Hear Me RoaR

Here we are! Month two post weight loss surgery!
The best month yet! 

August proved to be very challenging! I spent 2 weeks stalling because I was not eating right. (I was not eating enough!) Happy to report the stall is over! My friend, Andrew, reached out to me and encouraged me to give D1 a shot! 

Victories:
Clothing.. Everything except socks and shoes hardly fit!!!  Remember those capri's in this picture (photo taken in late July then today)! They are now loose on me! That shirt is very loose and almost too big feeling (check out the arms)! I also  had to buy workout clothing! 

Energy... Working out (and Physical Therapy) IS changing my life. I am the most uncoordinated person but, I feel great!  Strength and Balance has improved too.. Not too mention I feel more confident. (Thanks Nick for reminding me of that!) 

Another major achievement: My face. (I have no make up in the current photos- actually we just got back from a walk!)  Notice how it is "toned"? When I shared with my friend Leslie that I needed product to help my face remain youthful during the weight loss journey... Picture after picture of weight loss patients have faces that droop and age!  She shared with me actual photos of someone who went through WLS and used Rodan and Fields... I wasn't sure if it would be worth the investment but, I knew I wanted a youthful face.. I can hide sagging arms and belly! Rodan and Fields is keeping its promise!!!  You can learn more about Rodan and Fields by clicking here or ask me about it! I will wear makeup in next month's photos!

You want the details and numbers... Here you go! 

Highest weight 353

Current Weight 293

Total Inches Lost since 6/21/13 (Measuring fat is hard!)
Arms (right) 4.75 
Bust 7 inches
Hips 7 inches (1 1/2 in 30 days)
Thighs 3 inches

According to my phone app that Monitor's my Weight loss.. My BMI value has went down 8 points! 

Where I feel the most difference? arms!

Goals for August! COMPLETED

To be never in the 300's when I weigh-in (praise the Lord-D1 took care of that!)

More exercise!! (major improvement- worked out 4 days this week!)
More Protein! (Much improved!!)

Get medications straightened out!! (also better but, back on reflux meds)

Continue therapy!  (It's going well too!)

In this picture- this is the shirt I bought at The Rack (Nordstorm's) in Seattle in March (did not fit) and here is the difference! This was a proud moment! You can't tell but, in July my arms (and obviously my belly) were bulging out! 

New Goals!

-Continue new ways to find protein

-Drink 100 ounces of water a day

- Workout 5 days a week!

-Jog 4 laps around the d1 track without stopping!!! (When I started I could jog 1/4 of a lap and just the other day I did almost 2 laps)

-Encourage anyone who will listen to make a plan to be healthy. DO something today. 

March 2014 Run a 5k!!!! No desire to run on a regular basis but, my friend Sarah encouraged me think about it and I think WHY NOT????

My friends (and I want to name specifically name my facebook fam, Brent, Angie, Shana, Sarah, My staff at work, Andrew, Sonya, Jessica, Leslie, D1 people, my family, my husband and my blog readers) your encouragement has meant so much me and truly carried me through this month. Thank you. 

The next blog will be about my current food choices and life with no "medical" restrictions.. 

Lots of Love from the Losers Bench!!!

Educating your friends and family about bariatric surgery

Lots of people advise you to keep your weight loss surgery hush hush. Now, I have over 100+ pounds to lose. (Don't worry photos and actual weight # will be revealed later) I am not going to fool you folks into thinking that I just woke up one day and "lost all this weight". According to my research it will happen quickly. My friends and family are way smarter than that. So, I want to help educate others about my surgery. So, education about my journey begins now. 

What type of surgery will I have??  

We have not had our final decision appointment but, with the information I know- I plan to have Gastric Sleeve (also called sleeve gastrectomy) procedure. A sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive surgical weight loss procedure that limits the amount of food you can eat and helps you feel full sooner. In this procedure, a thin, vertical sleeve of stomach is created and the rest of the stomach is removed. The sleeve or stomach will be about the size of a banana. You can read some good information here. The majority of weight loss sleeve gastrectomies performed today use a laparoscopic technique, which is considered minimally invasive.  As far as weight loss goes, most people who have gastric sleeve surgery lose 50 to 80 percent of their excess body weight over the first six months to one year after surgery. There is lots of information out there

When is my surgery?  

That is the magic question. Everything moves quickly once certain decisions are made and my team knows I am ready. We are hoping that it will happen in the next 3 weeks so, I am recovered when school starts. 

After much reading they say to help those who are "worried" for me- that I need to take time to educate you specifically about this: 

How did you make this decision? 

I encourage you to read my blog. I have been blogging along the way. But, I went to Baptist Health for my seminar. It was so helpful. The information was very helpful and honestly- if you want to learn more about weight loss surgery- you should go. But, don't delay- go now. It actually changed my whole opinion on weight loss surgery. It's free. Check out the website here. You might ask- what exactly changed your opinion: The doctor was very upfront- he took questions- For example: I assumed I would have the lap-band  Come to find out- in order to be successful - the lap-band isn't my best option. For women who need to lose over 80 lbs studies show that it's not as successful. Also, I learned that attending a support group is part of the success. The information was plentiful. 

