cabin111’s Posts
I'm alive!!! Hi guys...It's been 3 years. I tried logging in for 3 years to no effect. Even tried to get a new account...OH wouldn't/couldn't make it happen. Had my daughter log me in finally.
Where to begin. Oct 9th 2006 was my surgery. My last weigh in was at 215. I had rotator cuff/bicep surgery in May. Slow recovery, but am doing well.
4 grand kids now...Lot's of fun. I do not know if I will be able to log it again. OH has been a bear in that area. Hope all is well. I'll post later if I can log in again. I'm 67...Trying to ride my bike, but pollution in CA makes it hard.
Later, Brian...Cabin111
Sorry guys...I didn't post for awhile. Then changed my browser to Firefox...OH lost my info. But I am back. The other day I weighed 204. I had posted pictures for all 13 years on OH at my anniversary date. But OH lost many of the years. Oct 9th 2006 was the date. I'll try and post a new picture for this year. Nothing new my way. I've had numbness in my hands and feet the last few months. Told my doctor...We ran the B-12 test. It was fine. It could be just age. Turned 64 a few weeks ago. Playing with my first grand kid...Second one on the way. 49ers are doing good. Cal continues to break my heart...Always hoping for a Rose Bowl bid before I die!! Later, Brian
197 today...High of about 300. Go see a new doctor today. It takes 20 minutes to even review all my meds. I feel like Grandpa (Abe Simpson) on The Simpsons with all my meds. Have a great week!! PS The rains finally came to CA. Will try and mow the lawn today...
197...Staying about the same. I'll take it since I eat my fair share of junk food. But I also eat good, boring, healthy stuff too. High of about 300. Sleeping OK...That is a big issue for me. Later, Brian
A lot of what you said has been and is me. I had a high of about 300 pounds. Got down to about 190 after surgery. Regained to about 235...Had a second heart attack. That one woke me up. Also the doctor said I was retaining fluid. It became either lose the weight or die young...My choice. I've had a bad back since 1984. They wanted to do surgery...But I just have put it off. Hope to die of a heart attack rather than surgery. What has help with my back is to lose weight (going below 200 pounds). The difference for me (207 to 197) is going from a pain level of 3-4 to 1-2. Also doing the physical therapy that I went through. By doing the exercises it has helped with the pain...Just me. I think with the new insurance you can do another round of PT every year. Go to a different PT offices and see if their exercises help. Riding a tricycle might work too. Yeah, you have to swallow your pride on that one...I was almost in tears one time. Saw a woman about 300 pounds on an adult trike. It was like..."Forget what society says...I'm doing this for me"!!
The other thing is just getting the "junk food" out of the house. If Pepsi or chips are your trigger food...Keep them further than arms length. The office and food is a BIG issue!! The birthdays, the lunches, the holidays can kill you. Can you walk during your lunch hours? Bring your own lunch? Get with others who can walk and try it. Swimming may help. But it begins with the food. I make a crock pot stew...Freeze 80% of it for later...Vegetables, meat, and spices.
My last thought is elastic bands. If you are limited it what you can do check into them...Very cheap. Can be found at any sporting goods store, Ebay, or Amazon. Here are a couple examples of the work outs;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKrcoO86h4&t=199s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou0n5aO_K9Y
Forget what these people's bodies look like...Just do the exercises. Start slow...Build up to it. Good luck, Brian
High of about 300 pounds. Lost some weight (for the surgery). Day of surgery I was 272...The other parts are correct.
Yeah, it has been 12 years!! After the first few years you stop thinking about what has happened. Hopefully you (I) have put into place the things I need to stay healthy for quite awhile. I was 196 on my 12 year surgery (RNY). Here is what I look like today.
IMG_1156.jpg (217 KB)
I've gotten older...Turned 63. Surgery doesn't help with age!! Will live with the turkey neck...A badge of honor. Would I do it again?? In a heartbeat. I was dying when I had the surgery (congestive heart failure). The surgery gave me a new life. I cut out a lot of sugar and fried foods. I'll eat some, but I don't go hog wild. I got down to a low of 187. I then gained back up to about 235 over the years. Each year I will put a picture of what I look like near my surgery date (so new people can see what to expect). I do a lot of physical work. When I am not working I will exercise (bicycle or walking). Life is good...
196 this week again...High of about 300. It was 12 years ago today I had my surgery...Will post a little something about the journey. Later, Brian
196 last week and this week. I had a high of about 300. Not getting much sleep. I have a problem with sleeping pills...Become not effective. So I drop everything and reboot my system for about a week. About 4 hours of sleep at night...Not good for my heart. I try and work outside quite a bit. But we haven't had rain in this area of California since about May...A lot of air pollution. So I limit my work out there. Hey Carolinas...Send us SOME of that rain please. Notice I said some...Just to be sure on that. 49ers and Raiders are a combo 1 win and 5 losses so far. Going to be a loooong season for pro football here in Northern California. Cal is 3-0...But that will change soon. If they make a minor bowl at the end of the season it will be a win for that team. Later, Brian
196 today and Sunday...I'll take it. Have a rental that is empty...Am working to get it rented quickly!! My high was about 300 pounds. I can relate to the other forums. They are looking for the slightest thing to slam you on. Very bitter and critical over there on many of the forums.
