So I'm getting close to two years post op. I haven't updated this blog because, well, I didn't have time. I was living life. My life is so different now. I have built up the confidence to do more in life. I am almost finished with my teaching certification for Early Childhood Education. As a mother who works full time, my measly eight classes left will probably take 2 more years because the last two will take most of my years vacation to do classroom observations.
Once you pass that one year mark, it gets so much harder. It can be incredibly easy to fall back into old habits. I gained back 15 pounds this past fall and I've been fighting to lose it all again. I weighed myself this morning and I've lost 7 so far. My greatest, and most exciting, news is that I have been able to run again. I hurt my knees in the Navy years ago and haven't been able to run regularly without severe knee pain and swelling in 11 years. For the past 3 weeks I have been running in the mornings (when I can drag myself out of bed). I am soooooooo psyched! This will help me lose the rest and continue to maintain, build my endurance, and help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
I have fallen off the wagon for the winter for riding my bicycle, but I am working on riding again this spring and building up my mileage again.
I have also fallen into some pretty bad eating habits. Eating all manner of desserts. I lost my strength and will power that I had that first year to say no. I snack. I eat too much and stretch my pouch. I am not the perfect patient. I have maintain, mostly, my weight loss but I struggle EVERY DAY to eat healthy, portion my meals, and stay away from those wonderfully evil desserts.
On the plus side, I've maintained a size 4 for well over a year. I was an 8 in highschool and I was athletic. That feels great. I am energetic and spry. I can run around with my daughter. In fact, she runs with me in the morning. So I'm teaching her healthy routines for life.
I live and eat more naturally. In fact, I'm beginning a new blog soon on natural beauty. I taught a class on it this weekend at First Landing State Park. I love teaching. It makes me feel more confident and...alive!
Here are some post op pics:
