Life has a way of constantly changing. Even when we are not looking for change, it happens. I was not looking for work. I was perfectly happy staying home, exercising a lot, cleaning my house, being a "house wife". I loved it. I was living my dream. Then a friend of mine came to me and asked me how I would feel about working a few days a week at her business. She owned a drug testing facility. I thought that sounded good. 2 days a week. That wouldn't inconvenience me much. I could schedule the kids appointments around 2 out of the 7 days in a week. Plus, it would be nice to get out of the house a little. And, I would get to learn new things. She was going to send me to become a phlebotomist, I needed a certificate of training to do the drug testing...I was going to be learning. I liked the sound of that. This friend of mine is moving. She had the business for sale. I knew that when she hired me. She could not guarantee that the new owner of the business would want employees, but that didn't matter to me. I just wanted to work a little bit anyway. Well, to make a long story short, Cecil and I bought the business. As of August 1, 2015, we are officially business owners. That's crazy! I now work 5 days a week, by myself, and run Workplace Testing Center. Like it or not, our roots are planted in Texas. I love my job. This week has been hard because all 5 of my kids are back home, getting settled, ready for school to start. I miss being home with them. But after a lot of prayer, I know without a doubt that buying the business was what we were supposed to do. There are very few things in my life that I can say I did because I knew for a certainty that that was what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. This happens to fall into that category. Every time I would go to Him with a concern, He would reassure me that I am doing the right thing.
As far as business goes, we go is spurts where we are really busy, and then we have lots of down time. Today has been really slow. I have only had one test and it's already afternoon. I pray for business all the time.
Now for a lap band update. I am down 105 lbs and have been sitting here for about 8 months. I have gained a little, lost a little, back and forth. I am not watching my eating like I should, and I know that. My band is also very loose. I was having a lot of trouble with reflux at night. It wasn't acidy, it was just like liquid coming up into my throat and then I would start chocking in my sleep. It wasn't very fun at all. I hated it. So I had him loosen me up a lot. I only have 2.5 cc's in. That is totally by my choice. I want to stay here for a while and then slowly start to add again. I would love to be back up to my 4 cc's, but I don't know if I will ever get that full again. I don't want to have issues. I love my lap bad. I am so grateful for it. It has given me so much life back. I ran my first 5K in April. I can't even express how amazing that was! It was awesome! I can't say this to people because it sounds like bragging, but I have to admit, I was so proud of myself. I never in a million years would have thought that I could actually do something like that. I need to continue training for something because it is easy to slack off of my miles if I'm not focusing on a certain event. But to keep my miles up, the past few months I have just challenged myself to hit 75 miles a month. For June and July I got it! I haven't kept track in August, but I started going to Turbo Jam 3 days a week again, so that will cut back on some millage. I still get up at 4:30 Monday-Friday though, to work out, so I'm not slacking in the exercise department. I just need to refocus my eating habits.
I took E to the dr. last week for a med check. I talked to him about trying to possibly get off his meds and just see how he does. E was all for it. The dr. said that right when school was starting was probably not the best timing. I had to agree. So we decided that we would do a 3 month refill, then re discuss the idea in November. Both E and I were on board with that idea. But the dr. said in the meantime, get off all sugar. He said to get back to eating real food. Eggs, protein, fruits and veggies. Ok, that is exactly the same diet that I've been told to eat, so why haven't I implemented it into my kids' lives? Honestly, it is really hard. I made pork chops this week for supper, and then just steamed some fresh squash and zucchini. I thought it was delicious! The kids, not so much. But hopefully they will get used to it. We all need to be off of sugar.
School starts a week from Monday. I am not ready to have them all back in school. But ready or not, they will be going back. Where does the time go? I feel like I don't get any time with them in the summer, and now that I'm working, I really don't get that time. But It will all work out.
Life is wonderful!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Friday, September 5, 2014
I am the worlds worst blogger!
