Post New Year’s at the gym is always the same, everyone back at the gym to burn off their holiday calories and vowing to stick with the gym for the new year. I say kudos for them getting back out there. I thrive when I exercise and every time I get out of shape, I’m reminded how much better I feel when I run.

But as I chat with people about the lbs they put on over their vacation or their attempt to burn off the excess calories they consumed, I can’t help but be reminded that a full gastrectomy gives you the opposite problem from most of American society. It is a constant, forced portion control (at least for the first year from what I hear). And pretty much everyday, I’m reminded how I have the opposite problem from everyone else. But as I complain that most of my pants are too big, my husband mentions most women would love to have my problem. My retort is that they also haven’t spent the last 6 months having to spit up their food when they don’t chew enough. 🙂 This surgery let me beat my cancer curse, so the food adjustment is a small modification. And I can proudly say I was able to put on a pound over my vacation!! This 6 month marker is truly another giant leap in gastrectomy recovery.

TV does get old when every commercial seems to be food or weight loss. Liposuction or a medicine to melt away fat. I think it’d be funny to join one of our work weight loss teams sometime where you maintain or lose weight over the holidays. I’d be a sure thing for maintaining weight, and I think later on weight loss should be pretty easy since I don’t truly feel that hunger pang.

I’m thankful to read the support groups because I know there is a group of us out there. It’s so helpful to share ideas and experiences. (It’s the Facebook support group to total and partial gastrectomy & nostomachforcancer). And I have to remind myself that weight does not equate to nutrition. I figure you can easily be overweight but deficient in vitamins, minerals, etc.

I didn’t run much over Christmas. I just took some much needed R&R. I decided I do need to get my leg strength back up before my half marathon, and it’s not going to be pretty! 5 miles today, weather was amazingly beautiful. My speed is ok, but my endurance is kind of lack luster. I’ll need some extra cheering on race day!!

Have a great, stomachless evening!