My Lap-Band Life

Long Time Since I Blogged

2009-11-06T11:55:00.002-05:00

Well it's been a long time since I last blogged so I should blog again.....

First off I have been pretty much at a stand still since I last blogged. Weight really hasn't done much. Gone up a pound or two and then back down a pound or two. This week I am doing better about my exercise but the weight still hasn't been changing. My clothes are still fitting better and I am in a solid 3X for both the pants and the shirts. That's actually a pretty major change when you consider a year ago I was wearing 5X for both shirts and pants and if I hadn't changed anything I was heading for a 6X pretty soon. Even still I want to keep the weight loss going.

When I was on my walk Monday morning I really did thinking and realized that there had been a point where I had stopped working hard at the whole process. I started thinking about why and reflecting back to what has gone on over the last several months. I realized that at some point I had lost the drive myself to lose the weight and started pushing because of not wanting to disappoint everyone else. Sounds silly I am sure but it had become a pressure that I wasn't dealing with very well at all. I was getting lots of praises which are great but somehow that turned into to much praise. I lost sight of why I was working on the weight loss and why I was doing this for "me".

Now I am having to soul search again to get my drive back. Yeah I feel the best I have felt in years. I am fitting into clothes that I haven't fit into for at least 10 years. I do want to be around for a long time. But somehow I still am battling myself for the drive again. I think part of it goes on with the other major stresses that have gone on since I had my surgery and most recently in the last 4 months.

Since surgery I have had two pay cuts and then finally a lay off from work. Why wife's income has dropped in half from a year ago as well. So of course that's been major stress in our lives. The state of the economy has been one that just isn't lending jobs for anyone as we all know all to well. So with those factors in place we have taken my son out of daycare and I am watching him on a daily basis. In addition to this I have gone back to school to work towards my degree. Honestly I don't know if I am going to continue after this term.

All of these stresses along with the weight loss "work" has overwhelmed me. I am not doing as well in school as I should be. My weight loss is at a stand still. I have applied to numerous jobs with "zero" outcome. Hell not even a call for an interview. I am not taking care of the house like I had the first couple of weeks when I was out of work. Sure maybe I am sounding like a cry baby but frankly I don't care. It's all just to much for me to handle which I think is why the weight loss has been put to the side cause I have been so stressed about everything else.

I know there has to be some changes soon in many ways so I can get back on track and get back to living the life I should be living. We're moving at the end of December to Palm City which is only about 20 minutes away but the rent will be cheaper and we'll be in a house. The area we're moving too also has cheaper daycare so hopefully we can get Nicholas back into daycare full time again soon. I have also resigned myself to the fact that I need to start looking for work other then drafting. I don't know what else I can do that is a skilled job but I will find something and hopefully someone will see me as a good person to hire and I can find a decent paying job to provide for my family once again. I will continue my schooling but just not at a full time schedule like I had tried to do this term. Just was to much for me to do with everything else I had going on too.

So there you have it. My blog for the week. Weight loss isn't going well. But it be better soon.

Check Back Tomorrow

2009-09-18T08:38:00.001-04:00

Sorry guys. Being that I am sick I forgot to weigh in first thing this morning so I will do it tomorrow morning and report on the week. Now let's hope that I can get past being sick quickly.

Week 40

2009-09-11T12:03:00.002-04:00

Hey it's week 40! I didn't lose any this week but good news on that too is that I didn't gain any either. I've come to the conclusion that I need to change up my exercise routine as I think my body has become adjusted to it and so I need to increase my exercise program more. Since this is my third straight week of no weight loss it's time to make more adjustments.

I can still feel a decent amount of restriction even though I do think I am ready for another fill. Often times breakfast is hard to have but I do as my doctor has directed in making sure to have a decent breakfast. Usually an egg with a piece of meat and a glass of water. Of course drinking the water before eating. Lunch's and dinners of course are still pretty much a meat with a vegi. Seems like it has become the daily meal for me.

I have been walking every day but it just doesn't seem to be enough anymore. I am going to go back to using my exercise videos. I just need to figure out where to put it into my daily schedule. I am still going to be taking my morning walk with my son I just have to add in another time to do the video. I will get it figured out.

Ok so the totals for this week haven't changed from last....
Week 40
No gain and No loss
Current Weight - 350 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 92 lbs (40 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 135 lbs

Week 38 & Week 39

2009-09-04T10:16:00.002-04:00

Well the last two weeks have not gone so well. Last week I was flat with no gain and no loss. This week however I gained 1 pound. I know it has to do with food which I just need to be better with. I also know that I need to go get another fill in my lapband.

The last couple of weeks have been really stressful too with school starting and now I have contract work to do as well. I am dealing with it but I have found myself really wanting sweets lately which I am sure is due to the stress. I have really got to control it but it's been really hard at times.

I am still walking daily with Nicholas. We also go to the pool several days a week which is great.

Ok so anyways over the last 2 weeks a gain of 1 pound :(

Week 38
This week no change
Current Weight - 349 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 93 lbs (38 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 136 lbs

Week 39
This week 1 pound gain
Current Weight - 350 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 92 lbs (39 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 135 lbs

Week 37 Post Op

2009-08-21T11:22:00.002-04:00

Another milestone has been broken! Today I broke 350 and weighed in at 349!! Woot! Happy Dance! So this week I lost 3 pounds. I am very happy with the weightloss and am continuing to work at it.

Nicholas and I go for our walks every morning while Karen get's ready for work. Then we get back to the apartment just a short time before she has to leave and we have play time for a little bit. Then we try and go to the pool or a park a several of days a week. Then in the afternoon we usually go over to the mall for a walk around the mall. He's really helped me keep active during this time of a layoff. I am not sitting around and worrying about being unemployed all the time but instead am keeping active with him.

I did change a major thing in my diet. I noticed that when I had a little larger of a breakfast meal I was wanting to eat more throughout the day. So I reduced the amount I would eat at breakfast and as a result I don't eat as much throughout the day. I am getting fuller on less and wanting to snack less. I think what was happening is I was stretch my stomach out first thing in the morning and thus giving myself the "want" to eat throughout the day. I have seen a dramatic difference since this change.

Ok so here are the totals for this week....
Week 37
This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 349 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 93 lbs (37 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 136 lbs

Week 36 Post Op

2009-08-14T08:08:00.002-04:00

Well just one pound lost this week. A little disappointing but at least it's a loss. It's been a stressful week with trying to get adjusted to my son being home with me full time and getting my financial aid pushed through at the college. It's been enjoyable having Nicholas home with me yet doesn't give me a whole lot of time for other things. In the mornings we go for a walk. Ranging between 2 to 3 miles just depending on the route we take. Then 3 days a week we're going to the pool a little while after our walk. Then in the afternoons after nap time we have been going to the mall for another walk. It's a mile. So I am trying to keep both him and I fairly active. It's been a good week for us.

I am a little surprised that I lost only 1 pound this week. I think I need to be watching my diet a little closer. I think my food portions are a little big and need to curb that. I also think I need to go back for another fill in my lapband. It doesn't feel as tight as it has been.

Ok so here are the totals for this week...
Week 36
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 352 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 90 lbs (36 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 133 lbs

Week 35 Post Op

2009-08-07T22:01:00.002-04:00

Well another week has gone by and another 2lbs lost! It's great to keep losing week after week even with a couple of tiny set backs I am still happy about my weight loss. I honestly can't tell you the last time I weighed this "little". It has to be about 8 or 9 years ago now or more.

I still contribute the weight loss to eating better and exercise. The walking greatly helps and makes me feel better as well. The hardest part with being unemployed now is keeping up on a good schedule with walking. I think tho that will get a little easier this next week since starting Monday my boy will be home with me and no longer in daycare. So my plan is to get up in the mornings like usual and get us ready for the day with breakfast and all that. Then at about the time that we would normally leave to go to daycare and me to work I will instead put him in the stroller and go for a good walk. It's still cool enough at that time of the morning that we can enjoy it and not be melting in the humidity. Then after our walk I am thinking we'd go to the pool to cool off especially since he likes the pool so much. Then in the afternoons depending on how things are going I am thinking we'll be making trips over to the mall to take a walk there too with a stop off at the play ground on the way back. Should really help me keep up on my exercise as well as give him plenty of time outdoors playing.

The other thing I have to make sure to keep up with is my diet. I don't want to get lax and start eating bad just cause I am not working. So keeping up with a healthy breakfast. Not snacking through the day and making sure to have a decent lunch is very important. Finally continuing to have a sensible dinner to round out the day.

