Walk towards the goals

This week I had my regular 3 month checkup with my regular doctor. He was very happy with me. He asked how much weight I've lost, I grinned and I told him 63 pounds. He said, "Look at that grin." He said he was very impressed with me. He asked me about my exercising and I told him what I've been doing. He figured I am exercising an average of 10 hours a week. He said he is very proud of me. I told him I quit using my C-Pap on Oct 31st. He asked why. I told him because I don’t think I need it anymore. I asked if he thought I needed to be retested. He said actually several months ago the insurance companies started covering an in home overnight oximetry testing. It measures the level of oxygen you are expending over a certain period of time. So he wrote a prescription for me to get one from my respiratory provider. I went and they "equipped" me with an oxygen monitor. I had to place a "clip" on my finger attached to a small monitor not much bigger than a small audio cassette recorder. I wore that all night and took it back the next morning and they analyze it and send the results to my doctor. I also took the computer chip from my C-Pap machine that has monitored my sleeping patterns for the life of the machine (about a year). So I will definitely know if I am safe to not use my C-Pap.

Also at this appointment my doctor told me he believes in a short time we will probably be able to take me off most of my medications. It is dependant on weight loss. He talked about doing testing at 50 more pounds. Maybe by my next appointment with him (May) I can get off my medications!! That is a huge goal for me. It gives me a lot of incentive to work hard with the exercising and watch my food choices wisely! One goal at a time through small steady steps!

This weekend was my trip to Oklahoma City for the Women of Faith conference. Shawna and I go every year. I had a goal that I was able to check off this weekend. On my list of things I wish I could do that skinny people take for granted is a goal of going through a turnstile by walking straight instead of sideways standing on my tippy-toes to get my big belly over the top. Well, I was able to do that!! I was also able to walk all the way around the arena without stopping. Last year I barely made it around halfway. So many things that seem like small things but are actually triumphs that need to be acknowledged. Shawna gave me the idea to keep a grateful list. So I will get started on that. I can think of several off the top of my head. I want to hang it so it can be used as an incentive in the tough times. This trip this year was so much easier in many ways because of my weight loss.

This weekend was also a true test of my ability to eat right and keep my portion sizes appropriate. From Thursday noon until Sunday noon we ate out. That is a real challenge for a gastric bypass surgery post-opter. Although a couple places gave serving sizes far too big I was able to eat and stop when I was satisfied. I never felt overly full. I was very comfortable and satisfied. I ate my protein 1st and a little of the “extras” (no desserts). I also was able to supplement a less than idea portion of protein with some lunch meat and cheese sticks I took along. I also added some peppers for vegetables. I felt good about my choices and the outcome. A couple of places allowed me to order smaller servings (senior menu) when I explained why I didn’t want a full serving.

Shawna and I talked about an event that happened last year at this conference. I told her it was probably the catalyst to my surgery decision. Last year we were sitting in our seats and talking and suddenly I felt someone sit on me. I looked over and it was a woman that had the seat next to me. She was so heavy she couldn’t fit in her chair. She lapped over not only into mine, but into the chair on the other side as well. I’m not talking about just touching me, but actually sitting partially on me. Well, the group she came with was perceptive enough to rearrange the seating. They put her between 2 of them and that way they were partially sat upon. I felt so bad for her, but at the same time I got a case of the giggles. As I sat there with her on me I thought, “I don’t think I have ever felt so thin since I was a child.” At that point I think the seed was planted that I had to do something! I knew Weight Watchers was not working for me and there had to be another solution.

This week I weighed a day later than normal because I wasn’t home Saturday. So my “trip eating” was included in on this weigh-in. I lost just over 3 pounds this week. So now I am up to 67 pounds lost since June 21st, 52 of that since surgery! I feel good about that since I had the 4 day “outing” included and a week of no organized exercising due to the busyness of the week. Shawna and I tried to do some walking.

Each day brings something new to my journey. Sometimes it is subtle and I don’t see it immediately as it creeps into my life. Other times it is clearly visible and I thank God for it. Sometimes it is a positive aspect and sometimes it is a less positive aspect. All are appreciated and measured for a lesson learned. Many times the outcome is in the attitude. Luci Swindoll was telling us in one of her presentations this weekend that she had to lose weight. After the 1st week on a diet, or as she calls it after rearranging the letter, an edit, she lost 2 pounds. She said she looked in the mirror and saw something different. She thought about what it was and it came to her that is was that she was thinner. She now has lost 40 pounds and it all started with the 2 pounds the 1st week. As she said, “It is in the attitude”.

Keep your attitude positive and the rest will fall in place through diligent steady steps. Keep your goals in focus and walk towards them.


Life is preparation for eternity.
~Rick Warren~