This will probably be my final post.

It's been over two years since I've posted on this blog! Time flies. Wow.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I've started a new blog! I didn't consciously decide to stop writing here, it just kind of happened naturally for a number of reasons. (I'm just going to copy and paste a few of those reasons from my new blog because I'm lazy.)

For years (2011-2015) I kept a blog (OurFightNow) all about Childhood Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, diet, exercise, and my experience having weight loss surgery as a 15 year old. To my knowledge, it’s still the only blog I’ve found talking about all of those issues from a teenagers perspective. At least as of 05/11/2017 when I’m writing this.

It’s now been 2 years since I’ve posted on that site, and while I’m still incredibly proud of the fact that I managed to keep that blog going so long- it was hard to upkeep. For numerous reasons… the most notable being:

1. I’m not a child or teenager anymore, and it didn’t feel right continuing to write under the pretense that it was from that perspective. I can still recount my experiences as a child, but it’s no longer coming from that frame of mind.
2. A large portion of that blog was in regards to weight loss surgery. I had a VSG in August 2011 and I’ve written the topic almost-dead. I don’t feel like I have anything else to say on the topic, at least for the time being.
3. Honestly? The blog was kind of cringe-worthy. There are a lot of errors (typo, and just general medical knowledge errors) that I made years ago that I SHOULD go back and fix, but the thought of doing so is extremely overwhelming at the moment.

So, I’ve decided to upgrade. I’m not 100% sure what all I’ll cover here. It’ll be similar health-related content, but I’m not going to pigeon-hole myself to only write about WLS/Metabolic Syndrome. To be honest, I’m not even 100% sure that Metabolic Syndrome is my be-all end-all diagnosis. (Currently being tested for Cushing’s Syndrome? We’ll see what happens with that…) So it doesn’t feel right to only write about those two things. This will be a journey for all of us.

So that's where I'm at now. 

My new blog is www.ashtrohealth.wordpress.com  if anyone is interested in checking it out! Other than that, you're still more than welcome to email/message me whenever you want! I still get comments and emails sometimes from people who read this blog and it always makes my day. I love being able to have an open discussion about these topics with people who understand or want to understand them.

My email is ashtrovert @ gmail . com & my Instagram/Tumblr/Twitter usernames are all ashtrovert as well! Feel free to get in contact whenever you'd like and I'd love to chat!

I hope you all are having a wonderful day and thank you all so much for following this blog.

-Ashley<3(: 

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

Hey there! Ashley here. It's been awhile since I updated. I've received a few emails and messages on Facebook lately about this blog, and it resulted in me logging back on to realize it's been ten months since I've updated! Wow. Time flies.

I was always motivated to update this blog when I was doing well. This blog was also a motivation for me to do well (and I define doing well by losing weight, which may not be the healthiest way of looking at it, but that's debatable.) But as far as that goes, I'm not doing well. Which is probably a huge part as to why I haven't updated lately.

I've gained 30 pounds in the six to eight months or so. I went from around 175 to 205. Which, in the grand scheme of things... I'm still closer to my goal than where I started, which is good and when I look at the situation objectively, I can see that. However, I'm still not pleased with myself even though it's not 100% in my control at the moment...

A combination of the holidays, and money issues making it difficult to stick to the low carbohydrate high protein diet I had been doing (which worked REALLY well)  were a huge part of my weight gain. Also I switched insurance companies, and there was an overlap of time I wasn't able to get 2 of my medications. I've also been having trouble stomaching one of my medications, which is better now that I've got the prescription changed.. But these are all excuses.

Its just one thing after another honestly and it knocks down your motivation real quick, you know?

I feel like whenever I get my medications under control I'll start to lose again, it's just a matter of getting in the routine of taking them the way I had for years which is something I've been out of practice of for the past few months.  I've never "fallen off" my diet necessarily, I just didn't follow it as strictly as I did in 2013, which is what I need to do again. I had so much more energy and felt so much better about myself when I stuck to Atkins. I hadn't felt that healthy in a long time, and I'm working my way back into it.

