Jay Harper

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So my journey has finally come to the apex. I had my tummy tuck yesterday (12/16/11) and have now lost 190 pounds total. I have nothing but great things to say about this website. Y'all helped me through so much, especially in the early stages of my journey. I would like to thank the people who started this website. Yall are awesome and I would recommend this website to anybody who needs to lose weight or who even wants to learn about surgical weight loss. Thanks for all yall have done.

I know its been a long time since I updated and I figured nows as good a time as ever.

To start off, I cannot believe how much my life has changed over the last two and a half years. I've gone from being 350lbs+ with little self esteem to 205 lbs with loads of confidence. I went shopping for clothes for the first time since last Christmas and I couldn't believe what I could fit into. I'm down from a size 46 in pants to 34s and from a 3XL/XXL in shirts down to Large. Having gastric bypass was probably the greatest decision of my life. I went from being so shy in front of girls I could barely speak or make eye contact to having a wonderful girlfriend, now going on three months. I'm in my third semester at the University of Mississippi and believe I have finally found out what I want to do with my life: become a nurse. I got my first job back in February and now work full time and I love it most of the time.

I had gained back up to around 260 last spring, and decided to do something about it this past August. I've dropped an additional 55 lbs and I finally think that this diet can be a lifestyle, and not just a passing fad. I've cut out all sodas, alcohol (I know I'm underage and all but who didn't break that rule haha), junk food, and snacking. I replaced it with a new diet of water, veggies, chicken and fish. For the first time in my life I didn't get bored with it before it got started. I've started running 5 times a week and began lifting weights just a couple of weeks ago. I feel a lot better and now officially weigh the least I have since 6th grade.

While most of the last year or so has been amazing, it's also had some pretty bad times. I lost my great grandmother back in late February and am still trying to help my dad cope with that. My uncle, and inspiration for the surgery, also passed away this year, back on September 2. That was probably the hardest things I've ever had to deal with, and is the main reason I decided to get back on track.

I just decided to update everyone as I had a few people that had messaged me for an update and I figured it was time. I hope all is well with everyone who has checked in with me over the last year or so and I want yall to know I really do appreciate it.


By the way I also uploaded some newer pictures that are higher resolution than the one's below
in a new album entitled November 2010.

Jay Harper

It's been a while since I posted, but I figured I should update for anybody who cared...

Well first things first, It's been almost 11 months. I have lost exactly 100 pounds so far. I weigh 239, when my highest weight was 339. I haven't lost anything in the last 5 months due to laziness. I started the 5 day pouch test today, and for the first time in a while, I am actually full from protein.

Next, I start college in 11 days. I am so excited to be moving to this next chapter in my life. I move in to Ole Miss next Friday.

I will update again on Tuesday of next week with the results of the 5DPT.

Body Part	Before	Today	Total change
Neck	15.25	14	1.25 in
Chest	51	45.5	5.5 in
Waist	52	44	6 in
Hips	56	50	6 in
L Thigh	29	26	3 in
R Thigh	31	27	4 in
L Calf	19.5	18	1.5 in
R Calf	19	17.5	1.5 in
L Upper Arm	16.5	14	2.5 in
R Upper Arm	15.75	14	1.75 in
L Forearm	12	9.5	2.5 in
R Forearm	11	9	2 in
Total	328	288.5	39.5 in (12%)

Hey everybody, how are y'all doing?

I am doing really well lately. I have dropped about 80 lbs, and now weight 260. I have kinda stalled out around 260, but I am not that frustrated about it.  I haven't weighed 260 since eigth grade. 21 more lbs, and I will weigh less than I did in 7th grade. 

Well that's about all I have for right now, as I am headed to Disney World. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks for reading,
Jay Harper

Hey everybody, how are y'all doing?

Today marks 5 weeks post-op.  I started this journey at 338.8 lbs last August.  When I went to my first consult with Dr. Avara, I weighed in at a whopping 311.5. Today, I weighed in at 270 even.  That's a 41.5 lb loss since August 7.  Combined, I am down 68.8 lbs, a 20.3% weight loss. 

Last week I weighed in at 278.5.  Today I am at 270. That is a loss of 8.5 lbs, my biggest one week loss yet.  Needless to say, I am very excited. 