Sounds like a lot of planning and such but I think it's going to help me mentally through this time which is key to my past eating habits. Something I don't want to fall into again. Not to mention needing to make sure I keep a good schedule for my son. We have found all his life he's very much a schedule person. He knows when he's suppose to eat, when we're suppose to get ready in the mornings, what the nightly routine is etc etc. It's kind of funny but also a pain when we want to do something a little different we have to plan it to make sure he'll be ok to go with the flow. LOL

Ok well back to the weight loss and the totals for the week.....
Week 35
This week 2 pounds lost
Current Weight - 353 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 89 lbs (35 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 132 lbs

Week 33 & 34 Post Op

2009-07-31T05:58:00.002-04:00

Ok I know I didn't blog last week. First off I gained 2 pounds last week but then I lost 2 pounds this week so it is a wash for the last two weeks.

Let's talk about week 33 really quick. On Sunday the family and I were coming back from a reunion at my in-laws and I blew a tired on the freeway on the way back. Scary I know. Well in changing the tire I injured my back and hamstrings. As a precaution to keep from hurting myself any further I did not walk for the week. Thus the two pound weight gain. My injuries did heal thank the lord.

Now for this week I walked on Monday. It felt great. Then Monday afternoon we had a meeting at work which was to inform us that we as employees needed to make a choice. We could either be laid off and go on unemployment or we could take an hours cut and only work 16 hours a week. Well for me that meant dire financial consequences as it would anyone and so my wife and I had to discuss what to do. As a result my stress level has been on high all week. I have hardly slept through the week. Today will be my last day at work but yesterday we learned at my work place that a client may be needing major work done which would bring everyone back to full time and keep us there for several months. So there is a glimmer of hope that the layoff will be short lived.

My diet and exercise has not been the for thought in my life this week. So I can only attribute the weight loss this week to stress. However I am getting back on track and will continue to work on it. It feels so much better to to have lost what I have but I still have plenty more to go. I also will be back on track with blogging weekly and hope you all continue to check in on my blog each week!

Weight loss totals for the last two weeks...
Week 33
This week 2 pounds gained
Current Weight - 357 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 85 lbs (33 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 128 lbs

Week 34
This week 2 pounds lost
Current Weight - 355 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 87 lbs (34 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 130 lbs

Week 32 Post Op

2009-07-16T04:57:00.002-04:00

So I am a day early this week but that's because we're heading out of town tonight after work for a family reunion tomorrow. So for this week today's weigh in for me is on Thursday. But I have good news. The scale reads 355 lbs! I lost 3 pounds this week. Back on track and very happy about it.

Of course I am back to walking just haven't gotten back up to the speed I was doing before my groin injury. But that's ok I will get back up to the faster pace. I can still tell there is some tightness in the groin muscle and just needs a little more time before I am back to full pace.

Dieting is still going pretty well. The one change I have talked about is eating cereal in the mornings to change things up from just eggs and bacon all the time. So pretty much I rotate now from eggs and bacon one day to FiberOne® cereal the next day. It's actually been pretty nice not having to make breakfast every day and I like the change up in foods. Eggs and bacon can actually get pretty boring after a while. LOL

Ok so here are the totals for this week....
This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 355 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 87 lbs (32 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 130 lbs

Week 31 Post Op

2009-07-10T05:48:00.002-04:00

Well this week I lost 1 pound. Not what I would have wanted but with a pulled groin muscle injury I am ok with the loss. On Wednesday I got about 1/3 of the way into my walk when it happened. Stopped me dead in my tracks. I tried to do a couple of stretches and still it was very painful so I continued to the end of the street obviously at a slower pace hoping to have the muscles release and the pain subside but it didn't. So I knew I needed to turn around and head home before injuring myself further. Took twice as long to limp home as it did to get out there. Any way the pain has almost completely subsided and I have gone on walks at a much slower pace to get some exercise but I can definately tell a difference in the level of exercise. So hopefully this will heal back to full strength soon.

So 1 pound lost isn't so bad after with having an injury.
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 358 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 84 lbs (31 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 127 lbs

Week 30 Post Op - Happy 4th of July Everyone

2009-07-04T12:23:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th of July everyone! Well I am a day late in blogging but that's ok. It can happen once in a while. First off I had a no gain no loss this week. It happens. Not really sure why. Just have to work harder next week.

I continue to work on getting my time down on my walking to 45 minutes for 3 miles but haven't gotten there yet. In a few weeks I am sure I will get there. Once there and doing that steady then I'll add another mile on. That's my next big exercise goal is to be walking 4 miles in an hours time. I know I will be able to do it.

So this next week I think I need to watch my food intake a little bit more and try and change up my exercise some. Maybe add my evening workouts back into my schedule for a few times a week. One thing I am doing to change things up is starting a high fiber cold cereal a few times of week instead of eggs. Another bandster who is now a consultant for a surgeon had mentioned that I might want to try this so I shall try.

Ok totals I guess.... LOL
This week 0 pounds lost
Current Weight - 359 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 83 lbs (30 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 126 lbs

Week 29 Post Op

2009-06-26T05:48:00.002-04:00

And the scale reads 359 pounds! I lost 4 pounds this week and it feels great! Let me start off with I didn't start the workout routine that I had planned but still did change up my walking pattern. I have increased my pace even more on the walking now completing 3 miles in 47 minutes down from the 52 minutes it was taking me. It's really helped too I think. I still plan to add a workout routine into my schedule just didn't happen yet. LOL

I had my 3rd fill/adjustment appointment with the doctor this last Monday and it has helps some to keep me full a little longer then what I had been. Before this fill I would start to get hungry about 2 to 3 hours after eating. Now I am going from just about meal time to meal time without getting hungry. What does that do you say? Well it keeps me from snacking as well as keeps me from over eating at meal time because I don't have the hunger. Granted I still cannot eat like I used to and I do feel a little more restriction then I had before the fill but it's still work. I still have to make better food choices and still have to get out and exercise on a regular basis.

A friend ask me the other day what do I eat. Well it's pretty simple actually. For breakfast I have 1 egg usually with a spring of cheese on it and a couple of slices of bacon. Sometimes I will switch out the bacon for sausage or ham. Then I will have a banana or a yogurt when I get to work. That rounds off breakfast. Then for lunch it's usually leftovers from dinners which 9 times out of 10 is a meat (chicken, beef, pork, or fish) and a vegi that is usually steamed. Once in a great while I will allow myself to have a carb meal meaning spaghetti, pizza, or something along those lines. We don't buy bread, rice, or potatoes to have with our meals. Those are high carb low dietary value and so we have cut them out of our diet. Granted if we go out to eat and fries is the side I will have them but again it's not a daily part of my diet and we just don't go out that often at all to eat. For drinks I am pretty much a Crystal Lite person. Ocean Spray and Koolaid both have drink mixes like Crystal Lite now so I drink those also which means I am drinking no sugar added drinks. It's mostly water but a little flavoring goes a long way and has helped me drink more liquids throughout my day.

Ok well I have got the rest of my morning going so here are the totals for the week!!!
This week 4 pounds lost
Current Weight - 359 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 83 lbs (29 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 126 lbs

Week 28 Post Op - Frustration

2009-06-19T05:50:00.003-04:00

Well this week I only lost 1 pound. Yes it's still a lose but I keep going over in my head what I did different from last week and it really isn't much at all. The exercise level was the same. The food in take was near the same. My stress level was about the same. So I guess my body just wasn't burning the calories as well this week. Maybe I didn't have enough water intake. I really don't know. But what I do know is that it was not a zero loss and it was not a gain. So even still it's a loss.

I am used to walking the 3 miles now. When I first started it was taking me about 53 minutes total for the three miles. I already have it down to 50 minutes. Doesn't sound like much but it is a good change. At 53 minutes for 3 miles I was walking an average of 3.4 miles per hour. At 50 minutes for 3 miles I am walking at an average for 3.6 miles per hour. So a little bit of an increase. And yeah I know that is the engineer in me to break it down like that. LOL

A couple of plans for next week to change things up. First I have my adjustment (fill) scheduled for Monday. So that should make a big difference in my diet. I have been hungry more frequently and eating a little more then I know I should be. Secondly I am starting a new exercise program. It will be 3 days of cardio (walking) and 3 days of weight training. This should help burn fat and give good exercise while toning and strengthening my body. For a more detailed breakdown of what I am going to be working at look at the link here. http://www.health24.com/fitness/Programmes/16-1347-2104-2106-2363-2109.asp

Well here are the totals for the week...
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 363 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 79 lbs (28 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 122 lbs

Week 27 Post Op - The next 6 months

2009-06-12T05:49:00.006-04:00

Well I have started off the next 6 months in the right direction. I lost 3 pounds this week and increased my walking to 3 miles a day. My goal for the next 6 months is to lose 75 lbs. Sounds like a lot but really it isn't. That's just under 3 pounds a week which I should be able to do with little trouble.

