ObesityHelp

 How is it, i just reread my last post from a year ago, and my complaint is the same again, it is a miracle that i have ONLY put back on roughly 12lbs. I eat too many wrong things, i do many stupid things, i let the stress of my job, the situations in my life, recovery, pet illnesses, dental issues, on and on control my food issues. I thought i worked on these things, i thought i would never fall back in this trap, it wasnt possible as recently as 2 months ago, although i would eat stuff, i would get sick, now my body says fine, if you want to truly eat this crap, i will let you..NO BODY, i dont want you too let me eat this stuff. I am not totally depressed and over it so much that i will never do the right thing again, if i didn't care, i wouldn't be here. If someone reading this can tell me what you do to stay on track, maybe i can learn from you. I dont want to put anymore on, i dont want the 10% rebound i have heard so much about. I want to stay under 200 and i am still close enough to do it. Thanks for the advice to anyone who offers it. Take care

Reading my last post i am wondering what happened to me, i am aware of what i have done over the course of the last two weeks yet, i continued to do it...What you might ask is it, i have been eating crap that i should not..i am not "testing" anything, frankly, i know i can eat it, the question to me is why?? i have, in the last two weeks eaten macaroni and cheese, i have eaten chocolate (with sugar in it) i have eaten ice cream (albeit sugarless with sugar free chocolate sauce and whip cream) at jaxsons ice cream parlor (rated #2 in the whole USA, a local legendary place here in south florida), if i had only had a couple spoonfuls i would not be concerned, but i ate the WHOOOOLE thing, which if you have been here is a giganticenormous serving...and frankly, im at a loss for it, i dont want it, i dont need it, yet i ate it...this has me confused because up until this point i really and rarely ever thought about it, i have just done what i have supposed to do and that is it. I dont feel as if im "off track" but i would like some feedback from my fellow WLS alum's on how you have handled when something like this comes up...i just would like some feedback..thanks

Well, i have now passed the two year mark and i must tell you it has been a learning experience, i am happy to say that i am maintaining my weight loss and i am continuing to take my vitamins and drink my fluids like i am supposed too. I suppose im doing well because i never have really pursued eating regular food on a continuous basis yet. I still live on protein bars and drinks and know what, it works for me, my doctors are VERY happy with my success, my bloodwork is fantastic so why change, it works for me and i am happy with it. I have had people insist i better eat real food or i will be unhealthy, i laugh my butt off at that because, hello, how healthy was i before the way i ate, i sometimes want to tell kind meaning people how stupid they are when it comes to me but i am a nice guy and i just smile and thank them for there advice and say i will keep doing what works for me, thanks so much. Now that may sound arrogant to some of you but you know what, the way i look at it is, i am healthy and i am a winner at this weight loss surgery. If another way works for you, do it, however it works for anyone, if it keeps you successful and keeps the weight off, then do it, i dont know why it bothers people so much that i dont want to do things there way, o well, enough complaining, i want to focus on the great strides that i have made over these few years and will continue to do. I hope someone reading this is inspired by my success, and keeps there drive to do things there way, as long as it works of course. Thanks for reading my rant and Happy Anniversary...TO ME !!!!!

Wow, i cant believe that it has been this long since i have updated this, i am doing fantastic, i am maintaing my weight loss and continuing to do the things i need to do to keep it off, i take my vitamins religiously, continue to do my protein and stay aware of my changing emotions, in october i had my panniculectomy surgery to remove the skin, that was a great decision for myself, to actually have a flat tummy, what a strange feeling, im glad to see and read the updates of people i used to keep up with, it appears most everyone is doing good, thats what is important, we did not get into this for the short term, this is a lifetime journey we are on, and i hope you all enjoy it, heck i just went to london and was able to walk around the city without getting tired and was able to fit into that airplane seat for the first time..hooray, things really are going well and i am grateful, i will try to update more but with my new life, i am so busy it seems as if there are not enough hours in a day which is a good thing, hope you all are well.

Well, i achieved one of my "small" goals, i have long wanted to be able to fit into the seat of a roller coaster and go riding, i never could though because obviously i was too big...well NO MORE !!! look at me now..lol, well maybe not in this picture because i am a bit "scared"..LOL but ya know what, who cares, this was a blast and i finally felt FREE for the first time in my life, we rode all the coasters at dollywood and all the rides, i was more excited than my 6 year old nephew, this journey just keeps getting better and better..thank god for this surgery, it has given me my life back...it gets better and better every day..for those of you reading this who dont believe dreams do start coming true, just look at me and realize they do !!!! I also went white water rafting (another goal achieved!!), those pics will be put up soon....life is great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have added just a couple before and during photos of my recent Tummy Tuck, i dont know how its going to turn out, maybe you can tell me what you think.

I dont know what the final result will be after the swelling goes down but i can tell you at this moment i am pretty darn sore..i wound up paying the extra money and i had my abdominal muscles tightened, my stomach looks like abumpy hillside right now but i am sure down the road it will be all good, i will come back later and let you all know how it turned out.

My surgery is in a few days and the burning question is, will having abdominal muscle tightening to go along with the panniculectomy make a big difference..will i finally have those six-pack abdominals or will it just make my clothes fit better, these are things i need answered before i spend the extra money to have it done, only problem is i dont know anyone who has had it done to get advice from, i have posted on the plastic surgery forum here that question and if anyone reads this and would like to comment i will be happy to listen..thanks

Well, i just received a letter that once again i feel will change my life. My insurance company just sent me an approval letter to have the panniculectomy surgery, for those of you who dont know the pannus is the apron of skin and fat that are left over after losing so much weight. This is an awesome thing, i feel so fortunate to be one of the lucky one's (of course i am not wasting anytime so they can have the opportunity to change there mind), to get rid of this hanging skin will be a great step along the way to complete happiness. I cant speak for everyone but for myself knowing how well i have done, you look down and somehow this skin clouds up you getting an actual true look at how well you have done, from talking to alot of people they seem to be like i am, you cant focus on how well you've done, all you see is that skin hanging there and still think your fat, well, i know im not fat anymore...lol, wow did i just say that....i did!!! im looking forward to this surgery on july 16th, it is a 6 week recovery from what i have been told which is a long time to take off work but i am ready to do this. I will try to update this as often as i can, but i want to again share this step of the journey with my wls friends, stay tuned the show is just beginning.

I just came back from the doctor and i weigh 208 on the official scale so i guess my weight watchers scale if off a little (like i thought it was), everything went great at the doctors, they were very happy with my bloodwork and all that has transpired, over in the picture area is me today with the man who saved my life, Dr Samuel Szomstein of cleveland clinic florida-weston, he is a wonderful man of compassion and caring, and to me, my hero and my lifesaver !!!!! Thank you Dr Szomstein, you TRULY saved my life.