I am not going to lie here, and will admit, there is a lot going on in my life right now. I am stressed, my husband is back home from the hospital, yet somehow, life carries on. I wanted to take a moment to step away from the drama and get re-focussed on why this blog exists-and post about my journey, and challenges, ideas-well, you get the drift. A wonderful message I received the other day from a fellow blogger really inspired me to get back on track. I have posted her message below and also wanted to update you all with some very exciting news! (no cheating and skipping to the end to ruin the surprise!)
Your blog has been so encouraging! I just had the sleeve done last Tuesday, and am so scared! I love food, and love carbs.. When were you able to integrate normal foods? Do you feel restricted in a bad way? I’m trying to see the good here, but am dreaming of food! My support system is hard to work with, too, as my sister is downstairs eating BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, baked beans and sausage, and who knows what else!
This blogger was super frustrated because she feels she has limited support and also loves food, and wondered how to make it through.
To answer your question, “IF I was able to incorporate normal food” my answer to that is maybe-because it depends on what your normal is. And your normal could and most likely will change, and it will take some time to get used to that, but you will get through it!
A great example of this is my LOVE for sushi. At least twice a week, I used to haul anyone who would entertain me down to the local AYCE Sushi bar and order, well, two of everything. “I am eating sushi and it is healthy, so I can eat as much of it as I want” I would lie to my fat self sitting behind three boats of rolls.
Now, sushi for me is an interesting experience-mostly because of the rice. However, one time recently I dissected all the rolls, just ate the filling, and had about 2 cups of rice and mounds of seaweed leftover, staring me down on the plate. The filling was about 1/2 cup of food-and about what I could handle after a seaweed salad-and I realized that was only 8 rolls. That is A LOT of rice. Now I usually go for the raw fish or shrimps, no fried, and definitely no rice. But I still enjoy sushi-just differently. Oh, and I don’t gain a few pounds every time I go now.
The first step is to have a support system-blogging friends, jump on to websites that have forums, and build that networks strong and tight around you! Don’t be afraid to reach out to people for help-hearing other people’s stories really helped me and educated me about putting things in perspective.
With your sleeve, it is literally one day at a time. Like any other major life change, it can be thrilling, overwhelming, and downright scary.
I remember going through similar emotions and about your stage of the game, (Read my post about the holidays and how I ate cookies two weeks after my sleeve!!! 🙂 ) and these feelings are real, but they will fade.
Your love for food will fade to your love for a new pair of jeans, or a new experience, or a new way to possibly enjoy the foods you loved so you still get the taste, but it will be a lot less and in different ways.
Eating WILL be difficult, and it could be stressful! And sometimes, you never know what you will get with your sleeve and patience is the key.
To answer your question Ashley, I modified everything. I mean, I love food, but I love myself more-and everytime ok, most of the time I wanted to veer of course, I reminded myself a) how much this cost me and b) I have to love myself and this process-embrace my sleeve.
I hope this helps!
So give a little update on my fitness, and goals, I did something outside of my box today-I JOINED THE GYM!! (woot!) I know that is the first step and I actually got to go, but in an effort to work in the last 20-25 pounds, I wanted to make sure I was building some muscle and not leaving myself with a flabby, fleshy body when I was all said and done. Right now, my tone is weak, and I know I have some work to do. But I am so close to my comfort zone-you know what I am talking about-that “I look pretty good in clothes and I can buy clothes off a normal rack so why fight it?” it is THAT comfort zone that gets me in trouble, and helps those pounds to crawl back on. Nope, not happening to me!!!!
I have started what I like to call a “phase two” in my diet plan and yesterday I had a full Bioimpedence.
Here is the breakdown:
122.1 is lean body mass, but I still have 47.9 lb of fat I could lose.
My BMI is 27.4 and my BMR is 1728. Now THIS shocked me. I actually need to start eating more and moving more to get some new results. I have been barely losing these last few weeks, just sort of hovering on the scale. Now I know why!
I am just 20 pounds from being a normal weight-a normal BMI and that is something I haven’t achieved in 20 years. This gives all new meaning to those last twenty pounds!
I have signed up with a personal trainer and the gym to get a full fitness assessment and also nutrition and food allergy assessment. Hey, why work against what God gave you, right? I am really pumped, and the next few months of my blog will be focussed on my workouts, diet, eating, food and recipe ideas, and the journey to a healthy weight!
So join me and share this like crazy, because we are going to have a lot of fun doing this! (okay, and maybe some sweat and tears too…but no blood, I hate blood. 🙂 )
My Little Banana Tummy 