Off to the gym

Saturday, November 22, 2008

I just wanted to say good morning before I head off to the gym. Yes, I am going to the gym today. Lynda (a gal from my water aerobics class) invited me to be her guest so I'm going. I have on a pair of 5X capri pants cinched up at the waist with a drawstring to keep them up, an old t-shirt, ankle socks, and good gym shoes. I hope I don't embarrass or hurt myself while I'm there. I have no clue what to do when I get there. Lynda works out every day and weighs like 230 lbs. She had lapband surgery back in July. She's only lost 20 lbs since surgery. Glad I didn't do that surgery! Hopefully, she'll give me some pointers until I go to my first class on Tuesday. Then Laurie (fitness and water aerobics instructor) will get me started on a real strength training program.

I did sign up yesterday for six more weeks of water aerobics. I also signed up for an exercise equipment training/strength training class and some kind of conditioning (aerobics) class. They are all thru my bariatric center. I'm excited but also scared. What if I just can't do this? Time will tell and it's paid for so at least for the next six weeks I've committed to exercise four nights a week. I think it's official and I've lost my mind completely! LOL

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SYNCHRODAD 11/22/2008 12:50PM

You crack me up! It's official, it's paid for. Out of your mind! You are so funny! Use the gym gently and wisely for starters. You got to keep going for 6 weeks, it's paid for! Thanks for the morning LOL!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

MIECHT 11/22/2008 12:32PM

I think it's funny that so many of us are intimidated by gyms. If anyone needs them the most it is us :-) Don't worry about embarrassing yourself. Wait until they all see you melt before their very eyes. They will be asking you for pointers and diet tips :-) I'm proud of you for going outside your comfort zone and exploring the possibilities! Way to represent the Sparklers and be a shining example!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

DAWNINCASPER 11/22/2008 11:05AM

Good Morning, Karon!! Good for you!!! I think it is so awesome that you are jumping in there and doing all this! You will be fine today at the gym. You can do anything! You've already proven it time and again. The hardest part sometimes is just signing up, or going that first time, and you're doing it!! I can't wait to hear how it went. You are such an inspiration! Dawn Report Inappropriate Comment

Plans for Exercise

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The weight is still coming off. I'm now down to 344 today and am beginning to think I may make my 20 pound goal this month which right now means I need to lose about 9 more pounds before month's end. I think I can do this, especially since I'm going to start an exercise class next week that meets two nights a week and one night of strength training. I'll be exercising four nights a week with my water aerobics tossed in there as well so hopefully this will be a good thing. I'm also going to try to add exercise on Saturday mornings at a gym with a gal from my water class. That would leave me with Friday and Sunday as no exercise days. I'm perfectly okay with that! LOL This all means I have to get off my butt and get something appropriate that fits to wear to the gym. Right now I have nothing. I'm thinking a pair of capri pants I have with a drawstring and a t-shirt will work for a little while until I get something. Having nothing I thought would work allowed me to make an excuse not to go last week to the gym. I know if I pay for the bariatric exercise classes I'll go because I won't waste money. A gym membership may be in my future. It feels so strange to even be thinking that!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

BELIEVINGISEING 11/20/2008 6:49PM

Good plan. I have found myself getting into more and more strength training without the weights. Good luck on your weight loss. I love your God's smile picture. It made me smile and is so special. God has truly smiled on your life and you are turning it around. You are so special and truly writing the pages of your life. Pam Report Inappropriate Comment

BEARYGAL 11/19/2008 5:55PM

Karon, Strength training one of the best things you can do for yourself. Since I start weight training it has truly change my body appearance. You must realize when we do something new our first reaction is to find a way not to do it but in the long run when do it and achieve great success from it, it moves us forward on our journey with our head held high because we walk thru the fear and did it! I say to you, JUST DO IT!! Where what ever you have. Report Inappropriate Comment

Tracking is working

Monday, November 10, 2008

Tracking my protein has been a great way to get me back on track. Before last week I was just eating and hoping I was getting what I needed. After a couple days, I realized I wasn't getting the protein I should have been and started to diligently make sure that I get at least 60 grams per day. That still isn't where I need it as I'm supposed to consume 70-90 grams but it's a start and a lot of days I do get near 70 now. That said ...