But when I go back and read my old posts, it makes me so sad that I don't post more often. Wow! I've come a long way! I weighed this morning and I am 215.2. That's a total of 84.2 lbs in a little less than a year. I am SOOO happy with that. Last year at this time I had no idea what this journey was going to feel like. I have learned so much and I have changed a lot. Some things I don't think will ever change. Like my love for food. It is still very much there and very real. I am constantly counting calories and trying my best to make good choices.
I had an appointment in July and I decided I wanted a fill. I thought I was doing pretty well, but I wanted to be a little tighter. Dr B put .2 cc's in and sent me on my way. I can tell you, by the time I drove to SAMs club, I knew I was too tight. I ignored myself and went about my way. The next month proceeded to be the most miserable I think I have ever been. I lost a lot of weight for about 2 weeks and then it came to a screeching halt! I didn't loose anything from the middle of July to September 5, 2014. I would lose a few pounds and then the next day, be right back up. That was so very frustrating. I had another appointment about mid August. I had .2 taken out and he told me I should feel better. I did, so I think I started eating too much, that is why I didn't loose. I'm not sure the exact reason. I didn't feel like I was eating too much, but maybe. So then I just went and saw him again on Wednesday. I told him more about my stall or plateau, and he didn't want to put more in. He started me on thyroid med and a diet pill. He said often times when you've lost half of your excess weight, your metabolism slows way down. I'm thinking that could very well be the problem. I've lost 5 lbs since Wednesday!! He also put me on a VERY low calorie diet, 700-800/ day, but with the diet pills, it's not a problem at all. I was starting to jog a little, but he said I needed to wait because my bmi is not under 35 yet. It will be in about 5 more lbs. :) I've got this. This has been a tough journey, but I Can do hard things! My journey is not over. It's just begin. My journey is a life long journey. I'm excited. I love wearing littler clothes! I bought a new workout shirt and it is a size 14/16. I bought capris in a size 16. I love it! That is still big, but it is a lot smaller than the 24's I just took out of the closet cause they fall off of me! I can't wait to be under 200. A little over 15 lbs and I'll be there! I can do this!
Cecil is still doing amazing too! He is down 55-60 lbs. He is going to start at it hard and strong again on Monday. His birthday is on Sunday and he wants to enjoy some yummy food. :)
I had an appointment in July and I decided I wanted a fill. I thought I was doing pretty well, but I wanted to be a little tighter. Dr B put .2 cc's in and sent me on my way. I can tell you, by the time I drove to SAMs club, I knew I was too tight. I ignored myself and went about my way. The next month proceeded to be the most miserable I think I have ever been. I lost a lot of weight for about 2 weeks and then it came to a screeching halt! I didn't loose anything from the middle of July to September 5, 2014. I would lose a few pounds and then the next day, be right back up. That was so very frustrating. I had another appointment about mid August. I had .2 taken out and he told me I should feel better. I did, so I think I started eating too much, that is why I didn't loose. I'm not sure the exact reason. I didn't feel like I was eating too much, but maybe. So then I just went and saw him again on Wednesday. I told him more about my stall or plateau, and he didn't want to put more in. He started me on thyroid med and a diet pill. He said often times when you've lost half of your excess weight, your metabolism slows way down. I'm thinking that could very well be the problem. I've lost 5 lbs since Wednesday!! He also put me on a VERY low calorie diet, 700-800/ day, but with the diet pills, it's not a problem at all. I was starting to jog a little, but he said I needed to wait because my bmi is not under 35 yet. It will be in about 5 more lbs. :) I've got this. This has been a tough journey, but I Can do hard things! My journey is not over. It's just begin. My journey is a life long journey. I'm excited. I love wearing littler clothes! I bought a new workout shirt and it is a size 14/16. I bought capris in a size 16. I love it! That is still big, but it is a lot smaller than the 24's I just took out of the closet cause they fall off of me! I can't wait to be under 200. A little over 15 lbs and I'll be there! I can do this!
