One Year VSG Anniversary

It has been 1 year since having weight loss surgery. This time last year I was on my 2 week pre-op liquid diet. No Thanksgiving meal for me! I knew I could skip just one year. I would be ok. 

 I wanted to reflect a little on how the past year has been. 

Day of Surgery Weight: 206

Current Weight: 149

Type of Surgery: Sleeve

Location: TLC (Texas Laparoscopic Consultants) Houston, Tx

Surgeon: Terry Scarborough

Prior to Surgery I wasn't required to lose any weight. Obviously it's great if you do but my surgeon didn't mention or require it from me. I did go through insurance and was told if you show that you're gaining weight during the months leading up to surgery then you can be denied. During the months leading up to my surgery I had lost 60 lbs. Good ol' diet and exercise! 

With my Insurance (Aetna) the requirements were that you had to have a BMI > 40,  attend several nutrition classes, have a psych evaluation, blood work and have an endoscopy. The total time it took from consultation to surgery date was about 4 months. It's definitely not something that is rushed.

I stayed in the hospital for one night. This was required. The gas pain in my chest was the worst part but they encourage lots of walking to help with it. Which it totally does. I was very nauseous but that subsided within about 2 days. I was able to lift my daughter who was about 16-18 lbs at the time after just a few days. I had help for 4 days then everything went back to normal. 

The part I regret the most is not taking more pictures and documenting my journey though out the entire process. I wish I would have taken more process pictures to show how far I've come.  

I know personally speaking that  having the sleeve procedure was the right choice for me because I struggled for many many years with my weight. From about 18-32 years old I would lose and  regain and yo-yo diet all the time. I was a fast food junkie and didn't understand the concept of a "healthy lifestyle." After hitting my highest weight of 285 lbs (the day I had my daughter on March 29, 2018) I knew something had to change. After reaching out to several people that I knew had had the sleeve done, I looked into it myself and scheduled the consultation. I started my "healthy lifestyle" 4 months prior to having the surgery but the sleeve kept me going and didn't allow me to go back to old habits. It's a tool and if you use it as it's intended, then it will keep pushing you in the right direction. Although my stomach is much smaller, it takes discipline and making healthy choices every day to live this lifestyle and to reach my goals. I slip up and eat things I shouldn't from time to time but I always get right back at it and move forward. I never imagined I would reach this place. I know what it took to get here and I'll work hard every day to keep this lifestyle and not go back. It's 100% worth it. 

How I Meal Plan/Grocery Shop/Save a lil Money

When I plan our menu for the week I sit down with a pen and paper old school style and decide which meals I want to cook. I’ll come up with about 5-6 meals. I’ve found that if I buy too much produce it will end up going bad before I can cook it so I like to shop for about 6 nights worth at the most.  The first thing I do is scroll Pinterest. I'll search healthy air fryer recipes, easy healthy meals, maybe a meal with a specific protein or previous meals I've cooked under the Healthy album. I finally made a binder and started printing my recipes. It makes it so much easier!

 Once I decide what I’m going to cook, I make a Menu. This isn’t the exact order I will cook these meals. I like to have a different protein each night to mix it up a bit. If there is a ton of leftovers I might skip a night of cooking.

When I make my grocery list I make different categories:

-Frozen/Cold/Pantry/Produce/Misc to try to make my trip a little easier.

Being a stay at home mom, I try to find different ways  to make a little extra spending money when I can. Nowadays there are many apps that offer cash back or giftcards. My favorite apps to use are Ibotta and Fetch. I've received around $500 from Ibotta and just recently started using Fetch but have already received an amazon giftcard. 

https://ibotta.com/r/asjkkls Here is the Ibotta link

Fetch: Enter my referral code, N7PUW at the sign-up screen and you'll get 2,000 Fetch Points ($2.00 in points!) when you complete one receipt. Download here https://bit.ly/2Ay6caM


Next I'll search my apps to see which items I can get money back on. For Ibotta you can select your store, search the items and add which items you want to shop for. With Fetch you can just search the items to add to your list but you don't have to. You can just upload your recipt after shopping and it adds the points for you.

