It's Official.....I'm a size 14 (woot woot!!!)

Yay!! How exciting! I went on a marathon shopping spree yesterday to buy some new clothes for this job I'm starting next week, there was barely anything in my wardrobe that still fit. Every single piece of clothing I brought - tops and bottoms - from an array of shops - were all size 14!! Very happy about that! I even got a few size 12 singlet tops to wear under jackets that were a stretchy type material too!

It got me to thinking and I was saying to my Mum that this will be the first time in over 10 years that I'll be starting a new job where the people will only see me as I am today. They won't know I've lost nearly 45kgs (99 pds), they won't know that I've been a thousand different sizes over the last 10 years, that I've been on a million different diets and that I've put on and lost the same 20 - 30kgs a hundred times over!! It's a nice feeling and gives me so much confidence.

Even though it's still summer & still quite warm in this part of the world, I was also thinking that I can't wait until winter so I can buy some boots. I've never been able to wear boots because my calves have always been too big, but not this year! Something else to look forward to.

It was so nice to be able to walk into any shop and know I'd be able to find something that would fit! There have been too many times in the past where I walked away from a failed shopping attempt empty handed (and in tears), even when I had said to myself that I will spend any amount of money, just as long as I could find something that would fit! I am so glad those days are gone and they will never return. I love my band so much :)

I've also been giving some thought to my 'goal weight', I've never set it in stone because I never knew what I would look like so it's always been a wait and see proposition. I have had in my head lately that I've got about 10-15kgs to go. Today I was at the shops with Jodes having lunch and was telling her about the size 14 triumph and we were discussing how in Australia, the 'average' size woman is a size 14. I decided that I reckon I'd be happy when I can fit into a size 12 pair of Target pants that I like and have always worn bigger sizes of. They had 20% off so I brought a pair and I've decided that when they fit, I'm done! It doesn't matter what number comes up on the scale whenever it is that they fit, I'll be happy. I've never thought I wanted to be a size 10 or size 8, I just don't think it would be me to be that small & I have big kahunas so I'd like to look like I'm in some kind of proportion!! That's the plan anyway, we'll see what happens :)

Much thought and reflection going on of late - I am very proud of myself!

Have a great week everyone!

Jen

www.lapbandforthemind.com

Ramblings...

Hi

I hope everyone is doing well! Had a few interesting things going on of late. I finally got a job - at one of the big 4 banks here in Australia and now I'm just waiting to go through a probity check to ensure everything is ok - I'm sure it will be, there isn't a criminal record I'm unaware of :) Hopefully I will start next Monday or probably a few days later as tomorrow is Australia Day here and a public holiday so will lose a day of checking. I'll have had nearly 7 weeks off and it hasn't been all that relaxing with the stress of having to look for work, not to mention no money coming in so it's not like I'm out shopping up a storm or anything!

On Friday I had to go sign my new contract so it was a good chance to catch up with my friends who work in the city that I haven't seen for awhile. All of them were raving about how much weight I'd lost to the point where it actually made me a bit uncomfortable! I think it's because I see myself everyday and some days I think I'm getting places and other days I feel like I haven't achieved a thing! It was nice, but a little full on as well. Maybe because I've been home for nearly 5 weeks and haven't had the same kind of interaction, I think I might've gone into my shell a bit!!

My weight has come down a tiny bit, but has pretty much stayed the same for a few weeks. Today I went shopping & brought a whole stack of healthy food to chow down on. Stacks of protein: eggs, chicken, tuna & turkey and I've spent the last hour chopping up cucumber, onion, carrots & tomatoes while watching Diet Tribe!! (I love that show). Because my band has been so tight, I've been leaning towards the not so good food because they're easier to get down, but I'm sick to death of it so it was nice to get some good things and I'm looking forward to eating them! I'm also trying to drink more water because I know I haven't been having enough and it's been quite warm here.

Have a good week everyone!!

Jen

www.lapbandforthemind.com

A Good Day.....

So, I had this wedding on Saturday and even though it was HOT, it was nice to get dressed up and felt I looked pretty ok. It was also nice to feel 'normal' and I was nowhere near the biggest person in the room!! That's a good feeling because that wasn't always the case and I used to find that if I wasn't the biggest in nearly every room I walked into, I wasn't far off.

I've posted my before photo (which is completely horrifying, but I have reconciled myself with it because I will NEVER look like that again!!) and a photo my Mum took just before I walked out the door.

Sometimes it's nice to see the comparison so you can really see how far you've come!

Jen

http://www.lapbandforthemind.com/

A Quick Update....

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year! I had to fill in a form today and couldn't believe it when I had to write it was the 6th Jan - time is certainly flying!

My Christmas & New Year were very quiet and for once in my life my weight has continued to drop - hurrah! This is mostly due to the fact that I'm still pretty stressed because of the job situation (or lack of one really). Things are slowly starting to progress on the job front, but as much as I'm trying to 'not worry' and 'enjoy my time off', the band has other ideas! It's still quite tight and I haven't been able to eat a great deal and I just don't feel like it. I was meant to go to the Doctor tomorrow, but given I'm still continuing to lose and I don't need any fill in or out, I cancelled it. I will have to go to the next one though because I need to keep monitoring with blood tests. I'm losing on average about 1kg a week (2.2 pds) so ok with that for now. The more I lose though, the more I am noticing excess skin - BOO!! Can't be surprised though, you can't be that overweight for that long and expect not to have any. Not to mention age is not on my side (or genetics, thansk Mum!!)

I've got a wedding this Saturday and it's going to be HOT - 38 degrees (or 100.4F for my friends not in this part of the world!). I feel sorry for the Bride and all the guys suited up, going to be shocking! These are people I work with and none of them know I have the Band and it's going to be hard to eat anything. I haven't 100% decided, but I am thinking about making this the year that I don't mind telling anyone I have a Lap Band. I'll let you know what happens - whether I chicken out or not! I'm also going to be taking some updated 'after' photos which I might put on here, but will go on the website, because I have definitely lost a bit since then.

Hope you're all well.

Jen

http://www.lapbandforthemind.com/