WEEK 3 - Day 15

First thing's first - I lost .5 kilograms in Week 2!  That brings me to a total of 4.8 kilograms in 2 weeks :)

This morning I got up at 5.30am feeling as though I was ready to conquer the world and then my cough started.  And kept going.  And going.  And going.

I proceeded with my weigh in.  I was SO scared to look at the scales which was pointless as I realised that 'she' reads it out for me... 'two hundred and fourteen point 9 kilograms'.  OMG.  I'd managed to loose .5 kilograms despite my very bad eating habits over the past few days.  I was wrapped.  And slightly stunned.  And a tiny bit annoyed at myself wondering what the result would have been had I not done what I had done... no point looking back... time to look FORWARD.

So, I went to the gym.  Not as punishment (as I'd planned on doing) but as a reward to myself for saying goodbye to another half a kilogram for good.  I only walked a Kilometre (took me 16 minutes) and I coughed the whole way home.  I had my Optifast as soon as I walked in the door and felt relieved to be back on track with things.  Still coughing but relieved.

Although I spent the whole day coughing, I had a relaxing day - I spent some time on the phone catching up with Bec (xoxo) - we haven't spoken in ages.  It was so nice to hear her voice (and to her her baby Man in the background).

I also accepted my delivery of books :)

- 'Exedus from Obesity' by Paula F Peck
- 'The emotional first aid kit' by Cynthia L Alexander
- 'Weight loss surgery connection' by Melissa Derbin-Parish
- 'Laprascopic adjustable gastric banding' by Jessie H Ahroni
- 'Weight loss surgery with the adjustable gastric band' by Robert Sewell and Linda Rohrbough
- 'The high protein cookbook' by Linda West Eckhardt and Katherine West Defoyd
- 'The pocket gastric band guide' by Trudy Williams
- 'Food for gastric banding' by Trudy Williams
and my favourite,
- 'Knife, fork and band' by Sally Johnston

Are all in my hot little hands.  Seriously, I could open a small library with the amount of books that I have on lap banding.  I think that it's important to be educated.  I am happy that none of the books I have bought contradict one another.  I have also been careful to do my research when buying the books - I make sure I check to see that other bandits have read and enjoyed the book and have also found it helpful.  There are a lot of books out there that are aimed solely at marketing a product or are bias in their opinion (especially when you're in the early days of researching).

I have lots of reading to do. 

The 'Knife, fork and Band' book is so far the book that I have heard the most about.  There are some fantastic recipes in there for pre surgery, the early days after surgery and the months and years after surgery.  There are also meal plans which is great for someone like me - I am assured variety and I can be organised for the week ahead.

I am going to stay home tonight rather than go to the gym.  I need to let this cough settle a bit so that I can go to work on Wednesday.  Hopefully the antibiotics kick in by tomorrow!  I hate feeling sick and the fact that I am drinking dairy based products doesn't help!  I shall go to Aqua aerobics tomorrow though - I'm looking forward to it :)

I've also started up a Photos section on my blog - I'll try and fill it with photos from different times of my life (it may require Mum dragging up some goodies!).  It's interesting to see how my weight has changed, especially in the last 12 years.

I also received a very touching Email from someone today that bought tears to my eyes.  It made me see things from the 'other side' of the spectrum.  I am yet to gather my words to construct a reply.  It was that amazing that I don't want my response to wreck it!

I feel blessed to be in this position and I haven't realised until today what a responsibility I have.  Not only to myself but to others.  Thank you all for your feedback on my blog and your encouraging comments - it means the world to me xoxo