Lance Armstrong...

Tonight I got on the bike and rode for 7 miles.  It took about 30 minutes and I felt pretty good afterwards.  But then Mr. Muscles got ahold of me and 45 minutes of non-stop weight lifting turned me into Gumby! And then, because I "did so well", I "got" to do abs...crunches on the ball with a 15 pound weight.  Good times were had at the gym tonight!

Before I had my surgery and was researching what people ate after the band, I read that dry meats were probably going to be hard.  And they have been, so I've really stayed away from red meat and most chicken.  Instead, I've become a hard core fish eater.  I had no idea that there were so many kinds of fish to eat and that I would enjoy most of them.  Tortilla crusted tilapia, lemon salmon, tuna, potato crusted cod...they are all delicious.  But I am craving a big juicy steak.  I'm trying out a new Mexican restaurant on Saturday...maybe some steak fajitas are in order!  Hopefully I'll be able to eat them. :)

Day off...

Today is my day off from the gym...and I'm missing it! I had dinner plans tonight that were cancelled and I thought...hmmm...maybe I'll just go to the gym instead! What in the world has happened to me?  I like the gym??  OH NO! I'm turning into one of "those" people.  Those people who say they miss it if they don't go.  Ugh. 

Instead of going, I made a delicious salad for dinner and really took the night off.  My knees needed the rest anyway. After that shot yesterday, they are both achy. 

I worked on getting more to drink today.  Unfortunately it was a Diet Dr. Pepper.  Probably not what Mr. Muscles had in mind, but it was oh so good.  I didn't work on getting more to eat, but it was a busy day and I didn't really have time.  So tomorrow that's the goal.  Eat before my workout so I have more energy and stamina and am not starving when I'm done.

The final chapter in the Knee saga...

Today the incredible Dr. Rapley gave me an injection in my "good knee".  I put good knee in quotes because it's the one that isn't horrible, but it has taken the brunt of my activity for over a year.  Both knees have had cortisone injections in the last few months and Synvisc injections in the last few weeks.  Unless something dramatic happens, they are as good as they're going to get!

As I was leaving Dr. Rapley's office today he shook my hand.  Come on...really?  After all I feel like we've been through together?  So I gave him a hug and the poor guy hugged me back but then let me know he's not much of a hugger.  Whoops! :) So, my apologies Dr. Rapley. 

As usual, I worked out tonight with Mr. Muscles.  Arms, abs and a mile on the treadmill.  Just as I'm feeling stronger, Mr. Muscles throws in a new arm exercise that just about does me in.  But that's why I'm paying him the big bucks!  I got home from my workout tonight and crashed.  Unless I eat immediately, I'm so exhausted I need a nap.  I'm not sure if that's good for me or not, but it probably has to do with the lack of food I'm eating.

I'm definitely struggling with food...eating enough to give me the energy to work out for two hours.  And not eating too much to make me sick.  I'm so afraid of throwing up that I'm not eating as much as I should.  Especially during the day while I'm at work.  I need to figure out a way to eat better and more often during the day.  Because a two hour workout on one container of yogurt and one cup of macaroni and cheese isn't working for me.  And thank goodness Mr. Muscles doesn't read this blog or he'd be super mad at me!  He wants me around 1,500 calories a day and I'm eating about 800-1,000. 

I'm not sure which is more important; to work on eating more or drinking more water.  I can't do both. I'm not hungry all the time and I can't drink all the time.  The more I eat, the less I can drink.  The more I drink, the less I can eat. 

But I guess I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing...learning how to live around this lap band. 

Weight Loss...

YEA!!!!!! I just had my first official weight loss! I'm so excited!  Before surgery I lost 18.7 pounds.  Then immediately after surgery I lost another 12.5 pounds.  I don't really consider that 12.5 an "official" weight loss because for that first week, I barely ate.  Then I gained some.  I thought it was only 2.2 but I just looked and it was actually 3.2.  Oh well.

But then today I weighed myself.  I was hoping that the combination of the fill last week and my menstrual cycle, I'd see a loss.  And boy did I!  I lost 7.4 pounds! WOO HOO!!!!

So that makes my total since surgery 16.7 pounds and my grand total 35.4 pounds! OH MY GOODNESS!!! I'm finally happy! I'd been worried that I wasn't putting up any weight loss numbers, and with the dramatic cut in food and the dramatic increase in exercise, I should be.  I guess it just took a little time for it to show. 

Go me!! :)

Not for the men...

I'm sure the guys out there reading my blog don't want to read about my period! :)

I have a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).  It's a hormonal imbalance that affects my menstrual cycles.  In fact, I haven't had one for a very long time.  It's been so long that I can't even remember.  One of the best ways to correct the effects of PCOS is to lose weight.  Well, I've lost weight many times in the last 5 years and it never helped. 

However, the day of my lapband surgery I started my cycle.  I was still in recovery when it started.  At first I was worried they had put a catheter in me and when it was removed, I bled.  But when I found out that didn't happen, I assumed somehow the anesthesia started my period.  Whatever the reason, it was the first time in probably 5 years I had an actual cycle.  And now, a little over a month later, I'm having another one. 

I am so hopeful for all the things that lapband surgery is going to provide me...health, physical fitness, more places to shop :).  And now, a balancing of my hormones.  Surgery was a good decision.

A Good Day...

Had a great workout today!  Mr. Muscles and I worked on legs all morning, after my 500 crunches, of course!  My knee felt pretty good...so good that I walked on the treadmill for a mile.  Of course it took me a half hour, but I felt good afterwards! 

I went to First Watch for lunch with my mom and ordered the salad that I usually get and today I could eat about a quarter of it.  Having a fill in my band is definitely making a difference.  Then I went to dinner with friends tonight and instead of ordering my own meal, I just ate a few bites of theirs! HA! Makes me a cheap date. :)

Tomorrow's my day off from it all!

Judgement...

I had an interesting thing happen at work yesterday.  I walked out to the lobby and there was a man in his 60's waiting for his appointment, a woman in her 60's waiting for her appointment and what I assume was the woman's pre-teen granddaughter.  I was speaking to one of my co-workers when I overheard the woman mention my weight and size to her granddaughter.  She was "whispering".  She told the girl that I was really big and although I didn't catch the entire next part of what she said, it was something to the effect of not letting herself (the granddaughter) get that way. 

I turned around and looked that woman right in the eye.  And she was clueless because then she started up a conversation with the man about losing weight! OMGoodness! I couldn't believe it.  I'm a big girl.  I know that.  And I'm sure that people talk about me behind my back.  But to be so blatant about it...I almost spoke up.  But I didn't because she was a patient and I can't be rude to a patient.  Even though she had NO issues being rude to me!

And then I thought about it and decided I don't really care what she thinks.  I am trying to fix my weight, but she can't fix her stupidity. 

Now I have to go to bed.  Mr. Muscles woke up this morning with one thought in his mind...torture Sarah...so that's what he did tonight.  And I have to see him again in less than 12 hours!