The Bariatric Goddess

(Originally posted to FB on January 1, 2011)

I am so excited about this year!! I get to have my surgery. We get to retire and move back to OK. I should end this year better than I'm beginning it....many pounds lighter, much healthier, and much closer to friends and family!! :)

However, as far as the weight loss and health improvement goes, I can't just sit back and expect it to happen...even though with the surgery it will "just happen" for a while. The surgery will only get me so far. After a while, the weight loss will drop off and it will be up to me to keep it going. So, it's time to set some new goals, and I've already started today.

My goals for January:

1. Get in a minimum of 500 minutes of exercise this month. That's 25 minutes 5 times a week or 45 minutes 3 times a week. As a part of that, I'm challenging myself to walk at least 6 miles a week. If you know me...that's a big deal. Once I see how that goes, I plan to increase both the time and the distance. I just have to get my body used to it first.

2. Drink 8 cups of water a day. As part of this challenge I'm going to be decreasing the amount of soda I drink each day. Once I have my surgery, I am supposed to cut out all carbonated beverages and caffeine . So, I will be taking advantage of the next couple of weeks to work both out of my diet before my surgery.

3. Journaling my food intake. I'm using SparkPeople.com to journal what I eat and drink each day. The thing I love about this web site is that not only does it tell me my fat and calorie intake, it breaks down nutrient intake as well in a daily report. This will allow me to see where I'm going over and under in multiple areas of nutrition. This will become important for me once I'm back on solid foods after my surgery. Since I will only be eating a minimal amount of food, I have to make sure I get the most nutritional value I can for each thing I eat.

4. My last, and probably my most important, goal for January, and the entire year, is to have an attitude of gratitude. I am determined to be more positive and more appreciative of everything I have in my life.

So, 2012 is off to a great start for me! January 1 has been a great day for me. I've met my journaling goal, my water goal, and my positive attitude goal....they gym awaits me tomorrow. :)