It's been a year!

That is right it has been an official year since i got my surgery. I look back now and say wow has it really been that long? I feel like I amstill trying to work it all out. Still trying to figure out my boundaries, foods I can and can't eat, figuring out how to get all my protein in, figuring out how to get my water in. But I guess I have gotten some things down since I was able to lose 70 pounds this year. Here are a few things I have learned
1. I could never have lost this amount of weight without the band
2. I can drink before a meal but not after or during
3. I need time for my food to settle before I can lay down
4. I can drive past a fast food place without stopping and survive
5. I don't need french fries at every meal
6. It still takes work to make the right decisions each and every day.
7. Listen to the sounds and clues your body gives you before you take the next bite
8. It is ok to leave some things on my plate
9. I still can't say no to cookies and just can't have them in the house
10. I am and always will be addicted to food.

That last one is hard for me, you think oh I got this thing now I just don't have to eat as much. But is so much more than that. I still think about food a lot, and could tell you everything in my cubbard without opening it. There are foods that if I eat one will lead me to eat 10 and I will eat every last one even if it makes me really sick and eventually throw up. I still salivate over commercials and sometimes buy food I know I can't eat but I want to try just to see. I can not be in the same room with a bag of cheetos. It just won't be pretty.

Over this past year, actually just these last few months I have come to feel ok with myself. I mean I will get my picture taken and not hide behind someone to cover me. I can walk in a room and not feel self consious. I feel like most days I look pretty good, rolls and all. Even though according to the BMI scale I am still overweight I think I look normal now.

Hoping to get some before and after pictures up here soon.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Need some variety

I have been following the World according to Egg face and she seems like she has it all figured out. Different ideas for food and all kinds of protein drinks. I sometimes feel like I am just eating lots of the same foods and then resorting back to my old habits when I get bored.
My normal day = protein coffee for breakfast
no snacks before lunch
salad with chicken for lunch or a frozen lite meal
protein bar as snack
dinner whatever I make- tonight was franks and beans (I know terrible but I didn't take the chicken out)
munching till I go to bed -tonight I had some left over birthday cake

SO.... I ordered a variety pack of the Tornio sugar free syrups in hopes of making some new shakes or coffees that i will enjoy and get back to basics. Tonight I literally ate 30 chips, now I know they were baked but still what a way to consume 300 calories in 10 minutes.
I have been trying not to buy things like that because I know I have no will power. But we had my 3 year olds birthday party this weekend and of course there are left overs.
Then this Friday my teenager is throwing a surprise party for her friend, which means once again junk food in the house.

I used a straw

I was dying of thirst and decided to buy a strawberry lemonade from Aunt Annies. Of course I didn't get a pretzel I knew that would be deadly. But I did use the straw. I have in the past and it really didn't make a difference, and they are so fun to drink out of.
Well I had a few sips, and then a few more and was feeling good. I was out in the car doing some christmas shopping and just enjoying a night out with no kids or husband holding me back drinking my lovely lemonade. When all of a sudden I got the feeling. I was like ooh I got to spit. I dug out some napkins out the glove box and just spit for a few minutes. I knew I couldn't get sick from it since I hadn't eaten anything in like two hours. Well I was mistaken. After a few red lights, I burped but it was so not a burp. I threw up all over myself in the car. I tried to catch most of it in a napkin but was unsuccessful. I spent the next few minutes trying to wipe it off my coat and luckily it was water repellent as I still had to go to AC Moore.
All through the store I was hoping I didn't miss a spot. I know gross but how often do I have the opportunity to shop without kids? Never.
What I learned is that straws are now off limits for me.

Make that 3!

I finished my last 5k of the year. I said I was going to do it and I did. I also improved my time from last week. I ran it in 43 minutes. Even though I was still the last runner to finish I don't care I did my best, beat my record and felt great. Also I think my butt is getting smaller due to the running.

I wouldn't mind doing a 5k every weekend if they didn't cost so dag on much!

Here is a pic of me before the race, and it was cold 32 degrees.

I'm the big one in the middle, my good friend from school who is an avid runner is on the left and my husband is on the right. He decided at the last minute to run it and completed it in 36 minutes. Mind you the man has not run or jogged in 4 years and still beats me. But he is sore and complaining about his knees all the time. Me on the other hand feels no pain .