Chianti

You have the courage to sign up for a pilates class. I was always afraid of getting down on the floor and not being able to get back up

Your old belt now goes 1 1/2 times around your waist.

Fun thread. You know you lost weight when
You have to get new shoes because they are to wide for the feet.

Phenomenal!

Cheryl Ann Borne hit a high weight of 285 pounds, and got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She maintained her weight loss, but the extra skin didn’t go away on its own. In 2013 she began a series of plastic surgeries including a Tummy Tuck, total body contouring, and facial surgery, and is now a size 2.


Cheryl is an obesity health activist who writes as My Bariatric Life on Health Central and PM360 Online. She recently launched her new site, My Bariatric Life, and you can follow her on social media, including on Twitter @MyBariatricLife and on Google+.
Weight Gain, Gastric Bypass Surgery, and Lasting Weight Loss
Cheryl was an active teen, but she went from “fit to fat” as she turned to processed food. At 5’7”, she got up to a weight of 285 pounds and a size 24W. Cheryl got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She had diabetes, celiac disease, depression, acid reflux, asthma, and hypertension. She lost over 100 pounds, managed to get off of 9 of her 10 prescription drugs, and does not have chronic back pain anymore. You can see before and after pictures documenting her transformation by watching this video.
A Typical Day in Cheryl’s Life
As proof that you can follow a diet without red meat and stick to a high-protein weight loss surgery diet, here is a sample day’s diet in Cheryl’s life. The following day has 1,789 calories, 165 grams of Protein, and 79 grams of carbohydrates.
Breakfast
2-egg omelet with homemade creamed spinach (dairy-free) and turkey bacon
Snack
coffee with coconut milk, roasted coconut juice, and egg white Protein Powder
Mineral Water
Vitamins/supplements
Scivation Xtend intraworkout drink with branched chain amino acids
Lunch
tuna salad
Baby spring mix and grape tomatoes with lemon vinaigrette
Terra Real vegetable chips
Dinner
Smoked turkey leg, no skin
1 cup turnip greens
Snack
Egg white protein powder in water
Getting Rid of the Traces of Obesity
After losing over 100 pounds after the gastric bypass surgery in 2003, Cheryl had a lot of extra skin. In 2006, she met a plastic surgeon whom she really liked. In 2013, she decided to get a tummy tuck. The extra skin hadn’t gone away after weight loss surgery, and she wanted to get rid of it. As she describes below, she was delighted with her surgeon and the results of the tummy tuck, and decided to go further.
I went from a size 14 jeans being tight to a perfect size 8 in just 4-months. I was so thrilled with the transformation that I decided to do "all of me." In October 2013, Dr. Joseph F. Capella revised the tummy tuck to a lower body lift, and performed a medial thigh lift, extended arm lift, and breast lift. Dr. Capella removed 11 pounds of skin and one liter of fat, and this enabled me to get active in ways that I was unable to with my hanging pannis and inner thighs that rubbed together. I ran my first 3k with my daughter and granddaughter and eventually I was running 5k. What's more, the muscle plication from the tummy tuck placed renewed constriction on my pouch so I am full with less food, as well, I tightened up on my diet by doing Whole30 [a strict 30-day low-carb diet] and going Paleo. In total, I lost 50 inches and 50 pounds after my body contouring plastic surgery. Today I am a size 2, down from a 24W before my gastric bypass surgery.
You can go to HealthCentral to read about Cheryl’s decision to get total body contouring after her tummy tuck. She describes the emotional rollercoaster of the experience, the surgery, and her long road to recovery. She is still dealing with complications from her brachioplasty, but stresses the end goal and her luck in finding a fantastic surgeon who cares about her.
She didn’t stop there, and instead decided “to reach for the stars” and see a facial plastic surgeon.
In one surgery, Dr. Catherine Winslow took about 15 years off my face, restoring the once pretty face that I had when I was thin. I had a total of 10 procedures: deep plane face lift, neck lift, upper eye lid lift, SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) to tear troughs and lips, lip lift, chin implant, 35% TCA peel, Botox and filler. I go back from time to time to Nurse Triste at Dr. Winslow's practice for filler and Botox. I look at this maintenance routine along the same vein as maintaining my hair cut and color.
Destined to Be a Healer
Do you believe in fate? When Cheryl visited Guatemala in May of 2011, a Mayan shaman told her her Mayan symbols showed she was a healer. She could, he said, heal herself and others. As Cheryl tells it below, she wasn’t so sure at first. Then she figured it out.
I visited a Mayan Shaman when I was in Guatemala back in May 2011. He said my Mayan symbols told that I am a healer. I can heal myself and I can heal others. He said that I needed to heal others, to not keep this gift to myself, or else I would experience sickness or pain and that this was the only way to cure my chronic back pain, which I had suffered with for years. The Shaman said that I need to realize my true self. The Shaman also said the symbols revealed that I am creative — that I knew for sure, but I wondered was he right about me being a healer?
So I tried to heal my beloved mother who was stricken with a rare disease. And I tried to heal my beloved boxer dog, Cindi Lu, who was stricken with an aggressive cancer. But I could not save them and felt that I had failed my destiny.
Then in 2012 during a personal development training, I discussed this matter with the instructor. And he replied that maybe I was meant to heal people with my words. I did not give much thought to it after that until one night in 2013, I bolted up from my bed and realized that both the shaman and the instructor were right!
Healing with Words
Cheryl’s work has exploded. She describes the growth of her writing and advocacy career since finding her voice.
I began writing as My Bariatric Life for the HealthCentral Obesity vertical in March 2011, nearly eight years after my gastric bypass. I started out writing just a few articles per month as a health guide -- a patient who would share her real world experience in defeating obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and GERD. My work grew legs. I now write 18 articles and develop two recipes per month for HealthCentral where I have a following of roughly 75,000 unique monthly readers. I also write a quarterly patient advocacy column for PM360 Magazine under my name, Cheryl Ann Borne, and I am a long-standing member of their editorial advisory board.
