Tuesday was a great day

What, two posts from me in a week? Something must be in the water.  I had a really good day.  It was a busy one for me at work, but in the middle of it, I asked my friend to snap a full-length photo of me because I haven't taken one in a while.  Here's a comparison pic. The purple is me about a year ago and the black is me today.

I am working hard at staying in positive light and moving forward with taking good care of myself, not only physically but emotionally, too.  Sometimes that's not the easiest thing in the world, but seeing where I've come from, like in the pic, gives me great perspective.  I tend to focus on the work I have yet to do.  However, when I do that, I forget how absolutely far I have come.  And it has been really far.  Light years.  That doesn't mean I'm completely not the girl in the purple shirt, just a happier, more confident version.  When I was at the gym tonight, that place was absolutely hopping.  My shirt was completely drenched in sweat because I was working hard and instead of feeling like I didn't belong there, I knew in my soul there was a place for me there just like everyone else.  I was actually chuckling to myself because some guy was blatently checking me out while I was working on one of the bars in the stretching area.  I was doing this exercise where you hold onto the bar (looks like a silver ballet bar attached to the wall) with one hand, then kick as high as you can forward with the other leg and then land your foot behind you in a pivoting motion, only to repeat the process again.  I was doing a couple of sets of 15 on each leg and this guy was near me working on an arm machine.  Except he wasn't working, he was watching my long legs do their thing.  More like staring really.  I felt like saying something smart to him, but I refrained.  Oh, I just remembered something more than awesome that happened this morning that completely slipped my mind until just now.  This girl, who used to weigh 420 pounds, can now use a regular-sized towel to dry off when taking a shower.  I always had the bigger bath towels that were more like beach towels because regular ones wouldn't wrap around me.  I was still using them, assuming I was too big for the other ones, but they were in the dryer so I was forced to try to use a regular one and that bad boy wrapped around my smaller body with no problem.  How crazy is that?  Those out there reading this who have been forced to use bigger towels can especially appreciate how amazing this is.  I'm grateful for the good day I had.

New beginnings

Hi everyone!  I didn't realize it had actually been a month since I posted, but an anonymous person left me a message asking where I was.  Thank you, friend.  I seriously didn't realize it had been that long.  I haven't meant to not give my blog that much time in the last few months.  It has been a very important part of my journey, a place where I can be honest about feelings and emotions as I go through my weight loss and life.  Perhaps that's why I haven't been writing, because it's the very thing that helps me search my soul.  That's something I seriously need to think about.  I promise myself, and you, that I'm not abandoning my blog.  In fact, I need to kick up posting here routinely again.  I know, I've said this before but honestly the benefits are so substantial that I need to do it.  After I'm done posting this, I'll put a calendar reminder on my phone.  Maybe that will help me get my butt in gear.

Today is officially seven months since I got the gastric bypass done.  In so many ways, the time has flown by.  In other ways, it has been creeping by.  Things are so much different for me now since the surgery.  It not only rearranged my insides and helped me lose 100 pounds since the surgery (yahoo!), but it has really affected my outlook on life.  Don't worry though, they have been positive things for me.  I am a much stronger person who goes after things that I might have been too shy or afraid to do before.  Sometimes that hasn't always worked out, but life is all about taking risks to get rewards.  Putting your neck out there isn't the easiest thing.  One thing, for example, has been dating.  What a scary thing to do for a lot of people, but even more so for a person who has always had a weight problem, feeling insecure about her looks and attractiveness to men, and losing weight at the same time.  I've met some men who I have dated, others who are examples of the negative side of online dating and everything in between.  I was recently dating someone who got very intense very fast with me and ended up asking me for money while professing love.  No, I didn't give him money (I'm a smarter girl than that) and, yes, I ended our relationship.  It wasn't easy because I had feelings for him, but it's what I knew was the right thing to do for myself.  So, I'm single ... again.  I'm taking a little break from dating for a bit after that one.  When I think about it, though, my ability to have so many men interested must mean I'm not as ugly as my fat-girl head wants me to believe I am.  Sure, some may have had ulterior motives, but I'm still attractive enough to get attention from interested people. 

Yesterday I went and got another tattoo.  I'm 43 years old and always wanted tattoos, but I suppose I never had the courage to go after them because of the pain I imagined in my mind, the fact that they are permanent and I also probably cared way too much about what my parents think.  They are both very conservative and have voiced negative opinions about them in the past so I knew they wouldn't be supportive.  But, like I mentioned above, the surgery changed so much in me and I have come to realize this life is way too short.  The last tattoo I got was the butterfly on my back flying away from my surgery date.  I always get compliments on that one when people see it.  Obviously I love it.  The one I got yesterday is a cherry blossom on my leg.  Cherry blossoms are delicate and cherished for their beauty.  Think about when cherry blossoms bloom on the east coast and how much they are adored.  They signify new beginnings, new life, strength and beauty.  That's what I'm all about these days.  I'm going to post some pics below so that you can see the process I went through to get the tat.  It took four hours, but I had the banter of two special friends, as well as the tattoo artist, so the time flew by.  Yes, it was painful.  My leg even had involuntary reflexes when he inked certain parts but I managed just fine. It actually wasn't bad overall, just some parts, particularly when he was doing the outlining and the fact that it was near or on top of big bones.  I'm absolutely thrilled with the outcome.  Maybe next time I'll make it to more than three months before I get my next tat.  No guarantees, though :)

The urge was overwhelming

I took the day off of work.  We were having a professional growth day at the high school where I work and so I decided to take the opportunity for a four day weekend.  I have a research paper due by next weekend as well as another to finish up.  My quarter for grad school ends this coming week so I need to go out with a bang and remain focused.

On my agenda today was to get my car smogged for registration renewal, return some clothes I recently bought that were too big and to do some research for my paper.  I have been working out a lot so what was NOT on my to-do list was working out at the gym.  I needed to give my body a day of rest.  And all I could think about today was the fact that I was not working out and how much I really wanted to go to the gym.  Who knows when the shift occurred, but it has. Taking care of my body now is of paramount importance to me.  I did refrain from going because I realized that there has to be some balance in this weight-loss process and building muscles. That's not the easiest thing in the world for me to reconcile because I seem to be 0 to 60 in so many facets of my life, including exercise.  I still managed to somehow get in over 6,000 steps, but nothing near my normal amount.  

