WLS Update

I am now almost 15 weeks out of my surgery and am down about 55 pounds! :) I am SO excited. I am working through the body image issues that accompany this (blech) but I feel SO great. My bloodwork is great, my diabetes and cholesterol issues GONE! :) I am excited. I've been doing couch to 5K and while I can't run 3 miles yet I've run 2 miles the last two times I've worked out including today!!! :) The good thing is this gives me time to run at least two miles and get up to three. I'll try to find a 5K in June. I am SO proud of myself. The endurance is amazing. Just last week and earlier this week I was barely running a mile or mile and a half. So I thought I'd post where my work outs started 9 weeks ago!!! I'll post about the girls tomorrow.

Week 1
2/15 - W1D1
2/17 - W1D2
2/18 - Walked 2 Miles
2/19 - W1D3 - 45 Minutes Strength Training
2/21 - Walked 1/2 Mile and Stretch - having a hard time walking/exercising through the soreness.
2/22 - Rest

Week 2
2/23 - Stretches
2/24 - W2D1 - Wall Sits, Wall Push Ups, 50 Crunches, Misc
2/25 - W2D2 - Cross Trainer 25 Minutes, Walked 30 Minutes, Strength Training 1 Hour
2/26 - Recovering from the day before
2/27 - 1 Hour Strength Training
2/28 - W2D3 - Worked Arms & Legs At The Gym, 100 Crunches


Week 3
3/2 - Cross Trainer 25 Minutes, 15 Minutes Treadmill, 100 Crunches
3/3 - 100 Crunches
3/4 - W3D1 - 100 Crunches, 15 Minutes Recumbent Bike
3/5 - W3D2 - 100 Crunches, 10 Wall Push Ups
3/6 - W3D3

Week 4
3/11 - Strength Training and Cardio 1 Hour
3/14 - Strength Training and Cardio 1 Hour

I had a crappy week exercise wise as I was out of town Sunday-Tuesday. I didn't get my crunches in either. My goal is to work out 5-6 days next week a solid hour including my C25K (repeating week 4) and get my crunches in.

Week 5
3/16 - 100 Crunches, 10 Wall Push Ups, Wall Sits, 15 Cardio On Treadmill
3/17 - 100 Crunches, WK4D1
3/18 - 100 Crunches, Strength Training 40 Minutes, WK4D2
3/20 - 100 Crunches, Strength Training/Cardio - 1 Hour

I didn't hit my goal for 5-6 days. Better luck next week.

Week 6
3/22 - 100 Crunches, Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK4D3 (90 Minutes)
3/23 - WK5D1, Worked Arms (45 Minutes)
3/24 - WK5D2, Worked Legs (45 Minutes)
3/25 - Pilates 45 Minutes, Cardio (Cross Trainer, Treadmill & Various Exercises) (60 Minutes)
3/27 - 1 Hour Strength Training, Worked Arms & Legs (60 Minutes)

5 Hours Total! I did it!!!! 300 Minutes!

Week 7
3/29 - Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK5D3, 100 Crunches (90 Minutes)
3/30 - WK6D1 (34 Minutes)
3/31 - Strength Training (60 Minutes)
4/1 - WK6D2 (30 Minutes)
4/2 - WK6D3 & Worked Arms (60 Minutes)
4/3 - Strength Training (60 Minutes)

5 1/2 Hours Total - YEAH!!!!

Week 8
4/5 - Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK7D1 (Ran for 30 minutes 1 Mile) - 90 Minutes
4/6 - WK7D2 (5 Minute Warm-up & Ran for 30 Minutes - 1 1/2 Miles) Worked Arms (25 Minutes) - 60 Minutes
4/7 - Strength Training - 60 Minutes
4/8 - WK7D3 (Ran 2 Miles in 35 Minutes), Worked Legs (25 Minutes) - 60 Minutes
4/10 - Strength Training - 60 Minutes

5 1/2 Hours Total!

