"P" is for......

Plateau. Merriam-Webster defines the word plateau as:  " a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it" ;  "a period when something does not increase or advance any further." For my purposes, we will go with definition #2.

This week, I am most definitely not seeing an increase in my weight loss.  I am EXACTLY the same. It's kind of frustrating, but at the same time, I know that it'll catch up to me eventually.  I would love to see it keep falling off, 3 pounds at a time. I want to get to my destination, but my body is telling me to cherish and learn from each step on this journey.  

This plateau situation is one reason why I was not successful at losing weight prior to surgery. I would be so strict, following every guideline and rule, for months at a time. Then, when I would see no loss for a month or two, I would become so discouraged that I would give up and go back to my normal, non-depriving ways. By non-depriving I don't mean binge eating or junk food eating. I just ate when I was hungry. I ate good things, but obviously too many good things.

Now that my stomach is gone, I can't go back, nor do I want to. I love not feeling hungry all of the time. I love the fact that I feel good inside. I love the fact that  I won't become diabetic. So today, as I take a vacation day, a "me" day, I will be thankful for where I am at. 55 pounds are gone. I have gone from a size 24/22 to a size 16, depending on the cut and style. I am wearing shorts today for the first time in decades. What a nice place to be.

Have a lovely day. Take a good look at all of the good things in your life. Be thankful.

Peace, Love and Joy,

Rachel

The "S" Word......

Hmmm....which word am I referring to? You may get a little creative if you'd like, but I'll go ahead and clarify for you. Any one who has undergone bariatric surgery is familiar with the "S" word and the issues surrounding it.

Skin. What happens to your skin when you lose weight rapidly? For each person, there may be a different answer. For me, it has been quite an interesting transition. My skin has always, always been very dry and sensitive. I will say that the sensitivity has not changed, but the dryness is virtually gone. My calluses are almost completely gone from my feet. My heels are no longer cracked. I don't have to sleep with Heeltastic on my feet every night.  In place of dry, scaly hands, I now have soft, smooth and visibly younger looking skin.

What causes this change? I don't have a scientific answer for that, but I do beleive it's due in part to diet and in part to hormones. I ate very healthy prior to surgery. That may be hard to beleive for some of you, but it's the truth none the less. Could refined carbohydrates cause skin problems? I don't know. Maybe. But to be truthful, I don't really care to know the why. All I am looking forward to is the end result.

Skin. It's our largest organ. It's the first thing you see when you meet someone. I think it's a pretty good idea to take care of it. I have always used a nourishing, organic lotion on my skin. Now I've added organic sweet almond oil to my moisturization process. I mostly added that because I know that my skin is going through some major changes. I am hoping to keep it nourished from the outside, as well as from the inside (via nutrition and vitamins).

I have heard many times that you have to take the bad with the good. Yes, there have already been some "bad" things with the good changes I've experienced. I am starting to see some saggy skin on my upper thighs. I guess that means that I am losing fat there, which is a good thing. I am hopeful that my skin will catch up, in time, and shrink. The other "bad" is the infamous stretch mark. I have found a some white ones on my arms, as a result of weight loss. While I don't like them, I am thankful to be thinning down. I accept them. They are my badges of honor from this battle with obesity. And guess what....I am winning.

So today, I am thankful for my skin. I am thankful for this body that God has created for my spirit to live in. I haven't always appreciated it. I haven't always taken care of it. That makes me sad, but inspires me to be better, to do better, to love more, to cherish. Ever grateful. Always thankful.

Love, Peace and Joy,
Rachel

16 weeks

It's crazy that today is 16 weeks since my surgery. The 14th is technically my 4 month anniversary though.....but I am happy to say that I am down 55 lbs as of this morning. What a fantastic feeling!

I am now really, really needing clothes. I am picking up a few items at a time at discount stores, such as Ross, Marshall's and DD's. I found the cutest top at DD's the other day. The girls at work were shocked that DD's carried something so cute. And I found some adorable capri dress pants at Target in the 70% off rack. They were $8.38. That price made me happy.  I am down to one pair of jeans that I can still wear, one pair of work out pants, two pairs of dress pants and two skirts. Needless to say, I have been doing A LOT of laundry! But it's sooooooooo worth it.

Health wise, I am feeling great. My energy is better than pre-surgery. I am still tired by 9 pm, but that's just my internal clock. I wake up so early in the mornings! I can't help it--been this way since I was a baby. I am proud to say that I am now able to stay up until  10:30 pm on a regular basis. I find myself doing things around the house or crafting from 9 - 10:30.

Let's talk about hair.....OMG I hit the 3 month mark and my hair started falling out. It is creepy how much falls out. I am SO thankful that I have a lot of hair, because it doesn't look thin. I did have it cut short so that it'll grow back easier/look better when it grows back. I am taking biotin and eating my 60 grams of protein every day.

My skin is doing great with the weight loss. I don't have any saggy or flappy arm skin, which I was worried about. I do have jello-jiggly fat, but that's always been the case. I am working out most days, doing all kinds of different things. My favorite thing to do is the elliptical machine. Love that thing!  I still don't like exercising. It's not enjoyable-I can think of numerous other things to clean around the house or organize, but exercise is a necessary evil.

On that note, it's Friday and I am so thankful for the week to end!

Have a great day.

Peace, Love and Joy,
Rachel