Reflections on the past Year...

26 more days till Christmas!
9 more days till my 1 year surgiversary

Guess which one is more important to me?   I've been giving a lot of thought to the things that have been going on in my life this past year - and the things that I'm most thankful for, and what I need to do to keep moving forward in my life.  This time last year, I was getting things ready for my surgery, decorating for Christmas, and doing the 'last meal' that everyone goes through prior to surgery. 

This year?  I am struggling - I feel like a failure some days - because of the word 'only'.  I've ONLY last 65 lbs with this surgery - I've ONLY dropped 4 clothing sizes - I've ONLY stopped taking my blood sugar meds, but I'm still quite familiar with the blood pressure ones.

But who am I kidding?  Even though I've not lost the 100+ that some people lose in the first year - I've lost more in this year than I have on any other diet program that I've ever worked through.  I've stopped taking 2 shots and 2 different prescriptions a day - and that's an awesome thing - Eventually I'll get off the blood pressure meds too.  I FEEL better...not perfect yet - but I'm getting there.  

And now, it's the night before Monday - and I'm getting ready to climb back on the horse and get back to what I need to be doing.  In 5 days, I'm leaving for 10 days at Disney - but I'm also packing a plan - so I will be okay.  I'll be walking my butt off (literally I hope!)  My DH will have his laptop with him, so I'm hoping to be able to check in on my OH friends every day, and give you guys a heads up on what I'm doing and how I'm hanging in there.  And when I get home, it's back to the gym...I'm making darn sure that I take time for ME...which is one thing that I'm lacking in doing.  

I am So glad that I've stumbled across this wonderful group of people.  It's helped me realize that I'm HUMAN when I struggle, and fail, and that it's OKAY to fall off the wagon, as long as you get back on it again.

Thank you all so much for being who you are.  You're most definitely the best folks that I've run into on this journey.

Love bunches

Kellie

Hi Kellie

you have lost about the same that I did in the first year - I too felt a failure, particularly when I compared myself to others who had surgery at the same time...BUT

you are soooo right when you say you are not a failure.  A failure trips up but doesn't try again and again and again, like you are.  A failure would be doing all they could to sabotage their weight loss, not looking each day at how you can help yourself.

As you have said - wow 65lbs!!!!!  A GREAT acheivement, well done, you deserve a pat on the back.  As well as reduced meds, there are so many other ways to measure your success other than the number on the scale - smaller clothes sizes, fitting into spaces smaller than before, the one for me was the space between the steering wheel and my belly in the car!!!

Big hugs to you - have a blast at disney land.  Well done for thinking ahead and planning - that's the key to continuing on your journey.

Kellie,
 
I found myself in the same frame of mind you have described.  Then I decided I am not like all the others that I have been comparing myself against.  Instead of a focus on all that I can not do at this time, I have dedicated by thoughts to all the accomplishments I have made since my surgery.

I have not reached my weight loss goals, but then again I have not finished my journey.  This was never a race but a new way of life.  I have decided to start living and not waiting on that platform waiting for that train known as life.  It has already arrived and I am not going to miss out.

I will make it to my goals one step at a time, one day at a time.

Own your weight loss, celebrate in the victories you have already won.

Enjoy your vacation in Disney.  Celebrate that you are able to "walk your butt off" that is a victory in itself.

Today I am have decided to refocus on the basics and getting back on track. But I have also decided to get rid of that "stinking thinking".

Have a GREAT day!

 

We're equally glad you've come to us!!!!  Please keep us posted on your Mickey/Minnie adventures - a travelogue if you will.  YOU CAN DO THIS - for me to be successful when away from home I have to PLAN. 

This time while I was in Indiana I didn't follow my plan one day, but I corrected the next and came home ONLY (and this is a good only) .4 of a pound higher than when I left and still well within my above-goal-weight cushion zone.  Easy?  Nope  Doable?  Yes  Feeling proud of myself?  You bet!!!!!