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As they said in the Blues Brothers..."Were on a Mission..."

Elwood: It’s a 106 miles to Chicago…We have half a tank of gas…It’s dark and we are where sun glasses…   Jake: Hit it.   Just got back from the doctors and after a few hours of forms, rapid fire questions, poking, prodding and credit card charges we are moving forward. I weighted it at 373 lbs. with a 56.8 BMI and lean body mass of 206 lbs. This gives me a target weight of 240 based on a 20 BMI. So next steps are:   1. Read the patients manual   2. EKG and blood work the week of March 30, 2009   3. Lose 20 Lbs before the surgery date   4. Pre-op meetings and registration on April 21st   5. Surgery Date May 6th   The shrink questions were a predictable combination of pabulum, inane drivel and obvious traps. I am not, really, sure what they were looking for in this process. All of that aside, I liked the Doc and we are on track to complete the mission. He suggested starting a pre-liquid diet for the next few weeks on protein drinks for breakfast and lunch with small dinner of protein and a salad. Then move to the full liquid diet two weeks in advance. I was surprised to find out one of the key reasons for the liquid diet before the surgery was to shrink the liver, which provides more working room during the surgery itself. So, tomorrow is the beginning of my mission to hit the target weight of 240 lbs.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
 

A Red Sox Fan is excited about Yankee Stadium?

So every job has its pros and cons. One of the pros of my job is we hold customer events as some cool locations. Although I am a lifelong Red Sox fan, I am on my way to the New Yankee stadium. We are holding a one day customer conference and then taking in a game. No not the Sox :w00t:.   I have been fortunate to spend 3-4 weeks are traveling in the city for various tradeshows and events. It has also let me sample some of the best restaurants in the city. However, I am I thinking about the powdered protein drinks (Labrada, Chocolate Ice Cream Flavor…Yes, they are good) I have in my suit case. I need to land soon and get a drink in me so I don’t get to hungry.   My first weight in was March 27th and I was 373. Due to my extended delays (I have had to move my surgery date from May 6th to June 8th and now June 29th). I have had an extended period of pre-op dieting. I have been able to reduce my weight by48 lbs to 325. I feel good with the progress, but I am not satisfied. I have another 128 to go. As I fly towards my date with the “Bronx Bombers” I am conjuring images of how I want things to be next summer when I go to the ball park. I want to be one of the guys at the ball park with my shirt off, soaking up the sun (with a good SPF 30). Like many people here I have been that guy/girl to be comfortable with skin exposed in a public setting. Most who have read my blogs and looked at my pictures know I am not a shy or retiring person. I have always done what I wanted regardless of my size, but I want to get to the point I do it because of my weight. I look forward to seeing you all at the ballpark next year showing some skin and being proud of whom you are and what you have accomplished.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
 

A Knights Tale

One of my all time favorite movies is “A Knight’s Tale.” In one of the key scenes, William, our intrepid hero; played by the late Heath Ledger, is told by his father “a man can change his stars, and make a new and better life.”     It is that spirit that surrounds this Lapband community. So for those of you who have people who doubt, alienate or deride you for “taking the easy way out”…stand true. You have chosen to “change your stars” and it can be a lonely road. However, truth be told, it was always destined to be a bit lonely because only you can make those changes. So take heart…there is a place where others understand, and you can find new strength and renew your purpose.   I struggled with this choice for many years, my wife and mother both encouraged me to look at Lapbanding. I have found tremendous help and hope in the many pages of this forum. For those of you struggling with this choice remember “it is better to do the hard right thing vs. the easy wrong thing.” For many, life’s journey has brought us here and offered us new way to “change our stars.” Often we have to do things that others will never comprehend, if you know this is the right thing to do for you and those you love…persevere. Then, take the road less traveled, be true to what you know is right, love and forgive the detractors for they are sorely misguided and follow your true knight’s heart forward in the face of all adversaries.
Cingulus

Cingulus

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A Blog?About Nothing

Jerry Seinfeld was quoted as saying that “Seinfeld” was a show about nothing…as it turns out so is this blog…here is a random potpourri trivial items from my week. Once a quarter we have our sales force in for training, account reviews and our quarterly executive business reviews. It is a complete blitzkrieg all week long, of never ending string of meetings and creating PowerPoint for meetings, hence, my lack of blogs this week. I did get stuck having to eat a meal during the day vs. my protein drink…my reflexes got the better of me. My boss asked me to go to lunch and I was out the door before I grabbed a SlimFast. I had a bowl of turkey chili, so I did not fall to far off the wagon.   I was so beat when I left yesterday I had to take one of those “5 hour” energy shots to drive home. My commute is over a very twisting section of road (Highway 74, the Ortega Highway, that links Orange and Riverside counties in CA.) and you don’t want to be sleepy when you drive over it. I had been looking for a caffeine fix since I can’t drink zero carb RockStar anymore…and I don’t like coffee...these handy 2 oz. shots of have become my new pick-me-up.   The good news is I did managed to get to the gym Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but Thursday and Friday did not happen. It is also good to report that, I got to sleep in this morning, do my weekly weigh in (dropped 5 pounds), went to the gym and then to the movies. We went to see “State of Play” with Russell Crow…Good Flick. Tomorrow, my son and I are off to see the finals of the Formula D team drift competition in Long Beach. Lots of horsepower, car show models and smoking rubber…it should be fun…http://www.formulad.com/. So much for my random musings…have a good week end folks.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
 

