Alright...here we go.

[tinman]

I've been trying to stay off this place for a while now and, for the most part, I've been pretty successful. Way too many folks on here with way too thin skin. Just one thought on that. If you don't want to be criticized on a public message board, then don't post on a public message board. Not everyone owes you a debt of courtesy. Folks can be rude to your face in public and it's even easier on this site. I've always said that this place is the greatest place on earth for a hug, or a kick in the ass. It's up to the individual reader to decide which one you need.....lol.

Now, we shall move on. The reason for this post is to give myself a big old pat on the back. A week or so ago, I passed my three year surgaversary. August 23, 2012 is the date of my rebirth. When I laid down on Dr. Almanza's table, I weighed 517 lbs. When I started my pre op diet, I weighed 530. Today, I weigh 271. I lost all of my weight in 14 months. I've kept all of my weight off for the last 22 months. So, for the newbies, for the ones who think they need to suffer for successes, and for those who think it won't work for them I say this. You'll never know if my way works until you try it. You'll never know if Ann2's way works if you never try it. The only thing you'll ever know is what doesn't work.

If you are a "slow loser", you don't have to be. I didn't get to be 530 lbs because I was a horrible over eater. I got that way because my metabolism was slower than Junior Samples reciting his phone number. (Hee Haw reference for all of the youth in the audience. Look it up Junior Samples Used Car Sales...pretty funny.) Once I learned how to ramp up my metabolism via my food intake, I was able to combine that with a tremendous reduction in how much I ate ("THE TOOL") and the weight literally fell off. That's right. Inside every one of us has the metabolism of a Kenyan Marathon runner. All you have to do is figure out how to unlock it and let it run. The method of unlocking the Ferrari inside your metabolism is the same in each of us. It's all about what you eat. Now the difference in each of us is what to eat to unlock it.

That's the part that requires a little out of the box thinking and a willingness to try new things. We all get caught up in the idea that we have to lose this weight as fast as possible because there is a timer that is set to go off in one year. After that year, we will never lose another thimble full of fat ever again for the rest of our lives. Sound silly? It's not. It's actually what an over whelming majority of folks actually think. Well...the timer thingie is an exaggeration, but, most on here think that there is a deadline that must be met.

THERE. IS. NOT.

You have the rest of your life to lose your weight. It'll be easier with the sleeve. It's ridiculously easy once you develop a plan tailor made just for you. The only hard and fast rule about post op life is this. Don't over eat. I think we can all agree with that one. Don't over eat and you'll lose weight. Right? Don't over eat and you won't gain once you've lost. Right? It all makes sense.

Now...here's the latest in a long line of pet peeves of mine. I makes me want to throat punch (that's a reference to my good friend Roxstar75. If she's reading this, she just spit her water all over her computer screen) my computer. I cringe every time I see some variation of this sentence. "I had a fat free, sugar free, taste free, pudding cup and ate it with a plastic spoon". or "I just had an incredibly tasty protein bar, sugar free, and loved it. Or, "I ate some baked potato (don't worry, just three bites)". Why do you think it's necessary to qualify what you ate? Do you think someone is going to call you out because you had a snack pack? Get over yourself. You don't owe me, or anyone else on here an explanation on why you chose to eat a puddin cup. You ate it because you wanted it. So, feel good about that. Eat one every day if you want. Just don't over eat. I promise you this. Since you can't eat enough of any one food item to cause you to gain weight unless you over eat, then you are in no danger by having a candy bar or ding dong. Just don't eat 7 candy bars and the entire freaking box of ding dongs. And for the love of all that is good, skinny, and saggy skin....quit feeling guilty about having what you want. It's ridiculous to think that you will go the rest of your life without eating what you want, when you want, and made just the way you like it. Take my word for it. So, learn to eat like that without gaining weight. You'll be happier in the long run.

The sooner you learn how to be sleeved in a non sleeved world, the sooner you will be happy. In other words, if you are capable of being on a diet for the rest of your life, then you shouldn't have gotten sleeved. You should have dieted harder. Since we all know we all suck at diets, then doesn't it make sense to learn how to not gain the weight we just lost. You do that not by restricting what you eat. You do that by restricting how much you eat. Easy. Peasy. McSqueezy.

BOOM. There went the dynamite.

JessieJess, Aydensmom, Dawnrogers7, and I'm sure there are others I am forgetting all decided to live a normal life, eat what they want, and learn how to live in a non sleeved world. By coincidence, you will not find one single post from any of them that says that they were slow losers. Not one. Aydensmom wrote me and said she was a slow loser, jumped on my plan, and smoked it.

Dawnie never had a stall. Not one. Ever. Jessie either. Once I figured it out, I never had one either. I lost 120 lbs in my last 4 months and it took me 10 months to lose the first 140. That's a very true story.

