually sat flat instead of resting on my belly. The lack of ass mass meant my knees weren't jammed into the seat in front of me and I could actually cross my legs ;)

THE FOOD

I was very nervous about having enough of the right stuff to eat, but most meals were no problem. There was always eggs at breakfast and grilled chicken at dinner so the protein was easy to come by. I probably over did on the fruit, but did substitute it for the cakes and pies they offered so I still took it as a win ;)

Bringing down some Quest bars was a brilliant way to snack between meals. The sour cream and onion Pringles in the gift shop kept calling to me, but I managed to stay strong thanks the the bars.

ALCOHOL

While checking in, the staff handed me a rum an coke and a cool wet towel. I skipped on the drink, but the towel was a nice touch. The rest of the week I passed on the Pina Coladas, but did enjoy one drink an evening during the entertainment staff shows. A shot of vodka mixed with water and Pineapple Coconut drops.

I don't seem to be affected by alcohol the way many of us post ops are, but never felt the need to test my limits ;)

EXERCISE

I actually missed not having access to my stationary bike, but I took full advantage of the empty pools early in the morning. Not sure how many lengths I did each day, but I kept going until other quests got in my way ;)

On day 2, I met a woman from England who has also had gastric bypass. We became each others walking buddy and took the beach each afternoon for a stroll. It was amazing how the shared experiences bonded 2 complete strangers!

All in all, it was a great experience. Coming home to another 3 pound loss made it even better!

Congratulations on all your NSV! Thanks for posting it! It is great encouragement for me and I'm sure others. I'm only 7 weeks out so I have a ways to go.

Thank you for posting this!  I start Opti on Tuesday for surgery on the 23rd and I have a trip planned the end of Dec. to the Dominican I had booked prior to getting all my dates.  Hope I am as lucky as you with things that went so right...

congratulations on your success and thanks for sharing this it was lovely to read😉

"Ass mass"!! Makes me giggle!  Congratulations on your accomplishments!

Cheers,

Sandy P