Saturday, April 23rd

Still holding my own at scrapping retreat. A couple hundred calories over goal even with the caramel chocolate chip cookie bar I allowed myself and the small handful of hot tamales candy and cashews I had between midnight and 1am which technically count toward today's stats but I'm including them in yesterday's. I had 120 G of protein and 156 carbs. I also took an hour hike and got in over 80 flights of steps. Hoping for more of the same today. 

Even better I'm having I great time with the ladies. Laughing a lot and getting a lot done. 

Super Saturday Sexy Sisters and Svelte Stud!

Happy Saturday my Slinky Skinnies! 

Paula, you are showing how to get it done all while having a great time!  You role model you!

122.3 or some such thing.  Yoga'd yesterday but no walk.  I am becoming resentful of all the lunchtime meetings that hinder my ability for a lunchtime walk.  At some point, I am going to bring it up to management.  Can't bring it up quite yet because the most recent meetings have been to my benefit 

Disturbing news from a 15 year old:  "All the girls want to be overweight so they have boobs and bootie."  This is according to my DD who says that even she (mid range to upper BMI I would guess) gets shamed for being "skinny."  She also gets comments about "all" the exercise she does since she is in dance 3-4 days per week.  

Besides my personal history of MO (ok, ok, SMO!) my job is probably 70% working with weight related co-morbidities.  The thought of teenage girls WILLFULLY eating to be overweight is just mind blowing.  They definitely feel no need to hide their eating!  They are egging each other on. 

Tangental thought:  In part, I am also thinking "I grew up in the wrong generation.  I would have ROCKED high school."  

But, mostly, I am just sad.  Sort of like watching kids starting to smoke or use heroin.  (Don't get me started on heroin.)  Looking at DD's classmates, many are past the boobs/bootie stage and are full on obese.  I know there isn't much research to draw on in general and even less so in teenagers, but I worry that they are already metabolically broken.  Such a price to pay.

Even tho you will be on the wrong side of fashion (except for Devon), maintain your skinny bootie today!

Shel 

Edited to add this:  the other day I was in the 120's.  That is one-third of my tip-top weight!  I have no words. 

Oh boy that's incredible about your daughter's subculture. I suppose it's the normalization of the problem isn't it.  

And your weight loss. My oh my. No words indeed Shel!  I'm half of my former size but you are ONE THIRD ?????? Mind blown. Talk about being exceptional. Ummmm yeah that's it. You seriously rock my friend. 

Can I be YOU when I grow up?  So inspired by your dedication and resolve to be healthy and your thoughtful introspection on how to successfully manage this post VSG life. 

Good Morning Family !

     Had a mostly awesome trip to NYC.  The kids were fabulous, the teachers extremely organized, and the parent chaperones were excellent. At first, I was not thrilled with the bright red "field trip themed" t shirt we were all required to wear (partly because it was a medium and I was lost in it... and partly...a t-shirt in NYC ?) but these shirts seriously made it a dream to keep track on our kids in large crowds. While I had packed snacks and planned things out... eating times were really skewed and I did end up ravenous for dinner, which didn't happen until 7, because traffic was bad getting out of the city. The smell of the pretzels, lamb gyro etc. Coming from the food trucks lined up outside Central Park just about killed me !!!

     Shel .. your DD's insights to teenage girl eating were spot on with what I experienced. Of the 70 9th grade girls I was with, roughly 8-10 presented as being in a healthy BMI range. 3 appeared underweight, 8-10 were obese, a couple morbidly obese, and the remainder overweight/ obese. I realize this was a field trip, with spending money and time away from parents, but the amount of CRAP these kids ate and drank was mind blowing. They are drawn to Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts for sugary smoothies like moths to flame. The amount of candy and empty carbs they consumed would kill me spread out over the rest of my life.  That was me. I ate like that up until six months before my VSG. How many years I wasted !!!  I keep thinking of ways I might reach out to some of these kids now, but the best thing I can do is to be an inspirational role model.

Have a great day, all !

So glad you had a great time in NYC. I love it there!  Laughing about those red tshirts - not sure I could have coped with that fashion choice as cheerily as you did!  