As far as the surgery goes.. I'm three and a half years out now, to the day. February 19th, 2015. I had surgery on August 19th 2011. I really don't feel like the sleeve has done much for me other than the lack of appetite and the restriction, which wasn't really much of a problem to begin with.. Not to say it's not a good dieting tool, because it's fantastic. But it certainly hasn't done for me what I've seen it do for other people within the Teen WLS program I went through, you know? And sure I can attribute that to all of my metabolic problems that are somewhat separate from anything the surgery could touch. I don't know the science behind it all, but I know things have certainly worked differently for me than anyone I've met in these support groups on Facebook or the few I've gone to in person at the hospital. I could make guesses, but they wouldn't be educated outside of what I've researched on my own. Obviously everyone's body is different, but when I look at my issues pre and post op, they are nothing like anyone I know. So... Who knows!

I'm sure once I get back into a routine I'll do better, and I do still want to get down to my goal weight. I just need to find the motivation again, so I'm hoping getting back into blogging will help with that!

So if there are any topics anyone wants me to write about, or any suggestions.. feel free to let me know. I have 120+ posts on this site and I feel like I've written the subject(s) dry, but yet I still feel like there's more I could say... So let me know! Message me on FB or e-mail me!

Here's to hoping I get things under control soon. :) Hope you all have a lovely day. Talk to you soon.

-Ashley<3

CME Patient Panel Q&A's.

I was asked to be part of a Patient Panel at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where I had VSG surgery almost 2 years ago! It was part of a conference to teach people from around the world about weight loss surgery's affect on teens, and to get different perspectives on it (including patients who have gone through it).

I'll make a post talking all about that later, but I had a list of questions from the bariatric team that were basically a guideline of what we'd be asked there, and I thought I'd post the questions and answers here as well. (: We didn't get through all of them, because we added time for the people there learning to ask questions as well.. But they all kind of were the same things we would have gave information on, anyway. So here were basically all the questions that there were for the patients, and how I answered them (or how I would have answered them if I didn't freeze up.. I'm not much of a public speaker, haha.)

1.) Q- What were the triggers that provoked the thought of weight loss surgery?
A- I have a strong family history of obesity and the co-morbidies that go along with it.. I've been dealing with  Insulin Resistance literally since I was an infant.. I was always twice my size, showing signs of high insulin levels and what not.. Just, metabolic problems in adults, let alone children, weren't really relevant back in the 90's.. So I didn't get diagnosed until I was 5 or 6. Regardless, I knew what was happening to my body.. and after watching my grandma die of obesity complications,.. well.. I realized I didn't really want to go through that. I was desperate to find a way to get the weight off.. I was sick of being unhealthy, despite my parents, doctors, and my own attempts to get it off.

2.) Q- How did you hear about us?
A- Well, basically, the internet.. Haha. I was 15, and at a point where I was so frustrated with every diet and exercise regimine I had ever done not working, that I was looking for different 'cleanses' and diets and detox things to do.. I was at a point where I was starving myself, not eating more than a couple carrots or half of a banana a day and I only did that to take my medicines.. I knew my body was in 'starvation mode' but I didn't care, because I was so desperate to lose the weight.. -- I was on some website reading about some diet that I hadn't tried before, when I saw an add for weight loss surgery.. then I got curious. I started to think "Oh, i wonder if they would do that on someone my age?" and I spent some time researching it, then came across Cincinnati Children's program for teen WLS... I spent more time researching it, joined websites like www.obesityhelp.com and talked to people who had had different types of surguries, and eventually made up my mind.. at which point I brought it up to my parents, showed them what I had learned, and we made appointments with some doctors to try and get a referral for a consult.

3.) Q- Was it difficult to lose weight pre-surgery? What were the barriers?
A- Well for me, I've been going to doctors and dietitans and what not since I was a toddler.. Diet and Exercise weren't necessarily my problem at this point, it was more not having the medication portion in piece. Before I got things rolling for the consult and started seeing doctors again, something I had previously pretty much given up on, I hadn't realized how terrible my health had gotten.. I had never really lost weight.. I only managed to maintain for awhile, before gaining more.. No one really knew how to treat IR in kids when I was younger. So once I got the medication part in piece, I lost 35lbs almost immediatley right before my consult.. So weight loss without the medications kind of seemed to be impossible. And still to this day is.. I didn't lose weight whenever I wasn't on my medications, post-op. People didn't think I'd need them after surgery, but I did and still do, at least for the time being. So, yeah.. the barriers were not having my health conditions treated correctly. People questioned why I decided to have surgery, when I lost almost 40 pounds with the medication changes and my answer was always that I wanted somethign more permanent, because I had been in situations where medications didn't help either, and I wanted that tool there in place so I could use it regardless, it's not something that goes away.. It's always going to be there. There's no reversal.

