mytime2shine

I've been reading all the new posts on this thread and I just want to say congrats to everyone who are post op and to all the pre op folks.....good luck and my only regret was not having this surgery years ago....the anticipation was far worse than the surgery itself.

HW 295.9
SW 272.3 (06/06)
CW 244.6

Surgery June 10th
I am 5 feet 8 inches tall
HW 289
SW 275
CW 240
I was in sized 24 and now in a size 18 comfortably. I have one size 16 shorts that I can button and zip but I will not wear them for a few weeks. I like looser clothes. I am so happy I did this. I cant tolerate any hard vegetables yet. Yogurt is a favorite thing for me and I am eating almonds. I drink Protein Shakes and eat Protein Bars with low sugar and high Protein. I cant work out much but I still do it when I can. My fat is changing. I jiggle when I walk or move.

Hi All...I'm Brian. Just found out about this site today and having the surgery on Thursday.
I was always the “Fat” kid. I was perennially picked last for the teams at school and camp, frequently turned down for school dances and weekend dates, and we won’t even go into being the fat kid who was saddled with the initials BM. Growing up was not a cakewalk.
But here’s the thing…I wasn’t fat!
I may have been “husky” but I wasn’t fat.
I may have been slightly pudgy, but never fat.
I was a big kid with a big build to be sure, but I wasn’t fat.
If you look at pictures of me in elementary school and high school…I wasn’t fat. I just wasn’t “thin” and when you combine that with average looks, the “cool” kids pigeonhole you as “the fat kid”.
Now to be fair, I come from a long line of fat asses. My mom my was fat, like her father before her and his father before him. I come by it honestly. So if I REALLY wanted to, I could say I was genetically enhanced to be fat. Gaga would say I was just “born that way”.
I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately and I have to tell you, I don’t buy into it…I believe the weight I carry with me at age 41 is not just physical, but mental.
I was bullied at a young age into believing I was the “fat” kid. I was cajoled and conditioned and eventually accepted the fact that I was the “fat” kid who was bad at sports and socially awkward. I honed my sense of humor to quickly disarm those who would “attack” me. Taking pot shots at myself would render my adolescent tormentors without ammunition, and ultimately I learned how to make my fat skin thick.
I discovered acting at a young age and fell in love. For 2 hours, I didn’t have to be seen or known as “Brian The Fat” but “Brian The Actor” who played to perfection loudmouthed, slightly pudgy characters like Nathan Detroit, Daddy Warbucks, Psedulous and countless others!
I eventually became part of a high school rock band and sang…I was not “Brian The Fat” but “Brian The Singer”. I played in other bands over the years as a drummer. It helped that sitting behind a kit would also hide the increasingly larger “Brian The Fat”, that would show up soon as the last song was finished.
But unfortunately by that time, the damage was already done to my psyche. “Brian The Fat” was not only large, but now in charge.
Now, this isn’t a sad story. Those early years; for better or for worse, shaped and molded me to who I am today, which is pretty damn good. I have an awesome marriage with my wife Michele, after realizing as an adult that bullies are always going to be bullies no matter what the age, we have a wonderful group of friends and after opening a business at the worst economic time possible, I have managed to increasingly grow it and watch it become successful.
For years, I embraced and to a point celebrated my increasing weight. I changed my moniker from “Brian The Fat” to “Brian The Fat Ass” and joked about it openly. I once embarrassed the crap out of my wife at a Dillard’s Department Store while we were on vacation in Florida. We walked in and I asked the very nice salesperson where “The fat ass section” was.
But now I’m REALLY fat, weighing it at a hefty 315 pounds. I’m the picture of health for a fat ass, and if there is such a thing, I wear my weight well. I don’t look like I weigh as much as I do.
But any way I try and spin it, 315 pounds is morbidly obese and not the picture of health. It has slowly taken a toll my knees and my back…it makes it difficult to shop for clothes and impedes my job as a photographer.
I remember for years talking to Mom about her weight and saying “just don’t eat this” or “eat less of that”. She would always say that “it’s not that easy…” and I remember thinking “well, how hard could it be?”
I found out in the last 10 years…it’s pretty damned hard.
I, like my mother before me, have tried every diet out there. Weight Watchers, Medifast, Atkins, etc. They have all worked with varying degrees of success, but the weight ultimately came back. For no other reason than “well, if I have just ONE…” Sadly, it doesn’t end with just one. Most of the time, it doesn’t end with two or three either.
People who’ve never struggled with weight don’t understand why “you can’t just eat less and exercise more”? I never really had answer for them until recently when I started thinking long and hard about how I got here.
When it came to these “lose weight fast” diets, I always felt that if I can train my body to be happy with X amount of food, it would just learn how to do without; the same way I trained my body that it no longer needed nicotine. Eat less, stomach shrinks, EASY!
Except it’s not.
The problem is you’re constantly battling your memories and habits that have formed from them.
Had a bad day? Nothing an ice cream cone or Tastykake can’t fix. It’s only a small detour…I’ll start the diet again tomorrow.
Eating dinner out with friends…having a dinner roll or two, followed by an appetizer, meal and dessert has ALWAYS been the norm. I’ll just do it tonight and I’ll start the diet again tomorrow.
It all adds up.
The meals, the safe harbor foods, lack of exercise because you’re just not one of those people who enjoy anything but walking (and yes, I’ve tried!)… A lifetime of events and mental luggage that has now taken up residence around my midsection.
For the last couple of years, I have been investigating and considering bariatric surgery. I have seen it do wonderful things for both family and friends and thought maybe it could do the for me. But I wasn’t 100% sold on the bypass side of things, and I also had heard too many horror stories about the lap band. I went to information sessions, did a lot of testing and met with Abington Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Gintaras Antanaviscus (don’t even try…just call him Dr. G).
While yes, it will help me lose weight and keep it off…there is an entire mental side that needs to be dealt with as well. I’ve spent a lifetime being “Brian The Fat.” It’s so much a part of who I am…so it’s going to be a long road to not look in the mirror and see him looking back. It’s going to be an interesting ride to say the least. Luckily there are support groups for people who have had this surgery, and I have a very loving wife and family who are there to support me as well.
Exercise is going to have to be part of the life in this new body. The nice thing is that I’ll be able to walk more than 2 miles without my knees and back hurting. Hell, I may even be able to do more than 1 pushup without feeling like I’m ready to pass out. I truly enjoy walking, and I’m excited that I’ll be able to do more of it. I won’t be doing a couch to 5k or anything like close to that. I’ve never enjoyed running and never will. You people who do it are just nuts
There is no such thing as a “happily ever after” when it comes to something like this. I know there will be days I’ll be frustrated that I won’t be able to fully enjoy a meal at Capital Grille, but the tradeoff for that is not having to worry if I need to buy a second seat on an airplane. Sure, I won’t be able to eat but a few bites of an ice cream cone anymore, but the tradeoff for that is that I can shop in any clothing store now, and wear clothes that I actually like…rather than just buying something because it fits.
Sometimes you have to sacrifice one slice of happy for another.
So…that’s the story. I don’t know what the next year to 18 months will bring…but I know that at the very least I’ll have added time to live (provided I don’t get hit by a bus) the life I’ve made with Michele.
That alone is worth the price of admission.