Interesting stats on the weight of your group. Not to suggest that the problem is not present and growing here in Canada because it definitely is, but there does seem to be a noticeable difference in what I see in the USA, especially in smaller centers. 

Glad your NYC was good. You are an excellent role model! Sad about the teenage girls wanting to be heavy for the curves. So different from the anorexic ambitions of the 80's that I grew up in. 

I took my daughter and friend for a short trip on spring break. I always had coffee while the girls ate crap. Later, my dAughter's friend expressed concern about my coffee habit! Like 95% of their calories came from baked goods, processed carbs and milk shakes. And my coffee is the concerning thing? 

We have lots of conversations about food/profit/manufacturing/politics and most importantly personal choice and responsibility.  DD doesn't often choose what I would hope, but I am trying to lay the groundwork for better choices in the future.  

My it is exhausting to be on the soapbox.  Time for some coffee.

Just scanned today

Paula--glad you are having fun!

Shel-that's unbelievable about kids wanting to be fatter in HS.  Only thing I would say is:  added weight doesn't always = boobs/bootie.  I was a self-described "expo marker" (aka not a pencil-skinny type).  My measurements were almost the same chest/stomach/butt.  I have a very barrel ribcage from my daddy, but even at 277lbs. I wore an A-cup.  And finding a 40-A is NOT easy!  Shame on you lane bryant for thinking bigger women only come in one shape.  I also cannot relate to the big booty craze.  Luckily my husband isn't into that.  I think it's this Nicki Minaj/Kardashian culture.  Maybe it's just because I grew up wanting to be thin and skinny so long, but ballet-esque has always been what appeals to me.  I also found out that I am very small framed.  Years and years of people assuming and telling me I was "just big boned" because I'm overweight.  But my wrists are tiny and my ring finger is a 4.5!  And I think that's why I'm uncomfortable at 160, even for my height--my body was just meant to have less meat on it!  I dunno what to say other than health should be more the focus than passing fashion. 

159.6 on the scale today.  Woot woot!  

I must admit I started to get headache-y yesterday.  I think my body was wanting some carbs, specifically.  And maybe more water to flush my system.  My legs are also sore from my whole 2 days of working out!  C'mon!!  So I just did a little bit of mall walking with my sister yesterday.  Only got about 7,000ish steps though.  

Tried to eat a little more on the carb side yesterday.  I have no desire to go into ketosis, lose a bunch of water weight, and gain it back as soon as I eat a piece of bread.  I guess at this point I'm mostly eating low carb as a byproduct to really wanting to limit my calories, and yet wanting to get enough protein in.

Yesterday's eats:

B-Chick fil a fruit cup, coffee

L-7 grilled shrimp (about 7 oz.), 3/4 c. grilled asparagus, and I counted 1 t. olive oil but probably less

S-Starbucks mocha light frap (only 110 cals!) while mall walking

D-Split dinner out with hubs at Longhorn Steakhouse.  Approx. 4 oz. filet, 1/3 baked sweet potato with butter and brown sugar, and side salad with light ranch.  No bread!  Afterwards went to movie and no snacks!

Calories 1000, 89 g. carbs, 81 g. protein.

Fascinating morning discussion here!  I'm at 112. Planning to be off plan this evening when I meet a friend for dinner and a fashion show at one of my fav local boutiques. I've got my outfit all planned and I'm looking forward to getting dressed up.  Won't get many opportunities to do that anymore because my employment ended yesterday.

Things will be much less glamorous before my evening out, as I will halfheartedly 'help' DH with sorting out the interior of the mouse infested truck :( No victims last night but there is some evidence of another live mouse. It seems they had a stash of dog kibble hidden in the floor console!  So they weren't particularly hungry and likely didn't eat the wiring.

Consequently, DH has wisely decided to remove seats and center console along with headliner for thorough examination and cleaning.  This will also allow us to reach all carpeted areas for disinfecting.  I can only imagine - and dread - what we will see.  DH has suggested I not participate but I don't think it right that he face this alone.  I suspect I will largely be providing moral support and he will limit my 'hands on' activities.  We feel a bit like the Beverly Hillbillies these days!