Christmas 2011....It's a Wrap!

Yes, it's been a while since I last blogged. Someone asked me a few days ago if I had stopped, but no, I haven't stopped I've just been engaged in life, and had so many changes over the past few weeks that I haven't really had much time for blogging. Two weeks ago we got Dianne moved back to her house, and the day after she moved out Michael came home to stay, so we've just been very busy changing and rearranging.....then of course it was time for Christmas...WHEW!!!!

I must admit that through the holidays I have been extremely laxed on my eating and I have had deserts galore!!! Did they make me sick??? Well, sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Last night though I was looking through a friends pictures (a friend who had gastric bypass a few years ago), and in looking through those pictures I realized that this particular friend is just as big now, maybe bigger than before bypass. It really opened my eyes to the fact that this battle I fight every day is still very much there. Last check I had gained about 4 lbs since the start of the holiday season, which isn't too terribly bad considering I haven't been able to walk for about 6-8 weeks because of the stress fracture in my foot. HOWEVER....I'm sure my friend didn't think it was too bad when they gained the first 4 lbs back either, and now I can only imagine how that person must feel. My battle is LONG from over, and in reality I will say this battle will never be over, at least until the day I meet Jesus face to face.

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, however if I did, I would say that my goal for 2012 will be to finish losing the 33 lbs I still want to lose. I will try walking here in a week or so and see how my foot does; and hopefully that will be a go, and I'll be able to get back on track fairly quickly. Even with gastric bypass, I have discovered that exercise is still very much a vital role in the success of my weight loss. Not to mention that it really does make me feel better.

I hope each and every one of you have had a very Merry Christmas, and like me are looking forward to 2012. Twenty-eleven hasn't exactly been the best year for the Carroll's, so we are hoping 2012 will bring some positive changes to our lives, and hoping things will get back on track for us.

From our home to yours, wishing you all a very Happy and Safe New Year!

It's Almost Christmas!

Wow! I can hardly believe Christmas is just two weeks and two days away! I am sort of ready to do it and get it over with. We've been under quite a bit of stress the past few weeks, and I have been eating probably a little too much. We are about to have some changes, in that Dianne is going home this weekend, after being here for a year and a half, and Michael is coming home to stay for a while. Keith has been off work since July and is waiting for Toyota to call him with a new placement for his permanent restrictions. Brock is working at Amazon and has just blossomed! We are so excited about him. Needless to say 2012 is a welcome sight....it hasn't been one of the best years for our family, but we're going to be okay. God hasn't left us yet, and I have no reason to believe that he's going to now.

December is a month I try to reflect, and remember just how blessed we really are. I always think of my mom and dad during the holidays and I miss them terribly still. My dad passed away 14 years ago this year on December 20th. I can hardly believe he's been gone that long. I have such wonderful memories of Christmas' past. I can still remember the smells of baking my mom used to do. She always made homemade candy, jam cake, and fruit cake. I sure would love to have something she made just once more. I loved holidays in the Tuttle home....and it was a "home". Family is such an important part of us, and I am so thankful that being the youngest of ten, our family is still close and I can't imagine my life without them.

I don't make New Year resolutions, but if I did, mine for 2012 would be to reach my goal weight finally. I am so close and I would love to reach my goal by Summer. I haven't been able to walk for several weeks now due to a stress fracture in my foot, and I can tell a difference in the way I feel. Hopefully in a few more weeks I'll be able to get back at it.

I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully blessed New Year. God is good all the time! Can't wait to see what blessings are in store for 2012!

November 13, 2011

Can you believe Christmas is just six weeks away??? I can't, and more than that I can't believe we are just over a week from Thanksgiving and from pulling out the Christmas decorations. I have now lost a grand total of 137 lbs....and 33 more to go till I reach my goal! YESS!!!!!! I am starting to think I might actually reach my goal. For a while there it still seemed so far out that I couldn't even imagine that I might really reach the end goal...but now I am starting to feel like it may really happen some day. I told Keith yesterday that I think it might be time to do some more updated photos soon....maybe this week. I am at that place now where when I lose five pounds I feel like I can really see it. If you've ever really been overweight you know there comes a place where you can lose 5 lbs, and nobody but you know you've done it....it will sometime take 40 lbs or more before others really begin to see it, but I feel I'm finally in that place were even just a few pounds at a time are starting to make a difference.

My plan for this next week is to stay positive in every aspect of my life....we're still waiting for Keith to get back to work, and after about 5 months, that seems like a dream....Brock starts his job this week finally, and Dianne is hoping to get to go home soon. So....my part in all of this is to remain positive, keep praying that things will start to roll here and we can start moving on with our lives. I feel like we've been spinning our wheels for so long without any progress, and I'm ready to get things going! So...I pray for Brock to be successful this week and enjoy his job, and for Keith to get the call from Toyota that they have found a place for him! If all of these things get going, I think it will really help me to stay focused on my weight loss. Just because I had weight loss surgery doesn't mean that I never get discouraged and want to eat out of discouragement and frustration....so I WILL STAY ON TOP OF IT THIS WEEK!