Cheryl also makes her voice heard by posting as My Bariatric Life on social media, including Flickr, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. She is active on BariatricPal and a site for cosmetic procedure patients called RealSelf. Her goal is to provide fair and trustworthy reviews.
And this month I will begin writing a monthly opinion piece as My Bariatric Life for BariatricPal. I also am exploring opportunities with the Obesity Action Coalition, and in the past have partnered with Obesity PPM and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). !
Daring Move to a New Career as a Digital Health Strategy Consultant
Cheryl has been in the health industry since before her surgery. She explains her career as a digital health strategy consultant.
My career has been as a promotions strategist, writer, and designer in the healthcare space with the last 12-yrs in digital marketing. I’ve worked with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and digital health ad agencies and non-CME medical education agencies. I help them to understand the evolving digital health ecosystem and, based on their unique market circumstances, specifically how to communicate with patients and physicians in meaningful ways via digital channels and to ultimately achieve better health outcomes.
Cheryl is determined to help people improve their lives.
Transforming healthcare is important to me. It's is all about the patient. I want to make a difference; I want to help people live healthier lives.
When her company cut her position in 2013, she took a positive approach and decided to focus her energy on fighting obesity. She developed a business plan as a digital health strategy consultant with an emphasis on growing My Bariatric Life, her obesity health activist brand.
Paleo Follower and Recipe Developer
Cheryl believes in the benefits of the Paleolithic Diet. It is a high-protein diet that you can follow after weight loss surgery. It emphasizes meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, and oils. It forbids grains, processed foods, dairy products, and potatoes. She plans to help others follow this way of eating.
One aspect of my business plan is to launch the brand Borne Appétit in order to teach healthy eating habits and show busy families/couples/singles that it is easy to prepare real food, real simple, and break the cycle of time starvation and over reliance on convenience/processed foods and obesity. To truly understand what it means to eat healthy and break this cycle was something I had to achieve in my own life, and I want to share with people what I have learned through years of experience and experiment. I find the Paleolitihic Diet works best for me…and I enjoy the art of creating delicious recipes within those constraints. I also eat no red meat, only fish and fowl, so this adds an extra level of complexity, which I find stimulating to develop recipes that are not mundane or repetitious.
Valuable Life Lessons
You can be sure Cheryl has learned a lot of valuable lessons from her weight loss surgery and plastic surgery experiences. She knows the value of maintaining her results, living life fully, and challenging herself to live a life she loves. She also recognizes she has gained freedom and an ability to grow.
Beyond the physical transformation are (very unexpected) emotional and spiritual transformations. I’ve returned to some of my roots: ideals and philosophies around the nature of existence that I had walled off (or perhaps ate to insulate myself against) when the emotional pain became too much for my sensitive nature. Plastic surgery was very freeing for me; it freed my jailed spirit. I’ve never been a wallflower but when it came to my body I was timid because I lacked body confidence. And this trickled over into other areas of my life. There were parts of my life that I hid, or situations in which I could not share my feelings, because I was inhibited by the fear of being rejected or judged. And that’s no longer true. I am now able to be my true self, comfortable in my nakedness both physically and emotionally. I am still learning and growing in these areas, particularly in understanding soul relationships and the expression of real love.
We are here to play and experience as much as we possibly can. We are here to grow. Often it is through times of adversity that we grow the most because these times force us to get out of our comfort zones. I have come to understand that there are only two emotions. We are either acting out of love or we are acting out of fear, which is the opposite of love. All other emotions are a derivative of love (compassion, forgiveness, self-sacrifice) or a derivative of fear (selfishness, retaliation, deceit). From now on I choose always to act out of love. Do I let go of control and trust my intuition and follow my heart even when it defies my rational faculties or can’t be proven? If I am to act out of love, then yes. Otherwise I return to acting out of fear. As well, I have learned that I need to protect myself from the negative energies of toxic people — those emotional vampires who can turn my love into fear.
An Exciting Year to Come
Cheryl is expecting a big 2015 in addition to growing her presence as My Bariatric Life and working on Borne Appétit. At the Pharma Marketing Summit in Palm Beach in May, she will be presenting as My Bariatric Life and sharing her story of defeating obesity and its co-morbidities.
Also new for this year, I'll finally launch my websites, a dream I've had for a couple of years. I've already launched MyBariatricLife.org for transformative information on defeating obesity and co-morbid diseases. I'll also launch my healthy recipe site BorneAppetit.com and my eating healthy on-the-road travel site BorneVoyage.com. These sites will help a lot of people.
It definitely looks as though the Mayan shaman was right when he said Cheryl is a healer. She has come a long way toward healing herself through weight loss surgery, plastic surgery, and healthy living, and she is dedicated to helping others become healthier. Don’t forget to follow Cheryl on social media and through her channel on HealthCentral, and watch for her new monthly opinion piece to be published on BariatricPal!
Please click here to read My Bariatric Life's articles in BariatricPal's Weight Loss Surgery Magazine.