Cecil is still doing amazing too! He is down 55-60 lbs. He is going to start at it hard and strong again on Monday. His birthday is on Sunday and he wants to enjoy some yummy food. :)
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Nothing too exciting
I don't know why it's hard to post every Friday, but it seems like it slips my mind. Saturday I hit a low in weight and that made me so happy! I weighed in at 252.0. I'm up today but I know why. I'm pmsing and for the next week and a half I won't loose an ounce. It is really frustrating! I've learned in the past two months that that is how my body works, though. Then I'll loose 6-7 lbs the 2 1/2 weeks after my period. I love those few weeks lol. I guess there isn't a thing I can do about the monthly cycle thing. I continue to work out and I do my very best to keep my cravings in check. It's a tough thing though.
I've been trying to switch my workouts up a bit. I'll go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is warming up I've been doing our loop of 2.5 miles on the other days. The kids are on spring break right now so I took the four youngest ones with me plus the dog. I wasn't able to go as fast, but I really want to get my family involved in getting healthy as well. It was a nice walk. I also signed the boys up for soccer and they start next week the girls didn't want to play. I really want to get the 2 younger girls in dance or gymnastics. I think they'd love it. And that would be great exercise.
Other then that, I'm still just learning how to adjust to this major life change. I've learned that I can't drink anything ice cold. If its been in the fridge, I can't drink it. It can be kinda cool, but room temperature goes down the best. If its too cold, I tighten up so tight that the liquid gets stuck and comes back up. I'm ok with this most of the time. Sometimes I want a really cold drink, or a little milk or something, but I'm learning to deal with it. I have a dr appointment on Monday and I'll bring that up with him. My assumption is this is normal.
I've been trying to switch my workouts up a bit. I'll go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now that the weather is warming up I've been doing our loop of 2.5 miles on the other days. The kids are on spring break right now so I took the four youngest ones with me plus the dog. I wasn't able to go as fast, but I really want to get my family involved in getting healthy as well. It was a nice walk. I also signed the boys up for soccer and they start next week the girls didn't want to play. I really want to get the 2 younger girls in dance or gymnastics. I think they'd love it. And that would be great exercise.
Other then that, I'm still just learning how to adjust to this major life change. I've learned that I can't drink anything ice cold. If its been in the fridge, I can't drink it. It can be kinda cool, but room temperature goes down the best. If its too cold, I tighten up so tight that the liquid gets stuck and comes back up. I'm ok with this most of the time. Sometimes I want a really cold drink, or a little milk or something, but I'm learning to deal with it. I have a dr appointment on Monday and I'll bring that up with him. My assumption is this is normal.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
The lap band and antibiotics
It's been a long week. I was sick all last weekend with what I thought was strep throat. I didn't feel good at all. I did decide to get a fill for my band on Monday and when I got to the clinic I was running a tempature. I even took ibuprofen to try and mask it. They did the fill anyway but I only was able to get .2 cc's put in. I think I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now. Im right at 4 cc's. But by Tuesday I couldn't take the sore throat anymore. I went to the dr and good thing I did. I have influenza b. The dr put me on four antibiotics and I'm happy to say they are working. I'm not 100% better, but I think I can start to work out again tomorrow. It's been a tough week at our house. Hubby got it, the littlest one got it, and I finally got antibiotics for the middle one whose been fighting crud since Thanksgiving. But hopefully we're all on the mend.
The problem is the antibiotics. 2 are liquid and of course go down fine. However, 2 are pills. I've had a really hard time with them. I will absolutely request liquid form from now on. I have such a hard time swallowing them. And I have to eat with them so that's been really hard too. I can't wait to be done with them. Only 10 more days to go. Ugh!
On the upside, Saturday mornings weigh in was 255.8. I'm really happy with that! I love seeing the scale go down!
