4 month surgerversary updates

It's been awhile since my last updates.  I'm still having hair loss, but less than I was.  I am currently wearing a pair of Catos size 16 jeans.  I've thought about either wearing my jeans inside out so everyone can see my tag or announcing it randomly to strangers.  My new favorite snack recipe is eggface protein truffles with Click mocha protein, very brownieish tasting.  I have also had 1 spoon of dark chocolate chips with 8 oz skim milk as a snack and 3/4 a coffee cup of grapes, both of which have no protein but satisfy my evil sweet tooth.  I take pole dance class once a week and zumba class three times a week.  On zumba gym days I also bike 1 to 3 miles or do a little arm strength training if I get to the gym early enough.

 Here are my monthly losses.  I've really slowed down in September but I went from a 20 to a 16 so not all terrible.  I've had more stalls and more slower loss.  
 May 27.6 (inc pre-op), June 17.4lbs, July 15.2lbs, August 17.2lbs, Sept 9.2 lbs

Updated pics of me yesterday in an XL shirt and 16W jeans:

 

84 lbs Down & Pixie Dust

I have lost :::drum roll:: 84 lbs.  My updated goal is to be down 110 lbs by Halloween.  I found the perfect Halloween costume yesterday at Goodwill.  It is a size 18 Avenue dress brand new for $5.  Guess what I'm going to be?  Tinkerbell!  Yep, a size 18 dress fit me perfect so it should be roomy by Halloween.  Just gotta add wings, a wand, and some pixie dust.  I wanted to wear one of those cutesy short costumes but my thighs aren't ready for that yet.  I also got my hair cut short so I would shed less.  It looks goofy in both pics because I don't know how to fix it yet, but here ya go:

No Sugar Added Crockpot Fruit Butter- Greek Yogurt Add-In

Apple butter
1 crockpot full of peeled sliced apples
2 tsp cinnmaon
1 tube 100% apple juice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3 tbsp honey

Pumpkin butter
2 cans pumpkin puree
3 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup 100% apple juice
3 tbsp honey
3 squirts of sugar free pancake syrup

Blueberry butter
1 bag frozen blueberries
1/2 pkg strawberries
3/4 cup 100% apple juice
4 tbsp vanilla infused honey w/ vanilla bean

I made these 3 as experiments this week.  All of them made the house smell A-MAY-ZING, but the best flavor goes to the apple butter.   The apple could also be made with jarred unsweetened applesauce but I have a handy dandy apple peeler/ corer so it didn't add much prep time.  Cut crockpot on low, add all ingredients,  put butter knives across the top of your crockpot and set the lid ajar so the moisture can escape.  Cook for 6-12 hours until your butter gets thick and rich.  The apple & pumpkin will get darker.  On the apple and blueberry, I used my immersion stick blender in the crockpot to blend until smooth.  The apple and pumpkin made 3 jelly jars each and the blueberry made 2 jelly jars.  They keep in the fridge for 2-3 months.  I'm using them as additions to my daily greek yogurt.

Goofy Real Pics of Me- 300+ lbs (Before)

 January 2011- Ice Skating or attempting it anyways

 September 2011 family pic- this is published no where but here.  I look like I have an intertube around my belly

 October 2011- I'm the Kia Hamstar with a double chin. 

April 2012- birthday party.  This is my heaviest pic

Stalling & Greek Yogurt

Friday was my 14 week surgerversary.  We went to the rodeo and cosmic bowling with my sister and her boyfriend.  I had 2 mixed drinks and 6 pickle chips, all in moderation right?  I gained 2.2 lbs.  Those pounds stuck to me Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and now Wednesday.  A freaking gain then a 5 day stall.  I'm losing more in my waist and thighs, wishing the loss would start in my upper arms and belly.   My boobs are also deflating, same cup size, but def in need of plastic surgery with my tummy.  I'm still in a size 20 though I have a closet of 18s just waiting on my stall to break.

