Smiles1967
Please allow me to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Stephen Cragg and I am a 41 year old male that is a survivor of morbid obesity. When people think of morbid obesity they think of a person that sits on their backside and eats junk food all day.
I have been overweight for most of my life, since the age of eight years old in fact. I can remember my doctor and my mother discussing concerns for my excess weight as a child and my doctor telling my mother not to worry because I would grow out of it and loose all of the excess weight by the time I was twelve years old.
In my late twenties I was diagnosed with a sever case of sleep apnea caused by my excessive weight. It was at that time that my doctor sat me down and had a real heart to heart talk with me about my weight. She told me that my excess weight was now starting to affect my health in a negative way. I can remember just like it was yesterday, my doctor telling me that if I lost the excess weight that I had a 90% chance of reversing the sleep apnea and avoiding getting a whole group of other possible co-morbidities that were associated with weight gain later on in life.
In 1998 I was diagnosed with high cholesterol and in 2002 I was diagnosed with a fatty liver.
In January 2008 I found myself at my all-time highest weight of 342 pounds with a BMI of 55. Oh and I was newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I also suffered from chronic lower back pain.
So just to recap, I had been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, high cholesterol, fatty liver and type 2 diabetes … and there is actually more.
I started on the diabetic diet and a walking program in the winter of January 2009. I started at Good life Fitness on July 23 2008 at a weight of 321 pounds. I decided that this was it and I was going to finally kick my weight problem once and for all. The first thing that Roberto did when he signed me up for the gym was to sign me up for a personal trainer. Nicole was my trainer and she was excellent. After working with Nicole for a few months she recommended that I invest in the 6 week Fat Loss program here at the gym and I had great results on the program under Nicole’s supervision. By the way, if I did not hire a personal trainer at the time that I signed up at the gym I would have never hired a trainer and I would not have lasted more than a few months at the gym. This I know for sure. Nicole showed me how to work with all the equipment in the FITFIX section of the gym. She taught me how to work out properly and how not to hurt myself. Hiring a trainer right out of the gate is the reason that I am still going to the gym like clockwork a year and 4 months later. I personally go to the gym 4 to 5 mornings a week for no less than an hour and a half per session.
When I turned 40 years old my doctor sat me down after reviewing all of the data from my recent physical and told me that she was now scared for my future. My doctor told me that the way my body was reacting to my obesity that by the age of 50 (if I made it that far) I would either by be a very sick man or a very dead man. It was at that time that I started to fully understand the severity of where I was medically and where I was heading. I found myself with a long list of co-morbidities associated with my excess weight. To list a few I have: an enlarged heart, a fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, severe sleep apnea, inguinal hernia, left ventricular hypertrophy, osteoarthritis pain in my knees and joints, enlarged heart, severe hyperlipidemia and chronic lower back pain. At 40 years of age I was now scared and she had my full attention.
In March of 2009 I drove the 6 hour trip down to the Barix Clinic in Ypsilanti, Michigan to meet one on one with one of the top bariatric surgeons by the name of Dr Andre Nunn. Dr Nunn concluded that I was a perfect candidate for the Gastric Bypass surgery. Dr Nunn’s main concern was that if my obesity was left untreated that I would most definitely develop more severe health issues and co-morbidities in the nearer future, like as if I did not have enough already.
On June 1 2009 I had a successful Ruen-y-gastric bypass surgery (stomach stapling). I was told that I was not able to do a physical work out at the gym for a full 6 weeks so within 3 days of my surgery I was walking half a km and by 5 days I was walking a full 3 km's in 45. 2 weeks later I went down for my 2 week checkup with my surgeon Dr Nunn and he could not believe how well I was recovering. He attributed it to my activity levels before and after the surgery.
Six weeks ago I stopped taking my diabetes medicine altogether with normal blood sugar levels. I have 55 to 65 more pounds to loose and I will be at my final resting weight of 170 to 180, and from there it will just be some fine tuning.
Highlights since January 2008
- January 2008 – started diabetic diet and walking program – starting weight of 342 pounds
- July 2008 – joined Goodlife Fitness - weight loss to date of 20 pounds – 322 pounds
- August 2008 – enrolled in the fat loss program – loss to date of 15 inches – Blood pressure of 141/84
- June 2009 – Ruen-y-gastric bypass surgery – surgery weight of 305 pounds – Blood pressure of 136/80
- October 2009 – current weight of 242 pounds – total loss to date of 100 pounds and total loss of 33 inches – Blood pressure of 121/70 – stopped taking diabetes medication
Here is a list that used to carry with me at my house, the gym and in my car at all times. This list helped in reminding me to keep on track for weight loss. I have been able to accomplish all and cross off all 20 items on the list.
20 Neat Reasons to lose weight!
- To feel better about myself.
- To be able to run and play with my children without making excuses.
- To be and feel healthy, strong and fit again.
- So my back doesn't hurt so much.
- So I can just put on my socks instead of having to sit on the edge of the bed.
- So I can bend over comfortably to tie my shoes.
- So I don’t get bad hips like my dad.
- So that skinny women think I am a good catch.
- To just get in the car instead of lowering myself in.
- To be able to buy the clothes I like, not just the ones that fit and say PLUS sized on them.
- So I can walk up a flight of stairs and not feel winded.
- So I can look good in a business suit, instead of always wearing loose clothing.
- So I don't have to worry about what fits in the closet and what doesn't.
- So I can look in a full-length mirror with pride, instead of despair.
- To get up from the floor in one smooth move and not a grab and hold on to something move.
- So I will never have to hear, "you really need to lose some weight" ever again.
- So I don't have to make and give excuses for being over weight.
- So I can go into public and not care what type of looks I get.
- I can sit at any booth in a restaurant. I don't have to be embarrassed because I need a table.
- So I can look straight down and see my toes instead of bending over to see them.
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
