43 Years Old, 5'1", 215 Lbs. New year= New me! Houston, TX

HW: 218 DOS: 208 GW: 135 CW: 140 Thank you hurricane Harvey! I got to my goal for a minute! Then, along come a hurricane. Stuck in the house for days, boredom and anxiety costume 5 pounds. That's all over now. I'm back to my routine, getting this 5 pounds off will be harder now because I'm further out but I WILL do it. It's so fast to come back with bad choices, emotions and boredom, I have to hold myself accountable each and every day

Wow! It's been almost 2 years since I started this journey. Hard to believe...
I wanted to give an update for those of you who are like me and looking at each and every story wondering "where are they now?".
I'll start with the hard stuff.
Hair loss.... I probably lost about 50-60% of my hair starting at 4 months. That was hard. So so so hard. It didn't all fall out at once, it fell over a 4-5 month period. The regrowing has been a little weird. I have naturally curly hair so I feel like it looks even more scraggly than some. I had really long hair. It's just growing out again from a little longer than a chin length bob. All of the hairs are almost the same length again. I do notice that my hair grows better and faster when I take my vitamins and get enough protein. It really does make a difference.
Working out.... I don't do it much. I have come up with a few theories. Some of it may be rationalizing but they're my theories. After watching the biggest loser for so many years and reading all of the follow up stuff, I decided that I needed to lose weight before building muscle. I feel like if I lose the pounds first, I can tone and maybe build a little muscle on my new form instead of making my metabolism think I would always be that active so it doesn't have to work so hard. In short: if I work out too hard from the beginning, the metabolism that I am retraining will think we are going to be that active forever. Where if I try to lose the pounds first, the "new metabolism" will be trained to a more relaxed lifestyle. I was afraid that if I teach my body that we will always workout that I am tied to those hours in the gym forever and if I stop for a week or 6 that I will gain, or stop losing. I feel like if I lose pounds first, then tone I will not gain back. Like I said, just my theories/rationalizing. I have maintained my weight for at least 6 months now so I will start toning soon.
Depression.... this is something I've always struggled with anyway. I'm not sure if surgery has anything at all to do with depression but I most definitely have been down for a while. I am starting to feel better now. All of the cellular and bodily changes really affect the brain. I haven't turned to alcohol or any of the other crutches that some people pick up, instead, I turned inward. Just a lot of tired and sadness for me. Lack of desire, even with my new found ability to really move, to go or do anything. Like I said, it's getting better but I'd say that's been a rough part of this journey for me.
Wrinkles... uh! As is being over 40 isn't bad enough, deflate your overinflated skin and what do of get!? Wrinkles. All over wrinkles. Like a melted candle. If I am being really honest, and I ALWAYS am, I don't mind (I didn't say I like them) the body wrinkles. I can cover all of them up with clothes. Now, the face? Ehh, manageable. A time has gone by, my skin seems better. Maybe it's the products I use, maybe it's just time and my elasticity is returning to normal after being deflated. I really would like and need a tummy tuck. My apron is quite large. I don't have the money right now to do something like that so I will just be grateful that it hangs down and not sticks out any longer.
Eating: My diet these days is pretty easy. I eat just about anything I want. Thankfully, I don't "want" too many things that aren't in my allowed list. I have found I love canned chicken mixed with some seasoning and a little mayo. I will have a few triscuit crackers with it sometimes but mostly just stick with the chicken salad. I also like a low carb tortilla rolled up with a couple of slices of lunch meat and a slice of cheese. I can only eat about 1/2-3/4 of the roll in 1 sitting still (yay!). I still struggle with dairy. That makes me sad. It is so much harder to get in enough protein without diary. It is such a great go to meal/snack. I still love an egg for breakfast. Sometimes I put whatever veggies I have in the fridge in it, or leftover meat, scramble it up and there's breakfast. I love to snack on a few grapes, cubed cheese (I know this is dairy but doesn't other me much). Pork skins (no carbs!) any kind of roasted nuts, hard boiled egg and maybe a few m&ms from time to time. When I don't bring my lunch, it's easy to get a burger from the restaurant next door. I just order it with no bun and I can usually make 2 meals out of the 1 patty. I love pickles! I still need a supplement for my protein. More of then than not I have cold coffee over ice with non flavored creamer and genepro powder. No sugar. I still miss sugar, a lot. I try to stay away but this is real life and sometimes I slip. I've learned that that's ok, just can't stay there. I still have a really small stomach so I do pretty well with portions. I don't weigh or measure my food. I usually eat on a salad plate and almost always have a few bites left. Using the logic I've learned from all of the many and various diets I've been on I know the rules and I pretty well stick with them. Like I said, I am human, I slip, I get back up and start over. I NEVER, EVER, EVER want to be where I was 2 years ago again.
Vitamins... ok, they are really important. Everyone says so. Over and over and over again. What I've learned: my blood work levels are great! I really don't need any supplements according to my blood work. Even vitamin d which in almost unheard of. My b's go through the roof when I take vitamins. All of that said. I need the extra. My hair, skin and nails have suffered from not taking them like I should. When I take my multi, I feel better. I do gummies for everything. Omega 3, calcium and a multi. The dr made a great point. He said you won't know you needed calcium until you are 60 and break a hip. Wow! I went straight to the store and started calcium. Can't be breaking things, I am allergic to pain! Haha. Please take your vitamins!
On that note, I am late for work after this long winded update so I must go. Good luck to you!