My first photo comparison post

Okay so I have been totally freaked out about posting my pics on the blog for several reasons. First I didnt want wondering envious eyes to find out who the former fat girl was, but I got over that and now openly talk about my surgery. After WTF, I'm doing this for me and my future and no one else so if anyone has any crap to say they can shove it !! Reason # 2 was because I just HATE all the pictures of me as "the big girl"..but now that the "big girl" is on her way to getting her sexy back I'm getting over that fear too !! So here we go...this is a comparison of me at my heavest weight of 269 in June of this year. This was taken on a cruise ot Alaska. The second picture is exactly one month post -op on Sept 10th. I weighed in at 240 which was 29 lbs lighter and the biggest change I think is in my face! Next on the list is the muffin top, this was my first adventure into my size 18's.

My new favorite munchkin picture

Just wanted to post a new picture of my munchkin in her pig tails. She's such a character and that face it's like "Who me? I didnt do it!". Love you Cha Cha !!!

Great NSV today !!

I see the changes, my hubby sees the changes and my close friends see the changes but how come NOT ONE  OTHER GOSH DARN PERSON  who sees me in the hallways or my neighbors seems to say anything about my weightloss !! It's not becuase it's me but I KNOW its obvious by now !! C'mon Im down 36 lbs, wearing a size 18 comfortably and down a size in my tops as well. No muffin tops and looking leaner in the torso area...sooooo ????

Well FINALLY today I got the vindication I needed !! A co-worker that hadn't seen me since before surgery stopped me in the hall and finally said "OMG you look so good !!" I was soooo dying to hear those words from others besides my ever so loving friends. SO YES I FELL ALOT BETTER NOW  with my new NSV !!!!

Cape Cod...My First trip post surgery

Hola people ! So I just got back from Cape Cod on Sunday night, it was my first real trip anywhere more than an hour since the surgery in August. I was a little apprehensive wondering how I was gonna handle eating in a restuarant without the comfort of my usuals i.e. yogurt etc etc. But all in all it was a great trip with no food issues what so ever.

We did an AMAZING whale watch trip. Completely mind blowing !! I had done a whale watch in Alaska in June but nothing could prepare me for the sheer number of whales that were coming so incredibly close to the boat. Got TONS of great tail shots and even saw a breach, even though I couldn't catch it in time. The only thing was that there were ALOT of other people trying to get the same shots so a little crowded. If you want to take a look at the pics click HERE.

Okay onto the food. Had some GREAT fish at the Lobster pot in Provincetown. Even though they served me a HUGE portion of delicious Parmesan-panko crusted Cod I ate about a little more than a 1/4, with some Orzo and 1/2 cup of salad and was more than satisfied and able to have the rest packed away with no remorse, pressure etc etc. Breakfast was at Chach's Dinner. GREAT coffee, great french toast ! eat 1/2 of one and about 1/2 cup of home fries and was good to go..my honey finished the rest.

It felt great to be able to go away and eat at restaurants and not have any issues of food pressure of not being able to find something to eat. I'm slowly getting more use to the idea that this is not a diet and that I can have anything....of course while making good choices!!

Confused about my Wii fit age ??

I know a couple of you are also doing the wii fit as part of your excercise routine and I was wondering if you guys are also having this same issue with the fluctuating Wii fit age ?? I've been doing the body test and the balance/yoga and aerobics activities consistenly and getting some good numbers but my Wii age keeps fluctuaing almost on a daily basis !! One day it's 26 (woo-hoo) and then the next day it's 41 (WTF?!)

Anyone try Weight Watchers post op ?

Hello Y'all, I was just wondering if anyone has tried doing the weight watcher program post op and if it has helped in anyway as far as tracking, morale, weight in's go. I think Im doing pretty good as far as my calorie tracking goes ( I could be way better with my water) but am thinking that the added support could be very beneficial. I'd love some thoughts on this....