Have I prepared for this? I feel so overwhelmed with this question. Get Ready:

• I started with the seminar. 

• Then I had 8 monthly appointments with my PCP and we created a weight loss plan. This included medication.

•  I also met with my chiropractor.

• Made an appointment with my OB/GYN. Lots of women end up pregnant in the middle of this journey. While it's not immediate failure- It's not healthy. We decided a long term birth control so, I could spend the next 3 years on being healthy and ready to have a baby if I choose. (Don't worry- they are aware of my age- my weight is more of an issue than my age). Plus while motherhood is a dream of mine- I never dreamed I was pregnant. So, I feel good about this decision. 

• Meet with a nutritionist. She was awesome. We did a couples appointment. She told me the reality- what to expect during the liquid phase. We also discuss what the transition would be like. My husband is such a rockstar. 

• Therapy. At first this was just to say "I am okay for surgery". But, turns out- I needed it for more. Part of behavior modification is finding out your food issues.. they also work on your problem areas. Caffeine was my biggest challenge. My staff will tell you- I was on edge, mean and hateful for the first month. If I knew my husband would let me - I would have started smoking. It was rough. Come to find out- I wasn't honest about my addiction. I will do a whole post on saying good bye to caffeine. Sonic was one of my problem areas. Also, learning to drink a glass of water before every meal. Also, avoid using straws- can't have them with surgery anyhow-  I also had to figure out how to keep my friendships alive without going to lunch. I was already working on this before- Dave Ramsey helped me saving money. My free friend Sarah is my favorite lunch friend and I know we are going to be okay. She is super supportive and our friendship is going to only get stronger. My cousin had weight loss surgery and she warned me about how she really "missed eating out". I am so glad I talked with her because I had not realize that could be an issue.  I have come a long ways on all this. This is somewhat personal and I am happy to share more with you.

• Had a sleep study and met with a Pulmonary doctor.  I do have sleep apnena. I hate my sleep machine. I am not following what the doctor says on this. I struggle with it. But, I also learn something else-

• Meet with ENT. I was over the whole 2 strep throats plus I was having issues in the middle of the night. Yeah, I have early symptoms of GERD. They looks like middle of the night panic attacks where I take off my sleep mask and nearly throw up from choking. We are working on this and we hope surgery will change this.

I also have 3 other doctors on my team. But, I am prepared for weight loss surgery. 

Will your insurance pay for this?

Insurance is a red tape process that is very slow when working with a doctor's office. Getting approval took around 2 weeks. My weight loss nurse actually knows her stuff. She knows exactly what they want and need. It takes her probably 4-6 to put together your information. 

Then we work on financial stuff. (This is where we are right now). I have already spoke with insurance but, they get this in writing and then the doctor's office and I work out a plan. Insurance says if you used a "Center for Excellence" and they are in network they pay 90%. Due to Maddie's hospitalization we have met our deductible  So, insurance has told me that me they will pay 100%. 

Another concern: Have I thought about the lifelong lifestyle changes you have to make and how will you maintain weight-loss?

My biggest challenge will being able to eat the right amount of protein and drink water each day. I need 60 to 80 grams of quality protein per day.  They say it will take me weeks to be able to meet this goal. More about the protein below. 

Numerous websites and experts have told me this about protein:

What is insufficient protein? 

The first sign of lack of protein is often fatigue or weakness. Not just the feeling that I didn't get enough sleep last night, but deep fatigue….or weakness you know where it’s hard to get through the day. 

A second sign is weight loss plateau. When we don’t get enough protein, there is increasing evidence that the body tries to store calories rather than burning them.  I have heard those who focus on protein intake are successful in reaching their weight loss goal. 

A third sign is hair loss, which is preventable - they say. While one cause of hair loss following the surgery is the “shock” of the surgery to the body, another reason of hair loss in weight loss surgery patients is insufficient intake of protein. 

My nutritionist also said  after the surgery, if your protein status is low, your body will heal more slowly, sometimes very slowly. 

Another challenge- keeping this loose skin under control. Chances are I will need a breast reduction after the weight loss. A lot of unknowns.. But, as soon as I am cleared I plan to be very focused on working out and being proactive. This is one reason why I am a fan of Rodan and Fields. I am wanting my face to stay firm and healthy. Check out my R+F. The exercise will be very intense for 6-8 months- so my results will be optimal. Also, I am learning to eat my veggies FIRST at every meal. I also will meet with a nutritionist and my therapist often in helping coach me through my next phase of life. It's not a diet- it's a lifestyle change. 

Thanks for reading about my weight loss journey. I am happy  to allow others to reuse or share my content, as long as link it to my blog and give me credit. -Mama Rho 

The Waiting Game and my new opportunity!

I am eagerly waiting to hear back from insurance about my surgery. Everyone keeps asking when is your surgery..  I called (again) Friday and they were literally going over my documents and said we should know something on Monday. Hope it is soon! 
I also called a Facebook friend of mine Leslie about Rodan and Fields. I have been really worried about my skin and the effects of the surgery. I would hate to have the surgery and lose weight and it become really droopy or sagging.  She talked to me about her products and the results that others have had.  I decided to make the jump and becoming a consultant. Amazing products. You can check out my products here.