Last week I managed to have my weight go down. I started a week ago this past Sunday at 355 pounds. As of today I am down to 349.5 pounds which is a loss of 5.5 pounds. Woo hoo! Yea for me and all that jazz. I can't even remember when the last time I weighed less than 350 pounds was. I would love to be under 325 by the end of the year. That's only 25 pounds and with the sugery's help, I may just get there. Wow! When I hit 330 I will have lost a total of 200 pounds since 2005. When I hit 295 I'll be only 100 pounds from my personal goal. I actually believe this is going to happen. I'm thrilled that I finally gave in and had this surgery. It hasn't been easy but it sure has been worth it!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SYNCHRODAD 11/18/2008 8:38AM

I haven't "made the rounds" for the last couple weeks. Thanks for you kind comment on my blog. I am so glad to hear of your progress, "Protein R' you.." You'll be kicking the stuffing out of 300 before you know it. Wow! Congrats. Report Inappropriate Comment

JUDYSPOSITIVE 11/13/2008 12:27PM

Congratulations Karon. I'm so glad things are working out for you. Keep up the good work and you will meet you goal for the end of this year. Judy Report Inappropriate Comment

DRAGONFLYS76 11/11/2008 3:26PM

Congrats to you... Your determination is inspiring. Angie Report Inappropriate Comment

CAREWREN 11/11/2008 12:06PM

Congratulations! Comment edited on: 11/11/2008 12:03:51 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

MIECHT 11/10/2008 8:59PM

Karon, You're amazing and you will get there. Look how far you've already come! Your goal is in sight and we are all here rooting for you :-) Keep up the good work. p.s. I started tracking my food today after reading your post. I'm not getting enough water or protein, yikes! My protein is stuck around 38 grams and I'm supposed to be at 60. Good thing is that I can start the next phase of my diet next Monday and they say I can even start to phase stuff in this week if I don't have issues...yippee! Report Inappropriate Comment

Change in center of gravity ...

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Talk about a change in my center of gravity due to losing weight ... well it has changed but no one has really talked about it. Following is one of the ways I know, however, this was probably not due to the gravity except that everything must fall down!

I walked to the A and B homes on Friday morning about 1:30 AM. I went into the B home and talked a few minutes and grabbed their paperwork. As I went out the door and started down the steps, the porch light went off. It's some kind of darn light that comes on for a couple minutes then goes off for a couple and it does this throughout the night. The street lamp nearby does the same thing. I don't know why! Anyway ... I went down two steps and then the street lamp went out as well. I'm in total darkness. I thought I had just stepped off the last step and went to walk over to the A home. Low and behold, I had one more step to go. I fell and I fell hard! I swear I felt the jarring all the way from my poor knees that I landed on up through my hips and into my shoulders. I was stunned.

I was there kneeling on my knees and could only moan about how much it hurt. They didn't hear me yell in the house. I gathered up the papers that I had dropped and my bottle of water (I don't go anywhere without one in my hand now days) and hobbled to the A home. I examined my knees. The right one was red and looked like it would bruise. The left one was a little skinned up (but not enough to bleed) and bruising. I was worried because of that damn coumadin they have me on and the horror stories about internal bleeding. One of the staff gave me an ice pack wrapped in a paper towel and I iced it for about 20 mins before moving on.

I was able to finish my shift but dang I was in some pain. I got stiff and we don't keep liquid Tylenol on campus so I was basically SOL. I considered coming home but figured I wouldn't die from hurting. LOL I did type up the employee incident report and let my director know. I left a message on his voice mail and told him if I thought it necessary I would go to my PCP later in the day. He called and told me to get checked but I ended up not going. The bruising isn't as bad as I thought it might be. The pain is to be expected and nothing out of the ordinary but what you'd expect from a fall.

I seem to be fine today; just a little achey. Thought I'd share a little of my "fun" with you all.

And I managed to lose three pounds this past week. Yea! Back to 2-3 lbs per week to get where I'd like to be by Labor Day next year.