Love it! Too bad I didn't read this prior to all the questions thrown at me last week. Now I can't wait for another person to ask!

A hot topic for debate is to tell about our WLS or not to tell. In my opinion, the only "right" answer to this question is to do what is best for YOU. The choices you make about your body are deeply personal and you don't owe ANYONE an explanation or frankly, any answers at all about your weight loss. That said, the nosy nellies (and well meaning, but slightly clueless folk) are often relentless in their questioning.

I will not lie and I will do everything in my power to be polite (for a little while anyways) but firm. It's really not hard. I am just over 18 months out and I've not told ANYONE that I didn't want to about my surgery. Perhaps because I am not a pushover and when I speak, I leave little room for further discussion, but I have only had two people even hint around about surgery, and no one has had the balls to ask out right.

So my answers to the questions I've been asked or I've read that others have been asked (some copied from my reply on another thread):

How are you losing weight? "I'm working with my doctor, eating smaller, healthier portions and exercising."
Are you on a special diet? "I am working with my doctor to eat smaller, healthier portions."

What are you eating? "Well, my doctor and nutritionist have come up with a plan that works specifically for me."

Are you allowed to eat...? "Just like you, I can eat whatever I want, I simply choose not to."

How much have you lost? "A lot."

Well, how much? "A lot."

So how many pounds? "A lot."

What size do you wear now? "That's a weird question."

How much do you weigh? :blank stare: "Why in the world would you ask that?" or "I'm sure you didn't mean to sound as rude as you did."

Did you have surgery? "Why in the world would you ask such a personal question?" or "I didn't realize you were interested in WLS. I suggest you contact a doctor." or "That's a weird question."

How much more do you want to lose? "I'll know when I get there."

Are you still trying to lose weight? "I am working on being the healthiest I can be."

So HOW MUCH have you lost? "A LOT."

