WELCOME TO ONDERLAND!

Well every time I make a new post, I typically start out with apologizing as to why its taken me so long to post. So I might as well not break the tradition. I'm a flake, a face book junkie, and I neglect my blog... so please forgive me. There are some events that are just not "blog worthy" but I have had a few things occur in the last month that are DEFINITELY blog worthy. Since this blog is dedicated to my weight loss journey I will write about the journey first. The last time I posted I was just hitting the one year mark/100 pounds lost mark. I had a little set back right after hitting -100 pounds. I got an adjustment in early April, and to my own detriment I pushed the limit a bit too much. My band was too tight, and I was a miserable little girl for about 5 days. I was barely able to get liquids down, let alone solids, and it was just terrible. I got an un-fill mid April, and after that I really struggled. Although they didn't take much out of the band, I felt as if I had no restriction whatsoever. I gained a few pounds and I really got off track, because I was able to eat foods that I had not previously been able to eat. I went back to the doctor after I graduated and left on my cruise to try to get a fill so that I would not be able to go hog wild on the cruise. Well my doctor said, no fill for you! I was devastated. He wanted me to go on a liquid diet for 10 days to re-train my pouch. I did this ( inconsistently) for about 10 days LOL. I did not lose one single pound and I wanted to curse. I had SURGERY to lose weight, and I wasn't losing. In fact, I was gaining and I wasn't happy. I left for my cruise and had an INCREDIBLE time with some very dear friends of mine. Let me tell you, I enjoyed some food! I had some restriction so I couldn't go completely nuts, but I was able to eat bread again, so I did enjoy many bread items on the ship :) About 4 weeks after getting home I went back to my doctor to find that I had gained almost 10 pounds since April. I decided that I was NOT leaving his office without a fill in my band. He gave me one, and the weight loss started again. I am thrilled. My band is extremely tight at this point. I have trouble in the mornings with everything, including my coffee. By noon I am doing a little better, and I can usually get some type of soup/chili/bean item down. By dinner I can do some ground meats with sauce, and I am feeling pretty good. of course I keep up on my protein intake by drinking a pre-made shake in the morning, and if I had trouble eating during the day, I will make a shake at home at night. A major goal of mine was to be in the 100's . I just couldn't seem to get there, but I am happy to report that as of September 24th, 2010, Jennifer Boggs no longer weighs 200 and something. I weigh 199.0 :) I have lost 109 pounds since my lap band surgery in April of 2009, and I am Madly in love with my lap band :) So there is one more goal to check off my lap band list :) The next goal is to weigh what my driver's license says that I weigh :) 180 baby! I have found that when I set smaller goals for myself its easier to see myself being able to attain those goals. This journey has not been easy at all. I can honestly say that this is the hardest thing that I have ever done. The emotional stuff that I have had to deal with is the one thing that I don't think I was prepared for. Its so not about just getting your body smaller. Being big for so long had my mind set in a certain place, and just because my body is smaller, I still have to work on my mind. That is a work in progress just like my body.

On a side note, my dad had gastric bypass in June of this year. He has currently lost 73 pounds, and is giving me a run for my money!!! I know he feels much better to have the weight off, and even if it kills us, the Boggs family is shrinking! BUT, even though we are shrinking, we are also growing :) My brother Jonathan and his wife Laura just adopted a very handsome little boy. His name is Jacob, and he is 7 weeks old. He has stolen our hearts, and God knew what we needed, as well as what baby Jacob needed. We are so thankful for him, and I personally am doing my best to spoil him completely rotten :)

So that's what's going on right now in the life and times of the shrinking fat girl. I'm working on getting my body where I want it, and my mind, which is really the hard part. I cant promise that I will post again soon, but I WILL post again ;)! Happy weight loss!

365 days, and 97 pounds later....