4.) Q- Which surgery did you get, and why?
A- I had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. I chose the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of the band possibly eroding my esophagus/stomach and needing fills, or the idea of the bypass.. I didn't like the idea of having my stomach removed, but still inside of me.. not really having access to it, you know? It just seemed a little unsettling. -- Also, the sleeve had a shorter anesthesia time, which was definitely a plus.

5.) Q- How were the pre-op clinic appointments?
A- They were good! I got any questions I had answered, lots of testing was done to assure I had the best care possible, and that there weren't any surprises during/after surgery.. And the bariatric team was really good at working with my other doctors (Family Physician & Endocrinologist, specifically) to let them know what was going on, and to schedule testing closer to home since I live about an hour away from Cincinnati, etc.. It was a surprisingly easy and relatively short-lived experience for me, seeing as my insurance only required 3 months of pre-op clinic.

6.) Q- Did you feel better prepared for surgery after these appointments?
A- Well, yeah. I knew what was going to happen and I had met pretty much everyone taking part in it.. I was really well prepared, and totally at ease with my decision.

7.) Q- How was your in-patient experience of surgery and recovery?
A- Aside from me being an idiot and denying myself pain medication post-op for awhile because I didn't think I'd need it, it was pretty easy.. The worst pain was from the gas due to it being laprascopic.. My hospital stay was only 2.5-3 days, and it was really uneventful.. No complications really.. I was a little irritable when I was in pain when I was denying myself the medication, but other than that, that's really it. (:

8.) Q- tell us about your relationship with food.. How did it change pre and post-surgery?
A- My relationship with food is pretty much the same.. I had always been a relatively healthy eater, I was never fond of sugar because it was something I never really had because I was always on diets, I was relatively good with portion sizes up until the year before surgery because i was so frustrated that I was starving myself.. So if anything it's better simply because I'm eating more frequently so my body isn't starving,  regardless of if the quantity is smaller than most peoples.. It's more than I was eating pre-op, and less than I was eating when I was younger when I couldn't seem to lose the weight. So it's alright, I guess. Just more scheduled.

9.) Q- Tell us about food and socialization post-surgery. Did it change? How?
A- I didn't socialize much before surgery, and I still don't socialize much because most of my friends live pretty far away.. It requires driving to the opposite corner of the state to see them, HOWEVER, i have taken more road trips to see them in the past 2 years than I ever had pre-op.. I've also made more friends when I take those trips, than the 1 or 2 i had.. I don't really associate food with socialization. I know most people do, but I don't.. They honestly have nothing to do with each other for me.

10.) Q- What was the worst part of the surgery process?
A- Definitely the plateaus with the weight loss.. I have a lot of metabolic problems, and I started at a lower weight than most people do having surgery.. So my weight loss has been slower, and that's been extremely frustrating for me.. I don't lose weight without the medications I'm on, and it seems like I have to work harder than most to lose the weight, just like I always have when I was younger when I'd try to maintain. I always seem to compare myself to other patients i've kept in contact with, and how they're doing.. I wonder what I'm doing wrong and why they're losing more weight and at a faster pace than me.. When in reality, I'm probably still eating healthier and exercising more than half of the ones that I've spoken to.. My lifestyle is so much more healthy.. They're eating junk and still losing weight, just because it's less junk than they took in before.. where for me, my diet was fine pre-op as for what I was eating, so yet another factor against me losing weight.. My body never went into shock like most peoples do with surgery.. You know? -- So, I 100% understand why I lose weight slower than most patients, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. Even now almost 2 years out it's still the number 1 reason why i'm ever upset or frustrated, haha.

