No serious lessons, just stories

This week has been a week of me versus fat. As I lose weight, funny and enlightening things happen. I received some pictures last week from Innovative Weight Loss Solutions (IWLS). It was a set of pictures of me from the front view and the profile view. One set was from my initial consult in April 2008 and the other set was April 2009. When they were sent to me I had to open them individually, so it was hard to compare. I looked at the 2009 profile and instantly thought, “My DeAnn, your stomach hasn’t progressed much.” I e-mailed Pam who is a great support to me at IWLS and told her I didn’t like the profile shot, but I am working on it. She emailed me back and told me to go to the Geary Community Hospital website (www.gchks.org) and look at my pictures under the Surgical Weight Loss section (then under pt stories & photos). She basically said they would make people sit up and take notice. So I did. WOW!!! There really is a difference. I see myself everyday and don’t see the gradual change. When I was able to see the pictures side by side, I was floored. Therefore this week has been a “me versus fat” week.

It actually started last Saturday with my weigh in. I finally made it below the 200 pound mark. Man that felt great! One more goal achieved! I will go to several different spas in town and get prices for my “day at the spa” reward.

Then it continued on Sunday. It was Easter Sunday, but it actually started 3 weeks prior. Mom was in the cedar chest getting summer clothes and came across an outfit I haven’t been able to fit into for many years. She thought I would be able to wear it, so I tried it on. Sure enough, it was a perfect fit! I thought it would be neat to save it for Easter. It would give me a new outfit to wear. So we washed it and I put it in the closet. Easter Sunday I got up and put it on. Well, I walked across the room and the pants literally fell off me. I figured no one at church would appreciate me walking down the isle and have my pants fall off, so I put another pair on with the shirt. I figured ½ a new outfit was better than the embarrassment of walking out of my pants. I went to church and one gal admired the shirt. When I went to my sister’s for Easter my mom told me the shirt was really too big. I agreed and said I was going to wash it and give the outfit to this gal that admired it. I hope it fits and she gets much enjoyment from it!

Well, later in the week I put on some pants I have been wearing for a couple of months now. I just kept getting more and more frustrated as the day went on. It was always frustrating wearing clothes that were too small and uncomfortable. Well let me tell you, wearing clothes that are uncomfortably too big is just as frustrating. So I “had” to go out today after Bible study and buy some new pants. I am 2” smaller in the waist. I put on a pair of woman’s pants and was surprised when I had to go to a size 18. The last size I knew I was wearing was 26. The WOW factor came into play again. I have gone from a 3x-5x size shirt to a 1X-2x size depending on the cut. My waist size in pants is 10” away from what I was when I was in 8th grade. I have decreased the size by 8” in 9 months. And I am just now starting to work extra hard on the abs and seeing some progress. Overall difference since June 20, 2008 in inches is a loss of: Upper Arm -3 ¾ / Chest -10 ¼ / Waist -14 ¾ / Hips -13 / Thigh -5 ¼ and Weight -95. Me versus fat!

In water aerobics one lady told me I was looking younger all the time. My neck was thinning out. I laughed. The instructor said, “DeAnn is working very hard today.” I said, “I have 60 pounds to lose.” One lady said, “Yea, but you don’t have to do it all today.” We all laughed. The support from these ladies is unreal. God has blessed me with a big strong support system.

This morning sitting at the breakfast table mom said, “If you lose 50 more pounds I am going to have to ask who you are.” I said, “Well I hope to lose that 50 in the waist and not the face.”

I had my monthly B-12 shot at the doctor’s this week. As I was walking out of the examine room (the nurse gives me my shot) my doctor was standing at the nurse’s counter. He took a double look and said, “I almost didn’t recognize you.” He hasn’t seen me since January. This week has been a week full of hearing, “You look so different.”, “I didn’t recognize you.” etc. It feels good and helps with my attitude and confidence. I feel like I am making progress. As positive as I am most of the time, it can get tough to stay that way. I progress and I waver. I need the encouragement as much as the next person. That is why I thank God daily for all the support I have; my Cell girlfriends, my parents, my family, some of my co-workers, my friends, my swim buddies and sometimes even strangers. One really big support has truly been the people at Innovative Weight Loss Solutions. I have mentioned Ronda, Pam and Jennifer before, but I can’t say enough great things about their genuine care, concern and encouragement. This leads me to the next subject.

Ronda told me she thought my weekly blog needs to be read by more people. She said she was being sincere. She gave me a website to post my blog on. It is at www.obesityhelp.com. I am just now in the process of getting it set up. As I do I will let you know. It will have the same post as the one on www.deannsinsights.blogspot.com. Which is also the same update I e-mail to you, my “Blessings” group? The only difference may be pictures in the picture album I can have on the obesityhelp blog. Ronda has been such a great support to me in the last year. She is so enthusiastic, positive, bubbly and caring. As I said all the gals at IWLS have been a godsend. I know they are only a phone call or an e-mail away. Thank you Ronda, Pam and Jennifer! (My blog has a link on the GCH website under pt testimonies tab in the weight loss services section)

I really need to thank each and every one of you in my “Blessings” group. If you are getting this, you are part of that group. You have verbally encouraged me many times. You have encouraged me via e-mail. I appreciate you more than I could ever “vocalize”. As I said, I may appear very positive, but it is hard to change a lifestyle and make it a permanent lifestyle. Considering I ain’t dead yet, I have to continue to work at it. So thank you!

Most importantly, the one I have to thank the most is God. He has brought each of you into my life at different times in my life. You have influenced me in different ways. He continues to become closer to me or maybe I should say I continue to grow closer to Him. In my cell group today I told my girlfriends that before this journey of weight loss surgery/new life I never connected all the avenues of life together. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual were just parts of me. Well, I have discovered as I have grown (well, actually decreased in size) that all are connected and intertwined. As I grow spiritually I strengthen emotionally and mentally. As I strengthen physically I grow spiritually. As I decrease in size I increase in physical abilities and better health. As I increase in physical ability I grow in spirituality. It all connects and hopefully I can take that connectivity and influence and uplift those I come in contact with daily. I hope one of those persons is you!

Again thank you for the lessons and the stories and the ears you give me by listening to my stories.


"A thousand-mile journey begins with the first step" and can only be taken one step at a time.”
~ taken fromThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People~