Week 9
4/13 - WK8D1 (Ran 1.7 Miles), Worked Arms - 60 Minutes
4/14 - I did my own strength training but not with cardio. I did 500 crunches, 25 squats, 25 leg lift squats, worked my biceps and triceps and did 25 wall push ups - 30 Minutes
4/15 - WK8D2 (Ran 1.78 Miles), Worked Arms - 60 Minutes
4/16 - Strength Training - 60 Minutes
4/17 - WK8D3 (Ran 2 Miles), Worked Arms & Abs - 60 Minutes
4/18 - Ran 2Miles - 45 Minutes Cardio

5 Hours & 15 Minutes Total

Let me tell you this story my therapist told me today

I was crying and being all stressed. This special needs mom stuff is SO overwhelming. I second guess myself daily almost every minute and here I am looking looking at Raina having special needs to. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my girls and I don't want them to be different but sometimes I feel like God really made me a mistake choosing me for this.

So my therapist told me this story of a missionary 50 years ago who was rowing to a remote island with some Tongan people (that is the Island they were going to - I might have the spelling wrong). They were trying to sail and one person was praying for a tail wind and one was praying for a head wind and one wondered if they should just pray for wind. They weren't getting anywhere.

So one of the Tongan's got out and got a row boat and told them to get in and started rowing and he said "I'll be your wind".

Ty (the therapist) said he wondered if I was the girl's wind...

At that moment I was like "what?" But the more I think about it the precious that thought is to me.

I am their wind. I can do this.

Today...

I feel so good right now. My life is still stressful and all but being 50 pounds lighter and working through a lot of this in therapy is really helping me see outside the "crap" and that things are beautiful and good and lovely and that I still have a good life. I am learning to embrace the "crap" and just do the best I can. That is so hard for me cause I am such a fixer and sometimes things just can't be fixed but endured.

Anyway I know it sounds weird but I just wanted to share. It's a beautiful day and I am so thankful God gave me this day.

The Queen of Weekly Updates

It looks like I'm the queen of weekly updates lately! LOL. Weight loss wise I am doing GREAT. I just posted pics last week so I am not going to take another so soon but they are in my profile. I am down an even 50 pounds and feel fantastic. I've gone from a size 22 to to a 16. My diabetes and cholesterol and all my bloodwork is perfect! :) All I have to do is supplement with Vitamin D.

I have SO much more energy. I just love how I feel right now. I am working out 6 days a week (about to go to the gym now). I can't say I always love working out but I love the way I feel afterwards. Last week I made my goal of working out for 5 hours (got to 5 1/2) and eventually I want to work out 8 hours a week! I love this new part of my life.

Salem is doing great in school. She's moving on to 1st great!!! YEAH!!! I am just so amazing at her when I look at her. She's so charming and tender hearted and full of love.

Raina is a mess - a sweet mess but a mess none-the-less. We're still doing the hand sock with a zip tie to keep her from sucking her fingers. But she hasn't figured out a coping mechanism to replace it with and man drop offs at MOPS, the gym, speech lab etc are awful. And she doesn't just cry for 10 minutes or so...it's usually 30-45 minutes. So right now I am trying to plan my work outs around when she doesn't have to go to the gym. Brian is going to take her to speech lab (two hours twice a week) for now and MOPS...we'll deal with it. Worst case Laura will bring her to me. Please pray for her.

All in all it's a great week. Meditation is really helping me focus and stay calm and less frustrated. YEAH! It worked. I was not expecting it too! LOL. My therapist keep telling me to and I finally listened. It does help.

My next goal is to get up early and do a devotional and meditate before the girls wake up! Blech! LOL.

My exercise journal this past week!

Week 7
3/29 - Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK5D3, 100 Crunches (90 Minutes)
3/30 - WK6D1 (34 Minutes)
3/31 - Strength Training (60 Minutes)
4/1 - WK6D2 (30 Minutes)
4/2 - WK6D3 & Worked Arms (1 Hour)
4/3 - Strength Training (60 Minutes)

5 1/2 Hours Total - YEAH!!!!