I got some compliments over the last couple of days.  The first one came on Saturday.  I called my mom as I do every night, and she told me that one of her best friends saw me, and said she could tell I had lost weight.  Today, I was at school ()  and one of my teachers told me that she could tell I had lost weight.  She was one of the few people I told about my surgery at school, and when I told her how much I had lost, she nearly had a heart attack.  The third and final compliment came from the baseball coach at my school.  I was getting my clothes from him (the clothes we wear at baseball games; I am the statistician) and he said he doesn't believe that the clothes would fit, as he could tell that I had lost weight since the beginning of school.  I told him I was down 42 lbs, and his mouth hit the floor (I didn't tell him I had surgery).

Well that wraps up my week 5 update.  I am still shocked I have lost 42 lbs in just a little over 2 months.  This surgery was well worth it so far.

Thanks for reading,
Jay Harper

Hey everybody, how are y'all doing?

Today marks 5 weeks post-op.  I started this journey at 338.8 lbs last August.  When I went to my first consult with Dr. Avara, I weighed in at a whopping 311.5. Today, I weighed in at 270 even.  That's a 41.5 lb loss since August 7.  Combined, I am down 68.8 lbs, a 20.3% weight loss. 

Last week I weighed in at 278.5.  Today I am at 270. That is a loss of 8.5 lbs, my biggest one week loss yet.  Needless to say, I am very excited. 

I got some compliments over the last couple of days.  The first one came on Saturday.  I called my mom as I do every night, and she told me that one of her best friends saw me, and said she could tell I had lost weight.  Today, I was at school ()  and one of my teachers told me that she could tell I had lost weight.  She was one of the few people I told about my surgery at school, and when I told her how much I had lost, she nearly had a heart attack.  The third and final compliment came from the baseball coach at my school.  I was getting my clothes from him (the clothes we wear at baseball games; I am the statistician) and he said he doesn't believe that the clothes would fit, as he could tell that I had lost weight since the beginning of school.  I told him I was down 42 lbs, and his mouth hit the floor (I didn't tell him I had surgery).

Well that wraps up my week 5 update.  I am still shocked I have lost 42 lbs in just a little over 2 months.  This surgery was well worth it so far.

Thanks for reading,
Jay Harper

Hey everyone. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm pretty good. I have started to lose at a little faster rate now that I am back to taking my Syntroid. I started at 311.5, and now I am at 278.5, a 33 pound difference. I can tell a difference in all my clothes, especially my school uniform and my Ole Miss shirts.

I took my measurements for 4 weeks out. Here they are.

Body Part	Original measurement (in)	Today’s measurement (in)	Change
Neck	15.25	15	- 0.25
Chest	51	47	- 4
Waist	52	47	-5
Hips	56	52	-4
L Thigh	29	27.5	-1.5
R Thigh	31	27	-4
L Calf	19.5	19	- 0.5
R Calf	19	18	- 1.0
L Bicep	16.5	15	-1.5
R Bicep	15.75	14	-1.75
L Forearm	12	10	-2
R Forearm	11	10	-1
TOTALS	328	301.5	26.5

Hey everyone. Hope y'all are doing well. Today I am 3 weeks and 2 days post-op.

The Good:
1) I have dropped 30 lbs since school started.
2) I went to my PCP the other day, and no more blood pressure meds.
3) He also told me why I wasn't losing weight that fast.
4) I have been adding some soft foods to my diet, and no bad effects.

The Bad:
1) I don't really think this is a bad thing, at least we figured it out. I haven't been taking my thyroid meds since before surgery. Apparently, my thyroid has become dependant on it. I started taking it on Monday, hoping it will help with my wieght loss.

Well I guess that's all I have for now. I can't wait until Monday to see if I the medicines have helped.  I will update everyone on Monday night.

Jay Harper

Height- 5'9.5"
Weight- 284.5 lbs. (-26.5 lbs. including pre-op diet)
Body Fat %- 41 (-6.8% including pre-op diet)

Body Part	Measurement (in.)	Change
Neck	14.5	-0.75
Chest	49	-2.0
Waist	49.5	-2.5
Hips	53	-3
Thigh (L)	28	-1
Thigh ®	28	-3
Bicep (L)	16.5	0
Bicep ®	16	+.25
Forearm (L)	10	-2
Forearm ®	11	0
Calf (L)	19	-0.5
Calf ®	18.5	-.05
TOTAL	313	15 inches