The joys of 2015
2015 was a terrific year. I was going to a personal trainer 3 days a week and really liked him. He was the kind of guy that I enjoyed talking to and it was therapeutic both physically, but as well as mentally, to open up with him about things. I learned a lot from him and the trainers that followed. I learned proper form when lifting weights. I learned how to push myself the proper amount to make gains, but not injure myself. I learned what the various exercises were called and the muscle groups they worked, and I received the confidence boost I was sorely lacking in a gym setting previously.
In early 2015, I was contacted by the hospital. Apparently, Dr. Gandsas’s staff saw my progress and were extremely impressed. I didn’t previously know it, but I had lost a lot more weight, and a lot faster, than most other patients they’ve encountered. I was looking like a normal human being that in no way resembled the 352 behemoth that I used to be. Someone from Dr. Gandsas’s staff informed the hospital advertising group, and they contacted me about doing a hospital blog story about me and my progress. I happily agreed. In March, I did a photo shoot to get pictures for the blog story. The photographers had trouble finding me at first because they said they were looking “for a fat guy, and instead found me.” They couldn’t believe that I used to weigh 352 pounds. The pictures turned out great and they ran the blog story, and it apparently was well received (as you’ll see in my 2016 post).
The blog story inspired me to begin participating in the bariatric surgery seminars that first sold me into getting the surgery. I volunteered to do the testimonials at some of these, and I was very glad I did so. It was so strange being on the other end of that conversation. The bariatric surgery staff would show my before picture when I weighed 352 pounds, then they would call me up to the front of the room, I would stand and begin to go up there, and everyone’s jaw would drop and they would make comments of total disbelief. The reactions I received were terrific, but talking to people one-on-one after the seminars was even more special. I met a lot of great people that were in the amount of desperation I was in when I first attended the seminar. I even met a former contestant from The Biggest Loser, who lost weight during the show and then gained it all back after.
I could visibly see that I offered a ray of hope to these people, and they recognized that they could do the surgery and obtain success like I did. It was during these seminars that I realized it was my duty to help as many people as I can. Obesity is killing Americans at record rates, and I may actually be able to play a small part in raising awareness of the problem, and the solutions. It is for this reason that, despite the fact that I’m an introverted private person, I would stand up in front of total strangers and share my story. It is for this reason that I decided to write this blog despite being ashamed of my before pictures. It is a subject that I now feel so strongly about, I want to tell everyone. I may not know everything, but I feel I know enough information to help those without hope, to be able to finally find hope and act upon it.
In the early part of 2015, my weight plateaued and I was no longer losing weight. I was stuck at 210 pounds, and then I started to snack more and my weight eventually crept up to 230 pounds. I grew increasingly concerned that I was undoing my progress and sliding back into my old ways. I couldn’t eat very much in one feeding, but I found it was possible to graze all day long, and there’s nothing the surgery could do to stop that method of cheating.
That summer, I decided to do something about it. I heard about “Eat to Live” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I watched the PBS video that he did in relation to the book. I highly recommend that everyone watch that video (it’s on YouTube), as well as read the book. It is extremely educational, and changed my life forever. In any case, I bought the book and brought it with me on vacation to Charleston, South Carolina. I was so captivated by the book that I read it by the pool and ocean nearly the entire trip. I was so inspired by it that I immediately implemented his diet recommendations in the middle of vacation! My wife was displeased that she was trying to enjoy a vacation meal and I was ordering a salad. Regardless, the contents of that book set me on a course that I still follow today.
After just a month, I lost over 20 pounds. By the end of the year, I hit my all time low of 188 pounds. My trainer was ecstatic, they were seeing results, and I was seeing results. I had more energy than ever. The only complaint was that my wife thought that I was beginning to look too skinny. Because of the rapid weight loss, the weeks without eating, and the juice fast, I apparently lost a lot of muscle. When the fat melted off, there was nothing but skin and bones. This set me on the course of working out more (4 days a week) and with heavier weights and less cardio.
In 2015, I had my third and final child. Unlike the previous two, this one didn’t cause me stress. I didn’t binge eat as a result. I had the energy to help with him as a newborn and I had such a better outlook on life than I did my first, when I questioned whether I would be around in 10 years. My, how times have already changed!
Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog is based entirely upon my experiences and observations. I am not a medical professional and you must do your own research and consult your doctor before making any changes to your eating, fitness, medication, or supplements. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional.
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