Met with the bariatric team last week....it was the half-way point in my preparation for the surgery. I meet again in February and then in March is my final meeting and the point when they send all the paperwork and information into insurance for approval. They say that about a week after they send it all in we get an answer and then we can schedule surgery.
Things I've been thinking about since I've started all of this:
- Giving up pop is a LOT harder than I thought. I hear a pop can open, I salivate. I sit with others having a pop, I desperately want one. I have given it up, I got over the headaches from the caffeine withdrawal. But I still want one every time I see one. Yes, I have back slid on this a few times. Like the whole time I was on Christmas vacation! But, I am back on track now and once again desperately wanting my coke zero!
- Eating the same thing for breakfast every day isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I eat a half cup of oatmeal, 8 slices of apple and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter every day. Getting my carb, protein, fruit and a little fat with the peanut butter. Everything I need to start the day. I am actually finding I really like it and when I try to do something else I miss my normal breakfast.
- Counting my bubbles is really quite easy and becomes second nature quite quickly. When I started in October, I had to use a different color pen for each meal so I could see my bubbles and how they worked. Now I have the bubbles in my head during the day and know how many of each I have used and how many I have left. I can "see" what I have had and am able to plan accordingly and make sure that I don't go "over" in any area.
- Drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day is NOT as easy as it seems. I thought it would be no big deal, but I am still having trouble getting the 48 ounces minimum. I average 40 ounces. So...the dietitian tells me that I have to view it as my job...I must drink the water. So my new thing is I must drink 20 ounces before I go home for lunch and then I must drink 20 ounces before supper. Then I have only 8 ounces to do after supper. Now...to stay on this and not go backwards.
- I miss chocolate. Today we had a teacher workday. One of the people at my table had a bag of chocolate kisses. She opened the bag and poured a view out. I looked, I salivated and I resisted. Okay, I resisted for a LONG time. And then I had 2 kisses. I did not have more...just the 2. But wow, was it awesome. I miss chocolate!
- The weight came off quickly the first week - I think I lost 6 pounds that week. Here I am now, 3 months out and I have lost a total of 12 pounds. So 6 pounds in one week and then 11 more weeks to lose the other 6. UGH. But I know why...
- I STILL do not like exercise. I have totally and completely stunk at doing the exercise regularly like I am supposed to do. I always seem to find something else I need to do/want to do and don't have time to exercise. I am pathetic. So I MUST start doing this and making it a habit. My dietitian also said to treat this like a job - you may not want to go everyday, but you do.
- I am looking forward to when I have had the surgery...many reasons but the one that I think of the most right now is that I will not feel hungry all the time. Right now I still have a normal sized stomach. But the amount of food I am allowed does not fill me up. It is designed to help me lose weight before the surgery. After the surgery, my stomach will be small and I will actually feel full after eating. That will be wonderful!!!
- I am getting excited about the new me and my new life. I want to buy new clothes. But at the same time I am nervous about how to shop with a new body. That will be interesting. Already, even though I have only lost 12 pounds, my pants are all bigger on me. The belt I bought I started on the biggest whole in the belt. I am on the 3rd hole now. So even with only 12 pounds gone, my body is obviously changing. I actually had someone see me last week who hadn't seen me in a couple of months and she noticed and thought I had lost more than I have. So that made me feel good!!!
- Treadmill - good idea or will it collect dust? We are looking into a treadmill. We both think that maybe we would actually use it - you can read and walk, watch movies and walk, etc. I honestly think that we would both use it so I am open to input on a good one that isn't going to break the bank.
So, those are the things that are on my mind right now as January is almost half over. Time for me to stop blogging and head out to the bonus room and do my exercise!