Speaking of building muscle, I have had a weird thing going on where something in my head is making me very afraid to get on the machines at the gym. I have no problem working on the cardio machines like the treadmill, recumbent bike and the elliptical machine, but when it comes to getting on the machines for building muscle I just have a really hard time.  I think a big part of it is emotional. The cardio machines are easy. You get on them and you sweat and then you get off them ... you're done.  However, the muscle-building machines seem like an entirely different beast. You spend time working on certain portions of your body in areas where there are very fit people building their muscles as well.  Sometimes when I am around people with these awesome bodies, especially the men, I just get very self-conscious. I really can't explain what it is exactly, I just know that I am much more aware of my body in those moments. There is also this fear that I will start working on a machine and do it wrong.  Sounds like I'm sitting in a lot of fear, doesn't it?  I know this is just a hurdle that I will move through. I just need to put one foot in front of the other and not worry so much about being imperfect. Easier said than done!

Updates in my world

Oh my goodness, I had absolutely no clue that I have not been blogging as infrequently as I have.  All I can say is that I am incredibly sorry.  Sincerely.  Things have just been so busy with work, dating and graduate school.  No, these are not excuses but I have to own what has been going on. So let's see if I can update a few things.

I went to see my surgeon this past Monday for a check-up appointment.  He is absolutely thrilled with my progress.  Here I was thinking I wasn't doing great because I'm in a stall right now but he actually told me that I'm doing amazing.  Amazing?  Yes!  At three months, their hope is to have Bariatric patients at a 60 pound loss.  As of that morning, I think I was at a 73 pound loss.  He said all of my numbers looked fantastic and that, basically, I'm a very healthy girl.  Let me tell you, that was absolutely wonderful news.  I always worry that I'm not getting in enough protein.  I know I certainly don't get in enough water and I have to do a better job of drinking it.  It has always been my challenge to get in enough water, but it is even more of a challenge now that I can only take sips.  However, the sips are bigger now so I need to remember that the drinking is for continued good health.

On the dating front, I can't even begin to tell you how crazy that has been. I was seeing someone exclusively but there were issues there and so I decided to stop that relationship. So I have been dating other people and getting to know them. Online dating is not an easy adventure at all but it has been fun and certainly entertaining. I keep telling friends that I need to keep records of the various people who contact me - their pictures,  their comments, their messages - because it will make a fantastic book one day, certainly entertaining.  The one thing I can say is that of the various men who have contacted me, I certainly have felt incredibly beautiful and pretty. When I started this online dating adventure, I was hoping that perhaps I would be contacted by one or two people but it has been amazing to me that it's been quite the opposite experience. On a daily basis, I have no less than about 10 men contact me who are interested in getting to know me better.  Obviously there are some that are just out for sex but that's not surprising when it comes to online dating.  You take the good with the bad.  They have been distracting, however, so I have to be aware that the time I spend talking to various people takes me away from other activities so I need to be careful about that.

Grad school has been going great. It certainly is a lot of work, don't get me wrong. However, I am really enjoying the program and the fellow students in my cohort that I work with.  I love my program and I'm so glad that I decided to pursue this masters program.  Right now, the work I need to do in the program has to take priority over dating certainly and any other activities that I choose to participate in that distract me from spending the time on my graduate work.

Today I have myself s very special treat, one that has been in the works for quite some time.  I have always wanted a tattoo and I decided to go for it and get myself one for my birthday that's was last week.  I had something very specific in mind.  I wanted to commemorate the fantastic journey I have been on since getting the weight loss surgery.  I'm about halfway to goal and so I wanted something special that symbolizes the things I have been through.  So my idea was to inscribe the date of my surgery and a beautiful, colorful butterfly flying away from it.  It would symbolize freedom, hope and a new beginning.  Through a friend, I found an artist who was able to bring my vision to life.  Now, I have never had a tattoo before so I was imagining a world of pain.  People telling me that it would be crazy painful didn't help things at all.  But I figured that if I was brave enough to have gastric bypass surgery, I was brave enough for this.  It took three hours of me laying in my tummy, but I did it!  Thanks to my good friend who stayed with me the entire time and took pics.  That meant so much to me.  In terms of the pain, it wasn't bad at all for the most part.  Most of the time, it felt like just a deep scratching.  There were times, though, where it hurt because it was near bone.  That tends to hurt more.  Anyway, I put together a little pic slideshow.  Click on the following link to view it: 

http://flipagram.com/f/NVYGOz4lII

Here is the finished product.

This was an amazingly emotional experience but one that I would do in a heartbeat.  The tattoo artist accidentally left out a line in the date, so it should say 8-22-2014 in Roman numerals.  That's an easy fix so he will work on that this week.

Okay, I think I have you all caught up for now.  I do have to work on blogging here more though.  Thanks for continuing to follow along!

Weekly weigh-in and feeling beautiful

Sorry I'm a few days late postings stats for the week. This week's weigh-in had me with a loss of 3.5 pounds.  It was that time of the month so I was glad to lose what I did.  In fact, I'm happy for every single pound.  It's so amazing to be going through this experience of watching my body shrink before my eyes.  You know how it is just gaining and gaining, feeling clothes tighter and tighter.  Now when I look in the mirror, I'm experiencing clothes not fitting but because I'm swimming in them.  So surreal.  I'm just a few pounds away from being out of the 300's.  Praise God on that!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have already seen the pictures and post below but I wanted to share it here on my blog as well.  Occasionally, people will participate in various challenges on Instagram on posting certain kinds of pictures just for fun.  One, for example, is called #stopdropselfie where, if you're tagged by someone else, you take a selfie and post it.  So one of things going around now is to post five pictures that make you feel beautiful.  So here's what I posted, both the text and pictures.

