PROGRESS UPDATE
I had my gastric sleeve surgery on December 18th, 2023. I was nervous going into the procedure as I had never had any surgical procedures before, but it went relatively smooth. I was in a lot of pain while in recovery, to the point where the team had to push oxy and fentanyl simultaneously to help with the pain. Once the team was able to help me manage the pain I was in pretty good shape.
It has certainly been an adjustment but it wasn't as daunting as I was expecting it to be. Its been about 2.5 months since the surgery and I've lost almost 60 pounds; I weighed in on at the hospital at 366 and yesterday weighed in at 308. My highest weight was 475lbs so all-in-all I've lost 167lbs utilizing diet, exercise and the sleeve. I found it fairly easy to comply with the post-op diet and have moved on to solid foods. I'm not hungry often but I make sure to eat at mealtimes to continue meeting my goals. I consume, on average, between 80g and 100g of protein a day and consume less than 900 calories a day. I don't consume very many carbs as a) they tend to contain more sugars and b) they tend to make me not feel very good. I do still have a bit of a sweet tooth but that has been easy to manage with the occasional chocolate chip. I've also completely kicked sugar and have switched to monk fruit sweetener with erythritol. I also dabble with keto recipes, mainly deserts as I find that some "entree" recipes contain way too much fat for my liking.
My family, friends, and coworkers notice the weight loss more than I do. I'll see it a little bit here and there but not to the extent that others do. I still see myself as that 475lb guy that struggles with his weight and his health. I know that it isn't true, but that is still how I view myself. My clothes are fitting me much looser and I think I see some weight loss in my face and neck. I still have a lot of excess fat and tissue around my midsection and especially the "love handle" region. I definitely suffer from body dysmorphia as I only ever see the overweight me.
My overall goal weight is 250lbs, which is only 58 pounds away which sounds crazy. That said, I would throw a party if I reach 225lbs as that is my "best case scenario" goal. I genuinely believe I will achieve both goals but there's always that part of me that doubts it. This has been the best decision I've ever made for my health and I wish I had made this choice earlier.