Bariatric Beginnings
My Personal Weight Loss Surgery Journey To A Healthier, Happier Life And Helping Others.

Monthly Archives: August 2011

Another non scale victory

August 31, 2011

I was actually able to walk from the car to my class a few buildings away without getting out of breath and breathing like I’m dying when I get to my destination.  I no longer have to walk into my class being embarrassed because I am breathing heavily. I had my last class of the week today. I go back to work tomorrow, I am very nervous about going back because I am working at a different school then I did last year. New students, new parents, and new teachers, so I’m kinda of scared, at least I have the same supervisor this year. I hope this school year at work and both school go well for me.

I wanted to share that I am doing the Walk from Obesity in Akron, Ohio this year. I walked last year and really enjoyed it. My family is joining me too! Please consider donating to a wonderful cause. You can donate at my fundraising page: http://walkfromobesity.donordrive.com/participant/jessdickey

 

Daily Inspirational Quote: “Sometimes the cards we are dealt are not always fair.  However you must keep smiling & moving on.” ~Tom Jackson

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What a difference 55 lbs can make!

August 30, 2011

Last night I decided to make a photo of me at my heaviest and me now. I was amazed most by the change in my face. I posted it on my online support group and got lots of good feedback, I even had someone say I looked 10 years younger! That makes me feel good considering I’m only 28 and would like to actually look my age instead of older.

I have set a goal of losing 45 more pounds by my 18 month follow up. That would take me to a 100 pound total weight loss in 18 months, that would make me very happy. That’s only a weight loss of 9 pounds a month, so it is very achievable.

Going the other direction is my cat, Rowan, he went to get weighed today because he has had the opposite problem of me, in that he was losing weight very rapidly. At one point he was 7 lbs 5 oz. Not very good for an adult male cat. Through the help of medicine and a food that he seems to enjoy, I am proud to report that he weighed in at 9 lbs 15 oz! I am hoping he will be able to come off of his medication soon, the vet is going to call us and let us know later this week if he can come off the pills.

I had my second class today. I really think I am going to enjoy this class too and I like my professor. Tomorrow is my last class for the week and then I go back to work on Thursday when school reopens for the children. Next week will be the test of if I can handle both work and school together as I will have them both next week. This week was weird because work doesn’t start until Thursday and I went back to classes on Monday.

Skipped the gym this afternoon because I was still suffering with a headache I went to bed with last night. I still sort of have it right now, I hope that it doesn’t last much longer. Heading to the gym tomorrow afternoon before class, I’m still getting used to the new machines and how to use them, some of them are quite confusing.

 

Daily Inspirational Quote: ”The only one thing I can change is myself, but sometimes that makes all of the difference.”~ Unknown

 

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Non Scale Victories

August 29, 2011

A few weeks ago I learned a new term from my online support group for gastric sleeve patients. The term is Non Scale Victories or NSV for short. This got me to think about all the non scale victories I have had seen surgery and it made me realize that even though I am only down 60 pounds since July 2010, I have made many NSVs.

Some examples would be : A tiny NSV that you wouldn’t think was worth anything would be skipping the smores around the campfire during my vacation. I let myself have one uncooked marshmallow. All the hiking of hills and climbing of stairs would also be a non scale victory. You have to learn not to focus on just numbers.

I had a counseling session with my therapist today and she thought I was doing wonderful both physically and emotionally. We will now be having appointments every other week because I am doing so well. She also weighted me at my request. I weighted about the same as I did on the scale at my parents house, so I know that I can trust either scale. I am down 11″actual” pounds since my 1 year follow-up appointment with my surgeon in the middle of July. If you count the water weight that I lost, it’s actually 14 pounds. Most of that happening over the last few week. I did not get completely serious with the exercising and proper nutrition until July 30, when this blog began. So it’s been a month, I think 11 pounds in a month is great, I know it’s not as fast as some other weight loss surgery patients but it’s a high point for me. I look forward to losing another 10-15 pounds by the end of September. I hope to be down 40-50 pounds by my 18 month follow up in January.

I also had my first counseling class at Kent State, it’s going to be okay I think, I know I can make it through. I have another class on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. I hit the gym this afternoon before class, felt good to go back and get into the swing of things.

