Dub

Put the pics away boys, dang it all to heck. Well at least I don't have to ask for a hall pass Wait wut.......we are supposed to ask for those ? Damn. It would seem I've not followed proper protocol and took indecent liberties............sheeeeeeeeiiiiiiiittttttt. Oh, well.....trust & believe that I'll not be asking for retroactive hall pass as well as future hall pass. I'm just gonna slip and dip the halls like Jeff Spicolli did.........and do my dead level best to avoid Mr. Hand. Grew so dang tired of Mr. Hand........ (that's a Fast Times at Ridgemont High reference above, folks......not a statement about masturbation....as far as ya'll know anyway.....well most of ya'll).

You make it sound so easy to be Dub. That's nice. As far as the sleeve surgery goes....it truly has been that simple. In some other categories, however......it's a freaking mess.

October 2015 April 2016 (not after pics.....but DURING pics....long way to go to reach AFTER status)

I'm so glad I was simply upfront with folks from the very beginning. It's been the biggest nonevent imaginable. There's been zero judgmental comments voiced nor has there been any blowback.....simply good positive supportive comments and attaboys. Coming up with a cover story of how I was losing 40% of my bodyweight seemed like a sham and a bunch of bs. It's a choice we each have to make....and everyone's circumstances are unique to them. I'm just a straightaway, heart on sleeve sort. Truth is easier than fabrication.

Amen !!!!! When in Rome.......eat & dine better than the Romans !!! Steak, fish, eggs, lobster and cheeses were my mainstay.......that and too much liquor. I had a blast with the cadre of international bartenders and my peeps at the poolside bars. Fun stuff. Slept very little and partied like a beast. Hot tubs and salt Water pools were my peaceful spots. Found a couple bars in Cozumel that adopted me for a day, too.

I hear ya on the rant. Was on a cruise last week and it became evident........grossly evident....at how poorly folks eat. I hit my six month mark during the cruise. I've made the transition to the ne way of doing things and feel that it's a lifelong change for me. The food commercials don't bother me any more. Especially after last week and people watching on the ship. Virtually all the staff onboard were height-weight chart compliant. Almost all. The cruisers we mostly overweight.....and a high percentage were obese. No mystery as to why when you observe them in restaurants. I'm an early riser and tended to take my book and sit and sip coffee in the buffet restaurant each morning. Unreal what I observed people chowng down on. Massive quantities. I often saw the same people in line again when I'd go back a couple hours later to eat Breakfast with my wife. I saw my old self in those people. My old habits. I'm glad I saw this.

Very disturbing event. Sad that her children are victims as well. The killer should be tortured brutally over a long span of time prior to being put to death.

How did you derive this goal ?

Keep on track as you have already read above.......as there is no food you can't have in the future. Absolutely zero need for food funerals now. Get on that liquid diet as soon as you can and start losing now at an impressive rate. The goal is to lose weight.......not to wait for the surgery to lose weight. Begin losing now by committing to the new way of living.

Wow.

Wow...Congrats! You look damn good! Agreed !!!!!

I hear ya. I'm a gun fan, too. Ordered a 12 ga last week that's set up specifically for turkey hunting. Should be here this week....in time to go after one this season, I hope. Recently added a 5" 44rem mag for woods gun....should be good on bear, hogs or maybe a close ranging deer next fall. If nothing else, it'll be fun as hell to shoot. Treated myself last birthday to the 1911 that I've wanted for as long as I've been a shooter. Damn thing is a tack driving machine. Way more accurate than I am. Added another bucket list 1911 for Christmas. My gun needs are covered......Mustang or Challenger needs are next up........ Gym time doesn't register as an addiction to me.....it's just a spot where I go to workout and soak up motivation. I'm under no illusions that I'll be a bodybuilder like some of my buddies are. They spend insane $$$ on supplements and gear.....yet look like skinny-fat dudes who are pissing in the wind and crying for attention for their efforts. There are a couple of them that are making killer progress in there......quiet progress....unlike the loud little guy who has been posting his workouts on Facebook....shirtless.....doing poses.....and yelling into the cameras. Sounds impressive, but looks like a Butterball turkey. Hilarious, stuff. Speaking of gym time......I'm headed there now. I've got a lot of work to do.

