Hey y'all long time no update! Well I'm down 113 pounds wish it were more but in time I can't wait to be under 200 but I'm at 212 now! Praying those 13 pounds go away soon!! But here is my big news, after spending the last 13 years at home, in school and raising children! Well I got an email a few weeks ago about updating my application at a place I had applied to and I did so and right after updating it I got an email for an interview!! Wow! Well did the interview and let me tell you boy has interviewing changed since the last job I held! It was online and telephone! But at the end of the interview I was offered a job! Friday April 18th I started my new job! It's full time 40 hours a week $9 an hour working at a call center. I was happy I get every Sunday off thank you God and thank you God for the job because honestly we needed the job! For the first six weeks I will be working 7AM-3:30PM Monday through Friday but after that I'll be working 11AM - 7:30PM which kinda makes me sad cause I know it'll be bedtime for the babies by the time I get home I was hoping for an earlier shift also my shift is not going to allow me to help much with VBS which makes me sad as well I love being active in my church helping with VBS and youth activities but for now this is how it has to be and I am thankful for what God has given me with this job! I will still be going to school so this will be a juggling act for me. I'll be looking forward to finishing school and pursuing the area in which God would have me go! But until then...I'm now officially a full time working woman answering phone calls, this should be interesting!
Howdy friends! Well I am now 7 months out from my Gastric Bypass and have hit a stall been holding at 215 for a few weeks gotta admit I'm not thrilled about this at all! But it is what it is and I know eventually that scale will move again! I mean really I can't complain I have got great stats and I'm happy! I've gone from 325 (honestly probably was at my largest 330+ because once I hit 330 I quit looking because then I'd have to admit I had major issues with food but by the time I decided gastric bypass was for me I had started eating healthier so when I weighed again I was at 325 so I use that as my starting point)
So highest weight in Feb. 2013- 325
Weight day of surgery August 19,2013- 288
Weight Currently March 14,2014: 215
So really not too shabby I ain't crying! :-) I'm just so close to ONEderland I wish that those 16 pounds would just hit the road and allow me to do a little celebrating cause my first big goal was getting that first 100 pounds gone getting under 200 is my next big goal after that getting to my goal weight of 150 is my final as far as losing goals after that it's to maintain and stay fit and healthy the rest of my life as long as God blesses me with my life!
So I did my measurements yesterday as well and that's what I do when I don't see the scale move as quickly as I like lol so I think it was a total of six inches lost since my last measurements but let me share what I have lost in inches since I started this trip to a new me!
Waist= 16 inches lost so far
Hips=15 inches lost so far
Chest= 18 inches lost so far
Neck=4.5 inches lost so far
For a total of 53.5 inches down
So that makes me sooooo happy happy happy! 53 inches gone of me for ever and 110 pounds gone as well now if this next bit of weight could just get on it's way off I'll be thrilled but I am truly thankful for all God has done for me and helped me through this time in my life! It has been stressful lately around the house so I'm thinking that has helped add to my stall so some of that stress has been shaken off as well and I have gotten me a gym membership so I have been working out more so I'm sure I'll see some weight shifts here soon! Also recently did a 5k mud run with some awesome friends we had a blast together love them! Got a color run 5k coming up on May 3rd looking forward to that as well!
Well that's all I got for now folks hope all is well with y'all!
Over the last week or two there has been a lot of talk about the latest Biggest Loser winner and I'd like to address that here in my weight loss blog! You know in society you get looked at like a three headed calf if your too fat at 325 pounds I was laughed at, and looked at funny when I went out shopping or to eat say it isn't so please say it isn't so because if you say it isn't so I'll tell you, you are clueless my friends! Everyone seems to be the "authority" on how others should look, what they should weight, and how they should be. But at the end of the day if I was a healthy, happy 325 pound woman and as long as you aren't paying my bills or doing anything for me then who are you to say what I should or shouldn't do? Well let's look at the other end of this spectrum Rachel Frederickson from this seasons Biggest Loser the grand prize winner! She weighed in at 105 pounds and is 5 foot 4 inches. People in society yet again judging and being the "authority" on what is healthy and what is right for someone else! At this weight and her height her BMI is 18.0 which does put her a tad but underweight to be at a "healthy BMI" she'd only have to have it at 18.6 so really what is the big deal? It's her body if she is happy and healthy then who are any of us to try to shame her? I mean as a big girl I have felt shamed ...but everyone going around saying she