This Week...

A brief update:

Losing weight again, just not as fast. The new scale reads 10 lbs higher than the other, so I'm not updating my curve again until I fall below the last reading on the previous scale. That's getting close.

We didn't go to the gym at all last week, and it threatened rain all week as well, so we didn't swim. At least we 'hiked' IKEA and Concord Mills this weekend for exercise!

I've switched at least temporarily to the Tenor Sax for band, which of course means that I have to spend some money to put my tenor into reasonable condition. Looks like the director wants to have a full-fledged jazz band concert this summer, so I may actually have to start practicing my improv.

I don't know how parents can afford to have their kids play instruments these days. $5 for a reed!

We've got a short work week - going to New York for a 3-day weekend on Friday. Big party for a friend of the family on Saturday night, and sheer tourism for the remaining time. The party is at a really fancy Chinese restaurant - hopefully, we'll have some good pictures when we get back.

This weekend, I learned to make homemade ginger ale. The best ginger ale I've ever had was Blenheim red cap before this, but the homemade stuff beats it. Very nice.

Happy July 5th

Since I played with the band for the fireworks at Tega Cay yesterday, we had our July 4th cookout on the 5th today.

I am worn out. Two hours of playing the saxophone with the concert band, followed by two more hours playing with the jazz band, getting home around 1am, then prepping for the cookout this morning, cooking, and cleaning up this afternoon.

It's a good thing I have tomorrow off. I need the rest.

Scale Has Been Replaced

We got the replacement scale from Taylor the other day and I put it in service yesterday. It does indeed seem to be accurate. Of course, that means it reads 10 pounds higher than the one we've been using - but it agrees with the doctor's scale, so that's really good overall.

It also confirms that I'm losing weight again and the dreaded plateau has been broken.

Here's my theory on why I hit that plateau in the first place:
It's all about stretching the stomach pouch. I've been drinking soda again for awhile now, even though they warned me not to. I thought I was being careful - just sipping it slowly and taking all day to finish one bottle so that the carbonation wouldn't stretch the pouch. Apparently I wasn't being careful enough and during the plateau weeks, I noticed my appetite increasing during meals. So I fixed it - not by quitting the sodas - but by pouring my soda in a glass over ice to get rid of the carbonation, instead of drinking from the bottle. It didn't take two days before I noticed that my appetite and capacity had gone back down to post-surgery "normal", and sure enough, the weight started coming off again.

Let this be a lesson to you gastric bypassers - don't drink carbonated drinks. If you fall off the wagon, pour it in a glass and over ice to minimize the bubbles.

Back in the Gym Today

The needle on the scale started moving downward a little in the last few days. Not enough to count yet, but encouraging. For some reason the portion size at meals that I've been able to tolerate has gone back down to where I think it should be, in the last few days. I've also cut way back on carbs for snacks. All snacking is nuts, nuts, nuts, and some homemade beef jerky.

Today I got to the gym for the first time this week. We went swimming over the weekend and on Monday, I was verrrry sleepy for some reason and didn't want to work out. Tuesday was a very stressful rehearsal for the concert band, so today was my first time back this week, and nearly all I did was cardio. I changed my routine to doing some hard reps on the elliptical and getting a good sweat going. When I couldn't lift my feet any more, I switched to the bike. I did get in one set of chest presses.

Today (Wednesday) at the Gym

Yesterday was band practice, so no workout. Today was day 2 at the gym:

25 minutes on the stationary bike, level 6, HR up to 120.
3 sets, each arm, cable pulls (trying to emulate a baseball swing)
3 sets of 20 reps on ab coaster (center, left, right)
3 sets tricep press
10 minutes stationary bike, level 7 (cool down)

Today at the Gym

25 minutes on the stationary bike, level 7. Last 3 minutes sprinting, HR up to 120.
3 sets bicep curls
3 sets reverse curls (triceps)
3 sets of 20 reps each on the ab coaster (1 center, 1 left, 1 right)
3 sets each arm - cable pulls
10 minutes stationary bike, level 7, cool-down.

Note to self: You can play solitaire on the iPhone while pedaling.

The Latest Updates!

Been a busy, but only moderately interesting, week.

I still haven't lost a pound in 3 weeks, but I haven't been going to the gym regularly either, so it's probably nothing to worry about (much).

I played a jazz concert with the Charlotte Jazz Band on Friday night. Our regular tenor sax players have stopped coming to rehearsals, so I have been promoted from 2nd Alto to 1st Tenor - and I had one rehearsal and two days to prepare for it. Luckily, we're not doing stuff that's incredibly hard, and my improv solos sound better on tenor anyway. It was a lot of fun, actually. I even think Bernie had fun with the "band-wives".

We had our neighborhood yard sale on Saturday morning after that. We had to get up at 6am to set up. We've been hearing in the papers that our Latino population has been leaving the country due to the poor economy, and it really showed in the turnout for the sale. We made about $200, got rid of the old TV sets, and I ended up giving away some stuff just so I wouldn't have to dispose of it. I kept some of the unsold "fat" clothes and we'll try to sell them again in the fall. Nobody's buying corduroy pants in 93-degree heat.

On Sunday, we had a Father's Day lunch at my parents' house. I made bbq ribs on Saturday and refrigerated them, and then I re-heated and sauced them in my mom's oven. Everybody liked them, except me. I guess I can chalk this up to more changes after gastric bypass.

I'm going to get back into the gym this week on a serious basis. 4 days out of 5 is the goal. (Band practice is on Tuesday, so I can't go to the gym that day).

I've started on protein shakes for breakfast again - just in case that's the problem with the weight loss plateau.

We'll be heading to NYC in a couple of weeks for a long weekend, and in August, we'll go to Calgary for our vacation and to attend one of Bernie's friend's wedding. Spring just flew by this year, and it looks like summer is going to do the same thing.

We saw a deal where Singapore Airlines has a RT to Malaysia for $698. I've asked Bernie if she wants to go, since the timing is ideal with her not working. She's interested but hasn't followed up with me on the idea. I think I'll ask her again tonight. I can't go, but I know she's pining to see her family. We'll see.

Dry Spell

I've hit a HUGE plateau for my weight loss. No pounds lost in 3 weeks, and I'm going nuts trying to figure out what's wrong. I've increased exercise and cut back on my eating somewhat, increased dosage of fish oil and vitamin D.

I've got some ligament issues in my feet that I'm hoping the fish oil will fix and then I'll try jogging if I have to. I hate jogging.

I hope I haven't stalled out permanently at 245. That would really suck.