My appetite has been a bit more this week then what it has been so I went ahead and got my 6 month lab work done this week and scheduled for my next follow-up/fill appointment with Dr. Perez. So that should help with the appetite and even the amount of food I can consume. Don't get me wrong I still am not consuming anything near what I was before surgery.

I had planned on taking a few weeks to work myself up in my walking from the 2 miles a day that I was doing to 3 miles a day. But, when I got out there to walk on Monday it just felt good to keep the pace going and next thing I knew I was rounding the corner at the mile and a half mark and back home for a 3 mile walk. So I just continued that habit this week. Great progress if I do say so myself.

Oh I said I would post some 6 month progress photos. Ok here they are....

So onto another week of weightloss!

This week 3 pound lost
Current Weight - 364 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 78 lbs (27 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 121 lbs

Week 26 Post Op - 6 Months

2009-06-05T05:46:00.003-04:00

6 months ago today I had my surgery. It has been a life changing event for me and one that I am extremely happy that I took. I have lost a 75 lbs in the last 6 months and continue to lose week after week after week. This week it was only 1 pound lost but that's ok it was still a continued loss. Some times it's hard to believe that I am actually doing this and how much extra weight I was carrying around.

I am pretty much ready for my next fill. My appetite has slowly crept back up although it still no wheres near what it was before surgery. But I find myself eating more and being hungry sooner. The doc wants me to get lab work done to make sure I am going at this healthy which is very routine at the 6 month mark. So in the next week or two I will get a fill and get an update on how my body is doing :)

In the mornings I get up at 5am and get out the door right away to get in a 2 mile walk. I have got it down to 34 minutes which is great for me. I push myself every day and work on bringing that time down. Over the next month or two I am going to start working up to 3 miles of walking. I have mapped out, yes I know that's the engineer in me, a couple of routes in our area that I can walk to obtain 3 miles. I just need to get up a little earlier to allow for the extra time for that 3rd mile but that really is no big deal.

Well it's time to share those totals and look for sometime after this weekend to see some 6 month progress photos!
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 367 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 75 lbs (26 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 118 lbs

Week 25 Post Op

2009-05-29T05:55:00.003-04:00

First off I lost 1 pound this week. Not great but still continued weight loss. One is better then none and much better then a gain. I have been thinking all morning, the whole hour I have been awake and already completed my power walk, what it is that I have changed this week that only allowed for a 1 pound weight loss verse the last two weeks of the 3 pounds lost and 4 pounds lost. I have come to the determination is has been food. Not so much as in the amount but as in a couple of the food choices. So for the next week I will make some better food choices and see if that helps make a difference.

In my power walks in the mornings I have shaved about 6 minutes off of my walking time. I have taken the same path for weeks now and cut that time down. So starting today I have slightly increased my walking route and already today I saw a bit of an increase in my time. As my wife always tells me, "As you get faster in your pace the longer distance you need." So I am taking her advice and increasing the distance.

Ok here are the totals for this week. One more week and I will be at my 6 month mark!!!
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 368 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 74 lbs (25 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 117 lbs

Week 24 Post Op

2009-05-26T08:41:00.003-04:00

Ok so I am late in blogging this week. What can I say? It's been busy and this was memorial day weekend :) But hey the good news I lost 3 pounds this last week. I am working hard on my power walks and really trying to get my speed up. I have been getting a good pace and working up a good sweat. Amazing to say that really cause it's been since my late teens early twenties that I actually liked working up a good sweat.

My diet is going well. I really am surprised at the foods I can eat but not at the amount that I can eat. I have started using the small plates to eat with too. Seems to really help. Whenever I use the big plates I tend to serve myself to much food and can never finish it. I can't tell you how good that actually feels.

So my wife was ever so kind and took me to a discount store and got me a couple of shirts for work. I think right now I am starting to get between shirt sizes. I tried several on from different brands and it's amazing how different they fit from one to another. But it still is wonderful to fit into a smaller size. I think the last time I wore a 4x shirt was back when I was living in Colorado so that's like 8 years ago.

Ok so brass tax. Totals for the week are....
This week 3 pound lost
Current Weight - 369 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 73 lbs (24 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 116 lbs

Week 23 Post Op

2009-05-15T05:29:00.002-04:00

It's been a good week. I stepped on the scale this morning and really could not remember what I weighed last week. So I got my weight and figured I would look at my blog to see how much I had lost in the last week. To my surprise I lost 4 pounds.

This last week I have been going for a power walk in the mornings. I also have been watching my food a little closer and not eating as much between meals. I know I am suppose to have 4 small meals a day but it's hard to make that work and so I think I was snacking more then actually planning the 4th meal out.

The power walks in the morning are so refreshing. They really help me wake up and get my day started. Unfortunately today I won't be doing my walk. I have been hit pretty hard with allergies or a cold and am staying home from work today too.

So I guess I should get to the totals ;)
This week 4 pound lost
Current Weight - 372 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 70 lbs (23 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 113 lbs

Week 22 Post Op

2009-05-08T09:04:00.002-04:00

Well this week continues on a good note. I lost 2 pounds this week bringing me down to 376 pounds. My goal for the year is to get down to 300 lbs which I am working on. Not sure if I will make it or not but that's not that big of a deal to me as it is to continue losing week after week. It's been a long time since I have been below 400 lbs so long that it might have even been as far back as when I lived in Colorado Springs which was about 8 to 9 years ago.

I have really been enjoying the early morning walks. I tried jogging one day but my body just isn't ready for that yet. I do look forward to the day when I can enjoy jogging but for now the brisk power walks is doing me good.

This week just passed the 5 months anniversary since my surgery. I'll have to take some more updated pictures. Well onto the next week.

Ok so the totals for this week....
This week 2 pound lost
Current Weight - 376 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 66 lbs (22 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 109 lbs

Week 21 Post Op

2009-05-01T07:51:00.002-04:00

Finally! After the last month floating right at 380 I have broke it! Today's weigh in was 378!!! It feels great to finally break into the 370's and continue working my way down that ladder.

Another week of continuous walks at night and some additional exercise. One thing I have started new this week is getting up at 5am and heading out for a power walk. I am doing the same walk we normally do but by myself I am able to power walk it and it feels great too! It's a great way to start my day actually.

I can still feel a decent amount of restriction. I eat less then what I used too. Breakfast is still the toughest to get down but I do make sure to have a high protein breakfast as directed by my doctor. Pretty much every day I make breakfast for Karen and I and I think it's really helped us both think more about our eating and making better food choices. Still a lot more work but we're getting there.

A big NSV I have experienced this last week has been fitting into some old size 50 jeans that I had. I honestly can't remember when I bought them. They have got to be at least 6 years old. It's amazing to think it's been 6 years since I was this size. I am still very large and a big guy and that's what amazes me is that I am this size after loosing over a 100 pounds! Well I am working to get the next 100 off now!

Ok so the totals for this week....
This week 2 pound lost
Current Weight - 378 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 64 lbs (21 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 107 lbs

Week 20 Post Op

2009-04-24T06:23:00.002-04:00

Down another pound this week. It sometimes amazes me that I continue to lose week after week. Sure I have a couple of weeks that I have gained but I have lost everything that I gained back and more. I certainly do feel a lot better but now I need to work to obtain my next goal. So I need to get back on track with my exercise. I am still good with walking it's the extra routine that I have been struggling with lately.

One thing I am wanting to do is to get up a little earlier in the mornings so I can get an early morning workout done. I feel like my metabolism might respond better if I spread my workouts from all even to one in the morning and one in the evening. So starting tomorrow morning I will be getting my bum out of bed before the rest of the family gets up and get a workout in for myself.

