The Kroger cashier

I don't know if I talked about this before, but after I lost the weight, I still had the same driver's license picture from when I was 253 pounds.  Whenever I would get carded for buying alcohol, it was not an issue--nobody ever commented. Until this one cashier at Kroger. She looked at the license, looked at me, looked back at the license, back at me... over and over. She said, "Is this YOU?" And I explained that I'd lost over 100 pounds. She was in awe.

Every time I went through her lane, she would comment on it. Then, in January, I told her that I was (finally) getting a new license photo. When I got the new license, I showed her the photo, and she said it was "Much better!"

Driver's License comparison

So I went grocery shopping yesterday and went through her lane to check out. As soon as she saw me, she said, "Guess what! I just have to tell you... I've lost 26 pounds!"  I was so happy for her and I congratulated her (she probably needs to lose about 100 pounds). She said, "I was inspired by you--every time you came in, you were skinnier and skinnier, so I finally decided to lose weight."

Hearing that made me feel so good! People online tell me all the time that I am inspiring, and I love to hear that, but it was so great to SEE someone who was inspired enough to lose 26 pounds.

Another thing that made me feel good (and I can't believe I forgot to write this in my tummy tuck consult entry!) was a comment the doctor made. She had me stand in front of a mirror and she was showing me what the results of the surgery would give me. She said (quote): "You have SUCH a tiny frame..."  Wait, WHAT?! ME? I have a tiny frame??

It's so weird because when I was fat, I always assumed I was a "large" frame. You know those magazines, or websites or whatever that tell you what your goal weight should be, based on your frame size, and you have to choose small, medium, or large? Well, I never even took time to think about it. Duh, I was a large frame. It wasn't until I lost almost 100 pounds that I realized I might have a small frame after all. My sister's friend made a comment about my "tiny hips" and numerous people told me that I was "petite".

Hearing those words being spoken about ME was mind boggling. I always WANTED to be small--I have no desire to be very muscular, or curvy or anything like that (hello barely-B cups!). I just want to be a cute and fits-in-your-back-pocket kind of small :)  When I look in the mirror, I don't see it, but looking at some pictures I do... there is one pic in particular that makes me feel petite (it's a dark pic, sorry):

I was 141 pounds in that picture, and I am pretty happy with how I look. I think I look well-proportioned.

So anyway, the doctor said that I have a tiny frame and that the excess skin and tissue around my belly is the only thing that is not proportioned to my body. I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up about the surgery, but I just can't help it. I wish they'd tell me NOW. The kids start school this week, so hopefully that will be a good distraction for me until I hear from the insurance company.

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Do you think you have a small, medium, or large frame? If you are overweight, would you be shocked to lose weight and find out you have a "tiny" frame underneath?

Do you get carded when you buy alcohol? If not, at what age did they stop carding you? I rarely get carded anymore  :(  When I have my kids with me, I NEVER get carded--but when I'm alone, I do sometimes.

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Stress-Free Wining

Some of you expressed interest in a post about wine (since you know how much I love my wine!). To someone who knows absolutely nothing about wine, choosing a bottle at the store is extremely intimidating!

A few years ago, that was me. I was curious to learn about wine, however, and when my friend Renee mentioned starting a "wine club" to taste and educate ourselves on wine, I was all for it.

We both got to work, reading as much as possible. We wanted to learn all we could, in order to share it at our first wine club meeting. My only experience up until that point was that I drank ONE type and brand of wine--Riunite Lambrusco, which is a super sweet red wine that you can buy at any liquor store or grocery store.

I had tasted wine at a couple of weddings (the token white zinfandel that appears at all weddings), and thought it was disgusting. But I knew that wine was such a popular beverage around the entire world, and I was determined to find out why.

Renee and I named our club "Winers"--and we were made up of women (mostly moms) who got together once a month to chat and taste different wines. It was a great way to try several wines without committing to a whole bottle, because the bottles were shared with everyone at the meeting.

Throughout the first few months of Winers, I tasted dozens of different types of wine (usually 6-8 per meeting); and eventually, I realized that I was starting to enjoy it. The more I tasted, the more I liked it.

The wines I enjoyed most in the beginning were the sweet ones (which is pretty typical of a beginner). I added some of the drier white wines. Then I began to enjoy the sweeter reds; and finally, the dry, bold red wines.

As of now, I will drink pretty much anything! I am far from a wine snob.

I'm going to write this entry as if I was talking to someone who knows absolutely NOTHING about wine, and who is not looking to become an expert--someone who is just interested in learning the basics and how to learn to enjoy wine.

Some of the things I write may not sit well with the "wine snobs", but I'm not looking to turn anyone into a wine snob! ;)

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First things first: Wine is essentially fermented grape juice.

There are 3 basic categories of wine that you should know.

Red wine--Made from red grapes. After extracting the juice of the grapes, the skins are placed into the wine while it ferments. This "stains" the wine to various shades of red.

White wine--This could be made from any color of grape, but there are no skins placed in it while it ferments, so it remains white (clear) in color.

Rosé wine--(Pronounced rose-ay) Made with red grapes, and the skins are only placed into the juice for a short time, making a light pinkish color of wine.

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Sweet or Dry: You may hear people talk of "dry reds" or "sweet whites", etc. Depending on how sweet the wine tastes, it is considered "sweet", "dry", and the in-between variations "medium dry" and "medium", or even "semi-dry" and "semi-sweet".

There are many different factors that determine what category the wine falls into (alcohol content, residual sugars, etc) but all you really need to know is that a sweet wine tastes relatively sweet, and a dry wine does not. (Keep in mind, when wine is "sweet", it is not sweet like juice or pop, so don't expect it to taste that way. You will be in for a big disappointment! Unless you're drinking Boone's Farm, maybe, haha).

From my experience with Winers, MOST beginner wine drinkers prefer sweet wines, because they're used to drinking sweet drinks. That is what I always suggest for beginners. Once you enjoy the sweet wine, then I would move to the semi-sweet or semi-dry wines, and eventually, the dry wines--first the whites, and then the reds.

A lot of the girls in my wine club used to hate dry wine (including me!), but after tasting it over and over again, they now prefer dry wine. My favorite is actually bold, dry red--something I thought was terrible before).

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Varietals: Once you learn the colors and the sweetness factors, then you can start to learn about varietals. There are MANY different types of varietals, and I couldn't begin to list them all. But I will explain a little about them and what it means.

