Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Them There Are Some Floating Shorts...

Okay.... I guess I am loosing weight.. fast.

Last night at the gym I was walking my laps in the pool while a little old lady was doing her own thing to the one side. She was all demure and doing tiny little movements while staying put in the same place. I was doing my drowning hippo thing, creating quite some waves... which I only realized when I turned a corner and happened to see the little old lady bopping in the pool in my wake trying to stay afloat! "Quite a fast walk there" she spurted. I apologized profusely.

So I slowed down and tried to be a bit more considerate.

At the end of my mile, I got out of the pool and while climbing out via the stairs I suddenly realized that I didn't feel the waistband of my shorts around my hips anymore. Instead I felt something slipping down my behind... OH MY GOSH, it was my shorts! Nearly dislocated my shoulder as I grabbed a handful of shorts turning. In the same movement I saw the little old lady looking at me, full face on! I could not find words!

Red faced I was out of there so fast! Frantically dressing I tried to remember if there were cameras in the pool room... Sigh. THE SHAME! Now I am swimming shorts shopping.

Also did not make it back to the gym today... My healing is not complete yet!!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

82 little (BIG) fat ones...


It has been a bit since I updated this blog...

I had my 4 month post-surgery check up today and it is official...

I have lost 82 pounds!

PRAISE THE LORD! After the clinic visit, I sat in my car and suddenly started shaking uncontrollably and emotion overwhelmed me. I realized that this is the happiest moment in 20 years for me. Not from external influences, but my deep inside, core happiness.

God is good to me.

That also put me slightly ahead of the curve, I still have 2 months to loose 18 pounds to reach my original 100 pounds in 6 months goal. Better start cracking.

Had some blood work done again, to see where my levels stand. Will be interesting to see where they stand after my increase in Iron, testosterone cream and twice weekly B-12 shots.

There is a zing in my step these days! (smile)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

I have this new fear of weighing in... What if I did not loose anything. Irrational as it sounds like... lately I have been able to eat better and more stuff. As long as I eat slow and pace it out. I even have been able to do more spicy stuff!

See, I miss food! GOOD FOOD. Not quantity as such, but the explosion of taste every bite of good food brings. So I have went out on a limb and got me some Louisiana rub chicken wings! I have been able to eat 3 wings... A HUGE amount of food for me lately. AND, most importantly, it stayed down.

A friend sent me the video below as encouragement...

Brené Brown's extremely personal talk explores the uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability, and how those who dare to be vulnerable are generally happier and feel more deserving of love...

Great!

Now I have something else to overcome!

If you cannot see the video below, click HERE!


Saturday, July 6, 2013

Oh man card...

Man card earned and then promptly returned... sigh. Was power washing my office building amid a manly rumble of the "machine", feeling sure my testosterone cream is doing its job, when the thingy pipe, leading from the thingy to the thingy came loose and I had no idea where it should go... 
I looked everywhere where it could possible wedge in or onto but nada. 
Sigh. 
Hey, but at least my side of the building is done!!

Monday, July 1, 2013

A Losing Game

Okay, I have been a bit lax in updating this blog and I apologize.

It has been a rough couple of weeks and after some tests, my ever efficient GP found out I am anemic and have low testosterone. I immediately looked on my Martha Stewart website what that meant! Haha, no, but now I am even more creams and pills. It is like having aged 40 years. My mornings and evening are now regimented by handful of pills.

I am drawing the line at having a pill sorter!

So, yesterday after swimming (flailing) in the pool a bit, I sat in the sun to dry off and absentmindedly started poking my flabby bits. I realized that they are flabbier than normal. Curiosity got the better of me and I weight myself.

Total down....

I am happy with that! Invigorated I sorted out my clothes and had a HUGE pile of now too big clothes. I spotted a nice suit jacket that I love but rarely wore as it was too tight and I could never button it. Yep, I can now button it and still have enough space to sneak a burrito in somewhere if so inclined! :-)

I think I am feeling happier. Definitely more energetic and more joyful!

Peace out!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Counting them cells...

So, after numerous complaints of tiredness, dizzy spells and lust general lack of oomph, my trusty guardian angel/healthcare provider had some blood-work done on me.

Good news is that my blood pressure is OK, cholesterol is fine, blood sugar is fine and I am not dehydrated. Bad news is that I am anemic. Still waiting for the testosterone results. Ha ha, finally I can say:

Being anemic, irony isn’t my strong point!

Anemia (/əˈnmiə/; also spelled anaemia and anæmia; from Ancient Greek: ἀναιμία anaimia, meaning lack of blood, from ἀν- an-, "not" + αἷμα haima, "blood") is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin deficiency. Because hemoglobin normally carries oxygen from the lungs to the capillaries, anemia leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in organs. Since all human cells depend on oxygen for survival, varying degrees of anemia can have a wide range of clinical consequences. Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood.

