emt4jesus
Work Out Change Seems To Have Helped
Jun 10, 2008
Well it looks like changing up my work out has helped kick start my weight loss again. My nutritionist and I set a conservative goal of 10 pounds a month over the next few months and I lost 5 pounds last week. The interval training has intensified my work outs even though I did not add time to the routine.
I guess this is a good time to look at my before and after work out progress since the surgery. Before the surgery, I was walking with a cane due to back pain, and I could not walk up a flight of stairs without being winded. Walking from the parking lot to my desk every morning was such a chore that my doctor did the paperwork to declare me permanently handicapped which allowed me to get a handicap plaque for my vehicle. My favorite passion of hunting almost became a non activity. If it were not the generosity and patients of some friends I could not have hunted the past two years. My friends went out of their way to transport me to my hunting areas, helped me set up ground blinds and carried most of my equipment.
After my surgery, my first attempt at walking was pitiful at best but it gave me a base line. I walked a half mile circuit in my neighborhood in 45 minutes with a cane. In the next few weeks, I was able to work up to finishing the circuit in 30 minutes. Six weeks after surgery, I hired a trainer and joined a gym. That first day in the gym was very humbling. I was able to complete 15 minutes on the treadmill at the lowest setting. I was able to do one set of six or seven weight exercises at very low weights. For a former power lifter in college, it was very humbling to see how far I had fallen off over the years.
Now, things are so different and I thank God for the change. I work out at the gym four times a week for an hour and a half each time. Two days a week are strictly weight loss days doing intense interval training on the elliptical or the treadmill. Usually I do 30 minutes on the elliptical, a set of 75 crunches with 15 pounds, 30 more minutes on the treadmill with it set for hills, and then finish off with 75 more crunches. The other two days are my weight lifting days. I keep the weights low and the reps high to encourage more weight loss. For an old power lifting guy, this is very hard in that my heart wants to throw more weight on the bar or machine and grunting it out. I start of by warming up on the elliptical for 15 minutes to get the heart rate up. Yesterday was my best day ever as I did 1.14 miles in 15 minutes using the weight loss interval setting. I then do my weight lifting using a circuit train routine. My upper body work out consists of 15 reps a 40% of maximum weight at the following stations:
pull downs
butterflies
chest press
shoulder press
curls
triceps extensions/ triceps pull downs/triceps presses (2 of 3)
seated rows/twisting rows(1of 2)
crunches (75 reps)
I've work up to doing 2 circuits of these exercises and will soon step that up to 3
For my lower body, I do the same weight % at the following stations:
squat
calf press
incline squat
hip adduction
hip abduction
leg extensions
leg curls
back extensions
crunches (75 reps)
Again I do 2 sets of this routine. I finish up the workout with 30 minutes of interval training on the elliptical or treadmill.
What has all this done for me? I no longer walk with a cane. I no longer use elevators to go up less than five flights of stairs. I was able to enjoy a hunting trip to
In finishing, I guess the most satisfying event that has happened to me is dumbfounding the doctors. My longtime family physician retired at the age of 50 (go figure) and I have a new doctor. I started having chest pain (more like lower chest pain, upper abdominal pain) so I went in for a check up. They slapped the monitor on me and it spit out that I was in a brady cardi rhythm with a first degree heart block. I tried to tell the doc that my resting heart rate was around 60 so a rate of 58 was not unusual. He still insisted on me getting a stress test because no one weighing 300 pounds can have a resting rate of 58 and a blood pressure of 110/70. To make a long story short, I aced the stress test and my doctor is amazed at my fitness progress. Praise God!
