Thyroid RULES

So as most of you know I had a total thyroidectomy mid January and with that removal my body has built a VERY tall wall, a brick wall so thick that I just can't seem to break through it! After the surgery I knew there would be recovery period and a resting period and so I took it slow and listened to my body. It is the boss after all but 2.5months later I'm about to fire the boss! ;-)
Let me please start by saying I'm not downplaying in anyway nor am i ungrateful that I have lost 66lbs and that I've gone from a size 24 to a 10. I'm EXSTATIC even! My life has changed so much in 11months its crazy to even think back to pre new lifestyle!
Back to the reason I want to fire "the boss" the brick wall that I'm talking about is the scale and my weight! It hasn't even as much budged since I started going back full time (eating and exercising)
But when you are so close to your goal you can almost taste it...... ITS HARD! I'm 30lbs away from making my goal and the hard thing is..... I know the choices that I'm making every day with eating and working out should be moving that dial. I know Im not looking for 5+weight loss a week but I just want to see it creep down! The thing I'm holding on to right now is that I'm still losing inches so my body is changing and for that I'm grateful because it's what's motivating me right now! And so anyone reading this has any awesome tips or tricks that have helped breakdown that thyroid wall please message me!
A week ago I was talking to a friend of mine who is actually on the same journey as me just a few months ahead of me and we were talking about the curse word "Plateau" and so we made a workout promise to each other and its helped keep us accountable for what we committed to do. Isn't it so crazy that we are so willing to hold ourselves accountable when someone else knows what your committing to, but when its just you, its so easy to not hold yourself to the same standard?!?!? I find that crazy and that is one thing I'm going to start working on but until that is mastered I may use a few of you to share my goals and help hold me accountable!
So while its discouraging I'm choosing to look at the positive! My body is an AMAZING mystery! One that I don't know will ever be completely solved but it'll sure be fun experimenting to find little keys here and there right!?!?!?
I just want to end by saying thank you for taking the time to read this and showing your love and support to me. I just hope that this blog will reach people that may be going through the same thing or looking to find a different way.
Thank you to my family and friends for the support and kind words you give me daily! I love you all and with your support I can't wait to BUST THE WALL DOWN!
THANK YOU!

Sweet tooth!

While on my Leave of Absence from work  I didn't follow my eating plan mainly because I had to eat around my meds schedule, but since going back to work on Monday I started back and can I tell you...... I have had such a sweet tooth! Every night I want a "treat" and I need to break this funk RIGHT NOW!  Does anyone have any tips or tricks at breaking the sweet tooth cravings? Because I eat so good during the day and have a great dinner and then at 930 I think man Ruby Snap cookies sound so good (blame my hubby for showing me his pic with the Ruby Snap owner/creator/extraordinaire) and then add that I just so happen to have a half dozen frozen dough balls of my favorite cookie...... YEP I totally made a few cookies last night! 😳 BUT SO GOOD! 

I know that one cookie isn't going to ruin everything BUT every night will ruin my goals! 

And so I'm asking...... Any readers out there that have any tips for this sweet tooth girl? 

On another note. I go to the Drs today for my post-op and I'm hoping he'll give me an idea of when I can start working out again! It crazy to say but I want to run, do push ups, complete a 9minute mission or even work out with my friend Jillian! 

Side Journey?

Some of you may know that for about the last year I have been dealing with Nodes? :) (catch my Pitch Perfect reference) Not those kind of Nodes though. I had a MultiNodular Goiter. Which pretty much means that I had nodes growing on/in my thyroid. (really I noticed it a long time ago, but it didn't bother me and they tested my thyroid and everything came back good so we didn't go any deeper) About a year and a half ago my dad "freaked out" on me and pretty much called me a bad name...... "Vivianne" (My grandma who had cancer but refused to go to the dr until it was too late and really I think my dad had to pick her up and carry her there literally, she ended up passing away just a few short months later) So that struck a cord with me, because especially now that I have a little guy that depends on me for the care and support that he needs. So I went to a primary care physician who sent me to a specialist and so the testing began. Of course once again my thyroid came back with a clean bill of health, but the ultrasound did not. And it wasn't good. I had 3 "nodes" and 1 of them was a pretty good size. I got to go through a Fine Needle Aspiration (pin cushioned my neck) to have them biopsied and they all came back benign! We watched them and I went back 6 months later and there was no change, so 6 months later I got to go back and have all of the ultrasounds and appts again. This time the biggest one grew. Grew so much that he couldn't even get an accurate read with the ultrasound wand, and so came the talks of removal.... He referred me to a Surgeon who I made an appt to go talk to just to see and ask my questions, you know what is this going to do to my journey? How will this effect me? What are the risks?  I was so thoroughly impressed that we set a Surgery Date. That surgery date was a week ago yesterday. Unfortunately due to the size of the nodulars he wasn't able to save the thyroid. But the parathyroids are all good and working. It's a little scary as I will be on a medication for the rest of my life but I think the Surgeon said it best when he said "You won't have Arnold Schwarzenegger neck anymore!"  or "It's like your neck gave birth when I opened it up. That was a huge gland missy!"
And it's true as I have been on my Journey to Mastering Melissa and as I have lost weight the multinodular goiter became more and more noticeable. (Or maybe I was just way more aware of it!) Good news is.... They sent out the thyroid to Pathology and it came back no signs of cancer, so besides annual dr visits to ensure that my dosage is correct I should never have to go down that road again!
This road has been very interesting to say the least. I want to say that the body is an AMAZING thing! I'm so glad that my body and health were where they needed to be before this surgery because I was up and walking around the next day. Was I 100% NO, and I'm still not, but it makes me wonder if I wasn't where I am today or if I had done this a year ago would there be a different story?
It'll be interesting to see how long until I'm able to really work out. Right now I'm up and walking roughly 2 miles every day, but that's about all I can do. Lifting and pressing are still kind of rough and there is no jumping or running around yet.
I'm willing to wait out the time that my body needs, but know that it is kind of killing me! It kills me to see my friends posting work out pics or even progress pics! (Keep doing it though, because it's motivating me even while I can't do it!)
Special thanks to my friends and family that not only were there for me through this past week but that have offered to do anything for me! Know that I appreciate it more then you know. I love you guys and I love the support group that I have in my corner.
From the Node Free girl who still has a bandage on her neck and is still getting funny looks everywhere she goes, who deep inside laughs every time someone stares at me.
Love -
The Node Free Ginger! (Not totally a ginger, but I think I am sometimes!)

