Saturday, January 19, 2013

"Focus on the journey, not the destination." ~G. Anderson



I’ve been neglecting my blog. I’m sorry. Someone finally asked me if I wasn’t writing because something was wrong so I decided I better check in. Things are, actually, very, very good. The surgery and my recovery could not have gone better. I am just over 4 weeks out from surgery and have lost 17 pounds. The weight loss has begun to slow down and that can be frustrating at times. I have to keep reminding myself that the average loss is 10 pounds per month and I have done extremely well in the first month. I am going to have months when I lose more than 10 pounds and some when I lose less than that. I have to be okay with that. The trade-off for choosing the gastric sleeve surgery, a less invasive and complicated procedure, was slower weight loss so now I learn to live with that. I am down 17 pounds and 1 pants size which is awesome.

I am eating more normally now although I still tend to choose softer foods and my portion sizes are very small. There are things I have not yet reintroduced into my diet, like raw vegetables, most fruits, and beef (other than ground beef). A meal for me is still just protein. So, you will see me eat chicken for dinner – no vegetable, no carbs. By the time I eat the protein portion, which I MUST eat for nutrition purposes, I am full and there’s no room for anything else. This is usually about a ½ cup size portion. I usually have 4 or 5 meals a day and I drink A LOT of water. I am amazed that most of my cravings have disappeared. I used to have an insatiable sweet tooth. Now, I rarely crave anything sweet. I would also eat because I was bored. Now, I have to make myself eat to fuel my body. My entire relationship with food has changed. It’s quite liberating.

I had surgery on December 19. I missed three days of work and then school was closed for two weeks for Winter Break. I told myself that I would be ready to return when school reopened on January 7. I followed every instruction the doctors gave me so that I could do this. I ate what they told me to eat. I walked as much as they told me to walk. On January 7 at 8 am, I was in my office, at my desk, ready to work. The return went well. Fortunately my work is flexible enough that I can stop and eat when I need to. I sit at a desk most of the time so the physical demands are not that great. But, by 4:30 pm each day, I was exhausted. I went to bed very early that first week. Each day gets better and I feel almost back to my pre-surgery self.

Throughout this journey, I’ve had a lot of support. I have tried to be open about the process so that the stigma might be lifted from these types of procedures. So far, I am aware of three friends who have contacted doctors to investigate weight loss surgery for themselves. I am very proud of these individuals. They call me an “inspiration.” I don’t know about that. I tend to think of myself as a “teacher.” It’s what I do. It’s who I am to the core of my being. I bring information and I share it in a way that I hope can reach others. I am happy to discuss this possibility with anyone who is considering it. It’s not a choice for everyone but it’s a valid, viable option for many.

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