A wine "varietal" refers to the name of the grape that the wine was made from. For example, when you hear someone say they are going to have a glass of Chardonnay, the word Chardonnay is actually the name of the grape that was used to make the wine.

Other common varietals--Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Grigio. These are all the names of the grapes used to make the wine. Again, there are way too many to list, but I'll stick with the most common ones that you will likely find in your everyday grocery store.

When you go to the grocery store, wine is usually organized on the shelf by varietal. So if you look at the bottles, you should see one of the varietals listed--for example, Merlot--and the bottles all around that bottle are probably Merlot, too.

Brands: The difference between these bottles? They are different brands, come from different vineyards, bottled in different places.  It's kind of like shopping for shoes--you tell the salesperson you want black heels, and they bring you a ton of different black heels to choose from. They are all made by different companies.

When shopping for wine, one bottle of Merlot might be made in California, and another bottle might be made in Australia. That's what is so fun about trying wine--you may not like a particular bottle, but there are thousands more to try out!

Blends: There are wines called "blends" as well, which means that different grape varietals are mixed into one wine. It might be a "Cabernet-Merlot" blend, "Merlot-Malbec" blend, etc. A common brand that you may see on the shelves is called Ménage à Trois (a fun name!)--they blend three varietals into each bottle. For example, the Ménage à Trois red is made up of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

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Vintage: So, now you know the color; whether it is sweet or dry; and the grape varietal. Next is the "vintage". Vintage is simply a fancy word for "year". The year (vintage) listed on the bottle is the year that the grapes were picked.

For the true beginner, this doesn't mean much. If you're going very in-depth, however, then you'll learn that the weather and climate in different years yielded better or worse quality of grapes; and therefore, the certain vintages are more desirable than others. But for the average person, there is no need to worry about the vintage.

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Wine labels can be intimidating because there are so many unfamiliar words. Some things you will find on the wine label, along with the varietal and vintage:

• Brand name--By law, this has to be listed. If there is no brand, then the bottler is considered the brand. It will say, "Bottled by..." (usually on the back label).
• Appellation of Origin--where the grapes are grown.
• Producer and bottler
• Alcohol content--a percentage of alcohol in the wine
• Other mumbo-jumbo, like the government warning about drinking alcohol.

As a consumer, and someone who just wants to buy a frickin bottle of wine without trying to decipher a whole label, all you need to really think about is the varietal, and possibly the brand or the appellation of origin, if you specifically want a wine from France or Italy, or wherever.

Here is a label from one of my personal favorite bottles of wine:

2005 Kendall-Jackson Zinfandel

The "fluff words" is a term I use for the description of the wine on the back of the bottle. Here, you will read all kinds of nice words like, "Zesty raspberry flavors... plum notes... spice accents..." Don't judge a bottle by these words--my wine club rarely thinks that the description is accurate (in our non-expert opinions)!

After sampling dozens of different varietals, you'll eventually learn that Chardonnay tastes kind of buttery, while Pinot Grigio has a tart taste like a green apple. The fluff words mean nothing to me. I've just learned the varietals that I enjoy the most, and experience is how I learned what to expect from each varietal.

Here is another label, and this one is a NV wine--which means "non-vintage". That means the grapes may have been picked in different years, so there won't be a vintage on the label. Usually, that is the case with less expensive wine.

NV Barefoot Moscato  (If you think you don't like wine, try this... you'll probably like it)

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Tannins - There is one word you should know that doesn't really fit in anywhere else here, so I'll just write about it here. Tannins. You will come across that word a LOT when reading about or hearing about wine, so you should probably know what it means. The tannins in a wine refer to the dry mouth feel that you get when drinking highly-tannic wines.

Imagine chewing on a mouthful of grape skins--you know how your mouth would feel dry and almost sticky, and taste a little bitter? Same thing when you drink plain, black tea. When a wine has a lot of tannins, it just means that it makes your mouth feel dry like I described, and somewhat bitter. This isn't considered a BAD thing--it's just a way of describing the mouth-feel of the wine.

To taste what I'm talking about, try a Cabernet Sauvignon, as it is known as being one of the most tannic wines.

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Wines for Beginners - Now that you know how to read a wine label, I'll make a few suggestions for common wines that you might want to try (as a beginner to wine). I mentioned that most beginners like sweet wines, so here are some sweeter varietals (the sweetest being the first):

Moscato
Riesling (most Riesling that you find in the grocery store is sweet; if not, it will usually specify "dry riesling")
Gewerztraminer
White Zinfandel (this is made from a Zinfandel grape, which is red, but the color of the wine is a pink color)

Some specific wine brands/varietals that were very popular among the "beginners" at wine club:

Riunite Lambrusco (red)
Barefoot Moscato (white, pictured above)
Barefoot Riesling (white)
Barefoot Sweet Red (red)

I've found that no matter what the varietal, Barefoot seems to be a popular brand among people who are just looking to try new wine varietals (and you can find it anywhere!). If you're totally unsure, start with that brand and pick a bottle that sounds good to you--and try it out!

Once you're enjoying the sweeter wines, you can start trying out some that aren't so sweet (but aren't bone-dry, either). Here are some of the varieties I'd suggest trying:

Piesporter (white)
Sauvignon Blanc (white)
Merlot (red) --Kendall-Jackson Merlot is the first red wine I fell in love with!
Pinot Noir (red)

When you're ready to try some bolder, dry wines:

Zinfandel (red) --my current favorite wine is Dancing Bull Zinfandel
Cabernet Sauvignon (red)
Pinot Grigio (white)
Chardonnay (white)

Now, keep in mind that not ALL Cabernet Sauvignon wines are very bold and dry, and not ALL Rieslings are sweet. It depends on the brand, the vintner, etc. If you try one and don't like it, don't be afraid to try the same varietal of a different brand.

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Serving wine - A few notes about serving wine. Google this, and you'd have waaaay more information than you'd know what to do with. The bare basics that you need to know:

Red wine should be served slightly colder than room temperature, at or a little above 60 degrees. If you put the bottle in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes before serving, that'll do ya just fine.

White wine should be served colder, at about 35-40 degrees. Refrigerate, and then take out about 10-15 minutes before serving, to allow it to get to the right temp.

You may be thinking, "What's the big deal if I drink my red wine cold?"

