I'm down 83 lbs and 17 lbs away from my next scale victory, 100 lbs.
I started this journey at 315 lbs. I'm not saying that was my highest, but that was my highest recorded. I went a bit of time without stepping on a scale that wasn't at the doctors office. Now, I am not afraid of the scale anymore. It can go up a bit or down a bit each week. I had to pic a day for my actual weigh in so that I only record once a week. My original weigh in for pre op was on a Wednesday, April 22nd. Surgery was 5 months later on Wednesday, September 30th. To me, it makes sense to have my weigh ins on Wednesday now. I do get on the scale everyday because that is what makes me happy. I see the fluctuations when I don't drink my water or I exercise heavy- or skip a day of exercise. However, I don't write down that number or take it to heart unless it is a Wednesday. I know many people say not to weigh yourself everyday. I think it's a personal choice and this is what I do. Ymmv.
While scale victories are important and should be celebrated, they are not the whole reason for doing the surgery. The doctor never gave me a goal weight and I think most people will not get one from their doctor. Instead, they say a percentage of excess body weight that can be reduced. In my case, with the RNY surgery, this percentage is anywhere from 60-80. That means, that if my healthy weight is 140-166 according to the bmi chart, then at 315 I would have an excess weight of 149-175 lbs. middle ground is 153 lbs. 70% would make my goal 107 lbs down or a goal weight of 208. Yeah, I want to be much closer to 166 than 200. So instead of being told a number that we could fail to achieve or far surpass, we are told to think of non scale victories to strive for.
I made a huge list of NSVs when I started this journey. Some have been accomplished already but still give me a thrill when they happen:
I can tie my shoes without contorting.
I can sit in a booth at a restaurant.
I can cross my legs. This seems like not a big deal, but it is huge!
Some I just earned this week:
I can wrap myself in a normal size bath towel without gaps! I squeed when I had this nsv!
I fit in a jacket Sarge brought home from deployment for me.
I can take walks with Sarge. I used to walk too slow for him. It would hurt him to walk at my pace, though he did it because he loved me. The other day, we walked the boardwalk by the channel, 2.5 miles, together.
The next day, we walked the downtown area. We stopped in for a hot drink to get warm half way through.
Then another walk at night, 1.75 miles, around our neighborhood. We are really enjoying the warm(ish) March weather and taking advantage of it. Walking in Michigan in early March is not normally done without snow boots.
Sometimes I think Sarge is rolling his eyes at me when I get excited over being able to feel my hip bone or noticing my legs in my shadow. I ask, but he is just happy I am happy. He genuinely gets excited when I have my nsvs, no matter how small. I could not do this without his support. He is my rock.
I have had to clear out my wardrobe. I am not rebuying things willy-nilly, but instead I have one pair of jeans that fit, one that is a size bigger but can still be worn. I have the leggings that will shrink with me through a few more sizes. I want to pick up 2 maxi skirts and 2 sun dresses that will help me through part of the next two seasons. I also need to get a new pair of tenny-runners and a pair of sandals. Even my feet have shrunk, so old shoes no longer fit comfortably.
I am not complaining!
Yes, I have shrinkles all over my body.
Yes, I was out of control before. I had given up.
I have learned that I am worth fighting for.
I am fighting.
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