November Weight Loss Challenge
- Thread starter Lynn
- Start date
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I'm at 174. So I think I lost 4ish pounds. More importantly I'm averaging 5.39mph running on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I've been on the treadmill for 30 minutes every day solid for over 2 weeks.
DarinM
Explorer
update
I've been busy jumping through all the hoops I have to jump through prior to having gastric surgery.
I've gained and lost several hundred pounds at various times over the last couple of decades. With 40 yrs old looming on the very near horizon, I've decided that drastic action is called for, and the various doctors I've seen lately agree.
So I'm probably a month or so away from having an operation called a gastric sleeve. This is a surgery where a good portion of my stomach will be removed via a laproscope. What I'll be left with is essentially a "sleeve" type of stomach. This effects both the quantity of food I can eat as well as the amount of digestion that occurs as food passes through my system.
It is a permanent change. I have some trepidation about this, but I think this is what I need to do. I'm fortunate in that I've inherited some very good genes. I've been obese most of my life - I'm been 350 pounds plus for at least the last 15 years, and for probably the last 5 years at least I've been hovering around 500 pounds. Yet I don't have high blood pressure, my cholesterol is normal, my EKG is normal, I don't have problems with blood clots, my heart/lungs/etc are in good health. But my knees are shot and my back is starting to hurt. I also can't do alot of things that I want to do now, and it's time to make a change.
I'm annoyed that my health insurance won't cover the procedure so I'm going to be gaining about $15,000 of debt. Joy. But you do what you've got to do...
More to follow - and best regards to y'all who are still working on losing/maintaining/whatever.
I've been busy jumping through all the hoops I have to jump through prior to having gastric surgery.
I've gained and lost several hundred pounds at various times over the last couple of decades. With 40 yrs old looming on the very near horizon, I've decided that drastic action is called for, and the various doctors I've seen lately agree.
So I'm probably a month or so away from having an operation called a gastric sleeve. This is a surgery where a good portion of my stomach will be removed via a laproscope. What I'll be left with is essentially a "sleeve" type of stomach. This effects both the quantity of food I can eat as well as the amount of digestion that occurs as food passes through my system.
It is a permanent change. I have some trepidation about this, but I think this is what I need to do. I'm fortunate in that I've inherited some very good genes. I've been obese most of my life - I'm been 350 pounds plus for at least the last 15 years, and for probably the last 5 years at least I've been hovering around 500 pounds. Yet I don't have high blood pressure, my cholesterol is normal, my EKG is normal, I don't have problems with blood clots, my heart/lungs/etc are in good health. But my knees are shot and my back is starting to hurt. I also can't do alot of things that I want to do now, and it's time to make a change.
I'm annoyed that my health insurance won't cover the procedure so I'm going to be gaining about $15,000 of debt. Joy. But you do what you've got to do...
More to follow - and best regards to y'all who are still working on losing/maintaining/whatever.
UK4X4
Expedition Leader
"I've been obese most of my life - I'm been 350 pounds plus for at least the last 15 years, and for probably the last 5 years at least I've been hovering around 500 pounds. Yet I don't have high blood pressure, my cholesterol is normal, my EKG is normal"
Well I wish you luck, insurance V's cosmetic surgery- dam mine did'nt even cover the birth of my daughter.
Any way........jeeze I'm 6ft have awfull cholesterol- high blood pressure- gout and triglicerides up the yin yang......
so feel happy !:victory:
Well I wish you luck, insurance V's cosmetic surgery- dam mine did'nt even cover the birth of my daughter.
Any way........jeeze I'm 6ft have awfull cholesterol- high blood pressure- gout and triglicerides up the yin yang......
so feel happy !:victory:
latinoguy
Adventurer
Good luck dude. I am curious when you say you lost and gained several hundred pounds at various times over the last couple of decades. What did you do (what diet fads did you try?) why did you gain the weight back?) Have you changed the food you eat? is your weight problem due to a medical condition or lifestyle? I hope you don't think I am being nosy, I sincerely want to understand your situation.
If you haven't worked with the following professionals in the past, would you consider working with both a nutritionist and a fitness consultant? The personal trainer with a reputation in your town to help people in your situation? I think you can loose the weight on your own (barring medical reasons why you can't) with a change in what you eat, strict monitoring of your caloric intake, a weight training and a cardio work out program.
If you haven't worked with the following professionals in the past, would you consider working with both a nutritionist and a fitness consultant? The personal trainer with a reputation in your town to help people in your situation? I think you can loose the weight on your own (barring medical reasons why you can't) with a change in what you eat, strict monitoring of your caloric intake, a weight training and a cardio work out program.
I've been busy jumping through all the hoops I have to jump through prior to having gastric surgery.
I've gained and lost several hundred pounds at various times over the last couple of decades. With 40 yrs old looming on the very near horizon, I've decided that drastic action is called for, and the various doctors I've seen lately agree.
So I'm probably a month or so away from having an operation called a gastric sleeve. This is a surgery where a good portion of my stomach will be removed via a laproscope. What I'll be left with is essentially a "sleeve" type of stomach. This effects both the quantity of food I can eat as well as the amount of digestion that occurs as food passes through my system.
