I am not quite to the one year mark, that will be May 10th of this year. My life has changed so much for the better that I wish I had done this years ago.

First, it is a lot of hard work. I log everything I eat. I light weighs 3-5 times a week religiously. I walk 5-10 miles a day religiously.

That said, I do occasionally eat foods I shouldn’t. I eat cake on my birthday. I eat ice cream once a week with my daughters. I still eat a bun with my hamburger and if I go watch a movie in theaters I will eat popcorn because life is too good to pass up and I want to experience it. I’m not perfect by any means but I’ve worked hard and 90% of the time I do exactly what I should be doing. I’ve dropped a ton of weight. Before I had the surgery I took 11 pills a day for various health issues. Today, I take zero prescribed medications and haven’t for the last three months. The only medicine I take now are vitamins.

I was super worried before the surgery — it is a massive surgery when you think about someone cutting out large chunks of a vital organ. I had two little kids, a 1 year old and a 3 year old at the time. All I could think of was what if it went wrong and I left them without a dad. That said, at the weight I was at, I was going to eventually eat myself into an early grave and leave them without a father anyway.

I’m glad I took the plunge. I lost the majority of my weight in the first six months. It started to slow down around the 9th month and the last three I’ve lost about 6 lbs a month. I’ve already hit my goal. I’m about 22lbs away from my vanity goal that I never thought I would hit before surgery. I tried to be realistic but I think I might surpass my vanity goal at this rate.

Here are pictures.

11 minutes ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

I am not quite to the one year mark, that will be May 10th of this year. My life has changed so much for the better that I wish I had done this years ago.

First, it is a lot of hard work. I log everything I eat. I light weighs 3-5 times a week religiously. I walk 5-10 miles a day religiously.

That said, I do occasionally eat foods I shouldn’t. I eat cake on my birthday. I eat ice cream once a week with my daughters. I still eat a bun with my hamburger and if I go watch a movie in theaters I will eat popcorn because life is too good to pass up and I want to experience it. I’m not perfect by any means but I’ve worked hard and 90% of the time I do exactly what I should be doing. I’ve dropped a ton of weight. Before I had the surgery I took 11 pills a day for various health issues. Today, I take zero prescribed medications and haven’t for the last three months. The only medicine I take now are Vitamins.< br />
I was super worried before the surgery — it is a massive surgery when you think about someone cutting out large chunks of a vital organ. I had two little kids, a 1 year old and a 3 year old at the time. All I could think of was what if it went wrong and I left them without a dad. That said, at the weight I was at, I was going to eventually eat myself into an early grave and leave them without a father anyway.

I’m glad I took the plunge. I lost the majority of my weight in the first six months. It started to slow down around the 9th month and the last three I’ve lost about 6 lbs a month. I’ve already hit my goal. I’m about 22lbs away from my vanity goal that I never thought I would hit before surgery. I tried to be realistic but I think I might surpass my vanity goal at this rate.

Here are pictures.

Big difference mate! Can I ask your start weight and current weight. Tnx

3 minutes ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

occasionally eat foods I shouldn’t. movie in theaters I will eat popcorn life is too good to pass up and I want to experience it. I’m not perfect by any means

@MeanSleevedMachine

hey dude

I remember you

"I’m not perfect by any means"

perfection is in the eye of the beholder

i think you are aces!!☺️

i will always look up to you - i am 5 feet 3 in - compared to your 6"6

great pics, amazing weight loss

glad your health issues have been corrected

keep on doing what you are doing

kathy

congrats

Mikeyy, I was 6’5” 489 the day of my surgery and I am 6’7” 278 today. I was 6’6” and a half (barefooted) and 310 lbs when I played college football. All that weight had actually shrunk me. If you look in the photos you can see I am markedly taller now.

Yes it's possible the stress on your spine and bones.

210lbs In a year is impressive.

I'm only 6"0 and 320 I'm hoping to get to 180-190 and if I can grow an inch that be good

Haven't been under 200 since high school!

4 minutes ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

Mikeyy, I was 6’5” 489 the day of my surgery and I am 6’7” 278 today. I was 6’6” and a half (barefooted) and 310 lbs when I played college football. All that weight had actually shrunk me. If you look in the photos you can see I am markedly taller now.

Congrats on your success!

Gaining 2 inches in height is crazy! I would have never guessed that was possible!

And here I was worried that I would be even shorter because of losing the fat pad on the soles of my feet. In my prime I was 2 hairs under 6 feet, now my nurses and surgeon tell me Frustr8 you're only 5ft8in, so weight and menopause must brought me down. I must have the spine of a osteoporatic mackrel or something!?Pat me on my dorsal fin and call me "Fishy"!

34 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

Gaining 2 inches in height is crazy!

@sillykitty

i used to be 5' 3" short - now i stand 6' tall!!!!?

kathy

Well to be fair, I lost almost 2 inches in height from the time I was 20. So it is only fair I got it back. :)

Way to go! I wanna be you when I grow up!

Congratulations on your success and thanks for sharing your story! You look so much younger to top it off!

Congrat!! Wahoo, way to go!

15 hours ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

Well to be fair, I lost almost 2 inches in height from the time I was 20. So it is only fair I got it back.

I know last time I lost a significant amount of weight my shoe size got smaller so I could wear nicer shoes !

17 hours ago, sillykitty said:

Congrats on your success!

Gaining 2 inches in height is crazy! I would have never guessed that was possible!

Well, when I was at my heaviest I had severe lower back pain. I assume because the weight was just crushing my lower spine. I'd say more than anything the height boost is because I stand up straighter and my spine isn't compressed anymore. I used to have to pop ibuprofen almost daily for lower back pain and inflammation. Now, I have zero back pain at all. And I am, yes, 2 inches taller.

2 minutes ago, MeanSleevedMachine said:

Well, when I was at my heaviest I had severe lower back pain. I assume because the weight was just crushing my lower spine. I'd say more than anything the height boost is because I stand up straighter and my spine isn't compressed anymore. I used to have to pop ibuprofen almost daily for lower back pain and inflammation. Now, I have zero back pain at all. And I am, yes, 2 inches taller.

I think posture is definitely a big change with less weight on your body

Congrats @MeanSleevedMachine!

What an accomplishment!