A Realization has become my MOTIVATION!

Why hello there! Remember me? The Dandy Bandy? Yep, still here... still kicking!

Life is finally calming down...routines are being created...good things, good things! Hopefully that means I will be able to start posting more! I really am going to make an effort to blog more, it has helped me soooooooo much and I think it's time to get back to it!

I'm working on a nice long post updating you all on life over here in Dandyland. A lot has happened that I must share with my little cupcakes. But not today... I want it to be good...not rushed!

But I HAD to share this.....

I had a realization tonight while working out (finally!) at the fitness center at my apartment. (that's right, I said my apartment...told ya a lot has happened!) It's nice to have a fitness center open 24 hours because it means I really have no excuses to get my ass in gear. When I first saw it I was excited because there were these big floor to ceiling mirrors so you could watch your form and what not. What I realized tonight whilst watching myself workout in said mirrors.....

I have a ways to go. Seriously.

Now please don't think me ungrateful... Believe me I am so floored at how far I have come. I have lost over 100 lbs...WOW. really...WOWZAS! But I think I started getting super comfortable with the fact I had lost so much and started losing sight of the fact that I'm not where I really want to be. I've been riding the high for a while and kind of stalled out. Wearing such smaller sizes and being amazed every time I try on clothes I think kind of gave me a distorted image of where I'm really at. I think that I thought I was farther along than I really was... that I looked different than I really do. Looking in those mirrors tonight I realized that it's not time to slow down and bask...NOW is actually time to turn up the heat and work harder than I ever have to reach my goal. I'm NOT where I want to be, I should NOT be getting comfortable.

That realization has become my new motivation. I'm ready to push myself and reach my goals and go farther than I ever thought I would. Once again, I'm proud as SHIT of myself and still sometimes can't believe I have come this far.... but I'm ready to go farther.

Bring it on.... LET'S.DO.THIS.

Pre workout....grrrrrrrrrrr

 

Post workout.... grumpy after my foot cramped up on the treadmill

Thought the em-effer was gonna curl up and die right there, 

just fall the eff right off...but I pushed through, didn't stop!

Bandiversary Time Baby!!!

Has it really been a whole stinking year since I had the Lap-Band surgery?!?! I know, I know I'm a week late...but hey...I'm DOIN IT!!!

All I can say about this past year is....

WOWZAS!!!!!

My life has COMPLETELY changed in the past year. There is so much I want to talk about but it's midnight and I know ya'll just came for the updates!! It's ok I forgive you, I'm guilty of it too :) So let's go ahead and get to it! 

We will start with measurements. The first was taken the night before surgery. The 2nd was 1 year later. ummmm..... REALLY?!?!? I'm still in disbelief of these numbers here folks. I NEVER thought this could be me! 

                 7/11/12      7/12/13         Loss

Neck.............15"............13.5"........1.5"

R bicep..........17.5 .........14"...........3.5"

L bicep..........17"...........13.5" ........3.5"

R forearm.......12.5"........10.5"........2"

L forearm.......12"...........10"...........2"

Wrist...............7.5".........6.75"........0.75"

Bust................50"...........41"..........9"

W...................46.5"........36.5"........10"

Hips................53"...........40"..........13"

R thigh............24.5"........20"...........4.5"

L thigh............24.25".......19.5"........4.75"

                             TOTAL LOSS----54.5"

54.5" GONE FOREVER

Wow WOW wow... It's funny when I was big, I never realized I was THAT big.... 

Now for the big EL-BEES... How much exactly have I lost? Well, it's an amount that I NEVER thought was EVER possible for me to lose... and here I am...

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Starting weight: 261 lbs
Surgery day: 234.4 lbs

Last weigh in: 164.2 lbs
Todays weight: 161 lbs

-3.2 lb loss

-73.4 lb loss since surgery
-100 lb loss overall

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Are you effing me? Seriously... are you all effing me? I know there are a lot of people out there stalking my blog... thinking about getting the Lap-Band....seeing LBG and her success and all these other ladies... and now me too... and thinking "I could never do that... I don't feel like I could lose 100 lbs...it's just too much." Let me tell you, I thought the SAME EXACT THING. I really never thought I could ever lose 100 lbs. I thought it was just too much...Impossible...can't happen. WEEEELLLLLLLLL.... Here is proof that it can and it WILL happen if you work hard!!! 

OK, ok... enough numbers, I know you guys really came for pictures...don't lie!!! Well, the proof is in the puddin folks. I still can't believe my eyes.... 

Was that girl on the left really me? 

Is the girl on the right really me? 

I have no words... I really.have.no.words. I could go on and on and on and on... But I won't. 1 Year down... many many many more to go. I can't wait to see where this journey takes me from here and I'm so glad I have such a wonderful group of people both near and far supporting me and following me every step of the way. I love you all... my friends and family here that keep up and also the UH-MAY-ZING sisters I have found in blogland. My bandie besties I call em'... you know who you are!!!! 

