In order to BE in the race, you gotta be able to STAY in the race....

So I'm almost done with my second week of recovery & diet since getting sleeved on March 18th, and I think this week, I FINALLY found the energy that I completely lost for years prior to the surgery. It seem like for the majority of this week, I was up in the early hours of the mornings at times that my body just did not use to comprehend. Seriously, 6:00 am?! 7:00 am?! My body chemistry had no knowledge of these times before unless I was coming IN the house on the weekend from being out of town at a venue. Haha! I'm truly amazed at my own strength on a daily basis. Every single day, I move around so much better. For like 3-4 days out of this week, I started doing like 15 mins rep of non-stop walking in my house followed by a 10 minute rep of just light aerobics. I would have the music going from my TV, and then I would just let the movement of my body be the natural choreographer. Nothing special, but it WAS special. I found myself letting loose. I found myself enjoy myself at what I was doing. I found myself doing this WITHOUT getting out of breath and WITHOUT any joint or arthritis pain! Something that I haven't felt in THREE years! Truly the most amazing feeling in the world! I was so proud! I felt like I was truly on my way to really being able to incorporate something like this when I make my way back to working. I must be honest, today I felt like a lazy bum, but even God had a day of rest! So that's what I did today! I deserved it! :)

This past Tuesday March 26th, I had my first post-op follow up appointment with Dr. Turton, and ALL of my vitals were good! Blood pressure and pulse was normal. Weight loss results were great! Dr. Turton said that I was right on track! I was in his office with my mother with the biggest smile on my face. I truly feel like a new woman and with no regrets in deciding to have this surgery at all! Before he scheduled my next follow up appointment, we discussed about my six month goal, and he envisioned me to be somewhere between 225 & 250 lbs... pretty much the same goal that I had made for myself. He says if I keep on doing what I've been doing, that I will be well on my way! :)

I made my first video blog of my weight loss journey on Monday, and I had it uploaded to YouTube.

To be honest, it's not the BEST video, but it's a start! After getting some great feedback from friends, I know how I'm going to approach in doing these in the future! :)

DIET DIET DIET! Well, I am still on the clear/full liquid diet. Basically, I've been consuming water, protein shakes, watered down creamy soups, and baby food. YES... baby food. Don't laugh, but when you've had a surgery of this magnitude and your newer, smaller stomach is healing, this is the best way to go. It's simple, basic nutrition, and it's good for what it is right now! Granted, I WISH I could have real food, but it will eventually happen! I gotta continue to "crawl" before I "walk" in this diet progression. In order to BE in the race, you gotta be able to STAY in the race, and I will do what I can to stay in the fight! I'm finding more way to consume more ounces of water during  the day, but I still have not gotten the knack of how to consume at least 48 ounces of water a day AND trying to get my 60-80 ounces of protein a day. I'm sure I will eventually get it, but at this early stage of recovery, it's difficult. Especially when your new stomach can only hold up to 4 ounces at a time. Starting on April 1st, I move to pureed/blended foods. I'll at least be able to have cottage cheese, fat free/lowfat cheese, tuna, chicken, soggy sugar free cereal, and then in two weeks, soft food. THEN real food. It's a gradual progression nonetheless, but I'm pulling through. It's NOT easy, but it's WORTH it! :)

As of this morning, I weighed myself on the scale, and I am now at 306 pounds! That is a loss of 19 lbs since the surgery on March 18th, and total loss of 44 lbs since starting this journey November 28, 2012. Getting VERY close to kissing the 300s goodbye! The last time I was below 300 lbs was about seven years ago. So I'm looking forward to achieving that! I'm truly proud at how much I have overcome these last four months. To look back and see where I started to where I am now, I have no doubt that I will be successful in this journey. I WILL make my goals. I WILL conquer this!

The start of what will soon a long progression collage of my weight loss!