Where to begin? Haven't been in here much, but wanted to stop by and say hello and let you know where I am and how I'm doing. I come in occasionally and read a bit, but haven't really had much time to post.
I’ve actually been working on this post for a few weeks, typed it a few different ways and then got sick (The FLU SUCKS) this past week and didn’t get back to any final edits until today. So, I apologize if this is long winded, or just plain nonsensical!
TWO YEARS! What an amazing ride it has been. It’s been easy, hard, exhausting, life altering, enlightening, depressing, and euphoric all in one! Sometimes all in the same day.
Things I’ve learned:
1. Find a plan that works for you, for your body and stick to it. Not every plan will work for you and not every Doctor is going to have the right plan for you. Work the plan they give you, but if it isn’t working then being ready to adapt and change to something that is going to work. For me, carbs are bad. If I eat more than 40 – 50 grams a day I will gain weight with a few exceptions. Equally as tough is high fat doesn’t agree with me. So high protein / low carb / low fat is the roadmap of the future for me. You may be able to do it differently, but I know what works for me. I can be a little opinionated about carbs at times, but I speak from personal experience so take it for what it is worth.
2. Don’t waste that precious first year. I’ve been known to refer to this as the Magic Sleeve Phase. Work your sleeve as hard as you possibly can during that first year. Maximize your success by working hard and it will pay off. Most people will lose weight during this phase regardless of what you eat. Obviously if your eating 5000 calories a day you won’t lose, but if you reduce calories and eat crap (carbs, high fat) you will still lose. The problem is, this phase will end, and you’ll be stuck. Eating crap will inevitably result in regain.
3. Figure out the elusive “Relationship with Food” equation before it’s too late. I’d say, figure it out before surgery, but that isn’t realistic. Know that you need to figure it out, recognize that it is a crucial part of the journey and you are a little bit ahead of the curve, but only a little bit. The what, how much, and why we eat is a huge part of this. If anyone can figure it out for the rest of us, write a book, get an infomercial, you’re going to make millions!
4. Recognize that losing weight during the first year is easy! It’s losing the extra weight after that first year, or maintaining at your goal weight that is really hard. Things I could eat during the first year now cause weight gain. I have to be really careful about portion control now that I am 2 years out. This really started for me at around 18 months. Old habits die hard, and old eating habits creep back into your diet. Old eating habits = regain! Don’t trick yourself with the common and often posted “everything in moderation” excuse. Candy (substitute any poor food choice here) today that doesn’t result in weight gain will equal more candy a week later, which equals more candy and more candy which = REGAIN! Trust me, I’m not saying I haven’t done it, I’m just saying recognize where it leads before you find yourself on that road. We are all human, and we all are going to have tough days.
5. Exercise! You have to! Any healthy lifestyle includes exercise in addition to a good balanced diet. No good Doctor will ever tell you that you don’t need to exercise. People who are less than one year out and brag about never exercising need to read number 2 again!
6. Log your food for the rest of your life. I know I am only 2 years out and may be fat again in 2 or 3 years, but I might not just as easy. I log my food every day and try to log food before it goes in my mouth. It keeps me honest, and it makes me think about my food decisions before I can’t reverse them. It doesn’t work all the time (again, we are only human) but if it keeps me from making a crappy food decision 50 % of the time than it’s a good thing!
Now for the numbers….
HW – 320
SW – 291
GW – 205
CW – 180 (Unreal)
The photos speak for themselves. I am in the best shape I have ever been in my life, and thoroughly enjoy exercise and physical competition. I found running to be wildly therapeutic at around 5 – 6 weeks post surgery and have never looked back. My passion for running turned into a passion for triathlons which has led me to amazing personal accomplishments. I always wanted to run an Ironman Triathlon and 2020 will be my year (Bring on IM Lake Placid 2020!)! This coming year I will compete in two ½ Ironman Triathlons (IMCT 70.3 and IMLP 70.3) and a full marathon in preparation for 2020.
I LOVE my sleeve! This surgery saved my life!
There really is so much more to tell, but this post is long enough (too long actually)! Any questions post here and I’ll answer as many as I can!
GET AFTER IT!
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