VSG Maintenance Group
14 months post op - Size 8 Jeans - Update and before/after pics
Well this week I was 14 months out from surgery. I am still creeping SLOOOOWLY towards my weight loss goal, NO weight lost this month, but for some reason, the inches are melting away.
Here is my before photo and a photo taken this morning in a new pair of size 8 jeans! ****onfession - they are a little too tight to wear to work, so I am wearing a pair of 10's for the day instead - but really, being able to zip and button a pair of size 8's and still sit and breathe is a MAJOR NSV!
In general: I am 14 months out now from my surgery date and I continue in the process of figuring out how this reconfigured body is going to work for me. I have found it a bit frustrating that the scale has refused to creep downward this month - a total of maybe 1/4 pound lost, but it is NOT going up and I am still gradually tightening up and losing some inches. I am happy to see the turkey wattle on my neck shrinking a bit, and have been losing some back fat and some of the belly as well. Still, I must say, I am overall rather wrinkly and sharpei-ish, but that is the consequence of being 100 pounds overweight for 20+ years.
Food: I can see that I am much more tempted by, and likely to succumb to the temptation of, yummy carby foods. (HELLO home-popped buttered popcorn!) Fortunately, this seems to be more occasional than regular, and is kept in check by the reduced capacity of my stomach. I still have a ton of restriction and if I eat protein first I find that I can't go too far astray. I have gotten into a good routine with my supplements and rarely miss a dose of anything, though if I am out and about around dinner time, this can get a bit dicey. I still have 1 or 2 protein drinks a day, usually mixed with a couple of ounces of almond milk and hot coffee. It has been months since I slimed or foamed, as I have learned my limits when it comes to eating, and I have found that my routine now seems pretty normalized - don't have to think about it every minute of the day. I still eat a wide variety of vegetables and protein, with a bit of fruit and some occasional treats.
Exercise: I got back to the track a couple of weeks ago after a VERY long absence - this entire school year really - and was pleased to find that I am actually faster and fitter than I was in September. I am definitely no speed demon, but in September it was taking me about 65 minutes to walk a 5K and it now is about 40 minutes - and most days I do a modified speed walk / jog for part of my routine. Also, I used to be pretty tired and somewhat sore when I finished and now a 5K is just no big deal, even though I maintain a much brisker pace throughout. I am doing the 5K about 2-3 times a week now, trying to kick my metabolism up a notch or two.
If a job that I have been negotiating comes through for the summer, I will invest in some more personal training sessions and try to get back into a weight training routine. As it is now, I am just doing the odd set of bicep curls, chest presses and shoulder presses, with 10 -12 pound dumbells, when I think of it and feel motivated. I do think, now that most of the fat is gone, that when I do get back to training in earnest, I will really be able to see the results - improved tone and visible muscle definition. (Last year, I could feel that I was getting stronger, but still had a pretty good layer of fat obscuring any visual signs of progress.) Stay tuned for an update on how it goes!
Overall: After struggling with whether I should just be satisfied with how far I have come and whether I should stress about getting to goal, I have decided to let this struggle go a bit. i will continue to do what I have been doing - eating foods that are good for me, moving my body, taking my supplements, and see where that gets me. I suspect I will drop a few more pounds and that it may take several months - and really, who cares - right now I just want to be certain that I am not regaining.
The biggest downside to not losing weight rapidly anymore is that I don't have an excuse for frequent shopping! So sad!
Here is my before photo and a photo taken this morning in a new pair of size 8 jeans! ****onfession - they are a little too tight to wear to work, so I am wearing a pair of 10's for the day instead - but really, being able to zip and button a pair of size 8's and still sit and breathe is a MAJOR NSV!
In general: I am 14 months out now from my surgery date and I continue in the process of figuring out how this reconfigured body is going to work for me. I have found it a bit frustrating that the scale has refused to creep downward this month - a total of maybe 1/4 pound lost, but it is NOT going up and I am still gradually tightening up and losing some inches. I am happy to see the turkey wattle on my neck shrinking a bit, and have been losing some back fat and some of the belly as well. Still, I must say, I am overall rather wrinkly and sharpei-ish, but that is the consequence of being 100 pounds overweight for 20+ years.
Food: I can see that I am much more tempted by, and likely to succumb to the temptation of, yummy carby foods. (HELLO home-popped buttered popcorn!) Fortunately, this seems to be more occasional than regular, and is kept in check by the reduced capacity of my stomach. I still have a ton of restriction and if I eat protein first I find that I can't go too far astray. I have gotten into a good routine with my supplements and rarely miss a dose of anything, though if I am out and about around dinner time, this can get a bit dicey. I still have 1 or 2 protein drinks a day, usually mixed with a couple of ounces of almond milk and hot coffee. It has been months since I slimed or foamed, as I have learned my limits when it comes to eating, and I have found that my routine now seems pretty normalized - don't have to think about it every minute of the day. I still eat a wide variety of vegetables and protein, with a bit of fruit and some occasional treats.
Exercise: I got back to the track a couple of weeks ago after a VERY long absence - this entire school year really - and was pleased to find that I am actually faster and fitter than I was in September. I am definitely no speed demon, but in September it was taking me about 65 minutes to walk a 5K and it now is about 40 minutes - and most days I do a modified speed walk / jog for part of my routine. Also, I used to be pretty tired and somewhat sore when I finished and now a 5K is just no big deal, even though I maintain a much brisker pace throughout. I am doing the 5K about 2-3 times a week now, trying to kick my metabolism up a notch or two.
If a job that I have been negotiating comes through for the summer, I will invest in some more personal training sessions and try to get back into a weight training routine. As it is now, I am just doing the odd set of bicep curls, chest presses and shoulder presses, with 10 -12 pound dumbells, when I think of it and feel motivated. I do think, now that most of the fat is gone, that when I do get back to training in earnest, I will really be able to see the results - improved tone and visible muscle definition. (Last year, I could feel that I was getting stronger, but still had a pretty good layer of fat obscuring any visual signs of progress.) Stay tuned for an update on how it goes!
Overall: After struggling with whether I should just be satisfied with how far I have come and whether I should stress about getting to goal, I have decided to let this struggle go a bit. i will continue to do what I have been doing - eating foods that are good for me, moving my body, taking my supplements, and see where that gets me. I suspect I will drop a few more pounds and that it may take several months - and really, who cares - right now I just want to be certain that I am not regaining.
The biggest downside to not losing weight rapidly anymore is that I don't have an excuse for frequent shopping! So sad!
Margo - Burnaby, British Columbia HW 283 / SW 269 / GW 160 (I'm 5'8")
Check out my blog at http://www.vsggoodlife.com/
Check out my blog at http://www.vsggoodlife.com/
Margo you look fantastic! no reason to worry about what your scale is saying, the losing inches thing is better anyway.
you know what? you don't only look thinner you look younger!
congratulations!
you know what? you don't only look thinner you look younger!
congratulations!
once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.
PM me if you are interested in either of these.
size 8, life is great
Good Lord Margo!!! You look absolutely fantastic in that outfit!!! Skinny and sexy and confident!! Beautiful! You look sooooooooo tiny! 
the start of my brand new life was on 5/28/10
You look Marvelous!!!!! What a change. You do look like a different person and much younger. Great smile!! Keep up the good work!!! As long as the scale is going down and you are losing inches, the pounds will follow. Just think of the good habits that you are developing. They will help you to maintain your weight loss.
Gail
Gail
" 
