I can not believe it has been 9 months already. I am still incredibly thankful for the progressive I've seen. I can only equate my nine months with the much more famous 9 month period we all know, the progress towards birth. I feel that my journey has very much been a rebirth. I am no longer the person I used to be. Not only am I physically smaller, so many other things are different about me. I have a better attitude about life, feel more confident and resolute in who I am and what my capabilities are. I no longer look first for reasons I can't do something, rather now I'm wondering what can I do. My loss of the emotional crutch I had in food has caused me to be more emotional and deal with those emotions. It has been a wonderful and eventful journey. Here's a wrap up of where I am today:

Total weight lost since initial consultation (Nov 23, 2010) -256lbs

Weight loss since surgery (Jan 10, 2011) -220lbs

Current weight, lowest since 6th grade 236lbs

Current weight as a percentage of my beginning weight 48%

No longer taking blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds and no longer wear a CPAP. I have shed all the co-mobilities I had at the beginning of this journey.

Thank you all for reading and for providing me a very valuable outlet and support on my journey.

Well done Paul - you put it beautifully! It's an incredible achievement. If you're on facebook, there is a 'achieving through sleeving' group you might like to join.

Congratulations

I can not believe it has been 9 months already. I am still incredibly thankful for the progressive I've seen. I can only equate my nine months with the much more famous 9 month period we all know, the progress towards birth. I feel that my journey has very much been a rebirth. I am no longer the person I used to be. Not only am I physically smaller, so many other things are different about me. I have a better attitude about life, feel more confident and resolute in who I am and what my capabilities are. I no longer look first for reasons I can't do something, rather now I'm wondering what can I do. My loss of the emotional crutch I had in food has caused me to be more emotional and deal with those emotions. It has been a wonderful and eventful journey. Here's a wrap up of where I am today:

Total weight lost since initial consultation (Nov 23, 2010) -256lbs

Weight loss since surgery (Jan 10, 2011) -220lbs

Current weight, lowest since 6th grade 236lbs

Current weight as a percentage of my beginning weight 48%

No longer taking blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds and no longer wear a CPAP. I have shed all the co-mobilities I had at the beginning of this journey.

Thank you all for reading and for providing me a very valuable outlet and support on my journey.

Man, you certainly take the prize for #1 in fastest weight loss! Pretty soon you will LITERALLY be HALF the man you used to be

Keep going buddy!

Already am my friend. Currently sitting at 46.7% of the weight I was on Nov 23, 2010 (my initial consult with the surgery center).

Thank you all for your encouraging words and support.

A-freaking-mazing!!!! WOW!

What is your secret for losing it so fast?

It must feel so good to live life so much differently now. Congratulations on your success!

Thank you. I feel terrific! The only secret I have is that I've stuck pretty religiously to the nutrition structure I was given to follow. I have increased my activity and exercise too, but I could really be more dedicated to getting in more exercise. I have to believe it is simply a blessing from God that I have been as successful as I have been.

Well done Paul - you put it beautifully! It's an incredible achievement. If you're on facebook, there is a 'achieving through sleeving' group you might like to join.

Congratulations

Thanks for the Facebook suggestion, I'll look into it.

Absolutely amazing! You already know that I think you are such a phenomenal success story....I guess I didn't realize you are so close to goal. WOW WOW WOW! Are you going to change your goal and go lower or do you have a plan in place to slow down the loss? Just wondering, you seem to be one of those sleevers who are actually going to have to work at stopping the loss. Pretty cool place to be!

Congrats on all of your success!!! How about some goal pictures pretty soon?

Absolutely amazing! You already know that I think you are such a phenomenal success story....I guess I didn't realize you are so close to goal. WOW WOW WOW! Are you going to change your goal and go lower or do you have a plan in place to slow down the loss? Just wondering, you seem to be one of those sleevers who are actually going to have to work at stopping the loss. Pretty cool place to be!

Congrats on all of your success!!! How about some goal pictures pretty soon?

Thank you. Yes, I'm 10lbs away from the goal that I originally set at 220lbs. When I sat that number, I never thougth I would get to it. I was thinking if I could ever get under 250, I would be totally happy. Such a strange view of things I had at nearly 500lbs. Now that I am so close, I am really looking for some input. I don't know where I should shoot for. My wife would be content if I stopped now. I want to look and feel my best. I don't know how I would look sub 200. I will post some more current pictures and please give me your thoughts. If you think another 30 would be good, or more or less, let me know. I have not been this weight since I was in the 6th grade. I have no idea what I should look like.

As long as I have the keyboard warmed up, the clothes sizes I'm buying now almost scare me. I'm wearing Levi 33 inch waists and buying button up shirts that are larges. I bought some new underwear the other day, mediums. I could have bought a small....a small I tell ya. Unfreaking believable.

Thanks again for all the supportive comments.

Well, since you asked.

I think only YOU can answer the question. First you need to be comfortable with where you land. I know for me personally, even though people tell me that I look great right where I am, I'm just not done. I'm in-between sizes and I would like to be smaller. So I will continue the fight. But I think a lot of people need to "try on" a weight so to speak before committing 100% to it. I am thinking that you will *know* when it's right. You will get there and feel comfortable. I also think most women (maybe the men too, not sure) like to have a 'cushion' of weight fluctuations where if they go up 5-8 lbs their clothing isn't too tight and it doesn't feel uncomfortable. Think of it this way, you can always add 5 or 10lbs back on if you feel better that way, but for now I would keep going towards goal and see what happens. What an awesome place to be!!! Congrats again!