"White wines too warm will taste alcoholic and flabby, while white wines too cold will be refreshing but nearly tasteless. As for reds, keep them too warm and they will taste soft, alcoholic and even vinegary. Too cold and they will have an overly tannic bite and much less flavor."   --SOURCE

I never used to understand what the big deal was until I started experimenting with different temps, and it really does make a big difference in how the wine tastes. You don't have to get the exact temperature, but please don't drink red wine from the refrigerator. And please please don't add ice to your wine.

(On second thought... it's your wine. Drink it however you like!)

Also, drink wine from a wine glass. You don't need a different glass for reds, whites, and all the varietals of each. Just a normal everyday wine glass will do. 

And ALWAYS remember...

The best way to serve wine is with friends! ;)

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Price - The cost of wine can vary enormously. Don't assume that the more expensive the bottle, the better the wine will taste, either. I've tasted very expensive wine that I didn't care for, and I've tasted very cheap wine that I thought was great.

As embarrassing as it is to admit this, I recently discovered that I actually enjoy Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon. Yes, that would be BOXED WINE. It's very economical--one box costs about $20, and it contains the equivalent of 4 bottles (about 20 glasses). That's pretty darn cheap! You don't have to keep boxed wine refrigerated once opened, and it lasts for about 4-6 weeks (tasting just the same as when you opened it).

Seriously... use a glass

I've found this to be a good solution to when I want to have a glass of wine every evening without finishing a whole bottle. If I have wine with a friend, we open a bottle; but when it's just me, by myself, I've been going for the box lately.

I've tried other brands of boxed wine, and didn't care for any of them--but the Black Box is really good!  Just don't leave it out on your counter when you have company ;)

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And that pretty much sums up Stress-Free Wining. Hopefully I clued you in on how to start drinking the world's best beverage. If there is one thing I cannot stress enough, it is to TASTE A HUGE VARIETY OF WINE, as many different varietals and brands possible.

Wine is an acquired taste, and if you just try it once, you may not like it. But over time, you will start to realize what you were missing out on. It took me about 4 months of trying all different types of wines to truly start enjoying most of what I tried.

CHEERS!

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Walk of shame

We just got back from the Holidome with the kids. They had a blast, of course. Normally, I don't like to swim, but I swam quite a bit with the kids. We had the entire Holidome part of the hotel to ourselves--it was so quiet!

I am extremely self-conscious in a bathing suit. I have been like that my entire life--I've never worn a two piece, and I wear the same suit until it falls apart because I hate shopping for new ones. I had a size 24 suit until Spring 2010, when it was so baggy that it was falling off of me, so I bought a size 10 one (which is now pretty baggy, but it'll do). I only swim once or twice a year--I just don't like it that much. And I've ALWAYS hated wearing a bathing suit in public.

So anyway, having the Holidome to ourselves made me less self-conscious enough to wear a bathing suit--I even walked from our room all the way to the pool in just my suit and flip flops, because nobody was around. Here is where the "walk of shame" comes in. Apparently there was some sort of bachelor party going on in the hotel, and while we were swimming with the kids, a TON of guys (about my age, maybe early 30's) went over by the ping pong tables and set up a bean bag toss game. They were drinking beer and having a good time.

The only way to get back to my room was to walk past them. In my fucking bathing suit.

Jerry and the boys were still in the pool, but I was done and wanted to change into some clothes. So my worst nightmare came true--I walked past about 20 guys in nothing but a bathing suit. My face felt like it was on fire, I was so self-conscious. I felt every jiggle of my thighs and arms. But I made it to the room and changed and it was over. I don't know what I expected--that they would stone me for burning the memory of me in a bathing suit into their brain?!

I slept absolutely horribly last night. The pillows were a mile high and my neck was hurting from it. I finally fell asleep around 4 AM, and then was wide awake at 6. I went to the hotel gym and ran 4 miles on the (old and clunky) treadmill. It was the first time I'd ever been in front of a mirror while running, and it was actually really cool to see. I think I looked pretty good :) 

I was SO tempted to say "screw it" and eat whatever I wanted--candy from the vending machines, beer from the bar, order pizza for dinner.  It's so easy just to say "I'll start over tomorrow". But I really want to take off as much weight as possible before Sarah's wedding (and before my possible tummy tuck), so I stuck with the plan I made before I left. A bagel with cream cheese from Panera for dinner; and then I had enough calories leftover to have a single-serve container of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia. Totally worth passing over candy and pizza!!

photo source

I'm so glad that I didn't cave in to the vending machine candy. I don't know why I wanted it so bad! I had to pass it every time I went into the Holidome from our room.

Anyway, I've written the entry on wine that I promised, so I'll post that tomorrow. Today I plan on lying around all day... I'm SO TIRED from my lack of sleep last night.

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Early morning tempo run

Today, we are taking the kids to a Holidome for the night (courtesy of my mom) for a last hurrah before school starts next week. Since I do speed work on Thursdays, I figured I'd do it this morning instead--that way I don't have to do it on the hotel dreadmill. Running on the dreadmill just feels so much easier than outside, so I think I'd get the most benefit of speed work if I'm actually doing it outside.

I had a 40-minute tempo run scheduled. That means about 10 minutes easy running, 20 minutes hard running, and 10 easy. The hardest part about this is figuring out just HOW hard the middle segment should be. I always read that it should be "comfortably hard"--but running is NEVER comfortable to me! ;)  I decided to try and go just over my goal race pace, so about 8:50-9:00/mi. It was tough. I'm glad to have it over with for the week. At the hotel tomorrow morning, I'll just have to run 4 easy miles.

Speaking of running, a couple of people asked me questions that I figured I'd answer here in case someone else was wondering the same thing. 1) My runner's knee. I actually haven't had any problems with my knee lately. Probably because I cut way back on my mileage in June and July. And lately, I've been focusing on going EASY on my easy runs and saving my strength for my speed work. That has actually made a world of difference in my overall energy--I feel so much better all week, even though my mileage has more than doubled since I started 10k training.

And 2) Why do I prefer the compression fit running pants? There is a difference between the compression FIT pants and using compression sleeves or socks. I don't know much about the sleeves and socks. I choose the compression fit pants because of my loose skin. My belly bounces up and down and it's really painful unless I wear really tight clothing. Wearing compression fit spandex helps out a lot.

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So I tried on my bridesmaid dress last night, and it's tight. I hate that there is a little bulge between my armpit and boob on each side. I'm really going to have to step up my game and drop about 10 pounds before the wedding. I'm feeling the pressure now!

