I go in for my first appointment tomorrow. Some 2.5 hour Weight Management / Nutrition Class my insurance company says I have to attend.

I bet there's a lot of you here that are like me: We could teach the class with what we KNOW we're supposed to do... LOL!

Why do I want to get sleeved:

Selfless Reasons:

My two beautiful daughters (1 & 4 years old)

I want to run and play with them without huffing like an old steam engine, or without paying for it with back, hip, knee, ankle, and foot pain for the next three days.

For my wife:

We recently found out that my wife has an autoimmune disease that if we cannot get it into remission has a mortality rate of around 10 years.

By the time we know if this disease is going to prove fatal to her:

Her mother also has an autoimmune disease (a different one) and may not be with us anymore by then.

Her father is a chronic alcoholic and will not help me with his granddaughters.

My own parents are on the other end of the country, and will be in their 80s by the time we know.

I cannot be so selfish to not take the best care of myself I can if I’m going to have to raise my girls by myself.

It brings me to tears to think of these two amazing little girls all alone in this world, just because daddy couldn’t get his weight and health under control. I cannot, and will not fail them.

Selfish Reasons:

I want to be buff again.

I worked as an Air Force Cop, and at the time I was 190 lbs with a 50” chest and a 32” waist. I could run 10 to 15 miles with over 100 lbs of gear on my back like it was a stroll through a park. I’d like to get as close to that as I can.

Back in the early 90s I went to a nude beach on a dare from a hot Australian girl I met while scuba diving in Cancun. I’d love to have the confidence to do it again. There’s no way in hell I’d subject anyone to seeing me like that with the way I look now!

If the time with my wife is short, I want us to experience anything and everything she wants.

This has gone beyond just “I want to be skinny” for me. It will affect my whole family.

Thanks for reading. I'll be back as soon as I know more about my times and dates.

R

Haha, the part of your post about the beach and the hot Australian girl made me laugh! We all need both selfish and unselfish reasons. Honestly, mine were primarily selfish- I wanted to be hot again. Health was less my concern because I tended to get fat and thin fairly regularly so I didn't have any comorbidities, but I wanted to be able to actually go out on the beach that I live on in a bathing suit and not have people run the opposite direction in terror.

Good luck to you!

Best of luck. Looking forward to hearing about you and your wife's adventures in skinny dipping (no pictures, please). Here is to you and your wife having long, healthy lives.

That was so beautiful. What a good father and husband you are! All your girls are extremely lucky to have a man like you looking out for them. Best of luck through your journey. Lots of prayers for your family. I bet you can't wait to live it up again. I'm with you there.

What a great father!!! I know how you feel about wanting to be hot again. I went through my scrapbooks and pulled out a photo of myself from 12 years ago and am using that as my motivation. thats me in the hooters shirt. Now I have a BMI of 33 and am having to surgery hoping to be hot again!

Let's see your motivating picture!

It is not selfish to want to be skinny again. I had the surgery because of my daughter being born. when I first met my wife I was a 220 pound amateur MMA fighter. after a loss and some things in my life that made me depressed I ballooned up fast. I was eating 5000 calories a day just to keep fit because I was working out so much but when I stopped working out I was still eating that much. I had my surgery in January and have not looked back.

I am now down 97 pounds and feel great. I work out 8 or 9 time week to drop the weight and feel great for it. It helps me do my job better and helps me keep up with my wife and child and the remodel of our house. I have been happier because I can be active with wheezing like fatty mcphaterson.

It is totally responsible of you to want to take care of yourself for your children. You want to be around for them as long as possible. Before my daughter was born I did not care how long I made it as long as I had a good time the whole time I was here. When my wife got pregnant I immediately starting thinking about my health and how I want to be able to see my grandchildren one day. My dad did not get to make it that long because he lived life like I used to.

I hope the best for you and your choice. I don't regret it at all.

Loved your post.

I had thought of all the reasons I "need" the surgery, but I didn't dare think selfishly about why I wanted it. I guess shame was holding me back.. your post was eye opening. (okay.. it made me giggle a bit too.. haha)

What an amazing husband and father your wife and children have! Keep us updated on your progress!