rrutherford

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Today is December 6, 2008.  It has been two years since my surgery and I have been blessed enough to have maintained weight loss of 160 pounds from my all-time high of 342 pounds.

My exercise routines have fallen off and my eating is in control.  I have adjusted to the diet very well.  My addiction to Diet Coke is now an addiction to Snapple (actually any non-carbonated and sugar free liquid will do).  I love tea.

Melinda continues to be very supportive of me.  She puts up with my restrictions and obsession with weight and clothes etc without missing a beat.

I hope to upload pictures soon.

Here it is April 2008.  I am now 16 months post-op.  Current weight is 180 pounds.  Lowest was 174 (I question the scale).  I have been hovering between 178 and 182 for the past several months.  Weight loss 160 pounds since surgery - feels so good.  I have stopped exercising regularly which is a no-no.  Still afraid of old habits returning.  I wonder what my weight would be if I was still working out three days a week like we did for so long??

All my lab work is good, healthy as a horse.  Last BP was good - but haven't checked for a while.

I can shop like a fiend now - and I don't buy Target clothes either.  I like name brand expensive stuff.  For the first time in my life I can buy with the best of them!  My waist is staying at 34", shirt size 16 or 16 1/2.  Amazing.  I love to outlet shop for designer clothes like Armani Exchange, Kenneth Cole, Perry Ellis, Calvin Klein etc.  (What a snob I am.) 

No new pictures to upload buy may get some soon since we'll be attending the annual WLS party put on by Dr. Pehrsson's office in a couple weeks.  Should be fun to see the others 'losers'...

Here I sit with 163 pounds lost after exactly 1 year since surgery.  I cannot believe how my life has changed....  I can now wear size 34 waist pants, a medium or large shirt and I can move better than I ever have in my life.

My family has been a great support to me - especially my Melinda who has had to endure endless talk about my food, my clothes, my weight, my protein intake etc...  She has the patience of a saint.

I can do so many things that I could not do before.  I am still getting used to being of normal size.  

My driver's licence photo became unrecognizable as me so I got a new one with a new picture.  People who have not seen me for several months do not know who I am (which is not always good, but it's better than the alternative.)

I LOVE clothes now.  Melinda gave me lots of cash to shop for our anniversary and it is amazing to have so many choices.  

I have a doctors appointment in a couple weeks, but fromhow I feel I know my blood sugar is now normal and my blood pressure is fine.  

I watch the tv show The Biggest Loser with such empathy for the people on it...  they just want to lose weight and feel normal.  I did it but in some ways feel like I cheated.  I keep reminding myself that the statistic is that 95% of weight lost through traditional means is regained -- and I hope that doesn't happen to me.

My BMI is now in the category for normal.  First time since my teens that was true.  I can wear my old favorite hockey jacket that last fit me when I was 16 years old, how crazy is that?

Picture will be posted soon.

Just a quick note to go along with the newly posted photo.  Current weight is 183-184 pounds.  Weight loss has really slowed down.  No change to eating habits though.  Clothes are fun - for the first time in my life.  I could shop every day but there are only so many chances to dress oneself, right?  Shirt size is now medium.  Waist is 34-36 inches.  BMI is normal (for the first time since high school). 
Later - Ron

It has been a long time since I've written here.  Things are going well.  Today my weight is 187 pounds.  Total loss to date is 153 pounds.  I could not feel better.  I have slowed down on the exercise a bit lately but it seems to have no impact on my weight.  It does impact how I feel though and I prefer to keep up with the exercise three times a week.

I have my 9 month checkup with Dr. Pehrsson next week.  I think everything is going well.  Occasionally I'll have diarrhea for a day, that's about as bad as it gets besides the occasional gas pains etc.

Clothes are great now.  Before surgery I dreaded shopping for clothes.  Now I could truly buy clothes every day and not get sick of it.  I regret only that I can't wear more than one outfit per day (well it's not really that bad, I'm exaggerating)...  I can wear a size Large now and that is plenty big.  My waist is 36 inches.  Bought a nice suit that is size 42 regular.  Really amazing!!

