Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Hmmm... I guess today is 9/11. Time to remember those lost via terrorism on that day. I had a friend in one of the towers who was able to run out of the building before it fell but some of the people he was with did not. Another flight attendant friend was supposed to be working on one of the planes that crashed. She had switched flights with a friend. What a horrific day!

On a lighter note, we are on to Paris today. We will be taking the bus at 10 from here to Dublin to catch our short flight to Paris. I'm looking forward to the slower pace we plan to have there. It is also going to be a lot warmer than here where it was 60 and rainy yesterday. The high today in Paris today and tomorrow is 84, and it should be mid 70's to 80's the remainder of our week there.

On a not lighter note, I'm feeling fat. My jeans seemed tight. I don't like that feeling. It doesn't take long when not eating properly!

The pictures below are from Carlingsbridge where we met the Leprechaun whisperer and at a Goodbye reception in our hotel last night (DH was dancing with our tour organizer).

Why is it the moment you log/journal a personal truth (or write a report card comment) something happens immediately to negate it ? It was cold and wet yesterday and I had lobster Mac and cheese for lunch. I ate an appropriate amount and was on plan the rest of the day....up three pounds. Again, I'll breathe a few days, drink water, and be patient for the drop back down but I know I need to weigh daily. This morning, while brushing my teeth and considering not weighing in case I had bumped up, I had an immediate flash back to Weigh****chers and weighing in once a week. I'd play such balance games like "If I do this little treat today, I'll walk a bit more and be back down before I weigh in." My addict brain recalled that game ! Daily weigh ins for me ! Not going down that road again.

Mani pedi is my treat of the day !

I'm with you! When I decided I was going to have WLS I decided I was going to be all-in and weigh daily. I weigh in Aruba so hate not being able to on this trip.

Amen, sister!

Sometimes I play those head games, too.

Nonetheless, the self-imposed accountability that my participation in this group represents is key to my own maintenance.

And I just realized that the term "maintenance" doesn't mean to me that I have committed to weigh the same thing every morning -- but that I will manage my maintenance.

Weight: 135.4
Macros: Cals - 1,829, Carbs - 147, Fats - 68, Protein - 128, Fiber - 23
Sleep hours: 7
Vegetable/Fruit Servings: 5
Exercise: Walking
Meditation: Yes

Liz and Paul are on to Paris! I'm sitting on your shoulder, Liz. :)

Seventeen years ago today on 9/11 I was in Washington, DC, where it was not NYC-bad, but it was bad. I finally got home that weekend.

Diane and Shel, you've got me interested in RMR (resting metabolic rate). Here's a not-stupid-sounding article about RMR for anyone else who's interested.

My good news is that yesterday before speaking at my bariatric center's day-long WLS educational seminar for pre-op patients, I had an appointment with the center's exercise consultant (whom I haven't seen in over three years) to have my lean body mass measured. She used some sort of gizmo that sent electrical waves through my body. Really helpful description of the technology, eh? ;)

Anyway, she told me my body fat was 23%, and my lean body mass (whi*****ludes bone, muscle, skin, and anything else that isn't fat) was 77%. Those numbers didn't seem very exciting to me until she said she never sees that kind of result in bariatric patients and that I'm in the "ideal" range of lean body mass for women my age. Then she grilled me about my exercise regimen -- yoga, aquarobics, walking, which doesn't seem very ambitious to me. Nonetheless, I got happier about the results and told her I'd like to get more serious in the coming year about strength training (simple things like deadlifts, leg presses, lat pulldowns, bench presses) and would set a one-year goal of 21% body fat. Now we'll see if I actually follow through on that plan!

THEN I went to do my little 30-minute lecture during lunch at the pre-op seminar, where things went south. About ten minutes after I started speaking (I was supposed to be the only speaker), two other "WLS veteran speakers" showed up and strolled up to the front of the room where they joined me. Needless to say, it was pretty freakin' awkward. And here was the weirdest bit: One of the unexpected volunteer speakers was an RnY patient who (I'm guessing) is 5'3" and weighs 240 pounds, which meant she was heavier than nearly half the pre-op patients sitting in the audience. Needless to say, she and I didn't agree about ANYTHING -- how to eat, whether to exercise, etc. The other guy and I were in greater agreement, but as a career-long trainer and public speaker the randomness and lack of coordination of the whole scene was terribly frustrating. I think that was the end of my WLS "giving back" volunteerism.

And last night after dinner, following a day that I drove four hours to be frustrated, I consoled myself with cheese.

Today is yoga class and a women's club meeting this afternoon. Yes. Really. I'm now in a women's club. ;)

Today's theme: Get over it!

Don't you just HATE that ! I find that more and more I limit volunteer expenditures to those that are my own terms. Don't ask me to do something and then dilute it. Don't waste my valuable time. There are so many wonderful things I can invest my time in. Life is too short.

Thanks for the RMR article!

That reminds me of a NYT's article on age related sarcopenia which is the muscle version of osteoporosis. What is so interesting, tho, is that it can be mostly prevented, and even reversed, thru strength training. Use it or Lose it.

Did not know about sarcopenia. Thanks for that, too! :)

The woman who leads our support meetings had RNY many years ago. At the time she had it she weighed about 450, got down to about 300, then stopped losing. Someone asked about calories once and she said to stay under 1700! Which I (and a fair number of others) would have been gaining on even when I was a lot heavier. But interestingly she just dropped another 30-40 pounds to prepare for hip surgery by using her tool and eating properly (and is still losing). I bet she is eating less than 1700 now.

134.2. I'll take it even if it is up .4 - I feel like I'm doing great right now! Walked over lunch with the co-workers and did get in over 10,000 steps by the end of the day.

Supposed to go out to eat with the new beau tonight - fun Asian fusion place but he has a bit of a cold so may cancel on me. I'll offer to bring over chicken noodle soup if that is the case.

Liz - absolutely loved the pics/video of Paul dancing. I new he was tall but man, he looked really tall in that video! What a handsome man you have! Glad you are having a good vacation - albeit some challenges with DH. Have a great time in Paris!

OMG Ann, that speaking situation would have pissed me off. I would discuss that with the coordinators there. I highly doubt they want a person that was unsuccessful and spouting incorrect information representing their program anyway! Love your theme for the day as I always do. I've been meaning to call and chat with you - soon my dear!

Diane O - have fun with the mani/pedi and don't fret the 3 lbs. You know it is the salt in what you had last night! You will be back down in a day or 2!