 I love grocery pickup, but I like to grocery shop when my  husband is home with the kids. It's my escape. I don't get out much, can you tell?!? I typically shop at Walmart or HEB. I think HEBs food is better quality but I got to Walmart a lot because I usually need like 294849374 extra non grocery items.

Lately I’ve been trying to cook high protein, low carb and low sugar. It’s just how I typically eat. Mainly a Keto diet but I do eat carbs I just try to limit them.

Happy Shopping!!

July Recap

July was a good month. I set the goal of getting into the 150's and crushed it! I'm currently at ….

I started this month at 164. The closer I get to my goal the harder it is to lose weight. I have to fight to lose every pound. 

August Goal: Get in the 140's. Insert mind blown emoji here! I think I want to stay around 145 lbs. 

I can remember at my Pre-Op apt to get my Sleeve the Surgeon said "With diet and exercise you should be around 150 lbs." I was so excited and shocked to hear him say that. And now I'm here. I'm doing it.  I've never been at a place where I wasn't trying to lose weight, maintenance is so new to me. But, I know what it takes so I know I can and will do it. This lifestyle is so much more rewarding and enjoyable than not wanting to go out, or afraid of running into people I know or feeling like I'm not enough. 

In other exciting news...

I'm getting my breast lift and implants on Tuesday!! I honestly debated getting the implants but I'm afraid if I don't, then they won't be a good shape and not round at the top. I mean if I'm doing it I might as well do it, ya know! It's just so strange because I NEVER thought I would need boobs. I've always had them and they were big! But losing so much weight they literally deflated overnight. I definitely think they were the last thing to go. They don't fill anything out and they're not pretty so under the knife I go! It's just a part of the journey.

I always stayed around 260 lbs. This is a 105 lbs difference. 

Get out of your own way!

When you've lost and regained weight as much as I have, you learn a few things along the way. I sat down and thought about all the excuses I had when trying to lose weight in the past and how I have overcome them.

Excuse #1. You let yourself get too hungry

You're starving, you're tired, you haven't eaten in forever….. Screw it, I'm going to Whataburger...McDonalds/Taco Bell/Insert Fast Food joint here _______. I was the Queen of fast food. I ate it every single day...multiple times a day even. When I was pregnant I don't think I cooked a single meal for 9 months!! When you allow yourself to get to the point of starvation, you will fail 99% of the time. So, what do you do to avoid this? Well, eat before you're a ravenous monster or keep snacks with you. I always carry a healthy snack such as a protein bar or some mixed nuts. At least that way it will hold you over and you are less likely to fall off the deep end completely.

Excuse #2. It's too much work to cook healthy

What I like to do is sit down right before I go grocery shopping and plan out my meals for the next 5 days or so. I look at Pinterest for ideas if I want to cook something new. But more times than not, I basically cook the same things. I'll throw in some new recipes here and then.

Buy food that is pre-cut (example:chopped onions, fruit, veggies) My favorite is the frozen sides that you just pop in the microwave. No effort is needed AT ALL!

Prep the night before- already know what you're going to cook and start thawing out the meat.

Drink Protein Drinks! Premier Protein taste great and it's the easiest thing to grab on the go. I drink one just about every day.

Excuse #3. You make it too complicated!

Sister, keep it simple!! you don't have to have a fancy meal every single night. If I find something I like to eat, you better believe I eat it all the time! Pre made lean hamburger patties cooked in the Air Fryer without the bun...literally takes like 15 min and we eat it about once a week.  You don't have to cook something new and complicated every single night. Aint nobody got time fo that!!

Excuse #4. You're overwhelmed with how much you have to lose

Take it 10 lbs. at a time! If you weigh 200 and want to get down to 150, focus on getting to 190 first. That 50 pounds as a whole will overwhelm you.