 Thank you all for making this HUGE year in my life absolutely unmatchable. 

Whaddya say to a Weigh In?

Starting weight: 261 lbs
Surgery day: 234.4 lbs

Last weigh in: 171.9 lbs
Todays weight: 164.2 lbs

-7.7 lb loss

-70.2 lb loss since surgery
-96.8 lb loss overall


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Holy cow, holy smokes, holy cannoli... and anything else that could possibly be holy.... I'm so excited I could poop! 96.8 FREAKING ELBEES GONE!!! 

I was going to post more but i'm kind of in shock.... Soooo.... I guess we end it with cute kid pics? You know, the yooozh. 

 

 

 

 

My baby is 5 whole years old!!

 

 

My little Pre-k Grad!! :)

Holy Bejesus!! Where has the time gone?! (BIG REVEAL!)

 Hello?

Is anyone still out there?

Do you think I've fallen off the face of the earth?

Are you wondering if I've gained a bunch of weight back and just can't bring myself to blog?

NOOOOOOPPPPPEEEEEE!!!!

I'm here....I'm kicking... some ASS that is!!!

I'm less than a month away from my big ole Bandiversary and I am ohhhh so close to my goal weight!!! Just how close? Well you will find out tomorrow when I weigh in!!! lol

Now I know you only clicked on this for the BIG REVEAL. I really hope you look at the whole blog post cuz it will be worth it...promise! I have a big reveal at the endski! :)

Now just keep going... LOTS of pictures to keep you good and entertained K? Thx!

Ok sooo... first of all, I think i'm ready to show you guys me and my new squeeze. You know the extremely supportive, extremely sexay (if I do say so myself!) extremely loving and caring new dude? Yeah, him. I kinda like him.... A LOT!

 

Aweeeeeee.....aren't we just tooo cute? 

I have to say, eventhough we feel like teenagers because we are both starting over with nothing....and it's a struggle (still living in his mom's sunroom the "Couch Palace" as we call it) we are so stinking happy. Our communication is so open, we aren't afraid to say how we feel and its awesome. We are certainly building an extremely strong foundation for a great relationship and life. 

Ok on to other stuffs! Like... ME and losing weight and stuffs. lol 

Here are some pics I took a bit ago, just a little photo shoot for ya!

 

DANGG lets zoom in on that face! lol

I usually don't like pics of myself but that's one good selfie!! lol

 

No stripes? Fooey! I'll rock em thank you vrrrry much! :)

OK, here's a pretty big reveal...but not THE big reveal. Remember how I said my love forced me to buy shorts? Well, here they are my little cupcakes!

Say WHAAAAT?!?! Big step guys...BIG step. Now? I love shorts 

OKies, next we start leading up to the big reveal!! My momma got me and my dad and brother UHMAYZING seats for the Royals game last week. 5 rows behind the dugout...awesome. Kenz had an absolute freaking blast!!!

 Anyone notice yet? *hint* does the shirt look familiar? muhuhahahahaha!!!

Ok, before the big reveal let's tease you just a little more.... how about a nice shot of my new jawline?!?!

OOOOOOOH LALALALALA!!! Look at that jawline? I didn't know i had one of those! Whodathunk?

OK ok, I will stop teasing time to show you the big reveal! (now i'm afraid i've talked it up to much and you are going to be disappointed...just "oooo" and "awwww" and humor k? thx!)

......

........

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OK FINE HERE IT IS!!!!

Can you frikken believe it?!!?! The left for those of you who don't know is the night before surgery weighing in at about 234 lbs. This was my goal shirt and I literally almost broke it putting it on for this pic...merrr. The right is last week....about 166 lbs. which is 95lbs down from my original weight of 261. This folks is unbelievable to me. When I started this i thought there was NOOOOO way i would ever fit into this teeny tiny little shirt. WELLLLL... I CAN DAMNIT! And I look good! I have changed my body this much without a regular exercise routine (who am I kidding, basically no exercise) I can't WAIT to see my body transform adding exercise. Which I just started. lol Kettlebell workouts (talk about ass kickin!) and walking a 4.5 mile route with my love. 

Well, there you have it. I hope it was worth the wait and I hope you looked at the whole post!

I will be back soon with a weigh in and some adorable pics of the kiddos! :)

Why Herrow there! Saturday weigh in anyone?

Starting weight: 261 lbs
Surgery day: 234.4 lbs

Last weigh in: 175 lbs
Todays weight: 171.9 lbs

-3.1 lb loss

-62.5 lb loss since surgery
-89.1 lb loss overall


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OH geeeeeeze I'm soooooo close to 90 lb loss!!!! 

I really just can't believe it... Sometimes I don't even recognize my reflection... I have to stop and do a double take... and sometime I strut a little and think "DWAM I'm looking GGOOOOODDD!" 

