gmanbat

We might have jumped on the caboose but we are still on the train! Folks our age have to be extremely careful to do as the docs say but we know that. We have lost the illusion of immortality that plagues the youth. I know it when my below the speed limit careful driving causes the chronologically challenged to blast around me with faces distorted in anger. We have less time left but seem to want to go slower to get where we're going.

There are quite a number of indicators in your post that you will be successful. Many here have been through this without support from family and friends but still came out on top. You are blessed to have husband on board. It also appears that you have researched this out and that you are willing to learn and do what it takes emotionally and mentally to conquer the weight. Prayer was a huge factor for me as well. Many of these forum sub-sections have stickies: threads that are on top. In those threads is a wealth of information. Questions can also be researched using the search box at the top using key words. Certainly not least is the fact that you can ask any question here whether it has been covered before or not. There are veterans and near veterans who are used to the same questions and are more than willing to answer them. We all had those questions when we started. Don't be afraid to vent your feelings. This is an emotional journey. I can't say everyone here is empathetic but I can say the vast majority are. Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!

My wife and I, ( I am 64, she is 62), have been discussing not seeing very many older folks who are morbidly obese like we WERE. Outside of dying off early you could also factor in that they may not be getting out of the house much. We all know the debilitating nature of the things that obesity brings on. Here is some stats I copied: Mortality Rate - Obese Patients The majority of studies show an increase in mortality rate associated with obesity (body mass index > 30). Obese individuals have a 50-100 percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with normal-weight individuals (body mass index 20–25). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes. Life Expectancy and Obesity Life expectancy of a moderately obese person could be shortened by 2 to 5 years. White men between 20 and 30 years old with a body mass index > 45 could shorten their life expectancy by 13 years. White women in the same category could lose up to 8 years of life. Young African American men with a body mass index > 45 could lose up to 20 years of life; African American women, up to 5. Obesity Mortality Risk Study A study of more than 1 million adults in the United States (457,785 men and 588,369 women), investigated the relation between body mass index and the risk of death from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In people who had never smoked, the lowest point of the mortality curve occurred at a body mass index of 23.5 to 24.9 in men and 22.0 to 23.4 in women. Above those points, the relative risk of death increased linearly with increased body mass indices in both men and women.

Those big bms are quite a relief. I have had diverticulitis a number of times pre-surgery so I know how constipation can wreck your life. I constantly felt like I had to go and could not. Trying to get in enough liquids and when you can, fiber bearing foods or benefiber can help immensely.

Hi and welcome! Mine was 41, just over the line. I also had comorbidities: diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea. Do you have anything like that? Comorbidities cause the BMI not to matter so much.

Way to "go"!

On the button, Fiddleman. I used to go the gym before I had the cancer battle and work out heavy duty. I told myself, "There is a real muscular guy under that layer of fat." I had strength but I didn't have health. I considered myself like a sumo wrestler I guess. 80/20 is about right. Exercise and a smart nutrition program compliment and bolster each other like 2 mountain climbers that take turns pulling each other up. One gets lazy and the other has to carry a double load. If they both get lazy....ahhhhhhhhhhh..spat!

I would give someone a phone call. Every 10 minutes is ok when you have nothing else to do and when you are early on but it is no way to live a life.

I sat at a gourmet meal recently at which it ran through my mind how I wished had ol' stretcher belly back so more could go down my neck. Then reasoning took over. I looked down and saw my belt buckle rather than just assuming that it was there. My mind went back over the many times I advised folks on this forum that consuming vast quantities was not the only way to enjoy a meal, slow chewing and savoring are more important and far less lethal to the health. So I smiled and enjoyed life which I had victoriously made about more than food volume.

When I read your characterization of women I was trying to think of instances when men were rude about weight to other men. Maybe my 64 years have not yielded me enough experience but the only times I can think of when a man brings up the weight of another man maliciously to his face is when he trying to provoke a fist fight. Otherwise, who gives a crap? I have heard men say...yo mama is so fat....she has to..blah, blah, blah,,,,which is more a battle of insult skill and imagination..