I didn't intend on anyone seeing this picture, and I had Noah take it just so I could do a comparison later (for my eyes!)  So what do I do? Naturally, I post it to my blog. I have learned a lesson though, about taking "before" pictures. Even if you think nobody will ever see it, make sure you SMILE. Because someday, you might actually use it as a before picture. I have a before picture that looks SO HIDEOUS that I'll never show anyone of course I'll post it just to show you what I'm talking about.  (But I insist on putting it next to an "after" pic, so you can see that I'm not actually that messed up looking!)

See what I mean? It looks like a mugshot!

So anyways, my whole point was that I'm going to work my ass off for the next 6 weeks to look GOOD in the dress. I'm already doing the exercise 6 days a week to train for the 10k, so I just need to be super strict on what I eat. Count every calorie. Then hopefully, I'll be able to post a 6-week comparison pic in my dress :)

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I've written a guest post for Krista at My Journey to a Healthy Berg--she just posted it this morning, so feel free to check it out here. Krista is super inspiring, so you should check out her blog as well! She's lost over 100 pounds herself, the HARD way (diet and exercise).

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Do you have tons of "before" pictures on your hard drive? I've taken so many over the years, and never thought I'd actually make it to the "after" pic. It's kind of fun to go through them :)

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F.A.Q. #3: How did you stop binge eating?

Ahhh, the million dollar question. If I had a *real* answer to this, I'd be rich!  As promised, here is a post about binge eating.

(Note as of January 29, 2016): I have written much more extensive, in-depth posts about binge eating. I would suggest reading that instead. Here is a link to Part 1 of the the four-part series.

There is a difference between binge eating and overeating/overindulging. I found this in a magazine years ago, which simplifies it:

To see much more specific details about binge eating, you can click here for the DSM-IV criteria for Binge Eating Disorder (BED). It's also important to note that not every person who binge eats has BED.

So first, I want to stress that I do not, in any way, claim to have all the answers. Because I don't. I still have problems with bingeing. I have more control over it now than ever before, and I binge much less frequently than I did at 253 pounds--but I still lose control once in a while.  I've had Binge Eating Disorder the majority of my adult life, and it's a constant struggle for me, even after losing 100+ pounds.

I did go an entire year without bingeing while I was losing weight, and I just thought I'd share a few tips that helped me get through that year of being binge-free. Maybe something will click with you, and could help you out as well. And I'm more than open to hearing suggestions from my readers as well--I can always use all the help I can get!

240-calorie S'mores Pie

#1. I ate dessert every. single. day.  My binge food of choice is always something sweet--ice cream, cookies, cake, candy, etc. So I made it a point to eat dessert daily, and not just a "healthy" dessert like fruit or sugar-free jello with cool whip. I made it something that I really wanted, something that I would eat whether I was dieting or not. Things like brownie sundaes, full-size candy bars, large cookies, etc. I reserved about 200-300 calories per day for these things, which sounds like a lot to someone who is trying to lose weight! However, considering the alternative--bingeing almost daily on thousands of calories of sugar--200-300 calories isn't bad. When I was struggling with binge thoughts during the day, I would just remind myself that after dinner, I was going to have something fantastic. I ate a pretty healthy diet all day, but I would allow myself that daily indulgence.

#2.  I kept extremely busy when I was feeling a binge coming on. Leaving the house always helped, and I enjoyed going to a store and trying on clothes (not necessarily to buy them, but it was fun to see sizes drop). When I was trying on clothes, I wasn't thinking about food. I did a lot of big projects around the house--organizing my cupboards and closets, painting walls, alphabetizing DVD's, etc. Anything to keep my mind and hands really busy helped me a lot.  I made a list of things to do instead of bingeing, and when I was feeling a binge coming on, I would pick something on the list and work on it.

#3.  I only ate foods I truly enjoyed. I don't like salad, so I didn't eat salad. I don't like yogurt, so I didn't eat yogurt. I found that I was much more satisfied with my food when I ate things I enjoyed. I found that I wanted to binge the most on the days that I ate something I didn't care for--so I learned not to do that. It's important to be satisfied mentally with food as much as physically.

#4.  I quit "hoarding" my points/calories for later in the day. My thoughts used to be that "If I eat my snack now, I might not have calories left for later, so I better wait..." and then later, I'd be starving, and I would usually binge. So this time around, when I was hungry, I used my points/calories for a snack at that moment. I usually found that once I used up all my calories for the day, I wasn't hungry after that, regardless of the time of day. It's much easier to refrain from bingeing when you're not starving.

#5.  When all else failed, and I was on the verge of bingeing, I would make myself measure out and eat ONE portion of the binge food and count the calories for it. Then I would wait 10 minutes, promising myself that if I still wanted it, I could just binge. And by eating the food, my blood sugar would go up a little and make me feel better--and in turn, I refrained from bingeing. My mind was much clearer when I wasn't hungry. While I was eating the food, I was 100% positive that after 10 minutes, I'd still want to binge... but it never worked out that way. I still use this trick (almost daily) when I feel a binge coming on. Measure out and eat one portion, then wait 10 minutes--and I rarely lose control after that.

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So as you can see, the mental struggle is the hardest part about binge eating. And so much hard work can come undone from one single binge. But the longer you go without a binge, the easier it gets, and it's important to keep that in mind.

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Perch

My weekend was pretty uneventful, with the exception of Saturday morning. My dad called at 7 AM to ask if we wanted to go fishing on the boat. I totally didn't, but my kids really did, and I didn't want him taking the kids on the boat by himself (for safety reasons). So I told him I'd go, and we left around 8:15. We put the boat in at the State Park and cruised out a couple of miles into Lake Erie. We started at a spot where there were a TON of other boats fishing--maybe 25 or 30? Nobody was catching anything, and my dad wanted to try a different spot. My dad is a really great fisherman--he almost always catches his limit, and people love going fishing with him because he catches a lot of fish.

We found another spot, without anyone else there, and we started catching perch. A lot of perch! We were there for about 3 hours and we probably caught about 100 perch, but we left with about 50 or 60 (the others were too small, so we threw them back).

This rainbow was hanging out over Eli's head for a long time

Did I mention that I live by a cloud factory? Yep, they make clouds. Oh, and a byproduct would be nuclear energy ;)

After we were fishing for a little while, I noticed that a bunch of seagulls started hanging out by us. When one of us would catch a fish, the seagulls started making all kinds of noise, like they were cheering. Of course, they just wanted the fish!