Wow! You've lost a TON of weight. "Thank you."

WOW! You are shrinking to nothing. "Thank you."

WOW! You've lost a whole person. "Thank you."

You are going to blow away soon. "Thank you."

Wow. You can't lose much more, can you? "Thank you."

You are really getting too thin. "Thank you."

You eat like a bird. "You eat like a horse." No, not really. HA! "Thank you."


What other questions have you been asked or are you worried about people asking you? Give me something hard!

A lot of weight loss surgery patients struggle with weight for their entire lives before deciding to get surgery. The same is true for Michele Elbertson. The difference is that Michele was only 23 when she hit 427 pounds and got her wake-up call. She got the lap-band, changed her lifestyle, and dropped 260 pounds. She’s run 6 marathons in the past two and a half years, and is training for her first Ironman triathlon this spring.


Bigger from Birth…And Then College Hit
Michele was always big. She was at the top of her height and weight charts from the time she was an infant. She remembers times in her childhood when she couldn’t or wouldn’t participate because she was so big. She didn’t like physical education or sports, and the other children teased her.
food was a comfort. Michele describes the situation as a vicious cycle. The more kids teased her, the worse she felt. The worse she felt, the more she ate. The more she ate, the more she weighed. The more she weighed, the more she got teased.
College was a disaster in terms of her weight. Forget about the freshman 15. What about the freshman 40? And the sophomore 40? Add to that the junior 40, the senior 40, and, for good measure, the super-senior (fifth-year) 67, and you now know how Michele Elbertson got to be 427 pounds at the age of 22 years.
A Young Weight Loss Surgery Patient with New Relationships
Michele made the decision to get the lap-band on her own. She needed a tool to help her control how much she ate, but understood that it was up to her to control what she ate. She only told her parents about her decision after she was sure about it. They were supportive, and have been since then.
Michele has taken full advantage of and responsibility for the band. She has lost 260 pounds – 260 pounds! – in less than four years. As she says, she’s a determined person who will accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
Michele began to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” As her relationships with food and exercise changed, so did her relationships with some friends. She lost some friends whose relationships centered only on food. She gained many more, though, through her new activities. She says the friends she’s gained through running and fitness far outweigh those she lost by changing her lifestyle.
An Athlete Is Born
Michele ran her first 5k after losing 100 pounds – when she was still 327 pounds. She was hooked. She loved the training, the atmosphere of the race, and the accomplishment. She has never looked back. Since then, she has run countless other races, including 38 half-marathons, 6 marathons, and a 50-miler ultra-marathon. She has also competed in triathlons.
Now at an athletic 159 pounds, Michele has her sights on even greater challenges. In the near future, she wants to run a 100-miler and complete an Ironman. Both are feats that most people wouldn’t even dream of.
Marathons, Ultras, and Ironmans
Now, not everyone’s a distance runner or triathlete, so to understand Michele’s accomplishments, here are a few facts about these endurance sports.
A marathon is 26.2 miles. All marathons are 26.2 miles.
An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. Michele’s recently completed ultra-marathon was 50 miles, and she is training for a 100-miler.
A triathlon includes swimming, biking, and running. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon.

Fitting It All in Every Day
Michele works out 6 days a week. Currently, she’s training for an ulta-marathon and is running 5 days a week and lifting weights 3 times. She also does Zumba classes. She takes a rest day once a week.
Michele has built her life to be able to accommodate her training schedule. She recently quit her teaching career to focus instead on helping others achieve their fitness and health goals. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Working at a gym is pure genius – it leaves her with no excuse not to get her workout in!
Eating Like a Bariathlete
How do you have energy to train like an athlete and work full-time while losing over 200 pounds in 4 years? Ask Michele. Here’s how she eats and works out in a typical day.
7:00 a.m. breakfast: almonds and yogurt or eggs/romaine lettuce
9:00 a.m. snack: Protein bar
Workout, such as running, lifting, or group fitness class, such as Zumba or bokwa
Noon. lunch: Soup or salad, usually the largest meal of the day
2:00 p.m. snack: cheese and crackers or something small, equivalent to 200 calories (may include a fruit or vegetable)
4:00 p.m. snack: hot tea
6:00 p.m. dinner; lean protein, veggie, possibly a carb
7:30 p.m. snack: lemon water/hot tea.