When I had my RNY my surgeon found a small growth on my liver. He just cut it off...No cancer. Glad he was looking for stuff while he was in there!! You should heal quickly. Enjoy the ride...
300 at my highest. Last week 198...Sunday 196. It has been a good week. Pretty much eating right and getting some exercise/physical work in. See the heart doctor on Thursday. I think I have an issue with my lungs. I can exercise in the gym pretty hard and no chest pain. I go out into the smog and work and get chest pain. I've had two heart attacks so I have to be careful. Think I'll have to watch the physical work outside till the rains come and clean out the air here in California...Brian
We really haven't started fire season yet!! Aug-Oct is usually fire season. Plus we have almond harvest coming up...The air will be even worse. Yeah, the fires are bad...I think you have about 40,000,000 people living in this state. Many move out to the more fire prone areas...Which doesn't help. About 1/2 of the fire in Redding CA was in outlaying areas. The other half was in town. None near me...We just get the smoke and pass it on to Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming...
Hi...Back again. Went to visit my daughter in Montana. Ended up in the hospital...Thought it was heart, but it might have been lungs. The pollution from the fires in California even moved up to MT. Heart is OK and I am feeling better.
Highest 300
Day of surgery 272 I think
Lowest 187
Today 198...I'll take it
Brian
Hi guys...Sorry I haven't been around much. When I'm not in a good mood I don't post much. Been busy...Granddaughter, melanoma (they got it all), work, physical therapy (back), sleep.
I got on the scale today...200.5 I feel good about that. I've been between 207 and 199.5 over the last 3 months. Really want to be below 200...At about 195 because of my heart. There are fires here in California now (fire season), so the smog is bad. I need to join a gym for a few months till we get the rains in October (to clean out the air). Later, you are not forgotten, Brian (Cabin111)
Hey all...Don't post much if I feel heavy. Got on the scale on Sunday...202.5 I'll take it. High was about 300 pounds. Thought I was about 207-210...But I've been active...I don't eat crazy, but not always good. See the cardiologist in 1/2 an hour. I've seen my labs...All are very good. The strange stat is that my carbon dioxide is high...This is the 4th time it tested high in 2 years. And each time it's a little high out of range. I wonder if it because I hyperventilate when they draw the blood?? I'll see if I need to exercise more (total lung capacity) to get that down. Have a good week. My back is better, but still need to do the exercises...Go to the PT in 2 days. Brian
PS Just got back from the doctor...Everything is good. The CO2 is because I don't drink water for my fasting labs...He said not to worry about it. I got on the scale...Put the big weight at 200...Started moving the smaller balance weight down...down...down. We had to move the big weight to 150 then over to the 50 pound weight to 50. I was 200 with my clothes on!!! No water retention. Doing real good.
My back is doing better...See last week. I'm at 202.5 today...Monday. I had a high of about 300...Day of surgery 272. I'll be happy with that weight. I was careful what I ate during the week. Went out to Sizzlers yesterday and ate junk...Thought I wouldn't loose. But pruned a bush and that caused the weight loss. I find I can mow lawns...I walk like Frankenstein...Stiff back. But pruning a bush ( the twisting, stretching, bending) doesn't work for my back. Later, Brian
Hi guys...Been awhile. I got up to about 206-207 over the past month or so. A few months ago I was down to 195. My back has been giving me problems the last few weeks. I've had a bad back for 35 years...They wanted to operate back then, but I've held off. I'm hoping to die from a heart attack and not have to deal with the surgery. But I saw the doctor...Will jump through the hoops (X ray, PT, MRI) before I can get the referral to the neurosurgeon. So I do what I can do. I've gone back to the exercises my physical therapist gave me years ago. I've also worked on my weight. I got on the scale today (Thursday) and am down to 203. I'll take it. High of about 300. The weight loss and exercise should help my back...It did before.
There is always this judgment call on food now...Tortilla chips or pain in the back...Sugar or pain in the back!! It is making me rethink my actions. I can do what I can do to relieve the pain. Plus with the RNY I shouldn't be taking NSIDS. So I am limited in what to take and how problems can build up with the medications. I'm not getting great exercise, but walking and riding the bike a little...Just want to avoid the pounding that hurts the back. Why does it take a crisis for us to wake up on what we need to do...(diabetes, heart, back)?? So back to eating pretty right and doing my exercises.