Nope, Because a stall is a month with no movement of inches or Lbs,

I did at first. Then this weekend I took 3 large trash bags and filled them with clothes I could no longer wear. I realized, ok this is real.
Then this AM, I literally could not wear pants I could on Friday. They were too big. So yes, I'm finally seeing it in the mirror.

Same here. I'm in the gym at least 5 days a week doing 39 mins minimum of elliptical or treadmill & another 30 of strength training. I'm down 35 lbs so far.

scale is moving again!!
Going to gym 5 days a week--- usually for an hour (treadmill, bike, elliptical).
Trying to up my calories just a bit (as NUT advised) snacking on 100 calorie pack almonds & Holy Guacamole 100 cal packs-- avg about 800/ day. Trying diligently to get 60-80 g of Protein each day. Water seems to be my biggest struggle -- avg ~40-50 oz per day

I will weigh in tomm when i hit exactly 5 weeks but im down 29.4 yay

Sleeved by Dr Schrapps - June 6, 2013
Very pleased
Hw295
Sw272
Cw250

Dr Dean's office in Beaumont hosts a support meeting every third Thursday of the month. They welcome all, no matter where you have your surgery, or what kind. It starts at 5:30..... pm, and we talk about all kinds of things, people that are thinking of the surgery or have had it, what to drink, what to eat? you having problems with..........
Please join us, he is located in the building next to the Wellness Center in Beaumont, he is with Dr Shrapps. would love to see you there

SW 272 CW 252
Walking 1 1/2 miles per day &
Riding stationary bike or doing Wii Exercises 30 min per day
-- did 55 mins of Zumba yesterday (first time ever!!!!)
Avg around 800 cals per day
Feeling great. Lots of energy.
Only problem getting water/fluids req everyday (avg 45-50 oz)

SW 272 CW 252
Walking 1 1/2 miles per day &
Riding stationary bike or doing Wii Exercises 30 min per day
-- did 55 mins of Zumba yesterday (first time ever!!!!)
Avg around 800 cals per day
Feeling great. Lots of energy.
Only problem getting water/fluids req everyday (avg 45-50 oz)

wow am I so out of practice you didnt realize I was flirting with you? lol

TOMORROW!!! I am so excited! I've been jumping through hoops for insurance since November 27, 2012. Now the day is finally here!
Sent from my iPhone using VST

Hang in there!! Keep pushing on!! Down to an 18 is HUGE progress!!!