Since I begun my change back in October my diet has completely changed. We don't eat potatoes, rice, or bread with any of our meals. We eat fish a couple of times a week. And most foods I make are either grilled, baked, or broiled. I hardly fry any foods. I steam vegetables pretty regularly and garnish with some shredded cheese. It's pretty amazing how good the foods taste and really how little we miss fast food. Our fast food consumption has gone down from two to three times a week to about twice a month. Our dinning out at a sit down restaurant has gone down also. Even when we do dine out I have worked hard on making good food choices when we dine out. Oh and I drink water like crazy. It feels great to be able to say that I have not had a soda since the middle of October last year.

The tightness of the band I think is at a pretty good place. I am sure I will need some slight adjustment in a month or so but right now I get full pretty easily and if I do eat to fast or to big of bites my body sure lets me know. So it's good to know that the band is working.

If you haven't read the next blog down do so. It's about a non-scale victory I had this last week ;)

So here is the totals for this week...
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 380 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 62 lbs (20 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 105 lbs

Non-Scale Victory

2009-04-18T15:50:00.002-04:00

So today my wife and I went to Walmart to see if they possibly would have any cheap shorts that I could get to wear for walking and exercise. I had been wearing a 5X in pants/shorts and a 5X in t-shirts. Well before she left she grabbed a t-shirt that my mom had gotten me a while back and it is a 4X. Karen told me to try it on and see how it fit. It fits great actually.

Ok so then we went to Walmart and they had lots of 3X shorts and did fine a couple of 4X. She had me hold a pair of the 3X up to my waiste to see how it might fit. I did and I was thinking that they might be a little tight still. So we grabbed a few pairs of the 4X and one pair of the 3X and I went over to the dressing room. I took one 4X and one 3X in there. I immediately tried on the 3X and WOW!!! I was surprised they fit perfectly! I couldn't believe it. I then tried the 4X and they fit too but were on the larger size of fitting. So I put all the 4X's back and got a couple more pairs of 3X pants!!!

I can't believe it. After such a short amount of time I am already down to 4X in shirts and 3X in pants/shorts. This feels GREAT!!!

Week 19 Post Op

2009-04-17T15:29:00.002-04:00

Another week down and another pound lost. Not as much as I would have liked but still a pound is a pound. I have been struggling a little this week with eating. Not in the amount that I can eat but in what I can eat. I have had a few things come right back up after eating. I am not sure if it's been the food itself, maybe not chewing enough, taking to big of bites, or eating to fast. Probably some of all. LOL Still it's been taking getting some used to with the tightness of the band but I am getting there.

On another note my wife and I have gotten to the point with our walking that we both feel it's not a weight loss tool for us. We are still walking and will continue to walk largely because we really have grown to enjoy our evening walks as a family and it's a solid part of our daily routine. But now we both feel we have to add in additional exercise into our daily routine. What we're looking at now and trying is that right after our walk we put our son down for the night and then she heads over to the gym and I do my DVD workout. We are making sure to get all of our workout in before settling down for the night. Additionally I am thinking about trying to get up earlier in the morning to get another workout in. The hardest part right now is getting my bum out of bed early enough. So we will see.

So totals for the week are....
This week 1 pound lost
Current Weight - 381 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 61 lbs (19 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 104 lbs

Week 18 Post Op

2009-04-10T07:36:00.002-04:00

Well this week wasn't so good. I gained 2 lbs this week but I really am not surprised. I did better with food and I did get a fill on Monday but my stress level was way up this week. Really that is all I can contribute it too. My fill has restricted the amount of food I can eat. I am back down to eating a very small portion. I have continued to walk every day and the walk is about 1.8 miles long. Last Sunday I took a 3 mile walk but unfortunately I don't have the time to do that every day. Maybe when my walking pace get's a little faster I can but until then my walks are held to about 40 minutes long.

Work stress was extremely high this week. The was the all to real possibility of getting laid off but thank the lord that didn't happen at that things actually are looking up instead. It's amazing how a couple of days can make a difference. My stress level since yesterday has dropped due to the good news that came down the line so hopefully that will help my weight loss this next week.

So here are the totals
This week 2 pounds gained
Current Weight - 382 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 60 lbs (18 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 103 lbs

Week 17 Post Op

2009-04-03T06:44:00.002-04:00

I did it! I broke the 100 lbs lost mark! I can't believe it. Even when I was getting on the scale this morning I was thinking that I probably had a gain this week and I didn't. Hell no I didn't! I lost and lost a good amount!!! 6 pounds lost!!!!!

I don't know if the loss had more to do with stress or if it had to do with the longer walk that Karen and I are doing now. We're up to 1.8 miles of walking and it takes us about 35 minutes to walk that. I honestly am amazed at how much of a walk we do now as compared to just 6 months ago when we first started walking. It feels great to be walking that far and that we are doing it day after day. When it does rain out we do go over to the Palm Beach Gardens mall to walk. We walk the top level and the bottom level at the mall which equals 1.2 miles. So we will start walking one of the levels an extra time to bump our walk there up too.

On next Monday I go for my next fill. I am more then ready for it. I am hoping to get an aggressive fill. My first one was suppose to be aggressive but actually wasn't. I had my surgery done in Mexico by Dr. Kuri. I have to say he is an absolutely fantastic surgeon and I would recommend him to anyone. Anyway he did not put any fluid into my my band but that was not clear on my post op report and so my fill doctor thought I might have actually had 3 cc's of fluid. So he planned to give me 2 cc's. As standard practice he pulled out to see how much I had in the band and learned that I had nothing in the band. In fact I had about 1 cc of air. So when he pushed the fluid in he only gave me the 2 cc's of solution and thus I really only had a 1 cc increase for my first fill. So hopefully with my second fill it will be more agressive.

So here's my totals
This week 6 pounds lost
Current Weight - 380 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 63 lbs (17 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 105 lbs

Week 16 Post Op

2009-03-27T06:11:00.002-04:00

Well for the last several weeks I had been struggling with my weight loss. It's been due largely to needing a fill and finding the right balance between exercise and food consumption. Well this week I did much better. 3 pounds lost this week! I am down to 386 lbs just 1 pound shy of 100 since my highest weight! So in another week I will be able to celebrate the next milestone.

One thing I did to help my weight loss this week was to push myself harder in my exercise. It sounds kind of silly at times but really I pushed myself to give myself a better work out and build up a bigger sweat. Of course continuing the walking on a daily basis as this is how I know I can maintain my weight.

I am very happy with this weight loss this week but still look forward to my fill in just a little over a week away now. It will make a big difference for me I know.

Weight Loss Totals

This week 3 pounds lost
Current Weight - 386 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 57 lbs (16 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 99 lbs

Week 15 Post Op

2009-03-20T05:59:00.003-04:00

Well I have to say I am pleased with my progress this week. I didn't lose as much as I would have liked but still this was a good week with a loss of 2 pounds. It's been harder to lose the weight with having almost no restriction and having the hunger cravings but I am working through. I did boost my workout schedule this week and it has helped pay off. I need to step it up a little more to give me that much more of a push.

I am still having troubles with the amount of food I am consuming but even with that I am making decent food choices. Basically I live on a diet of meat, fruits, and vegis. I don't have much grains or rice at all. For the most part that has been cut completely from my diet with the occasional tortilla for say a soft taco. But rarely will I have bread with anything. Karen will have rice about once a week with a meal and sometimes, not every time, I will have a spoon full of rice. Oh and not a serving spoon but rather a soup spoon. We don't have potatoes anymore with our meals. They used to be a stable in our meals but now they are an extreme rarity.

Our walking is still going great. We both have realized that the walking has become maintaining our weight and needed to add something more to continue the weight loss. So each night I work on doing a workout video and while I am doing that she heads over to the gym to work on an eliptical. I have to admit I really have no idea what an eliptical even is other then I think it's like a stationairy bycle. The reason I don't go over to the gym is our workout time is shortly after Nicholas goes to bed and of course one of us has to be here if he with him. I really don't mind it at all because I do enjoy the exercise video that I do. I am thinking that I might want some more in this series of videos.

Well for the totals.....

This week 2 pounds lost
Current Weight - 389 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 54 lbs (15 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 97 lbs

Week 14+ Getting Back on Track

2009-03-15T20:06:00.002-04:00

So this last several weeks I have strayed off the path and know it. I slowed to losing a pound a week for several weeks then this last week I stopped the loss and gained instead. Yes it was only a pound but that is one pound that I had previously worked off. I know I didn't go through the last 6 months of pre-op work and then post-op work to lose the weight I have to only start going back words. No I did not. So now it's time to get back on track.

