Back home from Vacation and a bunch of None-Scale-Victories

I do not even know where to begin.. because I had such a wonderful time in Europe, lived each day to the fullest and didn't think about my band at all.
It was the first time since being banded that I (almost) forgot that I have one except for the moments when I got stuck... I stepped on my parents scale once I arrived and yesterday morning before I left, and to my surprise I lost a Kilo (2.2 pounds) which I did not expect because I just ate what felt right and didn't think about calories or exercise at all. I just lived life like a regular person and it felt great and kind of liberating. I visited so many friends and family and it was always about food. Brunches, Lunches, Coffee, Dinners, etc. I did not feel deprived of anything and ate whatever I wanted (just very small portions) and avoided slider foods but drank approx. 2-3 glasses of wine a day which I usually do not do. I never felt the need to stuff myself or had to wait for the band to stop me... I just knew what was right and when to stop. I got stuck on two occasions... one was at a Spanish Tapas bar when I got stuck on Dates and the other time on a baked potato with smoked salmon, no idea why it happened because I didn't do anything different)

The flights were great, I didn't feel anything different except when the plane decreased the altitude. I think that maybe the cabin pressure changed during that process but it didn't bother me that much, however I could not eat that super-delicious European breakfast they served on my way to Eruope and my coffee got stuck so bad that I had to let it out. Other than that... no problems whatsoever... I was able to eat from all the other meals (they serve several ones on a 12 hour flight) For the first 2 days I was a little tighter than usual but I am not sure if it was flight related or had to do with my period. And since I only returned last night I have not eaten anything as of yet (still jetlaging) but will definitely let you know if I'll feel anything different.

As you may remember I was a little worried of how my people over there would react to my weight loss and I am happy to report that they were sooooo happy for me and I heard nothing but beautiful things. Some people were more shocked than others but all agreed that I look great and congratulated me on my weight loss. My uncle even told me to stop dieting because I am getting too skinny... I've never heard anyone saying that and it made me laugh because it felt so surreal.

I could fill pages of all the great things I have done and what a wonderful time I had and how much I enjoyed the "European Things" such as going to Beer gardens, sitting in Street-Corner-Cafes and going to "Fests" with Live Music, etc. and how great it was to spend quality time with those I truly love (and vice versa)

U2 was giving a concert in my home town last Thursday and I even got tickets and enjoyed a wonderful concert with my little baby brother. I love Bono <3

The 2 weeks flew by so fast and I did so many things and met so many people that it will take a couple of days to reflect on everything.

But I already reflected on the None-Scale-Victories :-)))

- In the airplanes there was a whole lot of seat left... no seat belt problems of any kind and for the first time I didn't feel "heavy" even though I am still kind of "heavy"
- I don't think anyone realized that I had WLS and it was absolutely okay to eat out and I focused on appetizers (I love Italian and Greek appetizers) and Tapas at Spanish Restaurants... I only ordered foods that I like but also had a high nutritional value (nothing fried and always some kind of protein with veggies). I even had ice cream and cakes here and there, but never the portions I would eat prior to banding and always shared it with others (which is by the way a wonderful thing to do... I totally enjoyed sharing a dessert with others) I did not feel deprived of anything and it was the first time EVER that I lost 2 pounds on a vacation :-)))))
- I felt physically fit and was up to a lot of things that I could have never done a year ago... like enjoying a 6-mile leisure walk around a lake just for the heck of it with no purpose and not to "exercise" but just to go for a walk and to enjoy nature.
- I received a lot of attention from men and if I were single I think some of them were the kind of men I would allow to invite me for coffee ;-) but at the same time it felt kind of awkward because my mind didn't allow me to enjoy the attention since my mind is still telling me that I am fat = ugly! and it made me feel uncomfortable. Difficult to explain but true.
- The day before I traveled I bought 2 GAP Jeans in size 14 because they had a sale going (Buy one get one for $20) and I had to return them because they were a little lose... YESSS!!!! *Smile* I can wear a tight size 12 now :-)))))
- I always used to wear a 39.5 Shoe Size (European Size) and my feet shrank to a size 38.5 which totally annoyed the sales person since she had to run back and forth what felt like a gazillion times.
- I bought 2 pairs of high heels... and the most important thing is that I can walk in it and they truly look great. Can't wait to wear them <3


I am sure that there is much more I could add but those are the most important ones since they are completely new and really put a smile on my face.

There is one more thing I want to add.