Happy Saturday morning friends :) I know that I did my "one year post-op" blog a few weeks ago when I had my doctors appt, but I wanted to do one closer to my actual one year mark. Also, I'm feeling a bit sentimental this morning, so these are good times for me to post because the words pour out more freely during these times. Last Thursday, April 22Nd marked one year since I had the Lap-Band surgery. I made a very hasty decision to get the band when I look back on it. I did not do alot of research. I wanted to, but I didn't even know where to start! My mom started researching and she kept telling me, I keep coming across Dr. Douglas Krahn, and he is very reputable in this area. I went to my GP, and the referral they gave me was to Dr. Krahn, so that was exciting because we had been reading such great things about him. I went to his seminar in February of last year, and I left feeling such an excitement about the possibility of being able to get this surgery and have it help me get the weight off. I met with Dr. Krahn and his staff and I was immediately convinced that he was the right one for me. I felt completely comfortable with him, and safe under his care.If you are considering WLS, or someone you know is, I encourage you to visit his site.http://www.westernbariatric.com/ Everything pre-op flowed freely and before I knew it, it was the night before surgery. I had lost 13 pounds in the 2 week pre-op diet, and I wasn't even hungry by this point because I was just too anxious and excited!!! I was up before my alarm the next morning. I took a shower and scrubbed my tummy with the antibacterial solution they gave me. I even curled my hair! Do NOT ask me why LOL. I wanted to make sure I looked cute.... I even really thought about what I should wear to the hospital. Looking back, pajamas would have been a much better option, but oh well :). The nurses were incredible and I didn't even get scared until they wheeled me in the OR. I was so cold and nervous that my body was trembling so bad... and of course the tears were flowing. Before I knew it I was waking up in recovering to my brother hoovering over with my his hands in my mouth. I was thinking, what are you doing?? He was checking to see if my teeth were chipped from when they intabated me, because apparently its common, and he was NOT going to let them get away with chipping his sisters teeth! lol. brothers! My mom reminds me of this day all the time because apparently when they wheeled me out, I was quite a sight to behold. As soon as I was able to keep my eyes open, and tinkle on my own, they got me dressed and parked me in a wheelchair to wait for my mom to come get me. I couldn't have any thing in my hair for surgery, so you can imagine what my hair looked like. The Lord has given me very big, fluffy, full hair... and I need to have some kind of something to hold it back or its pretty "liony" She said when they wheeled me out, she was planning on taking my picture, but when she saw me she said, oh my... she will kill me if i take a picture of her. I wasn't looking my cutest, to say the least. The next few days were challenging, but I had the best nurse in the world, my mama!! I went back to work a week later... and the rest is history. Its been a fun ride... Ive cried alot of tears... happy ones... frustrated ones... but its been so worth it!! Here in the LA area the "1-800-GET-THIN billboards are everywhere. So many people say, when I see those billboards I always think of you, or the guys at work here the commercials, and they say, Hey, you should advertise for them!!! Well for my one year lap band anniversary, my friend Marie created a lil photo. It looks pretty real, and EVERYONE has been asking me where this billboard is located LOL. I would gladly be their model for the right price, wink wink. I also found some of my largest size of skirts and I thought I would try them on. WOW, what a reality check!!! I know I have lost alot of weight, but I consumed with reaching certain goals, like 100 pounds lost, and being under 200. But when I put that skirt on I was like, shoot... who cares if I have only lost 97. I think it was funny that I actually unbuttoned and unzipped it to put it on. Like I really needed to do that lol. My mom got in the skirt with me, and we both fit. I have lost a whole person! I have attached these pics for your viewing pleasure. Just because the first year is done doesn't mean its over... its just beginning :) I'm healthier than ever, and by next year, I will be posting a blog to let you all know that I am at my goal... by faith ;)

One whole year!