11.) Q- What was the best part of surgery?
A- Well, obviously the weight loss is great, despite how slow it is. But I'd have to go with the people I've met.. If I had never found out that surgery was a possibility, I would have never fought to get a referral (which my family doctor wouldn't send) which lead me to the amazing endocrinologist that I have here, Dr. Nicholson. She's been a life saver when it comes to all of my metabolic problems, and figuring everything out and organizing all my medications and what not.. Also, the bariatric team, not just for surgery.. But the dietary aspect.. If I didn't have Kathy (the dietitian on board with CCHMC WLS program) to email when I get frustrated when I'm not able to get enough calories or protein or, or Linda (nurse practitioner) to have my mom call to ask about different things, I probably would have lost my mind by now.. Everyone has been so helpful in managing every aspect of my health, not just the stomach-being-removed portion.. That's definitely the best part for me. (:

12.) Q- Tell us about the health conditions that have changed post-surgery.
A- Pre-op I had Insulin Resistance that had crossed over to Type 2 Diabetes, PCOS, Hypothyroidism, Hypertension, and Sleep Apnea. Post-op I still have IR, but the Type 2 is gone.. The Hypertension is gone, and Sleep Apnea is gone. I still have IR, PCOS, and Hypothyroidism.. But it's much better controlled than it was pre-op.

13.) Q- Tell us about taste changes post-surgery?
A- There are some days I don't tolerate bread or pasta well, sometimes pork doesn't go over well either.. But it's not all the time. It just depends on the day.. Generally, I haven't had many food intolerances. Sugar doesn't go down well, obviously, but it never really did for me pre-op either, so that hasn't really changed.

14.) Q- How relationships were and are?
A- I had a lot of toxic friendships pre-op. Friends who treated me like crap, and ended up leaving me when I had surgery.. They either a) were jealous of me getting it or b) thought I was stupid for going through with it.. They didn't (and weren't willing to try to) understand my health problems or why it was a good choice for me.. But in the end, their opinions didn't matter to me.. I had been bullied my entire life for my weight, to the point where I left school temporarily in 7th grade to do home schooling because I couldn't handle the way everyone treated me (some teachers, included.) So I was at a point where I would take what I could get when it came to relationships, since I was so use to people treating me like crap. -- Post-op, those people left. I was in a position where I could go out more, even if it required trips to 3+ hours away to see my friends, it was worth it compared to having bad people around me.. I've made more friends, despite them living further away.. and I wouldn't trade those friendships for anything.

15.) Q- How do you keep yourself motivated to take multivitamin, and stick to diet and exercise?
A- Vitamins aren't a problem.. I have so many prescription medications that I take, I just have all my vitamins out by them and I'm pretty compliant with them. Sure, I miss a dose here or there, but it's not an every day thing. -- Diet really isn't much of a problem either, other than reminding myself to eat.. But exercise is more difficult. But I know I have to do it, to lose weight. and I want to get the weight off. Also, a big motivator for me is this blog. I use it to keep myself accountable.. I want to do well, so this blog does well, so people can see that despite whatever challenges they face that there is always a way to get what you want done accomplished. I know what I have to do, and I do it.. That's really all there is.

16.) Q- Do you think post-surgery follow up appointments are important and why?
A- Yeah I do, because the support system is really important. Also getting blood work done and what not to make sure you're still healthy and to adjust medications that need adjusted. It's just important to your overall health, physically and mentally, to have that support there.

17.) Q- What are the reactions of friends and family about your surgery decision and outcome?
A- Like I mentioned before, most of my friends didn't agree with it.. However my one friend that I go to concerts and road trip a lot with, was really accepting. Her mom had also had weight loss surgery, so she kind of understood it despite it being a different surgery, and there were no problems. -- Most of my extended family was 100% opposed to it, saying that my parents were stupid for allowing me to go through with it and allowing me to 'manipulate' them. However, now that they see there were no complications and that I"m healthier and that I have lost weight, they try to act like they've supported me the entire time... I have to bite my tongue a lot when I'm around them, haha. But I deal with it, I guess. My immediate family though was pretty supportive. My dad was kind of apathetic, my mom was all for it, my little brothers didn't mind it, and that's all that really mattered to me.

