First Business Travel since WLS

I'm currently on my first trip since my WLS.  When I got on the scale Monday morning before I left, I was down 37 pounds since my surgery and I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

The plane ride was great!  I fit in the seats without any issues and I didn't worry at all about being able to buckle my seat belt.  YAY!!!!!  To top it off, my planes were even on time.

I only told a few people at work about my surgery.  When I got to my corporate headquarters on Tuesday, I got a lot of "your hair really looks nice" and a few "wow, you've lost weight."  They don't see me often, so it was very nice.  I found I'm more comfortable talking about my surgery too.  A couple of the ladies asked my how I did it.  I was very honest...I had a gastric by-pass and I'm working my butt off.

I've gotten a wide response to my surgery news...."good for you.  It really is working."  to "You weren't that big.  How did they let you do it?"  I mean really.  I weighed 270 pounds as I started my pre-op diet.  That is more than my 6 foot 5 former NFL football player boss.  (They only mean well.  They only mean well.  They only mean well.)

One of my peers who I told about my surgery sent me a note before I flew in.  She was dreading the meeting because I had lost so much weight that she was going to be "the fat girl at the meeting".  This was another REALLY?  Is that how women few each other....as the fattest and the thinnest?  I've just never been that person.  It took a figurative slap upside my head with a 2X4 for me to get the message that my weight was a healthy issue.  I have never thought of myself or those I work with as the fattest or the thinnest.    At least these days, I'm neither, which I can live with.

I'm very happy that I have a place where I can share my WLS journey experiences and you get it!  I love the lightweight board!!!!

It has been a good trip work-wise and a great trip as for my personal learning.  One more day here.  I have an O-dark thirty flight home Thursday morning.

Happy Hump Day!

Kay
 

Glad you had a good trip and yes, people do say the darnest things.  I have found it harder but not impossible to stay on plan while traveling.  You just have to plan ahead and take care of yourself.  Don't assume anyone else will.

Excellent SITREP, Kay. You're doing a great job.

--gina

Sounds to me like you're handling your first trip very well! I remember traveling early out - I stressed about how to take my protein and vits with me on the plane... and being sure I was able to get it all in!

Yes, people DO say the darndest things. But - it sounds like you have taken it in stride!

Ayayay!  

 

So glad to hear of your progress! You ARE doing great!

 

I think that so many people have a skewed understanding of what our weights are.  I never told people my highest weight - I was soooo ashamed to weigh over 200 lbs, and since I carried weight pretty evenly, people probably just thought of me as "pleasantly plump" (as my dad put it) or "big boned" as many others did.  Truth is, I was 231 lbs!!!  That's huge for my little frame!!!  But no one would've guessed that.

 

Now that I'm down to the 150s, I've started telling people how I've lost 70-something lbs and that I have another 30 or so to go, and I see them doing the math and understanding that I must've been well into the 200s.  I'm less ashamed of that.  And, finally, they start to understand my getting the surgery differently.  

 

I mean, I haven't had anyone speak ill (to my face) of the surgery yet.  Part of it is that I'm a master of shaping conversation and leave them no room to even go there.  ;)  But the other part is that, generally, people struggle with weight loss, and if the ones I've encountered could do it, they probably would, too.

 

Anyway, I can relate to the woman who wrote you the note.  I ALWAYS look to see if I'll be the fattest in the room.  I *am* that person.  So it's interesting that she shared that with you.  I wouldn't - it's not fair to put that on someone else.  But I bet she wrote that thinking that you'd understand, probably assuming that you had the same unhealthy practice of measuring yourself up against the others around you.  I'm glad you don't.   

 

So.  Hope the trip is wonderful!  I found that when I was traveling I was even more diligent with my eating and exercise than usual.  It wasn't easy, but it was a priority.  Hope the same is true for you, Kay! 

Congratulations on a great trip!

I have only shared with a few people that I work with that I had the surgery.  Just a few that I'm closer to because they were worried that I might be sick because they've always known me fat. 

I never wondered if I would be the fattest in the room because at 249 I just assumed I would be.  I never knew how bad I looked until I saw pictures.  I recently put a pic up from an OH luncheon 3 weeks pre-op and I look at it and wonder how I never saw it.  I guess we see what we want to see.  Unlike some, I didn't carry it well but I think that happens as we get older.

Last night at my meditation group with 10 other women, someone commented that is visiting from Bali that I haven't seen commented on how skinny I'm getting.  I replied that I'm going to get there but still have close to 25 pounds before I'm a normal weight.  Nobody could believe that and thought I'd look awful if I shed 20-25 more.  Nice try but I want to be NORMAL!  :)

Again, congrats on your victory!!

Nice post Kay, glad your business trip is going well and that you are staying on track.  I seem to loose wt. while traveling, not sure why though.  Maybe that will happen for you too!!

Glad your peers noticed your wt. loss, that is always a positive reinforcement for me.  Keep up the good work.  Safe jourey home.

Jane

Kay, glad your business trip is going so well.

So many people talk before they think.  I try to laugh at them and go on!!

Have a great flight home tomorrow.
Linda

Kay,
I guess we were on our firdt budiness trips since WLS at the same time. I had the same great feeling when the plane's seatbelt fit-with a little room to spare!  And the car seatbelt fit too.
I brought protein drinks for the morning but muddled through for the rest of my meals.  The hotel served chicken parm so I walked across the street and picked up grillled shrimp and black beans instead.
Water was a killer-I ddn't drink nearly enough. How did you manage that?

I did however get up at six each morning to go to the hotel gym.  We really are changing, aren't we?