Seagulls wishing we'd throw them some fish

My dad said that's a good way to see who is catching fish--just look for the seagulls, because they hang out around the boats that are catching fish. I never knew that! I figured they just hung out on the beach bugging the picnic-ers.

Eli wanted to act like we saw a shark (because apparently we have sharks in Lake Erie)

Noah and my dad--Noah loves that he can drive the boat now

My dad took the fish home and cleaned them, and then he made a huge fish dinner that night--my dad is well-known for his fish fry dinners. Cardiac specials, as he calls them, because they are like a heart attack on a plate. I balanced out the grease with pie for dessert. ;)

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So anyway, yesterday was uneventful. I went for a 60-minute bike ride, which is the longest I've ridden so far. I made it to double-digit miles yesterday--11.37, which is about 4 miles farther than any previous distance I've done. It wasn't hard on my body, but mentally, I was bored out of my mind. It's easy for my mind to wander when I'm running, but when I'm biking, I can't really zone out. Thankfully, my cross training doesn't exceed 60 minutes at a time, and it's just once a week.

This morning, I went for my long run. I headed out the door at 6:30. It was still dark, so I got to wear my reflector vest that I bought at the Ragnar last year. I love that thing!  I should've taken a picture, but I wasn't really awake yet. My run felt so good this morning. I love it when it feels like that. My legs felt strong, I wasn't winded, I just took it easy, and actually enjoyed it. I never thought I'd enjoy running!

I ran the same amount of time that I biked yesterday... the biking burned 349 calories, while the running burned 665. Which means I get to eat more when I run. That's why it's my exercise of choice :)

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Did you do anything fun this weekend?  Have you ever been fishing?

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Answers to your questions (a long post!)

I had so much fun reading and answering your questions!  There were quite a few, so I organized them by topic. That way, you can skip over a topic if it doesn't interest you. Hopefully all this talk about me isn't TOO boring!

FOOD/DIET:

Q.  About bingeing: How is it defined? How do you manage it now?
A.  A binge itself is characterized by eating a much larger than normal amount of food within a short period (2 hours) AND lack of control over eating during the binge episode. The "lack of control" part is very important. Many people overeat (think Thanksgiving dinner!) but it is not a binge unless there is a feeling of having no control.

Binge eating disorder is diagnosed by more specific criteria, that you can find here. I had binge eating disorder (I still consider myself to have BED, even though I'm not bingeing as often as I did when I was fat).  Managing the binge eating is SO MUCH HARDER than losing 100+ pounds was. It's the hardest thing I've ever done. I've learned to identify binge triggers (stress is #1, usually when my kids are driving me nuts), and try to avoid them. I am constantly struggling with it, though. I've been working on an entire post about binge eating, so I'll hopefully finish that soon.

Update January 2016: I've written a four-part series about binge eating, which answers any questions you probably have. You can read the first part here.

Q.  Do you and your husband ever eat out?
A.  I could probably count on one hand the number of times I ate out in the 16 months that I was losing weight. We used to enjoy eating out, but we were both fat--and I knew that restaurant food wasn't helping.  It was hard at first, but we eventually learned to enjoy home-cooked food much more than restaurant food. We save a ton of money, the food tastes better, it's much healthier, and you know what is in the food. We still avoid eating out as much as possible, but if it's for a social thing, then we will. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say we eat out once every two months or so (unless we are on vacation).

Q.  How do you manage a $100/week grocery budget?
A.  I'm still getting used to the $100/week budget, but so far it hasn't been too hard. Our breakfasts are very cheap--my kids like cereal (I buy the store brand, for about $1.50 per box) or half a bagel; Jerry and I like oatmeal (plain oats are much cheaper than the flavored ones, and they taste better too, if you add toppings), or toast with peanut butter.

For lunch, my kids love Ramen noodles--they request that nearly every day, which is super cheap. I usually have homemade soup (I make a big batch of soup to last the week, usually vegetarian). Jerry takes leftovers from dinner the previous day in his lunch.

I cook dinner nearly every day. We eat a lot of beans, lentils, and rice, which are all super cheap. If I cook with meat, I only use one pound per dinner. I buy meat at Sam's Club (they have great meat and it's the cheapest I can find it--usually around $2 per pound, more or less depending on what I'm buying). I buy it in bulk and then package it into one-pound bags and freeze it.

To buy my fresh produce, I go to the fruit and veggie market. I can buy a TON of fruit and veggies for less than $20. I only buy the stuff that is very cheap. Even though I love raspberries, I would never pay the $3-4 per container for them that they cost sometimes. I wait until they are on sale for $1. I don't pay more than $1/pound for apples, grapes, peaches, etc. Something is always on sale, and that's what I buy for the week.

One thing that I DON'T buy is pre-packaged stuff like Lean Cuisines or frozen pizzas, etc. Usually, the more work you have to do to prepare something, the cheaper it's going to be.

Q.  What are your staple food items?
A.  The things I buy most often:
milk (1% for the family, unsweetened almond milk for me)
eggs
coffee
carrots
onions
bananas
bread (sprouted grain bread for snacks, and sandwich bread)
Smucker's Natural peanut butter
Kettle almond butter
cheese (2% milk shredded cheddar and mozzarella, slices of Havarti or muenster)
whole wheat flour (and whole wheat pastry flour for baking)
Smart Taste pasta (it's white pasta with only 180 calories and 6 grams of fiber)
canned tomatoes (diced and crushed, and tomato sauce)
canned beans (black, red, pinto, garbanzo, Great Northern)
dried beans, split peas, and lentils
brown rice
canned corn (no sugar added)
prunes
hard pretzels (Kroger brand only--they are our favorite)
chocolate chips
Fiber One bars (oats & chocolate)
old-fashioned oats
lean ground turkey
smoked turkey sausage
lean boneless pork chops
canned tuna
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
beer
wine

Q.  Do you take any vitamins or supplements?
A.  Yes (when I remember to!). I take a (generic brand) children's chewable vitamin (like Flinstones), vitamin D supplement, and fish oil supplement. I take the children's vitamin because my stomach is very sensitive to adult vitamins (just since losing weight--I used to take them without problem when I was fat--go figure!)  If I take an adult multivitamin, or even half of one, I get extremely nauseous and sometimes even vomit, so I stick with the kids ones. I take vitamin D and fish oil because Dr. Oz recommends it! :)

October 2009

Q.  What are your favorite healthier snacks?
A.  As I said before, I go through food phases, but there are a couple of snacks that remain constants. Carrots and peanut butter (2 oz. carrot sticks, 32 grams of natural peanut butter). The combo is perfect--crunchy, smooth, sweet, salty, creamy. My other favorite is some sort of bread with nut butter--I like sprouted grain bread (found in the freezer section), or homemade bread--pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, banana bread, bran muffins, etc.

