Virtual Weight Loss Pictures

I found a cool website that you can create a virtual model at your current weight and a virtual model at your goal weight. It shows them side by side. Here is mine. 

It obviously isn't identical to me or even really close but it is a great visual. The website is http://modelmydiet.com/.  It's fun to play around with. 

Family Vacation - Yosemite

We just got back from an amazing trip to Yosemite National Park. If you've never been there, omg it's awe inspiring! Beautiful!!! 

We went with john's parents, his sister and her family. There were twelve of us, six adults and six kids. Age range from 3 years old to 70 years old. 

It's someplace I want to revisit after I lose weight so I can keep up with my kids and go on hikes without thinking I'm going to pass out. 

My proudest moment though is climbing to the top of Sentinel Dome. It is the 2nd highest point in Yosemite with Half Dome being the highest. Granted we started towards the top we still hiked far for our group! 

I will be back and I've added Half Dome to my bucket list. I will climb that one day and I know I will shed some tears once I reach the top! 

This trip reconfirmed my decision for weight loss surgery. Traveling will be so much easier as a thinner person!! 

Wow! 3 years later!!

I can't believe I thought about this blog exactly 3 years to the day that I originally started this blog!! That must be a sign, right??? Lol

A lot has happened in 3 years! The kids are older...3, 4, and 7. Our lives are busier now with sports, school, swim lessons, birthday parties, Boy Scouts etc etc. I love it though...it's our crazy day to day life! 

I'm still struggling with my weight. Same story, different day. I'm now heavier than I ever was and I hate it. I've tried Weight Watchers, Medifast, phentermine (diet pills), advocare...I can lose weight. The problem is keeping it off. 

A few weeks ago I took a friend to have surgery. As I was sitting in the waiting room there was a brochure about this facility being a bariatric center of excellence. That's when the idea of weight loss surgery (wls) popped into my head. I brought it up to John and he was like "whatever you'll be talking about something else next week". Which is true! Lol

Well, the next week I had my annual physical with my awesome pcp, Dr. Heather Akins. I love her!! She is close to my age with 3 young kids and totally gets my current life struggles. Love her!! Anyways, we talked about my weight like we always do. She's the one that gave me diet pills and they worked but I gained all of it back plus some. She asked me if I had ever thought about WLS. I laughed and told her as a matter of fact I had but wasn't completely sure if it was for me. We talked more about it and she gave me a recommendation for Dr. Nick Nicholson as the Nicholson Clinic. 

To be honest, I was shocked that she brought it up. Not sure why though. I'm only 5 feet tall and weigh 197 which equates to a BMI of 38. My ideal weight for me would be 110. I think my healthy weight is between 97 and 128 pounds. 

So, I did a lot of research...A LOT! Then brought it back up to John and we talked in detail about it. We talked all about the benefits, the risks and the risks of remaining overweight. We decided that the benefits outweighed the risks. 

I signed up to attend a seminar with Dr. Nicholson for July 9th. I have heard nothing but good things about Dr. Nick. I'm very anxious to meet with him. I know my insurance doesn't cover WLS so that's definitely a concern but I think we can figure it out. 

As of right now I've only told John, my mom and my best friend about this. I tested the water with a couple others but I'm finding out there are people out there with a lot of opinions. Lol and that's fine...they are entitled to their opinion. I just won't open up yet about this. I'm undecided about how to handle telling people. I know there are people that shout it from the mountains in order to hopefully help other in the same boat but that's not really my personality. I just really need support from people and not criticism. I don't want someone to try to talk me out of it. Until you've walked in my shoes and know my struggles like I do then just be there for me and support me. 

So, I have a lot on my mind that I'll be sharing but this is currently where I'm at. :)