The problem is the antibiotics. 2 are liquid and of course go down fine. However, 2 are pills. I've had a really hard time with them. I will absolutely request liquid form from now on. I have such a hard time swallowing them. And I have to eat with them so that's been really hard too. I can't wait to be done with them. Only 10 more days to go. Ugh!
On the upside, Saturday mornings weigh in was 255.8. I'm really happy with that! I love seeing the scale go down!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
To fill or not to fill...?
That is the question. I have a dr. Appointment on Monday and I really can't decide if I want to get a fill or not. Some days, like today, everything I eat gets stuck. I end up pbing and it is not fun. Days like yesterday, nothing got stuck. So I am really torn. Yes, I am losing weight, but I am seriously exercising my butt off! I had a goal to have a 1000 calorie workout this week and it happened! I did it! That was a great feeling for me. I love my heart rate monitor!
I exercised a lot this week and the lowest I got down to was 257.8. I was hoping for a little more, and that's why I want a fill. But getting stuck on a bite of banana isn't my idea of fun either. That's why I am so torn. If any of you readers want to leave a comment, some advice, or personal experiences, I'd really appreciate it! I know exercise is a huge part of weight loss and I actually am learning to love my exercise. I just want a little more help from my band in addition to the exercise. I don't know if any of that makes an ounce of sense at all...
I exercised a lot this week and the lowest I got down to was 257.8. I was hoping for a little more, and that's why I want a fill. But getting stuck on a bite of banana isn't my idea of fun either. That's why I am so torn. If any of you readers want to leave a comment, some advice, or personal experiences, I'd really appreciate it! I know exercise is a huge part of weight loss and I actually am learning to love my exercise. I just want a little more help from my band in addition to the exercise. I don't know if any of that makes an ounce of sense at all...
Friday, February 7, 2014
Long time! Weigh in.
So it's been forever since I have blogged. To be honest,the reason is because I stalled. Big time! I didn't lose anything for 2 months. I stated between 267 and 265 until Christmas. Then we went on vacation to Utah and Wyoming to see family. With 5 kids, my hubby and I all in one vehicle, you only take the bare minimums. My scale was not going to come. There wasn't an ounce of spare room in our Honda pilot. We were gone for 11 days. I managed to weigh one morning on my sisters scale, about 8 days into our vacation, and to my surprise, I was down. Maybe there is something to this "not weighing everyday" thing. When we got back home I was very anxious to weigh myself. Really? I LOST weight on vacation?!? It was true. I was down to 264 when we got home. Not perfect, but I didn't gain. I went to the Dr. On January 13 and with my clothes on I weighed 264 on their scale. That was a -4 loss from my last appointment. They were happy with that. So was I. I had told my hubby I wanted a personal trainer for Christmas. Not at all realistic. As a compromise he got me a gym membership. As an added bonus, he joined too! I was so happy! I now go every Tues and Thursday while the little one is at preschool and hubby and I try to go at least Monday and Fridays. Sometimes he goes with me on Saturdays, sometimes I go alone. But I am really trying to work my booty off. And I am seeing results! Today I weighed 258.8!!! I have officially lost 40 lbs. It is not melting off of me, but it is coming off and for that I am so grateful! I am happy with my results.
Here are anew things I've learned since introducing real food:
* YES, I do have to weigh everything I eat! I can't guess because I will eat too much!
* Feeling full is not the same feeling as before the band. When I'm full, it isn't down in my regular stomach. It's a lot higher. Makes perfect sense, but sometimes I forget that. And I very rarely feel "full". That's ok!
* I have to listen to my body's real needs. That is so new to me. It's so different than my body's "wants". I need protein. I don't need sugary treats. I will feel satisfied after 2-3 ounces of protein and the desire for a treat will be gone if I eat the right thing first!
* Getting stuck is very real and as of yesterday, I think I can tell when it is starting and I can fix it before I throw up. This is huge for me. I have been pbing a lot lately.
