One year mark

[MeanSleevedMachine 277]

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.

[New&Improved 1,780]

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

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

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

[MeanSleevedMachine 277]

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.

[New&Improved 1,780]

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!

[sillykitty 10,781]

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!

[Frustr8 7,886]

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"!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

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

[MeanSleevedMachine 277]

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. :)

[GradyCat 3,697]

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

[KT1981 294]

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

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

Congrat!! Wahoo, way to go!

[New&Improved 1,780]

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 !

[MeanSleevedMachine 277]

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.

[New&Improved 1,780]

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