Struggling To Loose Weight
Jun 05, 2008
First and foremost, I praise God for my weight loss to date. I'm down 180 pounds from my highest weight and 117 pounds since my WLS last April. I'm almost pain free in my back and joints. I am working out three to four times a week and I am in the best shape that I've been in in over 20 years. I'm five pounds from my high school football weight (290) and 10 pounds from my wedding date weight (285). I have a resting pulse rate of 60 and blood presure of 110/74. I am blessed or maybe cursed in that I have no problem with "dumping" which gives me a much more expanded list of foods I can eat compared to most who have had WLS. My biggest challenges are my food choices and snacking. Since I can eat almost anything, it is very easy to cheat.
As I looked back on my weight log, my weight loss for the past few months has been two pounds. I've lost an additional 6 inches from my body mass but only two pounds. My surgeon read me the riot act at my one year check up and sent me back to the nutritionist for the next six months. After doing some testing, it was determined that I have added almost 6% more muscle to my frame in the past six months. This is good except that muscle weighs more than fat an helps to explain some of the minimal weight loss.
The nutritionist and I came up with a modified plan to kick start the weight loss once again. First, I am to really watch my carbs. Even though mashed potatoes has been a main food source since the surgery, it is now gone with the wind. I'm trying to hold my carb intake foods to those on the lower side of the glycemic index. Also, I've re-committed to the eating basics for WLS. Protien first and plenty of water. The second thing I committed to was working out four times a week instead of three. I'm doing High Intensity Interval training for 60 minutes twice a week, circuit weight training twice a week, with 30 minutes of interval training after the weights. I'm down five pounds this week alone. But man it is hard!
I've even got my church accountability group involved. We just completed a study on spiritual accountability and I asked my two partners to keep me accountable to my weight loss commitment. Part of the study involved being accountable to God for what we put into our body and how we take care of our body. Just this past week, our group got into a big discussion on proper diet and nutrition. There has also been some commitments made by others in the group to better diet and fitness. One partner has started running again and just completed a 10k race. Another has taken up golfing and yet another has joined a gym and is working out four times a week. Of the five of us that are committing to a better, healthier life style, the youngest is in their mid fourties and the oldest is 53. We are not going to set the world on fire with our athletic abilities but I do believe God will bless our action by using us in areas where our past physical conditions were a stumbling block.
A Big WOW Moment - 300's Are Gone
May 02, 2008
I want to thank God for this accomplishment for I know in my heart that God has been standing beside me through the whole adventure. Though many times I did not acknowledge He was with me, it can only be through His strength, mercy, and grace that I have been allowed to have this life changing experiance. In the good times, I ignored Him and only in the bad times did I call out to Him. He was faithful to send me a verse or a song or a person to encourage me or to correct me. He is my strong tower and my salvation. Praise God!!!
One Year Anniversary
Apr 21, 2008
First the positives. I am down 109 pounds since the surgery and 174 pounds from my heaviest weight. I'm down from a waist size of 66 to a waist size of 52. I've gone from a 6XL shirt size to a 3XL shirt size. I no longer walk with a cane and I exercise at least three times a week at the gym. The only medications that I currently take are for diabetes which is better but not totally gone. My starting BMI was 64 and is now 41. At my current weight of 301, my resting heart rate is 60, my blood pressure is 120/80, and my triglyceride level has dropped from 1800 to 119. I am the healthiest I been in 20 years. I'm 6 pounds from my high school football playing weight and 26 pounds from my weight when I was married in 1985. I am more confident and less self concious about being heavy.
Now the negatives. I struggle every day with my appetite. Fortunately or maybe unfortunately, there is very little that I can not eat. Dumping has never been a problem for me. I can eat just about anything as long as I don't eat too much of it. My snacking habits have slowly started inching their way back into my life which has put me on a nine week plateau, I bounced back and forth between 308 and 312 before dropping 7 pounds last week. I am also struggling with low cholesterol (the good kind) and iron levels. This has led to feeling fatigued most of the time.
My one year visit with Dr. Facundas was not a fun appointment. He was a little disappointed in the weight loss and chastized me somewhat for not following the his plan. Although I get plenty of protien every day, I also get way too many carbs. My meat and potato appetite is still very much a part of my life. The doctor has ordered me to start seeing the dietitian again which is probably a good thing. I see him next week and hope he can help me work through some of these issues.