So, in the end, I say this. If you want to suffer for your success, then stop complaining about being a slow loser. You don't have to be. If you are afraid of making changes to your food plan, then quit complaining. If you are happy being miserable, then stop posting. The only promise I'll make you is this. You do not have to wait out stalls. YOU. JUST. DON'T. HAVE. TO. If you choose to, then that's on you and I got nothing for ya. Waiting out stalls is a choice.....not an obligation.

If you are at the end of your rope and are serious about making wholesale changes to your core way of thinking, the pm me. I will help.

I have never felt better in my life. I have a new lease on life. I have the energy and stamina of a 25 year old.

Oh..and one more thing. Dr. Almanza is an amazing surgeon. Period. End of sentence. Anyone who wants to cross swords with me about that, then bring it. Every surgeon on earth has killed someone, or someones, in the course of being a surgeon. Nothing can be done about that. But, to purposefully come on here to create drama and fear all in the name of a referral fee makes you a leach and, quite honestly, a lying sack of shit. Stop it. This place exists to clear smoke from the air...not add to it.

And...just so I can conform, I've decided to post a selfie. I haven't posted a picture on here since I put up my before and after pictures after one year. So, here it is. Nothing on earth is better than a bathroom selfie taken in the bathroom at work....lol.

Please be gentle with me.....lol

me.jpg



edit to add: I took that picture in the Women's restroom...I think I look better in that mirror.

[ANNETTE2015]

Your advice ROCKS! Thank you for all you do for those of us who choose to listen because you've "been there, done that". I SO, SO, SO, SO appreciate every thing you write and all the advice you dole out.

[CCSleever]

YOU LOOK AMAZING!!! So proud for you!!!

[Ann2]

BIG HUGS!!!

Robert, you are a walking, talking WLS success. Congratulations on your third surgiversary.

I truly appreciate you. Just wished we lived closer to each other.

Ann

[Catlover]

Great job, and inspiration to all of us who love to read and listen to you! Thank you for being here. You look great!!

[mem222]

Tinman-excellent to have you back! please don't go away again!

[Lee6Lee]

Tinman, I always love your posts. Wish your photo displayed better on my iPad...you're sideways and wide. Which doesn't make you look thin at all. But I'll take your word for it!
I so appreciate your post and advice. I haven't been on here much lately because I wanted to get on with my life. But I think it keeps me grounded to check in now and then. My lowest has been 153 since WLS and I teeter between that and 157. I always get back down and hover around 155. But I got down to 153 again last week without even thinking about it. Anyway, I would like to budge another 10 pounds. I will PM you.
Our daughter is going to Almanza in October. Thanks for the words of assurance. We've both been a little worried.
HAPPY 3rd SURGIVERSARY!

[Bronxgirl635]

Bravo! Thank you for the post!

[mem222]

Hi Tinman.
I forgot to congratulate you on your success ! You are a good case study for the GI surgery research!!!
You mentioned eating to ramp up your metabolism - can you elaborate?
How's the book coming?
Do you have a publisher? There aren't many good post-sleeve "memoirs". I'm anxious to read it could you send me the chapters as you complete them?��

[cathbas]

Thank you!! you are the BEST!!

[Joe Poppa]

Thanks for this post and congratulations on your weight loss efforts, you look great.

Re:

...I took that picture in the Women's restroom...

How come women have a candy machine in the women's restroom? It sells a small box or tube of candy for 25 cents.

[Jmichelle]

Congratulations on your achievements! I'm almost 6 months post surgery and have had great success following your advice. After that first stall 10 days post op, I have not stalled since. Thanks for your honest opinions and advice.

[Annette3]

Tinman, your one of the reasons I even read this site and why I have chosen not to fret over what I put in my mouth!!! Thank you for making sense and being brutally blunt...I love being on the sleeved side of life and no more diets for me! feels food to leave food on my plate or give it away! Sunday was my father n laws birthday and of course everyone wanted to go to the China buffet.... so I took care of my grand baby, which was way more fun and I didn't even eat a bite of fortune cookie!!! for me that was incredible... but I knew Id just waist the money on the buffet because after just 3 or 4 bites of that sugary stuff Id be full... and my husband wasn't there to eat the rest...lol! Thank you much and I too loved Dr. Amanza!!! and I'd do it all over again...Congrats on your amazing weight loss journey!!

[jrzygmom]

Congrats on your third year surgerversary! Amazing job and you look fantastic!!! I am going to PM you with a question. It will be a little later today tho.

[niki k]

TInman welcome back! I think people just are too sensitive! People need to understand this is not a one size fits all- kind of life. My husband is super OCD with this, tracking every carb/protein/sugar... I am not so anal! I know I have to do this for the rest of my life, so I do it my way!! might not work for everyone! I have a glass of wine, occasionally and don't feel a bit guilty! I have dropped so much weight that I am starting to get the "when are you going to stop" question! Love it! Say what you want to say! Don't get bothered by the idiots that get their feelings hurt.