As well as the joyous fill, I also got weighed, which is something I don't do a lot as I don't want to get hung up on the numbers instead of how I'm feeling. My surgeon didn't tell me exactly how much I had lost since my last appointment, but he did let me know that I have now lost 20% of my excess weight since the day of my operation (it is more than that if you count the weight I lost beforehand). This is amazing as it shows that all of this really is making a difference and I'm getting closer to my goal.
What makes it even better is that I haven't been very active over the last month, mostly because SAD is sapping all of my energy and motivation away, but I'm still doing things right. My appointment today has also helped to boost my mood and make me determined to do more, lose even more weight and be healthier overall. With that in mind, here's my plan for the next few months:
Walk walk walk
Recently, I have started walking a bit more and I've remembered how much I enjoy it. More than that, I don't get as tired as I used to now so I can make the most of where I am. I've walked into the city and home from work a few times but I've been trying to make it more regular so have decided to try and walk into work on days with good weather.
Yesterday was the first day I managed this and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I managed to exceed my target of 10,000 steps by over 4,000. Even on days when the weather is bad or I'm walking from home, I'm going to try and get my steps in on the treadmill or the Wii Fit. Not only will this help me burn calories, it will help set me up for more involved workouts.
Stay hydrated
This means you can see how much a cup of coffee, juice or fruit tea affects your hydration levels. I think this works much better than just trying - and usually failing - to drink two litres of water so I'm going to make sure I'm using it every day. I'm also cutting down on caffeine as it dehydrates you, so I'm trying to stick with other options even if they don't hydrate me as much as water alone.
Get back in the water
I used to go swimming most days at the Gym in the city centre as it is right opposite my office, however, it is so expensive each month that I cancelled my membership. Luckily, there is another pool close to my house so I'm going to make an effort to go there regularly.
Of course, I'm going to be in the pool every day we're in Menorca next month, so that's going to get me off on the right foot. Plus just being able to relax away from work - and in the knowledge that someone is looking after our house and cats - with the husband is going to be a very good way to start off Autumn.
Healthy and tasty food
This has been pretty easy to do because I genuinely love fruit, vegetables and chickpeas. However, I didn't feel like experimenting much after my operation so we've ended up eating a lot of similar meals. I'm changing this now and am making an effort to cook different foods and mix up my meals a bit more.
I have discovered the joys of tofu and revisited my love affair with avocado - avocado, goat cheese and shichimi on seeded toast is the best - so I'm mixing up my healthy eating regime. The husband may not be totally happy with this, but he's being good enough to hide his treats in the games room so I don't get Pringles cravings.
All in all, I think these are good goals to move forward with and I'm feeling really positive for the future.