Well... First of all I want to start out by saying that I am sorry that I haven't updated my blog recently. I am a disgrace to all the faithful bloggers :) I am a Face Book junkie, but these blogs are such an inspiration to look back on for me, so I am doing this for two reasons. First of all, I want to update my friends and family on my progress in the weight loss department, and inspire others, and secondly, I'm doing this so that down the road I can look back on this post and see how far I have come. Today I had my one year post-op visit with Dr. Krahn. I always look forward to the appointments with him, because I leave feeling so inspired. One year ago today I posted a blog about how I was started the pre-op diet. I weighed 308 pounds. I was a happy person, but very insecure and unhappy with my appearance. This morning I was driving to work, thinking about where I am today, one year later. I just started crying, and I have been emotional all day long. I am come so far. So what if I haven't hit the 100 pound mark. So what if I have some jiggle under my arms. Who cares if I have saddle bags and stretch marks. Who cares if I have 5 little scars on my tummy from the surgery. I have transformed in this year. I have went from a size 26/28 to a size 14/16. Today I weigh 214 pounds. I still have a ways to go, but I am soooo much further down the road today than I was one year ago. I remember one day before the surgery I had went shopping at Lane Byrant. I had tried on their largest size skirt, and it was tight. I left the store and I thought, what am I going to do? I will Never get this weight off, and its hopeless. I can tell you today that it is not hopeless... It can be done.. I am doing it.. and it works. Has it been easy? NO WAY JOSE. It has been a complete change of life. But has it been worth it? YES WAY JOSE! Although I am the same person I was one year ago, I have also changed so much. I am not intimidated because of my size.I am me... I'm far from perfect, but so are you and if you don't like it, I'm very sorry :) I have sooo much compassion and love for people who are struggling with being overweight. I have met such incredible people who are on this same journey as I am. I have been able to help them through, and they have done the same for me. I wish i had never been overweight, but this journey has changed my life. For the good. I am thankful that I have gone through this. I hope that in the future I can continue to help others along the way, because its the right thing to do :) Thank you all for your love and support over the last year. Your compliments, and comments have helped me through some rough days. I am still tootling down the road, and Ill be getting thinner as I go!! I have posted a few photos of my hero, Dr Krahn and myself from today. Thank you everyone!

Something exciting!

Well hello to all my blog followers :) I have been chastised for not updating my blog, so I decided this morning I better do something about it! Its Saturday morning, and its raining... and I am quite content in my cozy bed. I don't have many things to report today, but I do have a few. As of last week, my total weight loss is 87 pounds. I am still getting my buns kicked at the gym, and that is paying off in inches more than pounds, and I am totally ok with that! I will be having a 2 month assessment next week sometime, so I will be sure to report those figures. Thursday and Friday night was our SCC conference at the church, so last week I decided that maybe I should do a lil shopping to see what I could find. Lately, shopping has been a lil depressing to me. The reason is because I am getting smaller, and I am almost too small for the chubby girls stores. Now I know that you are thinking, pshhh, that doesn't sound like a problem to me!!! But friends, it is a problem. I have been chubby as long as I can remember, and I only had a few stores that I shopped at because the shopping world does NOT accommodate chunkers... So I have been kind of scared. I keep thinking, where am I going to shop? It is such an odd feeling. I wandered around Macy's the other night thinking, I cant fit in this stuff, can I?? I decided to just try a few things on... When I slipped on a jacket from the REGULAR section on Macy's, and it not only went on easily, but buttoned with ease as well... I just stood there staring in the mirror. I was like wow... is this for real? I get compliments all the time, and yes, it does make me feel good, but in my mind, I am still fat. Which, I am... but I don't see myself as being able to wear regular girl clothes yet, but clearly, I am! Baby still got back, so I am not wearing the regular girl bottoms yet, but I am on my way. I am proud of myself, and now I am just trying to convince my mind that I actually am getting small. I lived so long in the chubby body, and the transition is difficult. Thank you so much for all your encouragement and compliments. I am so happy that I made the decision to get the lap-band. I understand that this is not for everyone, but it was the best thing I have ever done for myself, and I am so thankful this morning!!! I think Ill go have a protein shake, and get this day started. I am including a pic of "the jacket" that is not from the chubby girls section :) Ya!! Have a great day everyone :)

