-81 at 94 days out...

I couldn't believe my eyes this morning. I have been annoyed with my 2 week plateau at 490 but this morning I weighed in at 485! I am now officially down 81lbs in just over 3 months (94 days).

Today is starting off really good and should get even better. I am going on a cemetery tour tonight and then karaoke after that. I can't wait! Plus, this weekend is our Spooktacular Spooktacular costume mandatory halloween party. Great way to finish off a stressful week!

On a side note, I have an unwritten goal of -100 (366lbs) by December 1st. Not sure if I will be able to keep up the 5lb/week pace because my body is fairly unpredictable but with only 19lbs to go to my goal of -100, I will have to lose almost 4 lbs/week for the next 5 weeks.

Anyway, time to work!

3 Month Surgiversary

Today, is my 3 month Surgiversary. It is also my second day going completely binder less.

As much as I like the freedom of not having to pull the binder up and the pinching under my arms, I definitely appreciate the support it gave and I am glad I used it for the full 3 months (less a day).

I am having some "issues" which I hate to admit are causing me some grief. I am getting tired faster now. I don't know if it is sleep related or weight loss related but no matter the cause, I need it to get better soon!

The tiredness issues are also causing issues with my energy at work and home. I have a ton of stuff to do but can't seem to get anything done. I am glad Lauren and I finished tidying up the backyard in preparation for winter though. That was a relief.

I am excited that in just over a week, I will get to be an extra in a TV mini series being filmed in Calgary. I am not sure of the details or what I will get to do but I think the experience will be fantastic. If I enjoy it, I might consider registering with an agency that handles extras. You never know.

I made the most delicious dish last night. I named it my Crustless deep dish pizza because I wanted to get the flavors in pizza without the bread. So I made it last night and I have to say that I think it was a complete success. It would also make an amazing pasta dish for carb lovers!

I have decided to let myself off the hook today for studying. I am so tired and having trouble staying focused. I have decided to let myself work on making some jewelry so that I can get rid of those crafty urges for a while and focus better on everything else that needs to be done. Sometimes I just have to say "screw the responsibility" and do something fun. I think it will allow my creativity to hit the reset button in my mind. I can spend my crafting time thinking about life and hopefully I will come up with some fantastic designs for both the jewelry and my future.

I had my blood work done last weekend and should get the results next Monday. I am interested in seeing what the totals come back as. Getting the blood work was a bit of a pain. The first time went almost perfectly except that the technician used the wrong tube for one of my tests and so I had to go back the next day to get another vial of blood drawn. Good Times.

Lauren and I are having a bit of a social weekend. We're going on a Cemetery Tour on Friday and Karaoke afterwards. On Saturday we are having a Halloween party (costume mandatory). We've got an extensive collection of costume stuff so it should be entertaining. We'll also watch a movie.

Speaking of movies, I received my Amazon.com order yesterday. I bought the Fantasy Island First season and the movie "Like Water for Chocolate". I loved the movie and figured my DVD collection of like 7 could use an 8th ;P

I think thats enough blah-gging for today.

Turtle girl...

I joined a choir the other day - She's Up2Something. It's an all girls choir Alice has been singing in.

I have been to some of their performances and deep down have always been a little envious since I love to sing. But this week, Alice opened the door and asked if any of us wanted to join. I was hessitant at first. It is her thing. But after an exuberant approval from Alice, I paid my membership fee and joined.

I also received my contact info for the casting person who is handling the "extras"role I won in the auction at work. I emailed her yesterday and hope she emails me soon. I know one of the projects begins filming this month.

I feel like I am coming out of my shell a little more each day. For any of you who really knows me, you know I am generally outgoing but deep down I have always had a limit on my willingness to put myself out there. In any way. I have always loved the spotlight but would never commit to it. I used to prefer standing just on the perimeter of the spotlight glow.
Not anymore! I am excited about my progress and it is making me excited about my life so much more than I was before.

I do hope I can have a really good experience as an extra either for a tv series or movie depending on what they need me for.

I know I will love the choir but really hope my voice holds up. I can carry a tune but only for so long...

I went grocery shopping a couple nights ago and am so happy with what I ended up buying. Lots of healthy fruits/vegetables and cheeses. I skipped all the junk that used to lure me and having no interest in breads or pasta really makes a difference in my food choices. It really helps me rule certain things out quickly. I know through experimentation that any of the prepackaged microwave foods are terrible tasting and my body rejects them. Even the precooked sausages I bought for breakfasts tasted terrible yesterday morning. I ended up hucking them out the car window on the way to work(sorry!). I am sure the magpies will finish them off for me. ;)

I am going to try and beat the bank again on Energy 101.5. I tried yesterday and the day before ... I was caller #8, #4, #2. On Monday, I got through but lost my chance at $650 when the bank busted! :(

Just proof that I will always have to earn the money I have. I just don't think I am destined to win money or have it given to me. I know deep down I need to earn what I have and in all honesty, that doesn't bother me one bit. I am proud to know I have earned what I have!

I wrote this and forgot to post it so its a few days out of date but here it is...

1 size down, 18 more to go...

Ok so I don't have a set size I want to be when I am done losing weight. I am not hung up on numbers or labels. I just want to be healthy, sexy and confident. Not much to ask for...

I went to Penningtons today. I tried on some clothes in different sizes to see where I am at. I have dropped 1 size. I have to admit that I am not so perfectly fitting into the new size that I could wear it today exclusively, but I can button up the tops and I can see the beginnings of my inner goddess!

