Archive for May, 2008

In many ways, this summer is going to be quite different. It’s not the first summer after my weight loss surgery, or weight loss, but it is the first summer after my abdominoplasty. I can now wear a bikini! Can you believe that? So, of course, I have been looking forward to this summer for a number of months.

I decided the other day that I would chronicle or journal my summer victories. These are small things to many people, but very huge steps for me. This weekend could be considered “the explosion”!

First, let me just say that summer has never been a fun time for me. Being overweight, I used to sweat profusely. I could not stand the outdoors and avoided it at all costs. I have never done much sunbathing (even back to Junior and High School). I didn’t like yard work, nor did I go swimming. I probably didn’t own a bathing suit for at least 10 years! I finally rode a bicycle last summer and didn’t really care all that much for it! The hot and humid weather just did me in. Late last summer though, I met Tim and he took me out on the boat. I’ve been looking forward to this all year, since then as a matter of fact.

All winter, I have been looking forward to when I could do summer types of things. I have wanted to ride horses, wear my new bikini, go swimming, lay out in the sun, and most frequently, wash the car! It has been so dirty, and I know that drive thru car washes just don’t do a great job. We live in an apartment and can’t wash vehicles there.

We spent the weekend at my former roommate’s house. Saturday we washed the car (I had on my bikini), went swimming, laid out in the sun, I went shopping for awhile too… but I didn’t sweat to death! I enjoyed the time I spent outdoors. Now I can’t wait until I go horseback riding and get to the lake.

I think being on the boat last year was the thing I have missed the most. My favorite thing to do is to pack a lunch and park over in a small cove area. We swim and lay out for awhile, eat our picnic lunch, and just enjoy the weather. I love to listen to the waves as they hit the boat and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Tim likes to cruise the lake, but being in the cove is my favorite.

Winter is so blah. Cold. Dreary. Gray. I hate putting life on “hold” or waiting to do all the things that I’ve wanted for so long. But quite frankly, everything I wanted to do takes place in the warm and sunny months! I mean, I didn’t really have an overwhelming desire to knit sweaters or scarves! No! Instead, I wanted to wear a bathing suit, go swimming, take the boat out on the lake, horseback riding…

Now that summer is here, I am no longer putting life on “hold”. This weekend was the beginning of my summer. And, I have taken the NSV (Non Scale Victories) theme from the gastric community and adapted it to MSV (My Summer Victories). I added this as a blog category and will be placing all of my fun doings/happenings in this category.

Here are a few photos of my weekend. Yesterday I put on my bikini, the 1st time I’ve worn one in public since Junior High School. Then I helped Tim wash the car! IN PUBLIC VIEW of the neighbors! I also enjoyed soaking up the sun and got a little more red added on to the redness from the tanning bed.

I went swimming. Now for me, this is a major big step because I freeze to death all the time. Last summer, I barely went swimming during the HOTTEST day of the year! The pool was still cold but I enjoyed it. I even laid out on the deck and let the sun absorb to my bones. It felt great.