The rest of 2014

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The rest of the year 2014 that followed surgery was an exciting time. I was watching the weight melt off me. I wasn’t hungry, and I followed the meal plan. I participated in the Bariatric Optimization Program (BOP) and enjoyed it much more this time now that I weighed less. Here are my weight readings over that first year after surgery:

  • February 12, 2014: 325 pounds
  • March 13, 2014: 289 pounds
  • April 11, 2014: 275 pounds
  • May 15, 2014: 255 pounds
  • August 7, 2014: 224 pounds
  • November 13, 2014: 210 pounds
  • February 4, 2015: 210 pounds

There are a few observations that should be drawn from the above. First, I lost 100 pounds in less than 6 months after surgery. That is still, to me, astonishing. I clearly recall how proud I felt that autumn. Everyone was noticing, even people that normally wouldn’t talk to me. My Korean barber, who never made small talk with me, asked me how I did it. It was the best experience ever when everyone I knew took notice and wanted to hear my story.

It’s a great day when a rockfish makes me look small. That was the case in May 2014, after losing 100 pounds from my all time high.

As time went by, I was able to eat denser and denser foods. There was one thing I cheated with, however. I absolutely love beef jerky, and would try a piece occasionally. I tried a piece 3 months after surgery and nearly vomited. I tried again 4 months after surgery and felt extremely full, at about the 5 month mark, I could eat it with no issue. After 6 months, my stomach was pretty well healed and I could eat just about anything again. However, I couldn’t eat much more than a handful of food at a time. I wasn’t able to eat anything close to a plate of food until 1 year after surgery.

A few months after surgery, my wife decided to do something drastic as well. We had both gained weight together, and she was inspired to lose weight also. She decided to start with a juice fast. We saw Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and were inspired by Joe Cross, bought a juicer and gave it a try. We quickly hated juicing and my wife instead found a lady that makes juice and delivers it, so we went that route. My wife quickly dropped a lot of weight, and the juicing helped me as well. I couldn’t eat much anyhow, and I was content knowing I was getting my nutrients. My wife and I were both quickly dropping pounds. It was such an inspiration that the juicing lady featured us on her website, and it received numerous positive comments.

The BOP program was both challenging yet rewarding. As I previously mentioned, it was basically personal training in a physical therapy setting. Imagine super nice equipment, physical therapists and injured people everywhere, and 1 fat guy (me). I went several days a week and the lady that was my trainer either hated me, or was inspired to make me lose weight quickly. Either way, she never held back on torturing me with bench sits, walls sits, side-to-sides, butt-kicks, mountain climbers, and other routines that I had never previously heard about. By the time October came around, I had lost so much weight and could keep up with their routines so well, that they discharged me from the BOP program and told me to join a gym.

Meanwhile, my wife already went to a personal training studio called Fitness Together. If there ever was a phobia for going to gyms, I had it. I was afraid of the equipment hurting me, as well as looking like a complete idiot in front of other people. Fortunately, the BOP program broke me out of that shell so I reluctantly gave Fitness Together a try as well. I was immediately impressed. I’ll cover my personal and independent training more in later posts, but it certainly pointed me in the correct direction with regards to physical fitness.

By November 2014, all of my weight-related issues had vanished. My total cholesterol plummeted to 169, my triglycerides dropped to 49, my liver enzymes were perfect, and my blood pressure was within the normal range. My doctor took me off all of my medication, since I no longer had any conditions to treat. He wanted to continue seeing me to keep an eye on things, but he was ecstatic with the progress. My sleeping issues resolved themselves as well. I no longer snored, woke up gasping for air, or felt lethargic and tired all the time.

2014 turned out to be a terrific year, but 2015 was also exciting.

Clearly I was happier than this pheasant on this November 2014 day. At 205 pounds, I had much to be happy about.
Zeus and I in November 2014. Dogs are indeed man’s best friends.
I discovered on this November 2014 day that it’s much easier to get into a tree stand when you weigh 140 pounds less.
Christmas 2014, trying out a new snowball machine.
Late December 2014 while visiting New York City.

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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