Half way there!!!

As of yesterday, I have lost 110 lbs on my weight loss journey so far and I have 110 lbs to go to hit my goal weight of 175lbs! Do you know what that means????? Well, of course you do, you read the title of this post, duh! I'M HALF WAY THERE!!!!! Holy crap, it feels totally amazing to say that I have lost 110 lbs. That's like TWO Lindsey Lohans! Sa-WEET! It has been a rough road and I know that I still have quite the journey left, but I am proud of myself for what I have accomplished so far. I am feeling pretty good, I am hungry a lot but I am learning to cope with it. It's mostly "head hunger" anyway. At the support group meeting Tom and I went to we found out about ketosis and how, when your body has stopped burning incoming carbs for energy because there aren't any, it will start burning your stored fat for energy and boy, I have plenty of THAT! They have little test strips in the diabetic section at most pharmacy's that test your ketones and if the strip is super dark that means you are in full ketosis! That is where a gastric bypass patient wants to stay for as long as possible! Of course, I ran right out and bought some of the strips, tinkled and HOORAY it was the darkest it could be (the strip, not the tinkle) so my body is in high ketosis and burning those fat cells like crazy! This made me happy and was almost as exciting as a pregnancy test... almost. I have started to introduce more foods into my diet and I have handled most things very well. Last night I made shrimp scampi for dinner and it was fabulous! Last weekend my mom took Tom and I to the Timbermine. This was my first dinner out and I was worried a little. I ordered the halibut, no salad but instead they offered this bean and ham soup which was awesome and some steamed veggies instead of a potato or rice. I had a sip of the soup while I watched my mom and Tom eat the soft, warm bread *sigh* and then when my meal arrived I ate about 4 bites of the fish and two little broccoli trees and that was about it. The waitress probably thought I didn't like it but, honestly I LOVED every little bite! The good part about only being able to eat 2 oz is the fact that you get to take home leftovers and relive that delicious meal a few more times! The soup was so good and I had halibut for breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day! YUM!!! I am a big seafood lover so I am glad that I get to still eat that kind of food. The things I miss most are, of course, PIZZA, bread, crackers and ice cream. It's still super hard at BBQ'S, especially with grilled buns for the burgers and dogs but I try to focus on what I can have, instead of what I can't and that usually gets me through. Work is ok, there are treats everywhere and I hate that but I am learning to avoid the areas they are in. I have yet to get back to an exercise routine though, so that is my big goal for the week. I walk at work on my breaks but I can feel those swimming muscles I built up turning to mush so I really have to get it in gear and get my butt to the pool again! Other then that, things are pretty sweet. I'm looking good, feeling good and proud of my accomplishments. What more could I ask for?

5 weeks after surgery

4 days before surgery

If you can't be an athlete be an athletic supporter.

I have such an amazing support group! Last night Tom and I went to a class down at St Marks given by a therapist who has had GB. It was very informative and I got to impress everyone with the amount of weight I have lost which is always fun for me! One of the big things I noticed when listening to other peoples stories was how much easier this journey is when you have support in your everyday life. We talked a  lot about hazards that come up all the time and how basically society as a whole is setting us up to fail, but if we know how to handle those hazards we can overcome them. For me, one of the biggest ways to fight those hazards is to rely on those who are in my corner cheering me on! I realize that ultimately it comes down to my own choices but the more people I have lifting me up and encouraging me, the easier it is to make the right choice! Obstacles are placed before me every day, food is EVERYWHERE but all it takes is a "you look great!" Or "i'm so proud of you!" from someone to help me kick the crap outta those obstacles! So, to everyone who is in my corner (and not to brag, but that is A LOT) thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the best darn jock straps in the world!! I love you all!!

