Gabriel B.
20 month post op
Nov 09, 2012
What has changed since my surgery??
My surgery was truly a re-birth. Since than, I live a very active life. Of course, the surgery has forced me to change the way I look and appreciate food. Just 20 months ago, I was 540 pounds, a b.m.i. Of 70.. 68 inch waist, 7xl shirt size.. 22 neck dress shirt size.
After losing 280 pounds....
Now, I walk 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day. I go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week. I eat small portions of food. Nothing fried, nothing sweet. Of course, I still fight temptations of wanting to eat something that I used to eat when confronted by those foods. But, my weight loss success has kept me motivated to stay active, eat the right foods and try to get as fit as possible. I have inspired many to try to live healthier lives with my pictures and post on my Facebook. I now weigh 265 pounds.... 42 inch waist, 1xl shirt size... 17 neck size dress shirt.... It's a new life and its a new me. I'm the example of what the gastric bypass surgery can do for the unhealthiest guy ever. If I can do this, anyone can.... Just have to make the sacrifice...
Update!!
Jul 07, 2011
Hello everyone and the friends that i had met in the chatroom,
It's been a long time since we have chatted or communicated. Anyhow, what is new?? I am now 4 1/2 months post op., i had a great start to this new weight loss surgery life. I have currently lost 145 pounds and still a long way to go in my journey. I think now, more than before, I truely am living the life that I had not been able to live since my weight (literally) kept me from wanting to do the things that I have wanted to do. I live a much healthier life, I make lots of food and excerise choices that i'm pretty sure I would have never been able to make without the surgery. I go to the gym, I look forward to my weigh ins, and I have taken a hard stance at staying away from the old habits that got me to becoming the 6 foot, 540 pound man that I was the day of my surgery. My girlfriend Elizabeth now has been approved for her surgery, her surgery date is July 12, 2011, and I am overjoyed and extremely excited for her and the journey that she is to start next Tuesday. The strongest thing about our relationship is that we have found things of interest to share with each other as we go on in life, and to be able to share the miracle that is the weight loss surgery as a common thing between us is just priceless.
Talk to you all soon!!
Gabe
0 comments
It's been a long time since we have chatted or communicated. Anyhow, what is new?? I am now 4 1/2 months post op., i had a great start to this new weight loss surgery life. I have currently lost 145 pounds and still a long way to go in my journey. I think now, more than before, I truely am living the life that I had not been able to live since my weight (literally) kept me from wanting to do the things that I have wanted to do. I live a much healthier life, I make lots of food and excerise choices that i'm pretty sure I would have never been able to make without the surgery. I go to the gym, I look forward to my weigh ins, and I have taken a hard stance at staying away from the old habits that got me to becoming the 6 foot, 540 pound man that I was the day of my surgery. My girlfriend Elizabeth now has been approved for her surgery, her surgery date is July 12, 2011, and I am overjoyed and extremely excited for her and the journey that she is to start next Tuesday. The strongest thing about our relationship is that we have found things of interest to share with each other as we go on in life, and to be able to share the miracle that is the weight loss surgery as a common thing between us is just priceless.
Talk to you all soon!!
Gabe
Late with this post..... just to update you.....
Apr 10, 2011
Originally became interested in having weight loss surgery in 2007. Why not, I have been obese since i was 12 years old. In high school, I was a big guy, but was athletic and moved around really well for a guy my size enough that I was able to play football and basketball while in high school. Later in life, became frustrated with the way I looked and how unhealthy I felt. I tryed to work out and try to lose the weight, while trying to change my diet (without the help of a doctor), but usually after losing 20 pounds, I would just gain it back and add 5 pounds. After meeting my current girlfriend (Elizabeth), I became more interested in getting weight loss surgery and she did lots of research on that matter with the thought that both of us wanted the surgery to improve our health and so that we could live the lives that we wanted to live. We attended a open house at Dr. Aframs office and after a very informative presentation both applied for the surgery. My insurance of course denied my application for surgery and even mentioned that they viewed the surgery as a cosmetic procedure (which I find very offensive).
