A New Journey - Looking for Jodi

I have decided to share my personal thoughts about my weight loss journey and what it is like now to be this thin person.

I have had really deep discussions with myself and conducted alot of research with regards to disorders and things to try to come up with some kind of solution to my questions.

Life in this body is just so different now.  And I know to even write that sounds ridiculous, of course life is different. But until you have undergone such a transformation you might not really understand where I am coming from.

So I thought I would start at the beginning with my self analysis. It might help someone else really consider having something this radical done, just for the change in mentality and then weight loss is an added bonus.

Childhood.

I was a little chubbo as a baby, but most babies are arent they. You get a little older and start to loose your "baby fat" and start to become the little person you will eventually grow up to be.

And that did happen for me.  Here I am as a baby and then getting towards 2 years old, maybe older and I am a normal little girl.

    

But as I was approaching 3 something kinda dramatic happened and I think thats when things took a bit of a turn for me.  I really dont know for sure, because I was too young to understand things really, but looking through the photos of when I was little and remembering incidences that I was told about I start to put a few things together.

You have to admit, I am a pretty cute kid.  In the 1930's there was a little actress called Shirley Temple. She was well known for her curly hair and right up into the 1970s she stayed in the spotlight due to her political alliances.

Around this time I visited my Uncle and Aunt in Sydney.  My uncle was doing some work for Grace Bros at the time. (I am trying to put together timelines at the moment with the little information I have) They must have shown someone my photo from above and loved my curls.  They wanted me to model for them.  My Uncle and Aunt tried to convince my Mum to allow me to live with them in Sydney for a period of time to go work for Grace Bros.

I think about this now, and it just confounds me that I was presented with that kind of opportunity at such a young age! Believe me, even if my Mum had of allowed me to do it I wouldn't have left my Mum to live with my creepy Uncle!!! I wasn't his biggest fan that's for sure!  But I think this one incident was the catalyst that set my life on a path that I just didn't think was mine, Its really hard to put into words without making it sound too simplistic for the dramatic mental disorder that I believe it become.

So we will leave this little story here for now and venture into more juicy stuff later.....

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  If you ever have any questions about the things i have documented on this Blog, please dont hesitate to message me. Im a very friendly person! :)

Christmas 2014 Vs Christmas 2015

I did the Elf photoshoot on Christmas Eve

as I did last year.....

The difference a year can make still blows my mind.

After all the ups and downs on my weight loss journey, that the final thing that worked was so relatively easy compared to the hours and hours I have slugged out at the gym, working out and weighing food, counting calories....

If any of you have ever had issues with your weight, than this is the solution you are looking for!

But I will add a few important pointers for you to assist in your success....

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Eve 2015

And here is a better look at my body...

 This photo was taken in November, and I have reduced sizes and kilos since.

My Secret:  Weight Loss Surgery - Sleeve.

Current Weight: 72.8

Goal Weight: 72 (not far to go now!)

Current Size: 10 (OMFG!!)

A few pointers that have helped with the success:

1. I tackled the mental weight issues that I had. These have been with me my whole adult life and were quiet restricting and had a huge impact on my weight and mental stability.

I used my weight as camouflage, so people couldn't see the real me.

(I dont know what I thought was wrong with the real me, but I have a feeling it does stem right back to my early childhood)

This was an extremely important step and the results were so dramatic I cant even tell you!  I lost 8 kilos after this session alone. I was able to see the "real" me hiding and was able to pull her to the front of my consciousnesses and be happy with her being there.

These sessions were "Self Awareness" sessions and invaluable!!!

2. I did lots and lots of research and culminated a plan based on the most common mistakes made by people!

It seemed to me from the research that I did that alot of people blamed the sleeve when they weren't losing weight saying it was too big. And then I would read what these people were eating.  I did everything by the book to not stretch my new stomach. I want to keep it tiny, because the less food it can fit in, the better for my weight!  So I followed the meal plans, and the water intake by the book. Any sign of discomfort and I stopped eating/drinking!  And I still do now. I consume a very very small amount of food still. People are shocked when they see the size of my meal, but this is what I have to (not)eat in order for me to stay this size.  I have a food addiction and this wont go away, like any addiction, I will have it for the rest of my life and I have to treat this addiction like any other addiction. But the difference is we need food for survival. So I only eat enough to calm the hunger and then Im done.

3. I have rewarded changes in size.  This is a very important but self indulgent tool  As I have gotten smaller, I have bought lovely clothes as a reward. I might only fit into them for a month or two, but I have done this! And I have sold off the sizes as they get too big. Selling off the clothes helps fund my new clothes to some extent. But Im not buying target clothes or best and less. No, I am rewarding myself with all those lovely brands I was always too fat to wear!!! And I LOVE this!!! I am down to a size 10, my shoulders are creeping to an 8. My hips are a 10-12.  I can never recall being this small ever in my entire life!!!

4. Dont kid yourself.  Honesty with yourself is so important. How many times did we hear ourselves saying, This pavlova has fruit,. its good for me and I will eat several pieces.  Or its just a lolly I can burn that off in no time!  If you want to eat crap, own it!!  Yes I am going to eat this crap and I know I will pay for it one way or another and own it! If we own our decisions, than we make them accepting the consequences.

Ive not exercised through this whole process.  I have always maintained that my job is very active. I shouldn't have to slog it out in the gym everyday after doing what I do for work everyday!! And now my body is processing food normally, I can see that is true.  I am losing weight and I dont have to burn that extra 800 calories in he gym.

THE BIGGEST HINT OF ALL

If you dont eat it, you dont have to burn it!!!

The only reason we have to work our arses off at the gym is because we are eating too much in the first place!