18.) Q- Energy level and sleep pattern.. how are they different pre and post-surgery?
A- My energy level is much higher, and I sleep better. I'm still slightly nocturnal, but I'm on a much more normal schedule than I was pre-op, and the fact that the sleep apnea is gone really helps as well. (:

19.) Q- How was your support group experience?
A- I haven't been to many support groups.. Actually I've only been to one, and it was good! But I can never make majority of them because I live a little over an hour away, and I typically don't have a ride. (I don't have a car, so driving myself isn't an option.) However, I spend a lot of time on the Facebook support group page that the team has created for everyone.. I think it's a really great thing to go along with the program, because you can almost guarantee that at any given time there will be at least one person online and willing to talk if you have any questions or need support (I'm usually one of those people.. I have a bit of an internet addiction. shh. :P) Sometimes people feel more comfortable talking to people online through text rather than in person verbally, because you have more time to really form your thoughts into what you want to say/ask.. It's just a really good platform for that. -- I've been told by different members of the bariatric team that people have used my name, saying that I've helped them through the support group page, or that they've taken my advise on things, and I don't know.. I have absolutely no idea who these people are, but I'm really glad I was able to help them with whatever we had talked about, and hearing that I was able to help someone online even though I can't make the support groups is a really great feeling.


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So yeah, those were all the questions that we were prepared with.. There were a few that people asked that I don't particularly remember, so when/if I do I'll add those to this list as well. (:

I hope everyone has a great day, and a post all about the experience of being on the panel will be coming soon!

Bye <3

-Ashley (:

What is this blog about?

Some people ask me what my blog is about.. If it's just me updating everyone on how WLS went for me, or a place to rant about all of my metabolic problems, or if it's informational, etc..

Truth is, it's a combination of it all.

When I was looking into surgery, I wanted to see how the whole process was from a (teenage) patients perspective. Not doctors. Not adults journeys. Someone near my age, that had been through similar things.. But because this is such a new thing, there isn't much documentation or anything like that online.. (not to mention not much research done at all long-term yet.)

Then I realized how nice it would have been if I could have found information online with kids dealing with Insulin Resistance, Hypothyroidism, PCOS, etc.. But again, there isn't much out there.

When I was first diagnosed with IR when I was 6 years old, that was kind of unheard of back in 2000/2001.  It was damn near a miracle that the doctor we found at the time was there, because no one even hardly knew what IR was in adults, much less young children/teenagers. There weren't really support groups for this kind of stuff (there still really isn't.) and I had no way of meeting other people with it, or talking to anyone, or knowing what it was like for anyone else.

So no. This isn't just about the weight loss surgery I had in August 2011. That was originally why I started the blog, but it's spread to a lot more than that.

I do informational posts, because through talking to people that have had surgery.. I've realized how privileged I am to have the knowledge I do about certain health-related topics. How lucky I was to see a dietitian at such a young age, and understand how your body processes food, what you need to stay healthy, what to eat to lose/maintain weight, etc.. I knew how to read labels when I was 8 years old. I learned portion sizes, etc... all before I was 10.

Not just diet, but exercise too. And the whole biological side of things? Through doctors explaining things to me, and doing my own research because I'm interested in my health, I understand a lot more than your average person about these kind of topics.. And to be honest? I enjoy researching and learning more, and sharing what I learn with other people. Writing has always been something I'm passionate about, and so has my health. Being able to mix those two things is kind of amazing. Education is a huge part of this whole process of trying to get healthy. Everyone is constantly learning, that's kind of just how this works.. and some times it's easier to learn things in plain English (given, if that's your primary language) rather than the technical terms a lot of doctors use.. Which is what I try to translate, in a sense.

So yeah. The informational posts certainly drive a lot of traffic to my blog. So do the pictures I post. And that's kind of my goal.. I want to drive people here. I want something to catch someones eye, and they spend a time reading even just one of my other posts.

I want people to learn more about these issues, how they affect younger people differently than adults, and the toll it takes on them.