CAUTION: HOLIDAY'S AHEAD

Can you believe we are just three weeks from Thanksgiving and about 6 1/2 weeks from Christmas??? This year has gone by so fast! I must confess....I ate Halloween candy....there, I said it! I can tell the holidays are going to be a huge challenge for me this year. It doesn't help that for the past four weeks I haven't been able to walk because I have a stress fracture in my foot....not good!!! I am going to attempt to get at least a short walk in starting next week, it is better, so maybe I'll be able to do a short one.

Last night I went to the weight loss seminar with Keith, and had the opportunity to get up and share my story of my weight loss. Keith is considering having surgery, and the good thing for him is that he can get the Sleeve procedure, which is better than my roux-en-y bypass. It was kind of good for me to sit in on the seminar again, it helped remind me of the committment I have made to obey the rules of the bypass, and reminded me of the respect I should have for my new stomach. A good reminder to have with the holidays coming up! I can't believe I actually admitted in front of Dr. Weiss that I had been eating Halloween candy, but I did. Then I had the chance to share that although I had eaten candy, I still wasn't able to eat the amount of candy I could have (and did) two years ago. I think it's important for those who are thinking about having surgery that they WILL still be tempted and it won't be easy every day to make the right choices....however, the good thing about my bypass is that, I still have this tool to help me jump back on the wagon when I fall off.

October 27, 2011

Well the last week has been difficult for me....I have started having problems with acid reflux and stomach issues. I have started on Prilosec and it seems to be helping, but I am very scared that I may have to give up my coffee. I have cut out the lemon juice I put in my tea and mustard, hoping that will help.....then IF I HAVE TO I guess I will cut out the coffee.

I wanted to pass along that I did go to the health food store and they do not have the peanut spread from Walden Farms.....so, I am going to go ahead and order some this week myself and I'll let you guys know how it is. I am excited about it!

Also, I was very excited this past Saturday when I purchased my first pair of knee high boots in about 30 years!!! YES!!! That is definitely an accomplishment! Go me!!!

October 19, 2011

Yes, it's been while since I updated....I've just been kind of busy. You will notice that I changed the style of writing on my page; that's because I heard through the grapevine that some of you were having trouble reading it in the handwriting style....sorry about that....you should have spoken up sooner!!!

As of yesterday I hit 195!!! That's a grand total of 130 lbs. lost, with 35 to go till I reach "MY" goal. I see the nurse practitioner on Friday for my 18 month check up. I also have hit a road block with my exercising....I have a stress fracture in my foot....which clearly means I am not able to walk or really do much of anything else related to exercise for a while. I'm having to pay a lot closer attention to my caloric intake, can't count on the walking to help walk off anything "extra" I may want to eat.

I'm still in that in between size category between a 16 and a 14....I tried on a pair of jeans today at Kohl's that were a size 14 and they went on with ease, but they were still just a tad too snug for my taste, however they had the stretch in them, so I think if I had left them on for a while they might have actually been okay. I'm really needing a pair of jeans, so maybe in a week or so I will have to go ahead and purchase some....looking for a really good sale.....still too much to lose to pay full price for anything. I am hoping that by next spring I will be close enough to my goal that I will be able to start buying my "new wardrobe". I CAN'T WAIT!!! I feel so blessed and am so excited that I have not hit over 200 lbs on the scale for several weeks now.....I'm staying very consistent between 195-197.....YEA!!! Thank you Jesus!

Just Keeps Getting Better!

Wow! I may be posting too much this week, but what a week....I have lost 4 lbs this week....I'm now down to 196!!! WOO HOO!!! Not sure what has happened, but I know I like it! I started the Wellbutrin two weeks ago Monday, so I don't know if something in it has kicked in, or if it's just coincidence. I looked back through my blog and realized that I had reached 100 lbs. almost a year ago on 10/10/10. Since that time I have only lost 29 lbs.....not much in almost a year's time, especially with having had gastric bypass. I have 36 lbs left before I reach my goal weight, so hopefully by summer I'll make it....that would be sooooo...........awesome!

I think the Wellbutrin is starting to help, I feel like the "edge" is better, but it won't be two weeks till Monday, so it's still a little early to tell for sure. This is the first weekend that I haven't had planned from beginning to end in a LONG time, hopefully I will be able to get some much needed housework done! That alone will make me feel better!

Have a good weekend everyone!