Monday, December 26, 2011

Merry Christmas

Christmas season was a nice time for me. I really enjoy the getting out and shopping. The little things like impromptu concerts on the street and it is great sharing time with Marla as we make it through my recovery. Speaking of which, here I am stuck at -30. Stuck again. It appears that while those I know lose gradually like going down a slide, I appear to be going down like it is a set of steps. Down, slide a long, down, slide a long. So this time I don't panic. Just ride it out. I still exercise; I still eat less.

In our world we have this great schedule of Christmas activities. Christmas eve is a special dinner at home. Christmas day is a Scottish dinner with very dear old friends. Boxing Day is our own turkey dinner. I face it with a bit of apprehension because for our boxing eve dinner I made a very tender roast pork. I dumped. We had Game Hen for Christmas. I dumped big time. Now, Boxing Day I am not sure if I really want to make a turkey. It is all thawed and ready to go. Part of me says cut my losses and run. The other part is saying 'no, eat smaller, chew more, and learn".

I think that is what this is all about. Learning.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Catching up and not going anywhere

I had that darnedest thing happen this morning. I was looking in the mirror and for a moment - just a moment - I didn't recognize myself. My chipmunk cheeks were missing. The other thing that I noticed is that my fingers looked longer. I don't think they were longer further out from my body but they look narrower and hence longer.

I have been very angry with myself lately because I have stopped losing weight. It is dissappointing to see all these people reporting that their weight continues to fall and in the mean while mine has only dropped one pound in two weeks. Going down is better than going up, much better, but I am really frustrated. Everyone else says "Don't worry, stalls and plateaus are normal" but I thought they would come in five or six months after my surgery and not at five or six weeks.

I keep seeing a old British World War Two sign that says "Keep Calm and Carry On". It shows up everywhere and I guess that it is the universe giving me a message. So I am going to take everyone's advice and keep doing what I am doing - which is my best effort at staying healthy - and go on through my day. Keeping Calm and Carrying On. So out I go to exercise - I only have a few weeks left before work will interfere with my workout schedule. As my plan was before, I want to make the most of this time. I have increased my walks to between 8 and 10km and doing this now five or six times a week. The dog really likes the walks but after a 10k walk she wants to sleep for about an hour. Then it is back to being a crazy dog.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Plateaus, forums, and closet cleaning

Week Seven - I did my regular Sunday weigh-in and I am only down a pound. Crap. I know that plateaus are supposed to happen but that didn't stop me from wanting it to go on and on. I got used to my losing three to four pounds per week. But here I am only dropping one. One is good and losing one is better than gaining.
I think the biggest issue here is considering that I have undergone a major change in my physical structure; I should have an expectation for my body to take the occasional time to rebuild and adjust to my new stomach, eating plan, and exercise schedule. Thanks to some advice and counsel on Facebook and WLS Private Group I feel a bit better.
I was out having lunch with Marla yesterday, a trip downtown to enjoy the Tuba Christmas concert and lunch at one of our favourite restaurants. I find I still cannot eat steak very well but I enjoyed watching Marla have hers. I had a really good peanut chicken where I could only eat a few bits and bites of chicken and that was enough.
Yesterday was also our WLS Saturday Forum group. There were not many of us there; in fact I was a little disheartened that more people don't go to the forums. I am not sure why people do not attend the forums. It is like they go through the steps to get their surgery then stop when the forum could do them the most good. I really wonder why people dissappear after surgery. I think it is because at the heart of this disease is the desire to be independent. So as soon as they are done - poof - they are gone. I hope it works for them. For me I need the experience of people who have been there before.
Tonight Marla and I emptied my closet out off all the bad, oversize, and old clothes. We cleared out bunches of t-shirts and sweaters that I have collected over the years. Somebody at Value Village is going to get a whole bunch of rock 'n' roll roadie t-shirts real soon.