swflguy
19 months out now...
Apr 24, 2010
Since I joined these boards what feels like a lifetime ago, I'm very proud to say I have lost half my body weight and have finally gotten my body fat under 15%. I looked forward to the point where I could give something back. I felt so ignorant, and everyone was very forthcoming with help and advice and it has been priceless. I have wanted to make a similar difference, and now hope I can help someone else as everyone has so generously done for me, so I am going to share some hard learned lessons. Some have to deal with male issues...
Body dysmophia... It's a b*tch. It was by far my biggest issue. I still have trouble from time to time recognizing my refelection in a store window.
Test your D2 and D3 levels regularly. I live in Florida and thought I got plenty enough sun to get enough vitamin D, but I had less than 5% of the minimum range. This left me on a 50,000 IU supplement I had to take weekly on a full stomach after a fatty meal. Sheer torture. Defficiencies on these vitamins can not only lead to osteoperothis, but it can lead to liver and renal failure as well. Mental cloudiness, lack of energy, and weakened immunity are all warning signs.
If you haven't, please get them checked.
Testosterone and Estrogen... I used EAS supplements HEAVILY as I thought I remembered them being whey proteins, There is more soy than whey. In males, soy somehow reacts to metabolize estrogen and deplete testosterone. This was another very hard diagnosis for my PCP. His eyes literally bulged when he saw the numbers when the tests came in. Be very careful, particularly if male, with the amount of soy protein you ingest.
People... Dealing with them is a double edged sword. I struggled internally with peoples' compliments', motivations, etc. In a way i found it so shallow it's disgusting, but this is apparently "normal" and so are we. Our experiences and ability to empathize are priceless, something few people learn leat alone understand. I don't really know how to explain it, but things will CHANGE with your body shape, pitiful as that is to say.
Working out... No one wants to hear it. I decided to get to a comfortable weight (185 I have maintained since lase Sept or so) before I started working out. I was so enthusiastic with my new body and feeling somewhat NORMAL in a gym that I somehow overdid it and have an incisional hernia. We already have weak spots in our core muscles. Start strengthening them as soon as you can. I might not be having surgery on Tuesday if I had.
If there is anything else you would like to ask, anything I can help with, please feel free to PM me. I'm gonna see if I can post some pix.
Good luck to all you wonderful people! Life is good on the other side!!!
1 comment
Body dysmophia... It's a b*tch. It was by far my biggest issue. I still have trouble from time to time recognizing my refelection in a store window.
Test your D2 and D3 levels regularly. I live in Florida and thought I got plenty enough sun to get enough vitamin D, but I had less than 5% of the minimum range. This left me on a 50,000 IU supplement I had to take weekly on a full stomach after a fatty meal. Sheer torture. Defficiencies on these vitamins can not only lead to osteoperothis, but it can lead to liver and renal failure as well. Mental cloudiness, lack of energy, and weakened immunity are all warning signs.
If you haven't, please get them checked.
Testosterone and Estrogen... I used EAS supplements HEAVILY as I thought I remembered them being whey proteins, There is more soy than whey. In males, soy somehow reacts to metabolize estrogen and deplete testosterone. This was another very hard diagnosis for my PCP. His eyes literally bulged when he saw the numbers when the tests came in. Be very careful, particularly if male, with the amount of soy protein you ingest.
People... Dealing with them is a double edged sword. I struggled internally with peoples' compliments', motivations, etc. In a way i found it so shallow it's disgusting, but this is apparently "normal" and so are we. Our experiences and ability to empathize are priceless, something few people learn leat alone understand. I don't really know how to explain it, but things will CHANGE with your body shape, pitiful as that is to say.
Working out... No one wants to hear it. I decided to get to a comfortable weight (185 I have maintained since lase Sept or so) before I started working out. I was so enthusiastic with my new body and feeling somewhat NORMAL in a gym that I somehow overdid it and have an incisional hernia. We already have weak spots in our core muscles. Start strengthening them as soon as you can. I might not be having surgery on Tuesday if I had.
If there is anything else you would like to ask, anything I can help with, please feel free to PM me. I'm gonna see if I can post some pix.
Good luck to all you wonderful people! Life is good on the other side!!!
About Me
bonita springs, FL
Location
24.0
BMI
Surgery
07/24/2008
Surgery Date
Surgeon
May 19, 2008
Member Since
