First 5K--Completed

Martha and I (and her hubby Kevin) ran in a 5K today in Ipswich. It was my first (not theirs). But all of us, having had WLS in the past 3 to 4 years, were pretty pleased with ourselves to run the entire thing and finish NOT in last place. This was NOT in my foreseeable future some 3 years ago, I can say that. With arthritis in my knees, hips, and ankles, and a Morton's Neuroma and neuropathy in my left foot/ankle, I never thought I'd be running again. But, with great shoes and glucosamine and a lot less weight on me, I guess it's possible.

Martha and I are going to do the "series" of runs (we have to complete 5 of 12 by December). Great motivation to keep going and have a friend to do it with. YEAH!

Here we are, at the finish line and post-race. Yes, those are very smug smiles on our faces. Seeing Zachary waiting for me, cheering me on at the finish line, waiting to high-five me, I don't think anything could have been better.

Pre-Race


At the Finish Line


Post-Race

Onward and Upward

On one of the OH boards today, someone commented on how this IS easy...easier than it has ever been. And so, she wondered "did I in fact take the easy way out?"

The losing part WAS easier (for me) with the surgery than it ever was before. It gave me the ability to manage my appetite and portions without constantly feeling deprived/hungry. I do (and have since being a pre-op) work out regularly at a pretty intense level. I also waited (not by choice) about 9 months from the time I started the process to have surgery to when I actually had my surgery and had many hoops to jump through for surgery to happen.

With that said, know that maintenace is a different ball game altogther...it's hard. Your ability to eat more, fall into old habits if not diligent, stop food journaling, not exercise, test the boundaries of tolerable foods more and more occurs as you get more comfortable with your new plumbing, in my opinion. That, combined with not having the losing of weight to motivate you and needing to find different motivation to keep on track, makes things more of a "head" game than a physical game. It is a difficult head game at that. But the head game ultimately affects the physical if we let it. And that, for me, has been much harder.

My goals have changed. I focus on staying physically in shape, keeping my body looking as good as it can and feeling as good as it can. That involves regular exercise and eating properly. I have definitely been struggling with this the past couple of months. I have felt physically and emotionally pretty cruddy as a result. My weight went over my "acceptable" (to me) 2 lb. fluctuation this week. That means that the indiscretions with food choices, amounts and not exercising must come to a halt. Period, end of story. I will NOT become obese again. No way, no how.

This Saturday, I will run my first 5K with Martha...she inspires me. I'm terrified...I am. Terrified that pain in my joints will completely hamper me. I need to stop thinking this way but it's hard. I first injured my knees back in 1997 running on pavement. I have had two knee surgeries since, and haven't run outdoors since then either. I have only trained indoors on a treadmill. But, this is a goal for me...one that I think is very worthwhile and will help keep me moving forward, focusing on the positive changes in my life since having RNY. It's all about the goals and motivation and finding what works over the long haul.

Big Step

I have always been pretty terrified of even considering plastic surgery as a post-op. I look fine in clothing. But out of clothing, my breasts are sadly very wrinkled and deflated and my belly is extremely wrinkled and deflated looking. There's not really any fat there left to fill it out. And while it isn't awful, it does bother me sometimes. I will wear form-fitting clothing and when I sit down, I still have rolls. My breasts are more or less rolled up into my bra. Lately, I have been thinking that I have just worked too hard working out, eating right, taking care of myself to still feel like I look fat (yes, sometimes that's how I feel when I see these rolls of skin). I know that I have fared better than many, many people with regards to skin issues. It still bothers me. Pictures follow at the end of the blog entry.

I have a friend who had a circumferential lower body lift post-WLS...and she had a lot of complications. She spent the better part of 8 months in and out of the hospital, lots of surgeries for necrotic tissue, etc. Being a single mother of a fairly young child still, the idea of this kind of recovery to begin with, let alone if I had a complication, has made plastic surgery something I would not even consider. But, more and more I have been thinking that it wouldn't hurt just to find out what my options are and what the cost would be.

So, today I called and scheduled a consult for an hour. May 8th. Can't hurt to ask, right? Better to be informed...always.