Excuse #5. You cant do it all so you don't do anything

You don't want to workout? Then don't!  Having a healthy lifestyle is hard, yall. It's work. But it's soooo worth it. But just because you cant or don't want to workout doesn't mean you cant lose weight. It's 80/20 diet vs exercise. Eating a healthy diet is  more important but adding in exercise will just get you to your goals faster. But don't have the all or nothing mentality about it. Start out however you need to, you can always add it in later.

Excuse #6. I just blew my diet so it's over

I used to eat a cheat meal and then spiral out of control!!! And then the next thing I knew I had gained back like 50 lbs. Don't be like me. If you screw up, it's ok. Do better the next meal. One bad decision isn't going to ruin everything you worked hard for. Pick yourself back up and move forward.

Excuse #7. You base everything off  the number on the scale

You stop it right now! That scale will make you cry tears of joy but also tears of frustration. My suggestion is  to measure progress based on  how your clothes fit and also by taking before and after pictures. You're not going to want to take pictures in the beginning but do it anyways. You'll thank yourself later.  Measurements are also a good idea. In the beginning I was losing about a pound a day, but the closer I get to my goal the more stalls I hit. Of course hitting plateaus suck but you have to keep going. Maybe you need to change a few things but do not give up. The scale will move. I promise.

Excuse #8. You keep your weaknesses within reach 

If I know I cant resist something...let's say...idk a snickers bar? I'm not going to keep it in the house. If there's something that no matter what it is you cant resist it,  do not keep it around. Period. I make sure I have snacks for my son that I know he likes but don't temp me.

If you LOVE Ice-cream, find a healthier option, like Halo, it's delicious!!! Or if you LOVE Cokes, get Coke Zero. You don't have to give up all the things that taste great to you.

Excuse #9. It's going to take too long to reach my goals.

You know that saying "where did the time go?" Time flies. This past year of losing weight has passed so quickly for me. It will be the same for you too!  Do not let the thought of it taking too long to lose the weight be an excuse. The time will pass regardless, might as well start working on your goal now!

Excuse #10. You're full of Excesses!!!

 "I don't have enough_____" (Time, Money, Knowledge, Workout Equipment,..etc..)
If I can start my weight loss journey for the millionth time with a 3 month old and a 3 year old as a SAHM with a husband who works shift work and overtime then so can you. We ALL have excuses. But it's just up to you to  make it happen. Don't let every single excuse stand in your way! Does it suck in the beginning? Of course it does! You feel gross and sluggish but guess what? You will only get better with time. You have to lose that first pound to reach your end goal. But the longer you stay on this journey the easier it gets.

Learn from my mistakes. Don't spend another decade being ashamed of the body you're in. I am proud of this body now. I still have work to do but I know I'm so much stronger now. I look forward to working out. I have stretch marks and cellulite but I'm learning to look past those imperfections. Remember, it's about progress not perfection.

Vision Board

I'm kind of obsessed with Rachel Hollis. (Author of Girl Wash your Face.) If you don't already listen to her podcast or follow her on Instagram, do yourself a favor and subscribe to both. Rachel spoke about how every year each  family member  makes a vision board about what they want to accomplish. It could be something very simple such as going on more date nights or something big like taking a vacation. I thought this was a fantastic idea so I decided to make one. 

It's obviously nothing fancy but it's things I want to do whether big or small. I put it up in our spare room near the treadmill so I'll see it often. Weight loss has given me freedom to dream. To get excited about trying new things, wearing new outfits, taking pictures, taking care of myself, the list goes on and on. I get excited to buy makeup again, to invest time in myself, not for anyone else, but for me. I feel like I'm worth it again. I haven't felt like  that in a very long time. It's about confidence. Not that being smaller is the only way to feel confident, people find confidence is different ways, mine is just in this form. But taking the time to take care of myself is what I love most about this journey. I don't want to sit on the sideline anymore. I want to show up for my kids and feel great about taking trips, trying new things, doing outdoorsy things even if they're challenging.

