Weigh In #11

The last time I posted a weight here, it was 265. That was over a month ago. I mentioned in a subsequent post that I was simply holding steady and hadn't lost any weight.  I went and got my band filled again, and they added only 1cc of fluid.  That sure doesn't seem like much, but I am the most restricted I've ever been and I actually notice it now.  Especially when I eat certain types of breads or something mushy like a french fry.  Food is getting stopped at the opening of my stomach and it gets pretty uncomfortable.  Thankfully, I'm still not having issues with things like PB (productive burping) which is a disgusting term they give at my clinic for the process where you body produces mucous to get food through or bring it back up.

I have had a few times where I needed to stand up and walk around, or even drink some water to get food through.  My only option at that point is to find a way to force it through, or find a way to bring it back up. There's some definite discomfort when it is forced through, but I think it's better than the alternative.

I also finally made it back to the gym this week.  I started slacking and went through a little bit of a funk for a few weeks there.  I only went a couple times, then didn't go at all for two full weeks.  That is pretty bad on my part.  The pre-approval process for surgery included a psychological evaluation because a lot of people struggle with depression with weight loss or more specifically having to learn to deal with whatever the person was avoiding by eating.  This week, I went to the gym four times - 3 of which I did the Couch to the 5k program and one time spent on an elliptical.  If I drop dead next week trying to increase my running with the second week of the 5k program, I'll ask Sandra to notify you by posting a blog here.

Anyway, I am glad to be back at it, and feel like I am back on track a bit.  Last week after my fill, I still weighed in at 264 which is a total weight loss of 60 pounds.  This morning, I weighed in at 259.8 so I'm officially down 64 pounds!  I haven't seen the 250's in probably 9 years.  I feel really good and feel that I'm starting to look good, although I still have a ways to go.  Thanks for stopping by!

Weigh In #10

265

That puts me at 59 pounds lost since I had surgery and 73 pounds down from the largest I've ever been.  It is bizarre to think about that much extra weight being on my body now.  I can barely hold my kids up for brief periods of time before I am simply too tired.  How did I even function when I was that large?  I did a lot of sitting and not a lot of living life.  Not a lot of playing with my children unless it was a nice sedentary activity.  Not a lot of adventure with my wife unless we could drive there and sit and enjoy it.  Life is so much better already because I don't feel on the brink of collapse when I am up and about. 

265 is a special number to me though.  My wedding was June 29, 2002.  I was barely 22 years old.  I am almost 31 now.  When I got married though, I tipped the scales at 265.  I remember because it was four years after I finished high school and I'd put on 40 pounds since I graduated.  That means that I now at my lowest weight in 8 years and 8 months.  

I went and had my band filled again this week.  I am glad because I almost doubled the amount of fluid that it contained.  The doctor said that normally she'd talk about what I'm doing and give advice about where I can improve to help my progress, but she didn't need to.  She told me, "I don't want to know what you're doing.  Whatever it is, it is working and you should just keep going."  That made me feel good.  59 pounds in 3 1/2 months feel great!

Weigh In #9

I realize I am so bad at posting updates to this blog.  I honestly expected this to be a pretty exciting adventure where I could post all the cool experiences I've been having.  So far, it has been pretty boring.  Last Friday, I weighed myself again and lost 2 pounds for the week.  I am able to eat an incredible amount of food though, and I'm worried that I don't have the will to limit myself.  Sandra's been super helpful at cooking dinners at home so we eat out less, but we both find that we are wanting snacks at night.  It's not a problem for Sandra who never gains or loses weight, but I feel like I am hitting a wall with my weight loss.  I still don't know how much it costs to have my band filled, so I'm worried about going so often.