That's just a few things. I am learning a lot every day and I am working very hard! Hubby bought me a heart rate monitor for Christmas and I love it! I don't leave the gym until I've burned 600 calories. It usually takes me an hour. It's a great workout routine and I love it when I go. I'm really starting to like this healthy lifestyle routine. It's pretty empowering.
Here are anew things I've learned since introducing real food:
* YES, I do have to weigh everything I eat! I can't guess because I will eat too much!
* Feeling full is not the same feeling as before the band. When I'm full, it isn't down in my regular stomach. It's a lot higher. Makes perfect sense, but sometimes I forget that. And I very rarely feel "full". That's ok!
* I have to listen to my body's real needs. That is so new to me. It's so different than my body's "wants". I need protein. I don't need sugary treats. I will feel satisfied after 2-3 ounces of protein and the desire for a treat will be gone if I eat the right thing first!
* Getting stuck is very real and as of yesterday, I think I can tell when it is starting and I can fix it before I throw up. This is huge for me. I have been pbing a lot lately.
That's just a few things. I am learning a lot every day and I am working very hard! Hubby bought me a heart rate monitor for Christmas and I love it! I don't leave the gym until I've burned 600 calories. It usually takes me an hour. It's a great workout routine and I love it when I go. I'm really starting to like this healthy lifestyle routine. It's pretty empowering.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Success?
Ok, so this week I started mushies. Love them! (most of them) I am doing some really soft things too, and then mushing it with my fork. It is hard to eat a lot of pureed food. It changes the taste. I just want to eat normal food so bad I could scream. But I am doing my best to stick with the rules.
The frustrating thing is...I gained this week. I weighed in yesterday at 267.2. Not what I wanted to see at all! I called my clinic and she said she's not too worried about it. They just want my body to heal at this point. I texted my nutritionist and she asked me a few questions...am I drinking my water? What about portion sizes? Where am I on my menstrual cycle? I answered them all but she never got back with me. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I log all my calories and I am eating less than 1000 calories on a high day. I am exercising and burning anywhere between 375-600 calories a day. I feel like it is going to be fine and it will start to come off, but I want it to come off right now. My dear sweet hubby often reminds me, several times a day, that it didn't take a month to put it on. It's not going to take a month to get it off. I know. I know. Patience has never been something I've had a lot of though. I will just keep at it and try to get more water in. That is one area I am struggling with. It is hard to remember to drink a bunch an hour before you eat and then when I eat I want to drink. But I am really working it get it all down and do it right. Practice makes perfect, right?
Well the house is quiet. The 4 little ones are playing with friends today and the oldest is at the school doing band tryouts. The hubby is sick so he's in bed. I think I'll take a nap too. I woke up at 5:22 this morning and never was able to go back to sleep. It's time for a little rest. :)
The frustrating thing is...I gained this week. I weighed in yesterday at 267.2. Not what I wanted to see at all! I called my clinic and she said she's not too worried about it. They just want my body to heal at this point. I texted my nutritionist and she asked me a few questions...am I drinking my water? What about portion sizes? Where am I on my menstrual cycle? I answered them all but she never got back with me. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I log all my calories and I am eating less than 1000 calories on a high day. I am exercising and burning anywhere between 375-600 calories a day. I feel like it is going to be fine and it will start to come off, but I want it to come off right now. My dear sweet hubby often reminds me, several times a day, that it didn't take a month to put it on. It's not going to take a month to get it off. I know. I know. Patience has never been something I've had a lot of though. I will just keep at it and try to get more water in. That is one area I am struggling with. It is hard to remember to drink a bunch an hour before you eat and then when I eat I want to drink. But I am really working it get it all down and do it right. Practice makes perfect, right?
Well the house is quiet. The 4 little ones are playing with friends today and the oldest is at the school doing band tryouts. The hubby is sick so he's in bed. I think I'll take a nap too. I woke up at 5:22 this morning and never was able to go back to sleep. It's time for a little rest. :)
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