Help! Why can't I lose weight with exercise? By smoothie, a large oatmeal cookie, or a large red velvet fro-yo cancels out more than half of your hard work, whittling your calorie deficit down to less than 300. Tip: On workout days, stick to your usual healthy eating routine, or if you have the urge to splurge, create some balance—instead of tacking a cookie onto your sandwich order, ditch the bread and opt for a salad topped with lean Protein, to make room for those cookie carbs. recipes 2. Do focus on the benefits that indirectly affect your weight Even if exercising didn't burn a single calorie, it's still essential for good health, and a smart weight loss strategy. In addition to building muscle, numerous studies have shown that being active reduces stress, and improves sleep quality, two factors that strongly influence your metabolism. One study, which tracked over 60,000 non-obese women for 16 years, found that those who slept five hours or less per night had a 30 percent greater risk of packing on 30 pounds, compared to those who slept a solid seven hours each night. Another Yale study found that non-overweight women who are vulnerable to stress are more likely to carry excess belly fat. Tip: Rather than obsessing over the calorie reading while on the elliptical, visual yourself happily relaxed and sleeping soundly, two states that translate into a healthier (and thinner) you. food In addition to "I earned this" splurges, some research shows that exercise may trigger subconscious additional eating. In one study, moderately active women were divided into one of three groups. The first didn't exercise, while the other two burned 350 calories, working out at different intensities. Those who performed the high-intensity training ate more in the meal that followed the workout than both the low-intensity exercisers and the non-active group. Tip: If you think you may be unknowingly sneaking extra nibbles, especially after a workout that really got your heart rate up, track yourself. A recent Kaiser Permanente study involving over 1,600 people found that those who kept a food journal seven days a week lost twice as much weight over six months, compared to those who weren't regular recorders. Rather than self-policing, think of tracking your intake as simply a way of raising your awareness. Nearly every client I've ever asked to keep a food diary has found that it resulted in some big light bulb moments, such as suddenly realizing how many free samples or bites from their kids' plates they take, or how few veggies they actually eat. Health.com: The 25 Best Diet Tricks of All Time 4. Do make it recreational You may not think of lawn badminton as "exercise," but an hour of this activity burns 300 calories, four and a half times more than sitting. One of my clients was surprised that after a day of antiquing, her jeans fit looser, something she doesn't typically experience the day after her usual workout. Turns out, she had stood or walked for five hours straight, which resulted in burning more calories than her usual eight hours at a desk and one at the gym. Tip: Whether it's organizing a game of softball, playing catch with your kids, or going for a family bike ride, find ways to build more movement into each day. Researcher shows that people with dogs walk them a total of five and a half hours a week. By comparison, those without canine companions spend an average of one hour and 20 minutes exercising each week, and nearly half aren't active at all. 5. Don't decrease your activity the rest of the day French researchers recently found that after high intensity exercise sessions, obese teens compensated by decreasing their activity levels later in the day. Another in older adults found that while exercise improved heart health, it didn't result in burning more daily calories, due to a decrease in activity for the remainder of the day. Tip: If you're not sure if you may be offsetting your workouts with more rest, start a daily activity log. Much like a food diary, it will help you get to know your patterns. If you find that you're more likely to go to bed early, or get sucked into a TV trance on the days you work out, try to notice any patterns. Some workouts may leave you more energized than others, or maybe breaking up your routine into two shorter sessions is a better match for your body chemistry. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/03/28/help-why-cant-lose-weight-with-exercise/print#ixzz2OqEgj35d

I am forcing myself to accept my new size. Today I shopped for a shirt, picked up a large instead of an XXXL which was my old size. My wife asked me if I wanted to take an XL back with me to the try-on room just in case. "Nope, the large is all I need", I said. It was.

I gain and lose 2-4 pounds all the time. It's like waves coming and going. If I go up 5-10 pounds in a short period I get concerned. So far it has not happened. Many factors: exercise, sodium/potassium levels, water consumption, stress, phase of the moon, (ok, not the phase of the moon, that has more to do with beard growth ), contribute to the scale report. The scale is a superficial observer, never delving into the heart, probably like many of the slime guys you ladies have known.