I was always wondering what life with the band would be like when I encounter situations that include a lot of food and the joy of food... like going to Europe and to sit in front of a plate of edible childhood memories... or passing by the most delicious Ice Cream (for me Pistachio) Stand, etc. but I realized that I am healed... I am truly healed from eating large amounts of food no matter if they are good foods or bad foods... they do not taste better just because I eat more of them... and a little bite or two is all I need to get my fix. This is totally wonderful.

I still have 30-40 pounds to lose and for the next couple of months I will give it my all... I will run off to the finish line and I am looking forward to maintenance because I really know that I can totally do this...  and that I will never ever allow myself to be obese again.

I hope all of you are doing great... I am a totally bad blogger lately.... *Sorry* but I promise that I will blog and leave comments once I am fully back... right now it feels that my body is in L.A. but my brain is still somewhere in Europe.

But it surely feels good to be home again and to enjoy the SoCal heat <3

****HUGS*****

PS: I have not updated my weight loss ticker and will do so Friday.

ONEderland :-)

What a ONEderful day :-)

I have finally reached ONEderland... and it truly feels ONEderful! I stepped on the scale at least 20 times to look at that ONE and I am sure by the end of the day I will have stepped on the scale at least 50 times ;-)

Not even a year ago It seemed sooooo far away, almost impossible for me to reach... and now here it is! Right there on my scale: 199.5

What is even more facinating is that I bought 2 pair of Gap Jeans on May, 25th. One in size 16 that fit perfectly at that time and a size 14, that did not fit at all. In fact I could not even get into it....

Yesterday I tried it on and it fit... :-)

Restriction-wise I am doing okay... there are days when I am extremely tight and other days when I could eat more than I should, but somehow my mind really adjusted to the new portion sizes and as long as I am not hungry I am fine. I am not counting any calories any longer and do not wear my GoWear Fit device neither. As long as I am losing I am fine, but still find these tools extremely helpful when the weight loss does stall.

The other day I was craving Chinese food and looked (for the first time ever) at the nutritional facts of Panda Express. Their Kung Pao Chicken has 300 calories and 19g of Protein (without the chow mein or rice). Very band friendly. I ordered a Panda Bowl but it was still too big, so next time I'll order from the Children Menu.

I am now 4.5 lb way from 100 lb lost and 9.5 lb away from being overweight (and no longer obese)

The closer I get to goal to more exciting this journey gets.

Sorry for not blogging and not leaving any comments for the last couple of weeks. I've been so busy with work that I just didn't have the time.

I'll be catching up with your blogs over the weekend and look forward to read how everyone is doing. I hope all are doing fine.

9 Months Bandiversary - Bye-Bye 210's

9 months ago at this time I was having surgery... wow... time passed by soo fast... and now looking at it from that angle it is unbelievable that I have lost 85.5 lb since then.

Weightlosswise my expectations are definitely exceeded and I never expected to be flirting with ONEderland at this time especially because of the infection and port removal surgery and all. I guess the most important lesson I've learned along this journey is... no matter how hard you fall you can always get up again and run off to the finish line. And there is nothing that can stop me now! I want to see that freaking 199 on my scale and want and will reach my goal of 155!

It was so frustrating to look at that ticker and see 140 lb to lose.... and it feels really really good that this 140 turned into a 54.5! It is getting smaller and smaller and so am I!

My mind still cannot accept my weight loss... I have many fat days, and I have them more often than I had them at 295. I hate my legs and I am anticipating that day when I can truly see that my legs are getting thinner. Of course I am feeling sooo much better and I am not afraid to wear a bikini in my private backyard and jump in the pool... something I didn't do last year because I was so afraid that a neighbor could see me. A lot of those fears are subsiding, which is a very good thing, because I am feeling so much more alive and free.

What I did not expect was, that this lap-band journey would still be such hard work because for every pound I lose I have to work really hard for. It was very different in the beginning of my journey... I lost almost effortless. When I read other blogs it seems that it may be different for other bandsters but for me it involves a great deal of calorie deficit counting and keeping a close eye on my daily food intake and especially exercise. And the quality of food was not really my problem... it was the quantity!

But it is okay. It doesn't bother me that much because I know that it will be the last time I've ever have to do this and as long as the weight is coming off I do not care how much I have to pay attention.

I thank all of you that have commented on that post deeply for your positive thoughts, advice and input! I <3 you for supporting me!

Happy Weekend!

No more Ws - The best NSV so far!