Well things have changed 100% getting hit on rather then hitting on a woman is always nice

Hi, My name is Melissa. I am 59 years old , a widow with 2 grown daughters. I live in northern New Jersey. I put on over 40 lbs since my husband passed 10 years ago, my weight climbed to 238lbs and have struggled to take it off. I started looking into weight loss about 3 years ago, but my insurance company declined me since I did not have a 5 year history documented with a physician. I went to the dr. regularly after that, and am happy to say that my insurance company approved my surgery July 3rd and Ihad surgery on July 15th.... I am feeling good and have lost a total of 20lbs since the day I found out that I was getting the surgery (6 lbs prior to the surgery and 14 lbs since the surgery).

Here is my story,
I am a wife, mom, sister and daughter. I am 29 years old. A lover of coffee, and good beer. I currently stay home with our two son's, before that I worked in the construction industry. Which is where I met my hubby, he was my boss...scandal, I know. Although I do not believe in perfection in a general way, my life is very close. I love my family, my marriage (most days), God, even the 2 huge dogs that came with my husband. I would not want to change anything, except...
My weight.
I have never been labeled a 'string-bean', I was more in the 'big boned' category, or rather 'husky'. I weighed 120lbs in sixth grade. Just to give you an idea. I played sports until I graduated, mostly soccer. I played on select teams so It was a year round thing. When I stopped playing soccer, I gained weight, obviously. It did not help I moved to Seattle and lived in a house with friends and partied all the time. I resorted to diet pills. And crazy diets. My weight was on a roller coaster for years. In 2006 I weighed 150lbs, which I thought I would maintain forever. I had sworn off junk food and vowed to never get so heavy again. Well, I am here aren't I? I met my now husband, we ate, drank, and married. We both gained weight. He stopped soda and added more veggies, and he lost weight super fast. I on the other hand did not. I have been on a the scale incline since. Add two babies, 15 months apart and now this roller coaster hasn't started the down hill part.
Now I am here. Somewhere in the 260's. Diabetes, hypertension and the like are knocking on my door. I don't have them yet, but I will if something does not change. My feet ache. Worse than just plain sore. I walk like a 90 year old when I first get up. My knees hurt, my back hurts. I am too young for this. I have tried every diet you have heard of. I lose weight for like a month or two and then I gain it back. I am so fed up with all of it. My aunt had the gastric band a couple years ago. She looks great. The best she has ever looked. I told her how great she looks and her reply was "I wish I would have felt this great in my 30's" I asked if she had any regrets and she said "yes", "I wish I had done it sooner"
I started looking into weight loss surgery a year or so ago. I settled on the gastric sleeve, for many reasons. I found a doctor who operates out of a hospital here in Seattle. Our insurance will not cover this so cost was a concern but we ruled out Mexico, again for many reasons. And we found Dr. Hunter. I have met his staff and have done all the 'testing' to qualify for surgery. I meet Dr. Hunter 8/16/13 and my surgery will be September 4th, 2013.
There is a lot to come in the following months. I am nervous, excited, and everything in between.

I would like to share with all you marvelous May sleevers some encouraging information from my nut. She painted a great picture for me by saying, "Weight loss with the sleeve is like going down a flight of stairs. You land on a step and stay there for a period of time (a few days or a couple of weeks) with no weight loss and then you move down to the next stair (2-3 lbs lost in a week), then you stay on that step for a few days before moving down to the next step." This image is a perfect description of my journey of weight loss so far. And it appears to capture a lot of others' experience, as well. She also gave me the following nutritional goals saying that it is difficult to get more Protein in when only eating 1/2 - 2/3 cup of food (normal for my stage at 10 weeks out). She prefers that the majority of protein come from food, at this point, with Protein Shakes filling in gaps throughout the week. Calories: <1000 Fat: 30 max Carbohydrates: 30-50 (excluding vegetables) Protein: 40-50 (eventually 70-80) Sodium, Na: no recommendation Fiber, total dietary: 25-35 (eventually)

I went to my hospital support group and someone told me about putting Protein Powder into sf pudding. It's good and its really increased my Protein total. I was sleeved 6/25/13 and wasn't losing like I thought I should be and since I increased my protein I've started losing

I'll be 1 month post op on the 17th...I had a 19 day stall that started with my cycle on week 2. I was sad, mad, frustrated...you name it! But at last the scale is moving again!

I wouldn't -- all I did was sleep, walk & sip