I'm highly impressed with what you have done and the manner in which you've proceeded. Outstanding levels of discipline demonstrated. Very impressive. I've taken notes from your post and will be getting back to basics this week myself after some much needed vacation time where I got off track a bit. Working in a bakery........sheesh. That's some serious temptation that you are kicking ass with pushing aside. Much respect. I have a buddy here in town that's had wls.....and kills it in our gym....absolutely insane levels of workout motivation shown by him......and he's the head chef in the nicest local establishment. How....in the world....he can make the unreal transformation he's made.....while being immersed in cuisine the likes of which would break anyone's willpower is beyond me. I am inspired by you both. I wish I had heaps of great advice for you.....but, I'm afraid I do not. I basically am soaking up your motivation and discipline here and kicking my own arse into a higher gear. I do, however, feel the advice given by others to add some additional Protein calories to your meal plan seems to be wise. Maybe another meal could be added: two hard boiled eggs, or a pack of flavored tuna/salmon, or some bacon as @@FocusOnMeNow suggested or an extra protein shake or a bag of Quest chips and some tasty salsa or guacamole. An extra 200 calories of protein & fat seems like a small spike in calories yet could yield another 30 grams of protein/fat to your intake. Metabolism benefits may become evident soon. I added a killer....killer meal last night based on a suggestion that came to me on here.......had a busy day yesterday and stopped at a new Chinese restaurant on the way home. I'd not eaten at all....just coffee all day....two of the coffees had 20g each of protein in them. I was a little weak feeling and knew it was danger time.....danger as in it's a scenario where the old me would overeat at the end of the day. Anyway.....some wonton Soup (only one wonton dumplings eaten) some pepper steak (two slices---maybe a forkful) and 3 spears of broccoli and I was done, done, done. Pretty sure I didn't hit 60 grams of protein.....but the filling meal was low calorie.....low carb and left me feeling like I'd had a 5 course meal. You are doing great and working hard. I can see why the now slower rate is frustrating you. You have done everything in your power....understandable frustration. Maybe you can vent on your NUT and ensure them that you are the model patient and get some additional insight from them.

You will get there. Those first two months are the hardest post op timeframe. I would really reconsider not doing the applesauce bit, though. Maybe there is an easy carb-free low calorie solution.

Very well said. Don't have food funerals. You will be able to have any of your favorite foods after you reach your goal weight and maintain that.......in small portions. You may not ever want them again after you see what life without excess junk food does for you. The cravings for them will be gone and you'll see how lean you have become once you cut them out. Gaming weight now is very dangerous and is an indicator that you may not be ready to make the changes needed for surgery and th new life. It is going to take effort from you. Effort and discipline. A new life awaits. It begins now....before the surgery. Time to rally.

Unreal transformation !!!! Unreal transformation !!!!

When I started my bariatric process last June I was wearing 6xl shirts. I'm now buying and wearing 2xl shirts. By the Fall, I'd ove to make good on my threat to my son and raid his closet for a couple cool 1x shirts he owns.

Dang.......sorry to hear about your misfortune !!! I was on vacation in the Western Caribbean last week as well. I probably should have fallen down a time or two because of the motion of the boat and a bit too much rum. I hope you heal up well and enjoy a full recovery.

So true. The changes we are all making are for the rest of our lives. The initial hurdles are the short term stuff....whether it's 2 years or 5 years.....or any amount of time it takes to get the results we seek. It's just so easy to get blown away with the promising initial successes and want to amp up the timeframe for everything. I caught myself feeling like this all this past week while on vacation. Ready to be "there". Hey, at least I was able to hang out at poolside bars and did so shirtless.....and didn't have a care in the world. 6 months ago, I'd never have been able to allow myself such liberties. We typically take this week off and get out of town every year. I am very enthused when I consider next year's vacation on this week. Hope you have a restful day and week ahead and keep on healing. No more stumbles, though. Great idea to have your daughter along for your excursions. She can be your designated driver for a while. lol. It's got to feel good to know you've come through all this will superb results. Maybe it's not magic.....but it sure seems that way sometimes when you see the results that folks have around here in making changes. Good magic.

Thank you. I'm ready to close up the loose ends, too. Ready to be done, done, freaking done with the weight issues and the physical reminders of it.....and get on with living a lean life. I'm happy for your results. Keep on inspiring and coaching and living the example of somebody who took matters into her own hands and made a change !!! Huge respect.

Well, well, well..........I'm gone a week and look at this !!! You have gone and rocked it all over again. Seriously. Congrats, Elode. You have really come through like a champ. I'm very happy for you and glad that everything went super.

Because my surgeon suggested so.

There should be no curve.....just a straight-up entry. Grading on curves are for dudes who have to compensate.

Alcohol is certainly not beneficial in the direct sense of weight loss. I'll say this, though.....I've lost almost 170 pounds and enjoying myself. If that means having some Tito's vodka on the rocks with a splash of cranberry then so be it. I'm going to have fun and enjoy myself. Turning loose and relaxing a bit helps keep me on track. I stay fairly strict on the "Protein first & normally only" eating. On a cruise this week and killing the lobster, shrimp, steak and Breakfast Proteins.....but also having fun. Making sure I get some productive gym time in daily, too.

Not even 6 months out here and there is no part of my life that isn't better now. You are going to love the experience.