Yesterday I passed by the Gap and I still do not know what made me go inside, because I never ever expected to fit into "Misses" Size Jeans.

I am was all about the W's (W16s an W14s).

I was totally helpless and insecure in that store...somehow those little sizes intimidate me. Will blog about this in more detail at a later time.

At any rate... I walked out of the Gap with my blue plastic bag and inside were a size 16 and a size 14 Jeans in Misses Size (no W!!!) The size 16 fits perfectly... the size 14 does not fit as of yet, but I need something to check my progress with so I bought it anyway!

Not even a huge Louis Vuitton or Gucci Bag made me ever feel so proud like that little blue Gap Bag (with Misses Sizes inside)

Cannot remember that I ever felt so "Missy" <3

Will keep the bag as a reminder... never expected it to make me feel THAT good!

PS: @ CurvasPeligrosas! Welcome to Lap-Band Land and I am happy to hear that you will have the procedure with the same surgeon as I had. He is great, I love him and I am so glad that I had the surgery done by him. Unfortunately I do not know if you will need another Endoscopy or if he can work with the Upper GI that you already had. It is listed as a requirement on the pre-op checklist and I also believe that my insurance required it. The best thing to do would be to call up the Beverly Hills office and ask them.  They will know for sure. If you have any questions regarding Dr. Feiz or the procedure you may also email me at stardusticsjourney at gmail.com Best of luck on your journey! It's the best thing I have ever done for myself. I will also follow your blog and your journey.

70 down - half way there - and NSVs

My scale turned out to be my friend after all. This morning I stepped on it at least 10 times to make sure it really said 224.5

I am sooo relived I broke that annoying plateau and see the scale moving!

70.5 down... and I have now less to lose than I've already lost... 69.5 to go!


I also experienced a couple of NSV yesterday... I was trying on all kinds of clothes and proudly showed my husband "Remember? I wore it on Grandma's 90th Birthday" or "Wanna marry me again?" Because I fit into the dress I wore when we got married (not a Wedding dress, because we never really had a Wedding, just had a small ceremony in City Hall)... "Wanna go to Paris?" because I fit into a Winter Outfit that I bought and only wore once when we vacationed in Paris and never fit into it after that because that's when the Atkins diet ended and I slowly gained my weight back...

My husband was really fascinated... truly fascinated and did not say it just to make me happy, it felt very sincere when he said "I am so excited to be your husband" "You are truly beautiful and I can't wait so see the cookie inside of you that you have been hiding for all these year" and "that I look sexy".

It made me sooo happy to hear him say that... He is my biggest cheerleader and I love him with every fiber of my being. He never complained about my weight and still made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman on the planet. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.

None of my diets ever brought me below the 200 mark... The closest I got was 214 and since it was not too long ago I still remember how it felt like... I can't wait to get below the 214 mark and experience a whole new me that was lost in all that flubber for so many years. I am pretty excited today, because for the first time I really believe that I will make it happen and it makes me very emotional because I had buried that dream or the wish to be "normal" and accepted somehow to be "big" for the rest of my life.

Then there was my most favorite red top... a top that I cherished and loved because it has a cut that hid my weight very good and no matter what the occasion was I could wear it. It was my life-saver on many occasion. If nothing else worked, I always had my red top. Well, the "red top" found it's place next to the size 20 jeans... that I will never ever wear again.. but will be a reminder of where I come from (and where I never ever want to be at).

I am at a point where I really feel the weight loss, where I see the physical changes and where I cannot believe how small my upper body became. When I look in the mirror... I start to see ME! It brings tears to my eyes just typing it... because it really hit me yesterday that the weight will be lost... that I have a huge fire burning within me that will make it happen... it will happen... no matter how long it takes!

I am so excited to get to know "ME" again and I wonder what it will feel like to be "normal" I still have long way to go... but I will get there... step by step... one day at a time... !

Thanks for reading and I am soo thankful that I  have all of you to share my feelings and experiences with. It really means a lot to me.

What does your fat feel like?

:-D I have never had a chance to ask anyone that is losing weight and since there are so many of us I would really like to know if you are feeling the same.

When I was laying in my bed last night I felt that all my "fat" feels very different... kinda like Jello or Cotton Balls... very very soft, liquidish, weird... especially on my belly and hips...

Only a couple of weeks ago it felt much more "solid"... I let my husband touch it and he could not believe how funny it felt.

