One Year! ONE YEAR!!!!!
What an amazing journey! I have absolutely no regrets, and wish I had never let myself get to the point that I needed this surgery. But, that being said I feel that I am really blessed to have been able to do it.
Here are the numbers:
High weight 317
Surgery weight 291
Today 187
I went from a 44 pants size to a 32! Size 56 suit coat to a 44! None (ZERO, ZILCH, NADA) of my old clothes fit me anymore. I put on an old pair of pants the other day for a good laugh and I could truthfully fit both legs into one of the legs on my old pants. I need to still buy more clothes, but I'm doing it slowly since my body is still changing!
Here are some of things that I think are key to my success:
Weigh daily - I step on the scale everyday first thing in the morning. 2 -3 pound fluctuations are quite normal, but anything in the +5 area results in a quick reassessment of my eating and exercise habits.
Track my food - I keep a detailed account of everything I eat. It keeps me honest and forces me to think about my food choices.
Exercise - I work out daily. This is in addition to simple exercise like walking the dog. I have taken a "I come first" philosophy (pretty sure my wife hates me for this) when it comes to exercise. I realize that I was a stress eater (still am) and that if I don't burn stress off through exercise, that I will inevitably end up eating.
Have a support group - I think this is vitally important. Having someone to talk to about issues is key to success. For me, right now my support comes from this group and a counselor I see for PTSD. I wish I could find more support at home, but it just isn't there. This is the one area I think I need to really work on, but on some level it is what it is, I can't make something just happen.
Life wise, I'm having so much fun doing things that I couldn't imaging doing 1 year ago!
- Ran 3 triathlons last year (each one better than the last)!
- Ran a 1/2 marathon!
- Ran over 1000 miles (I started running in late April 2017)!
- Went ice climbing for the first time in about 15 years!
The next year will hopefully continue with more accomplishments and milestones! If anyone ever has any questions, hit me up. I'll answer everything I can!
Here are some pictures from the last year starting with pre-surgery through the other day!
High weight here.... Probably pushing 320lbs!
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Day before surgery (291lbs)!
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Last triathlon of the season! Ran it in 1:06 and was so happy. How does the guy in those pictures above become this guy?
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Finish line of the Hartford 1/2 Marathon. 13.1 miles of fun! Fun and 13.1 miles in the same sentence (OMG).....
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ICE CLIMBING!!!! What else it there to say.....
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Me in my office a few weeks ago! Who is that skinny guy? I still have to do a double take when I see pictures like these!
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Two days ago after getting home from a 7 mile run! 187 lean mean pounds of fitness!
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