More another day!

It has been almost 8 months since my WLS.  I am almost at 140 pounds lost.  Still losing weight but much slower than before -- which is fine with me.  I still feel great.  I am nearly ready to purchase my 3rd set of clothes.  My waist which was 50-52 inches is now 36 inches.  My shirt size was 3X and now I can wear a Large comfortably.  I am still amazed!!

Yesterday I tested my new physical abilities by climbing on our roof to trim some tree branches which were blocking our satellite dish.  I actually scaled a wall, pulled myself up onto the roof and trimmed the branches -- all without killing myself.  One would have to have seen me a year ago at this time to understand what an accomplishment this is, even though it sounds dumb...

We will take photos soon and post them.  The before and after pictures are looking very good.  I cringe when I see myself at 340 pounds.

By this time next week I should be in the 100's for the first time in about 30 years.  Still makes me shake my head - this is so cool.

I can pretty much any food I want - of course my selections are much better now and there is never dessert.  The closest thing to a sweet for me is my new Diet Snapple addiction and the great fresh fruit salads I eat - simply cut up fruit with some light Cool Whip added.

More soon.

I am down 130 pounds now - feel great.  Weight loss is slowing down but still happening.  I hope I react alright to the day it stops - it's a little scary to think about.  

My blood pressure today without any medications for over a month is 115/73.  Amazing!! 

My routine consists of protein drink Monday-Friday, 3 multi-vitamins a day with one calcium tables.  Vitamin B-12 sublingual every Sunday/Thursday.  I work out at 24 hour fitness every Saturday (do a 5K run/walk followed by weight lifting and 200 sit-ups.)  Every Tuesday and Thursday I do a run/walk around my neighborhood - two miles.

Clothes are fitting well - waist down to 38 inches, shirts now at 17" collar.  I can now wear some Large shirts (down from 3X) and underwear are large vs. prior 2X.  

I am slowly telling more people about my surgery - still seems a bit private though.  I am really bugged lately for some reason by people who continue to call me 'big guy' or 'big Ron'...  I want to ask them how much weight I need to lose to not be referred to as 'big'....

Trying to focus a bit more on toning up now - I tease my wife by calling myself a Shar-pei dog due to the extra skin that I'm accumulating.  I've seen it much worse in others - but I do have it.

Pictures to be posted soon - I really don't like what I used to look like - really big and puffy.  It is hard to believe that I was like that for so very long.  I pray every day that I don't wake up and this was all a dream.

As of my doctor visits today I am officially off all prescription medications.  At one time I was taking  Nexium, Glucatrol, and two different blood pressure meds.  Now I am only needing standard vitamins, B-12 and calcium.

What a great day.  I am down almost 120 pounds and my BMI now reads 'moderately overweight' rather than some variety of obese.  (First time in over 20 years).

I am very thankful and greatful for this new chance I have been given.

More later.  - Ron

I still have this great new life.  Fitting in clothes, not embarrassed by my appearance and somehow getting very comfortable shopping for clothes which has never been like me.  My weight loss is now at 110 pounds, energy level great.  People are starting to ask me when I'm going to stop losing - never thought I'd hear that in my life.

All in all life is great - really appreciating this new chance I have.  Still getting accustomed to this new body which doesn't seem like it's really me.

More later.

Well I am almost 46 officially and the past few months have been very life-changing for me.  As of my 5 month anniversary of having WLS I have lost 100 pounds.  I am hoping that it does not stop here.  I get many compliments and people say they don't recognize me - which I thought would never happen.

Eating is what it is - not great but still fulfilling.  I really like fitting into clothes and having them be baggy.  My waist was 50-52 inches pre op and now it is down to 38 inches - amazing.

I thank God for this second chance and thank my wife for the support. 

We'll see how the next 5 months progress.

Ron