I want to be able to have people to talk to, or that I know understand what I'm going through.. no matter what stage they're in. If they were just diagnosed with IR, if they've had it 10 years, if they were born with it, if they were looking into surgery, if they've already had surgery, if they're struggling with weight loss and maybe they don't understand why... all of it! There needs to be some sort of support network for these kind of things.. It affects so much more than just your physical health. and I know from experience it means/helps so much more, coming from someone who has gone through it.. compared to a doctor who has only studied it, or an adult who developed these issues/had surgery later on in life, etc..

I want people who have no clue what the hell any of this is, or who don't understand why the hell a surgeon would remove 85% of a 15 year old's stomach, to learn something.. to become more aware of these issues.

I want someone who is overweight looking for answers to stumble across this and be like "oh. maybe this is what's wrong." and even if it isn't, it may have given them the motivation to go to a doctor and get tested, and then even if absolutely nothing is wrong.. They went to see a doctor who could help guide them and get them on the right track to losing weight in a healthy way.

In all honesty, I was that desperate 13 year old looking for starvation-style diets online and going to pro-ana (pro-anorexia)  websites when I was frustrated with everything doctors and dietitians had told me before, not working..This was before I got a grip and switched doctors, and got on the right medications, and looked into surgery. I knew I was IR.. I ate healthy, i exercised.. But I didn't know about everything else I had developed that was contributing to all of my excess weight. I wish I had come across something like this a few years ago.. it probably could have helped me a lot. But I didn't. Now I'm in a position where I've learned so much, it feels kind of selfish not to share it with anyone.. you know?

So yeah. That's it. I'm in the process of going through every single post I have and editing them, updating information, etc.. Because a lot of them haven't been updated since 2011 and a lot has changed. I never used to really pay much attention to my spelling/grammar errors simply because I never thought anyone would ever see this site. Which isn't true anymore. It's kind of embarrassing going back and seeing how many times I misspelled 'exercise' or 'vertical'. :P

I just wanted to post this.. More and more people are looking at this site now, and I figured I should mention what it's all about.

Bottom line is.. There is no support network for people who have all of these problems. Not just in-person support groups, because there usually aren't enough people in an area to start a support group. Everything these days is online, and I think if there was more information out there a lot of people would be a lot better off. I want to share everything I'm going through, because surgery-wise I want people to know what they're getting themselves into to make sure they're prepared, and metabolic-wise I want everyone to know they aren't crazy, these diseases are real, and with proper diet/exercise/medication combo they can be treated, or at least dealt with. People need to understand their options, and know what's out there. I'm a strong believer in doing your own research and getting more than 1 opinion from doctors. If you see something on here that catches your eye, google it, ask your doctors.. Clearly, I'm not a doctor, nor do I aspire to be one. I'm just a girl sharing what she learns with other people, hoping in some way it could potentially help someone, or make someone more aware.

Lastly, I just want people to know they're not alone.. I've felt alone my entire life, and sometimes still do, dealing with this. No one should have to feel like they're alone going through all of this, because you aren't. I promise.

---

I hope you're all having a good day, and I'll update again soon! (:

-Ashley<3

P90x? What?

So, I've always had an issue with exercise tapes/programs. It's been a love/hate relationship ever since I was a little kid.

As I've mentioned numerous times before, my weight problems started literally when I was 2 or 3 years old. Therefor, dieting and exercise started as soon as it could. I was in exercise programs starting at 5 years old, and I was doing Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies tapes for half an hour to an hour a day..

Eventually we found more kid-oriented exercise tapes, and I got into the video game DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) which worked pretty well, but I got burnt out pretty quickly and hated them. I always preferred doing my own routines for dancing or trying to convince my parents to get a gym membership, because i hated staring at a TV for an hour a day, because I knew it was exercise. It felt like exercise. I would go on walks/jogs to appease my parents just to shut my mom up so I didn't have to do an exercise tape.

Well... After years of just doing things like that, obviously I'm not seeing many results.. I want to build muscle and lose weight quicker than I have been. So, even though I swore to myself I'd never do an exercise program again, I've decided to try p90x.

Not meaning do it for one day then quit. I mean... I actually want to complete the program.

Programs like that that are made for 90 days seem easier to me, because there is a goal. You can cross every day off that you complete it, and feel accomplished. It doesn't feel like it'll go on forever.