looks anorexic or she has issues here's a rude awakening folks YOU DO NOT KNOW what is going on with Rachel she could have lost all this weight through diet and exercise why does she have to be "anorexic"? Just because she doesn't fit in a nice little box created by an ugly society? I say to her you go girlfriend as long as you are happy and healthy you enjoy life you celebrate your great victory! I celebrate every pound I lose, every step till I reach that point where I'm happy with how I am and who I am I wont let society tell me what I should or shouldn't be they are not the authority on me or my life just like they aren't the authority on anyone else's life! For me my goal is to be 150-160 pounds but that's where I will feel healthy and happy...someone else might want to be smaller 120-130 and that is their prerogative to each their own. Well now that I'm done ranting about this here is my weight update since I haven't done a blog in a bit:
Start weight: 325
Day of Surgery: 288
Today: 218That is a grand total of 107 pounds gone forever!! Only 19 more pounds to ONEderland and only 58 till my goal weight I got this! I can now wear a size 12 jeans and a medium shirt! I started out in size 26 jeans and 3x Shirts! So proud of all my accomplishments enjoying the new me and I refuse to allow anyone to tell me I'm too anything anymore I'm just right ;-) the way I am and the way I'm headed! Y'all have a great night and thanks for reading! <3 Me
Hello my wonderful readers! So today I'm blogging over something I saw on TV yesterday as I sat with my daughter waiting on her doctors appointment. The Joy Fit Club on the Today show was on. And before I go any further let me just say I APPLAUD anyone who loses any weight small, big, massive amounts of weight if they did it on their own or if they had weight loss surgery like myself and many of my friends to each their own you get healthy the best way you can my friends you do what's right for you! However I am just going to start my rant right now! As they introduced each of these wonderful weight loss winners they made it a point to announce they did it WITHOUT surgery .... really who cares what they did it with? I mean they should be applauded for just doing it period no matter how they did it! Just as me and my weight loss surgery friends did it and are doing it the way we are! Please let me tell you this right now and get it off my chest and out of my mind WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY IS NOT the easy way out! For those who think it is walk a day in my shoes or any of my weight loss surgery sisters or brothers! We have to think think think nutrition every time we open our mouths and put food in it. we have to make sure our protein levels, vitamin levels, iron levels are on point even more so than someone who is doing it without the surgery! We have to change our lifestyle and keep it changed it isn't a diet and it should never be called a diet not even by those who are "doing it on their own". It's about changing BAD habits and choices with GOOD habits and choices and if you don't get that idea in your head with or without the surgery you will fail! We also have to exercise just like those I did it on my own folks! But it seems like those who are in the wellness and fitness world love to look down on us who have Gastric Bypass or am I just being overly sensitive? I don't think I am why should they be like oh we did it without surgery well good for you it isn't something that should be pointed out every single time I take nothing away from people who do it on their own but I and many others needed this extra tool to help us lose what we had to lose! I tried for years to lose weight on my own I have battled my body for years only to hit brick wall after brick wall! In all my desperation to lose weight I auditioned for Biggest Loser even. After years of trying I had to finally admit that PCOS wasn't going to allow my body to do this "on my own" and after going through months of weight management, classes, psych evals, all other sorts of testing and jumping through hoops I finally got approved for my surgery and to date from the day I started working on this journey in March of 2013 I have lost well gotten rid of lost implies that I might want it back lol and I don't I've gotten rid of 102 pounds and I wouldn't change a thing about my choice well maybe I'd decide to get it done sooner rather than later but that's about all I'd change! This was an awesome choice as I sit here down to 223 pounds when I use to weight 325 pounds (probably there were times I was up in the 330's I just didn't weigh myself because I had given up hope) But seriously people like this who have to seemingly demean us who did opt to have a tool added to our toolbox of weight loss need to stop and they need to educate their selves and the rest of the world that we aren't lazy we did NOT pick an easy way out we struggle and fight for our pounds lost just as much as the next guy and our victories are just as sweet as those who do it on their own! It had me so fumed that I actually emailed the show and I never do stuff like that just like I never do stuff like this here is the email address if you want to email the show yourself if your a weight loss surgery patient and let them know we work just as hard as those who do it on their own! Y'all have a great and blessed day!
