One-der-land Baby!!!!!!

WOOT!!!  WOOT!!!  That's right baby, I'm out of the two hundreds!  It happened yesterday, but I wanted to make sure it was gonna stick before I started to brag about it!  I can't believe it, 9 1/2 months ago I was over 300 pounds and miserable.  I'm such a happier, healthier person now and I love it!  I had a pretty amazing weekend and this just tops it all off! 

Pity Party? Table For One? Your Table Is Ready!

Yep, I'm complaining today.  I am in pain, it's making me crabby and I just want it to go away.  I feel like I've traded in one illness for another *sigh*  When I had my surgery in October, they had my arm strapped straight out from my side for over 2 hours.  Turns out, my body didn't like that.  I have a horrible pinch in my upper bicep, that at times, will drop me to my knees. My RNY surgeon said my arm was hyper extended and referred me to an orthopedic surgeon.

So, after putting up with it for a while (until February) I finally did something about it and the orthopedic surgeon put me in physical therapy.  Today at my follow up, he decided to step it up a bit and gave me a cortisone shot in my shoulder....YEEOUCH!  I'm a touch cookie, I have 9 tattoos, but I'm not liking this one bit!  The shot itself didn't hurt any more than a usual shot.  The slight little prick and boom!  It was done.  But now that time has gone by, my entire left arm is numb (which is making it hard to type, yet equally funny at the same time) and it hurts like a SOB!  The doctor told me ice, ice, ice and rest, rest, rest...but I'm finding this a little difficult.  And since we cannot have any ibuprofen, I'm a hurting unit! I'm trying to lick my wounds (so to speak) with a Vanilla Latte Click, but it's not doing the whole trick.  So, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to have another one!

I'm glad I decided to take today off work...could you imagine me after about 8 hours of being crabby and all doped up on Click?  On the flip side, I'm trying to be optimistic and thinking this is going to work and it's going to change everything...I hope!  

Okay, my pity party is over...you may now resume your regularly scheduled programming :)

Happy 1st Day of Summer!!!!!!!!

My First Day of Summer Dream

WAHOO!!!!!  Summer has officially started!  And even thought it's cloudy and rainy in Iowa today, who cares!  Summertime is here!!!!  This is the first summer since I lived in Florida (way back in 1998) that I'm actually looking forward to getting out and showing myself off.  I've worked hard to drop this weight and damn it, I'm gonna flaunt it...bat wings and all!  :)  I have actually gone out and bought 3 tank tops and 2 sleeveless shirts and I'm excited to wear them!  Now all I need is somewhere to go...besides work!   And now, for your viewing pleasure...someone that CAN rock the sleeveless shirts....KENNY CHESNEY!!!!  Enjoy ;)

100 Pounds Gone...FOREVER!!!!!!

Enough said!!!!!!! 

My "I've lost 100 Pounds" ring.

The stone on the left is the birthstone for October, the month I had surgery.  The one in the middle is for my birth month, November.  The one on the right is the birth stone for June, the month I lost the 100 pounds in.

My mom made this wall hanging for me out of my favorite fabrics for losing 100 pounds. I love it!

Protein Lemonade? Yes Please!!!!

I'm in love...with Nectar's Roadside Lemonade protein powder!  As many of you know, I've had one heck of a time finding a protein powder that I could tolerate and keep down.  There was my first protein love, Vanilla Latte Click, then there was Vanilla and Chocolate Body Fortress and now, now there's Nectar. With it's 23 grams of protein, NO CARBS, NO FATS, NO SUGARS and only 90 calories.  Just add water and go! 

This stuff is AWESOME!!!!  I have tried it a couple of different ways.  I have tried it plain, with SF Strawberry syrup and with Wild Strawberry Crystal Light.  I must say, the last one is my favorite.  And this stuff is super easy to make.  You don't have to throw it in the blender, you don't even have to put it in a Blender Bottle, you can put it in a glass and stir it up.  That's it!  Isn't that great!?! 

I have been putting mine in a Blender Bottle when I'm at work just because it's easier for me.  But otherwise I usually just put it in a glass and stir, stir, stir!  I have put it in the blender and it's gets a little frothy, but I don't mind it one bit.  What it really boils down to is preference.  So, what are you waiting for?  Go get yourself some of this stuff....NOW!!!!

Retail Therapy...Good or Bad?

Ahhhh, nothing feels better than a little retail therapy, right?  Let's face it, it's always fun to buy yourself a little something.  A new pair of jeans, maybe a new purse, or those hot pink shoes? 

