Four weeks post surgery...

Well, it happened. I hit a stall last week. On the surface, I was prepared for this. I was told that it often hits at 3-6 weeks as the body goes into a "starvation" mode and starts hanging on to fat as tenaciously as a bulldog. However, I still don't like it. In fact, I've been bummed about not losing this week (actually, I gained 1/2 a pound).

That having been said (and, yes, it felt better to whine for half a second), I know that it's in my hands to move out of this stage and start losing again. So, here are the things I need to do:

1) eat more protein (I haven't been getting in the requisite 70 grams since I stopped drinking the protein shakes--which I quit drinking because I got bored of them. Bored, schmored! I need to get over it and do what I'm supposed to! Nobody said it was all fun and games!)

2) drink more water (I never have been good about getting in the 64 oz. of fluids everyday. I need to sip, sip, sip all day long! This one is a real struggle for me! I knew beforehand that it would be one of my biggest post-op challenges--and it has been.)

3) up my exercise (I've been good about the "daily" part, now I need to bump up the intensity)

4) stop weighing daily, switch to weekly (I don't know if I can do this one, to be honest)

Okay, so three out of four is pretty good, yes? I will check back in next week to report--not necessarily on my weight loss, but on how well I kept those three commitments.

BTW, total weight loss to date is exactly 27 lbs. Not too shabby! I'm going to do what it takes to move out of this stall and keep on moving towards my goal!

Foodwise, I am definitely liking this new "mushy" stage and can now it just about anything that is soft (or crispy, like a cracker). I still can't have raw fruits and vegetables, though. Many people develop food intolerances post-surgery, but I've done fairy well. The only thing I cannot tolerate is fried foods. I tried popcorn chicken and chicken strips, thinking I could chew the chicken really well. Uh, no. Both times I felt sick to my stomach--not nausea, just really icky. It felt like I'd just eaten 20 lb bricks of lead. Both times were when I was out and about and I didn't have anything to eat with me. Lesson learned--always have something stashed in my purse!

I decided not to post one month pictures, because you really can't see much difference yet. I can certainly feel it, though! My clothes are getting loser, my feet are MUCH less puffy and swollen, and my energy level gets better all the time. Last week I went to Jana's choir concert and slipped easily into the auditorium seat, which used to be a tight fit! That was a nice "wow" moment! The changes I'm noticing are much more subtle, but still very meaningful. What's exciting to me is that this is just the beginning!