Checking in for a bit.. xpost to main vsg, saying hello!

I'm still kicking!

Taking a self-imposed break from posting, partly due to a job that has me hopping for 10hrs a day, and partly as a head-clearing exercise.  I'll explain more at some point- likely on my 2yr anniversary post (April 11th is 2 years from my surgery, time really does fly!)  

Just wanted to reach out and say a quick Hi, tell folks that I do still occasionally lurk, and check in with some of my fav folks here and on the maint forum.   I'm still healthy, still learning, and finding what works and doesn't in this ever-challenging post WLS life. I am maintaining, with occasional ups & downs, as told by whether I can fit in my skinny (low range) or less skinny (higher range) jeans.. though the "range" is pretty small, a little extra and my jeans tell me fast! Me and the scale came to a mutual agreement (for my sanity) to take a small break from one another about a month ago. Next weigh in is on my anniversary. Still thinking about what I really want to say in that post..   

Things are very different after a couple years, in a much more challenging way. Don't kid yourself, the first year or so is as easy as it ever will be, both physically, and mentally/emotionally. You likely are as singularly focused on you, as you will ever be. Appreciate it, work it, and DO NOT SETTLE short of where you want to be.   

Till next time- a couple pics.. thank the gods for VS bras and good shapewear to control the floppy skin-bits (no plastics, would love to, but not in the cards just yet.) I'm going to be 40 soon, and am in better shape than I ever have been before. If anyone has any questions I'm always an open book, and don't candy-coat much..    So here you go, before @ 264 in Lane Bryant sz 24 jeans (tight, and we all know LB jeans are generous) and today in sz 4 Vera Wangs.. (vanity sizing! I don't normally fit in 4's, hello! I Don't care, they look good.)

 I was thinking about you this week.

Sounds like you are doing awesome!

Great to hear from and you look hot! I really agree with your statement about the first year being the easiest in many ways. Hope to hear more from you when you're ready - you always had lots of good advice.

Once again, you look awesome!!

Great post - I've missed you around here!

You look great, of course. You were one of those whose posts I always looked forward to during my search, pre-op, and post-op readings.

Hope to see more of you soon!

Tom

Nice to see you here again.  I wish more people would hang around and post.  I check in almost everyday but hardly anyone ever posts.  I would love to hear more about how this past year has gone for you.  I'm closing in on 3 years and the past 4 months have been really tough.  I've seen my weight creep up and it has me really concerned.  I'm tracking my food and exercising but it is still creeping.  Not sure what else I can do.  Maybe I need to take a break from the scale, too. 

Ugh, so many things to think about with this last year.. I lost too low- got spooky in the face to the point that I've had some filler put in.. the issue of liking my body at a lower bf% than my face can handle.. 

Trying to pursue something likely not realistic- a flat stomach w/o plastics set me up for some serious scale/food obsessions- taking a break and trying to normalize that. I had a gain that was a direct result of the all or nothing pursuit of this.. finally getting to normal again and back in my smaller jeans w/o weighing every gram of mayo, and w/o weighing myself in the last month.. Spooky, I know- but I had to nip this in the bud as it was stressing me badly.

Had some weird health thing happen- possibly food related/hormone disruption.. period skipped, fast huge (painful) water weight gain leading to a rx to get it gone.. not related to bf% as I was still in the 20's, but.. that also added to the realization that I was falling out of balance in pursuit of some very unrealistic things.

I only know for me, if I want to maintain a decent level of health and form, a few things that I need to do/not do- and this is just me:

No/very, very limited grains/starches/sugar.

Eat meat, eggs, plenty of veggies, some cheese, yogurt.. round out with a bit of oils and other fats/nuts/berries.. I get about half my cals from fat now.. I was shocked, my HDL was 100(!) at my last test- up from the mid 40's and the LDL stayed the same but got "fluffier" bigger particles.. I am now at a negative heart risk.. my dr. is in awe.. all from eating a moderate protein, lower carb, and much higher fat diet..

Booze=fat, regardless of booze of choice. Booze plus carbs, even worse... carbs plus fat=instagain. All carbs=sugar once in the body, I limit all and really miss none as I still have a treat once in a while, in a very small dose.

I try not to sit a lot.. I try to stand at work, move around... lift heavy weights once in a while, walk a lot... get out in nature, and sleep well (working on that one.) When I let some of this slide- even the lack of sleep, I notice it effects my energy and weight. I'm starting to slowly learn some balance, as at least for me- the first year + was not very balanced. That's not a negative thing, it just is- and had to be unbalanced in order to get the excess off- but going from a gaining streak to a losing streak and trying to normalize after that takes some serious attention!

Hi Jo, it's so great to hear from you!  Your pics are awesome!  I miss reading your thoughtful posts but totally understand the burn-out factor.   Good luck and I'm looking forward to your surgiversary post! 

Fiona

Hey, good to see you! 

Though I don't agree about the first year being easy. They are all easy. And all hard. Just different.

True- there were rough spots through the whole deal.. for me though it just felt like the all-consuming focus that first year drowned out all other distractions that could and do side-track me. For sure, the tiny-belly makes a a hellavalot easier than any other time I walked down this road.