I'm 62 1/2...Enjoy doing the yard work, pruning, projects. But with the back and my age it is time to hand some of the stuff off to younger people. I hate to do it...And I will do what I can work wise. But I need to be wise at not taking the pounding of the back and having people come along side and be my backups and be there for the things I can't do... Brian
Hi guys...Been gone for awhile. I get so frustrated with my weight gain...Don't even want to post. I got up to 205 over the weeks. Very little exercise (cold/rain), but still eating the same junk. I do eat pretty good, but along with the good stuff comes the chocolate, chips, fried foods, cakes.
I am down to 201.5...I'll take that any day!!
Became a grandpa yesterday...First kid. Daughter and granddaughter are doing fine. Getting their house ready to come back home. I'm not great at nurturing...Most guys aren't. But I can't wait till the kid has a personality...Then I (and many guys) shine.
I am sleeping better. This does help with my weigh loss. If I don't sleep well, I will grab the junk (to keep that blood sugar level up)...Which as you know, becomes a bad cycle. You keep grabbing for the junk and not the fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, protein, and your blood sugar level is all over the place.
Well take care. Hope to post more. Just understand if I don't, it's nothing personal about you...Just sort of my way of coping. Brian
Thanks Bill...My bad!! I had no idea of your frame!! When I was 300-290 my dietician said I was a medium frame...I just laughed at him. I played high school football. I was a lineman...How could I be a medium frame?? But thinking back, I did get to a low of just under 180 with very little body fat in my days. So yeah, I was a medium frame. I am surprised you retained most of your muscle mass. But since you had the sleeve you may not lose much muscle mass. You are doing great!! A picture is worth a 1000 words. So I agree with you of trying to stay within 265-275 would be an ideal goal. Your muscles say it all concerning BMI and percent of fat on you. I have heard over the years, as long as you don't drop below 2% body fat (excluding skin) you can remain there. But the doctors (from support groups) said you should not drop below 2% because of health and reserves (flu or sicknesses). So you are at goal plus!!
Yeah, I would add more good food to your diet. Even some sugar or simple carbs can be OK. They are addicting and can cause emotional eating to arise. But adding fruits, nuts, vegetables, protein shakes, protein bars only make sense since you are very active and want to retain your muscles. Keep up the good work. Brian
Hi Bill, watching you progress has been an honor. Yeah, life's issues arise and we have to face them. Many times when family members die we walk around numb for many days. Each day the numbness is less and less...But still is there.
Please don't take offense with what I'm about to say...Just asking. Bill, just wondering about your height and frame. It seems like no one (except Andre the Giant) would have a normal weight of 300 pounds. The goal for you and your doctor was probably 300 to try and attain. Excluding excess skin (which may be 12 pounds plus), you may be in a normal range or near normal. In fact you still may be overweight!! Believe me, I am not discounting your accomplishment...It has been one great ride. To get down to 265 is a great thing. I'm sure you can move better and have more endurance. Just wondering who set that goal and where is the "normal" goal for you? It may be something you and your doctor need to decide. I know what you are talking about concerning the loss of the muscle mass. I would bench press a certain amount (it's been over 12 years so memory isn't great) pre surgery. When I got near normal weight I could only lift about 60% of what I was lifting before surgery.
One last thought. My surgeon and I decided my goal was to be 190. I hit goal and shot past it...To 187. I freaked out...Wondering if I would become skin and bones...Wasting away in a rest home somewhere!! If I had gone with my surgeon's partner, he would have set my goal at 180 (5' 11" medium frame). So when I hit 187 I freaked out...And started eating everything in sight to regain. Big mistake. I should have just added a small amount of fruit and some more plain nuts. Also a few more vegetables. Going back to the sugar was my big downfall. Over the years I started to justify my rewards for being so low. I started to think..."Hey, you're doing great...Reward yourself...Don't take this dieting thing too serious". Big mistake. I started to go back to Pepsi and chips. I regained to about 235 over the years. It took a second heart attack to wake me up to get back on track. Eyes wide open. Keep up the good work. Brian
200 on Sunday...I hate weigh ins!! I need to keep active (or eat less junk)! Well off to pick oranges...Just to keep busy. Brian
201 on Sunday...199 today (Monday). I need to keep moving or avoid junk food. There is no "magic formula" for weightloss. Calories taken in vs calories burned (exercise or not). Mindful eating and some movement works the best for me. Headed to the coffee shop now. Going to get a cup of Navy Bean Soup...And a glass of water. Very boring, but it works for me. Have a great week. Brian
201...Frustrated with myself. I haven't been able to exercise because of the smog here in CA. Even with the rain, it still is bad. It should be better by this weekend. I either have to keep moving or cut way back of the junk food!! Brian