So to fight it I am now on  a twice daily dose of iron tabs. Vitamin C aids in the body's ability to absorb iron, so taking oral iron supplements with orange juice is of benefit. Yay, I love orange juice! Have been staying away from it due to the sugar... at least I don't have to walk around licking anything iron!

I also went to weigh myself yesterday and turns out I read the scale wrong last time and now I am on 57 pounds lost. Oh well, at least I did not gain anything!


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Making Waves...

Okay, so yesterday while I was walking my laps in the pool, this kept playing in my mind... Yeah, I cannot wait to loose more pounds! :-)

If you cannot see the video, click HERE

Sunday, June 2, 2013

The Importance of Learning Your Lessons!

So, when your new stomach is the shape and size of an average banana, you don't eat much. About a quarter to half a cup. Not much.

The important bit is, it is all supposed to be protein. As a high a protein as you can find.

Protein turns out to be an essential nutrient found in animal products, nuts, and beans. The big clue to me should have been in the name protein, as it comes from the Greek word protos, which means “first.” Your body uses proteins in your diet to build new cells, maintain tissues, and synthesize new proteins that make it possible for you to perform basic bodily functions.

So yeah, idiot over here have not been getting enough protein by eating yoghurt and cheese only thinking he has the protein bits covered. Since Wednesday I have been plagued by constant nosebleeds that just did not stop. Not heavy, rush off to ER nosebleeds just a constant trickle that irritates and stop/starts the whole day.

About half the dietary protein that you consume each day goes into making enzymes, which are specialized worker proteins that do specific jobs, such as digest food and assemble or divide molecules to make new cells and chemical substances. To perform these functions, enzymes often need specific vitamins and minerals. Wonder how I know so much about proteins, so suddenly? Turns out there is a For Dummies guide to it!

With allergy season in high gear where I live, the tissue and membranes in my right nostril were the first to go.

Thank the Lord for my ever vigilant heath care provider who knew exactly what was going on and put a stop to it. And I got yet another stern talking to. Sigh.

Anyway, she did get me to eat some of Rudy's BBQ Turkey, now I am hooked! 1/5 of a pound is only 85 calories. It is moist and tender white meat. I dipped it in Walden Farms ZERO calories Sesame Ginger dressing. Instant Happiness!

So needless to say after some vigorous antibiotic ointment on a cotton swab inside the nostril goings on and moistening said nostrils with a saline spray, the nose bleeds have stopped.

Thank the Lord, as I am running out of clean shirts.


Wednesday, May 29, 2013

A Valuable Lesson Learned...

So, another valuable lesson learned today... Under no circumstances should you, when you are alone in the gym pool and you have just finished your mile long walk, rest by floating quietly and unmoving on your back with your arms stretched out at a 90 degree angle.

Trainers might think you are dead.

I don't think I have ever seen anyone move that fast.

Then again, when you carry a lot of excess weight,  the sudden and terrified flailing and splashing around to get upright, fighting your tired body's urge to float, simply does not inspire confidence.

Thank the Lord she did not jump in the pool to rescue me. I did get a stern talking too though.

Oh well, lesson learned.

Maybe I should wear a bell?


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Feel The Burn....

Yep.... weight in a whole 57 pounds lighter today at gym.  I am a bit in shock.

Highlight and low light, I am starting to get twice weekly B12 shots as I cannot absorb enough, and am pooped by lunch time everyday. Trusting my awesome healthcare provider.

I also managed 52 laps walking in the pool today. 1 mile reached. Pretty stoked!

Remember that you can sign up for email alerts if I update the blog. Look on the right in the side bar...

Monday, May 27, 2013

Killing Myself At Gym

This week I started going to gym. At 45 I have never belonged to any gym. There is a gym down the road from me right next to a retirement community. PERFECT. Average age at gym is 71.

No stud muffins to compete with. HAPPINESS.

I am starting with walking laps in the indoor pool. Being indoor the pool is heated and kept at 81 degrees F year round. 52 laps = 1 mile and I am up to 30 laps. Walking in water is easy on the joints while providing 3 x more resistance, thus burning more calories.

I can deal with that!

I do believe I scared off a little old lady while grunting in the pool. Have to keep an eye on that!

The Bucket List

After a miserable two days in hospital I was released to come home. I spent the next few days on my own feeling sorry for myself. By Sunday I was going stir crazy and was ready to go back to work.

Thank the Lord I decided to work half days for the next week as my energy got zapped around lunch time.