I am reading a book for a discussion being held on campus this month.  It is called Such a Pretty Face: Being Fat in America, and although it is 30 years old, it is amazingly relevant to weight issues today.  Once I finish it, I will post the review here and on my other blog.  The discussion is supposed to be the last full week of February and is part of Body Image Awareness Week.  I'm hoping I can bring some unique perspective to the discussion as a male who struggles with weight, has had weight loss surgery and also experiencing two small children old enough to start recognizing that people are viewed differently based on appearance.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Weigh In #8

   The last official post with my weigh in was December 28, so it seems fitting that I should post again on January 28.  You can check out my last weight in post by clicking here.  I've been somewhat frustrated with the band in general because I thought it was going to severely limit what I could eat, and generally, that hasn't been the case. I have been filled twice and still struggle with the desire to eat, but that is getting easier with time.  The other thing that has proven a lot easier is not drinking food during my meals or for 30 minutes after.  When you limit your liquid intake, the food stays with you so and it takes longer to feel hungry again.  I thought that would be a struggle, but I'm used to it and there is rarely something I eat where I feel I need to have a drink to wash it down.

   I suppose most people don't read a weigh in post for anything but the weight.  This morning, I came in at 269 which is 11 pounds lost since December 28 and a total lost of 55 pounds since November 1.  I'm certainly not complaining about how much I continue to lose.  Maybe I should simply be grateful that I don't have the eating issues that are so common with a band surgery.  When I got married in 2002, I weight 265, so in a week or so, I will be the smallest I've been in almost 9 years!!

Weight In #7

I have to admit that traveling for Christmas had me worried. It is so much harder to eat well on the road. Plus my band is definitely not filled enough so I am able to eat quite a bit. Since I wasn't home for Christmas I did my weight this morning and I'm down another 2 pounds for a total loss of 44! I am scheduled to have another fill next week which should help jump my efforts. I hope you all had a great Christmas and enjoy your New Years celebration!

Weigh In #6

I am definitely glad that I got my band filled this week.  It really was too loose and  I found myself able to eat a lot more than I'd like to at this point.  Today, my official weight loss since November 1 is 42 pounds!  I feel great and have lots of energy.  There are little things that I appreciate most though...like sitting at a booth in a restaurant and not having my belly squeezing over the edge of the table.  Things you never really think about until you realize you are fat.  Have a great weekend and check back soon for my post about getting my first band fill!

Weigh In #5

If you look at my history, I did skip #4 but only because I did my first month weigh in.  This morning is my official day.  My current weight is...284 which means I've lost 5 pounds this week for a total weight loss of 40 pounds!!  That is just over 12% of my total body weight in the past five weeks.  I feel like I'm on the biggest loser but without the cameras, Bob and Jillian, or the chance to win $250k.  Either way, I'm feeling good.  I really want to try and work hard to hit 60 pounds total by the end of the year.  I was supposed to get my band filled for the first time yesterday, but the doctor's office called and moved it to next Wednesday.  I'll post about that as soon as I can.  Thanks for following my journey and for all the support and encouragement you offer!

1st Month Weigh In

OK, so I asked on my Facebook page how much people thought I would lose the first month and had a few responses...25, 27, 31.5 and 34.  Surgery was November 1 and today is December 1 and I have officially lost...35 pounds!! Gretchen was the closest to the actual loss so I think she could go ahead and pool some money together for me to buy new clothes!  :-)  Thanks everyone for your encouragement.  I go to the doctor on the 9th to get my first checkup and I will probably also get a fill while I am there.  We'll see how well all this goes after I am even more restricted in my food intake.

Weigh In #3

I was told that with the band, I could expect to lose maybe 1-2 pounds per week since it is just a tool and not a magic solution.  This week I am eating a bit more calories with options now available like mashed potatoes, cream soups and yogurt, so of course it slowed down.  This morning, I weighed in at 293 which is another four pounds down and a total loss so far of 31 pounds!  I'm very excited to start blending foods this weekend which is something I never really expected to say.  Either way, expect some new posts in the next few days about planning for the holidays.  Have a great weekend!!

Weigh In #2

I realize that I'm early for a weigh in but I hadn't seen this number on 2-3 years and I was excited!! 

This makes 27 pounds lost in the past 12 days.

Weigh In #1

So I think Friday would be a good a day to weigh myself as any, but I reserve the right to change the date if I feel like it. :-) My starting weight is from last Thursday when I last went to the doctor and I weighed 324. This morning I stepped on the scale before my shower and came in at 304! So one week down and I've lost 20 pounds. I know it wont stay this easy, but it helps reassure me that I made the right choice. Have a great weekend and be sure to check back for posts about the next part of the diet.