Do you feel the same? I hope it is a good sign :-D

In regards to my post from yesterday and the "Starvation Mode Myth" I would like to add, that of course everyone has to do what works best for each individual. If it works for you to eat more calories and it speeds up your metabolism, good for you! Unfortunately it does not work for me :-( And since I am wearing the GoWear Fit device I can monitor my metabolic rate very closely... the calorie/food intake does not speed up or slow down the rate for me. The only thing that speeds it up or slows it down is my work out routine (or the lack thereof).

I am just so frustrated with that stupid plateau that I am trying to find ways to get the weight loss going again... eating more food/calories had the opposite effect for me... unfortunately... don't get me wrong, if a piece of chocolate could speed up my weight loss I would be more than pleased ;-)

Will keep you informed. At least the scale moved 0.9 lb this morning and hopefully it will move down instead of bouncing back up again. GRRRRR

Wishing all of you a wonderful week and many SVs and NSVs!

@Marie: What do you mean by Chicago? Did I miss anything? Please fill me in!

Here are my statistics from yesterday 4/24/10 (click to enlarge)

Do you truly believe you will reach your goal? I cannot let go of my size 18 pants!

My closet-spring-cleaning turned out to be a real project... but a project that was fun but also made me think.

I can no longer wear my size 18 pants, which made me very happy but also triggered serious fears within me.

In the past when I was still dieting... I would just put them in the back of the closet or put them in the guest room closet just to be save because you never know when you may need them again ;-)

I sadly realized today that my mind does not allow me to let go of that mental blockage that I am stuck in.

I did not have a weight problem until the age of 18, at least I was not considered overweight and was in a normal weight range. By the time I turned 23 I gained 20 pounds that I really struggled to get rid of and never did. I moved to the USA with 187 lbs and 2 years later ballooned to 250, that's when I lost 50 pounds but it did not last long, another 2 years later I was 285, lost 71 pounds with Atkins in 2004. After that I gained some and lost some. By the time we moved to L.A in 2007 I was 236 pounds, I worked out every day, started Atkins again and only lost 2 pounds in 3 months, that was very demoralizing because I did not understand why I could not lose weight and two years later I ended up at 295 (because I was so sick and tired of diets and it didn't seem to make a difference how much I worked out and how little I ate). That's when the lap-band journey began.

Now I have lost 67 pounds since being banded and the scale shows 228, which makes me very happy... BUT I am so worried that it is just a temporary kind of thing.

When I lost 71 pounds with Atkins I promised myself to never ever gain it back... that I would never allow myself to not pay attention to my weight and it still happened and a couple of years later I was at my heaviest ever.

Back to the size 18 pants... At first I wanted to pass on my clothes via the sisterhood of the traveling pants and let my pants travel from one bandster to another... I put them on a special pile to take pictures, along with some tops that are very dear to me because I find it very hard to find truly beautiful things in plus sizes but then my fears kicked in. The fear of gaining it all back... and not be able of just grabbing a larger size.

In my closet you can find clothes from size 14/XL all the way up to 20/3XL and I realized that they give me a great comfort and some kind of security because no matter how much I gain I always have something to wear no matter if it is a wedding, a party, a business meeting or just a lunch with friends. For me there is nothing more frustrating than the lack of finding the right outfit. I am sure you all know how frustrating it is to go clothes shopping and I have to admit that I regulary cry in dressing rooms because I get so frustrated with myself and my lack of willpower and commitment to my own body.

So why is it so hard for me to let go of the size 18 pants? Because it took so long (and many tears in dressing rooms) to find the perfect fit/cut? Am I subconsciously holding on to it because I think I will gain it all back? It bothers me that I cannot free myself of whatever is holding on to the size 18 pants.

I would really like to know if you can picture yourself at goal weight? Do you truly believe you will get there and stay there?

My goal is 155 pounds because it would put me at a "normal" weight range... not overweight... but normal... It seems soooooo far away that it is really hard to picture myself of getting there. I need to lose 3 more pounds and I am halfway there... but the halfway mark doesn't mean a lot when you still have 70 pounds to lose.

What's wrong with me? Is anyone having similar "issues"?

Bye-Bye 230s - Hope to never ever see you again

Good Riddance 230s... What a stubborn visitor this was... hope to never ever see you again!