The number of calories Michele eats during a day is 1,800 (her resting metabolic rate) plus half of the calories she burns through exercise. So, if she runs 10 miles and burns 1,200 calories in exercise, she’ll eat 1,800 plus 600 calories, or 2,400 calories. She allows herself an occasional treat meal with junk food, but still counts those calories.
The Accolades
Michele is more than your typical bariatric patient, and she’s been getting the recognition she deserves for her extraordinary achievements. These are a few recent examples.
Runner’s World magazine Cover Contest Finalist.
Makeover on the Rachel Ray Show.
Local feature on 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia.

Dealing with Negativity – Don’t Worry About It
One of the most striking things about Michele is her drive. She has worked very, very hard to get where she’s at today. She’s lost 60 percent of her body weight through being very disciplined every day. And, she has run marathons. Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you that it is was harder than they had ever imagined. Anyone who hasn’t run a marathon cannot imagine how difficult it is.
But with all the publicity, Michele has receive a lot of nasty comments. How is she supposed to react when people slam her? They say she hasn’t accomplished anything, that the band has done it all. In fact, they basically say what a lot of weight loss surgery patients hear all the time from people who don’t know any better.
So how does Michele react to negativity? She doesn’t want to respond directly and add “fuel to the fire.” She knows they don’t know anything about her, and she’s probably done more exercise and worked harder than they ever have. So, she just goes about her business.
Leading by Example
Michele says she hopes her successes and story will give others hope. She describes herself as a “real person” and “very down-to-earth,” and she hopes others will see that they can accomplish what she has. In the future, she would like to travel to seminars as a motivational speaker. In the meantime, we congratulate her on her amazing story and wish her well in her 100-miler this spring!

Holy smokes! If I wasn't already convinced to have this surgery, I would be now after seeing your photos! My goodness!! Great job lady!!!

It looks like my writing didn't show up so I will write again! Lol
Hi Everyone!
I haven't been on in awhile so just wanted to post an update! I have been busy living my new life! Gastric bypass has truly given me a new life!!
Had surgery on 2/19/13. I'm 5'4". Start weight: 230 lbs. Shirts: XXL Pants 16 (about because I never wore regular pants.)
Current weight: 120lbs. Shirts: Xtra Small (juniors). Pants: 1 (juniors and they are a little too big!)
I hope I can inspire some people!! Good luck to everyone!
God bless!

Or when you get on an airplane and low and behold you now have 6 inches of seatbelt left and don't have to ask for an extender.
Or when you sit in a booth at a restaurant and you not only fit but have a lot of extra room.
Or when someone takes a picture of you and your shocked by how thin your face looks! I love being shocked! And taking pictures now.
Or when your husband tells you to slow down you are walking to fast. Or you have to turn around and ask if they are ok because your cruising and they cannot keep up!
Thanks for starting this thread! It reminds folks do all the good things going on in their lives because the made a decision to have weight loss surgery.

Things I never thought I'd say...but I did recently:
"No, seriously... I don't want a bite."
"One more size and it's goodbye Lane Bryant!"
"I don't want to watch TV... I want to get on the treadmill."
"Wait, let me look up the nutrition facts on MFP!"
"I don't want a Coke Zero, thanks. Water's fine."
"How much Protein does that have?"
"I want a salad for dinner tonight."
That moment when you realize your WLS must be working:
...when your own mother jokingly tells you you look terrible & you need to get new clothes.
...when you bend over and fall out of your bra.
...when someone you haven't seen in a while asks a mutual friend if you've been sick because you look so different.
...when your old favorite pair of leggings makes you look like D. van Dyke in Mary Poppins during the carousel scene (when he yanked his pants onto his hips to mimic a penguin) because the crotch hangs so low now.
...when you don't hear that "shh, shh, shh" sound when you wear pantyhose under a dress.
...when you see collarbones/neck hollows and hip bones you haven't seen or felt in years.
...when someone's arms reach all the way around you when they hug you.

This is exactly what happened to me but it was due to my diabetes. I cried when the doctor told me I had to get my diabetes under control. My surgery was postponed for 3 months... But it went by so fast I am literally now 36 hours away from my surgery on Monday. Use this time to prepare yourself that's what I did...