One of the movies I watched while recovering was The Bucket List. Now, I have been quite fortunate in that I am fairly widely traveled and have already done most of my bucket list. Europe, most of Africa, Canada, Istanbul, Egypt... ahhh Egypt.

So I decided to change my once food reward system into a travel reward system.

If I loose 100 pounds I will get to go to Egypt.

I found the perfect itinerary with Memphis Tours. 8 Days including a 4 day Nile Cruise starting at $999! Now that I can work at. Gives me 10 months to save up for and to loose the pounds.

To date I have lost 44 pounds!

Egypt here I come!

Snip, Snip

After being accepted for surgery the weeks following was a blur of mandatory weightloss classes, check-ups, EKG and blood work. Finally the day arrived and after a surprise visit at the hospital check in by a group of friends and colleagues, I checked in for surgery.

By this time my mind was numb with trepidation but I knew I had to soldier on.

The good news was that I have lost 18 pounds on my own pre-surgery on the liquid diet. Oh, and this is embarrassing but the day before you have to take a bottle of Magnesium Citrate. Quite a powerful laxative as it turned out. Well just before taking it I had a last meal of jello.

For hours I stayed very close to the toilet and I noticed that everything I am expelling is blood red. Quite confusing as I don't seem to be bleeding between bouts on the toilet. By 10 pm it finally cleared and then it hit me! The jello! It was wild cherry flavored. What an idiot. Sigh.

Got prepped for surgery at 1pm... and waited for my surgery at 3pm. Had to ask the nurse to switch the TV off as it was showing The Green Mile, a movie about a prisoner on death row and I already was freaked out enough about surgery...

Waited until 5pm and got carted off to the OR. Scooted over to the operating table and before my head even touched the pillow I was out! Afterwards I was told that surgery started at 5:50pm and I got out at 7:15pm. Stayed in recovery until 10PM. All I can remember was a no nonsense voice telling me "Sir, you HAVE TO WAKE UP NOW!" I woke up and promptly went back to sleep. They apparently fought quite a lot to get my blood pressure down.

Options...

I knew that surgery might be the final option and have started looking into it. The breakthrough came when a friend had a gastric sleeve surgery and I followed her journey. I had to get my mind around the cost and the complete lifestyle change.

I found a bariatric clinic in my city and signed on for the initial seminar. This is how they described the surgery on their website.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

In this operation, the size of the stomach is drastically reduced down to a tube about the size and shape of a banana. About two thirds of the stomach is permanently removed. This operation preserves the pylorus, which is the valve leaving the stomach. It does not involve bypassing any intestines.
Sleeve Gastrectomy

How it Works

There are three effects: restriction, dumping, and reduced appetite. Every individual person undergoing sleeve gastrectomy experiences different degrees of each effect. All of these effects work together to help a person drastically reduce the calories he or she consumes.

Restriction

The much smaller stomach means you will be able to eat most, if not all types of food, but fill up much faster. About a cup to a cup and a half of food is what most people can comfortably eat.

Dumping

While not as much as with gastric bypass, with a sleeve gastrectomy, you may experience unpleasant reactions to certain foods, especially high calorie liquids and sweets. Dumping can include nausea, diarrhea, cramping and low blood sugar. It is what helps you stay away from junk foods.

Reduced Appetite

As with Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy reduces a “hunger hormone” called ghrelin.
source: http://www.tylerbariatrics.com/sleeve-gastrectomy.htm 

 This sounded like the solution. I know it is not the magic pill and instant solution, but a tool I can use.

Now, I just have to get past the fact that at the ripe age of 45 I have never had surgery and was a little scared of the fact!

Confirmation came when after prayer God miraculously provided all the money in three weeks and I could have the surgery without ANY debt.

The Inspiration...

I have been overweight since about 13 and it has been a gradual build up to max out at 406 pounds. The turning point came when I led a group cruise of 100 people last year and for a week I chased after them, around a huge cruise ship for 7 days. It nearly killed me.

Worse was seeing the photos afterwards. I have been fastidiously been avoiding cameras for years. These were the photos the participants took. One was a nice side-shot of me. It was not the most complimentary photo. It burned itself into my conscious. I finally knew it was time something had to be done.

I have been on all kinds of diets... loose 10 pounds here, gain back 15, loose 15, gain back 20... I am tired of that. I also realized up to that point I have been dieting for the wrong reasons. I tried to  please people, never myself.

I am happy with life, have a great job and am quite content.

This time I wanted to make the changes for me. I want to live longer.

I have been blessed not have sleep apnea or be diabetic. I am close to the cusp though. I do have high blood pressure and gout.

Just in time it seems.