FOCUSED!!!

Since my last doctor appointment on the 29th, a week and a half ago, I have lost 5.5 pounds. I am at the lowest weight I have been in a long time 234.4 and I am striving to get to 226 by the end of the month, that will be the lowest I have been in 3 years!!! I have started watching "YouTube" ...yes I said started :0)...I am amazed at how many "banders", people who have had lap-band or gastric bypass, document their journey on youtube. Anyway, I am addicted!!! The stories of others have been so encouraging. I have been able to hear different advice that their doctors have given them and the "rules" they follow that helped them reach their goal...this has helped me decide how to structure my own journey. I was also happy today to stumble across someone who had been diagnosed with PCOS and was banded. I was so happy to find out that yes it is a fact that if you have PCOS it is still more difficult for you to lose weight than someone else who has been banded and does not have PCOS!!! I HATE to use PCOS as an excuse...I feel so often that the reason is just ME...and yes part of it is..like when I gave up...but to know that yes it is a fact that it is harder and will take longer because I have PCOS just makes me feel better. So what are some "RULES" that I am adding to my journey: 1. Eat between 800 - 1000 calories a day When I first heard this I thought there is NO WAY...but I must remember that I am banded and can't eat much at a time anyway...so today I tracked my calories to see where they fell in this ratio... and I landed at 824 calories. This was with me eating 3 meals and 1 snack. A new product I love, recommended by my doctor, is the Atkins Meal Replacement Bar.

This is my favorite so far! I actually look forward to eating it and I normally HATE protein bars they are so gross and lack flavor but these bars taste like a peanut butter cup :)(tricking the mind) 2. Minimum of 210 minutes of exercise a week = 30min/7days a week. So this is my MINIMUM goal for each week...what I skip one day ...must me made up the next. 3. Count your calories..yes I talked about how many I am going to eat but you must count them , write them, and keep track of them to ultimately keep yourself accountable. Well that is all the rules for now...I am sure I will find some more to help me along this path. BIG DECISION....so I have decided I am going to start training (scary word for a fat girl) for a 5k.

Scary to even put that out there but I want to do it. I want to train and run/walk or crawl one around the begining/middle of June...right after my 31st birthday. I want this as a birthday gift to myself. I am also hoping to make it to "ONEDERLAND" by then as well. For those out there that don't know what "ONEDERLAND" is...it is the majical world of weighing under 200 pounds and reaching 199.9 :)...gotta have that .9 in there because it still qualifies you for ONEDERLAND!!! For me ONEDERLAND is exactly 34.5 pounds away. I know that is a huge feat for such a short period...I would like to be there but to just be close would be just as fabulous by that time frame. So that is my update for now...if you should venture to YOUTUBE and seek out motivation...look up bandedwendy and skymoon1982...they are great inspirations....