swimming - or my rny really is a miracle!

[Guest guest]

I was a swimmer even when I weighed well over 450 pounds. It's something

that big folks can do without hurting our joints. It's one of the reason I

was as healthy as I was for as long as I was. I hadn't been able to swim

after my RNY. The loose skin hanging from my knees/thighs was in the way.

Also, I had so many wound complications I couldn't swim.

Anyway, the college I'm attending has a pool. First of all, I was able to

hop the water and swim nearly a mile my first time swimming laps in years!

That's great. It used to take me months to get back up to that distance

after going this long without swimming. I was up to a mile in a few weeks.

Here's where the miracle comes in:

After swimming, I'm always famished. Before my RNY I could easily gobble

down a giant meal. Recently after swimming I treated myself to a steak

dinner. I enjoyed a salad, a small amount of whole wheat bread, some steamed

vegetables, and a small steak. What was miraculous is that I couldn't finish

the steak! I took at least half of it home. Before, one of my big

frustrations, was that when I did swim I couldn't lose weight because I was

so hungry. I would have easily eaten a large steak and much more bread. I

just feel so lucky to have the surgery " still work " after all of this time.

Now when I do what I'm supposed to do (exercise) I'm capable of eating

healthy food in moderation.

in St. Louis

Open RNY 4/99

500/250/?

Getting back on track!