As I started seeing pics people were posting of five photos that make them feel beautiful, I started loving what I was seeing in others and their evolution into seeing their own beauty. At the same time, I was secretly hoping no one would tag me. It's not because I didn't want to participate but because I don't think I'm attractive. I hate admitting that but I vowed to myself that I would always keep it real here. I am of mixed ethnicities so I always felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. Men weren't fawning over me except for one night stands and so I had myself convinced I just must be awful, never mind the fact that I have people calling me beautiful everyday and my ex boyfriend told me that all the time. Anywho, while I was hoping not to get tagged, five amazing and beautiful women did tag me. And to them I wanted to say thank you - @joye_in_the_journey@mindfullyweighting @aubreystrawb_rny@lizzle_rny @teesocray . God really knew what He was doing with me and all of you today. It really helped me see that beauty is there and I don't have to be so freaking self critical! The pics on the top left and middle left were recent after having surgery and losing about 45 pounds. Bottom left is the day I received my undergrad college degree a little over a year ago and I absolutely glowed from the inside out. And the two right pictures are me at my lowest weight of 227 pounds in a size 16. That was two years ago when I was on Optifast and dropped 192 pounds in 8 months. I hope that I am on a continuing road of a healthier life and so much joy I won't be able to stand it. Since surgery two months ago, I'm down 55 pounds, 120 pounds from my highest weight, diabetes is in remission, normal cholesterol and normal blood pressure. All of that makes me feel beautiful. If I tag you, it's your turn! #beautiful #joy #transformation #wls #wlsjourney #wlsjourney #wlscommunity #rny #vsg #weightlosssurgery #postop #newlife

I received some very lovely and incredibly touching responses.  I am so moved by the wonderful people I have met online who give me support (and vice versa) as I travel this curvy road.  This includes all of you reading this right now. Sometimes I am in complete awe of how blessed I am.  I hope my journey touches someone else as well.  

Dining out and letting go of Twitter

I went out with some friends tonight for dinner.  I believe it was my first time out at a restaurant since the surgery.  They were very supportive and wanted to be sure to go somewhere that I could find something to eat so I suggested a Mexican restaurant.  I knew I could probably order beans or fish.  I settled on grilled fish tacos that came with refried beans and rice.

Before you ask yourself if I'm allowed to eat that food yet, the answer is yes and no.  Don't worry, I made sure to take very good care of myself.  I received my statement from the hospital showing that the cost of the surgery and hospital stay was $85,439.  Thankfully my awesome insurance covered it but I'm not about to screw around with my food.  I gave up a lot to have this surgery and it's a huge commitment for the rest of my life.  I ordered my grilled tacos in corn tortillas that I wasn't planning on eating and asked them to serve them without cabbage since it's a bit early for me to eat veggies, especially veggies that aren't well cooked.  I didn't touch the rice at all.  I ended up having the fish with some salsa on top to keep it moist and then the refried beans.  I ate very slowly and thoroughly.  I took the rest home in a box that is enough for probably four more meals!  I really didn't eat much, but I wanted to err on the side of caution since I was away from and I really didn't want to run to the bathroom to throw up.

Switch of topics.  I have had a Twitter account for quite a while, but I've decided it's time to deactivate.  I just haven't been that active on it and I really don't like the feeds that include posts I'm not interested in from accounts I'm not following.  So if anyone is following me over there, this is the reason I won't have any activity going on there any longer.  I'm very active on Instagram, so that account will keep going.  And, of course, I will be continuing to be active on this blog, MyFitnessPal and Fitbit.  I love the accountability of all these social networking avenues.  It's a great way to have so much wonderful support.  I have found that I really need the support after surgery. You'll  never believe how intense things are after having had major surgery that rearranged my insides and forever effects the way I eat food.

Weekly Weigh-In

I am thrilled to report that I lost 5.1 pounds this week!  I worked out every single day for that, along with following the surgeon's instructions for this stage after the gastric bypass.  Even better, I'm 102 pounds down from my top weight.  That feels incredibly amazing.  If you've been reading my blog for a long time, you'll know that 420 pounds was my top weight and the time when I started my journey in Optifast.  After losing 192 pounds through that program, I started a quick regain of almost all of my weight, except for about 60 pounds, after I got off of the shakes.  It was a devastating time and I just really felt so lost.  Fortunately, I kept some of my smaller clothes, the ones that were really hard to let go of when I had lost that weight before.  I now fit into a bunch of those, as well as other clothes friends have given me. I'm excited!  By the way, I put a new page on here at the top of the screen with my weekly weigh-in numbers for those who are interested.  This will especially be helpful for those who are pre- or post-op to see how I'm losing each week.

Exercising my butt off (literally)

Each day that passes since the surgery, I find it easier and easier to exercise on a more regular basis. The pain that I was experiencing on my left side under one of my incisions seems to have subsided.  So, I have really been kicking up my exercise.  I started going back to the gym this week. I cannot lift weights yet because of surgical restrictions, but I am doing things like walking on the treadmill, using the stationary bike, and elliptical machine.  Believe me, I definitely am sweating hard doing those things.  I also have been out walking in my neighborhood or at the beach and really enjoying the weather. I am pretty amazed at what my body is able to handle.  Today a dear friend and I went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and got in exercise but also had a great time hanging out together and seeing all the various animals at the park. Here are some great pictures of us enjoying our day.

 

We somehow managed to get in about 10,000 steps walking all over the park.  It was my first time having food away from home. It's a little scarier being away from the safety of my home but I just had to trust that something would be available to me. We ended up ordering a fish taco plate. I know that doesn't sound like the best thing in the world to have, but it actually worked out pretty well given I'm still limited to soft foods and seafood. Yes, the fish was battered and it came with a mound of tortilla chips and other things I couldn't eat. However, I took one of those battered fish while she had the other and removed all of the breading. That left me with about a one ounce piece of cod.  It also came with pinto beans that we both shared and a dipping sauce I put on top of the fish.  It actually worked out pretty well. Everything was moist so I did not experience dumping at the park. I was really grateful for that because I was worried that might happen while I was out in public.  After surgery, many people worry about having food in public because of the fear of dumping.  This is something I cannot take for granted because there may come a time when I will experience that away from home. But, thankfully today, I just was able to have a good time with no worries.

We got in some great exercise and I got a lot of sun on my face. By the time we came home, I was exhausted and needed to rest.  I do need to pace myself and remember to rest when I become tired. This is something that I take for granted sometimes because I forget that my body went through major surgery. That's a blessing, but also a curse at the same time.  I will be returning to work next Thursday, so I need to listen to the cues my body gives me when it's telling me I'm tired.  I am still in recovery mode so I need to be especially alert.

One other thing I'm working on right now is going through some of my clothes that have become too big on me. I know it's a nice problem to have!  The thing is that a lot of my clothes are hanging on to me, especially my pants.  For some reason, it's just so hard to let go of those bigger clothes. I remember that when I was on Optifast and I had lost a ton of weight, I gave away a bunch of my bigger clothes and, when I gained weight back, I had nothing to wear. Now I look at it as a different experience.  I don't want to live in fear that I am going to need to keep my bigger clothes so that I can perhaps one day fit back into them if necessary.  I want to be able to move forward and know that the process I'm going through is one of health and that when it's time to let go of things like those clothes, it's okay.  In fact, one of my girlfriends gave me a bunch of clothes that are in the next size down for me and they actually fit now.  I'm a little hesitant to start wearing them yet because they fit perfectly and I like things a little bit looser but I know that that's something I can work on in time.  I'm grateful to have the experience of having clothes that are too big. I will take that any day of the week!