Carrots with peanut butter

Banana bread with coconut butter

Q.  What is your favorite recipe of all time? Also, do you have a recipe that even some who is lost in the kitchen can make?
A.  Wow, this is a tough one!!  But if I HAVE to choose... This isn't so much a recipe as it is a method, but I love to eat this for lunch or dinner, especially when cooking for just myself. This is for ONE serving:

Pick a starch (whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet, whatever you like)
Pick a veggie (asparagus, peas, fresh green beans, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, etc)
Olive oil (about 1 Tbsp--I like light olive oil instead of EVOO, just a flavor preference)
Garlic (3-4 cloves, or go crazy with 5-6 like me!)
Parmesan cheese (or feta!)

Cook your starch according to package directions. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Slice or chop the garlic and add it to the skillet. Cook the garlic very carefully to avoid burning it, until it is soft and just barely starting to turn golden. Throw the veggies in the skillet too, coating with the garlicky oil, and cook until the veggies are soft (a lot of times I'll put the veggies in with the starch instead--a handful of broccoli in with the pasta for a couple of minutes, so that it cooks faster than in the skillet).  When the starch is done, drain if needed, and add it to the skillet with the oil, garlic, and veggies, and toss to coat the whole thing. Pile it on a plate and top with parmesan (or feta) cheese.

Brown rice, peas, olive oil, garlic, and parmesan

Whole wheat pasta, asparagus, olive oil, garlic, and parmesan

 See how versatile it is? Yum!!  And for a fool-proof recipe that ANYONE can make, check this recipe out. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can just cook the chicken separately (grill, boil, bake, whatever), then mix all the ingredients together and heat on the stove until hot.


EXERCISE:

Q.  Which workout clothes do you like for each activity?
A.  My running clothes consist of:

• Under Armour Cold Gear $$ (for winter) compression fit pants (I only have one pair, so I use them for my longer runs)
• Under Armour Heat Gear $$ (for summer) compression fit capri's (Again, just one pair)
• Lots of race t-shirts that I've earned or bought second-hand
• Sports jackets for winter (just cheap ones from Wal-Mart)
• Under Armour compression fit long-sleeved shirt (got this at a garage sale for $2!!!)
• Knee-length shorts (Danskin from Wal-Mart). These are a cotton blend, which most people hate to run in, but I use them for shorter runs or when my Under Armour capri's are dirty. I have about 8 pairs that I got on clearance for $3/pair.
• Danskin yoga pants from Wal-Mart. Same as the shorts above. 
• cheap sports bras from Wal-Mart (I have small boobs, so I don't need much support)
• Moisture wicking socks (not sure of the brand), bought at the running store
• Brooks Adrenaline 11 shoes
• Under Armour visor, a gift from Jerry for my first half-marathon (visors are great for keeping sweat out of your eyes)
• And always... ALWAYS my Garmin!! Cannot run without my Garmin

UA capris, UA shirt

Cheap cotton shorts, race t-shirt, GARMIN

 Q.  What kind of strength training exercises do you do?
A.  I don't do a ton of strength training, but in a nutshell, here is my routine (I only do one set of these exercises):

• squats (holding a 20 lb. dumbbell in each hand)- 12-16 reps
• alternating lunges (holding a 15 lb. dumbbell in each hand)- 8 reps per leg
• side lunges- 8 reps per leg
• donkey kicks- 16 reps per leg
• leg lifts- 16 reps per leg
• crunches- about 40 (sometimes I do sit-ups instead, and I'll only do about 20 of those)
• shoulder press (15 lb dumbbell in each hand)- 12 reps
• chest flys (10 lb dumbbells)- 12 reps
• bicep curls (15 lb dumbbells)-10 reps
• tricep kick-backs (10 lb dumbbells)- 12 reps each
• lateral raises (10 lb dumbbells)- 12 reps
• back rows (15 lb dumbbells)- 12 reps each
• push-ups-(Army-style)- as many as I can do! Right now, about 6 ;)

I was going to try and link to a diagram to each one of these, but it was taking forever to find good ones. If you aren't sure of the exercises, you can google them. I took a weight lifting class in college and learned all about them there.

Q.  Do you go to the gym or exercise at home?
A.  I do all of my exercises at home. My family is on a very tight budget, so I don't have a gym membership. I do have a treadmill at home, but I mostly run outside. I have a limited set of dumbbells (2 lbs, 5 lbs, 8 lbs, 10 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs).

Q.  What made you decide to get into running, and was it difficult for you at first?
A.  You can read my entire running story here. The short version? I was writing a bucket list, and included "Enter and RUN a 5k race". The ONLY reason I started running was to make it through the one 5k race, and then I planned on quitting the running after that--because I hated running. However, I eventually became hooked on it, and it became my exercise of choice. Running was VERY difficult for me at first. I can't tell you how many times I attempted the Couch to 5k program and failed (Week 4 is a bitch!) So I did my own thing, and it made much more sense for me. That can be found on my running page as well.

After my first 8-mile run (it took 3 separate attempts to reach 8!)

Q.  How did you educate yourself on running and all the running lingo?
A.  I began reading some running blogs, but most of the info was from Runner's World magazine. I bought a few of them and loved them, so I eventually subscribed (it's a cheap subscription!)  I thought that magazine would be aimed at super serious elite runners, but it's aimed at ALL runners--even beginners. Love that magazine!

WEIGHT LOSS:

Q.  Did your shoe size get smaller with your weight loss?
A.  Absolutely! I had to get rid of ALL my old shoes. I used to wear a 9 1/2-10 (wide), and now I wear an 8-9 (depending on the shoe, usually an 8 1/2).

Q.  What is your "story"? Were you always overweight? Etc...
A.  I was overweight my entire life. I remember binge eating when I was very young, before I even knew there was a such thing as a "binge". In 4th grade, a bully nicknamed me Shamu, and I was teased a lot for my weight. Throughout high school, I was about 175 pounds (I'm 5'4" tall, so that made me overweight). In college, I got up to 205. I lost about 50 pounds for my wedding in 2003, and then gained it back immediately afterward.  I gained a lot for each pregnancy--my highest weight was 271 before I delivered Eli. After my pregnancies, I got down to 218 pretty quickly, but it didn't last. I gained. And gained. Until I was a steady 250+ for a few years. In August 2010 was the first time IN MY LIFE that I was considered a "normal" weight.

