VSG Update: Four-Month Follow-Up

Hey look! I'm on time!

And it's time for another update, so here we go...

It's been four months (give or take) since surgery and my stats are

• Starting Weight: 320 lb.
• Pre-Op Diet Weight: 314 lb.
• Surgery Weight: 292 lb.
• Current Weight: 232 lb.

So in four months, I've lost 60 pounds. In four months and two weeks, I've lost 82 pounds. And since I started? 88 pounds! I'm two pounds away from halfway to my goal, 12 pounds away from 100 pounds lost, and 32 pounds away from onederland!

That's a lot of nifty milestones coming up fast.

And if you can tell by my prodigious use of exclamation points (!!!), I'm feeling better about my journey since the last time I posted. I took a picture the other day that really made me feel good about how far I've come, instead of reminding me how far I have to go. I'm not sure if this more positive and excited state of mind is here to stay, or temporary. What I do know is that I'm embracing it.

Anyhow, the last month was my first full month of real food, and it was verra niiiiice. I had popcorn and ice cream and one teeny tiny bite of brownie. The popcorn was very bad... it's a slider food and I can eat it forever without stopping. We won't be buying any more of that to leave in the house - single serve only from here on out. TRIGGER FOOD!

The ice cream was a nice treat after a long day at a festival. It wasn't a reward for being good. It wasn't a cheat day. It wasn't something I felt guilty about. I simply decided I wanted ice cream, so I got a scoop and ate half of it (because that's all I wanted). That to me is what a healthy relationship with food feels like, and it's a relationship I've been aching for for years.

The brownie was actually the first not-so-healthy food I tried, and it was more a test to see if I could resist stuffing the entire thing in my gaping maw. And I did it! One bite. I got the taste I wanted and I got rid of the rest.

I still struggle and I suspect I always will. Food addiction is a real thing and I have it. I've still not had rolls or soft bread because I know that will send me sliding back into bad habits. I did have a grilled cheese on toasted bread, and though it was delicious, it gave me very bad heartburn. Popcorn, as I found, is more of a trigger food than I knew, so it will be off the menu for the most part as well. 

This past month has been spent learning about what I can enjoy in moderation and what I need to keep out of my life or at least out of my fridge. And I'm learning so much. It's been a good month, and I'm so glad that emotionally I seem to be turning a corner.

I also experienced the joy that are Quest bars. They aren't perfect; they do have a pretty strong protein powder taste to them, but the flavors are pretty good in the ones I've tried, and they're pretty delicious once you've nuked them for about 7-9 seconds.

And their pumpkin pie bars! OH-EM-GEE! So good and not as dense and protein powdery as their other bars. I bought an entire box of those. Delicious!

Finally, I've fallen into a bit of a routine with my food: 

• Breakfast: Vanilla or Chocolate Premiere Protein Drink
• Lunch: Whatever leftovers I have from the night before and some fruit (grapes or apples).
• Daytime Snack: Quest Bar
• Dinner: I either cook breakfast (bacon and eggs) or I snack (cheese stick and lunchmeat).
• Evening Snack: POPSICLES! (or frozen grapes)

I've went from 600-800 calories a day to 800-1000 calories a day. I think that seems about right, since my doc said I will work up to around 1200-1400 calories a day when I get down enough to start maintenance. And right now, I can't see how I can get more than 1000 calories a day without adding in another meal somewhere.

I have noticed that I think I'm hungry when I'm thirsty, or when I'm bored. This is something I experienced even before surgery. So when I feel ravenous, I drink some water and wait a few and 99% of the time, the feeling goes away. That's an NSV for sure. I never had the willpower or even the desire to do that before surgery. I just fed the headhunger/boredom/emotions.

Oh, and one last thing! I've been bicycle commuting to work 3-4 days a week. It's not a far ride (10-15 minutes, one way), but it's exercise and it feels great. I'm hoping to keep riding even when it's cold, as long as there's no snow on the ground. We'll see. I don't have the clothes for it right now (I don't have many clothes anymore, actually), but I'd like to be able to bike commute most of the year.

As for my yoga, I can't seem to get back into it, and it's bugging me. I miss it, but I can't make myself get on the mat. That's my goal for October - to get back into a regular yoga practice.

And that's really it for now. This went long and I apologize, but I was excited to offer the update. I also apologize for the random stream of consciousness, but hey, EXCITED!