bdkane19

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It's been a while since I have written, but no better time then now.  I will be 1 year post-op this Friday and boy has my life changed.  I work-out about 5 days a week, usually in the morning before work.  I now where XL shirts and 38 waist.  I just started a new job in SSF which is about 5 miles from my home rather than the 37 mile commute each way at my previous job.  The down side to that is that I no longer go to support and miss everyone from the group especially Debbii.  I finished my baseball season and have started playing fall ball.  Last season was pretty fun as I played in Vegas and San Quinten of all places.  My weight has pretty much stayed around 250, but my body is changing.  I am getting much more muscular and stronger.  In the past month I have doubled the amount of weight that I lift for each exercise.  I am hoping to get some new pictures posted so you can see the difference, but I have been very busy with my new job, exercise and fun.  I would like to get down to 220, but I am enjoying my body right now.  I look like a linebacker and feel strong. 

I have hit the 100 pound mark.  I feel fantastic and can't believe I have lost more than 100#'s.  I am that much closer to my goal.  I have gone from size 50 waist to 42 and from a 4x to a 2x, sometimes XL.  My activity level has gone way up.  I workout at least 6 days a week.  My workouts consist of weight lifting, cardio, walking, softball, baseball and basketball.  I play softball for coorporate co-ed on Tuesday nights, baseball on Sunday's and this Friday I am joining the rest of the coach's from my step daughter's school as we take on the 8th grade class in a fun game of basketball.  I walk 1 1/2 miles every day at lunch and get to the gym 3 to 4 days during the week.  That consist of alternating days between upper and lower body workouts followed by 35 minutes of cardio.  I have added pictures from the Vegas baseball tournament that I pitched in.

I am playing baseball again.  I had tryouts for a 35 and over adult baseball league a few weeks ago and it went well.  I am still overweight, but I am still good on the ball field.  I had a business trip in Las Vegas and was not going to be able to make the second tryout.  Another team heard that I was going to be in Vegas and they asked me if I could extend my stay and pitch for them in a wood bat tournament.  I was able to change my schedule so that I could play for them and so I did.  I had a blast.  I pitched 4 1/3 innings and did pretty good considering I hadn't pitched since 2001.  I gave up 3 runs the first inning and then settled down the rest of the way.  I ended up giving up 4 runs all together walking 3 and stricking out 3.  The best part was that I was able to work out of situations.  The first inning I had bases loaded with no outs and struck a batter out.  The next batter flew out to center and the runner from 3rd tried to tag up and was thrown out at the plate for an inning ending double play.  The 2nd inning was much better as I struck the first 2 batters out and the 3rd batter flew out to center.  The 3rd and 4th inning I was able to get them to ground into 2 more inning ending double plays.  I felt a bit stiff in the 5th inning and had to come out of the game, but I had a great time.

When I got home I found out that I was drafted by another team called the Zephyrs.  We have a practice game next weekend against the team I played for in Vegas.  I am looking forward to it.

On another note, I was able to use the seatbelt on the plane without using and extender.  That made me feel real good.

I am under 300 pounds for the first time in 8 years.  I can't believe how much I have lost and how great I feel.  I have gone from wearing 4x shirts to loose fitting 2x shirts.  My pants have gone from size 50 to 44 loose fitting.  Everyone around me continue to notice my weight loss.  My energy levels are fine and I still have not had any issues.  I am going to try out for an over 35 baseball team in a few weeks and have already had a couple of managers contact me about playing for them this season.  I can't wait to get back on the ball field and show that I still got it.  I will keep you posted.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas.  I have been very busy with the holidays and the end of quarter/end of year work situation.  I have been able to continue my daily mile walk at lunch and have increased my workouts at the gym.  I have been cleared to lift weights and have enjoyed my last few workouts.  I still do 35 minutes of cardio at the gym, but now I lift as well.  Some of you may know that I have been a certified personal trainer and know what to do when it comes to the gym.  I feel myself getting back to the way I was before when I would go to the gym and it is something I have missed.  I weighed myself at the gym and was 316.  My measurments are still coming down as I have lost 5 inches in my chest and hips.  I am going to work harder on my trunk area so I can get my abs to start showing more results.  I hope all of you have a wonderful New Year.  Take care.

I am at 332 after 3 weeks post-op and have been moved to stage 3 part 2.  That is 35 pounds down from surgery.  I feel great and don't fit into any of my clothes so I had to buy some sweat pants.  My shirts are all really loose on me but that is okay.  I can't wait to get home and make a turkey burger. 

Yesterday I went back to work.  I feel fantastic and everyone here is telling me that I look a lot thinner.  It really feels good to have people give me positive comments.  Another person here at work had the proceedure and she had several complications so people didn't expect me to look and feel as good as I do.  I strongly believe that I was well prepared thanks to Debbie and other people.  I was taking in over 100 grams of protein a day and that really helped my body heal quicker.  I have been walking a mile a day and I really feel great.  I have made some interesting meals now that I am on stage 3 diet.  Debbie gave me a good suggestion for Lasagne and it really tastes good.  Just put Marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese and shredded cheese into a microwavable bowl and you have a meal.  I made it a bit big so it was good for 2 meals.  I hope to post some pictures soon.  Take care.

Today was my first post-op appointment.  9 days after surgery and I have lost 22 pounds.  I could not believe the scale.  I had my wife measure me and I have lost an inch in my neck, 4"'s around my shoulders, almost 4"'s in my chest, an inch from my hips, bicep, thigh and calf.  Yesterday was difficult being the one day of the year that we all usually eat beyond our needs, but I did survive without caving in.  I hope all of you were as successful and I look forward to keeping you updated with my continued success.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe holiday.  Enjoy your time with your families and enjoy the good food.  I will not be able to enjoy any of this years food, but it is very much worth it.  Take care.

I feel I have been making some real good progress over the past couple of days.  I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but for those of us that have been through this you will understand.  I made a number 2!!!  I didn't think it would happen but it did.  I am that much closer to normalcy.  Another accomplishment yesterday was walking a half mile.  I have not taken any pain medication since Friday and I feel great.  I could go back to work today if I had to, but I think I will enjoy this next week off.  I have some errants to do today and I am looking forward to getting outside.  I have noticed that my appetite has begun to creep up on me.  I have been taking in about 4oz of stage 2 per meal and I think I am ready to up it a little bit.  I tried a protein bullet a few days ago and couldn't get it down, but I think I will try again today.  I think I need to up my protein as I think I am only getting in about 30g of protein now.  A month before surgery my protein intake was well over 100g's and I think that really helped me.  I can only get one 25oz bottle of water down a day so I really need to try and increase that.  My next Dr's appt is this Friday and I get to weigh myself for the first time since the surgery.  I hope I don't blow it over Turkey day  ;-).