Slow and steady

Weight loss pace has stayed slow and steady while the pace of life has taken off!  Jim and I officiated a wedding and headed out of town for a few days of vacation. Followed quickly by the long holiday weekend. Well now it’s Monday and back to routine. My stomach is thrilled.

During all the scheduled madness we had our 2 month check up. Jim is now down 80 pounds and I’m just shy of 50. I’d lost 13 pounds over 7 weeks, meeting the goal of 1 to 2 pounds per week (phew!).  There was a multitude of dinners out, celebrations, and inconsistent exercise – you know, life.  This is when I’m most thankful for the tool that is the gastric sleeve. It’s just plain painful to overindulge and the accountability of having my life partner on the same journey is priceless.

What I’ve learned?  I can ask for specific menu requests in a restaurant without explaining I have a gastric sleeve. I’ve recently been wow’d with phenomenal service and had my expectations well exceeded. Peak growing season helps lessen the grief surrounding the loss of starch. I’m thrilled to be indulging in fresh berries and a bounty of vegetables. I can hardly wait for local stone fruit.

It’s time to do away with required snacking. Our stomachs have healed well enough and the inflamation has receeded to a level where we can now eat enough during three meals we no longer require a protein boost.  It feels scary to pack my food for work without a snack (or two) similar to removing the safety net. I’ve upped my protein to 3-4 ounces per meal and that has the staying power I need to get me 4-5 hours. See you later training wheels!  If you see me anxiously looking at the clock and not showing a lot of flexilbility around when we’re grabbing lunch or dinner, this is why. There’s a very fine line between not hungry and starving. When the gastric sleeve is empty it is E M P T Y.

5 months pre op

Two months post op