So, I have reached 12 weeks. But, this is also the month that a whole week exists between the 4 week count and the monthly date count. I've decided I will use week 13 as part of my 3 month scale stats and note it was a 5 week month. I will do measurements now. I am going to hold off on any 3 month - what I've learned long term - until next week...I guess. LOL

Here's the haps...

Scale: down -4.6 (what the what?! more on this later in "discoveries")
Total weight loss weeks 9, 10, 11 and 12: 11.8
Total weigh loss since surg: 40.2

BMI: down 6.4 since surg

Nutrition Averages for the Week:
Calories 998.5 (high 1053; low 888)
Carbs 94.5 (high 110; low 87)
Fat 29.8 (high 41; low 23)
Protein 90.4 (high 100; low 70)

Macros: carbs (38%), fat (27%), protein (36%)

Measurements (4 week check in):
Waist -1/4, T=4.5
Hips -1/2, T = 3.5
Neck -1/2, T=1.5

Legs - left and right have separated but upper and calf both lost 1/2 to 1 3/4 (this month)

Arms - also in a left right not matching month upper, forearm and wrists all lost -1/4 to 1

I also measure my belly like they do when you are preggo. That went down 1.5. So even though my waist shows a smaller inch loss than I expected, my Buddha went down substantially.

Discoveries:
1. Water is the key (for me). Very long story short, I pushed hard this week to hit 64 or more oz. Pre op this was no biggie and post op, with diligence, no biggie, but somewhere after vaca...hitting 48 became the new ok and I permitted myself to not push if not in the mood. I def. saw this on the scale as I weigh daily. On low days, it wouldn't budge in any direction. So this week pushed to see if water made a difference. It def had a role.

2. Less fat....jury is still out. So I also worked nutrition hard this week to get my average closer to 25% than 30% fat. There was major pay off in the scale this week so was it water, lower fat, protein average higher, all of the above....? Ah, writing the instruction manual that didn't come with my body is not an easy task with so many moving parts. I'm using this macro another week at least to see what's the what.

3. Being a lifetime Weight Watcher without ever reaching Lifetime is paying off.... I ate a cookie; it was planned consciously and in my nutrition for the day. I wanted a cookie and I wanted to see how my body reacted to a processed sugar baked good so I planned for it. All is good. Cookies are not a trigger for me. one and done and moved on. Cameron and the intestines had no issues.

4. I can hit calcium for the day in food. Go me! I have this set up to reward me in MFP.

Bloodwork!
So my official 3 mo check up is next Friday, Sept. 2. But, bloodwork is already done and we have electronic charts so I can see everything. All good!! B12 is sky high so they'll prob reduce that from daily to once per week or every other day or whatev. Iron is "low" in saturation percentage only but it is the highest it has been since I can remember. It was 15% and it's been as low as 7 <-- I shit you not. This blood work was also done right after 2 week shark week so it's probably even better than 15% as my body works to restore everything back. My D is "low"...but for New Englanders it is "normal" at 25.8 but, again, this is the highest it has ever been and I've been on D Rx forevah until surg...then went to calcium chews with D3...which was dosed way less than my normal so I was worried.

Head: Same ole same ole. I had a "scare" this week as the scale did not budge...not even a point 1 in either direction for 4 days. I feared a stall was coming and braced myself. I took a day off of my uber planning and tracking to just mind water and protein and let the macros fall where they may. At end of day, I was still pretty on point but it was the lowest cal day at 888. Anyway, next day back to the grind. The 4.6 loss this week came the last three days of the week. I guess my body was adjusting to the new lower fat to figure out wtf I was doing.

Just to revisit....taking a "day off" was awesome. It gets tiresome being a "post op patient". One day is not going to make or break us. I plan to do this at least once a month now. Just mind water and protein and let the restriction do the rest. This may become once a week..stay tuned.

Non-scale Vs:
Visible weight loss is in full affect. I have dysmorphia when I am fat or lose weight so it's hard to see for myself what all the hub ub is about - don't I just look like me but smaller?

I have been told I am beautiful and so healthy more times than I can count, followed by...I don't mean before you weren't... For people who didn't know me before the morbidly obese decade, I look like a whole different person to them, as, like many of us, the face loses first and most dramatically. They are used to a round face when my face shape is actually an oval. I keep getting told how big my eyes are and that my "lips got bigger" hahaha Sorta Little Red Riding hood if gramma was bariatric...For family, they say things more like, wow you are really looking like your old self.

VCB visible collar bone HOLLAH so what if to truly be visible 24/7 I move shoulder a little? hee hee

Vanity....I catch myself looking at...my wrists, my fingers, my ankles and feet. They've all been so puffy for so long, I just love seeing them now.


Non scale WTFs
So far, boobs are hanging in for the most part but my neck!! In certain light if I look up, blech. It's not turkey neck, per se, I dunno how to describe it...sorta like cellulite with vertical lines? I know, gross image. I hope that's just temporary as you can actually see the fascia in my neck now. If not, I have a pretty slamming scarf collection

Nothing sexier than an abdominal flap filled with fat. Just sayin.

Very upper things have this sep. fat sag going on now. If I press thighs together it's like a bum up there LOL Super. Hope that too is a temporary body melting phase. eesh. Can't see it in pants, though. Phew.

What's Next?
Continue to gear up for back to school schedule change that starts Tuesday. Plan. Plan. Plan.

That's all for now.

Sleeved life is good.