Overall, I have mixed emotions when it comes to my WLS experiance. I thank God that I'm not where I was a year ago. God has blessed me in my finances and in my ministry. In fact, some of my disappointment is due to not putting more trust in God to guide me through this experiance. I am disappointed in my weight loss but I am not giving up. I've come too far to quit now and I refuse to go back where I was. I like being able to tie my own shoes or pick up a dime on the floor. I am blessed to be able to walk up and down hills and mountain trails without getting winded or having my knees hurt me for the next two weeks. It is a blessing to be able to kneel down and talk to my Awana kids on their level and not need help to stand back up. I think my mid-term grade would be a C-. But I am determined, with God's help and guidence, to meet all my goals for WLS.
First Shopping Spree
Jan 16, 2008
Well I finally bit the bullet and went shopping for clothing this past weekend. I have been reluctant for several reasons:
1st - I'm still in big man sizes which mean fewer stores have the items in my size.
2nd - Cost!!!! I have a problem with spending $30 - $50 for a pair of slacks that I won't be able to wear in six months!
It was suggested I try Martins in
Physically I'm down 107 pounds since the surgery and a total of 170 pounds since starting this journey. I'm waiting for some test results as my liver enzymes were elevated; so the doctors are looking into a possible gallbladder problem. I am also struggling with my diabetes as my numbers are all over the place. I have not had a family doctor since the surgery so no one has been helping me to manage the diabetes. I have an appointment with a new family doctor on the 25th. Hopefully, things will work themselves out.
Working hard to meet my next goal - loose 8 pounds to put my weight under 300 pounds for the first time in 20 years.
For the first time since the surgery, I spent the week reflecting on how my life has changed in such a short time. Physically, I can't remember feeling so good. I have plenty of energy and stamina. I am sleeping better and longer. My wife tells me that I rarely snore anymore. I still have the aches and pains of age and the self abuse I put my body through over the years but it's all good. I'm dealing with stress much better now. I don't sweat the little things as much as I used to. Changing jobs has helped the stress issue along with having a physical outlet with my workouts.
Mentally, I have more confidence and self esteem now that I am much more comfortable in my body. I seem to be thinking more clearly and need less down time to rejuvenate after a mentally stressful day.
Spiritually, I see both good and bad things. The good is that I saw God use other people to help encourage me and support me. My church family has been an ever present support group from the beginning. There is not a Sunday or Wednesday when someone doesn't stop me and gives me a positive word of encouragement. I get phone calls and receive notes on a weekly basis that sing my praises and tell of lifted prayers. I am so blessed to have the church family I have. They've showed me nothing but love and support. The bad is that I have yet to totally trust God in this whole process. I know God has blessed me enormously through this whole process but I struggle to totally put everything into His hands. I worry about our finances yet even when I knew that we would not be able to pay some bills on time, God provided and we never missed or were late on a payment. I get frustrated when I go two or three weeks with no weight loss but God has allowed me to loose 170 pounds in 26 months and improve my physical health. If not for the prayers of others, I'm not sure there would be prayers at all. I look back at my pitiful prayer life and realize that I have rarely asked God to intervene during this time. Yet He has been faithful in His love and support and encouragement. He has been on time, on hand, and had me on track the whole time even if I'm just now recognizing it. God is good all the time, all the time God is good!
Arkansas Hunting Trip
Jan 08, 2008
Hit The Century Mark!!!
Jan 01, 2008
I went home to Virginia for the first time in two years and everyone was amazed at how I looked. I went to one family dinner and some of my cousins were not real sure who I was. I heard one cousin whisper, "Is that really Eddie?" It was great. I took a half day to visit the Bassett genealogy library. The staff there are all related to me and the main researcher and I have worked together for years. I didn't let her know I was coming to Virginia. When I walked in the door and signed in, she came up to me and asked if she could help me. She had no idea who I was at first. It took her a few seconds to recognize me. When she did, her eyes lit up and she said, "I didn't know who you were at first". That's so cool!!