It is a permanent change. I have some trepidation about this, but I think this is what I need to do. I'm fortunate in that I've inherited some very good genes. I've been obese most of my life - I'm been 350 pounds plus for at least the last 15 years, and for probably the last 5 years at least I've been hovering around 500 pounds. Yet I don't have high blood pressure, my cholesterol is normal, my EKG is normal, I don't have problems with blood clots, my heart/lungs/etc are in good health. But my knees are shot and my back is starting to hurt. I also can't do alot of things that I want to do now, and it's time to make a change.
I'm annoyed that my health insurance won't cover the procedure so I'm going to be gaining about $15,000 of debt. Joy. But you do what you've got to do...
More to follow - and best regards to y'all who are still working on losing/maintaining/whatever.
DarinM
Explorer
Surgery is tomorrow - 31 March - at 1300.
To answer questions above, I never tried any fad diets. The closest I came to a structured diet was going to Weight Watchers. I have changed my eating habits and lifestyle various times in the past with great success. Then things changed, I moved, different set of friends, different environment. I hate that it sounds like excuses, but it's just the reality of my life.
I agree that I could do this on my own. I have had success before, but it hasn't been long term. This operation gives me a statistically much better chance to see the degree of weight loss I need to have happen, but more importantly - a better chance to keep the weight off long term.
This isn't something that I'm taking lightly at all. Some look at this type of thing as a crutch, or cheating instead of just working harder. Wrong. What I'm doing is going to require the rest of my life watching what I eat, exercising appropriately, and managing every aspect of my nutrition and health to ensure that I stay healthy. It's not an easy way out. It's extremely drastic measures, radically changing my body and my lifestyle to help me be able to get the greatest enjoyment out of the rest of my life.
So, if y'all think about it - I'd appreciate if you'd think a good thought for me tomorrow afternoon. I'm certain everything will go well, but it probably wouldn't hurt for the universe to know that people are thinking about me. Thanks - Darin
To answer questions above, I never tried any fad diets. The closest I came to a structured diet was going to Weight Watchers. I have changed my eating habits and lifestyle various times in the past with great success. Then things changed, I moved, different set of friends, different environment. I hate that it sounds like excuses, but it's just the reality of my life.
I agree that I could do this on my own. I have had success before, but it hasn't been long term. This operation gives me a statistically much better chance to see the degree of weight loss I need to have happen, but more importantly - a better chance to keep the weight off long term.
This isn't something that I'm taking lightly at all. Some look at this type of thing as a crutch, or cheating instead of just working harder. Wrong. What I'm doing is going to require the rest of my life watching what I eat, exercising appropriately, and managing every aspect of my nutrition and health to ensure that I stay healthy. It's not an easy way out. It's extremely drastic measures, radically changing my body and my lifestyle to help me be able to get the greatest enjoyment out of the rest of my life.
So, if y'all think about it - I'd appreciate if you'd think a good thought for me tomorrow afternoon. I'm certain everything will go well, but it probably wouldn't hurt for the universe to know that people are thinking about me. Thanks - Darin
Darin,
Good to hear from you, and glad your plan is progressing. I will certainly be thinking of you tomorrow, and look forward to further progress reports.
Are you going to have to spend some time in the hospital? Are you going to have limited mobility or anything post-surgery / is there any way fellow Austinites can help you out?
Take care, dude.
Good to hear from you, and glad your plan is progressing. I will certainly be thinking of you tomorrow, and look forward to further progress reports.
Are you going to have to spend some time in the hospital? Are you going to have limited mobility or anything post-surgery / is there any way fellow Austinites can help you out?
Take care, dude.
DarinM
Explorer
Just had my post-op with the surgeon. Abdominal drain was removed. That was an ummm... interesting experience. In the week since the surgery I've lost around 20 pounds.
In the past month and 1/2 I'm down about 50. I feel very, very good right now. Next week I get to add some variety to my diet. Currently it's clear liquids and getting a bit redundant. I get to go to full liquid so I can have yogurt, cream soups, stuff like that. Yay!!
I've also been released to begin getting some exercise. My mom got me a recumbent exercise bike off Craigslist so I'm going to get acquainted with it starting this evening.
All in all, I don't know that bariatric surgery is any kind of panacea for everyone, but I firmly believe that it has been the right choice for me.
More to follow and thanks to those who have offered support.
Darin (slightly smaller and feeling good about it)
In the past month and 1/2 I'm down about 50. I feel very, very good right now. Next week I get to add some variety to my diet. Currently it's clear liquids and getting a bit redundant. I get to go to full liquid so I can have yogurt, cream soups, stuff like that. Yay!!
I've also been released to begin getting some exercise. My mom got me a recumbent exercise bike off Craigslist so I'm going to get acquainted with it starting this evening.
All in all, I don't know that bariatric surgery is any kind of panacea for everyone, but I firmly believe that it has been the right choice for me.
More to follow and thanks to those who have offered support.
Darin (slightly smaller and feeling good about it)
DarinM
Explorer
As of my 1 July follow-up, I've now lost 100 pounds over roughly the last 3 1/2 to 4 months. I've lost around 8 inches in my waist and 2-3 shirt sizes (depends on brand). I no longer get out of breath nearly as easily, the near constant edema in my lower legs is non-existent, and my knees don't hurt anymore. I still have a good ways to go before I'm even close to being non-obese, but so far I'm feeling very good about things.