Hallelujah! I'm overweight!!

Most people wouldn't celebrate being overweight!  But today I am because for the first time in over 10 years, I am no longer obese according to the BMI scale!!  This accomplishment may not be a big deal to some but to have come so far in just over 6 short months leaves me scratching my head sometimes.  It's almost as if I blinked and here I am.  Down 124 pounds and several clothing sizes.  There have been a lot of tears, a lot of frustrations and even celebrations on this journey. 

And this is not the end of the journey by any means.  I still have more weight to lose and then I have a lifetime of maintenance ahead of me.  But I just wanted to take this brief moment to reflect on all that I have achieved so far and celebrate this little victory!

I also am reaching out to you right now.  If you are at a point in your life where you are contemplating starting a journey - ANY kind of journey, please ask yourself one thing - "What am I waiting for?".  Stop saying that you will start tomorrow or next week.  There will never be a "right time" or perfect moment.  You have to make it happen for yourself.  The worst thing to have in life are regrets and time is wasting away while you mull it over.  I know it's cliché but life is way too damn short and you should be living it. 

Two years ago my doctor told me that my obesity was going to steal 20 years from my life.  But what it really would have stolen was time with two beautiful girls that are my reason for breathing and I wasn't about to give that up.      Precious moments like college graduations, weddings, grandchildren.  Time I certainly wasn't willing to throw away like trash.  Because my girls are worth all the time in the universe.  And you and I are worth it too.

So there it is!  Start that career, go back to school, lose the weight, marry them, get pregnant - start your moments before you lose time!

::Steps down from soapbox::

Ahem, and now back to your regularly scheduled programming....

Love,
Danielle

6 Months Since My Surgery!

I had my follow up appointment with my surgeon's office yesterday, marking 6 months since I was "reborn".  It was clear from their smiles that they were happy with my results just by looking at me.  My NP said she could just see that I was healthy.  Even better is when she pulled up my labwork.  It was perfect!! Okay, near perfect.  Everything was on target except my good cholesterol which was slightly low and my vitamin D was also low by 2 points.  So I will be taking vitamin D now instead of my gallbladder medication which I can officially stop taking now :)  She said she wasn't concerned about either of those because they were so close to being in range anyway.

NP said she couldn't be more thrilled with my results.  I am currently down  115 lbs and have lost 67% of my excess body weight.  Their original goal for my 6 month appointment was 80 lbs or 50% of my excess weight.  So I have already surpassed their expectations!  I'm pretty sure she said the words "banner child" at least a few times as well - lol.

I asked her what my goal should be for my next visit at 9 months post-op.  She asked what my "ultimate" goal was.  I told her I'd like to reach 150 lbs.  She made a face and told me she wasn't sure that 150 lbs was a good weight for me based on the fact that I already look healthy at 199.  She concluded that for my 9 month appointment, they'd like me to reach 170 lbs and she will re-evaluate me then and determine if that should be my stopping point or if I should reach for more.

I have to admit that this part of the appointment was a bit disappointing.  I was so determined to get to the number 150 that I never really thought about whether that would be an appropriate goal or not.  Well I did choose it based on BMI but we all know how BMI does not factor in muscle tone or bone mass.  And of course, I won't know until my 9 month appointment if I can keep shooting for that goal or not.  Ultimately though, the scale number doesn't matter.  The only thing that truly matters is that I am healthy and in shape so that I can be the me that I've always dreamed of being.  

And if that is the case, I feel like I've already achieved so much.  I love playing with my girls and feeling fit.  I love that my hubby has an even harder time keeping his hands off me.  I love that when I look in the mirror, I don't see a monster staring back at me.  In fact, even with my scars and stretch marks and rocks in socks - I look at myself and say, "Not too shabby!" 

THAT, my friends, is progress.