The trip was the most comfortable trip I've ever taken home. I was able to drive for six of the nine hours and the normal travel pain in my back and knees never really materialized. I drove even longer on the trip home.
Away Too Long
Dec 03, 2007
I have been stuck in a rut for about a month. I'm down to 318 pounds which is a 95 pound post surgery loss and a total of 158 pounds in 30 months. I have lost 12 inches in my waist and 14 inches in my chest. I workout at least six hours a week alternating cardio training and weight training.
Thanksgiving proved to be no problem. I gave myself three pounds of weight gain and ended up not gaining any weight. That's pretty good seeing how I had to sit through three thanksgiving dinners.
Overall, God continues to bless me with improvong health. My resting heart rate is now 60 with a blood pressure of 120/70. I have had the freedom to roam all over my hunting land with no restrictions. I can now climb into most of the ladder stands and even bought a climber that I'm just starting to learn to use. In my new job, I'm not tied to my desk but must walk the manufacturing floor at least twice a day. I even mapped a network printer so that I would have to get up and walk a short distance to pick up my orders.
I haven't yet started buying ne cloths although I have had enough shirts given to me over the past month that I will not need to buy them until I'm down below an extra large. God is good all the time....all the time, God is good.
25 Weeks Post-Op
Oct 17, 2007
25 weeks and things are going well. I'm still losing weight and have lost a total of 88 pounds. I'm down from a 66 waist to a 56 and a 6X shirt size to a 4X. My BMI has gone from 57.0 to 44.1. I'm up to 70 minutes three times a week of aerobic exercise and will start back on weight training when my torn abdominal muscle heals.
The biggest WOW for me is in my hunting activities. For the first time in twenty years I'm able to scout out the land where I hunt. I walked all over the mountain side last week without getting winded or tired. Four hours of hiking up and down the mountain was awesome. Last year I had to be taken to within 20 yards of my blind and then walk the final 20 yards uphill. Once I got to my blind, I would have to sit for a half hour before I could work up enough energy to get into the blind.
This year I have scouted almost every inch of the mountainous 100 plus acres. I also was able to help set up my blind and hand sow our half acre food plot. The first day of bow season, I parked the four wheeler about 200 yards from the blind, put on a 30 pound pack and hiked to the blind. I was not out of breath upon arrival and was set up, ready to hunt within 10 minutes of arriving on the scene. I even climbed a ladder stand for the first time in 20 years. God has surely blessed me beyond my wildest expectations. I never imagined that my life would change so much in such a short amount of time. I never imagined I would ever loose 100 pounds, and now I know I can loose 150. Even my wife has gotten into the act by loosing 20 pounds. She said it's the only way she can keep up with me.
God is good all the time, all the time, God is good!!
23 Weeks Post Surgery
Oct 01, 2007
It's been almost a month since I posted. Where does the time go. I have not lost weight in almost four weeks. I've gained and lost the same five pounds but I'm pretty much stuck at 334 pounds. That's an 80 pound weight loss in 23 weeks. I'm not real concerned since I have not been able to hit the gym almost the entire month of September. Early in the month I strained my left knee which limited my activity and then two Saturdays ago, I tore a stomach muscle while lifting weights. At least I hope it is a tear and not a hernia. The doctor had me get an ultrsound done and I'm waiting for the results.
Otherwise, things are going well. Awana is off to a great start this year with almost a 50% increase in attendance. My activity level for club time is ten times what it was last year. Two Sundays ago, I pulled my sport jacket out for the first time since surgery. I had to serve the Lord's Supper that morning. To my surprise, the jacket which couldn't be buttoned before the surgery is now swallowing me up. I told my wife that it was time to pull out some of my old jackets to see if they would fit. Praise God!!