12 Week Pics & Weekly Exercise Log

The first pic is awful but my DH had it on the wrong setting but I think it's more flattering to what I've lost. These are my size 16 capris. :) And ignored my hair. The West Texas wind destroyed it! LOL.





Week 6
3/22 - 100 Crunches, Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK4D3
3/23 - WK5D1, Worked Arms
3/24 - WK5D2, Worked Legs
3/25 - Pilates 45 Minutes, Cardio (Cross Trainer, Treadmill & Various Exercises) 1 Hour
3/27 - 1 Hour Strength Training, Worked Arms & Legs

Week 7 - This week I started with...
3/29 - Body Flow Class 1 Hour, WK4D3, 100 Crunches

Posting a Fun Victory!!!

1. I bought and wore a pair of size 16 capris Saturday!!! :)
2. I am now 189! :) That's the lowest weight I've been in 10 years.

I did the Body Flow class today at the gym. I loved it. It was hard when we worked my legs but I felt SO relaxed and good that after the hour workout, I went and did my C25K run! :) It feels SO much better running on the treadmill at the gym. I do have a treadmill at home but it's not as stable I guess and I've run some at ACU this past week and holy cow my shins hurt.

This week my workout goals are:

Monday - Gym C25K Week 5 Day 1
Tuesday - C25K Week 5 Day 2
Wednesday - Cardio/Strength Training
Thursday - C25K Week 5 Day 3
Friday - Cardio/Strength Training
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Body Flow

Please say a pray for Salem this morning. She's been doing GREAT in tutoring. We do think retention is an issue but really the only thing we can do about that right now is reinforce and repeat. Please pray that she doesn't stress or get anxious and does as well as she can.

Update From Me

No pics. I swear my camera HATES me. I lost my beloved Canon S2 last October. So I bought another camera and I have the worst time getting the cord to connect to the computer when connected to the camera. But it works with Brian's blackberry! GRRR.

This is my exercise log this week. I have to work out today. Not sure what to do yet. The newest recommendations for weight loss is 300 minutes a week! Ack! Anything helps but it really helps when you do it consecutively and work different muscle groups and that's what I am trying to do. I have SO much more energy.

3/16 - 100 Crunches, 10 Wall Push Ups, Wall Sits, 15 Cardio On Treadmill
3/17 - 100 Crunches, WK4D1
3/18 - 100 Crunches, Strength Training 40 Minutes, WK4D2
3/20 - 100 Crunches, Strength Training/Cardio - 1 Hour

I am going to start going to a bible based grief support group on Mondays until June. I am a tad nervous. It's like people need to label things and qualify why you are hurting or grief stricken. I almost chose to go to a child loss group but then thought of how devastated I would be if someone thought my losses were less than theirs. I've been looking out my window into the back yard everyday and I hope the tree that we planted for Brynna and Angel blooms soon. It looks so sad looking so barren.

Salem is doing GREAT in tutoring. Her tutor things she will be fine for 1st grade. Salem does have testing next week. Sigh! I know it's a necessary evil but I hate it. LOL.

Raina is doing well with speech and we're now attempting to get her not to suck her fingers by using a hand sock with a zip tie. Poor kid. She is smiling in this pic but she got ice cream! She was not smiling for 2 days. Today we took it off to take a bath and she willingly put a new one on so hopefully that's a good sign.

We went to see Dr. Steadman on Monday and they are getting us a referral to a pediatric neurologist in Dallas. Salem needs to be officially tested for Audiology Processing Disorder and Raina - well even though Raina is doing GREAT in speech she is still SO far behind and I am hoping I am just being ultra sensitive but I think she's fairly behind socially - not average shyness - and in sensory overload. So I am going to have them check her out just in case. Then we'll get a referral to rehab for OT and Speech as she won't qualify for any services with Headstart after summer as she's not at risk and has more than 10 words (even though she only speaks in 3-4 word phrases at almost 4).