Weekly weigh-in

I'm winding down from a busy but great day.  I lost three pounds this week, making my loss 32 pounds since surgery and an incredible 97 pounds from my highest weight.  Maybe this next week will put me over the top!  That would be awesome.  I know I shared this on my Facebook page and Instagram, so I'm sorry if you're seeing it again, but I wanted to share some side by side photos.  Below left was taken a few months before surgery and the picture on the right was taken today.

A few people commented that I looked younger and happier in my most recent picture.  You know what?  I am happy.  Recovery from this surgery hasn't exactly been the easiest for me, but I absolutely, one hundred percent, do not regret this decision.  I know my journey is just beginning with Katrina (my new pouch), but I already feel a lot better.  Even though I would love to look cute in cute clothes, that is not why I did this surgery.  It was about desiring to have a decent quality of life, to be healthier.  That is what makes me happy.  Now, if I end up feeling more confident and rock the hell out of some jeans, I'll be okay with that, too!

This new life is so weird to navigate at times, I must admit.  I can get so full on just little bits of food.  The more dense the food is, the more full I get on just a little.  The dumping is also something that is difficult to contend with.  I have dumped on tilapia, a thin white fish, twice.  And I have gotten extremely full having imitation crab.  So then I wondered to myself if, in fact, seafood was just not agreeing with me.  Today I bought some salmon to see if maybe a thicker cut would help.  I don't have a bad reaction to shrimp, but I want to expand my possibilities if I can help it at all.  I am so thankful that, yes, Katrina was very happy with salmon.  Here's how little I had to eat when I had it for dinner.

All said and done, that is 1.75 ounces of cooked salmon and a one ounce cup of refried beans.  This is actually on a salad plate, not a regular dinner plate.  I doubt I'll ever be eating with those again!  The more dense fish is a lot more filling than beans.  In fact, that amount of fish made me more full than when I would have an 8 ounce serving back before the surgery.  Who am I kidding?  It probably wasn't even an 8 ounce serving ... it was more likely 12 ounces.  I had so much food before and now my tummy is like a baby.  I'm definitely not complaining, but it's just a different reality for me these days.  When I got the fish, I went to the seafood section in the supermarket and got fresh fish.  I asked the man helping me if I could get roughly one and a half pounds of the salmon.  When I came home and cut it up for meals, it made enough for me to have twelve meals.  That is how tiny Katrina is!

As part of having a healthier life, I am pursuing more treatment on my back because I have been suffering from chronic pain there and in my left leg for quite a few years.  There's a point where you just say enough is enough already.  I'm there now.  So this morning I had an appointment with my physical medicine doctor and then with my physical therapist right afterwards.  The doctor gave me an exam and feels the damage may be weight related and it may also be muscular.  She gave me several cortisone injections in my back.  I'm talking about six or so.  She wanted to cover the entire area that hurt and, to be fair, she did warn me that she was going to do that.  No matter how much you're prepared, though, it still freaking hurts.  She also prescribed a topical cream for me to apply to the area three times a day.  I have to wait for that to come in because it's some sort of compound that they have to special order.  Afterwards, the physical therapist gave me stimulation through a tens unit on my back.  It felt amazing.  So I'll be doing that at home, in addition to exercises to strengthen my back and leg.

As a person who is always taking care of other people, it's sometimes very difficult for me to do things to take care of myself.  Yet, I know it's time to do that.  My health has to be a top priority.  So if that means I need to do more things to care for my body, then that's what I will need to do.  Without even realizing it, I'm doing things throughout the day that fits in the category of self-care.
I logged these miles into my Fitbit today without even realizing how much I was doing.

It's the most I have walked since having the surgery.  And it felt amazing.  I wasn't feeling pain on my sides from my incisions like I have been these last several weeks in recovery.  It just felt nice to be active and know that every action I take towards my health is a win for me.  Like I said, I feel happy and I'm just going to roll with it.

Weekly weigh-in

During the last week, I lost 3.4 pounds.  My doctor did warn me that I will drop weight very fast the first 10 days or so after surgery and then it will slow way down.  He was right!  I dropped 21 pounds in less than two weeks, and then it seemed to halt fast.  I'm not going to let a slower loss this week frustrate me because I know my body has gone through some major trauma with the surgery.  I'm getting in less than 700 calories a day, so I know it's not as if I'm overeating.  I wish I could get more calories in right now, but my little pouch does not allow me to eat more than I'm already eating while staying on soft foods.  Even my dinner was a little bigger than I've been having and it was 120 calories.  I had one ounce of tiny shrimp, one light Laughing Cow wedge and three ounces of split pea soup.  Believe it or not, it made me full.  It's such a different world for me now.  Some people have stated that their desire for food has gone away with the surgery.  Mine has not.  I see sweets or other delectable looking things and I still want it.  Yet, I just can't go there.  Even if my pouch allowed me to eat ice cream, there's no protein in there and that's what I'm surviving on right now.  Besides, when has there ever been enough ice cream, pie or cake for me in the world?  In time, I know I'll be able to eat more than I do now.  The truth is that I'm learning a new way of eating so I'm trying to be patient and gentle on my body.  One of my friends from the Kaiser pre-op program has landed back in the hospital after surgery due to some complications.  While I am praying for her healing, I also need to remind myself that I can also develop complications if I don't everything I must to take care of myself.  That means getting in all my protein, drinking enough water and not pushing my body beyond it's limits.  Sometimes this means I need to rest when I don't want to or staying on a schedule to meet all my nutritional needs.  There's absolutely no room in there for ice cream!

I can eat and drive now

I had a visit with my doctor yesterday for the one week follow-up appointment after surgery.  The first thing he asked me was how I was doing and I said, "I'm hungry!  Can I pleeeease have some food now?"  He kind of chuckled at that.  After surgery, you have to stay on full liquids for about a week to ensure your body can handle more.  Even at that, I was limited to one protein shake a day in addition to liquids.  That's only 30g of protein.  When I wasn't getting in any other sources of real protein, I felt light-headed and hungry.  I know they say that I'm not supposed to be hungry and that it might be head-hunger, but I can testify that it was real, bonafide hunger.