I am discovering new and wonderful things about my body since losing 75 lbs. I won't get into the dirty details but I have to admit that I am happier every day with the changes I am experiencing.

I am getting my labs done tomorrow so I can see if these liquid vitamins are doing me any good.

I have started to think about my clothes that are too big now as well. If anyone has any ideas on how best to part with them, I am open to suggestions.

I have considered consignment, donation to the Mustard Seed, donations to other patients awaiting their weight loss surgery... the list goes on.. I just want to make the biggest impact and do the best with what I have. Even if it means padding my wallet for the clothes I will eventually need to buy...

I am going through this wave or phase thinking about getting back into dating, relationships and checking out the single guys I know. It's so frustrating because I know myself well enough to realize that I won't be putting myself out there anytime soon. I need more time to adjust to my new life. I am learning new things about myself every day.. hardly the best time to let someone in to get to know me. I am changing so much on the outside but I am also rewriting my lifestyle.. Lauren and I are planning a hiking trip next summer. Hiking. Not something I would have considered a year ago but something I am so looking forward to now.

Its amazing. I loved my life before surgery.. but I had no idea things could get even better...

Without tastebuds...

I'm sick... Just a cold but sick enough to be whiny and needy. Sick enough for my tastebuds to be off duty and definitely sick enough to keep Kleenex in business.

Since surgery, my tastebuds have been very hard working. Telling my brain to reject foods I used to like, telling my brain that foods I used to hate (i.e. chammomile tea) are good and of course giving me only one days notice between deciding whether or not to like something. What was ok yesterday may not be today...

So right now I can't taste much. If I am lucky (or unlucky) I can get the slightest hint of taste if I breathe in a certain way when I eat.. Today, I am lucky because since I am sick, I didn't feel up to the 30 min trip to the GOOD lunch place.. so I went to the place that is in business soley because they cater to those without taste buds. Yes, for those of you that know, I am talking about Marcellos.

If I am lazy, I will eat at Marcellos for lunch and I tell ya, I am disappointed every time. Their early morning fresh fruit salad is incredible and I highly recommend the fresh stuff, but their hot food is either prepared by a robot which was designed to bend metal, or they continually get customers without the ability to taste.

I went for a soup.. seafood chowder... they used to let me taste the soup before I ordered but lately they haven't and I can't taste right now anyway.. but I can definitely catch a huge whiff of fishy smell from the chowder that wouldn't even be appropriate from wet catfood.

I also got a salad luckily because even with limited smell, I can't bring myself to eat one more bite of soup.

Now that I am post-op my eyes are opened to the concept of eating only the BEST. Seriously, why subject yourself to eating something that isn't satisfying?

Why eat simply to eat?

Ok so there is something to the idea of eating for nourishment before eating for pleasure.

-After reading this back I realized that even now I still eat random things I can't stand because I have to eat, or because I have to get in the protein.. and with that in mind, I am realizing that I need to focus more on having the foods I love, not just those that I tolerate...

With the expanding rate of obesity in the world, people shouldn't be eating purely for pleasure.. but why can't we do both? Eat only the very best tasting and freshest food while still eating well? Ok ok so this isn't a new revelation but now that I eat so little, it is a concept I am much more comfortable embracing... I struggle with the amount of food my picky tastebuds are willing to waste though.

Here are my top foods I realized that I love but have taken for granted...

Tomatoes.. fresh, canned, stewed, sauced, grilled, roasted, sun dried, juiced...
Beef.. fresh, canned, stewed, sauced, grilled, roasted, sun dried, juiced... (:P)
Avocados
Raw salmon & other sushi
Fruit & Fruit Juice (specifically strawberries, cranberries, pineapple, grapefruit and apple)
Ham
Turkey
Good quality chocolate (sorry snickers, you're out! High quality dark and milk, you're in!)

I really don't much care for bread anymore and only eat it when it needs to be a vessel to carry something else into my mouth. If I had alternates to bread in a sandwich or for pizza crust I would be so thrilled. I can do without bread as a vessel for balsamic and olive oil.. I will save that for a salad.

I am still on the fence with chicken, pork, eggs, seafood, dairy, soup and spicy stuff. I like them one day and not the next.. I am not too worried about them though because I can keep trying. I definitely don't miss pasta though!

The reality of all of this is that Marcellos has reaquainted me with my taste buddies! No longer do I have to worry about ordering something I think my tastebuds will like and suffer the awkwardness after realizing I didn't know them that well afterall.. at least now we have an understanding that some things are a-ok and others are on probation. My tastebuds and I have an understanding! We're cool!

Now as soon as I am able to, I will reunite my tastebuds with my digestive system and all will be good! :P

393 - another 5 lbs gone forever!

I weighed myself last night and the scale still said 398. Ok so it was the end of the day but I didn't think I would lose 5 lbs overnight!

This morning I was pleasantly surprised by the scale twitching between 392 and 393.

As excited as I am about the weight loss, the reality of the necessity of the vitamins and protein really hits me hard. I am struggling remembering my calcium and I won't know if these supplements are even effective until I get my labs done. It hasn't quite been 3 months but I want to get them done just to be sure.

I am starving and haven't had breakfast or my vitamins yet so I am going to go do that!

Just wanted to share! 393! Whoa! Yes!