Obesity Help Convention - Costa Mesa, CA

It's been a week since the OH convention down in SoCal. I had a lot of fun. I met a few new people and got closer to friends.

Gina and I got down there on Thursday afternoon. I met up with a friend that evening that I was so excited to see! Christopher had gifts waiting for me - a gorgeous Tarina Tarantino necklace that I wore almost all weekend, and a Harvey's clutch. Those bags are so rad. I am going to have to order another from him. We shopped on Melrose and went to The Grove for dinner. It was so very LA. Here's a pic of my Christopher and I at Harvey's on Melrose.



Friday before we checked into the hotel we went to Venice Beach. I'd never been there before. It was fun and beautiful. We shopped a little and went out onto the beach.


LA Traffic is bananas. It took us forever to get to Orange County... long drive.

Saturday we were up bright and early to get ready for the conference. There were three speakers I really enjoyed hearing. Dr. Davis from the show Big Medicine gave a talk on nutrition. He wants us all to watch the movie Food Inc. and as much as I don't want to, I know I have to. I really want to start eating more natural - less processed or packaged foods. I'm even thinking about going vegetarian after listening to him talk. So of course I bought his book, got it autographed and had my picture taken with him. I'll share:


Next I listened to Dan Benintendi. He is an amzing man. He had surgery a little less than a month before I did. He's run COUNTLESS miles since surgery. He's done Ironman. He even did some crazy 100 mile run. Now that was freakin' inspiring. I bitch about going to the gym for an hour a few days a week and this guy just doesn't stop! But what really pulled at my heart strings was the way he talked about his wife. He and his wife have been together since the age of 16, so as someone who is also with my teen love I understood the love he was talking about. I was so touched I had to go up to him after his talk and tell him how awesome and inspiring he is, and that I teared up when he talked about his wife's love and support. Check out his website! http://www.trimywill.com

The third speaker I really enjoyed was Dr. Mary Jo Rapini - How to get your mojo back after weight loss surgery! Ummmm, ya. She was fun. I enjoyed her talk. She promotes "self love" peeps, so get to it!

That night there was a dance and they had a photobooth there. Gina and I had fun in there! So much fun we had to do it twice!



Here's a pic of Suzanne and I. We got to know eachother over the weekend and she is a lot of fun!



I'm so glad I went! I was hoping to be inspired and I really was. It is so important to me to stay involved and connected with the weight loss surgery community. I think it keeps me in check and on track. I want to live a long time and be healthy. I am grateful everyday for what this surgery has given me.

Six Flags - then & now

So as you've probably read in "My Weight Loss Story", the day I decided I had to be pro-active about getting the weight off was when we went to Six Flags. It was a horrible, humiliating day. I was too embarresed to go on any of the rides, the few kiddy rides I went on with my little one was almost laughable looking back at it. If you've been fat and to an amusement park, you know what I am talking about. The tea cups, the little balloons that spin around... the wheel in the middle you are suppose to turn to make you spin... how can you turn the wheel when your stomach is pressed against it??

Well, here I am, at goal, two years after my weight loss surgery, at Six Flags! OMGoodness! I actually had fun! I felt great! Plenty of room in the kiddie rides for me! I had plenty of energy, I could've walked around that place all day! (Notice my over-use of the exclamation point?!!)

So here are the pics of me, then & now. What a difference! It's funny how still, two years later, I am still finding things that make me so grateful for having had WLS.

My Weight Loss Surgery Story from 1 year Surgiversary

It was a cool summer day in June of 2007. We had gone on a family trip to Six Flags. I was miserable. I was embarrassed. I wanted to hide, but had to keep a smile on my face for my family. I used the excuse that day that I was “afraid” to go on rollercoasters, but the truth was that I was terrified of being told I was too big to sit next to my 60 pound son and horrified of the embarrassment of being asked to get off a ride.

Even though I had been above 200 lbs for the past 10 years, I had never really “felt” my obesity. On this rare day, I was aware of every pound, all 289. In my mind, everyone in the park was looking at me, the fat girl, with a fit husband and two thin children. I felt like I had a big sign on my forehead that said, “FATTY!” and my husband was reading it with the rest of them.

As traumatic as that day was it made the decision I had been contemplating for 2 years. On that cool day in June of 07 I decided that I was going to have the Gastric Bypass Weight Loss Surgery.

Within a few weeks I was at my primary care physician’s office to get a referral to the bariatric program. A month after that I was at the orientation for the bariatric program and accepted to the program. By the end of November of 2007 I had lost the required 10% of my weight. I was then scheduled an appointment with the program’s psychologist. In the beginning of January 2008 I was given my surgery date. I would have the life changing surgery on February 12th, 2008.