That's 6.7 pounds a week since surgery, almost a pound a day. Not too fast at this stage I don't think. Keep trying on the food, it will get easier. Make sure you eat extra slow.

L'il praying coming up!

Interesting, Changing B4YourEyes. I have felt strange shopping in "normal" areas myself. I have awoke feeling my ribs and wondering what happened to my body. Sometimes people who lose limbs still feel the limbs. It is called phantom pain. I am wondering if we who have lost part of our stomach don't still perceive it being there in some way. But more than that, emotionally attachment to the fat image that was a big part of our lives for so long could be still haunting us. We need to detach it from our identity and accept that reality has us skinny now. We never cry when we throw our cut off hair in the trash. Why do we mourn for fat or hang on to how it made us feel? I think humans need time to adjust to just about everything that occurs to them. My mother never could fully adjust to the fact that I was an adult. I was still that helpless kid to her, she was amazed when I could function on my own. Now I have a wife to amaze.

I got some pretty sweet looks from wife when I got home and put them on for her. Turned out to be a real good day.To thank my sleeve and celebrate I ate good stuff and not too much. My celebrations have changed. Pigging out and self-destruction are not on the agenda.

My love and prayers go out to you!!!!!

Calvin Klein suit and tie, Kenneth Cole shirt. From a 56 long to a 44 long. I also bought: Michael Kors Navy Blazer, Alfani tie, Perry Ellis pants, Kenneth Cole shirt Leaned on the plastic pretty hard today...I ate sensible though.. Here's a pic of me about 5 years ago when I was not at my heaviest, I had just married my niece and her husband. No, they are not Hobbits, I'm just kinda big. This pic was when I first preached after cancer treatment in 2009, 335 pounds:

Purchases made, was great fun as expected. My daughter and granddaughter went with me. They had to make sure I didn't fuddy-duddy it up. I have company tonight and am taking a long bathroom break so I can hit the forum. I will get on the pics as soon as possible. I will tell you I got a bit wild with the credit card.

I am noting the same things you are about focus and sleep. My energy level is up I believe. I find myself looking forward to my morning green blast. I feel an addiction coming on,... this shall continue.

Before my surgery I went to Macy's and looked at the beautiful and way too small suits and told them, "I'll be back and you'll be mine!" That day has come. My size is not only on the rack now, it is down the rack to the smaller sizes! I'm a minister, I need a good black suit for marrying and burying and for special services. Now my size is the one I had when I married my first couple when I was in my 20's, the groom bought me a Johnny Carson suit. I loved that suit, I wore it out. Macy's has Donald Trump, Micheal Kors, and Kenneth Cole suits that look good. I don't know what I'll get but I know it's going to be fun. Knowing me, I will probably tell the salesperson the story. God has indeed smiled on me, with His help I've dumped hated burdens and gained many great friends here in this forum. I'll post pics when I can.

It seems that once the fat starts coming off and the strength and wind increase this thing has a momentum of it's own. You like where you are going and don't want to put the brakes on with crappy eating. You are building yourself like you would build a fancy custom house and only want good materials to go into it. Mixed metaphors but you catch my drift.

Beautiful post, Fiddleman. Sounds like great country there. Could be that the deer sense your kindness, or that you look less like a bear. I couldn't get near them, they would sense my deer meat craving.

I know exactly how you feel. On top of all the reasons you gave for misgivings about the operation I was worried that I would faint all the time from lack of food. My mind was referring back to a time when I dieted and exercised hard and got light headed a lot. It did not turn out like I worried. I was flabbergasted by how well I felt with so little food. No fainting. As the pounds came off my strength and wind elevated. Now at 64 I am exercising like I did in my 20's. Food is good because it gives you fuel and it tastes good. It is not necessary to stuff your gut with mass quantities to enjoy it. I chew slow, savor the taste, and use the energy. I naturally gravitate to good food because I only have so much room and junk is a waste of space. I feel much more masculine now. I have power in reserve. I am no longer helpless; no more getting my granddaughters to tie my shoes. No more being pushed in a wheelchair. Now they have a hard time keeping up with grampa. I feel like I have defeated a disability.