Checking in. Lots of changes going on!
I am Reduced!
That quote comes from a friend who is also losing weight. She saw a friend recently whose immediate response was, "You have been reduced!". English isn't her first language – and the comment was so charming that I've started saying it every time I see her.
I've heard from so many friends that are struggling with their weight and/or considering the VSG surgery that I had. So here is some more information to share since I opened that door – I will continue down the hallway so-to-speak. ;) If you are new to this blog / topic, start here, on 08/11/12.
I've lost 68 lbs. total since 08/01/12. I'm gunning for 75 for my 3 month post-op appt; which would also be approx. the half-way point in what I intend to accomplish.
It all started on 8/1/12 when I had a date, and life changed dramatically overnight. It's weird how much of this is mental. My switch was flipped on at that moment.
One of my friends is a PhD in nursing (I call her Doctor Nurse); and we were at a dinner party this past weekend. She found the changes in me to be remarkable; not just the weight loss, my attitude, my positivity. She was startled by the 180 degree difference in everything about me and asked what did it? I said HOPE. That is all I can put it down to. It's a powerful emotion!
I'm a regular gym rat now. It's like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Seriously, who is this woman I'm becoming? I work out every other day, at a minimum. I do 45 minutes on the elliptical almost daily. I do weight training every other day. This week, I changed things up a bit and only did the cardio/elliptical for 45 minutes each day. I think it is necessary to make small changes in your routine to kick start your body now and then.
I was barely fitting into 3X / 26-28 clothes when this started. I remember being appalled that a pair of 3X pajamas didn't fit me properly. But had I made a change at that point? Nope. I couldn't find any clothes to wear at stores. It just made me more depressed; and even more apt to do emotional eating.
This week I'm wearing 1X and regular XL clothes. My closet has become this little treasure trove of things I haven't worn in a decade (thankfully some style doesn't change that much!); because I'm determined not to buy too many things until they are closer to the new me in size.
Wearing 'new clothes' is just one of the Non-Scale Victories (NSVs). Other things that have changed? I don't avoid going up stairs anymore. No elevator for me at the library. I can walk up the hill from the kids bus stop without being out of breath. I don't SNORE anymore (my husband's favorite NSV!). My ankles are no longer swollen. My knees aren't 'creaking'. My back doesn't hurt. I'm actually getting a good night's sleep (probably was keeping myself from true deep sleep with the snoring, huh?).
What hasn't occurred… I have heard about people having reflux / heartburn and not being able to keep food down. I haven't had ANY of these issues. I took pain medication ONCE on the week following my surgery and haven't taken any other medications since. One of my dearest friends has had a similar experience and she is 7 months out from her procedure.
Back in the Saddle
With all the change going on – and yet also getting established into my new routines…I started looking back into doing things in the industry that I love. I have been pretty much on hiatus for the past year. But no longer.
I dropped one opportunity because it wasn't changing or evolving as I'd hoped. And I'm all about forward motion these days.
I was blessed to join a few creative teams (in alphabetical order):
My first Ustream online live show for Helmar is coming up on Tuesday, October 30th at 7pm EST US. Bookmark http://www.ustream.tv/channel/helmar-live to watch!
One of my incentives for weight-loss was getting airplane tickets to the CHA trade show in Anaheim, CA this January. Booked em! Thanks, hubby!! My home base at the show will be the Art Anthology booth, #2104.
Speaking of CHA. It has such a different feeling to me this year… almost like an upcoming high school reunion; where I haven't seen people for a year – and I wonder if they'll notice any changes in me. It is one of those annual milestone events — and gives me even more incentive to 'work it'. Now if I can just get these new knee-high boots on…
Authenticity
So my life is changing. I'm emerging slowly from this cocoon of both weight gain and the loss of my sister. I'm becoming the authentic me that I am supposed to be. No more hiding. It's time to emerge.
The best way to put it was a quote I recently found:
“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.”
— Ben Okri
or in more pop-culture terms, my latest theme songs are:
Katy Perry – 'Wide Awake' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0BWlvnBmIE). Just the whole song, video speaks to me. Especially at the end when the butterfly comes out of her hand.
Coldplay – 'Every Teardrop is a Waterfall' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyMhvkC3A84)
"I'd rather be a comma than a full stop".
Yep. That about sums it up. There is a whole world waiting just outside the door. My hiatus is officially over. What will be at the end of this hallway? I don't know — but I can't wait to find out.
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