I am exploding (with energy)

What they told me was true. Though I've been pretty tired and weak over the last 6+ weeks, I think I just turned the corner. It feels like I just broke through a barrier...like the rubber bands that were holding me back have just snapped. We went camping this past weekend, which I always love, but let's be honest...camping with lots of kids is not the most relaxing or rejuvenating vacation. We had a fabulous time though and really enjoyed seeing some old friends again. I felt (mostly) awake and alive, and didn't guzzle caffeine just to stay awake (I'm still not drinking caffeine at all). And when we came home yesterday, I worked hard with Keith to unload the car and get everything put away and laundry started, then I went for a run, and then I danced around the kitchen while listening to music and cooking dinner from scratch. Oh, and while cooking I dumped the dishwasher, filled it up, switched the laundry, and played with Emmett. Yep, it really feels like I'm exploding with energy. This makes me so excited for what is to come ahead!

The Man in the Moon

I went for a run last night (!!!). It was dark by the time I set out, which was not my intention, but it was a gorgeous night and I really enjoyed the cool air and full moon. Back up for a moment though...I just just say I went for a RUN. I haven't run in 2 years. I couldn't have even considered it 70 pounds ago (hit 70 pounds today!). But I went for it and it felt surprisingly awesome. I'm starting pretty simply with a couch-to-5k program, so in reality I walked for most of it, but ran for 6 short 1-minute intervals. I'm really looking forward to my next run tomorrow.

Things have continued to go well overall. I still feel very full after eating 3 ounces of meat. I've been trying to get a tiny bit of vegetables in as well. The fiber really helps with this high-protein diet.  ;-)  My clothes are getting baggier and baggier, and I'm having to retire some of my capris that were actually too small for me last summer. People are noticing that I've lost weight (people who don't know I had surgery), which is both awesome but also makes me self-conscious. And as of this past weekend, I can now lift weights again! I'm looking into a few gyms that I hope to start in the fall. But most importantly, I can lift Emmett again.  Poor kid did pretty well without me lifting him for so long.

Oh, and I realized today that the last time I was in the 230s was very shortly after Alder was born...6 years ago. Wahoo!

I blew it

I went to a wedding this past weekend. It was a lovely event, complete with thunderstorm as soon as the outdoor ceremony ended. I ate the food there too, and I kinda blew it. But when I say I blew it, I need to explain. I had a normal breakfast (1/2 protein shake, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese), a normal lunch (3 ounces of chicken, some salsa, 1/2 ounce of cheese) and a tiny snack (1/4 of a protein bar). At the wedding, I had 2 small slices of cheese, about 3 ounces of chicken,  about 1/2-2/3 cup of homemade macaroni and cheese, a little bit of salad with a few drops of dressing, and ONE ENTIRE WHOLE CUPCAKE. I was soooo full. I looked around myself at the other plates, and though I felt entirely stuffed, I realized I ate probably 1/4 what most people did. And I wasn't drinking either! So at the end of the day my calorie count was still under 1200, but I truly felt guilty because I overindulged. And the funny thing is...my body seems to have known because I haven't really lost any weight in a week. But these sorts of starts and stalls are normal, and going off-plan is also normal. What is important is that you get back on track again. I'm really glad I successfully navigated a wedding and I don't think anyone noticed I was eating oddly. And to be honest, that cupcake was damn good. But I'm back on track and ready to keep moving down.

Obesity

My surgery was 4 weeks ago, and today I crossed a threshold. I dropped under 250 lbs, which means I also dropped down under 40 BMI. This means I've dropped down in obesity class as well.

BMI > 50 = Super obese

BMI 40-50 = Morbidly obese

BMI 35-40 = Severely obese

BMI 30-35 = Obese

BMI 25-30 = Overweight

BMI 18.5-25 = Healthy

I left super obesity behind at the very beginning of my journey 6 months ago. I left morbid obesity behind today.  Now I am just severely obese. I admit the words are terrible...severely, morbidly, and super obese. Regardless, I'm still happy to be moving down. I've also dropped a few clothing sizes recently, which makes me feel just awesome. 

The other big number I've been waiting to see is less than 100, as in less than 100 pounds to lose. I'm there now..."only" 99 to go. It is still a lot, but moving under 100 makes it feel like less.