 

Daily Inspirational Quote: “Success doesn’t come to you. You go to it.” ~Marva Collins

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It’s amazing what I can do now

August 28, 2011

It’s amazing what I can do now, climb hills and stairs without dying! Got the photographs of me from my vacation, I will share the two I am most proud of. One of me about to tackle some steps and one of me climbing a big hill. These are definitely things I couldn’t have done 60 pounds ago. I am so proud of myself and so were my parents. Not a day goes by where I don’t appreciate what they have done for me in order to have gotten this surgery. I wish that I could repay them somehow. Words can not describe my thanks. Tomorrow starts school, I hope becoming a therapist is the right choice for me, I think it is. Heading to the gym tomorrow afternoon before my counseling appointment and class, I will weigh in at my counselors office. Hoping for good results.

Kicking ass at Audra State Park in West Virginia.

About to climb the steps at Blackwater Falls in West Virginia.

My life is changing and I am happy with the direction that it is going for once. I hope that I do well in graduate school over the next 2 1/2 years, I also hope I handle the stress of work in an appropriate matter, better then I did last year. This fall will be awesome I hope and I look forward to 2012.

Daily Inspirational Quote: “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you are going to live. Now.” ~Joan Baez

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Home Sweet Home

August 27, 2011

Well, I’m back! I had a great vacation in West Virginia with my family, but I sure did miss my husband. It’s great to be hanging out with him this evening. I did lots of hiking and climbing during my trip, hills, stairs, you name it, I conquered it. My dad has some awesome pictures of me in action. I will post them when I get them from him. My camera was very badly behaved this trip, it never worked when you wanted it too. I weighed in on Wednesday during my vacation and was down 7 whole pounds from the week before. I will weigh again on Monday at my therapist’s office. I took my diuretic most days of my vacation, except for days where finding a restroom would be difficult. I will start back on it everyday tomorrow. I start graduate school for my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling on Monday, I am both excited and nervous. This is my second Master’s degree, so I do know that I can handle grad school. I return to work on Thursday, very nervous about that, I haven’t worked since June when school let out. I have cut down my Ativan, I used to take 1 mg twice a day, now I have been only taking 0.5 mg-1mg once a day. I am doing well without it, but am afraid work might cause me to have to take it more often again. The next few weeks will be a test of my abilities. Back to the gym on Monday. I will only be exercising once a day now, because of school and work, I will try to at least work out 4 times a week, if not more. I am about half way through the book “The Power of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment.”

One of the hills I tackled, this is Laurel Hill Battlefield.

Daily Inspirational Quote: ”You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

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Vacation Time!

August 20, 2011

Just wanted to inform everyone that this will be my last post until I get back from my West Virginia vacation on Saturday, August 27.  If you are bored and need something to read, check out my husband’s comedic blog, www.thedingleberry.wordpress.com. I attended my bariatric support group’s picnic this afternoon, the spinach and feta quinoa salad my husband and I made was a huge hit. I hope you will give it a try, the recipe was posted on yesterday’s blog. I also had some other good “bariatric friendly” recipes, my favorite being chocolate chip blondies made with wheat flour. I will make these at home sometime. I have the recipe for them and will post it another time after I get back. I managed to find my makeup bag last night in my car of all places, not sure how it got in there. I actually put makeup on this morning for the picnic. Felt good to have some on. Tomorrow, the husband and I are heading to Columbus for my nephew’s baptism and a lunch. From there I will leave to met up with my parents and siblings in West Virginia. My husband will head back home with his parent’s who have graciously volunteered to bring him home so I could leave from Columbus. The hubby unfortunately could not get this week off from work to join us, so he is staying behind and caring for everyone’s cats. He also has a job interview this week which makes me happy, I wish him the best of luck. Life would be even more awesome if he g0t a better job while I am in graduate school for the next couple years. I have managed to get all packed for my trip. My suitcase and toiletry bag are all pack, along with some books and magazines to read and my medications and vitamins. Can’t forget those! I also packed a plastic bag with a change of clothes and shoes so that I wouldn’t have to drive 4 hours to West Virginia in a dress and sandals.  I will change at my sister in law’s house and then give my husband my dress, sweater, and sandals to take back home. I am looking forward to this time away and a nice healthy, active vacation. See you when I return, with plenty of pictures!

