Sleeved One Year Ago Today!

[Gvn71]

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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[Dutchie]

Wow, wow, wow!
Congratulations with your one year and great achievement!
You look great.

[jerzeygirl]

Absolutely amazing, quite the transformation! You should certainly be proud of how you use your tool and you're a wonderful example of "successful surgery" and lifestyle change!
Continued success!!

[hookydad]

Glenn,
You are an inspiration to all but especially me as minority on this forum, a male sleever! Wow, look what i have to look forward to! I hope you understand the impact your story is having on me and many others. Congrats on your new life!

[Ann2]

Glenn, you and your story continue to knock me out!

R E S P E C T !

[elllie]

Glenn, well done with all your achievements. you are an inspiration. I am hoping once I have lost weight to do something like run a marathon or similar. I have done a few 1/2 marathons in the past but I don't particularly like running. My husband is a big marathon, ultra marathon runner and so I know what it takes to run one. I still play tennis now, even though running about a court is not easy when you are big, so hopefully that will become easier. Kepp us posted with your news.

[Gvn71]

Glenn, well done with all your achievements. you are an inspiration. I am hoping once I have lost weight to do something like run a marathon or similar. I have done a few 1/2 marathons in the past but I don't particularly like running. My husband is a big marathon, ultra marathon runner and so I know what it takes to run one. I still play tennis now, even though running about a court is not easy when you are big, so hopefully that will become easier. Kepp us posted with your news.

I hated (no, LOATHED) running prior to my weight loss! Just always felt like I was plodding along and it hurt, all the time. Now I actually enjoy it! I look forward to my daily runs. I had never run so far in my life before when I ran my 1/2 marathon, and I definitely had never run that far that fast! I set a goal of sub 2 hours and ran 1:53! Never in a million years would I have thought that was possible.

Our new (slim) bodies are capable of amazing things!

Cheers!

[Luna354]

You've had an amazing journey so far and continue to inspire!!!
I have recently started running and do 3 miles a day. Sometimes I hate it, but then when I'm done I can't wait to do it again! Hoping to do a sprint tri this summer. You are inspiring!

[WandaGettinFit4life]

Congratulations on changing your whole life style and remaining consistent. You look awesome thank you for sharing you are very inspiring

[Luv49ers19]

You have used your tool to the max! Absolutely stunning results!

To be honest you have inspired me to try to run. I have never run in my life. So this week while on the treadmill I thought of you. I managed to jog/run for about 10 minutes straight! I was in disbelief! Just keep telling "myself just one more minute". I have run every day this week. So thank you! Because of you I know I can do it too!

[Gvn71]

You have used your tool to the max! Absolutely stunning results!

To be honest you have inspired me to try to run. I have never run in my life. So this week while on the treadmill I thought of you. I managed to jog/run for about 10 minutes straight! I was in disbelief! Just keep telling "myself just one more minute". I have run every day this week. So thank you! Because of you I know I can do it too!

That's awesome! I wasn't much different when I started running last April. I had been walking everyday and decided that I would try running. I ran about a mile and was amazed that:

1. I was able to run and not collapse.
2. My body wasn't hurting
3. It was actually kind of fun!

The rest, as they say, is history!

Good for you. Start slowly and build time and distance. Going to far to fast only results in injuries!

Congrats!

[Christie13]

OMG Glenn!! That first picture blows me away. I mean, I know you have lost a lot of weight but seeing it....I am so used to seeing you look like a total beast mode athlete!! You are a damn butterfly! Just an amazing transformation! Way to go Glenn!! BRAVO!!!! Just goes to show how good exercise is for the body, mind, and soul.

[Aussie Girl]

Our new (slim) bodies are capable of amazing things!

Cheers!

Wow, congrats Glenn, so inspirational!

I don't think I will ever be a runner (never much of an exerciser).

Like many I have suffered from constant chronic back/knee/hips pain. In the last 12 months I've had a knee arthroscope, a hip arthroscope and I have osteoarthritis in my lumbar, in my hips and very soon my knees (gulp). I was told I will only get up to 5 years before replacements

I look forward to lessening this pain and I am very interested how much my new body and old joints will manage and how much activity and exercise I will be able to do.

[DHB]

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing story. I'm still in those early days, wondering if I'll really hit my goals. You are an amazing inspiration.

[Gvn71]

You've had an amazing journey so far and continue to inspire!!!
I have recently started running and do 3 miles a day. Sometimes I hate it, but then when I'm done I can't wait to do it again! Hoping to do a sprint tri this summer. You are inspiring!

Sprint tri's are so much fun! Swim fast, bike fast, and run as fast as you can to the finish line. 3 miles a day is a perfect start to triathlon training. I was doing 3 miles a day (5 days a week) up until my first tri last summer and then I increased my distance. What a difference from first tri to my last, shaved 20 minutes off my total time and ran a 22:31 5k in that one! Great feeling! Do a couple of brick workouts before your race to practice transitions and get your legs used to that feeling of changing from bike to run!

I'm doing a few sprints this year, an Olympic and hope to finish the year off with a 1/2 Ironman! If all goes well, in 2019 I'll go for the full Ironman!

For me, training for the race has been a lot of fun!

Good luck this summer!