During the visit, he said that I could add in soft foods.  Those are things like scrambled eggs, egg salad, yogurt, refried beans, other types of beans, baby shrimp, cream soups, that sort of thing.  The foods should be fat-free as much as possible and strained if it's soup.  I should now increase my protein to at least 60g of protein and continue having the one protein shake a day in addition to the new foods so that I can get there with no problem.  I also got the release to drive again, as long as I'm not feeling light-headed.  At that moment, I was a little light-headed, so my mother drove us back to my house.  I then had some of a protein drink and, as soon as I was feeling better, I got my butt in my car and drove to the grocery store.

When I got to the store, it felt a little scary for me.  Of course I was going to have to read labels thoroughly.  I needed to look for high-protein items, as well as low-sugar contents.  I just didn't want to mess up because my body could very easily go into dumping syndrome.  I didn't want that, of course, so I spent probably 20 minutes in the soup aisle alone.  For my first meal, I settled on fat-free refried beans and tomato bisque soup on this saucer.

Now, I know this doesn't look like the most fabulous first meal, but it was good to me and my new little pouch.  The doctor said to eat no more than three ounces in the first few days when I have my meals.  So I measured two ounces of the refried beans and one ounce of the soup.  I ate all of my beans but could only have half of the soup.  I was full after that.  How weird is that?  I remember times in the past where I would spoon a whole can of refried beans into a bowl with cheese and salsa, heat it in the microwave and eat the whole thing in one sitting.  Now I couldn't possibly imagine doing that now.

This morning I made egg salad for breakfast with one egg, one tablespoon of light mayo and seasoning.  I pulsed it in my food processor and oh my goodness did it taste amazing.  It's funny how the little things make such a difference, isn't it?  I've also been doing better on getting more fluids in.  When I came home from the hospital, I could barely get in the minimum of 30 ounces of liquids the doctor required.  Now I'm drinking four and a half cups now.  I'm sure as the days go, I will be able to get even more in.

Things are going well so far.  I am limited to how much exercise I can do.  I overdid it yesterday morning and was really hurting on my left side near one of my incisions.  I was walking very slow, slower than I've ever walked, but it was just too much on my healing body.  I do think I need to start weighing myself less now, though.  I'm not necessarily obsessed with getting on the scale, which is good, but I do find myself getting on it every morning.  If anything, I need to limit it to one day a week.  The doctor recommends weighing once a month, but that seems too far for me personally.  Once a week will allow me to have my weekly weigh-ins again and leave it alone for the rest of the week.  The surgery was on August 22nd and I'm already down 26 pounds just twelve days later.  That's fantastic, of course, but I think I'll go back to Monday weigh-ins again.  I need to focus on my new eating habits and new lifestyle in general.  It's exciting to see the numbers dropping so fast, but I don't want to focus on that.  My life has changed and I have had a rebirth.  Adjusting to these changes will take time, but I'll get there.

Are you okay, Kat?

I know it's time for a major update!  After a three night stay in the hospital following my surgery, I was discharged to go home yesterday morning.  Thankfully my doctor did his rounds nice and early so I was able to leave there by 10:20 a.m.  He reviewed my list of medications with me.  Because my blood sugar numbers ended up great in the hospital, I have already been taken off my diabetes oral medication and injected insulin.  I'm still monitoring my blood sugar levels to turn in when I visit my primary care doctor in about 3 weeks, but things look great.  My blood pressure medicine has also been cut in half.  For so early after the surgery, this has been incredibly encouraging.  Some new meds were added, but that was to be expected due to the malabsorptive nature of the surgery.

My post-op care included all of the following until I meet with the doctor on Tuesday for a follow-up appointment:

• Continue on a clear liquid diet through Tuesday evening, limited to water, Crystal Light, broth, Popsicles, Diet Snapple, and Gatorade Zero.  Must drink a minimum of 30 ounces per day with no more than 2-3 ounces per hour.
• On Wednesday, add in one pre-made or powdered protein shake with about 30 grams of protein.  Continue with the clear liquids, but do not add more than the one protein shake until meeting with the doctor next week.
• Begin taking medications, dosages indicated by the doctor on Tuesday.  However, because I may only sip my liquids, I must take only one per hour.  This means I have to space meds out through the entire day.
• Walk frequently to prevent blot clots from forming.
• No driving a car until cleared by the doctor and no longer taking pain medication.
• No lifting 15 pounds or more.

While I was in the hospital, I was a walking champ.  I wasn't trying to be Miss Overachiever (no, seriously!) but I ended up that way.  On my last full day there, I did 42 laps around that floor of the hospital, complete with my rolling IV cart.  I was donning a tshirt, sweats and every chord known to man in the medical world hooked up to my heart, chest, tummy, wrist and more.  It was a real challenge to even go to the bathroom, but I rocked it.  I was just feeling so good ... that was until I walked outside of the hospital.  My mom and one of my friends were there to take me home, but first we all decided to walk across the street to the doctor's office to pick up some paperwork for my mom.  She is staying with me for two weeks to take care of me and she needed some FMLA paperwork signed by the doctor.  We looked on my phone and the distance to the doctor's office from the hospital was 14 feet so I thought it would be fine.  What I forgot was that the floor in the hospital was indoors, an even platform with no steps and a very controlled environment.  Walking across the street to the doc's office winded me by the time we got back.

On the ride home, I forgot the suggestion so many people had given me to be sure to bring a pillow to put over my tummy so it would be a less painful experience getting home.  Let me tell you, I felt every single bump.  My friend was driving the car and she missed an exit so she jerked the car to the left and that pulled at my seat belt.  I'm sure you can just imagine the pain I felt in that moment!  Thankfully the seat belt was not laying directly on any of the incisions, but it hurt no matter what.

Finally, when I got home, I just laid with my kitties on my own bed.  Ahhh ... it was such a nice feeling to be outside of that hospital.  Now, it seemed for the time being, the biggest challenge for me was to continue to sip my drinks and pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy ordered by the doctor.  I must have either drank some water too fast or drank too much of it because when I was in the middle of the pharmacy, I almost threw up.  Seriously, right there while I was talking to the pharmacist.  I'm not even mentioning the gas pains, which were horrible because of all the gas they pump into your body during the surgery.  At times, I felt like I couldn't breathe or I would have sharp pains on my sides.  The nurses assured me those were gas pains.  It was incredibly uncomfortable.