I know I need a fill. I can eat way to much and my appetite returns very quickly after I do eat. Unfortunately I have a three week wait until I my appointment for my fill so what do I do in the mean time? Well I immediately have to be stricter about my diet and make sure that I am getting plenty of protein. The protein will help me feel full longer which I should be doing in the first place. Also I need to continue making sure I drink plenty of water. Also I need to continue to measure my food out rather then eye ball the amounts I eat.

Next, which really will help me get back on track, I need to get back to doing my exercise video tapes. Since I began the whole process Karen and I have been walking nightly. We have continued to do that but now it has become more maintaining the weight and not as much of a weight loss too. So in order to continue the weight loss I have to get back on track with my exercise videos. So I did it. Tonight I did my exercise video with the low impact aerobics workout. Tomorrow night I will continue on with the weight training and alternate back and fourth like I had done before. I have to say it felt great to work up a good sweat tonight. I actually feel more energized after the workout and look foreword to tomorrow nights workout.

So back on track with my weight loss and back to working towards my goals!

Week 14 Post Op

2009-03-13T06:16:00.002-04:00

Well this week wasn't so good. I gained a pound this week. So I am at 391 now instead of the 390 I was at last week. I have to work harder to keep losing the weight. I cannot go back to the way I was before. It's been very rough as far as hunger goes. I have to look closer at my diet again. I am not sure I am getting enough protein throughout the day and so I think it's not helping the fact that I need a fill so badly. Now I know what it's like to not need a fill and then what it's like to desperately need a fill. I would call and get a fill appointment for next week but the fact is I don't have the money budgeted until the first week of April. Thank God that is only 3 more weeks away. I just have to get even tougher on myself in the mean time.

The good news is my wife and I are walking further then we ever have before and we feel great with it. Even last weekend when she asked me if I could go and get her some cough medicine I walked to the CVS by us instead of driving.

What can I do about my diet and appetite while I have to wait this short time until I have my appointment for my fill? Well I think I have to make sure I am getting the much needed protein in my diet. I am not sure I am getting enough protein. It's well known that protein helps you feel fuller longer. So I need to make sure to boost the amount of protein that I have with my meals.

Lastly I need to really step it up some more with the exercising. I know the best way to lose weight is through exercise and diet. The more I lose the more exercise I will need to do to continue the weight loss. I was really good about doing my exercise videos nightly but I had since got lazy and backed off from that. I need to step it back up and continue pushing myself with that. I have a goal for the year and I really need to step it up if I am going to meet that goal.

On another note it's great fitting into the smaller clothes that I have. Even a lot of those clothes are starting to become a little big on me. It's hard to believe at times that I have actually lost this weight in just a short amount of time. I look at pictures from this last October and further back to pictures of today and I am amazed at myself. I want to continue that trend too. So I have to get back on the band wagon and keep the weight loss going.

The scale says 391 lbs
A gain of 1 pound this week

13 Weeks Post Op

2009-03-06T05:57:00.003-05:00

Well I passed the 3 months mark now losing another pound this week. Not a big loss this week but still a loss. Some times it surprises me that I continue to lose from week to week to week. I have never experience continual weight loss like this. It's great to be putting on clothes that I haven't worn in several years. A big exciting thing too is pretty soon I will be in sizes that I can shop at Walmart for clothes. Yeah I know it's Walmart but hey it's not shopping at the Big & Tall store. For the last 10 plus year that's the ONLY place I have been able to shop and so if I can buy clothes at a normal store that will be a huge change for me. I think I am only about 10 to 20 lbs away from being able to accomplish that NSV Milestone.

I have got to say I directly see the difference between the weeks I work really hard at exercising and the weight loss. I wasn't as stringent this last week and it has shown with only a 1 pound weight loss. So I have got to kick myself in the butt again and get back on track. It's often times hard when other things around you aren't going as well but that can't be used as an excuse for changing your life in a way that will make you live longer and healthier with your family.

Today I am heading out to do some photography and I know I will be able to walk around without getting wore out easily. Just months ago that would have really taken it's toll on me but now I see it in that I can actually enjoy being outside without sweating up a storm and getting short winded.

Well onto another week and continued weight loss.

Current Weight - 390 lbs
Loss Since Surgery - 52 lbs (13 weeks)
Total Weight Loss - 95 lbs (1yr 1mo)

12 Weeks Post-Op

2009-02-27T05:42:00.002-05:00

First of I lost another 3 lbs this week. I can hardly believe it's been 12 weeks now and I have lost 51 lbs since surgery. This weeks weigh in came in at 391 lbs. I am on my way down and love that. I have had some big stresses happen this week with cut backs at work and so I wasn't sure how I was going to do with my weight loss. I did cheat a little on my diet but very quickly got back on track. I had originally set a 15 lbs weight loss goal for February which I didn't beat but I did lose 11 lbs for this month so I am still very happy with my weight loss.

As far as my appetite goes I can tell I am just about ready for another fill. I have one scheduled for the beginning of April so I will have to stay strong until then. I can do it I know. Hard work and dedication is helping me a lot in this journey. Sometimes I think the band has been more of a moral support for me then it has been of a physical one. I know it has helped a lot in my appetite but not as much as people might think. Anyway I am grateful for getting the band and know it's been one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

A big NSV (Non-Scale Victory) for me this week is I can now wear my black jeans comfortably. They are a size 48 which is a size I haven't worn in several years. This weekend Karen and I plan to get out into our garage and find the rest of the small clothes that I have saved. It's amazing what I can and cannot wear now.

So what's the totals???

For the week - 3 lbs
For the month - 11 lbs
Since surgery - 51 lbs
Since my highest weight - 94 lbs

Week 11 Post Op

2009-02-20T05:27:00.002-05:00

Well as I approach the 3 month mark, which is still a week away, I continue to lose weight. It is going slow and steady now but that's just fine. I am happy to with the weight loss and love being under 400 lbs and slowly working towards my next goal of 350 lbs. Another 2 lbs gone this week just goes to show that I do continue to lose the weight and am keeping the weight off.

This last couple of weeks have been pretty stressful and my temptations to emotional eat have been higher then normal. I have been resisting fairly well but for some stupid reason we bought grape juice this week and I just about drank the whole thing in two days flat. One thing I am to avoid is liquid calories and all grape juice is is liquid calories. Sure there is some nutritional value to it but it's more carbs then it is helpful. At least at this point in time for me it is.

Last Sunday Karen and I went to the workout room here at the apartments and I found myself rather lost in there as to what to do. I have never taken any weight training classes and now think to myself that I should have. I look at the equipment and I understand how a lot of it works but I have no idea how to put together a routine. I should probably do some research before I go back there again so I have a solid plan as to what I will do in there. So for now it's getting back to the Biggest Loser workout DVD's that I have been doing.

So down to 394 lbs this week. It just dawned on my that it will be just another 9 lbs and I will have reached the 100 lbs lost mark. It's hard to believe sometimes that first of all that I did weigh that much but secondly that I have lost that much. It's a great feeling to know that I have clothes now that don't fit not because they are to small but now that they are to big. So pushing forward I will continue to do and keep on losing those pounds to live a healthier and happier life!

Week 10 Post Op

2009-02-13T05:59:00.002-05:00

Another week and another pound lost. Not a lot this week but still a loss is a loss. The later half of this week I have been sick so I haven't pushed as hard as I normal do with my exercising. Right now I am just completely wiped out and don't have much energy to do much of anything. Well next week I know will be a better week. I do have to remind myself that each week I should only lose 1 to 3 pounds but it sure does feel great to put up bigger numbers then that. LOL Anyway my exercise level was lower. I still walked 5 nights and did my exercise video 5 nights also. Not the normal 6.

So 1 more pound lost for 46 lbs lost since surgery and 89 total pounds lost since my highest weight.

Week 9 Post Op - I DID IT!!!!

2009-02-06T05:34:00.002-05:00

This week I broke my first milestone! I weighed in this morning at 397 lbs!!! I broke the 400 lbs mark!!!! It's a great feeling and it came with some hard work too. I lost 5 grueling pounds to being me down and let me tell you it was even weird seeing the scale this morning having a ready of less then 400!

