Wednesday, December 19, 2012

14 Month Update

I am already fourteen months post-bariatric surgery....  Where has that time gone? 

The weight is still coming off, although it is coming off a lot slower now.  Since my one year mark back on October 19th, I have lost another 5.5lbs.  That has been the slowest weight loss over two months that I have had to date.  However, my surgeon and nutritionist are both happy at the slower rate since I am approaching my goal weight.  They would be concerned if the weight was coming off at a rate of any more than one pound a week right now.

I have now lost 124lbs.  My goal is to lose 150lbs and that is so close now!  Well sort of close.  At this rate I won't be at my goal until late spring or early summer, but that is still exciting.

Last month I went down to northern BC to visit with family and boy did I ever go on a shopping spree!  I pretty much bought a new wardrobe, but a lot of it came from Value Village, so I didn't feel too bad about all my spending.  It feels great to have a few nicer items to wear out and about!

So where am I struggling?  Holiday eating is tough!  Last year at the holidays I was barely up to eating 1/2 a cup of mush.  This year I can eat one cup of pretty much anything.  Items that are too sweet or rich make me sick pretty much instantly, but some times that still isn't enough to stop me from trying a bite.  I am eating a bit more than normal right now, but am making sure I don't overfill myself and space out my eating.  Also, I need to focus on visiting instead of eating.  That is really the real reason we all get together, right?

I am also having a hard time dealing with my stomach flap.  It gets in the way of everything and clothing fits so awkward with it.  When I had my one year appointment with my surgeon, he gave me the go-ahead to start looking into surgery.  Based on how much weight I have lost and my level of activity, he said if I was doing this at his clinic they would do it at the 18 month mark.  So I have an appointment with a doctor that is coming into Faro in January to see if that type of surgery could possibly be covered under our insurance here in the Yukon.  If not, well I will start to save my pennies and get help researching a plastic surgeon to have it done.  I am hoping I can find a place closer than the clinic where I had my bariatric surgery, but I would be happy to go right back down there too.

The surgeon also suggested that I stop tracking my food as much.  This is a really tough one for me.  I love tracking every little bit and I feel so lost when I don't keep track.  I am not sure I am going to be able to follow through on this one.  My personality type likes the control I feel when I track and measure everything and I have great success with it.  We will see where it goes.

The weight is now coming off my lower end.  I haven't lost a single inch off my waist or boobs in the last two months, but I have lost another inch and a half off my hips and two and a half off each of my thighs!!  Woweeee!  I am so happy to see my bottom shrinking.  I have now lost a total of 10.5" off of each thigh and a whopping 18.5" off my hips.  Get out a measuring tape and look at that one.  Unreal.

I haven't been very active in the last month due to my vacation and then being hit with the plague upon our return.  Yesterday I was back at the squash court and loved every minute of it.  Time to get back into my routine!

And now my 14 month photos:

Looking nice for the staff party last night!

124lbs down.

See that tummy flap?  It sucks. 

hmmm.... I need some hair help today!

7 comments:

Lesley said...

Hear hear for more visiting, less focus on eating! I struggle with portion control, especially as my metabolism slows and I see the impact faster and faster. Food had always been the focus for us over the holidays and I don't know how to change that.... Thanks for reminding me that it is friends and family that should be the focus!

And also, you look awesome!!!!!!!!!

Sarah N said...

Truly inspirational ... both your weight lossd accomplishments and your learned commitment to being honest with yourself. Those are both really impressive feats!

jozien said...

sorry i didn't read your post (yet) but i want to comment on the pictures; my you are so beautiful!
and this amazing act of kindness to yourself is such an inspiration for the world

Allmycke said...

I've already commented in another place - but you are an inspiration to others, no matter what their struggle is. Mine is trying to develop patience...I'm in no way sure I'll ever be as succesful as you have been over the last year or so.

Megan said...

You are looking GREAT!

Five years of maintenance later, I still track everything I eat and wear a FitBit to track my activity to the calorie.

Nancy said...

You're looking fantastic! You definitely don't look obese at all any more, no "fat" vibe at all, and you're beautiful.

Go ahead and keep tracking your intake if you need to. I need to track and I'm at the lower end of the BMI range, but if I didn't, I'd gain and I'd gain fast. Some of us need to track our weights and intake, it's a bit obsessive but it works. I love food too much not to. Later on you might want to try not tracking, but you're still in loss mode, so I would say keep on counting if you feel you need to. Your loss has always been within what they want it to be so it works for you.

Fawn said...

Go, Kara, go! You look amazing!! Good luck with your doctor research.