Shrinking feet

I've lost 100 pounds now, and my feet have definitively shrunk. I used to wear a size 9 shoe, mostly due to my foot's width--my feet are short and fat, just like the rest of me. I now wear a size 8, average width. I can still handle wearing an 8.5 shoe comfortably, but wearing a 9 makes me feel like I'm clomping around with a kayak strapped to each foot. I thought my beloved Chucks and Vans collection contained more 8.5s, but alas, twelve pairs of them turned out to be 9s. (Four aren't pictured here. I've sold three pairs to friends already and can't bear to part with one pair of my size-9 Chucks because I love them so much--at least until I find a smaller replacement.) It took me years to collect these and I love them all. It's hard to let them go.

This collection is going to force me to enter the world of selling on Ebay rather than just buying. People will pay $20-30 for a pair of Chucks in this condition on Ebay. I just think it's weird that my feet shrunk. In high school, I wore a 7.5 shoe; I wonder if my feet will get that small again? That would be weird. I have a bunch of Birkenstocks I haven't even looked at yet--oy. That may be the next bunch I have to shuffle around.

The cat in the photo is one of my three--the elder statesman, Nunzio Motorboat. He loves hiding in the closet and probably the collective smell of these shoes, and it may be my imagination, but I think he looks a little alarmed in this picture.

I've been having a ball on Ebay buying smaller shoes. I haven't limited myself to Chucks and Vans, just fun sneakers. A lot of people buy things they never wear and sell them for cheap. Last night I won a fun pair that are turquoise with Boston Terriers on them.

Haven't blogged in a while...

...because I haven't had much to say, or the energy to say it. Someone I care about a great deal has been missing since early this month, and I have been thinking and worrying about him a lot. I've also been working quite a bit and finally succumbed to a migraine I've been fighting for a week today.

I've been frustrated with my weight, because I haven't lost much of late. (Today I weighed in at 210.) Even though my weight isn't changing much, I am still transitioning gradually into my smaller clothes. I am trying not to be annoyed by sizing weirdness (some size 20 jeans can still be snug, but my stretchy pants are 14/16s with plenty of room). Amazingly, my feet seem to have shrunk! I can wear a size 8 now. I don't think I need wide or extra-wide width anymore, either, which is tremendous.

I've started to exercise a couple of times a week. I've done aerobics once (made it through the warm-up, but that was all I could manage as of now). I've had more success doing some walking. The walking results in my ankle hurting pretty badly for days afterward, but it feels good to be outside, getting fresh air and moving. I am just taking it easy and going day by day right now.

Costco discontinued my favorite protein bullets (Body Choice 25g Protein Shots), which I am not happy about. I can order them directly from the manufacturer, but the base cost is 25% higher than it was at Costco and there's shipping to boot. I've tried several other protein bullets, but haven't liked the taste as well or couldn't choke them down at all. Since I put three supplements (chromium, niacin, vitamin D) into protein bullets so I can get them down every day, having some around that I can tolerate is important. Costco still carries Muscle Milk Light, but I've lost my taste for it. They also have the Premier Nutrition high protein chocolate shakes that are 30mg protein--which I prefer to Muscle Milk Light--but I have become much more sensitive to milk than I once was. (The surgeons and nutritionists told me that was a possibility, so I knew that going in.) I wouldn't call myself lactose-intolerant per se, but I would say I was definitely bordering on it, so I am very careful. I've also noticed that emptying supplement capsules into the milk-based protein drinks doesn't work too well--the capsule contents tend to clump up.

I tried the sugar-free margarita mix made by Zilch Mixers--it's great. It can be purchased directly from Zilch Mixers or on the Bariatric Eating website. I will definitely be taking some to Vegas with me in the spring!