Have patience with the reality that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. :-)

Sleeved on 05/20/2013.
Tummy Tuck and flank Lipo on 11/21/14 in Nogales,MX with Dr. Covarrubias (Hospital Clinica Del sol)
Fat transfer from legs, upper back and pubic area to the gluteal area in March 2015 ☺️☺️
  

It's been 4 months and I'm feeling great. so far I've lost 65lbs went from a size 3x to now XL/1x and I'm able to tolerate everything. I don't dump, have nausea or any of that stuff. I've been very very careful with my eating and chewing. however I am experiencing hair loss which I know a lot of rnys have to go through. it started around my 3 month post op but I think it has slowed down (I hope). life has been pretty normal.. I have more confidence now.. and actually feel good about myself. before this I was in a very dark place but things are going ok now. a little about my diet I have Protein throughout the day such as fish, chicken, Beans, etc along with my veggies. that's basically the only way I eat of course and I absolutely love it! no rice, no Pasta, bread, etc.. which I find is so great. I love this diet and will always follow it for the rest of my life. I l have no interest in those old carby foods.. anyways.. I'm really looking forward and can't wait to see myself on my 1 year surgiversary. I hope everyone is doing well and good luck to those now starting/already on their journey wishing everyone the best new year filled with great health and success. take care all ♥

We will all the best we can. We will all have hiccups along the way.
I too, had thoughts of not waking up. This really scares me more for my kids then it does me. I was reading another thread and they recommended getting your affairs in order, make a will, etc. before you go into surgery. Just in case the worse happens. But it won't....we are all going to have surgery and get healthy and next summer we can show off our new photos!!!

Well said, Amazing!

Well said, Amazing!

Ten months ago I weighed 302. Yes, 302. I was so blue.
My life was small and getting worse. Obesity was my lifelong curse.
I had a dream. A dream to live. It asked for all my strength to give.
I mustered strength and all my will. Every requirement I would fill.
I got my LapBand and then began
My new life of not "can't", but "can".
I can, I said, and walked a mile. You've never seen a bigger smile.
I can, I said, and rode a horse. "The hour trail?" I said, "Of course!"
A trip to Italy, climbing hills. My new endurance gave me chills.
A bubble bath is a luxury that once was for everyone else but me.
An airplane ride with a regular belt. I can't describe how good that felt.
The movie seats used to squish my hips. Now the room I have brings a grin to my lips.
My larger clothes become someone's prize as I donate them for a smaller size.
My dozen meds have gone away. One pill and a Vitamin today.
Arthritis pain controlled me so. I am so glad to see that go.
A hundred pounds have waved goodbye. There really is no better high.
Fifty more to get to goal. Not stopping now. I'm on a roll!
So if you're starting out, don't fear. This all can be in your new year!
Have faith, believe, work hard, and give
Yourself the best of gifts -- to LIVE!

No way. Be kind to yourself and watch the game on TV

Not everyone needs it. A lot depends on your age, your beginning weight, whether or not you exercise, and many other factors. So, take it one step at a time! First, focus on losing the weight and changing your lifestyle. Why worry about something that may or may not happen?
I was told that if you exercise, you have a better chance of not needing to have skin removed. It's not a guarantee by any means, just helps. So, as soon as you are allowed, start a walking program. Go to the gym, too. Join a class, go swimming, go for a bicycle ride, play tennis, any and all of the above. I personally thing that you should always have a good walking program in addition to anything else you do.
Best of luck and take it one step at a time.
Merry Christmas!

As the New Year approaches everyone begins assessing how they have done over the last year and what changes they will make going into the New Year. If you have had surgery in the last year, you have a lot to look back on: all of the changes, all of the pounds lost, and all of the amazing things you are doing now. If you are still trying to decide if the next year will be your year for surgery, I strongly hope that you read on.


