FatGuy (shrinking)inNC
It's been a year and...........
Oct 24, 2010
Today marks the one year anniversary of my Lap Band journey, one month pre-op and then the actual surgery on November 23, 2009. In the days leading up to my surgery, I often wondered what I would be writing at my first anniversary.
Would I have failed at yet another attempt to lose weight and therefore run and hide from public scrutiny? Could I be successful and lose a significant amount of weight, like many of the friends I had come to rely on here at OH? (Lisa O & NY2ATL, and others too numerous to list)
Well the time has come to answer these questions and highlight the things I have learned and accomplished on my journey. So much has changed in the past months.
I began at a whopping 292 lbs.
Today I am 210 lbs, a loss of 82lbs or 28% of my starting weight. People consistently refer to me as “skinny” which is far from true but compared to how I must have looked to them a year ago, it’s a fair comparison. It’s a great feeling to get a compliment about my weight.
My waist size has dropped from a tight 46 inches to a comfortable 38 inches.
My wardrobe no longer consists exclusively of XL, XXL or XXXL
I consider myself a success in every sense of the word. I am happier, healthier, more confident, and better proportioned at age 55 than I have been throughout my Thirty’s, Forty’s and early Fifty’s. All aspects of my personal relationship, including intimacy, have greatly improved.
I learned early on that I was a “Carb” addict.
Today I am a recovering “Carb” Addict .
With help from many OHer’s, and lots of trial and error, I learned to focus on low carb foods and recipes and that has been the single most important lifestyle change that I have achieved during the past months. I no longer choose to eat Pasta, Potato, Bread, Fast Food, Doritos, Candy etc. This hasn’t been easy but I make these conscious choices each and every day and my journey has been smooth. It just happened to work out that way for me!
Despite the occasional stall, I never doubted myself or my band. I followed the rules as best as I could and I incorporated changes where necessary. I never ever considered giving up or returning to past practices.
At every Dr. visit, I weighed less than the previous visit. It was never about how much I lost or comparing to others, as long as I was losing or at least static, I was making progress and that became my motivation.
I no longer have high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, or severe sleep apnea. Aside from vitamins, I no longer am required to take any prescription medications. The money saved comes in handy to upgrade the wardrobe with smaller sizes.
I no longer have any chronic knee, foot or lower back pains.
I have “slimed” and I have had brief periods of “stuck” but have never PB’d or thrown-up. The afore-mentioned episodes were self induced by insufficient chewing and/or larger than necessary bites. Eating rapidly continues to be a difficult problem to overcome but I'm working on it.
I enjoy being out in public and no longer have to dress to cover up my obese shape.
Despite living in the South, I no longer have to endure profuse perspiration on hot humid days.
I can get into and out of my car much easier and it is comfortable to drive long distances.
I can sit upright and cross my legs. I fit comfortably in an Airplane seat.
My wardrobe is no longer restricted to slimming colors or patterns. No more “OMAR the Tent Maker” styles for me ! (Apologies to anyone named OMAR)
I can comfortably remove my shirt without embarrassment at the beach or marina. Yes the scars do fade away over time.
My energy level is greatly increased and I do not require nearly as many naps as I once did.
I have not eaten anything from a fast food restaurant or drive through in over 1 year.
I treat myself to an occasional pedicure, just because ! (Guy’s …. it takes confidence to walk in and get one but your feet will thank-you and women notice how well kept your feet are, especially if you live in a climate where flip flops and sandals are the norm.)
There are probably lot’s more things that I am forgetting to mention because they have just become a routine part of my new lifestyle.
As I embark upon the second year of banded life I can say that the results that I have achieved through education, perseverance, and dedication are without a doubt PRICELESS !
When I put my energy into what steps I could take to make the lifestyle changes a reality instead of focusing on the impossibility or improbability of making them happen , I achieved my greatest successes.
Thanks to all my OH friends for sharing their journeys with me along the way. I firmly believe that if it wasn’t for the information and support that was / is available here on OH, I probably would have struggled mightily and achieved far less success than I have during the past year.
No longer a …………
FatGuy(shrinking)inNC.