Back to work blues

Well folks, it's been 4 weeks since my last day of work before surgery, and tomorrow I return to the trenches triumphant (well, not really, but I do return 35 lbs lighter!). I have to admit I am a little nervous to go back for a few reasons but mainly because that place is doused in FOOD! Over the last month I have had control over what I am faced with in my home but at work, junk is everywhere. I do have an incredible support group though, whom I miss SO MUCH (the only good reason to go back besides, well, that stupid little money issue) and I know they will all be there if I need them. I just hope that it doesn't hurt too much to know that those damn candy bars are in the file cabinet! Tonight I packed a weeks worth of breakfast and lunch all in one little lunch bag, kinda funny, but I wanted to be prepared and have all my meals portioned out so I wouldn't even have a reason to go to the cafeteria. I have been eating a little more bland lately especially since I have been on two very potent antibiotics for an infection in my nose. The meds are liquid and I have to take 4 tsps of each twice a day!  They are DISGUSTING and they are ripping my stomach apart so I have been constantly nauseated for 4 days now. Only 6 days left, fabulous.
Yesterday Tom, the kids and I went up to my brother and sister-in-law's house in Morgan to go swimming with the rest of my family.  I wore a new swimsuit which I think I looked pretty ok in and it felt good to not be totally self conscience. We BBQ'd and I had a half of a hot dog wrapped in a slice of cheese and a slice of tomato, yum! Quite different from the last time we were there when I had a double cheese burger topped with a hotdog on a hoggie bun, pasta salad, and homemade ice cream! The only crappy part of the day was when they broke out the cheesecake brownie and I watched everyone indulge in it. I know this is part of the deal but I do hope it gets easier someday.
Tomorrow Tom and I are going down to St. Marks in the evening for a support group class thing that I hear really helps with alot of issues. I am really looking forward to it and I'm glad Tom is coming with me. He has been such an amazing support, especially when he told me the cheesecake brownie wasn't really that good anyway! I want to take advantage of anything RMAP offers as far as classes or support groups because they really do help with the process and with this life change, you need all the help you can get!
I have absolutely no regrets about having the surgery and I am very pleased with the results so far. Not only the physical, but the way my little family is eating healthier and becoming more active. It makes me proud that I can be that kind of a leader and example for them and hopefully, when my kids are older, they can be proud of their mom and realize what I went through to help them. So, back to reality tomorrow, wish me luck!

First follow up and fabulous friends

Today was my first follow up with Dr. Smith since my surgery. After a hellatious morning, which I do NOT want to blog about because it is something I want to forget very soon, Mom and I arrived at St. Marks. My blood pressure was SKY HIGH, we're talkin 165/103 probably due to said hellatious morning, but my weight was fabulous (I'm down to 293 now!). Dr. Smith came in, took out my staples and told me I was an excellent healer! WooHoo! A little friendly chit chat and a "well done" and we were all set. He released me to go back to work next Monday to give my belly button time to heal, poor wittle belly button has been through a lot. On our way out they gave me a disc with my before pictures that were taken the day before surgery.

I have always dreamed of having "before" pictures and I can't wait to see my "after" pictures, coming soon!!  Today was a sick day of sorts because I really couldn't keep much down. My body is still adjusting I guess and having a hard time digesting certain foods. Maybe I am introducing too many things at once and should go back to my beans and cheese for a couple days. All I know is I have felt nauseated since I woke up this morning. I did get the thumbs up to return to the pool in a few days so maybe starting my exercise program up again will help balance things out as well. I can't wait to get back into the water! The best part of the day by FAR was a little get together with some of my besties from high school this evening! Maranda (my personal trainer and life-long BFF), Charity (another amazing BFF whom I haven't hung out with in FOREVER) and Kati (Jr. BFF and Maranda's sister with the cutest little brown babies in the world, besides my Jack of course) and all their kiddos came out to my moms to play! It was so much fun to hang out and catch up on the goings on in each others lives. As I sat there, I remembered so many sleepovers and play dates (which were not called play dates back then, it was just "I'm going over to charity's house, bye!") and thought how cool it was that we were sitting here while our kids were playing together. It was kind of a surreal moment but amazing as well.  I love so much that I have such great friends that have been in my life for so many years! I think Maranda and I have been friends for 30 at least! I am blessed to have these girls, and so many others in my life. Whether we've know each other for 30 years or 3 years they all mean a great deal to me. Thank you Roo, Charity, Kati and Ash for making my crappy day a whole lot brighter! And mom, thank you again for saving me and truly being my hero. I love you more then words can ever express!

The Sneddons are coming out!