My new favorite discovery

Back when I had started solids I had attmepted toast with a VERY bad result and because of that had stayed away ham sandwiches which have always been a favorite of mine. Last week's grocery trip yielded a new and wonderful surprise and a source of much excitement....Arnold Multigrain Sandwich Thins !!!

YAY I am so happy I found these. They work just like bread but are much thinner, have WAY more fiber (5g) and WAY less calories (100 calories for both pieces) than any other bread I've seen. Plus they toast up great, it's like making a sandwich with a bigger craker that doesnt break apart & taste great !! I was able to make a ham sandwich for under 250 calories !!

• 2 pieces of Multigrain Sandwich thins
• 1/2 tablespoon of low cal Mayo w/ olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of honey mustard
• 3 slices of boars head low sodium ham (thin sliced)
• 1/2 slice of boars head vermont cheddar cheese (thin sliced)

Me too..Me too...5K here I come

So I was inspired by so many of you getting up off the couch and doing these 5K's that I have decided to follow suit. My sister and I will be running in the sister/sister competition of Disney's Royal Family 5K run in March at Walt Disney World. My sister lives in Orlando and works for Disney so it was just a logical choice and an added benefit to be able to do my first ever race in such a wonderfully happy and enchanted place. The added bonus is that I also get to do it with my niece since this is alsoa stroller push race as well. What more could I ask for ??!!

sorry for my abandoment...and some other ramblings

Hola People ! I know I've been neglectful..once again !! I just cant seem to cram in everything I need to be doing lately. My scrapbook from the Alska trip is still sitting there waiting for me to get started..I have books half read all over the place ( and I just got my new "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown..so excited!!!), class on wednesday is just really kicking my butt, Im preforming well but it has really been a challange to get all that damn reading in !! 4 incredibly boring scinetific research papers a week !! SNORE !!! Is what usually happens midway through the second one ( okay ...the first one !!)

So as for my weigh in for this week...the scale moved but not really much I just got a 1 pound loss. Yeah I know I say it to people all the time that "at least its moving in the right direction.." but it STINKS !!! I was talking with my patient coordinator today and she was mentioning that I need to remember that my weight is going to fluctuate with my cycle so to be patient !! ( a virtue I was not born with !!). So officially I am at a 30.5 lb loss. I'm still pretty darn proud about myself and I really feel great and my body is really starting to improve...so much so that the hubby is starting to make comments ( which feels REAL GOOD!!!)

I had my monthly support group meeting today and learned quite a number of great tips, which I will post seperately since this is getting a little lengthy !!!

September 11th..bringing back thoughts

It's funny how certain events in your life you just manage to block until something pushes them back into the spotlight...Septmeber 11th is one of those for me. I had just moved to NYC exactly a month before, amist alot of heartache and mixed emotions from my family. Like you hear from many that expereinced it first hand you somehow seem to remeber every vivid detail like a video playing back in your head. It was a particularly gorgeous day, bright and sunny, crisp and nice on the skin with the slight tinge that autum was approaching. It's funny I remember being on the R train when the first plane hit the world trade center and was slightly annoyed at the fact that the trains had stopped for about 10 minutes and I was going to be late to physics ( which I particularly didnt like to begin with). I made it to class and had just sat down for 10 minutes when almost in a symphonic unison cell phones started ringing and gasp of horror were being heard so clearly that my professor stopped to class to answer her own cell phone that was continuously ringing. She broke the news to our lecture hall in tears and dismissed our class and sent us of to seek refuge. I went up to my lab on the 9th floor of Hunter College (located at 68th st & lex) to figure out what in the world was going on and there it was that my eyes witnessed the horror that was unfolding as the first building collapsed. Like many that morning I didnt know what to do, scream, cry, runaway...OMG what is happening, you are never prepared to face an event of this magnitude. My cell phone no longer worked, calls were impossible to get through. I finally got through to my mother in florida after numerous tries and felt her panic, asking if I wanted her to come get me. A group of us finally decided to evacuate the city and make the long trek on foot back to the borough of queens over the 59th street/triborough bridge which had been shut down to traffic and become a pedestrain escape route. Half way across the bridge I remeber pausing to look back at the scene as to assure myself that I was really seeing nad experiencing what I thought I was. It was only seconds later, as a gasp of tears and disbelief swept the hundreds of other people standing all around me that I saw the second building collapsed as did my heart !!!
I made it home about 3 hours later and it was only after the shell shock of what I had actually witnessed and just lived through set in that I realized that my life could have turned out completely different that day, had the timing been just a little different on the events that day. On that fateful morning of Sept 11th I was actually scheduled to attend an interview for a biology fellowship at the offices of the Research Foundation of the City University of New York  at 11 am whose central office was directly across from the Tower 1 of the world trade center
Sept 11th will forever live in my mind as a day whose memory will persit in the back of my mind because it is just too much emotion to handle. On a day like today, 8 years in the future from the atrocities of that day, my heart still cries when I see the images of those brave and fearless angles of God that thought of others before themselves and gave their lives to save that of a stranger. I know that they sit in the glory of heaven now and I only pray that they have no memory or recollection of that day but can finally rest in complete peace.