99 Pounds of Fat on the Wall?

So I sit at 296, 99 pounds of fat from my goal weight. I am sure you can hear the song ringing in your head so here is my version…   99 pounds of fat to fall 99 pounds of fat Lose one pound, it hits the ground 98 pounds of fat to fall…   Ok it’s dorky, but I am in one of those moods…Keep on singing 
Cingulus

Cingulus

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48 Hours to Go?Oh, and I liked Wolverine too?

I am a little over 48 hours away from getting the band. I am intellectually resolved to this course of action, but I am amazed at how difficult ignoring all of the other emotional issues continues to be. Every time I read the new postings, there is a sea of conflicting experiences that assaults your mind and emotions. In no way do I begrudge others posting, venting and seeking help for issues, many of which I may also post and seek help for myself, but it does require work and some conviction to wade through these posts to derive a clear picture of the trade-offs, filter the fears, and sift out the relevant data. (this comment will probably get me some flame mail, but it has been one to the challenges in making a final decision)   For me, losing the first fifty pounds has always been relatively easy, part of being a guy I guess. The next 100+ lbs, are the real challenge and the reason that I am getting the band. Since I started the liquid pre-op diet I am down about 40 pounds, which feels great, but it is a can cause significant delusions about not needing the surgery. However, this week provided me with some ample examples as to why I need to proceed. Starting with my trip to Europe last week, 12 hours is a coach seat is an excellent reminder. Second, I took my “official” pre-ops pictures today, which is another telling data point that I still need the surgery. I took the pictures, with and without shirt (I will spare you the Chewbacca shots) and it was a good motivator as to why I am doing this. Like many here, I will do a new set every 30 days to track and log the progress.   My company is going through a major event, an attempted hostile take over, and I almost put off the surgery planned for this week. In the end, my wife pointed out that there will always be something at work that is important and every time I put off personal items for work, in the end, it does not really matter. So I will move forward and begin my new life.   Oh, by the way…I liked the new Wolverine movie. My wife wants a few hours alone with Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
 

2nd Fill Tomorrow?Finding ?The Green Zone??

“The Green Zone,” Matt Damon’s new movie opens tomorrow. Not a big surprise…it is about the green zone in Iraq and our intrepid hero is entering the fray to unlock CIA conspiracy, kick some ass and otherwise fight the good fight…did Jason Bourne ever go to Iraq?     Anyway, I will be taking in the movie over the weekend. However, the green zone that I am really interested in is the lap band green zone.   Tomorrow is the day for my second fill. I sit at 5.5 ccs and I would guess that I will go to 7 ccs. According to my doctor, in the green zone I should be able to eat 3 meals per day and not be noticeably hungry between meals. Based on that definition, I am not in the green zone. I would have to say I am in the yellow zone. For the past 4 weeks, I have been eating solid 8oz meals every 3-4 hours and I do get hungry. It is livable and manageable, but nowhere new the promise of lap band restriction.   Conventional wisdom, with the band, seems to be 2-4 fills before folks who find restriction, achieve it. Hopefully, Friday will be a landmark day in the band process and on Saturday I will visit both, “The Green Zones,” the movie and lap band restriction.
Cingulus

Cingulus

1
 

299?When One Pound Makes a Difference

I stepped on the scale today and for the first time since 1992, I saw a “2” in the first digit. Yes, it was only 299, but it started with a 2! If anyone is on the fence about getting the LapBand…let this blog be the reason you go forward with the process. Intellectually, I knew if I got the band, followed the rules this should happen. Hell we all know that, but experiencing it is just a tremendous relief… I did not do all of this for nothing. It is also a motivational driver for me. Emotionally, I can now tell myself. If you can make a “2” the first digit then you can make “1” the first digit. The other thing I was thinking about were benchmark/goals for my weight relative to my height, build and desired configuration. I am 5’ 8” tall and have always, even while being fat, an avid weight lifter so I am not going to be scrawny guy. The best target analog I could come up with was an NFL running back. Most of them are 5’ 7” – 6’ 1” and weight between 190 and 230 lbs. So here are my key targets for the journey:   • 1. Break 300 (I have not been under 300 since 1992)   • 2. Break 271 (The highest weight I weighed when I fought MMA competitively)   • 3. Break 225 (Average NFL running back weight at 5'10")   • 4. Hit 197 (My school wrestling weight)   You have to move from the 300s to the 200s to make the 100s. It was only open pound, but it helps me believe that I can really make it this time, I did not waste $17,000 of my own cash and the hope of the LapBand is not an illusion, but an attainable goal.
Cingulus

Cingulus

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