Life is still crazy... settling down though which is awesome. Things are getting much more civil and friendly in my divorce which is super duper. If you are friends with me on facebook you noticed that my relationship status has changed... YUP it's FB official! I have met a wonderful person who makes me feel uh-may-zing, really. He makes me feel like a million bucks and then some. He tells me i'm beautiful/sexy/pretty every.single.day. He is amazingly supportive of my weight loss journey and encourages me DAILY. Of course it's like we are 17 again, starting all over. We both have nothing because we both just got out of relationships. We don't have our own place yet, working on that lol. But the most important thing is i'm HAPPY. Really really happy. 

I'm hoping to get down to my goal weight by my birthday August 14th. So that's like 21.9 lbs to lose by August, I think I can do it!!! I've also decided to change my goal weight, my boyfriend challenged me to take it down 10 more lbs to 140lbs, He's like "it's only 10 more lbs, you can totally do it!" I'm pretty sure I can do it too lol But i'm officially keeping my goal weight at 150 because that's what it's always been... hell I never even thought I could get down to 171!!  I'm hoping to start really amping up and exercising like a fiend now that it's FINALLY getting warmer!!!

I forgot to tell you guys, a couple months ago I totaled my car when Bambi's mom strolled out in front of me... yeah it sucked, bf's airbag went off , i had a seatbelt burn... no bueno... BUT I gots me some new wheels now!

 

Ain't she purdy? 

OH! Big news! I finally bought my first pair of jean shorts!!! And even better? They are size effing 10!!!! yes, a TEN!!! I couldn't believe it..... Oh and i finally bought a new pair of jeans.... also a size 10!!!! I really never thought I would ever wear a size 10, it feels amazing, I can't wait until i'm crying over wearing like a size 8!! (which still seems impossible in my brain lol)   

 

Well, I'm off. I got my camera now so I am hoping to take some progress pics pretty soon! :)  So now I leave you with some pics!!

 

 Size MEDIUM shirt folks...yep

Me and my mom's new weiner Sammie Jo Pickles!! She is toooo cute!

I know I know, I wear this sweatshirt a lot, but how could I not? I'm kind of a boss!! 

My momma bought me a hat! lol

 

Possibly the cutest picture ever. Kenz was letting my moms older weiner outside to go potty 

and I hear her BANGING on the door and when I open it she has this thing in her 

hands and she screams "I FOUND A MOUSE!!!" I said no kenz that's a bitty baby bunny!

She said "Patches had it in her mouth shaking it!! Then she threw it!! I saved it's LIFE!! Patches 

DID NOT save it's life!!!" Unfortunately this tiny little critter didn't make it but it's siblings did. 

Sad, but I got this ridiculously cute picture out of it..soo...there's that... 

 

How 'bout a Tuesday Weigh In sprinkled with a little catch up?

Starting weight: 261 lbs
Surgery day: 234.4 lbs

Last weigh in: 182.8 lbs
Todays weight: 175 lbs

-7.8 lb loss

-59.4 lb loss since surgery
-86 lb loss overall


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Has it really been 3/7/13 since my last post?!?! I'm in disbelief... I can't believe it... I have my laptop now so i'm hoping the posts will start a rollin in!! 

Ya'll see that? 86 flippin el bees GONE forever!!! 

Kind of in disbelief about that too... I am finally at the point in my journey where I have actually realized I look different....like... a LOT different. Almost every time I look in the mirror I don't feel like i'm looking at my own reflection... I don't recognize the girl in the mirror. My mind still tries to make me think i'm 261 lb Julie, so when I look in the mirror that's what I expect to see... Some times it really is almost shocking.   

I know I haven't done pics in a while... I WILL, I promise. But here is a pic 6lbs ago, when I hit 80 lbs lost.

  

I think the shirt says it all... :)

 That weekend I went and visited my friend who works at MAC, I came in for a foundation match and she ended up doing a complete makeover lol 

 

Bought my first tube of RED lipstick!!

Finally worked up the courage to apply it myself...

 

It's really weird to see my face so thin... I Love it, don't get me wrong...still just getting used to it!

My next big leap is........

SHORTS!!!!

That's right.... this chick is gonna go buy her first pair of shorts!! Thanks to my BF for forcing encouraging me to 

How about a Thursday Weigh In?

Starting weight: 261 lbs
Surgery day: 234.4 lbs

Last weigh in: 185 lbs
Todays weight: 182.8 lbs

-2.2 lb loss

-52.2 lb loss since surgery
-78.2 lb loss overall


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Wow... I'm soooooooo close to 80 lbs gone!!! Only 32.2 lbs away from my goal... that is just unbelievable... I can't believe how quickly time has gone by... and how much weight I have lost. I am truly stunned. I'm also stunned I keep losing weight while eating like CRAPOLA!! I still don't have my own place yet so I stay at my BF's moms house in the sun room. We eat out every single meal and i've picked up an old BAD habit... soda... REGULAR soda...I'm talking Coke-a-cola CLASSIC folks!! I'm trying to quit though... I will... I just need a little normalcy in my life! :) 

Well, gotta go! Sorry to be so short...soon I will post a good long post...promise!!!