Swimming!

This weekend I read both of Carnie Wilson's books: Gut Feelings and I'm Still Hungry. They were really useful for me because I think I've started feeling like I'm going through this whole experience by myself. Even though I know my mother, my friend Gail, and all the ladies at the support group in anchorage have all gone through the same surgery, I kept feeling like a poor put upon soul who just wasn't allowed to eat like normal people. So, after thwapping myself upside the head, I read the books, went to a couple support sites online and discovered that what had been boring to me pre-op was now useful and wonderful.

Pre-op I could have cared less about the daily struggle people were going through. I just wanted to see the pictures and know how skinny everyone got. Now, I can go back, re-read online journals and its like a whole different experience. I understand when they talk about feeling that they are pigging out with a mini snickers, or a bite of bagel. I was also able, after reading the books and some stuff online, to remember WHY I did this. That it was a choice I made. Then, I went for a long walk. Came home drank a ton of water. Took my calcium. And went to bed.

This morning, I woke up half an hour before my alarm was set to go off (7:00am) and a full hour and a half before I normally get up and start puttering around (8:00am... hey! I don't have to be at work until 10:00am) and I went to my dresser, pulled out the swimsuit mom had brought me, it used to be WAY too small, and now fits perfectly. I stared in shock at my belly not hanging way down and just being a normal looking fat belly. Packed a towel, conditioner, swimcap and goggles, and I marched myself down to the gym. Got myself a locker and lock. And went swimming!

I swam for a good 30 minutes (which is a lot for someone who hasn't been swimming in over 7 months) and at least 10 of that was straight crawl. Yay!

Even better, before I went swimming, I drank 32 ounces of water. After swimming, I walked back home, had breakfast (weird seafood soup with extra tuna) stopped when I felt full (instead of what has become a bad habit of eating past the point of feeling full but stopping before I get uncomfortable) took my vitamins, waited half an hour and then drank another 20 ounces of water. Then I walked to work.

I'm in a fabulous mood, and the scale registered 218 this morning. (I was down all the way to 216 last week, but crept up again, and back down... generally, just hovering at 218).