Hi everyone! My name is Vance. I have really enjoyed looking around in this forum. What a great place of encouragement and comradery and I hope I can add as I go through my journey.

I was very athletic growing up and even played semi-pro baseball. About 20 years ago I started my first sit down desk job, and there began my upsizing. I gained several pounds every year until it reached a point this past summer (2011) where I ballooned up to 330 lbs. With three wonderful children and a beautiful wife, I decided it was time to do something about it before something worse happens. I decided to meet with Dr. David Kim, weight loss surgeon in Dallas, TX. After a great meeting, I decided I wanted to go for it. The sleeve was going to be my surgery and after my insurance approving it, I started my liquid diet. I lost 34.5 lbs in just a few weeks and weighed in at 295.5 on my surgery date, 12/31/2011. Surgery was good with not any difficulty. Today is day 8 and I just moved to Phase 2 of my liquid diet. It's going pretty good. Getting in my Protein and Water and currently down to 281.5 (down 48.5 lbs pre-op / 14 lbs post-op.) I'm a little head hungry, especially when I see pizza or fast food commercials, but I just sip on my water and I am okay.

Anyways, I just wanted to say hi to everyone. When I registered for this site, it suggested I post my story, so there it was. I hope to be an encouragement to others as I have already been encouraged by you all so far.

Thanks!

Vance

Good luck gmanbat! How are you doing?

Just got home a couple of hours ago. Surgery went well. They weren't kidding when they said you have to watch how you eat. So far just Water and crystal light type drinks. Tomorrow I go on non-Clear liquids as well.

I have adjusted to the fact that I will never eat the same. I was a 2 mountain buffet buster. No more. Wife and I will order one meal, split it into fourths, eat 2/4 and take the other half home. There is much more to life than eating. Eat to live, don't live to eat, that's our motto.

momofthree - Thanks for the message! You will do great! Lean on Him and your family, as well as the others in this group and stay positive. I was a little nervous too but came though just fine. Stay in touch and let us know how it goes!

gmanbat - Good to hear you are doing well. What a great thing to go through with your wife by your side doing the same thing. What an encouragement to each other! Congrats!!