Today I had Fage greek yogurt with strawberries for breakfast, Fage greek yogurt with sugar free cinnamon apples for snack, and 4 oz of monterey chicken with 2 bites of refried beans and salsa for lunch.  Supper will be...more greek yogurt.  I've read about the 2 day greek yogurt diet to break a stall so I'm trying it out.  It's 4 oz of yogurt every 3 hours, like 5 servings per day with up to 2 cups of fruit and plenty of water, that's all.   I had a preplanned lunch meeting at one of my favorite restaurants so I modified it.  Anyways, here are two doctored up greek yogurt recipes if you want to try them.  I don't like greek yogurt, but I'd choose the apple cinnamon one as having more flavor. 

Strawberry Berry Yogurt

3 oz Fage 0% greek yogurt

2 sliced strawberries

1 tsp sugar free berry jam

splash Torani sugar free vanilla- to taste

Mix well

Apple Cinnamon Yogurt 

3 oz Fage 0% greek yogurt

tsp cinnamon

splash Torani sugar free vanilla- to taste

Mix well and top with apple mix to the top of your 4 oz container

(Apple Mix- diced apples, sugar free pancake syrup, cinnamon, dash of vanilla- mix & cook on medium until apples tender- refrigerate)

Me and my sister at the rodeo

Cosmic bowling- rosy red cheeks equals yummy drinks!

Labor Day cookout at mamas~check out the healthy grub.  So good!  I didn't lose eating this either, crazy!

3 Month Update

So, Saturday made 3 months since I had my sleeve.  I've lost 76.8 lbs total and 51.8 lbs post-op.   So far, chicken is my best restriction food.  I feel fuller eating it than anything else so I try to eat it frequently.   An average day in my belly is a fried egg (no oil/butter) for breakfast, a protein bar or jerky for lunch, and some grilled chicken and a couple bites of veggies for supper. I usually have milk at night to up my protein uptake.  I still struggle to try and drink 64 oz of water daily. 

Exercise wise, I've upped the anty.  Two days ago I took a pole dancing class and will continue with weekly or bi-weekly lessons.  My arms most def got a workout, I can still feel it 2 days later.  I got a 5 & 10 lb weight from Wally World to try to start strengthening my arms.  They are way too flabby.  I also have an exercise ball to working out with.  I have began to walk 5 miles, but need to get into the routine daily. 

Hair.  What to say.  I shed more than my cats.  It's crazy.  I can run my fingers through my hair and have enough to make a little hair doll, so gross.  Little blonde hairs follow me everywhere.  I bought some Nioxin shampoo from a salon for $24 and some biotin, so hoping it works before I go bald, lol. 

I am in a solid size 20, down from a tight 24/26.  They are getting roomy in my hips so I'm ready to drop down to an 18.  I have a whole wardrobe of 16/18s which was generously provided by my stylish cousin.  Below is my comparison pics- tiny but you can see a huge difference (pun intended).

Beach bound

I went to the beach from Friday to Monday.  I had 2 small slices total of Ultimate California pizza with wheat crust, pesto, chicken, artichokes, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese (it's tradition, yum), 2 small servings of frozen non-fat or fat free yogurt with fresh berries, coconut, and nuts, one Bahama Mama, and one Lifesaver mixed drink as my cheats over the course of 4 days.  We stayed at an oceanfront resort with 17 pools, hot tubs, and lazy rivers so I did A LOT of swimming and walking on the beach.  I lost 2.8 pounds on vacation! Total weight loss- 64.2 lbs.  10 week post op loss 39.2lbs~average 3.92 lbs per week.

 size 22 cover up, swimsuit is a 22/24 top with a 3X bottom that is getting HUGE

 Face close up. 

This is a 3X top that literally is falling off me.  I like this shirt and tried to make it look like an off the shoulder deal.  Going to the can't wear pile.  See my tummy is getting much smaller :).