When it was time for me to take a shower, I went into my bathroom, took off all my clothes and then looked at myself in the mirror.  I have five tiny incisions on my tummy as well as some bruising.  It's not bad overall, but they are definitely reminders of some major work being done inside my body.  In that moment, I got so emotional.  I got under the water in the shower, let the drops run over my head and then I just wept in the corner.  I thought to myself, "My God, I can never take another sip of anything without possibly throwing up," coupled with, "You know you did this, don't you Kathy?  If your eating wasn't so out of control, you wouldn't have resorted to major surgery where they rearrange your freaking intestines in order for you to lose weight and maybe have a normal life."

Now, please understand, these are not my true feelings.  The enormity of everything just got to me.  I can never eat like I did before without hurting myself.  I have a lovely new tool that will help me have a healthy, good quality of life.  In the process, though, there will be mourning.  I don't regret this surgery, but it is an adjustment that I just can't adequately describe.  It's not an easier path by any means, but it's one that's designed to help me and I have to be willing to accept that help, even if it's not on my terms.

Since I had that shower, things have been feeling good.  I do have some pain, but it's pretty manageable.  Having my mom with me has been wonderful, but every time I start coughing or take a moment to breathe deeply because I'm feeling pain or burping rises up, she asks, "Are you okay, Kat?"  I'm talking every single time.  Every one.  I have explained to her that there will be times that I will cough and it will sound bad.  I might even throw up or feel like I'm having a heart attack.  That's my body's way of telling me it doesn't like something.  As a case in point, I was having a Popsicle earlier today and I put too much of it in my mouth to swallow before it melted all over my fingers.  My pouch didn't like that at all, so I could feel a sort of bubble sensation in my chest and I started coughing violently.  I even excused myself from the room so I could do my hacking in the bathroom.  "Are you okay, Kat?"  Of course she says it out of love and concern, but she doesn't understand the logistics of the surgery very much so she's asking me that question any time I make a peep out of my body that doesn't seem to be normal to her.  I am reminding myself, though, that even though she doesn't understand the surgery, she loves me and doesn't want me in any sort of pain.

Tomorrow is another new day with a fresh start.  And a fresh batch of one ounce cups to at least get in my 30 ounces for the day.  I am having five friends coming to visit tomorrow at different times, so I'm looking forward to that so much.  I'm sure I'll be lifting my shirt a lot to show them my tummy with the incisions and bruises.  Never before in my life have I showed so many people my tummy and not blinked twice about it.  It reminds me of those women who get breast implants put in and want to show everyone their new boobs.  So proud!

I wonder what "full" feels like

I'm ready to escape on out of this hospital!  The staff has been great and they have taken good care of me, but I have cabin fever.

Another surgeon from Pacific Bariatric was doing rounds this morning so I didn't get to see my doctor for a check-up.  However, this surgeon was just as great and pretty funny.  Turns out he is the father of one of the teachers I work with at the high school.  He said I was doing wonderful so I asked him if I could go home today.  He cut me off with a very emphatic "NO!" Well, I did have to try.  He said I should be able to go home tomorrow though.  I was released to take a shower and start having liquids.  I have to say that was one of the best showers I've ever had.  After not showering for two days and having had surgery, I just felt yucky.

My experience with liquids has been interesting. I walked 10 laps around the floor early this morning (34 total for the day) so the head nurse said I could have a Popsicle.  Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!!!  It was sugar-free, totally allowed and delicious.  

Later on, I was told that I could have up to two one-ounce cups per hour of fluid. I was started off with Crystal Light.  I took tiny baby sips and that seemed to go well.  Later on, I had chicken broth and it was good, too.  I requested more Crystal Light so the nurse brought me some more with ice chips in the cup.  I gently spooned enough to go in the one-ounce cups.  

The first one was great and, though it took me a long time to finish, I did a good job.  When I worked on the second one, I must have put too much liquid in my mouth because I feel sick to my stomach right now.  I don't know if this is the full feeling they said I would experience, but it feels like a tummy ache.  It is going to take time and practice for me to get used to this new pouch.  I can't gulp like I used to or have too much.  When I look down at my tummy and see the five tiny incisions where the surgeon operated, it doesn't feel real somehow.  The uncomfortability does, though.

I also had visits from a physical therapist and dietician today.  The physical therapist talked to me about how to get in and out of bed.  Sounds like an easy thing to do but when you have had major surgery on your stomach, you have to be able to rise out of bed without hurting yourself.  The dietician was a great source of information.  She talked to me about specific questions I had upon returning home from the hospital and which protein shakes might work best for me given my lactose intolerance.

Each day is going to be full of learning for me, but that's okay.  I want to maximize this incredible opportunity before me.  Oh, I almost forgot some really fantastic news ... I think my diabetes is going into remission!  The first few readings were high after surgery because of the dextrose in my IV bags but it is leveling out.  I just had a reading of 102, so I'm hopeful about that. More to come on that front.

Biopsy results and following the rules

I received a call from my dermatologist today with the results of the two biopsies done from my foot.  I am happy to report the areas in question were benign, so the cancer has not returned.  Hallelujah!  I do have a lot of pain in my foot, but there was a deep sample taken so I know it will feel better soon.  I'm trying to stay off of it as much as possible.  It's hard for me because I'm recording really low numbers on my Fitbit.  I try to aim for 10,000 steps a day most of the time and right now I'm at 1,347 steps for the day at almost 11 p.m.  Ho hum.  It will get better, though.  In the meantime I need to just practice patience.

Since seeing the surgeon the other day, I've been kicking things into high gear in terms of following the instructions given to me in preparation for surgery.  I decided when I got home and starting tearing in to all of the reading material that I need to do everything I can to have the right mind-set going into surgery and to prepare my body.  While I will be having the gastric bypass done laparascopically, it is major surgery internally.  Anything I can do to make the surgery easier on me and on the surgical team is what I aim to do.  If I was able to stay on Optifast and no "regular" food for eight or nine months, I can do this, too.  The surgical materials talked about some changes I can make, if I have not already started, to help decrease the risk of death, pulmonary emboli, wound infection, pneumonia and other complications.  Of course that is all very serious.  Some of the very important things I pulled from the reading include:

• Begin exercising now.  Walking at least 30 minutes to 1 hour daily at a brisk pace will help strengthen your heart and lungs for surgery.  Daily exercises to strengthen and build muscles will help you during your recovery.
• Deep breathing exercises two times per day enhances lung capacity in preparation for general anesthesia.
• Begin a multivitamin and mineral supplement daily.
• Take 1,000 mg of vitamin C per day.  This will strengthen the immune system and aid the healing process.
• Increase protein intake by adding a high protein bar or high protein drink once or twice a day as a meal replacement.  This will promote muscle formation and allow your body to begin weight loss by burning fat.
• Increase your daily water intake to include a glass of water with each meal.  Tea and coffee do not count.
• Eliminate caffeine.  Waiting until the time of hospitalization may cause withdrawal symptoms.  Caffeine is also found in most sodas, chocolate and tea.  These should be eliminated from your diet.
• Eliminate sodas and carbonated beverages.
• Begin a high-protein, low-fat, low-carb diet.  Eliminate bread and pasta to help shrink your liver for surgery.
• Begin lifestyle changes and prepare for success:
• Schedule routine eating times and only eat in designated areas.
• Avoid eating while doing other activities.
• Use a cocktail fork or child-size flatware along with a small plate to help reduce portions.
• Practice leaving food on your plate at the end of the meal.
• Go to a bariatric support group.
• Make sure you continue losing weight otherwise your surgery may be cancelled.