But when does a little retail therapy turn into an obsession?  Or perhaps a crossover or transfer addiction?  I only ask because I've been looking back over my past spending habits.  At first after surgery, I was very frugal.  It was great to go into the grocery store and only buy $25 worth of groceries for the next 2 weeks, if not longer.  If you were like me, in the beginning, you were proud of yourself for making the decision to have surgery, but you weren't seeing results right away, so you were somewhat depressed.  But, after that first 50 pounds came off, you were on top of the world!  Nothing could go wrong, no one could get you down...except for that stupid scale!

So, to make myself feel better, I bought myself just a little something.  It might have been a smaller sized t-shirt, a pair of exercise/yoga pants or maybe even a new movie.  It wasn't anything big, just a little pick me up.  Since then the "gifts" have become more and more frequent and more and more expensive.  I somehow have managed to tell myself this is okay.  I pick up overtime at work so I can buy myself something that I more than likely don't need or even worse, won't even fit me for long.  I am wasting my money, which, in a time like now and the economy being so bad, is so irresponsible.  I have always prided myself on having a level head and on making good decisions, but lately I have been letting impulse take over for my common sense.  

Do I have a transfer addiction from food to shopping?  Yes.  Am I going to let it consume my life like food did?  No.  I think the fact that I could/can recognize this pattern or obsession is a good sign.  That much like food, if you step back and think about it and ask yourself, "Do I really need this?" that I will find out that the answer is no and that the urge will pass.  I always knew that surgery was a life changing process and that it wasn't going to be easy, but when you step back and take a look at yourself and your addictions, it's a real eye opener.  I am thankful that I was able to see this now and can hopefully try to curb it before it gets worse and even more thankful that the only thing I'm addicted to is shopping.  I'm not going to sit here and beat myself up over this, instead, I'm going to call it a bump in the road.  I'm going to fix the problem, look for triggers and move on. 

Wonderful Weekend Weather

The weather is absolutely perfect in Iowa today.  Sunny, breezy and about 65!  PERFECT!  Too bad my crappy attitude doesn't match it.  But, such is life and life will go on.  However, with my crappy mood comes lots of deep cleaning, so my house will be happy at least, right?  And hopefully I'll be happy when the cleaning is done and I have a drink in my hand at the end of the day!

Not So Traditional Taco Salad

 
Summer has finally hit, but it's not truly summer in my household until you've made what our family calls Taco Salad.  It's not your traditional Taco Salad.  In fact, our family thinks it's better and it's a lot easier!   I don't have a picture of my salad because I couldn't get a decent one taken.  So, I posted the next best thing.  Two of my favorite pre-op foods which also happen to be two of the ingredients...weird ;)  I will add real quick before I post the recipe that I don't use the fully loaded ranch dressing anymore.  I now use either reduced fat or fat free, which ever one is on sale, and I can't tell the difference.  This salad is so yummy, your family will come back for seconds or thirds even.  Or if they are like my dad, you just go ahead and get your bowl and he takes the rest! 

Taco Salad

1 lb ground beef or turkey

minced onion

1 medium can chili beans

1 tomato, peeled and diced

1 bag shredded lettuce

1 bag low fat or fat free shredded cheese

1 bag Doritos

1 bottle ranch dressing

Brown ground beef with some minced onion.  When beef is done drain off grease and return back to pan.  Drain the juices from the can of chili beans into the ground beef and simmer on low for about 5 mins or so.  Remove from heat and place in a deep serving dish.  Top the beef with the can of chili beans and chill at least 2 hours in the fridge.  Just before serving, top with diced tomatoes, then the lettuce and finally top with cheese.  To serve, take a handful of Doritos and crush them up into a salad bowl.  Spoon salad on top of Doritos and top with ranch dressing. 

It's Finally Friday!!!

FRIDAY!!!!!  IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!!!!!  (Doing my Happy Friday dance)  This has seemed like the longest week...EVAH!  I think it's because I worked Memorial Day (love that holiday pay) but since no one was in the office but us dispatchers and jailers, it seemed like a weekend so this week has just kept dragging...and dragging...and dragging!

I don't have huge plans for the weekend, just some very minimal running around and I hope that's it.  My mom and I are going to go to a Quilt Expo for a little bit on Saturday to see what's new.  I'm looking for a new quilting project that I can work on at night when I get home from work to unwind and maybe shut down my brain a little bit.  I have to mow the yard tomorrow and then that's really about it.  My dad has a Corvette (his baby, now that I'm grown LOL) that I'm going to take out and get some sun and fresh air.  Last year pre-op, I could barely get in and out of it and I would have to pull the seat belt almost all the way out to fit around me.  I'm hoping this year it will be a little different and tomorrow I will find out!  I'll have to have my mom take a picture of me cruising!  Then on Sunday, I get to wash it LOL  Since I can sit on the ground (and now get back up!) I told my dad I would help him clean it.  In return, I get to drive it for free and eat my parents food...sounds like a fair trade to me!  So, tell me, what are your big plans for the weekend?