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I️ have a very physical job constant walking lifting pulling bending throughout my 8 hour day and I️ do spin class 1 to 2 days a week should I️ be doing more not to make excuses but after work I’m exhausted

Sleeved 10/20/17

Hw 344

Sw 327

Cw 290

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For the first year after surgery, I exercised daily. Generally this was by hill walking. My driveway was steep and I would walk up and down the driveway for 30 minutes per day. This is a great form of exercise because it uses two different sets of muscles; one set on the way up and a different set on the way down. It was also great because all I had to do was step out my front door. But I am not a great fan of exercise. It feels like wasted effort. But I am a great fan of physical labor. So in the “Maintenance” phase, I relied on physical work. This took several forms.

I live in Indiana. My driveway is 700 feet long. During the winter when it snows, I shovel my driveway. It is strenuous work but without the added weight on my body, it is not hard. I also heat my house all winter with firewood. So during the winter I am constantly moving firewood for my wood stove to keep the house warm.

During the rest of the year, there is cutting a large yard of grass and planting a garden and an assortment of other chores. Even a trip to the mailbox to get the mail is a walk of 1/4 mile.

One of the tasks I worked on over the past 2 years was building an underground shelter. Tornados struck about 7 years ago, just after I retired. The tornados did a lot of destruction to my property but spared my house. My house is a one story without a basement and there is really no place to take shelter in the event of another tornado. So I decided to build an underground shelter from an intermodal-shipping container into the side of my hill. Of course, if I build a storm shelter, it should also be a root cellar. And if I go to the effort of building a storm shelter/root cellar then why not go through a little extra effort and build it for Come-What-May, including asteroid impacts, nuclear war and nearby supernovas, etc.

So last year I moved 100,000 pounds of gravel by hand along with around 60,000 pounds of concrete blocks and this year I moved about the same amount.

This year I constructed a log cabin playhouse for the grandkids. I am 69 years old.

Shelter.jpg

Finished4.jpg

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For the first year after surgery, I exercised daily. Generally this was by hill walking. My driveway was steep and I would walk up and down the driveway for 30 minutes per day. This is a great form of exercise because it uses two different sets of muscles; one set on the way up and a different set on the way down. It was also great because all I had to do was step out my front door. But I am not a great fan of exercise. It feels like wasted effort. But I am a great fan of physical labor. So in the “Maintenance” phase, I relied on physical work. This took several forms.
I live in Indiana. My driveway is 700 feet long. During the winter when it snows, I shovel my driveway. It is strenuous work but without the added weight on my body, it is not hard. I also heat my house all winter with firewood. So during the winter I am constantly moving firewood for my wood stove to keep the house warm.
During the rest of the year, there is cutting a large yard of grass and planting a garden and an assortment of other chores. Even a trip to the mailbox to get the mail is a walk of 1/4 mile.
One of the tasks I worked on over the past 2 years was building an underground shelter. Tornados struck about 7 years ago, just after I retired. The tornados did a lot of destruction to my property but spared my house. My house is a one story without a basement and there is really no place to take shelter in the event of another tornado. So I decided to build an underground shelter from an intermodal-shipping container into the side of my hill. Of course, if I build a storm shelter, it should also be a root cellar. And if I go to the effort of building a storm shelter/root cellar then why not go through a little extra effort and build it for Come-What-May, including asteroid impacts, nuclear war and nearby supernovas, etc.
So last year I moved 100,000 pounds of gravel by hand along with around 60,000 pounds of concrete blocks and this year I moved about the same amount.
This year I constructed a log cabin playhouse for the grandkids. I am 69 years old.

Shelter.jpg.671eebc594c7a3c67018d0135235c2a2.jpg
Finished4.jpg.cfdc5b933f7da8093619b78371c34d4c.jpg



That is absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!!


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After I recovered, 12 weeks, I began working towards walking my 10K steps a day. That is my goal every day. Then I also work out an hour a day doing bootcamp yoga and I try to do that 5 times a week.

I run around, lift things and have a very busy life. As I said, for the first 6 months I only focused on getting in my 10K steps a day. Then 6 months in I ADDED in Yoga daily, beginners yoga. 6 months in on that and I've worked my way up to bootcamp type yoga.

IMO, yes, if I were you I would be trying to get in my steps every day and then trying to work in another work-out. These first 18 months are where all the changes happen, where all the hard work pays off. These are the months we need to fully dedicate to to this process. It's not easy, I hated it some days. But now I'm about to start wearing a size 8, I'm feeling better than ever have in my life, I more fit than ever and I feel like I'm ready to start training for American Ninja Warrior! lol! I LOVE where I am at and part of that is because I put in the hard work and sacrifice each day in the past 14 months and will continue to till I've hit "goal". And then it's time to focus on maintaining and learning what THAT life is like.


Good Luck! I am sure you will do great no matter what avenue you take!!! Congratulations on doing so well!!!

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After I recovered, 12 weeks, I began working towards walking my 10K steps a day. That is my goal every day. Then I also work out an hour a day doing bootcamp yoga and I try to do that 5 times a week.

I run around, lift things and have a very busy life. As I said, for the first 6 months I only focused on getting in my 10K steps a day. Then 6 months in I ADDED in Yoga daily, beginners yoga. 6 months in on that and I've worked my way up to bootcamp type yoga.

IMO, yes, if I were you I would be trying to get in my steps every day and then trying to work in another work-out. These first 18 months are where all the changes happen, where all the hard work pays off. These are the months we need to fully dedicate to to this process. It's not easy, I hated it some days. But now I'm about to start wearing a size 8, I'm feeling better than ever have in my life, I more fit than ever and I feel like I'm ready to start training for American Ninja Warrior! lol! I LOVE where I am at and part of that is because I put in the hard work and sacrifice each day in the past 14 months and will continue to till I've hit "goal". And then it's time to focus on maintaining and learning what THAT life is like.

Good Luck! I am sure you will do great no matter what avenue you take!!! Congratulations on doing so well!!!



Congrats on your success amazing... you are absolutely right thank you


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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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