Pic on left with nodes, pic on the right node free!

TODAY!!!!

So many things about today that I love.... 

I'm off work and about to go spend the day on an adventure with my family! I'm sporting my boyfriend today.... JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE! Tshirt from the concert last weekend that was amazingly fantastic! I finally broke my plateau..... It seems like I've been hovering right around the same weight for a long time. It didn't help with the holidays. So this last weekend I had what I call a reset weekend. I didn't go crazy and for the most part I ate every 3 hours but I didn't stop the pizza, hamburger or fries from being eaten! ;-) I firmly believe that it's okay to have my reward day and I have one every week. But every once in a while (every 3-4months) I have had a "reset" weekend to break through my plateau. I don't go crazy and it's crazy the things I used to love just don't appeal as much. For me my reset weekend is to throw off my body but not only that it reminds me why I changed my lifestyle for good! It gets me "re-excited" for the next adventure that will be my last 4 months of my goal. (Goal is to lose 95lbs in a year!) with my weigh in this morning I'm down 66lbs and I couldn't be more excited! In this picture I'm wearing a size 10 pant and a small shirt (unisex but I'm taking it!) sizes that just 10-12months ago I wouldn't have even imagined getting to!
And what's even better.... IM NOT DONE! I love my lifestyle! I'm so happy and fortunate to find what works for me! 

Thank you so much for all of your support and love! It helps drive me to be a better me!

TODAY!!! Which is day 258

Jan. 5th starts my new year!

Due to the awesome girl weekend that I'm currently on, (JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE CONCERT!!!! Which by the way was AMAZING!) My new year is being postponed until Jan. 5th. You need to set yourself up for success right! ;-) 

So I'm taking some time and writing down some personal committments for this year! 

- reach my goal weight of 150 by May. 

- maintain my current healthy lifestyle to maintain my goal weight. Throughout 2015! 

- work out at least 5 days a week. (Give Melissa 5) - workout chart? Pay per workout? 

- take time out of our busy schedules to "slow down" at least an hour out of day and spend it as a family. -no phone zone?

- strengthen my marriage by focusing on/pointing out the positive attributes that Andy has. - I love you because board?

I will be putting these up as reminders for not only me but to hold myself accountable to what I am committing to! I'm excited for 2015! 2014 was amazing and I have found out so many things about myself! I can't wait to see how 2015 goes! 

What are some of your 2015 commitments? 

Been a long time!

Sorry, it's been a bit! With the new year I reflect back on how awesome 2014 was for me! I lost 63 lbs! AND STARTED THE NEW YEAR OFF WEARING SIZE TEN JEANS!!!!! That's awesome and  then add in the difference in the way I feel, my health and my friends and family that I love so much! I feel so blessed! 

The last week I have been thinking about resolutions (I've never been one to set resolutions) I think this year will be different. I like having a goal in sight and being able to achieve something! (You can't hit a target if you don't know where it's at.) so this year as I ponder all of the thoughts I have in my head I'm setting ME up for success! My resolution will be S.M.A.R.T and something I will be able to celebrate! Since I'm in Vegas right now for Justin Timberlake I'm giving myself until 1/4 to announce my new year resolution. I feel that announcing it will help me have the accountability to stay on track! 

Thank you to everyone for your support and love. 

Now off to shopping! (When in Vegas!) 

Pumpkin protein pancakes

As promised from my FACEBOOK comments. Here is the recipe I used for this mornings breakfast. 

Pumpkin protein pancakes- 

4Tbsp of pumpkin purée

2large eggs (beaten) 

A shake of cinnamon 

A shake of pumpkin pie spice 

1 1/2 scoops of vanilla Bode protein powder 

Mix all together

I cook mine on a griddle medium get that I've sprayed with Pam to ensure they don't stick! 

Topped with syrup, TruWhip and a sprinkle of nutmeg. 

Please share any recipes you guys LOVE!