There's many things I want to change physically, but since I cant run out and get a tummy tuck or boob lift, I'll start with a chemical peel. Haha. I have sunspots and want them gone so hopefully in the next few weeks I'll get it done. I'll be sure to take before and afters. 

The biggest thing I want to accomplish this year is to meet my goal weight of 150 lbs. 34 lbs. away and it's only February. I got this! This is just a number. I might be happy at 160 or I might be happiest at 140. I just have to wait and see. Right now I just want to fit into a size 10. Currently I'm in a 12.

Ive always wanted to start a garden. Start small of course, but grow things non the less. Tomatoes and bell peppers are a must! I seriously don't know where to start but I'll do my research and find out. Another reason I love Rachel Hollis is because she's proof that regardless of what you want to accomplish, the information is out there, you just have to do the research. She built her company with a high school diploma and a google search bar. If you want to figure out how to do something, you can and it's free. You have zero excuses.

I've never gotten a massage before. I will definitely make this happen! I think my body has earned one :)

My BFF  and I made a list of things we want to do. Starting with a Winery. We want to try to get together at least once a month. Of course this is hard with work schedules, husband and children but we will try our best!! I plan to document our crazy excursions along the way!

A Tattoo! I already have one but am itching to get another one. Something to express overcoming obstacles and feeling free. Maybe a bird, I'm still thinking.

I'm sure some of you can relate to this if you're a stay at home mom.. making your own money. I want a side hustle. Nothing extreme or too time consuming because right now I take care of two littles and what spare time I have I dedicate that to working out so I couldn't take on too much at the moment but I always want that small financial independence for myself. You feel me?!?!? I need to start crafting again...

I know my list will grow. I love having things to work toward and look forward to. It makes life fun.

The Road to VSG

      "Something had to change." These were my thoughts as I once again sat at over 250 lbs. I had known several people that have had Gastric Sleeve surgery and were very successful in their journey. I decided to reach out to them and get the basic information to see if it was something I would be interested in. After every single person said the same thing "It was the best decision I ever made," I knew I had to look into it. I filled out the insurance check online to see if it was covered under my plan because I knew the cash price ($14,500) wasn't an option.

       Once  I received the phone call saying that the surgery would be covered under my insurance, I scheduled my consultation. I had no idea that the requirement's from the insurance would be so extensive but I guess they want to make sure you're serious about having this surgery.  From start to finish it took 4  months. I had my consultation in July and had surgery in November. I had to have Labs, Psychological Consultation, Nutrition Class,  3 Weight Management Classes and an Endoscopy. 

      At my consultation I weighed 266 lbs. On the day of surgery I weighed 206. Luckily insurance goes with that initial weigh-in or else I would have been under the BMI requirement which is 40. I went back and forth with myself wondering if it was even necessary to have the sleeve done. I was doing so well with weight loss on my own why wouldn't I just continue to do what I had been doing? Well, for two reasons: The first is I had been down this road before. I would lose a significant amount of weight and with the snap of a finger start gaining it all back. I would lose focus and drive and go back to my old ways. Whose to say this time would be any different? I would be done with my best friend's wedding  which was my motivation and once it was over I would say to hell with it. The odds of staying on track would be slim to none. The sleeve allowed me to not quit on myself. The second reason: When would I have this opportunity again? My out of pocket was met, therefore the surgery was covered at 100% The only cost I was responsible for was the anesthesia. After praying about it, I knew I wanted to go through with it. 