Daily Inspirational Quote: “Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.” ~William Arthur Ward

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Preparing for the weekend

August 19, 2011

I found the perfect nail polish to go with my dress! It’s called Art You Blue by Finger Paints sold at Sally’s Beauty Supply. My hubby picked it out and it was perfect, he even painted my toenails for me!

 

My husband and I also prepared our salad to bring to the bariatric support group picnic, we made spinach and feta quinoa salad from a recipe I found on www.bariatriceating.com .  Below is the recipe:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup fat free feta cheese
  • Juice and zest from one lemon
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat-add spinach, scallion, and garlic and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Add the cooked quinoa and toss in pan until ingredients are combined. (If preparing in advance stop at this point and place in container – toss with lemon, lemon zest, and feta just before serving.) Drizzle the lemon juice over the salad, remove from heat, add the lemon zest and feta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

I cooked the quinoa in low sodium chicken broth instead of water for more flavor.

Spinach and Feta Quinoa Salad

 Tomorrow will be a day of fun and packing for my vacation. Right now the hubby is searching the apartment for my makeup bag so that I can actually wear some, you can tell how much I actually wear makeup since we can’t find it!

 

Daily Inspirational Quote: “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.” ~Charles F. Kettering

 

 

 

 

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Bye bye water weight

August 18, 2011

It’s finally starting to come off! I started the diuretic on Monday and as of Thursday afternoon I am down 7 lbs! The water weight is coming off! I am actually 2 lbs under where I started the challenge at. So, when I weigh again on Monday, I should hopefully see some good results. I just got back from the gym, had a training session with my personal trainer. My shoes arrived today, they also look perfect.

Me trying on my outfit for the baptism. I will actually paint my toenails and put on makeup.

I actually think I look pretty for once. Maybe one day I will be able to wear a “little black dress.” I am feeling a little better emotionally since getting to talk to my therapist. Tomorrow I am having breakfast with my best friend. So it will be nice to see her and be able to talk to her. I will be quite busy tomorrow and Saturday before I leave for vacation Sunday. I think need to get somethings for my vacation and I have to go up to the school I work at and set up my clinic. Saturday is the bariatric support group picnic, I am make spinach and feta quinoa salad. I will post the recipe Saturday if it turns out to be tasty.

Daily Inspirational Quote: “If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” ~Dolly Parton

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New haircut

August 17, 2011

So in preparation for this Sunday’s baptism and next week’s vacation, I chopped all my hair off. I am very happy with it, I think it looks cute. It did look better before I went to the gym, but below’s picture gives you an idea.

Hit the gym this afternoon with my husband and my father, there was a lot of new equipment there. Some of  them I liked, others I am still learning to love and use. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with my trainer.

We made a new vegetable that we had never had before for dinner. It’s called broccolini, it’s a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks.  The vegetable is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale.  Broccolini’s flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus. We roasted it in the oven with some olive oil, salt, pepper, salt-free Mrs. Dash, and parmesan cheese. It was very yummy. I found the broccolini at the farmer’s market near our house.

My books that I ordered arrived today, so I have plenty of reading material for my trip. My sweater to go over my dress for this weekend also arrived, it to fit perfectly even though it was two sizes smaller then the dress. I don’t understand why sizes have to vary so much! Just waiting for my shoes to arrive, I ordered a really cute pair of flip flops that are silver to go with the dress.

Daily Inspirational Quote:  Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today? ~ Mary Manin Morrissey

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Session with my therapist

August 16, 2011

Went to the gym this afternoon, only to find out that the gym was in the process of moving in new gym equipment. So I was only able to do my cardio workout. After the gym I had a therapy session with my therapist at the bariatric center. I hadn’t seen her since starting this blog so it was good to have a session and catch up. It helped to talk about everything on my mind. I will see her again when I get back from vacation. I went on a nice walk this evening with my husband and my parents. My husband goes back to work tonight, so my first night alone in awhile. I will be fine though, actually glad to have the apartment to myself tonight. I will have my cat if I get lonely. I have had two doses of the water pill so far, it’s not as extreme as the Lasix which is nice, that stuff was harsh. Sort of exciting to be going back to work in a few weeks and starting work on my second Master’s degree. I think being in the counseling program will be helpful with my own mental state. My dress came today and it fit perfectly, I am very happy with it.

 

Daily Inspirational Quote: In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. ~Bill Cosby 

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