My healthy low-fat, low-carb
dinner ... delish!

Whew, what a list.  Obviously this is for my benefit to ensure I have not only a successful surgery and recovery but healthy life afterwards.  Thankfully I have already started incorporating most of these suggestions.  If you're on MyFitnessPal with me, you'll even see my meals have been including protein meal replacement drinks and I'm continuing to do that.  When I made my dinner tonight, I decided to turn off the TV and the computer so that I could focus on my meal.  The only thing I had on in the background was meditation-type music from Pandora.  It was an interesting experience.  I easily have forgotten how mindless eating can be when I'm doing it for the wrong reasons.  Eating when I'm bored, tired or watching TV is very different than when I am doing it for nourishment.  

Clearly I want to do the very best I can to be successful.  There have been so many attempts to lose weight in my life and I don't want this surgery to be in vain.  If I go in with a positive attitude and doing everything that I can on my end, it won't be.  I know it is a tool and that I will need to do a lot of work, but I am honoring myself in this process as much as possible.  I have to be honest with myself when it comes to my triggers and emotions around food.  In one of the gastric bypass groups I belong to on Facebook, someone asked what people did for their "final meal" before surgery.  Reading what people wrote was so shocking to me because most went all out.  If I go all out, I know myself well enough to admit that there is no stopping point, especially if I rationalize it will be the last time I could have something for a very long time or maybe forever.  I'm the kind of overeater that has no boundaries.  Good Lord, I got up to 420 pounds when I had started Optifast a couple of years ago.  If I had that last meal, it would include every sweet food I could get my hands on and probably send me into a diabetic coma.  I'm not exaggerating on that ... I've had high blood sugar readings before so I know I could do it again.

Instead, I am walking forward with as much peace as possible.  I'm being kind and gentle to my body.  I'm trying my hardest to listen to the doctor and follow his advice.  I certainly don't know what this surgery is going to be like for my body but I do know the pre-op suggestions and rules are for my benefit.  If I can do my part to make sure I don't develop complications and pain, then you know I'm going to do it.  

Pre-op class #23, weekly weigh-in and returning to just a little work

One more pre-op class to go for my weight loss surgery... eeek!  This is getting really intense.  So here's what's left of my process:

1. Attend the last pre-op class next week.  During that time, the facilitator will determine if I need to go back and see the doctor who originally approved me for surgery if I have not lost within ten pounds of my ten percent goal.  As it looks like right now, I will probably have to do that.
2. The facilitator will send my paperwork down to Kaiser's Positive Choice clinic to their director, who will contact me to see the doctor.
3. After I have seen that doctor, I will be instructed to do lab work where they will be drawing blood to run tests.
4. Once the test results are in, I will then need to participate in an ambulatory test to ensure I am able to walk.  This consists of walking around an office building five times at my own pace.  That is a cinch ... I just walked ten miles a couple of days ago so I think I'm good.
5. The next step is to schedule an appointment to meet with three doctors at Pacific Bariatric where they will be performing the surgery:  psychiatrist, internist and surgeon. When I meet with the surgeon, my surgery will be scheduled.

At this point, it looks like the surgery will be happening in September.  I'm a little disappointed with that since I'm not really working during the summer and it would have been great to do it now.  However, I understand it is what it is so I will need to contact the director of my master's program and let him know I won't be able to start classes with my cohort in September.  That's certainly not the worst thing in the world.  I was just anxious to get going on the classes but it's not as if it's going anywhere.  I will have to determine how much time to take off of work when the time is right.  The surgeon prefers that we take six weeks off to give our bodies the best chance to recover.  We can return to work sooner if we feel up to it, but he does expect us all to take the six weeks if possible.  My principal, administrator and quite a few others at work know I am going to have surgery and have been super supportive.  I have well over a thousand sick hours on the books, so it's not as if I don't have the time.  It's just hard for me, especially working in a busy high school, to take that much time off, even if deemed medically necessary.  It's probably my work ethic ... I just don't want to let anyone down.  I do believe they can get a sub in and I know a great one so it is possible that life goes on without me.  Letting go is so hard when you like to have control of things.  

Speaking of my class, I lost a couple of pounds this week so I'm happy about that.  Steadily going down is great.  This week we talked about ways of coping with stress instead of eating.  Here are some suggestions as given to us in class:

• Learn to say no.
• Listen to my body.
• Let go of what is not working.
• Accept myself as is.
• Say yes to feeling good.
• Find time each day to be a lone.
• Simplify my life.
• Talk about or write out what's worrying me.
• Take time to be touched.
• Develop a sense of humor.

Something that really struck a chord with me was this:  I must be willing to leave those parts of my life that no longer serve me.

Do you have those moments when you're in a room full of people but then you read something or hear something that makes you feel like you're all alone with God and everyone else is tuned out, even for just a brief moment?  That was what I felt when I read that.  When I was a kid, I was physically abused for a very long time and raped when I was a teenager.  Unless you've been the victim of those things, it's hard to articulate the feelings you go through, especially as a child.  You feel lost, abandoned and very, very small.  I didn't run to anyone and tell what was going on.  Instead, what I did was I hid inside myself and I ate food.  Food was my escape, my solace in a world I couldn't quite understand.  Food let me not feel pain and somehow made things better in the moment.  

As an adult, I no longer am abused and no longer surround myself with people that can hurt me.  Every person in my life today is there because I have chosen them to be there.  I'm no longer having those feelings of loss, terror or abandonment.  So the food no longer has to be a solace and I can let go of this need to run to it when I'm feeling some sort of emotion I am uncomfortable with.  When I'm bored, I really don't have to go eat something to fill up that moment.  When I come home from work, I really don't have to head straight to the kitchen.  Food no longer has the role it once did in my life.  Especially as I head into surgery, I must leave the part of my life that no longer serves me.  I know it's easier said than done, for many of us, but it takes practice.  That's what my program's facilitator reminded me of tonight ... these things will take time and practice.