I was not scared or nervous leading up to the surgery or the morning of. My husband was more scared than I was. My mind and heart were decided. There I sat with the IV in my arm before surgery and my husband was ready to bust me out, all I needed to say was, “I don’t want to do this.” But those words were not going to come out of my mouth. I knew this was something I had to do.

I kissed my husband goodbye, walked into the operating room, lay down on the table and was strapped down. I talked a bit with the operating room staff and my surgeon, Dr. Christine Chu. The anesthesiologist administered the medication to put me out and the next thing I knew I was waking up… it was done.

So here I am, one year later. I am down a total of 130 lbs. I can chase my kids, go down the slide and not worry about getting stuck on the way down. I go to the gym 5 days a week, I am even jogging now! ME! JOGGING! My life has changed in ways I never expected.

I now enjoy bubble baths. I cross my legs without thinking about it. I am aware of how much LESS space I take up. I am no longer shocked when I catch my reflection in a mirror or window by how big I am, I am now shocked by my reflection at how small I am.

I’m still getting used to this new body and all that I can do with it. It’s taking my mind a little longer to catch up with my new thin body, but I know in time it will get there and the “me” I see in my head will eventually match what is on the outside.

My decision to have Gastric Bypass is one of the best decisions I ever made, so on this day, one year later, I wanted to make a post to remind myself how far I’ve come.

Revitalized!!

The further out I get from my surgery, the more I realize I need the support. I am at goal and I want to stay at goal. It's easier to snack and not stick with "the program" the further out I get.

The past month or so I have been more actively reaching out. It feels good. Starting the Facebook WLS fan page is something I am taking very seriously and I really want it to be something inspirational and supportive for other WLS patients. I can't promise I will be around here more, I know I don't post much, but I am going to be more pro-active in getting involved in helping others along with their journey and seeking support as I continue my journey.

Yesterday was my 2 year post-op check-up. Wow, two years. Time really does fly. So much has happened. To sum it up though, I am at goal - 145 - I did dip as low as 139 (for one day) however I am comfortable sticking between 140-145 lbs. This is something I will be striving to maintain.

I had one deficiency and one borderline - my ferritin was deficient and my vitamin D was borderline. I need to be more diligent at getting in ALL my supplements EVERYDAY. This is not something I didn't know I had to do, but am afraid to say I had just been slackin'.

The check up was kinda like a WLS 101 refresher. It put me in a positive frame of mind - determined to continue the success this surgery has given me.

It's Getting Old

Okay, so if you know me, you know I love to shop. I love fashion... maybe not as much as some, but I do love a nice handbag and to put together outfits. But, I have to say, buying new clothes - scratch that - a new wardrobe, HAVING to buy a new wardrobe, every season for the past two years is getting old. I do appreciate every size I have been through. It is exciting to be in a new, smaller size every time I hit it, but I'm tired of spending money on clothes!! It's one thing when you can just buy a few things you like each season to supplement the wardrobe you already have, but when everything from the winter before is too big and you have to buy everything all over again, IT SUCKS! I know, I know, people tease me and tell me how ridiculous I sound, but I'm over it.

Done ranting.

Re-Inspired

I am inspired again to blog about my journey. Although I am at my goal (actually below) I still consider everyday part of my journey in weight loss. I'm trying to maintain now and I know it will get more difficult as time goes on. I hope that writing will keep me focused and motivated.

This last couple of days has been really difficult for me. Halloween candy in the house has been the enemy trying to lure me. I haven't been very strong resisting temptation. Each day since Halloween I've had at least 4 bite-sized pieces of candy. This is no where near the amount of candy I've eaten in years past, but it's more that I realize those old habits are creeping in and I need to check myself. Halloween really must be the devil's holiday!

So I have a couple of goals for this week.

1. NO MORE FREAKING CANDY!!! Seriously. I need to be strong and remember the reasons I decided to have weight loss surgery. How miserable I was. The aching joints, high blood pressure. I need to get back to basics. I had the surgery to save my life. I need to treat my body with respect and make better choices all the way around. I plan on using this body for many, many more years!

2. Blog at least 5 out of the next 7 days. I realize that I don't always write the most interesting things. I am not very eloquent. But it's about me! Not about you ;-)

Yosemite Bound

I am so excited! Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for a 3 night camping trip to Yosemite. I have not been camping since I was a little girl, so I am very excited and little nervous. I'm not one to really like dirt or bugs, but I think I should be okay.

Two years ago this camping trip would have been causing me some serious anxiety. I would have been fearful of embarrassment over my weight, not being able to handle the physical challenges of camping and hiking, and much more. Today I am excited about this camping trip! I am excited to challenge myself and have new experiences. I feel physically up to it. This is a good feeling.