So how did I do it? Well of course with the help of the band. But also through better food choices and exercise. This week I have been working harder at making better food choices. Fish a couple of nights a week then alternating beef, pork, and chicken the other nights to keep a good variety of food in place. Of course all the meals are with some good vegis. Also I changed up my breakfast a lot. I pretty much alternate back and fourth between eggs with cheese and a meat to cottage cheese with pineapple. Both are actually a pretty filling meal for me. Lunches are 90% of the time leftovers from the night before with adding a piece of fruit. Then morning snack and afternoon snacks are usually a yogurt. That's if I do have an afternoon snack. All in all I have been eating higher protein and lower carb.

But don't stop there. Eating right isn't the key to it all. So is exercise! Like I have been doing for a long time now my wife and I get out walking 6 days a week for about 30 minutes each day. It's a great form of exercise and have come to really enjoy our walks and really find them relaxing. But that's not the grueling part! If you read my last blog entry you will notice that I added in the use of an exercise video. That has really boosted my cardio and body sculpting workouts from just the normal walking. I knew I was finally to the point taking it up and notch and it has paid off!

So totals for this week are!!!
pounds lost since surgery - 45 lbs
pounds lost since highest weight - 88 lbs
actually weight for today - 397 lbs
next milestone set - 350 lbs

"The Biggest Loser: The Workout" DVD

2009-02-04T21:00:00.002-05:00

Ok so I knew I was ready to up my workout routine so this week I started doing the "The Biggest Loser: The Workout" DVD. On the DVD they have a 6-week workout plan and for the first 3 weeks they have 2 workout routines they want you to alternate through every other day for 6 days a week and then the second 3 weeks you change to the other 2 workout routines again every other day for 6 days a week. The first set alternates between a low impact cardio workout and a body sculpting workout (weight training).

The first night I started off with the cardio workout. Boy did I definitely work up a sweat and felt my heart rate go up. I was breathing heavy and really was feeling the exercises. The great part I found about the video is the trainer (Bob) was very much telling the viewer to only go as far as their body would be ready to go. I pushed as hard as I could because I want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

The second night was the body sculpting. First off I had no idea what they were going to do and first off they said grab your weights. What???? Weights??? Well I don't have weights so Karen told me to grab a couple of cans of vegis. Hey it worked. So the work out was going great until they had you lay down on the floor for some abs exercises. OMG that was hard. I still did what I could but I tell you what today I am most definitely feeling that workout. But hey that's ok because just like the walking that I started back in mid-October it will get easier as time goes on and I am working for something better.

So tonight was the third night and back to the low impact cardio and yes I pushed just as hard as the first night. It feels great to work up and good sweat and know it's not from climbing stairs or short walk across a parking lot.

I am still walking 6 days a week also. I know that is still important to get out and do the daily walk as it will help keep my muscles limber for the harder workouts plus it is a great example even at this young of an age for Nicholas to see his mommy and daddy out walking every day for enjoyment and fitness.

So now it's going to be interesting to see how well the weight comes off and how quickly my body size changes too. Hopefully the body sculpting exercises will help my body shape come down nicely too. ;)

Week 8 Post Op

2009-01-30T05:37:00.003-05:00

Week 8 Post Op and another 6 lbs gone! I am now down to 402 lbs and it feels great. This week I had got a fill on Monday so there is a slight bit more of restriction but I am also continuing to push to make the right food choices and continuing to push to walk more and make sure I get healthier.

Since I have had my fill I have noticed that I do get fuller faster but my hunger isn't lasting any longer then before. I need more protein in my diet to help combat the hunger. It's something I am struggling with. One day this week I had a 1 egg omelet with bacon, mushroom, and cheese but that gets old very quickly. As we do our grocery shopping this weekend I am going to work to get other foods that I can mix up to give myself other food choices for breakfast. I like cottage cheese so I think that's going to be added to my breakfast choices as well.

My clothes are really starting to show a big change. Most of my pants are pretty much to big now and so I am going to have to start wearing smaller pants. I do have a couple pairs of pants from when I was a little smaller but I will still need to get another pair or two. I have two pairs of linen pants that I really like wearing here in Florida but they are starting to make me look like a genie with big poofy pants. LOL So they have just about outlived their life with me.

Most of my shirt are still fitting. They are just loose but that's ok. Shirts usually can last a little longer then pants can when losing weight so that works for me. It expensive to start buy new clothes all over especially when you know your going to continue to lose weight and don't want to spend to much knowing that you will not be fitting those clothes before to long either. So I am just learning to make do for now.

Karen and I have really lengthened our walks which has been great. We're getting close to walking a mile and a half in 30 minutes time. We have a few different routes that we walk through our neighborhood which gives us a different change of scenery. We also have a backup plan for when it rains to go walking at the Palm Beach Gardens mall. We know that walking the mall one loop each floor is 1 mile. So I think at this point in time if we need to go over there again we're going to have to make 3 loops to help us continue to push futher.

Well it's been another good weight loss week and I am proud to say this has been 40 lbs since surgery that I have lost. Can hardly believe it at times! So now it's time to push forward for another great week!

My First Fill

2009-01-26T19:15:00.003-05:00

So today I went for my first fill at U.S. Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale. It's right next to the Holy Cross Hospital down there. Only took me about 50 minutes to drive down there in the 8 o'clock morning traffic.

I went in and filled out some paperwork and paid for my fill and the initial fee. Then waited just for a short bit and Candy, the nurse, came and got me. She asked me about my diet and was strict about that oatmeal is not what I should be having at all for breakfast. =( dang it! Then also let me know that in addition to my multivitamin I should also be taking calcium and potassium supplements to help my diet. Ok no biggy. I can do that. Finally she had me step onto this really cool scale "bare" foot. The scale not only tells you your body weight but also measures your body mass composition. Last thing she took a couple of baseline measurements of my body to help track my weight loss.

Then it was over to the exam room where I met Dr. Perez. Seems like a really nice guy. I noticed on the wall that he went to Rush University in Chicago. He got his doctorate in 1991 so he's got plenty of experience but it's an old fuddy duddy either. LOL - Anyway he was pleased with my already successful weight loss since my surgery even commented that that was will power. I would love to think so but I know it was a lot of hard work.

He had me lay back on the exam table and lifted my shirt up and made a comment about how the incisions looked good (thank you Dr. Kuri). He then felt around and found the port. Cleaned the area and then grabbed the need and let me know it was going to sting a little. And it did sting just a little. He had to move it around a slight bit since the port is apparently pretty deep but then got it all the way in. He withdrew about 1 cc of air from the band and couldn't get any fluid out so the band must have been empty and then put 2 cc's of fluid into the band. Had me sit up and drink a glass of water. Hey success the water went down with no problems. He had thought that there should have been 3 cc's of solution already in the band so that's why he had added only 2 telling me that normally they like to be aggressive at first and get people right up to 5 cc's. But since he already had the needle in me I guess he couldn't add anymore and so I only get 2 cc's for now. No biggy.

We finished up and I was suppose to meet with the nutritionist but as it turned out right at the time I was finishing up she had to go into a half hour class for new patients (one that haven't been banded yet) so she was going to have to give me a call later in the day. And she did. I got the list of what they want me to eat and not eat which I am pleased to say is pretty close to what I have been doing. I do need to change a couple of things, like my oatmeal, but it's really minor changes for me.

I think this was a great first experience with very little pain and I am ready to go. I also went ahead and scheduled my next appointment for April 6th and look forward to more weight loss over the next couple of months!

Week 7 Post Op

2009-01-23T07:24:00.002-05:00

Well I have made it another week and had a really good week. I have watched my food a little closer this week and we have stepped up our walking a bit more. It's hard to believe some times that I couldn't do the walks that I am doing now. To a fit person it's not that long of a walk but when you have been as overweight as I have been walking over a mile is a long walk. We're now pushing 1.2 miles a night when we go out walking. We've also stepped up our pace while walking as well. And you know what? It really made a huge difference for me this week!

I lost 7 lbs this week!!!

That's right I lost all that I gained last week and then lost an additional 2 more pounds! That just feels great! Even my wife, whom has not been banded but is working to eat better and exercise more with me, has lost 4 lbs this week. I am so proud of her and really appreciate that she is right there with me working to live a healthier life together.

Next Monday (January 26) I go for my first fill. I can tell that I am so ready for this. My appetite has pretty much returned to normal even though I still cannot eat like I used too. I get hungry to soon after eating and like I said I am eating more then what I should. It has been interesting talking with others that are going through this at the same time I am and how the different doctors give fills. Most are in and out within 5 minutes. It will certainly be interesting to see how it goes for me on Monday.