questions@joybauer.com
Hi friends!!!! Welcome to 2014 I hope this year is an awesome year for us all! 2013 certainly was a very emotional and crazy year for me that is for sure! Lots of good things and a few bad things sprinkled through out the year I guess a little something to keep me grounded and remind me how fragile life truly is! This morning I woke up and did my weigh in and I am so happy to report to my awesome friends and family who read my blog that I left 101 pounds of me way back in 2013! I am super happy and excited about that! I am thankful that I decided to have the RNY Gastric Bypass it was the best choice I have made for myself in a very long time I have not one regret on my decision I have never been able to lose much on my own due to my lovely PCOS! In March 2013 I started out on this task to get my approval for my surgery weighing 325 pounds by the day I had my surgery on August 19th I was down to 288 I sit here right now blogging away to y'all at 224 pounds and I have not be this size in 20 YEARS!!!!!!!! It is unreal to me! Today I updated my pictures did a comparison picture which you can see right here at the top of my blog and it's still unreal to me! I am definitely happy with the changes, and I'm super excited about what 2014 holds for me! I hope by this time next year I'll be blogging and telling you all that I made my final goal which is roughly 75 pounds away seems doable knowing that I have lost 101 already! My next small goal is to shed 25 more pounds and make it to ONEderland...somewhere I haven't been in an extremely long time! But I know it'll be here sooner than I think and I can't wait! Next week I will be starting to go to the gym on base excited about that intimidated a bit too but hey one foot in front of the other ;-) I'd rather go to a gym in town but can't afford those monthly fees. Honestly loved the YMCA when I had a membership there but really can't afford the family membership package but hey that's life, can't have it all where would you put it? :-) I have to admit something...I am proud of myself and that's not something I normally say but I have a tremendous amount of pride in myself these days, I feel better about me, happier and more confident though I have a ways to go. In more weight loss news I have my check up with my surgeon on Friday at 10AM more blood work yay me praying that my protein and iron levels are back up and that nothing else is going on or wrong! My energy level has picked up some here lately with I am totally stoked about that been getting stuff done around here like a mad woman took today off though but tomorrow it's back to it! Want to finish cleaning and organizing before my classes start back on January 13th!! Well y'all that is about all I have for you for tonight! I'll catch up with y'all later! Good night and God Bless! <3 Me
Yeah I know I have gotten slack in my blogging lately my apologies, things have been pretty rough personally around here and I have been in a funk since we've dealt with 2 funerals, a broke down truck, and moving my eldest back in and other bits of drama that I will not and do not care to share on here and let's face it, that just isn't needed. All of this drama and other bits are in God's hands now and it's time to talk about weight loss! Monday I was 16 weeks post op woo hoo!! I lost 4 pounds this past week yay!!! Which brought me to 232!!!!!! I am now 7 pounds away from my first big goal of 100 pounds gone forever!!! I am 7 points from being considered overweight and not obese bigger woo hooo I have been obese FOREVER so it seems so the day I get to just overweight it will be a major accomplishment for me! So I started out in March at 325, date of surgery I was 288 and now I am 232 for a total of 93 pounds lost since March and 56 of that lost since August 19th! I am wearing size 16 jeans when I started out I was in 26/24's I am now in xl/large tops when I started out I was in 3X tops! Of course there are things about the new me I don't like the skin on my neck lol and my sagging upper arms but hey I'd rather deal with that than be the 325 pound woman I was before starting this journey! I have no regrets about this surgery at all! I'm doing decent with my eating I can tolerate more things, and I hope to get into the gym this coming week after we get all this moving stuff settled down, but it seems every time I plan on starting at the gym something throws a monkey wrench into the deal so I am praying that I can get there! :-) Well that's all I have for now I hope you all are doing well and have a wonderful and Merry Christmas!!!
So hello friends I am behind on blogging and I apologize but my family and I have had two weeks of unimaginable pain and grieving heaped upon us. Last week I lost my Granny so it was run home to NC for her funeral total sadness even though we knew it was going to happen. I miss her dearly she meant a lot to me to say the very least. Then this week my older three's grandpa died so it was back to NC for his funeral which was yesterday, what a sad couple of day's it has been, so hard to watch my older three go through this hard to watch my ex husband and his family go through this, hard for me as well he was my father in law for 12 years and was always good to me, because well that's just who he was even after my ex husband and I divorced he still treated me like family and I'm going to miss seeing him around ever so often. So as you see these couple of weeks have been rough! So I'm sorry I have gotten behind on my blogging. I did have fun last weekend though got to spend time with three awesome friends, did some shopping with them and Diana was awesome and brought me some clothes she has shrunk out of yay!
In weight loss news today I said goodbye to the 240's and now I'm in the 230's woo hoo!! I am now down 87 pounds since March but have lost 50 of that since August 19th that is 50 pounds in THREE MONTHS wow!!!! Unbelievable!!!! I am so happy because in times past of dieting and exercising I have only made it to 250 so when I made it to the 240's I was happy now that I'm in the 230's I feel over the moon happy like I can truly do this! I have no regrets about my choice of Gastric Bypass only that I wish I had done it sooner but that's okay I'll be fit and fabulous by 40! ;-) Going to enjoy my life because it's short and we are not promised tomorrow so I'm going to make the most out of my right now!
Other special achievements:
1. I can cross my legs like a lady ;-)
2. I now have visible collar bones
3. The Iron they put me on is starting to make me feel better energy wise.
4. I can put on a large shirt though it's still snug on me so I wont wear it in public lol
5. I have a neck now!
So that's the scoop y'all! I hope everyone out there is doing well! I'll catch up with y'all later!
<3 Me