I'm doing The Walk From Obesity--Please Donate if you can !!!

Dear Friends,

Like all of you very well know and understand, obesity has been an issue all my life. The last time I was considered "normal" was probably freshman year in highschool. Now that I have the tools to take back my health and my life, I want to help others that maybe in the same or worse situation that I was when I made this great decision.

On Sunday Sept 13th I will be joining thousands of other New Yorkers taking part in The Walk From Obesity in Central Park. This walk  that is sponsored by the ASBS Foundation and the Obesity Action Coaliation. will help in the efforts to fight one of the nation's leading causes of death and disability as well as provide information to obese Americans on the options available to help them fight this frequently ignored killer.

My personal fundraising goal is $250 and would appreciate your financial sponsorship. If you are unable to help finaicially then please help spread the word on your blogs, or emails to your friends and family. Please visit my link below to make an online doantion.

Please click here to make a donation


If you live in the NYC area, please consider signing up for this 2 mile non-competitive walk and help promote the great efforts of this campaign.

Thanks in advance for your support of The Walk From Obeisty- together we CAN make a difference !!!

YAY !! I made it to my first MAJOR goal

So today was my official weigh in day and....( drum roll please !!) I've lost a total of 29 lbs !!!! & MOST importantly that means that I've reached my first MAJOR goal of losing 10% of my body weight !!! YAY..YIPEE

Good news about the ice cream bar...

You know considering that I have been pretty good about making the right choices and all, I REALLY thought that my first official "cheat" with the hagan daz bar yesterday would have made me feel like I was having a piece of heaven melt in my mouth !!! BUT you know what??? There was noting spectacular about it ! It was okay, but no fireworks and harp music in the background...I guess that's good right??!!! I guess in a way I conquered my anti-will power monster. Before this whole process I would have been like OMG..give me give me give me ( cookie monster style) but surprisingly enough I wasn't and feel like I can go quite a bit without having another one and no "OMG the world is ending" alarms are going off...ummm intresting indeed !!!

Maybe there is something to this lap band thing...ummmm (insert sarcastic chin rubbing image here)

Anyways I dont know if it's restriction or not..but today I've probably had a total of 2.5 cups of food total and Im not really hungry. It's been more of a mind game today though...I FEEL like I should be eating more just because it's so little, yet I'm not hungry for it...I guess this is where learning to read and follow what my band is telling me comes in. I'll get it eventually.

Tommorow is my official weekly weigh in day and I'm hoping for at least a 1.5lb loss so I can FINALLY get to that 10% loss goal...we'll see what tommorow brings

Good nite y'all !!

Going backwards sucks !!!!