Well great week! What can I say? Here is to another great week!

week 6 post op - horrible week

2009-01-16T06:01:00.002-05:00

First off I gained 5 lbs this week. Not lost. Gained.

Medications -
Up until last Saturday I had been talking the following medications.

Benicar - Blood pressure medication
Antenolol - Blood pressure medication
Furosemide - Heavy diuretic (water pill)
Klor-con - Potassium pill (counter balance to the furosemide)

It's great that I am able to go off these medications now and that my blood pressure is doing so well. My blood pressure reads on a continual basis to be in the middle of the normal blood pressure range. With my legs over the last week I have had a minuet amount of swelling not the measurable amount that I had in the past. I also have not worn the compression socks that I have so I will wear those over the next week and see if that makes a measurable difference.

What I am not sure about is going off the Furosemide. I know that some of the weight I gained this week is water weight but I just don't know how much of that is. It's something I have to work through.

Exercise -
I have to say this has been a decent week for exercise. Of course walking every evening after work but also I have been good also in getting out at lunch time to walk. It feels great to know that I am pushing myself harder with this but I can tell that I still need more. I am going to have to add some additional exercises to my daily program to continue my weight loss.

Food -
I have made some bad food choices this week. There has been a couple of times that I snacked on stuff I shouldn't have and I know that I am eating more then I should. This has to change and is changing starting today. I can tell that I need a fill and I do have a scheduled fill on the 26th. I just wish it was sooner to help me with this hunger that I have been getting. I have to be strong once again and have the will to keep working at the weight loss. I am so close to breaking that 400 lbs mark and continue on down.

Overall -
Overall this week is a wash to me. Off medications and doing good with walking but bad food choices resulting in a weight gain. I have to really step it up more this next week. I have had a steady weight loss since the middle of October. In the middle of October I weighed 465 lbs and today I weigh 415 lbs. So yes that is a total of 50 lbs since then and since my highest weight in January of 2008 I have lost a total of 70 lbs but I have a lot more to go and need to keep focus on what it is I am doing.

I guess this is my two steps forward and one step back week. Now get moving forward and don't let this discourage me is what I have to do now.

Lower Blood Pressure

2009-01-11T16:13:00.003-05:00

One thing of course that had gone up as I gained weight was my blood pressure. For the longest time I was on mild blood pressure medication because my blood pressure had just been a little high not all that high. But as I passed weighing over 400 lbs and had become close to 500 lbs my blood pressure had gone up more and my doctor put me on an additional blood pressure medication that was also a heavier medication.

So the other day I decided that now that I was losing weight through diet, exercise, and working the band that I would check my blood pressure. So I broke out the automatic blood pressure machine we have and took a my blood pressure. 106/65 is what the machine read. I was surprised at the low numbers and had to go look at a blood pressure chart to see how that rated. http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/medicine/blood-pressure.htm was the website that I go to when I want to know more about where I should be in blood pressure. So right off the bat I could see that it was lower then the text book "Suggested Optimal" blood pressure.

Since my blood pressure was low I decided to monitor my blood pressure for a few days three times a day and guess what. It maintained being low; 120/62, 117/66, 114/65 just to name a few of the readings. Well with this and also noting my activities anything from getting ready for work in the mornings to immediately after walking for exercise in the evenings I decided that it was a safe time that I could stop taking my blood pressure medications and monitor my blood pressure to see how things went.

So on Saturday I did not take my blood pressure medication. First reading 112/63. I figured that I still had the medication in my system from the day before so of course I continued to monitor my blood pressure. 117/71, 122/71, 126/72 were my next few readings. All of these were without taking blood pressure medications. I have to say that I am still doing very well and hitting right around the "Suggested Optimal" for my blood pressure.

I will continue to monitor my blood pressure three times a day for the next week but I have got to say this is a huge victory in my journey to live a better and healthier life!!!

5 Weeks Post Op

2009-01-09T05:27:00.002-05:00

Another week and yet another 3 lbs lost. I am down to 410 lbs now and it feels great. I am continuing to keep the diet trim and work every day to find good food choices. Also I continue to walk every day working to step up the walk each week. Overall I am doing really fantastic. The surgeons tell everyone not to expect any weight loss before the first fill so this really is great. Look at my weight loss that is now 32 lbs since surgery, 55 lbs since the start of my pre-op diet, and 75 lbs total since my highest weight.

The weight loss has slowed down this last couple of weeks (4 lbs last week and 3 lbs this week) but really they say you should lose about 2 lbs a week. So even with that said I am still doing better then what the expected weight loss is. Still I really liked those higher numbers for those first few weeks. But a slow weight loss is healthier for the body then a fast one is. I set a goal for the year to get down to 300 lbs by next January. That's 113 lbs to lose. So really that's 2.2 lbs per week so I have to say I am right on target to lose that much this year. Just have to keep steady at it and work just that much harder each week.

In just about a week and a half I will have my first fill and consult with a doctor since surgery. I am traveling to U.S. Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale so it's not to far away. I am ready for my fill. I can tell that the swelling has gone down from surgery and the hunger has returned. What they say is with the proper restriction that you should feel hunger at 4 to 5 hours after eating. Right now I start to feel hungry at about 3 hours after eating. So that is a clear sign that need a fill.

Well time to bring on another week and continue the weight loss. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-02T05:39:00.002-05:00

Well another week and another weigh in. This week the scale says "413.0 lbs"! I lost another 4.4 lbs and now have lost 72 lbs in the last year! I have lost 29 lbs since surgery and do feel some restriction with the band. The holidays are finally over and now we can get back to a normal routine. We're starting additional exercise in our program and continue to push for a healthier life style.

This next week I am starting solid foods. So I planned out a menu for Karen and I that is low carb and low fat. We will be having dishes like garlic roasted cauliflower, horseradish rubbed london broil, and lemon dill salmon. It's great finding recipes that are low carb and low fat that will taste great. I have noticed that I really cannot eat very much food which is exactly what the band is supose to do to help me. I still get hungry between meals but not that hungry. But that is also normal for people whom have had the band but not their first fill yet. My first fill is scheduled for January 26th and I am sure I will need it by then.

So another great week in my weight loss and I met both the goals I had set for weight loss in December! Now for 2009 and the next big weight milestone soon to be had!

Differing Opinions

2008-12-29T12:04:00.002-05:00

So I was posting on the forums (link to the right) and a few of us were talking about carbinated beverages. My surgeon said absolutely never again to have carbinated beverages. Another guy said his surgeon told him it was fine if allowed to sit over night so that the drink went flat. And then another gal said that her surgeon told her that the carbination beverages and how it affects the stomach and band is just a myth so that carbinated beverages are fine. I wanted to leave a long post but decided to blog instead.

When I made the decision to change my life for the better I knew that several things were going to have to change. I could no longer continue eating what I wanted and however much I wanted. I could no longer continue to just drink what I wanted and however much I wanted. I also knew that I had to start exercising. So with that I have changed and continue to change. So far I have lost almost 70 lbs and continue to lose. I don't live the same life that I did. I will never live the same life because I want to live a better one. If that means that I can't drink soda or drink a beer again then so be it. If that means I can have a single slice of pizza instead of half the pizza then so be it. If that means I get up out of my chair to go for a walk then so be it.

This change is rough but it is also my life I am talking about. Going the way I had been I was heading for an early grave. My blood pressure is high. The circulation in my legs does not work properly. I was heading towards being diabetic. I am fat. Well that no longer is acceptable and I am the only one that can change that!

Merry Christmas! Week 3 Post Op

2008-12-26T06:12:00.002-05:00

Well this week was a big week for me. I started mushies last Saturday. I have to admit I was very worried about how my weight loss would good after going off of the liquid diets and eating more solid foods. Not to mention I don't feel like I have been eating as healthy since on mushies too. But I still lost which of course is great! The scale read this morning 417.4 lbs! I am nearing my first mini-goal and getting excited to get there.

This holiday weekend we went to my in laws to visit and I have still made sure to get out and walk. Yesterday I even made sure to get out there twice. It felt great. Karen and I talked about it and even though we stepped up our walking distance last week we feel we're already to step it up some more. This is great. We're up to walking a mile and doing great with it. Just a few short months ago I would get winded walking across the parking lot and now I am walking a whole mile and doing great!

