FINALLY!

Happy Sunday.  

I hope you all have had a relaxing weekend.  I have.   I also realized something this week.  Another benefit from my weight loss.  More energy.

Yes, I have more energy and I didn't realize how much that really benefited me until this weekend.   With this increased energy and motivation I have, when I come home from work I have started doing little chores around the house.    Yeah, they're little, BUT they add up.    The little things I'm doing reduce my weekend load.  

Our weekend load was 95% complete by Friday night.   That meant we had Saturday and today to relax.  Crazy.   Laundry done. Dusting done. Vacuuming done. Garage cleaned out. Kitchen cleaned.   It's totally bizarre.     I hope this keeps up. I'd like to have nothing but major projects and relaxing to do on the weekends where no events are planned.

I have some really good news to share.   I have been waiting for this moment for years.   YEARS I tell you! 

One thing you have had to have noticed is that I talk about weight loss pounds, yet I have never spoken about how much I weigh or did weigh.    The reason being...I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed at how much I weighed.  Thoroughly and truly embarrassed.   Yes, I'm a big girl and hold it slightly different than those shorter than me. That doesn't mean I wasn't, and still am, embarrassed at how big I became.  

While I will not share the current info, I want to give you the numbers of where I started at and what I finally overcame.

My big news is: I've crossed that barrier into another weight "class".   I'll explain, so be prepared to read on in horror and shock.

On August 16, 2013 when I went to my Bariatric consult appointments, I weighed in at, ready for it?,  get this--388 lbs.     Yes you read that correctly. THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT pounds.   I was knocking on 400s door.  Want to guess what sizes I was wearing?   30/32, 4X, 4 (depending on the store).     I'll give you a moment to digest that information.

Let me tell you about 388 pounds.   A lot of workout equipment (affordable equipment) cannot accommodate that weight.   Outdoor furniture and folding chairs cannot accommodate that.   Some scales do not go that high.   Sitting in an airplane requires an extender and the arm rest to be up when you fly.

Putting on a pair of socks, sitting on the floor, climbing stairs are activities that are not done normally.   Tying my shoe, HA! The joke with a former co-worker who use to tie my shoes all the time, was what would I do when she left? Struggle! That is what I would do.  

So, a little bit over a year ago : 388 lbs., sizes 30/32, 4X, 4.  Look through my blog posts, look at the pictures.  (oooh idea!).    That was me.   A very dear friend said to me that I didn't look like myself.  I agree.  I look at those pictures and I do not recognize that person.    

While a lot of that weight was due to my illness, a portion of it was on me as well.   I acknowledge that completely.

Something happened this week.  I've known for a few days but wanted to make it official with my Sunday weigh in (the one that is recorded).  I passed 300. 
I no longer weight 300+ lbs.   

Do you have ANY idea how big that is to me?   I still have a long way to go, but 200s I am familiar with. 200s I can work with.  200s isn't out of the norm.   
Again, I'm not going to give specific weight amounts right now.  That will be when I make even more progress (which I will!!!!!!!)  

Size wise?  This info isn't so clear.  Not that I'm being evasive, no. It is just I don't shop for too many new clothes. I have a bunch of things in my closet that I could no longer wear.  I'm not getting into them. Some right on time and some, on the way into the donate pile.  Depending on the article of clothing, I am wearing things in the 20-24 range.   2x for some of the sizes.  I haven't bought anything from Target (they are the size 4 stuff) in awhile, so I do not know what that translates into.

Translation for men:  Women's sizes are either the straight number: 14, 16, 18, 20...... or the combined: 14/16, 18/20, 22/24......     Some stores to with the plus sizes of 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x.    

So back on track:   I passed 300 this week.   Big news.  Huge news.   Wonderful news.  
I'm still a bit unbelieving.   I keep waiting for the scale to change it's numbers and go back.

I really do want to thank all my friends and family who give me constant support and encouragement.  I am truly blessed to have you in my life.   
Thank you to the readers I have not met.   Just knowing there are people interested in my progress and cheering me on while hopefully being motivated, means more than you'll know.

As far as my post yesterday in regards to am I bigger or smaller, you'll just have to wait a few more days.  I did get some feedback and I will share with you everything about that in a post later this week.  

So as I wind this puppy down, TOTAL weight loss OFFICIAL: 93 lbs.  Total weight loss unofficial: 88 lbs.  

GO ME!!!