I gave it my all this month... and unfortunately it did not pay off the way I expected :-(

Even though I lost 10 pounds in the month of March I was really hoping to lose a couple of more pounds to reach my Easter Goal of 225! It is highly unlikely that I will drop 4 pounds in the next 48 hours. It's okay, I am still very happy that I lost enough to say good bye to the 230s and if I can continue to lose 10 pounds a month I will be EXTREMELY happy!

I never thought that I would write anything like this... but I am no longer hungry, have no appetite and food just does not taste the way it used to taste. I am having the problem not getting enough calories in. It is not the restriction because I could eat much more if I wanted to...I have never experienced anything like this because I am a food lover and there are varieties of foods I truly love and like to eat...I wouldn't be overweight if I didn't like food, lol!

It really bothers me because I would like to eat in the 1000 calories range... So tomorrow I will have to create a meal plan and force myself to stick to it whether I like it or not.


On a different note, I had a couple of NSV this week...

#1
The most important one, I can (for the first time) see that I have lost weight. Until last week I could only see it in my face but not on my body even though I have dropped sizes in clothing and my husband and other people are pointing it out all the time... but nothing feels better when you can actually see it (and believe it) yourself!

#2
I cannot wear my wedding band any longer because it slips right off... my watch hangs on the underside of my wrist because it got too lose. No idea if I should have it adjusted or wait it out until goal weight.

#3
I am being ID'd for buying wine. Seriously! I am 35 years old, lol!

#4
My closet needs a serious "spring cleaning" Last week we had 80+ degrees and I had to work my way through at least 10 summer tops to finally find one that actually fits.

Other than that I am still extremely busy with work... this weekend I will do some serious spring-cleaning and if time permits plant my veggie and fruit seedlings in my garden.

Will check in with you soon. Bonnie and Band Groupie...Thanks for asking for me and I am truly sorry that I could not respond sooner.

NSV and my second fill!

This morning I was forced to try on my most favorite size 18 jeans... Not in my wildest imagination did I expect to really be able to close the buttons... BUT... I did! *dancearoundthecomputer* So I was wearing a size 18 Jeans for the first time in *letmethink* 10 months and it felt great, except for the  little muffin top, but who cares when you actually fit in it ;-)

This was a very important NSV for me, even more important than any scale victory.

Shortly after something very weird happened... I was checking on one of the incisions and felt a little bump and I pressed on it...Sorry TMI... but when I pressed on it liquid came out of the scar. I could not believe my eyes and I pressed on it again and more liquid came out... like when you have a zit *panic*. I put one of my Hello Kitty Band Aids on it (they really make me heal faster) and was not worried too much about it because luckily I had an appointment with my surgeon today and he told me not to worry and that it is an suture that my body will either reject or dissolve and that he could take it out but if he did I would end up with a larger scar. I decided to let nature take it's course instead of dealing with a bigger scar. As long as it is not an infection I can deal with it.

I got the second fill and it was not painful at all. This time I had so stand up while he adjusted the band... I had to drink water again and unfortunately I finished the 2nd cup before he completed the adjustment so I actually had to hold the needle that was stuck inside the port while he was getting me another cup of water. That was really funny. I feel so blessed that I selected Dr. Feiz as my surgeon, he is great and so is his entire staff. If feels more like you are visiting family than dealing with a physician. I hope you all are also blessed with your surgeons.

For dinner I had a Atkins Protein Shake and there was no way that I could drink it at fast as prior to the second fill. There is definitely more restriction. Will do 2 days of liquids and 2 days of mushy food and will let you know how it goes with the fill and the changes I will experience.

Will ignore my evil, lying, bitchy scale until Friday and hopefully she has some good news for me ;-)
How do you guys manage it not to step on the scale every day? I have to step on it several times a day and it makes me upset that I am so obsessed with the numbers. Unfortunately did not move and is still showing 269... Hopefully the fill will make her move!

Other than that all is well in La-La Lap-Band Land... have a lot of catching up on your blogs to do and hope all of you are doing great!

Sending lots of California Sunshine over to Gen to melt the snow as fast as possible! Poor thing.

1 Month Bandiversary!

One month ago I did not really know what to expect from Lap-Band Surgery. I was not worried but I was not fully convinced neither. My main fear was that I will invite something bad into my life by engaging in surgery by choice.

Today I am most of all grateful that my surgery went well, that I did not have any complications and that my incisions healed very well. I am also happy that I had all the pre-surgery tests done because I have avoided physicals for a couple of years, mainly because of my weight and it was easier for me to live in denial than to face the fact that I was morbidly obese (and still am). It lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and I am happy that my blood tests were better than I thought, EKG turned out good and the heart echo, that I had never done before, did not show any abnormalities.