I think a major factor in my weight problem is the fact that I've battled with depression since I was about 10 years old (around the time some kids started calling me Shamu). I still have depression, and I take medication for it. Depression=eating=being overweight=more depression. A bad cycle!

In high school... 175 pounds

College... 205 pounds (That's Jerry--his shirt said "I LUV PUNKY", his nickname for me, lol)

Q.  Did you have any health problems from being overweight?
A.  I was actually very lucky in that I was pretty healthy other than being obese. I had high cholesterol, but my blood sugar and blood pressure were fine. Something that became prevalent about a year before I started losing weight was that I was getting numbness in my hands multiple times per day. I wasn't sure why, but it stopped when I lost the weight, so it must have been related.

Q.  Do you enjoy life more now that you've lost the weight? Do you see life differently?
A.  This is a really great question, because the answer may surprise you. While life is certainly EASIER at a normal weight, I wouldn't say that I am enjoying life more. My life is pretty much the exact same as it was before, on a daily basis--taking care of my kids, cleaning my house, running errands, very occasionally going out with friends.

The one exception to this is activity. When I was fat, I hated anything that was active. Now, the thought of sitting around doing nothing all day doesn't sound appealing at all. I go for bike rides and walks for PLEASURE--so I definitely enjoy life more as far as activity goes.

I never would have gone zip-lining when I was fat

Q.  Was there a specific event or moment that made you decide to lose the weight once and for all?
A.  I don't think I really had a defining moment like that. Seeing the race photos from the Indy 500 Festival (my "before" pic in the blue shirt) was a huge wake-up call, but that was in May 2009. I didn't start losing weight until August 2009, so I'm not sure what made me finally get fed-up.

Q.  How do you wear a size 4/6? I weigh (a similar weight) but I'm a size 10.
A.  This definitely has to be from the running. In 2003, I got down to 153 pounds from dieting alone. I was a size 12-14 at the time. Now, I'm in the high 140's, and I wear a size 4/6 (more like a 6 at this weight... around 140 is a comfy 4). The only explanation I can come up with is that running made me drop more body fat this time around.

I weighed 152 in both pics... the left is from 2003 (size 12/14 jeans), right is from 2010 (size 4)

FAMILY:

Q.  Do you have brothers or sisters?
A.  I have an older sister, Jeanie, who lives with her husband and two basset hounds in Illinois; I have an older brother, Brian, who is divorced (no kids) and is a pilot for Delta, living in Minnesota; and I have a younger brother, Nathan, not yet married, no kids, who just bought his first house here in Michigan after spending 3 years in Iraq (first as a soldier, then working as a civilian).

Nathan, me, Jeanie, and Brian... the day after I came home from the hospital (Nov '10)

Q.  How does eating healthy effect your kids? Do they eat healthier? Do they get upset by not having junk food in the house?
A.  I don't know if my kids really remember what our food habits were like before. They certainly eat healthier now because we aren't ordering pizza or going out to eat anymore. I don't cook special "diet" meals for me and something else for them--I cook one meal for the family, and if they don't like it, then TOUGH. I do buy them treats (things that I don't like), but not very often. My parents live very close to us and they definitely spoil my kids with junk food, so there is no need for me to do it also.

One thing that my kids can't stand is that I never ever take them to McDonald's. I honestly haven't eaten McDonald's since August 2009. Just the thought of it repulses me. I don't take the kids there at all, and they always whine about it. But my parents take them after church once in a while, so they get their fix that way!

Q.  What does Jerry take to eat for work? Do you make it healthier for him?
A.  Jerry takes leftover dinner for work. When I cook dinner, I make 4 portions. Jerry and I each eat one portion for dinner, the kids split a portion for dinner, and then there is one leftover portion--that's what Jerry takes to work the next day. Jerry packs his own lunch (I feel bad about that, because I really feel like I should pack him a lunch! But I honestly never think about it). We don't have junk food in the house (it would never last more than a minute if we did!) so he just brings leftovers and a couple of snacks--like Fiber One bars, pretzels, fruit.

Q.  How did your family and friends react to your weight loss?
A.  At first, they didn't really say much. I'd been on diets hundreds of times, so they probably assumed it was just another attempt that would soon fail. But when I was lost 50, 60, 70+ pounds, most of my family and friends were very supportive and encouraging. However, once I got to a certain point--less than 150 pounds--some of my friends made comments that I was taking it too far, and when am I going to stop, etc. I could tell that some of my friends were jealous of the attention I was getting for the weight loss. I really began to realize who my true friends were, and they were very happy for me.

  Most of my friends and family were very proud of me. I never mentioned my weight loss on Facebook until I made the video of my weight loss journey back in January 2011. I posted the video on Facebook, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. A lot of my friends reposted it on their own pages, saying, "Look what my friend did!" and things like that. Now, most everyone treats me like I was never overweight.

My friend Adam has been nothing but happy for me since the beginning... go check out his Sparkpage and tell him how strong he is! He'll love that ;)

Q.  How do you deal with eating during family get-togethers and/or holidays?
A.  This is a copy and paste from my FAQ page:   I constantly remind myself that this party is only going to be a few hours... and in a few hours, I can go home feeling really happy that I'm still on plan, or I can go home and feel like crap because I let FOOD take control over me. I also plan everything before I go... if the hostess is a friend of mine, I'll even call and ask about the food situation so that I can plan my calories. If it's a restaurant situation, I look up the menu online and plan EVERYTHING I'm going to eat and then I stick to that plan. If I am going somewhere where I don't know what the food situation will be, then I eat before I leave or after I get home... or I even pack a lunch or snack to have to hold me over until I get home. I also make sure that I don't let ANYONE tell me how I should eat... and it never fails that people will tell me, "It's a party, you can splurge!" or "No dessert?! But it's Christmas! You can treat yourself!" etc etc. *I* make the decision about my food, nobody else.

Q.  What were your kids reactions to your weight loss?
A.  They really don't remember when I was fat. After I'd lost the weight, I showed my "before" picture (the race photo with the blue shirt) to the kids and said, "Look at this, do you remember when I looked like this?" They started cracking up laughing, and I thought it was because of my weight. Then Noah said, "Look at your hair! You look silly!" It's funny, the things kids notice (or don't notice!)