December, 4th, 2010
After I starting working 2 days a week at Shoppers Food Warehouse in 2009, I now had the insurance plan that could very likely pay for my weight loss surgery (I had a friend that had worked for another company that had the same union as I did and she had the surgery years ago). Liz and I attended another open house at Dr Aframs office and I again applied for weight loss surgery. And like the best christmas present I had ever recieved, On Dec. 27th, Liz called me to inform me that Dr Aframs office had called her to let me know that my insurance had approved my request for surgery. I immediately had to sit down and (in tears) thought of how I wished that my uncle (who had passed away the year before, and had always warned me that my obesity was going to kill me) was here to see this day or even here to see that I had lost the weight.
Febuary, 22nd, 2011 (Surgery Day)
The day I had been waiting for since i was an overweight teen wishing I was smaller like all the other kids. Till this day, I had seen so many doctors during my pre ops, I was so ready for this day to come. During my visits to the group meetings, I always had so many questions about what life will be like post op and had some concern over the elevated risk factor that I faced as I went through the surgery. But now that it was time to have the surgery , I had complete faith that my surgeon would get me through this surgery alive and if there were any complications, I was in the best hands.
Post Op Experiences,
Of all the suggestions that I have recieved, what has helped me the most is building my support system that I refer to whenever I have issues come up. Every office has a team of patients that are more than willing to share their story at the drop of a hat, but what worked for me is to hear from the people who have been in my shoes and know what its like to be 470 pounds, out of breathe after very little exertion, and to know how it feels when people keep looking at you and kids make fun of you because your the fattest person they ever see. I met a guy in my surgeon's support group who less than 2 years ago weight almost 480 pounds. Now this guy weighs about 200 pounds and has completely turned his life around for the better. I'm a business major in college and the rule of thumb in any business related class is to create your own success and if you have to, find out who the successful people are and do what they do. I want to do what Chuck has done. I need to stay humble (i'm so fortunate to have been able to have the surgery) and I need to maximize this opportunity to get healthy.
Weight Loss (So far)
The day of surgery I weighted 540 pounds with a BMI of 70.
My first weight in after surgery was 511 pounds .......29 pound loss
My second weigh in ...............486 pounds..............25 pound loss
My third weigh in.....................471 pounds...............15 pound loss
0 comments
December, 4th, 2010
After I starting working 2 days a week at Shoppers Food Warehouse in 2009, I now had the insurance plan that could very likely pay for my weight loss surgery (I had a friend that had worked for another company that had the same union as I did and she had the surgery years ago). Liz and I attended another open house at Dr Aframs office and I again applied for weight loss surgery. And like the best christmas present I had ever recieved, On Dec. 27th, Liz called me to inform me that Dr Aframs office had called her to let me know that my insurance had approved my request for surgery. I immediately had to sit down and (in tears) thought of how I wished that my uncle (who had passed away the year before, and had always warned me that my obesity was going to kill me) was here to see this day or even here to see that I had lost the weight.
Febuary, 22nd, 2011 (Surgery Day)
The day I had been waiting for since i was an overweight teen wishing I was smaller like all the other kids. Till this day, I had seen so many doctors during my pre ops, I was so ready for this day to come. During my visits to the group meetings, I always had so many questions about what life will be like post op and had some concern over the elevated risk factor that I faced as I went through the surgery. But now that it was time to have the surgery , I had complete faith that my surgeon would get me through this surgery alive and if there were any complications, I was in the best hands.
Post Op Experiences,
Of all the suggestions that I have recieved, what has helped me the most is building my support system that I refer to whenever I have issues come up. Every office has a team of patients that are more than willing to share their story at the drop of a hat, but what worked for me is to hear from the people who have been in my shoes and know what its like to be 470 pounds, out of breathe after very little exertion, and to know how it feels when people keep looking at you and kids make fun of you because your the fattest person they ever see. I met a guy in my surgeon's support group who less than 2 years ago weight almost 480 pounds. Now this guy weighs about 200 pounds and has completely turned his life around for the better. I'm a business major in college and the rule of thumb in any business related class is to create your own success and if you have to, find out who the successful people are and do what they do. I want to do what Chuck has done. I need to stay humble (i'm so fortunate to have been able to have the surgery) and I need to maximize this opportunity to get healthy.
Weight Loss (So far)
The day of surgery I weighted 540 pounds with a BMI of 70.
My first weight in after surgery was 511 pounds .......29 pound loss
My second weigh in ...............486 pounds..............25 pound loss
My third weigh in.....................471 pounds...............15 pound loss