       Throughout the process I think the hardest part was the two week liquid diet prior to surgery. Protein drinks and broth isn't the most appealing when you're hungry. I did lose 15 lbs. but it was hard, especially because during my two weeks was Thanksgiving. My theory was, I have had 32 Thanksgivings in my life so far, it wouldn't  hurt to skip this one. Giving up the caffeine was hard too, I love my coffee. A lot.
        I'm now 10 weeks post op and weigh 184 lbs. and I feel great. The first few days were rough as far as feeling nauseous and having upper gas pains but medicine and walking helps with that. I had the surgery on  a Monday and my husband went back to work on Friday so I was back to my  normal routine by then. I was cleared to workout at my two week post op appointment. I had an initial fear right after surgery that I wouldn't be able to enjoy certain foods again and had that feeling of  regret because I was like "what did I just do?" But I can basically eat whatever I choose now. Some foods don't go down as easy so I avoid them. Mainly more starchy foods but that isn't a bad thing. Too much sugar or high fat foods can make you sick which is what I need anyways so I look at that as a blessing. My portions are smaller but not tiny. I still choose to eat clean because I am striving for a healthier way of life.
       I am excited for the future. I'm not  afraid that I'm going to gain weight back. For once in my life I have confidence in myself that I can obtain this healthy lifestyle. I can't wait to reach  my goal weight of around 150 lbs. I am proud of myself for losing the initial 80 lbs. but know having the sleeve is what will help me lose the rest of this weight and keep it off. It is a tool. I still have to eat the right foods and exercise.
       It's not about perfect. It's about effort. and when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs - Jillian Michaels 

       

The Ugly Truth

I've battled my weight my entire life. I was conscious about my weight since the 3rd grade. I remember going on a diet and losing 15 pounds. I've lost and gained 50 pounds 3 times over and would always gain it back plus more. I spent my entire 20's being overweight. I spent a decade being over 200 pounds. I had every size in my closet from 14-22. I would lose weight, drop a few sizes, then the weight would start creeping back up and the fast food frenzy would take over. I literally did it time and time again. Come July 2018. I knew I had to get my shit together. My best friend was getting married in Mexico in November. I didn't want to hate myself in every single picture taken. We were driving home from our annual family camping trip from the Frio sitting in the back seat between my 3 year old and 3 month old and I remember looking down at my legs and thinking "my calves are so fat"... random but I thought this is out of control. Who am I? Why have I let myself go for the millionth time!? I was in a size 20/22. This 5'4 body isn't suppose to be that round. The very next day I got on the treadmill. I remember texting my friend "Day 1" and I was annoyed about it. Annoyed that I have had about 100 "Day 1's" before. But Day 1 turned into Day 2, 3, 4 and so on. Every day I would text her or she would text me with Day __ fill in the blank. I didn't let the fact that I had a little baby and I was tired be my excuse. I would exercise during her naps. Or if she woke up early I would put her in her bouncer and put her next to the treadmill. My three year old would try to talk to me while I was working out and I would have to take my headphones out a million times and I would get frustrated but I knew I just had to push through it and get it done. Day in and day out. I would have to use my time wisely to be the most effective. I will keep it real, I did go to the doctor and get a script for phentermine to help give me some energy. Waking up several times a night wasn't easy. I took it for 3 months up until I had to get off of it leading up to my surgery. (That will be another post.) Eating healthy and working out is what led to my 80 pound weight loss pre-surgery. I think some people frown upon diet pills and weight loss surgery but my theory is You do you. Do what works for you. What will get you to your goal. I had to lose a significant amount of weight so I needed drastic measures. I regret nothing. Is it still hard? Hell yes! Do I want to sit and scroll through social media while Sadie sleeps? Absolutely! But I know it won't get me where I need to be. If I don't work out the first opportunity I get, there's a 99 percent chance it wont get done. I still have around 35 pounds I want to lose to get me to my goal. I'm so excited about simple things now. Getting to shop for cute clothes when before I would buy just whatever would fit. Shopping a 2X isn't fun. I don't hate myself in every single picture I take anymore. Investing time in myself feels good. I finally know what not giving up on myself feels like now. If this resonates with anyone reading this, whatever your struggle may be, start with your day 1. I'll be here to cheer you on! It's worth it. Don't spend another day hating who you are. P.S. My calves are smaller :)