In June I also had an appointment with an ob/gyn, which I have avoided for approximately 4 years because just the idea of getting naked in front of a stranger made me panic but in order to take charge of my health I woke up one morning and knew that day was the day to schedule an appointment and I did it and when the results came back I felt a huge relief.

I am also very grateful that I have found great Doctors along the way... I never had a gynecologist that sensed how uncomfortable I was and made the check up so positive that I could completely relax and wanted to give him a HUGE hug afterward (but did not). My Lap-Band surgeon is the best Doctor I have ever had, I truly love him and I am forever grateful that he is the way he is and that I have found him. Through him I was referred to my new general physician that performed all my pre-surgery tests and I also like him a lot.

What I like most about them is the fact that they are practicing medicine because it is their calling, that they genuinely care about their patients health and are sensitive enough to understand the fears of an overweight person and just take your hand and lead you through the storm. I never had to express my fears, they sensed them. So for me a great Doctor is not only someone that studied hard and graduated with excellent grades from the finest Universities, but is also human enough to relate to patients emotions and fears and most of all never judges them.

On my 1 Month Bandaversary the biggest accomplishment is the fact that I have taken charge of my health and faced my fears head on. My decision for having a Lap-Band was more a health decision than anything else. I am very happy, thankful, grateful and relieved that I have taken this step and there is not an iota of regret in me.

Of course I am also happy that I have lost 21 pounds, that I can visually see the weight coming off, that I am not hungry, that Your Highness (my band) really knows how to control me, that I am more active and have some kind of a balance in my life. I am also happy that I learned not to obsess over the scale or fills, accepted that my weight loss will be a gradual process and that I will have to do my part in order to lose weight.

Last but not least I am also happy that I have met all of you and that we have each other for support and that we take part in each others journeys. Thank you to all of you for just being there and supporting me with your comments, answers and input. They really mean a lot to me.  I love you guys!

Life is beautiful!

I have no idea why I felt the way I felt yesterday... All is good, Life is beautiful.. As soon as I left the office and headed to the beach everything was fine. I had a good time with my friends and enjoyed the beach very much. I guess I needed a change of surroundings and to just enjoy myself without thinking about work, weight loss, my scale or any obligations.

My friends were a little pushy with the food, did not want to accept that I only ate a soup and declined cake and ice cream. So I said that I had some dental work done in the morning and that my teeth were extremely sensitive. I hate lying... I really do... but it is imperative that nobody knows about my surgery. For the long term I will have to come up with an excuse that will be believable and will satisfy the curious minds.

When I woke up this morning I spoiled my husband with a very nice breakfast in the backyard. I could only eat some greek style yoghurt with strawberries because my band is really tight in the morning and I am not a big eater in the morning anyway.

Have not had any real solid foods yet, but will make a solid food dinner and hope that it will satisfy my urge to chew something. Until then I will clean the house, turn on some I-love-my-life-music and if I am up to it I will rearrange my herb garden.

And from now on I will not get depressed over the scale, I will look at the positive things and those are: I have lost 17.5 lbs, that will never come back, I said my final good-byes to the 280s and know that it is just a matter of time to say good-bye to the 270s. My face is getting slimmer, my upper body is shrinking and so are my feet. I am also happy that I did not eat ice cream or cake and that it did not bother me at all that others were eating it.

In addition I removed the weight loss chart that hung above my scale until this morning and replaced it with the following:

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.

~ Kahlil Gibran ~

Thank you very much for your support and your positive words and just being there :-x

I did it :-)

It is 12:30 AM PST and I am officially in the mushy food stage... hold on a second... I need to dance around the computer for a moment... I am soooooo happy :-)

I am happy because I really stuck to the liquid diet for 16 days! I am proud of myself! I had some tough moments, especially when I cooked very delicious dinners for my husband, but I stayed strong and determined and did not even lick my fingers just to proof myself that I can do it. AND I DID IT!... sorry, need to dance around the computer again, brb ;-)

• I lost 16.5 lbs
• My feet and ankles got slimmer
• My face shows lines
• My ring finger got slimmer
• Two weight loss "holes" appeared right below my ribcage
• My teeth are whiter because the liquids gave me a constant urge to brush my theeth
• I am feeling great!!!

I had to share this with you before I go to sleep... and will probably dream of my first mushy meal that I will be having for breakfast :-)