I do remember when I was fat, it was just before Noah started kindergarten. He told me that he didn't want me to be fat. He said this out of nowhere. I cried about it. Maybe that was my defining moment!?

ABOUT ME:

Q.  Does your ice addiction cause problems with your teeth?
A.  Surprisingly, I've been lucky so far in that my teeth seem to be fine with the ice chewing. My dentist told me I shouldn't chew ice, but I told him that it's unlikely I'll quit, and that was that. I have a couple of chipped teeth from when I broke my jaw, and the dentist put some tooth-colored stuff on them to fill in the chip... but it only lasted about two weeks. I was chewing ice and that part broke off. But as far as my actual TEETH, they haven't been harmed from the ice.

Q.  What is your typical day like when the kids are in school?
A.  We'll find out this fall! ;)  Eli is just starting kindergarten, so it will be my first time having every day, ALL day to myself. When he was in preschool, he went to school for 4 days per week, 3 hours each day. During that time, I did my running. I took him to school, then went to the State Park nearby and ran. Went home, showered, dressed, ate lunch, then picked him up.

I'm not sure what my day will consist of when BOTH of the boys are in school all day long. I definitely will do my running in the morning after they get on the bus. Clean the house. Run errands.

Q.  What are your favorite TV shows?
A.  Fun question!!  My favorites:  Desperate Housewives, The Biggest Loser, Drop Dead Diva, Love Bites, House, Brothers & Sisters, Cougar Town, Parenthood, Modern Family, The Big C, Dexter.... do you think I watch enough TV?!  My top 3 of those would probably be Love Bites (a new show, just finished the first season); Brothers & Sisters; and Desperate Housewives (so sad this will be the last season!)

Q.  Do you like being a stay-at-home mom and do you keep to a schedule?
A.  Considering the alternative, I love being a stay-at-home mom. I have such bad social anxiety that I would dread working in an office or any environment that I had to deal with people. Until a year ago, I worked from home for a gynecologist--I scanned charts and uploaded them online (which most doctors are switching over to now). I did that for 5 years, and it was a great set-up I had (being able to work at home). However, all the work was finished and they didn't need me anymore. I don't plan on getting another job unless I absolutely HAVE to. Jerry understands my high level of anxiety, and he is fine with me staying at home.

Q.  Do you plan to go back to work when the boys are older?
A.  I guess I just answered that above!  :)  No, not if I can help it, but if my family really needs me to, then I will.

Q.  Do you spend a lot of time looking for healthy eating topics, weight loss, recipes, etc, online?
A.  When I was losing weight, I spent a LOT of time doing that--it was a source of inspiration for me. Now, whenever I'm online, I'm reading blogs. I love to read running blogs and weight loss blogs. I would read food blogs too, if they weren't a binge trigger for me.

Q.  Did you ever have any embarrassing moments when you were heavy?
A.  Yes! Once, I went to a restaurant and they took us to a booth. It never even crossed my mind that I wouldn't fit, but when I went to sit down, I couldn't squeeze in! I had to ask to move to a table. Another time, at the Mall of America, I was going to ride a roller coaster with Noah. I couldn't get the bar to latch, because my stomach was too big. The person who was working looked really embarrassed for me, and I told her just to push it down really hard. It latched, but it was digging into my stomach the whole time.  People used to make mean comments about my weight to me quite often, too.

Me and Noah at the Mall of America in 2006

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Tummy Tuck Consult!

So today was the big day--I had my tummy tuck consult this morning. I was anticipating and dreading it (out of nerves). I don't know why I was so nervous, because it was JUST a consult, after all. I woke up at 5:15 (!!!) and couldn't go back to sleep because of my nerves, so I just got out of bed and ran 4 miles on the dreadmill instead of waiting to run outside when it was light out. I did my strength training after that, then showered and dressed for my appointment. Jerry got home from work at 6:30, so he just stayed awake and went to my appointment with me. The kids were at my mom's.

Jerry missed the exit in Detroit, so we ended up going about 10 minutes out of the way, but we left early enough that it didn't matter. Dropped the car off for valet, and then headed up to the Plastic Surgery floor. I paid my co-pay ($134) and since I was the second appointment of the day, we didn't have to wait long. The nurse who took me to the room was super nice. She took my blood pressure and asked me a bunch of medical questions. She gave me a gown to put on, and said I could leave my bra on. The doctor, her surgical assistant, and the nurse were all in the room while I was talking to the doctor.

First, she asked me some questions about why I wanted a tummy tuck and questions about the medical issues it was causing me. She asked about my insurance, and said that the insurance I have is very likely to cover the cost because I met the requirements:  1) Had to have lost 100+ pounds; 2) Had to have kept it off for at least 6 months; and 3) Had to have problems with skin rashes from the excess skin.

The doctor was VERY confident that it will be covered, which kind of surprised me. I guess I was expecting her to tell me that it's rare and I shouldn't count on it; then I could just put the whole issue to rest because there is no way I can afford to pay for this out of pocket.

The doctor checked out my belly and she suggested that I would be much happier with a lower body lift instead of just the tummy tuck. With a tummy tuck, your incision goes from hip to hip. With the lower body life, the incision goes completely around, like a belt. I'm terrified of the thought of the lower body lift, and I told her I don't think I'm interested. She wanted to give me all my options, though, to be thorough.

Yes, my hips, thighs, and butt would look much better with the lower body lift--but it's purely cosmetic, so I would have to pay extra for that, which she quoted at $2900. I'm going to think about it and research the lower body lift some more before I make a decision.

I asked her about recovery time, and she said I can't do heavy lifting for 6 weeks, but other than that, I can listen to my body as far as exercise goes. Obviously, I'm not going to be running my way home from the hospital, but I can do light, easy running when I feel up to it, and if it feels too hard, then I should back off. With the lower body lift, I won't be able to SIT for a week or so--I'll have to either stand or lie down, because she doesn't want me to put pressure on the incision on my back. I can't imagine not being able to sit!

So as of right now, I need to wait to hear back from the insurance company. They told me it usually takes 4-6 weeks to get approved, and the doctor would like to schedule the surgery within a month of that. So I'm thinking the end of October for surgery, if all goes as planned. I still don't want to get my hopes up, but it sounds so promising. You all will be the first to know when I hear anything about the insurance.

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