Tomorrow I'm going to return to work for just a few days to sub for a co-worker.  She is on a 12-month contract, so I'm coming in while she spends some time with family coming from out of town.  Knowing I wouldn't have as much time to play this week as normal (I know, you are hating me right now, aren't you??), I went with a friend down to Seaport Village today here in San Diego.  Here are some pics of our adventures. FYI, even when there is June gloom going on in the weather, always wear suntan lotion.  Always.  Just sayin'.

 

Dealing with the heat

Today was another hot day for us down here in San Diego county.  At my house, it was 95 degrees.  Before I left for work this morning, I did adjust the thermostat so the AC would kick on for my kitties during the day.  I know, I know ... don't roll your eyes at me!  They are spoiled and I own that.  It was set to 78 degrees though so it's not like I left the house at 60 degrees all day.  Besides, I love them and want them comfy.  When they came into my life, they were at the Humane Society for fourteen months after someone had abandoned them.  They get the royal treatment.

Instead of walking during lunch, my friend and I decided to just drive to a local restaurant so that we wouldn't be dripping in sweat for the rest of the day.  I must say, I had the most delicious meal.  While it's not always easy to find healthy foods in restaurants, it is possible.  My lunch was from Rubio's, a popular place in southern California with restaurants practically in every community it seems like.  They're actually well known for their fish tacos, but they have other great choices as well as some other not so great choices.  I mean, some of their burritos have about 900 calories and nearly 2,000 mg of sodium.  Um, not for me!  My choice today was a balsamic roasted vegetable salad with chicken.  It had corn, grilled peppers, avocado, a spring mix with butter lettuce, grilled chicken and a very light balsamic vinaigrette.  All for 300 calories.  I know the picture doesn't do it justice ... trust me, you just have to try it.

I'm so thrilled that I can make wise choices that leave me feeling good about what I'm doing instead of punishing myself for picking something fried, slathered in sauce or some other selection that I will regret.  Little by little, these choices help me make a habit of living a healthier lifestyle. I felt so much better physically today as well.  I had a great workout at home in front of my fan and I have to say that I loved that.  Not only was a willing to still get my sweat on even though it was blazing outside but I took care of myself enough to know that I don't have to kill myself in the process.  I would have been absolutely miserable had I done it outside.  I'm so grateful for each new day to take good care of my body.  It deserves the TLC.

Water Challenge Day 96:  Drank 173 of 173 ounces

Oh goody, we get to go to the beach

When I got up this morning, I just wanted to be lazy.  I mean, don't leave the house, be like a vegetable lazy.  I had texted a friend last night about going walking today and she couldn't go, so it was really enticing to just stay inside today.  We can all have our off days, that's for sure.  Then I remembered that I sort of had one of those days yesterday.  It's a bad habit for me to get into because I have had times in my life where I did hole up in my house for the weekend, avoiding life and going on food binges.  I don't want to be reminded of those times, let alone relive it.

So I pushed myself and got going out to the beach.  That's my favorite place to go walking.  Every time I drive over the hill and see the beach in the horizon, I feel like a little kid inside.  "Oh goody, we get to go to the beach!!"  Walking next to the pounding surf is so relaxing and is a lifter for anyone having a down day.  I wasn't having a down day at all, but I just felt so happy to be there, along with hundreds of others doing the exact same thing.

 

That water looks so good, doesn't it?  I finished the day having done 15,000 steps and feel amazing.  I'm so grateful I took the time today to not be lazy, but get my body moving outdoors at my favorite place in the world.

Water Challenge Day 92:  Drank 144 of 178 ounces

The sun does a body good

I don't know about you, but I'm so glad the weekend is here.  I have had a busy week at work and it's only going to get busier as we move into May.  That's what happens when you work at in the counseling department of a big high school.  As much as the kids count down to the end of the school year, so do we!  One of the projects I'm in charge of for the end of the year is our senior awards ceremony.  Except for emceeing the event and handling the food, I take care of every other aspect.  That means sending out invitations, coordinating all the data for the awards, writing the speech and everything in between.  It's surprising how many little things go into an event.  Thankfully I have three student office assistants assigned to me so I can have them help.  I also have a lot of seniors coming in to talk about alternate plans for next fall since they didn't get into certain colleges or pulling kids in because I need to revoke their work permits due to failing grades and unexcused attendance issues.  It's a stressful time with not enough hours in the day it seems.

The weekend is a time for me when I can avoid thinking about any of that and, instead, focus on me.  I'm not saying that in a selfish way (even though it sounds like it).  What I mean is that my self-care tends to take a backseat a lot of the times.  I try to do the best I can with being healthy, but sometimes it's a real fight to do that or even want to do that.  I asked my friend to go walking with me at lunch today, even though I really didn't want to pull away from the work I was doing.  The fact of the matter was, though, that I needed to get away from my desk and get some fresh air.  So we walked down to a strip mall about a mile from the high school and had lunch outdoors in the sun.  This is the yummy deliciousness I had.

Yes, it was as good as it looks.  It's a Mediterranean chicken salad with greens, tomatoes, couscous and feta cheese.  I was good and asked for the feta cheese to come on the side.  I sprinkled just a tiny bit on it, squirted the lemon on top and it was amazing.  I couldn't eat the whole thing, though.  Trust me, I would have totally done that before but it was just so filling that it was impossible for me to do.  Afterwards, we walked back to the office and I was able to resume my work, feeling refreshed with a bit of sun, two miles walked and a full tummy.  

I don't have plans already set for this weekend, but I do plan on getting in some good exercise.  That probably includes a beach walk and avoiding my annual HOA meeting at home.  I would love to be more supportive, but there is a lot of sitting around waiting for people to show up to have the necessary quarry of owners to move forward.  The unfortunate part is that we sit around for an hour or two, adjourn the meeting when enough don't show up and then reschedule it for a later time.  This happens year after year so I decided two years ago that I wasn't going to just sit around and waste my time.  I'd rather go for a walk than sit around getting mad that more people don't care to show up.  I'm committed to getting in my hour of exercise every day, even on the weekends.  It does make a difference, not only physically but mentally.  I feel so much better when I take good care of my body.

Water Challenge Day 90:  Drank 178 of 178 ounces