Long Overdue Update

Well friends... this is the longest I have gone without updating my blog. Life has been busy, and as I have said over and over, FB has taken the place of my blog. I know that not everyone has FB, and I enjoy looking back at older blogs too... so I am taking a lil time today to give an update :) We made it through the holidays, and I even managed to lose a pound or two, which is the first in this girls life during the holiday season! My weight loss has slowed waaaay down for some reason... but its still coming off slowly but surely. January 22nd was my 9 month "bandiversary" and I have lost 84 pounds. Because of how fast I had been losing, I was hoping to be at 100 pounds before Valentines day, but its not looking too good for that. But that's ok, as long as its coming off, I can't complain! I mean, I do complain lol, but I really shouldn't! I had a doctor's appointment a few weeks ago, and I went there kind of discouraged because I had been stuck for several weeks without losing. Dr. Krahn was very impressed with my weight loss, and told me that I did not need an adjustment because I had lost 11 pounds in 10 weeks, and that is just fine. He really encouraged me, and I left feeling much better. In December I finally broke down and got a trainer at the gym, and it has been great. From Dec 10th to Jan 10th I lost 8 1/2 inches, and 7 pounds. I sure can't complain about that either! He kicks my buns 2 days a week, and I am feeling so much better about myself! I don't really have any progress pics. I need to take some, but I will post our families Christmas pics for your viewing pleasure. I will really do my best to update more often because I know all my fans have been dying LOL. Until then, Happy weight loss !

A nice round number...

Well... I thought I should update my blog...I dont have major exciting news to bring to you... but Ill just give you a lil update about what has been going on in my world. We went to texas a few weeks ago to visit Amber and Sharon and the rest of the family... By "We" I mean me, My mom and Jack... It was a great trip. Jack did great traveling and the weather was just perfect! The hill country of Texas is a very beautiful place... and I thoroughly enjoyed my mini vacation :) Other than that, it has just been business as usual. As of this morning I am down 75 poundaroos! Yippee! I typically lost about ten a month, so I should be at 80 before the month is over :) The lap- band is such an amazing tool! I have been a touch on the discouraged side about the band lately, and I suppose its all normal. Im just tired of trying to figure out what I can and cannot eat. So I find myself eating the same things every day... I vary between shakes, yogurts, beans, and egg beaters... After 6 months... that gets a lil old... so I am trying to broaden my horizons... and I have found a lap bad chat room that has just been a complete life saver for me! Anyway... I think thats it for now... Im going to post some pics from texas, as well as pics from my BFF's birthday dinner last night. Ill keep you all in the loop as i dwindle away :)

6 month Bandiversary!!

Well friends, tomorrow will be my 6 months anniversary of going under the knife to change my life. When I reflect back, I realize how quickly I made the decision to have lap-band. I went to the seminar and I was sold. I was sold because I have wanted to do something about my weight for sooooo many years, but I felt defeated. I felt like I would NEVER get it all off, and I would always be overweight. I was happy that I made the decision to have surgery the day of my surgery, and I am even happier about it today! Of course there are some rough days. Last friday qualified as the worst lap band day since I was banded. Yikes! All i can say is that I dont think that I will ever place a tortilla in my mouth again... it was not fun, or cute... wowzers... Anyway, I had a appt with my favorite doc, Dr. Douglas Krahn today... and he didnt let me get a fill. In my heart I knew that I didnt need one, but I have been stuck for about 2 weeks and have not really seen a big weight loss in the last few weeks. I have lost a whopping 70 pounds since my surgery, and I had lost 20 since my last fill 2 months ago, so he was like, No fill for you! lol... He said I was doing incredible, and unless my weight loss slows down, he thinks I just need to keep plugging along... so... that is what I will do :) I finally got the pics of the day that I started the pre-op diet, so I will be posting those for your viewing pleasure... as well as a few pics my mom took of me today to mark my 6 month/70 pound mark. Things are totally on track, as far as my weight loss is concerned LOL.. Ill keep you posted as I near the 100 pound mark... yaaa... cant imagine how happy I will be when I hit 100!!!