I'm on my 5th day now... and I can tell you, I'm amazed I haven't stopped. I've made it through every one so far. (However, I have had some issues with Yoga.. because I have tendinitis in my wrists, it's hard to put a lot of pressure on them on the floor things... So I've been replacing the yoga with cardio, and anytime there is anything that hurts my wrists, I just jog in place until the next move/etc..)

I'm really proud of myself. I thought I was much more out of shape than this, but I guess not.

No, I didn't buy the program. I'm dirt poor. No money. I'm trying to save money for college. But I found a YouTube channel of a man who has done Insanity & P90x, and he posted all the videos online... And I also found the workout schedule online, so that's what I've been following.

Channel with the videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/butterbrown1961/videos?sort=da&view=0&flow=grid

Schedule: http://www.p90xworkoutschedule.org/ (I'm doing the Lean option)

I can tell you my muscles are all ridiculously sore, and even the workouts that aren't made for cardio get your heart rate (or at least mine) up to 180 or so for the solid hour (or however long) you're doing them, which is exactly what I need.

I emailed my dietitian, asking if I needed to up my calories (because the average burned during these workouts is 500-600 per workout).. and she said yes, to up them.. Have a protein shake or protein-rich smoothie every day with the workout... So I've started doing that (despite how much I hate protein powder) and that's that. I've been having one after every workout, and to get all the calories I need in I have to eat every 3 hours... but it's worth it. so worth it.

I haven't lost any weight yet while starting the program, and I know when I gain muscle even if I'm losing fat, my body may change even when my weight doesn't.. and I'm okay with that. I miss having all the muscle I used to have.

So... yeah. that's that. We'll see how this goes, and I'll keep everyone updated. (: I'm determined to stick to this...

Hope every one's having a great day, and I'll update soon! bye. <3

-Ashley

Surgery Update! 18 months post-op.

Okay... I've been really bad at updating this lately. I'll try to get back into it, I promise! Haha.

I'll be 18 months post-op (VSG) in a week or two. I have my 18month follow-up appointment on February 21st. It's been a crazy year and a half... things are constantly changing.

My medications have changed a lot, a bunch of different times, after surgery. Weight wise, I go through stalls like every month.. but then i drop five pounds then i go through another stall.. Which I guess I'm okay with. It's better than nothing. I'm glad i'm still losing, because for awhile right after surgery I didn't lose anything because of medication issues.

Highest weight ever: 285lbs in 2010.
Weight on day of surgery: (08-19-2011) 250lbs
Weight today: (2-7-13) 185lbs.

So, I've lost 100lbs. Some of that pre-surgery, some post-op.. I'm not at my goal weight yet. I still have 40 pounds or so to go. I really hope I get there, asap. I've been working for this so long, I just really want to be there.

I don't want my life to focus around the number on the scale, so I try not to focus on that too much anymore.. Because I am healthier than I have been in a long time. But it's hard not to, when my entire life up until this point has been focused around my weight.

I'm having more issues eating lately, than I did originally post-op. I typically always avoid sugar/fat. Or I try to. I've never liked it. I was never allowed much sugar when I was younger, so I've always been in this mental state that sugar is bad. So the idea of even taking a sip of a regular coke, or a bite of a cookie, makes me sick to my stomach.. Therefor I never actually want to do that.

The only things that go over well 100% are fruits and vegetables, which sucks, because those don't have much protein. I have greek yogurt a lot, different cheeses.. skim milk (1% & 2% make me feel sick). Dairy is okay.. sometimes. But there are sometimes it doesn't sit well with me either. Meat-wise, shrimp usually goes over okay.. Deli meat can, like, sliced turkey or ham or chicken? Salami is okay usually. but more dense things don't anymore. It's hard for me to eat steak or a roast or something... Pork has never gone over well. At all. I can't go near pork anymore, haha.

So, I manage. It's just hard, because some days I can eat more than others, and some days certain foods sit well when the next day those same foods won't. So a lot of the time I end up feeling sick, because it's constantly changing.