As the New Year approaches everyone begins assessing how they have done over the last year and what changes they will make going into the New Year. If you have had surgery in the last year, you have a lot to look back on: all of the changes, all of the pounds lost, and all of the amazing things you are doing now. If you are still trying to decide if the next year will be your year for surgery, I strongly hope that you read on.
At the end of 2013 I was a guy who could barely get up out of a chair, someone who was scared to go down the stairs for fear of getting hurt, was hurting on a regular basis, and dreamed that there had to be more to life than wasting away on the couch. I sat in bed at night dreaming of doing all of the things I never thought I would ever be able to do. Then on November 4, 2013, I took the plunge.
“But your surgery wasn’t in 2014?” you may say.
True, but my journey truly began in 2014 as I has just finished recovering from surgery and was starting to piece my new life together. Over the last year I have seen my body change. I went from being over 530lbs down to a current weight of 310lbs. I still have plenty more to go, but not bad for a year of hard work. During the last year I walked a 5K and walked my first 10K, but that wasn’t good enough for me. I then bought a bike and began biking in events which culminated in a 30 mile ride at Bike MS Venture the Valley and a 38 mile ride at the Twisted Pretzel ride in Germantown, Ohio. Still it wasn’t good enough. I follow the biking up with a three quarter mile swim in the Ohio River. I swam from the Cincinnati side to the Kentucky side and back in under 17 min. I actually got 6th place in my age group if you can believe that, but it still wasn’t good enough. I could do more. I finished out my year by running my first ever 5K without stopping at the DAV 5K and attempted the Thanksgiving Day 10K with mixed results. I ran 4 of the six miles and learned some valuable lessons on nutrition and training.







Looking back I have had an amazing and productive year. I have done some amazing things that only a year ago I was dreaming about. The problem for me is that with all of those amazing things, it is still not good enough. For me, every time I push myself, I want to find my absolute limit. The problem is that when I get to the end, I realize I could push harder, or go longer, or go faster. I have not yet found my body’s limit. That is just how amazing it is. So what do I do about it all?




I PLAN 2015!




In 2015 I plan on doing more 5K’s and local bike races, but the big events are simple. I will begin training to run the 15K at the Heart Mini followed by the half marathon at the Flying Pig. I then want to compete in my first triathlon. It is an Olympic triathlon in Cincinnati, Ohio. I plan on finishing out my year with a 2.4 mile swim in the Ohio River down in Louisville, Kentucky. I want to continue pushing those limits in 2015 and I have a sneaking suspicion I will still not find my limits.
I strongly encourage you all as 2014 comes to a close to begin thinking about your journey over the last year. Yes there are plenty of other fun resolutions to make like reading more, learning a new language, or taking a chance on love, but for now I want you to concentrate on you and your weight loss. I want you to take inventory of the amazing things that have happened over the last year and all of the area where you feel like you have not pushed it to its limit. Make a list, make it tangible, hang it where you will constantly be reminded of the list. I just want you to ponder it for a couple days. Then you can move on to step two.
Step two is where you begin making your goals and resolutions for the New Year. I want you to make sure that these are goals that you can accomplish with pushing yourself a little. I don’t want them to be too easy or too hard. If you need help with this, my door is always open, shoot me a line. I want you to think of all the things you have dreamed about doing but your weight has held you back from. Make a list of those things and begin knocking things off of the list. This could be things as simple as going down a flight of stairs without help like it was for me at the beginning of the year, or it could be to run a marathon. I do not know where you are in this journey, but you need to make your resolutions ones that are personal to you. If you are not passionate about the things you are trying to accomplish nothing will come of it. I have been working really hard to gain sponsors to help me reach my goals for the next year and for years to come. I got my first one for next year just this week and am super excited, but I am still going to push with my resolution to try and have three sponsors before the end of May.




Remember when you are forming your resolutions that you follow the formula for SMART goals. Make sure they are:
S – Specific – The more specific you are on the details of your goals the easier it is to monitor progress
M – Measureable – You should be able to give a specific number to your goals (distance, time, reps, etc.)
A – Attainable – These should be goals that are feasible to accomplish in a set time frame.
R – Realistic – Being a goal you are both willing and able to work toward.
T – Timely – Make sure your goals have a specific time frame.




I hope this helps you begin thinking of what resolutions you will make with your own journey going into 2015. This last year has been truly amazing and I can’t wait to hear all the amazing stories from readers going through the next one. I strongly encourage all of you to share your resolutions in the comments below so the Bariatric Pal community can rally around and encourage you as your pursue a whole new level of awesome in 2015.




I BELIEVE IN YOU! MAKE 2015 EPIC!

You are doing a great job because you are on the downward scale of losing! Everyone is different so you can't compare your weight loss to others. Just keep moving, eating right and staying focus on your own personal journey !!!!