Life Changes

It is the holiday season, and like most of us I am concerned about gaining weight. For those that may be slightly jealous of relative ease at which I can lose weight, don’t be. The struggle is real. In November my work schedule changed. Teaching labs run for 3 hours and interviewing applicants for our program can also run for 3 hours. Since I had been feeling good and have energy, I was not thinking that 3 hours without eating is a long time for me and my new physiology. Interestingly, it was the fact that I felt physically thinner that got me back on the scale. During the week surrounding Thanksgiving, I somehow managed to lose 8 lbs. What concerned me was my BMI of 20. Still “normal” but closing in on “under weight”. What caught me off guard was how it made me feel. I realized that I am still at a point where I have to work everyday at eating regularly. Having 3 meals in a day is psychologically comforting but not an option. The work situation was an easy fix. I take breaks during labs to eat something. I always have a protein bar in my pocket so if I get caught in a long meeting I can eat something. I almost always have my water bottle with me. It is usually filled with some flavor of Crystal Light since straight water still causes discomfort. Most of my coworkers know my situation and that it is not my intention to be rude eating in a meeting. For the past 2 weeks I focused on getting calories every hour or two. I am hoping that my body adapts because this schedule means I am often nauseous or uncomfortable. I stopped the cardio exercise to limit burning calories. I need to work this back in not just for the physical benefits but the mental boost as well. The good news is that over a 2 week period, I was able to gain 6 lbs back. What I learned from the last few weeks is that there was a part of me that thought “recovery” would include getting back to my pre-surgery lifestyle, but life changes.