The   diet plans say to eat a certain amount of calories, and then burn so many of those calories off each day!!  How about not eating those calories we have to burn off in the first place!!! I think this is good advise for anyone! If you are an active person day to day, you shouldn't have to bust your arse in the gym and cause yourself injuries.  Just dont eat those calories in the first place!

Its been a while since my last post

and I dont have any full length photos to show you.

Im getting a bit slack now hey!

But I am still losing weight and also cms.

Here are the latest:

Weight: 80.6

Bust: 94

Waist: 79

Hips: 102

Thigh: 46

Bicep: 33

Neck: 30

I cant believe the change in mindset that losing waist has caused this time.

I,ve lost this amount of weight before, in fact this isn't my smallest yet,

but the mindset this time has done a 180.

Its like I woke up one day and realized that my being obese was a nightmare

and I am now the real me.

I used to prey for this to happen all the time.

I remember doing it as far back as primary school.

Please god, when I wake up tomorrow, please let me be thin!

This was a nightly prayer for as long as I can remember!

And now I finally am on my way to that!
And it wasn't from any god!!! But Dr Nolan!

I look around me now and see things from a thin persons perspective!
I've never done this before.... even when I lost weight before.

I still saw myself as a fat person.

I am so happy with this life!
I am excited and I do exciting things all the time!

I am no longer living the life of a fat person, but an active person

doing so many different things and living life!

I love life!

This is me competing in the Drag Competition a few weekends ago!
I would have never done this fat!
Not there there aren't like heaps (The majority) of female drivers doing this that are overweight.

But I just felt more confident in myself!
it was awesome fun!

3 1/2 Months Post Op

Its now 3 1/2 months  Post Op.

Weight Loss has slowed down, but I am still losing Cms.

And I think things must be re positioning because my shape keeps changing too.

Who knows, all I know is that its ALL GOOD!

Here was me last week.

I am wearing Q Baby Wrangler Jeans.

I have never been able to wear brand name Jeans.

Even when I was much younger.

I could never get them to fit my thighs!

So to be wearing Wrangler Jeans is amazing to me!! Yay!

Notice too the Ear Warmers

These have a double purpose.

1. Too keep thy ears warms

2. To cover the dreadful hair breakage flyaways!

Ive always loved my hair and I always like to keep it nice.

But I am losing like heaps and heaps of hair now.

I only brush it once a week to try and save on hair loss because when I brush it, 

the brush is FULL of hair!

Im hoping at this stage that I dont have to have it cut,

but I wont be devastated if I do.

Its only hair and it will grow back

Nothing is better than how I am feeling with this weight loss,

if it means short hair for a while than Meh...

no biggy

Atu & Mum will have the issues with it, not me!

Here is my photos to date....

I still cant believe this is actually me!!

To celebrate getting under the 90 kilo mark

I decided to do a paraglide.

I have wanted to do this twice before but due to my weight didnt get the chance.

Yesterday it wasnt even a issue!

No talk of being too heavy!

Infact, they had to take the harness in for me after the previous woman wore it!

That was more thrilling than the ride!!! haha

Here are some photos!

A close up of my hair.

I dont look too much like a sick person do i??

Nearly forgot my weight and measurements:

Weight: 88.6

Bust: 102

Waist: 84

Hips: 113 (Maybe Hormonal)

Thigh: 56.5

Calf: 39.5

Arm: 36

Neck: 33

3 Months Down...... 26.8 kilos Gone!....

17th May celebrates my 3 months mark since surgery.

I feel fantastic!

Everyday I look at myself in the mirror and I like what I see now.

Im not revolted by the look of myself.

Its not really until to like the look of yourself that you realise

how much I hated myself before.

I am happy!!!

There is still more to loose, but I am on the downhill side of things now.

My Doctor said try to get to 80 kilos in 6 months

My Dietitian said I should get to 72...

I however, dont really care!
I have no goal in mind. I feel pretty awesome now

and until I start to look wrinkly and horrible I will keep losing.

Here are the progress photos...

Right now I am 90 Kilos

Neck: 34

Bust 103

Waist: 85

Bicep: 35

Hips: 110

Thigh: 57

Body Fat 51%

BMI: 33.4

More Updates and going well.

Its funny

You go along day by day 

and you really dont feel like anything much has changed

and then you take a random photo....

And then do the comparison

And its easy to see whats going on!

Its been 20 days since my last photo,

I was 97.8 then

and today I am 93.6

My daughter pointed out that even my hands have gotten smaller.

This is the best decision I have ever made for myself!

I have had the all clear that I can eat what I want now.

And on the weekend I enjoyed a Chicken, Lettice and Mayo Sandwich!

It was so nice!

The difference is though, that the Sandwich was my lunch

My afternoon tea and my evening meal!

I had it in 3 small sessions and cut the crusts off.

Im a cheap date now!!

7 Weeks Post Op

I thought I would take a comparison photo today.

Although I am still in my baggy comfy clothes but that's just me,

So this is the BEFORE PHOTO

and then TODAY,S PHOTO - 7 weeks out.

BEFORE MEASUREMENTS: 

Weight: 116.8

Bust: 120

Waist: 103

Hips: 137

Right Thigh: 60

Neck: 35

Right Bicep: 42

AFTER MEASUREMENTS:

Weight: 97.8

Neck: 34

Bust: 107 (14cm Down)

Wasit: 90 (13cm Down)

Hips: 120 (17cm Down)

Thigh: 64 (I have obviously measured a different spot!)

Calf: 37

Bicep: 37 (5 cm down)

Forearm: 23

So 7 weeks Post Op, gotta be pretty happy with that!
Cant wait to see where the next 7 weeks takes me!