Oh and today is the 24th anniversary of the day Tim (the hubby) and I met. Woo hoo for us! We're going out to dinner with our church tonight, on them as a celebration for volunteering at the church. I ordered a chicken sandwich with fruit as a side. Will likely leave the bread behind.

Have a great weekend, all!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CAREWREN 11/8/2008 3:39PM

Thanks for this entry in your blog. I think it is very interesting to note the spatial differences that occur when one has lost as much weight as you have. The max I have lost is 80 pounds (at one time) and I have gained half of it back so even though that is not that much weight (in spatial terms) I seem to be running into the corners of things lately! Congratulations on your "meeting" anniversary and I, too, am glad you are okay. Report Inappropriate Comment

CHASSIDY2 11/8/2008 1:06PM

Gosh glad your ok! Congrats on your weight loss and also your anniversary! Report Inappropriate Comment

POPTART44 11/8/2008 1:04PM

Karon, OUCH!!! I have taken a couple of spills in the past couple of years and I can relate!! Glad you are okay and didn't break any bones or sprain anything. Congrats on your weight loss this week and your special anniversary! You are an inspiration to all of us! Donna Report Inappropriate Comment

The Scale has Moved

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

FINALLY, the scale moved today! In tracking since Sunday, I found I wasn't getting at least the protein I need. I'm supposed to be getting 70-90 grams post op. Once I adjusted that, the weight did come down 1.5 lbs overnight. Woo hoo! Now I'm just praying it continues.

Water aerobics was great last night! One of the men had surgery back in March and is down 100 lbs. I was complaining about the scale and he told me to keep myself off of it except to weigh once a week. I try, I really do but I just can't do it. I have to know daily what I weigh and have been like that since I found a scale that would weigh me back in 2005. I wonder if it's because for so long I had no clue how much I weighed. In retrospect, that was a good thing!

I do so love my class and am going to start the other exercise classes they have two nights a week (Tues and Thurs) when the next session starts which will be sometime near the end of the month. I'm excited about this and know it's going to help me build muscle and lose fat instead of lean muscle. One night they do strength training on the machines and with free weights. That is followed by some type of aerobics class. The other night is an aerobics class which can also be yoga, tai chi, etc. I look forward to starting later this month with that.

And let me just say, "I feel good"!

Some of the people at class said I was "melting away" and they could really see the difference; even those who saw me last week said they can see it more this week. I'll do measurements again next month when I'm 12 weeks out. Maybe I was losing inches instead of pounds these last two weeks. I had to retire three pair of pants because they just won't stay up anymore. LOL That's a good thing!

I also talked with the class instructor and she said maybe I have been losing a bit of lean muscle. That concerns me. She said I need to get busy doing strength training to keep that from happening. Until I can start class, when the next session starts, I'll have to make do with cans of veggies or something similar. Maybe I'll pick up a couple 3 lb weights to start with. I saw some at Walmart for about $4 each. I think I can eek that out of my lean budget! LOL

At any rate, things are progressing and I know I'm just not a patient person. The weight is coming off and it will in it's own time. I have to remember that!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SYNCHRODAD 11/8/2008 1:22AM

I know about pants falling down. Mine are all really loose and I have to watch it. I went down to Wal-Mart and tried the next size down, but they were a little snug. All the off the shelf jeans for men only come in two inch decrements, at least the Wal-Mart shelf that is. I am a little concerned about muscle loss also. I have lost a lot since I took my profile picture.... It is so good to hear that things are going well. Your attitude and optimism are contagious! Thanks! Report Inappropriate Comment

KAROUSELL46 11/5/2008 4:02PM

Glad to see your surgery went great. Mine did not. I had alot of complications with me. I like to see others that have had this done come out of this surgery feeling good. I lost alot and then gained some back due to my depression. I'm working at losing again. Its not an easy road but its nice to have others walking down the same road with ya. on the weight you've lost so far. Oh what a feeling huh? lol Take care...Karen Report Inappropriate Comment

FREDDIE32 11/4/2008 6:32PM

You are amazing- I needed to read your page and learn your story! It has inspired me to keep on with my own journey- thankyou! Report Inappropriate Comment