I didn't have the cash or time to go out and buy a whole lot of protein-heavy items to do the pouch test, so I just replaced all sugary drinks with water, ate more lean protein, had fruit and veg instead of other snacks, and lowered my carb intake altogether. Well, it worked well. I was back at 71kg after a few days.
Right now I have no idea what I am, I haven't weighed for a while, but my guess is pretty much the same as it was when last I weighed.
In other news... I have a job! I've been applying for every damn beauty job I could realistically take, and in one day, while sitting around waiting for a wax and a tan (for a fellow student to perform on me, as practice, at her new job), I logged onto the Seek App and applied for some others. While I was waiting I got a phonecall for a job interview, and then later an eMail requested a job interview the next day.
I never made it to the 2nd interview, because I got the first job I interviewed for. I was really happy, because now I'm working at a day spa, rather than just a salon. It sounds more prestigious I suppose, but it's mostly that the focus is different. Spas have to offer hydrotherapy treatments to be labelled as such, which mine does, but they tend to offer more pampering treatments, than results-driven salons, and that's what I prefer. I had my first 2 clients on Saturday, doing two 60min full body Swedish massages, and I have another client booked in tomorrow for a few different treatments as well. I'm kind of spending a lot of time on reception too, just getting a feel for the place (I was on reception all day today), but I'm loving it already!
I also passed my diploma, and am officially qualified as a beauty therapist now. I've also done some make-up work for a girl in a band... I can't post photos here, because she hasn't released me to do so... but by god do I wish I could! It was very exciting to be involved in a professional photo shoot with a photographer and a studio and such... with the photos now being made into band posters, that are already being sold, but will continue to be sold next year when the band supports Wolfmother!
We also had our graduation party on the weekend, and while I'm still not terribly confident on my own, I'm more confident than I used to be before the sleeve... and when that increased confidence is combined with alcohol... well, let's just say I was gangnam-dancing my backside off in front of EVERYONE and even allowing myself to be recorded doing it. lol. I had a great time, but I was also really impressed with some of the photos...
Previously, photos (and videos) taken of me doing stupid stuff would be something that brought great horror and dread. Now I don't even care that there's a video of me somewhere on Facebook dancing Gangnam Style with a wig on. People are likely to judge and laugh and mock, sure, but it seems to matter less when you don't really care what they think anymore. There will be times when I'm feeling a little bit down and therefore touchy and hurt by this kind of thing, but it's MUCH LESS frequent than it was pre-sleeve. I think the fact that I know that it's unlikely they're laughing at me because I'm fat makes things easier. I'm not skinny, I know that, and I never expect to be... but I still find great comfort in the fact that "fat" is probably not one of the first words that comes to mind when people think of ways to describe me.
Life has just improved dramatically since I've had the sleeve. I've gained a qualification, gotten a job, made a lot of great friends, gained a social life... and while of course it's not directly linked to the sleeve, weight loss has allowed me to do it all, which is the result of the sleeve. I wouldn't have done my course if I hadn't have lost weight - the idea of getting body wraps at over 100kg was too much for me, which is why I never did it sooner. Making friends sucked when you knew they were all gorgeous beauties and you'd just be "the fat friend." Plus, it's hard to want to go out and be social when you know random people would be watching, laughing at "that fat girl," doing whatever it is you're doing. Getting a job is harder too... partly because people are judgemental about size, but also because you're too busy being paranoid that they're going to judge you based on that, so you don't bother based on the fear of facing that.
And... I know this totally doesn't fit into the post, but I had to share it. It's not MY STOMACH... it's the stomach of a sleever friend, that she gave permission for me to share here. Basically, it's the portion of her stomach that was removed. It's filled with air, which is why it's looks so solid, and not all soft and squishy, but it did WOW me to see just much stomach is removed. Every sleever will have a similar amount removed, even if not exactly the same.