I am doing very well with what I am eating at breakfast. Usually I have a small bowl of oatmeal. It actually has been very satisfying for me. Also I have some Eggbeaters for when I feel like having some eggs. Soft scramble with just a little cheese melted over the top and we're good to go. Lunches I am doing fairly well with too. But still having a hard time getting variety in there that is healthy. I would say about half the time I am having either canned tuna or canned chicken mixed with low fat mayo or miracle whip and just a pinch of shredded cheese. Then the other half of the time I have left overs which has been like sheppards pie, pintos and cheese, and things along those lines. I really am not getting much vegetables in which is really making me reconsidered how I have been doing my mushies and looking at what I can do to change things. Dinners aren't to much different then the lunches just less tuna and chicken.

What I have thought about and talked about with Karen is adding squash and zucchini to my diet. Those can be cooked to a good mashed consistency and are yummy too. Also if I could cook up some broccoli too that would be great. I think that could be mashed down too with just a little cheese, salt, and pepper. So I think my menu choices can and will get a bit healthier.

So my weight loss totals for the week.
Since Surgery - 24.6 lbs
For December - 29.2 lbs
Since Jan. '08 - 67.6 lbs

Week 2 Post Op

2008-12-19T05:43:00.003-05:00

This has been a busy week for me. Work has really been pushing hard with several deadlines before Christmas and before the end of the year. Even still I have been out walking every day and sticking to my diet. Yesterday I put on a pair of pants that I haven't worn in a while because they have been tight and yesterday I needed a belt to hold them up!!! I could hardly believe it.

Ok so brass tax! Today is weigh in day. The scale reads "423.0 lbs". I did it! I lost 11.8 lbs this week! So now with the band I have lost 19.2 lbs and since I started my weight loss in January I have lost 62 lbs!!!! I knew the weight would come off fast with the band but I didn't expect it to be this fast.

I have to say I am eating a significant less amount of food now then I was before. I mean really an Atkins shake at breakfast and then lunch and dinner have each been 2 cups of some sort of soup. My pre-op diet plan, by docs orders, was a low carb diet. My post-op diet plan, again by docs orders, is a low fat diet. I have found it interesting how they change that but I am ok with it. I am still working to keep my carbs down but I don't watch them as closely as I did pre-op. Tomorrow I get to start the "mushies" phase of my diet. This means I get to eat soft foods. Pretty much it is anything that I can mash up to baby food consistency. So I have been having to plan what to eat now.

I am feeling very good about everything that is going on. I think next week Karen and I might step our walks up and go a little bit farther. We seem to step it up about 1 a week. She has been losing weight also and that is great. I know it really makes her feel good too. I am glad to see my clothes getting lose on me. I was really getting depressed about how big of clothing size I was wearing. I was close to having the 5X clothes be tight on me and now I am heading towards the 4X. Soon I know I will be able to wear the 4X's and on down! Woot!

So onto Christmas week and more weight loss!!!

Hunger??

2008-12-17T21:15:00.003-05:00

So today is the first time I have really been hungry since my surgery. I was actually a bit surprised but I should have known better too. I had made myself soup for lunch just like I have been since I am still on the full liquids phase of my diet. Well I put a bit to much spice in the soup. I live spicy foods and right now with having a lot of soups I have been spicing them up a bit more then what I would usually do. Well anyway last night Karen got me some jalapeno spice and I added that plus Tabasco sauce and topped it off with some black pepper. So yeah when I was trying to enjoy my hot soup at lunch it was getting the better of me. There was no way I could finish it. Mouth was on fire. LOL So there I was had about 1/2 the amount of soup I have been having and so this evening just before dinner time I was actually hungry.

So now before I started dieting (pre-op) and before I got the band when I got hungry like this I would most definately over eat. But today I refrained from just eating anything I could get my hands on. I used will power, yes I know something that I haven't had in forever when it comes to food, and I waited until the actual dinner time and I had my normal amount of soup. Surprise surprise I was full and thank God I didn't gorge on food.

I feel good about controlling myself with this first of the real hunger pains and not over eating. Through this experience I know what I need to do to keep myself from heading down the over eating path again and have learned that that was just too much spice for my soup!

Walking for fitness

2008-12-13T21:32:00.002-05:00

So about two months ago Karen and I started walking once again on a regular basis. We get out every night after work and walk for 20 minutes to a half hour. This I think has really helped so far in my quick recovery from surgery and in my weight loss. At first I could n0t go all that far without being wore out but I have already seen an improvement on how far I can walk and how fast I can walk. Today we had gone down to the Gardens Mall over here in Palm Beach Gardens to get out of the house and get a good walk in. Well we parked by the food court and went in. Got a water cause I had the hiccups plus it's always good to have water when your out for a walk. Well of course after having a few sips of water we started walking. The food court is about middle of the mall so we walked to the left down to one end of the mall. Then back and then onto the other end of the mall and back. I tell you a month ago I could not walk that far and especially not without breaking out in breaking out in a sweat. Well I did just fine. I didn't even break out in a sweat and most certainly didn't get out of breath. It was great! After I finish up healing from surgery I intend to add on another walk so that I will be walking twice a day. One step at a time but I am getting there and will one day return to running for exercise!

My First Weigh-In Since Surgery

2008-12-12T09:35:00.002-05:00

Well today was my first weigh-in since surgery. An exciting day to see how things have been going. Well I did it! I love 7.4 lbs in the last week!!! It really isn't all that surprising since all I have had to eat all week is liquids but still it is great to see that I am dropping. Since my highest weight of 485 lbs in January I have now lost a total of 50.2 lbs.

I set a goal for December to lost 20 lbs. This month before my surgery I had lost 4.4lbs and then since surgery I lost another 7.4 lbs so for the month I am down 11.8 lbs. Just 8.2 more to go to make my goal!!!

Creating a New Blog

2008-12-11T08:35:00.000-05:00

Well I have blogged on other sites but never created my own blog page so today I decided why not. It would be a nice place to post my thoughts and happenings. Recently, less then a week ago now, I flew to San Diego, California and then crossed the border into Mexico for surgery. I went to Dr. Pedro Kuri for Lap-Band surgery. He actually is one of the best surgeons around. It was an amazing trip and one that I will never forget. The hospital (Hospital Angeles in Tijuana, BC) was super clean and the staff there was very professional, polite, and very courteous. I would rate my experience there as a 4.5 out of 5.

I have always been one of the bigger guys around. Even in grade school I was always one of the tallest in my classes and always little bit on the chunky side. Even through middle and high school I was the chunky kid. When I was 17 I joined the Oregon Army National Guard. When I weighed in for the Army I was at 225 lbs. I went to basic training and came home at a lean 185 lbs. I felt great. I was getting out and going for a good run every day and felt the best I had ever in my life. Since then I put the weight back on and a whole lot more. For a few years I stayed around 225 to 230 until I finally got my life straightened out and went to community college to begin my career. I was now 22/23 now starting my career as a cad drafter. OK so this is a desk job. Well guess what. I went from the 230 lbs right on up to about 295 lbs. Then up to 325 lbs. By the time my career took me to Washington D.C. in 2002 I had gone up to 385 lbs. Then over the 4 years I had spent in D.C. and the first year I was in Florida I had jumped up to 485 lbs. Of course I didn't know exactly how much I was weighing since none of the doctors had scales and the scale I had only went to like 350 lbs. Well in January of 2008 I finally got a scale that would weigh up to 550 lbs. So I stepped onto this new scale and that's when I found out that I was up that high.

So here I was now at 485 lbs almost 500 lbs and with a 3 month old new son. I knew then I had to make a change in my life so that I would be around for his! Well I immediately started walking and watching my diet. Over the next 2 or 3 months I dropped 20 lbs and then plateaued. I couldn't believe it. I was eating better then I had been and was walking 5 days a week. This was discouraging. So then in August I had started with a new family doctor. First thing on her list for me was bariatric surgery. I went to the local surgeon to find out about it and soon found out my insurance did not cover the surgery needed. In just a few days after that my parents came together and pooled the money so that I could get surgery. That's when I started looking for good surgeon who was economically affordable. Dr. Pedro Kuri was my answer. Dr. Kuri put me on a pre-op diet and I began to walk again. I soon dropped another 23 lbs. I couldn't believe it I was now down to 442. So on Dec. 4th, 2008 my final weigh in before I headed out to Mexico for surgery was 442.2 lbs. Tomorrow will be my one week anniversary for my surgery and will be my first post-op weigh-in. Pray for the best!