My First Year Post Op and the start of a new life...

[Notoriousbig]

I remember saying to my wife right after surgery, while throwing up after sipping some water..." What the fuck did I just do to myself?" Two days later I was walking for 20 minutes, one week later I was coaching HS Varsity soccer and 2.4 million steps later I'm writing you this note. I hate being sleeved...make no bones about that however I love how my life has changed. I was the carpenter that built this house, the sleeve is a tool, along with my Fitbit, my iphone(listen to classic rock while running), my ipad(binge walk to my favorite shows 1-2 hours daily in the treadmill) and my family.

It's been an interesting year, I hardly get recognized when folks see me. Some are complimentary and some are total assholes. I haven't told anyone outside my immediate family about my surgery, it's noones business. I've never been in this kind of shape. I've changed my lifestyle and exercise is simply a part of it. Exercise, eating, sleeping is all simply what I do day in and day out. I don't think about it, it's not a chore, I just....do. I pack my food everyday....yogurt, water, protein shakes(muscle milk/Atkins/Premier Banana), cashews, salad, meat and cheese. I get up at 0430 hrs, get my coffee or Monster Rehab, a banana and go to the gym. Along with my normal job, in the evenings I coach Club, HS and College women's soccer. I tested my HS girls last Monday with the "Beep-Interval test" 22 yard sprints...I do every workout also. I was in the top three at the end at 55 yrs old. I was sore the next day, yet so excited about my health. One of my players said that I was the only coach she's played for that works out and plays with his team. I cannot describe to you how good that felt and how changed I feel.

I haven't weighed myself in months. At my one year checkup last week, I was 199. I do all my body weight checkups with my clothing. My waist is 32-33...that's my gauge. I do around 300 push-ups daily throughout the day, and continue a weight training regimen...nothing heavy, but enough to keep my strong. I eat constantly, small meals hourly...and drink a lot of water. I carry two cases in my car....always. What I thought was a gall bladder attack a couple of months ago, was actually a "eating raw peppers too fast" attack....damn. Yep, had a second occurrence, and got sick as a dog. I still struggle with eating too damn fast and not chewing slowly and thoroughly. Gulping water also is an issue I still focus on. I carb on Graham crackers and Animal crackers....particularly on high cardio weeks. I count them out and am careful to measure how many I take in. The beauty of cardio work is that your body is a furnace, even when you aren't exercising...and you can feel it.

Yes....I'm so in tune with my body post sleeve. What I eat, drink....how I feel. Bowel movements, what plugs me up, what loosens me up, what gives me energy, what doesn't go down well. I don't drink carbonated drinks, don't eat hardly any sugar, no rice, pasta. Listening to my body also has prevented injury, helped me figure out my supplements and after two back surgeries....I haven't had a back flare-up since July 13th, 2016...important date😉. Listen to your body...it tells you exactly what it needs.

***Embrace your sleeve and let it work for you. It doesn't define you...you define yourself.
***Love yourself and be comfortable in your skin. No excuses for your choices...own em and if need be, fix em.
***Get out and move. Show your new self off! I've become a Wrangler junkie$19.99 on Amazon...hahaha
***Pinterest and Skinnytaste are fun. My wife is a terrible cook anyway, so,she's reaping the benefits.
***My libido is....um...well...a bit high. That phenomena is rather interesting.
***At 55 I've never been more muscular and cut. Was always told you couldn't build much muscle at this age....bullshit!

I was camping at a soccer tournament and sat in one of my camping chairs. I didn't think about it...meaning that I didn't worry about sitting gently to not break it. I just sat....it broke my heart to think that all those years, I worried about that. When I ordered or bought chairs, I checked the weight limit. If that's not enough to motivate my ass out the door and onto the road, then nothing will.
Thanks for reading, may God bless you and yours......A scale doesn't measure your heart.....xoxoxoAlvin

[Ann2]

Alvin, that is so AWESOME!!!!!!

Yours is one of the best-ever one year surgiversay posts I've ever read!

P. S. I just read your story out loud to my husband. We both have tears of happiness for you. Congratulations, man!

[Notoriousbig]

Ann...thank you from my heart. You're one of my faves!=)

[Luv49ers19]

Not to repeat Ann2 but that is the best one I've read!! What an amazing journey. I hope to be as confident as you one day! Well done brother!!! Keep up the fantastic work and you are inspiring many.

[Christie13]

Beautifully written Alvin. You're simply amazing. You deserve all your success as you've worked your ass off for it. Literally! Wishing you continued success!

[samstein]

That is awesome! Congratulations!

[Notoriousbig]

Thank you Cody....and Christine...you are such a positive energy bunny that I feed off your posts. Keep on keeping on girlfriend and change those shoes every 400 miles....=)

[Shirl]

...A scale doesn't measure your heart.....xoxoxoAlvin

Profoundly true!

Wishing you continued success!

[tripletdadof5]

This post is the wind beneath my wings! I hope to post something similar in eleven months.

[Sandra3]

What a great post!

It's so true about the furniture for me too! especially here in Asia where I'm still bigger than the average woman, two years ago I was always really worried I was going to break everything on sight! now I'm just worried if the chair is flimsy, that's already something!

[Merry Mary]

Congratulations on your successes Alvin. What a great feeling to be able to outrun the high school kids.

[Gvn71]

Awesome, awesome, awesome post!

Wish I could write that well.

This is the best post I've read in a really long time!