One day I could eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast, greek yogurt and fruit for a snack, a couple oz of deli meat and carrots and ranch dressing for lunch, string cheese and some turkey pepperoni for a snack, and then have a small, or half of a burger (no bun, lean meat, homemade) with cheese and a small salad for dinner.. (total volume never reaching over 8-12oz for the most part)

Where the next day I'd feel absolutely terrible if I tried greek yogurt, or a bowl of cereal. Where I don't want to go near a burger, and the only thing I'm able to get down is a cup or two of vegetable soup and a few pieces of pineapple. One or two slices of deli-meat, if I'm lucky... That's all day.

It's confusing, and I don't know why it's like that. No one can seem to explain it. I asked my endocrinologist yesterday when I went for a follow-up, and she gave me a prescription for Prevacid to see if that may help.. So we'll see. But if it doesn't I'll probably end up with a referral to GI (actually, I think she ordered one anyway.... I'm not sure. I'll have to double check that.)

But regardless, I've been doing my best. Some days I don't get enough protein because of it. But I'm doing what I can. I really don't like eating though...

My hunger still hasn't returned since surgery. None. I have to remind myself to eat. I guess there could be worse situations to be in....

Medication wise, I'm on 75mcg Synthroid for my thyroid.. 1000mg Metformin 2x day for Insulin Resistance, and 50mg Aldactone 2x a day for hormones/blood pressure/diuretic purposes. and Ogestrel birth control for PCOS. I take a Multivitamin 2x a day, and Calcium citrate twice a day as well. I'm terrible with taking a separate vitamin D, but there is 800ui of Vitamin D in the calcium citrate i take, and my blood work seems to consistently come back just great vitamin-wise, so I'm not too worried about that...

Exercise wise, I'm doing good. (: In the post I made about motivation a couple weeks (months?) ago I mentioned a Tumblr I made for motivation, and I've found a lot of great exercise ideas on there. Different routines people have came up with, songs to exercise to, etc.. That are much more interesting to try than doing the same thing over and over again each day.

I really want to build up more muscle that I'm sure I lost. I used to be an athlete. I played a bunch of sports, danced, and had a lot of muscle.. My legs still do. but I'm not nearly as strong anywhere else, so I've been doing a lot with my resistance band. I only have 1 & 3lb weights right now. I want to get 5lb & 10lb weights. When I get some more money, we'll see. (:

I also made a playlist on YouTube of videos I found that have exercise routines.. The Livestrong YouTube channel has a ton!!

Overall, I think everything is going alright. I know it goes a lot worse for some people, so I'm okay with all of this. Nothing is easy. I'm used to this. It feels better knowing I'm working harder for the weight loss.. The chances are better that it will stay off because it's coming off slower, and I feel better about it... Because it has not been an easy fix like a lot of people say. I don't even like the word fix. Because it didn't fix anything. It's helped. But nothings fixed entirely. but I'm okay with that.

I just have to accept the fact that nothing comes easy, and I need to keep working harder and harder as time goes on, to get to where I want to get to.

I hope every one's having a great day, and I'll talk to you all soon!

Talk to me on Facebook or Twitter or Email me or something!!!! I'd love to talk to some more people. (:

Bye<3
-Ashley(:

Success Story Video!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MrMUr67pVY8



Back in September (2012) I was asked to take part in a Success Story type video for the Surgical Weightloss Program for Teens at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where I had the VSG back in August 2011... So, of course I agreed.

I wasn't at my goal weight then, and I'm not now. So I had a hard time understanding why they wanted me as a success story. But, my reasoning behind it is that I AM a lot healthier now, than I was before.. I have lost 100lbs (including what I lost pre-op) and I did everything they said/asked. So in that sense, the fact that it has benefited me and continues to benefit me every day, would be considered success.. Right?

So yeah, that's that. Watch it if you want. (: Let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

-Ashley<3

(Also, here is the hospitals FAQ & the programs promo video that were uploaded that I'm in briefly, as well!!)

FAQ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naTFOlSnbRE (This video is just basically the bariatric team at the hospital I go to answering frequently asked questions about surgery, the program for teenagers, etc...)

Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUlWh0hRuuA (This video gives some more information on the program, and how surgery has helped me & a couple other people with our lives. I got really excited when I first saw it because they included my tattoo in it... Haha (: )