Since I got my first fill yesterday my surgeon (as I'm sure most do) require 2 days of liquids plus 2 days of mushies right after a fill. I had been enjoying my soft regular foods for the past week and then BAM...back to the world of starving and liquids, just as I had found my new favorite things ( steamed dumplings...oh how I crave you right now !!!). Planning on the mashed potatoes and refired beans w cheese tommorow but right now about to enjoy an ice cream bar...I know I shouldnt but I figured since my calorie intake yesterday was only 600 and today with dinner was only 480, I can splurge a little and have an ice cream bar..Dont crucifi me on this one, please !!

Todays menu:

Breakfast:

• 1.5 cups of skim plus milk (calories: 180)

Lunch:

• 1 cup of strained liquified lentil soup (calories: 150)

Dinner:

• 1 cup of strained liquified lentil soup (calories: 150)

My new obsession and daily must have

So Jenny had mentioned how much she totally loved the FAGE greek yogurts and my immediate thought was to a very unfortunate tasting experience I had at my in-laws with some plain greek yogurt and thought...oh no !! But walking around Whole Foods the other day I saw that they had some honey and strawberry flavored ones and picked them up. CanI say OH MY GOD !!! THESE ARE THE BEST THINGS EVER !!!  I am soooooo totally hooked on these yogurts and cant wait for breakfast to have one !!! My favorite is the strawberry but the honey comes in a close 1.5 sec later ! and with a whole 10g of protein it's a definite WOO HOO  !!!

THANKS JENNY !!!!!

Size 20's & XXL shirts up for grabs !!!

Another of the great women blogging on this journey started a great idea of passing it foward and in that spirit I wanted to do my part so I have size 20/22 jeans and slacks (Avenue & Old Navy) as well as XXL long sleeve shirts ( Old Navy) and 2 cocktail dresses size 24/22 (  one actually my "wedding" dress considering we eloped). If anyone would like any of it please let me know with a comment and provide your email so I can get your contact info !!!

My first FILL !!

Today is day 24 post op and I got my first fill !!! Going to the office I had a mixed batch of emotions...happy to be getting a fill since I know its a crucial part of being successful with my band but also a little discontent knowing that I was going to have to go back to liquids for 2 days and then mushies before I could get to enjoy my new obsession steamed dumplings ( Rickshaw's dumplings on 23rd st & 6 ave..yum yum..but that's a seperate post). I have to say that the fill was rather quick and uneventful process. I went in, got weighed (down a 1.5 lbs!!) hopped up and assumed the postion ( crunch style) and was done within 5 minutes. It was sooo quick, didnt hurt at all, the nurse found the port immediately and injected 4.5 cc and it has to be THE ODDEST FEELING EVER !!! Feeling the port moving around and then the fluid traveling up the band..WOW WEIRD !!!

Feeling great but not happy to be sitting hear having thin soups all over again !! Next fill Oct 9th !!

Long overdue post & updates

Hello my losties ( Im a BIG LOST fan btw, but thought it was appropriate !)
I know I've been neglecting my blogging duties but things have been a little hectic !!! School started back up
for me ( I'm pursuing my masters in molecular bio) and these next 2 semesters are gonna be doseys!!

Well during my absence let's see what happened:

• I am only 1 freaking pound away from my 10% goal..can u beleive it ??? and of course why would my weight loss be the same as it was before ?? Nope it has slowed to a creeping 1.5 lbs just shy of my goal. I know this is what is expected but given the weight loss I've been seeing I really thought that I was gonna get to that milestone this week
• I officially cleared out my closet of the size 20's and all the XXL shirts !! WOW that felt REAL good !!!
• I started mushies last monday ( YAY!!) but is anyone else having the same issues where all the chewing really makes the chicken etc etc not desierable to swallow ?? I am chewing it VERY well about 30-40 times but by the time I got to swallow I would rather spit it out since it's a wad of yuckiness !!!
• I also consequeently realized that I need to REALLY toast the bread since my last venture into toast didnt work out very well...if you know what I mean !!!

Okay I'll keep this short and promise to be better with the blogging !!!