Probably the biggest reason I decided to have gastric bypass surgery, other then the whole living to see my kids grow up thingy, was to help my little family become healthy and active. Today we, along with our aunt Kathy, went on a family outing up to willow park zoo in Logan. I love this little zoo, not only because it is FREE (except for a couple bucks donation) but because it has a huge park adjacent to it and my kids love it there. I was so excited to get out into the fresh air and have some fun, finally! I couldn't believe how much energy I had compared to last year! We walked around the zoo and I didn't get winded and I only had to sit for a minute due to the uncomfortableness of the hernia (which hopefully should ease up soon!) Tom, having lost around 85 lbs himself, did great too! I felt more like a regular family and not like a huge spectacle that people stare at. It was amazing. After the zoo we walked over to the park and had a very healthy picnic lunch, well THEY had a picnic lunch, I had my miserable 2 oz of tunafish, but I was able to eat with them and not feel too uncomfortable so I saw it as a positive for all! The kids played at the park and I took tons of pictures! I pushed Hannah on the swing and caught my buddy on the slide! I PLAYED with my kids, it was bliss.  It's days like today, seeing my beautiful family out and active that make me so grateful to have had the opportunity to do this for them and for me. It's only going to get better from here! Oh, and I had CRAB for dinner tonight and I cried it was so good! again, it's the little things. :)

My little pole dancers

Hannah and mommy

Daddy and Hunter

it's so hard to wait for everyone to be finished!

"now I can go play? YAY"

She loves her brother!

Lunch was YUMMY!

Hannah LOVED feeding the duckies!

Little jail bird

Cutest toushies in the world!

"ta-da!"

My beautiful baby girl

Hannah took this of me and daddy. Still got a long ways to go, but I think we look pretty cute!

My happier, healthier family!

Holidays - food = no fun.

It's been crazy few days in the life of the incredible shrinking Jenni. First, it was the 4th of July holiday weekend and, well, it pretty much blew chunks. What do you think about when you think of the 4th of July, besides fireworks? BBQ! Burgers, dogs, watermelon, ice cream, chips, dips, chains, whips... wait, that's a different holiday entirely... but you get the picture. Don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with my family on both sides but it was the hardest weekend of my life. It's pretty pathetic to say that because, after all, it's JUST FOOD, but when your addiction IS food, and you can't NOT eat, it becomes the worst addiction in the world. I can't go to treatment or quit cold turkey for my addiction because I literally can't live with out it. So therefore, I have to watch everyone else enjoy what I can't have, and have ONLY what will nourish my body. So there I sat, after fixing my kids their plates, with my 2 oz of tuna fish and suffered in silence. I have to keep reminding myself that I chose this and I have to learn to live with the tough stuff.
On a positive note, my incredible mom took me shopping with her last Friday and I had SO MUCH FUN trying on clothes! I was like a fat kid in a candy shop (only not quite as fat!) and I think my mommy could see how happy I was and purchased a few select items for me!! She rocks my world every day! I don't know what I would do without that amazing lady in my life, on this journey and every other journey I've taken. I'm down about 4 sizes and one of the shirts mom bought me is a 0X! I think that would be considered a large, but whatever, 0X sounds way cooler! Then, on top of the shopping spree I got to go shopping in her closet when we got home! My mom has lost quite a bit of weight herself (she's actually a skinny mini now!) using Isogenex and I took home 2 bags of clothes to get me through the next phase of weight loss! Woohoo!
Later that day, my wonderful hubby bought me a new phone as a -100 lb present! I love my new phone (the my touch 4G) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tom for being so supportive of my crazy mood swings, whining about food and general crabbiness lately. He is my rock, my best friend and the best part of my life. I am so blessed with the most amazing support group any person could possibly have!


Week 2 picture. Hannah took this with my new phone!





Spicing it up with the android! LOVE IT!




So, I think this is one of the best pictures of me EVAH!

 The holiday is over, finally, and I have about a week and a half left till I go back to work. I am down about 35 lbs since the day before my surgery and ALMOST down 100 lbs since January 15th! This process is definitely a psychological roller coaster but hopefully soon it will slow down a bit. I'm never hungry but I crave everything so go figure. I do have to say though, that every time I look in the mirror I FINALLY like what I'm seeing!!

One week pictures

I'm super hot!

These were taken at the 1 week mark. Weight 305. Doing great!! I love that I have lost almost 100 lbs since my journey began AND almost 25 lbs since my surgery a week and a half ago! Yay me!