joatsaint

I call myself a jogger - I can jog continuously for 30 minutes. I couldn't do that before starting the C25K program. I hadn't ever really attempted to jog in years. But for full disclosure, I had worked my way up to walking 3 miles in 50 minutes by the end of November last year. I completed the C25K program a few weeks ago. I am planning on doing a 5K run in August. You can see my videos after each workout on this thread - http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/335774-starting-my-c25k-adventure-looking-for-advice/

I say, start your online dating NOW! If nothing else, you will get practice writing a profile that expresses your personality, and practice your conversation skills with the ladies, and you can start reading profiles and see which types you would like to date. Plus you might even find a match. Never give up! Let me share my experience with online dating. I've been on online dating sites since 2000. And being overweight, didn't have much luck - I was #270 from 2000 to 2008ish. :-) I had a dozen or so ladies respond to my emails over that time, but most quit responding after the third email. It was probably me.... not knowing how to carry on a coversation and/or not knowing how to transition from email to phone to meeting in person. But I kept hoping for that one connection. After I got up to #370, I did not have the self confidence to believe that any lady would date me, but I held out hope and stayed online and sending contacts to ladies that seemed interesting. But I still got a few responses and some I got seemed to be from hurt jaded ladies who had been in bad relationships. 2012 I had VSG and didn't feel confident to date anyone till I was at least back down to #270, it would take a year to reach that weight goal. But I still kept on reading profiles and sending emails to the ladies. Very few responses. And for some reason, the ladies that contacted me first, and wanted to talk, were at least a hundred miles away! No way I was going to drive that far for an initial meeting. So they were out of luck and so was I. :-P I started getting a few responses after I was getting down into my #250's and had a few in person meets, but nothing worked out. In Feb, 2015, I got an email from a lady - with no profile photo and barely any info in her "about me" section (I usually pass on these profiles, as they don't give me enough info to see if we have common interests). But I took a chance and emailed her back. We've been dating ever since. Things are going good between us.

Just a few months post-op, I took up walking for my exercise. My goal was to get in 10,000 steps a day. But I had serious foot pain that kept me in my chair most of the time and the least bit of over exertion to my feet would put me out of commission for days. I found these shoes, that are made for diabetics, are extra cushony and let me insert an extera 3/4 inch of padding (Dr. Schoals inserts, plus the shoes come with extra padding inserts). I've had 2 pair of these and put average of 3 miles a day of walking on them for almost 2 years. I swear by these shoes. I think they are a bit pricy at $109, but they let me get in my walking, without causing foot pain. http://www.phc-online.com/Orthofeet_Therapeutic_p/boot-581.htm

Guys, in general, grow up with heroes like John Wayne and Bruce Willis - overcoming incredible odds and toughing out the worst injuries. Asking for help or assistance is a sign of weakness. That's what I grew seeing and hearing. So it's only natural that guys don't want to open up and share in a group setting. Dennis Leary said it perfectly in a joke about John Wayne - John Wayne had cancer twice. Second time, they took out one of his lungs. He said, "Take 'em both! I don't f****' need 'em! I'll grow gills and breathe like a fish!

There IS beer and pizza on the other side. :-P But, you may find that you don't really care about beer and pizza anymore. At least, I didn't. I'm not a beer lover, but pizza WAS one of my all time favorites. I didn't try either for at least the 1st 6 months post-op. Bread would do a real number on Frankensleeve and he didn't appreciate it one bit! So I was only doing test bites, here and there, from 2 months to 1 year post-op, of all kinds of foods. But by the end of the 1st year, I could safely eat pizza and slowly drink (because of carbonation) a beer. I just didn't have any real desire for either. Once I got into the habit of trying to get as much nutrition per bite of food - because of the limits on how much I could eat per meal - I felt that pizza and beer (plus a lot of other foods) were empty calories and I just didn't want them anymore.

I did not want to tell anyone, pre-op. I have many trust issues and have plenty of defensive walls built up over the years, from being bullied and taunted about my weight. So I kept it to myself. So I live by this simple rule - You can always tell someone, but you can't untell them if you change your mind. I didn't worry about how anyone would feel if I didn't tell them. When I felt comfortable.... many months later, I wasn't worried who knew about the surgery. But, even, 29 months post-op, I don't volunteer any WLS information, unless I am directly asked about it.

My 1st sign I'm getting full is a feeling of bubbles moving around the food in my stomach, if I go past that stage (and eat a little more), I'll get this poking sensation where my throat and stomach meet - not a good feeling. I've only gone past the pokey threshold once, and I got this very painful tight feeling in my stomach. I quickly learned to eat slower and pay more attention to my new "full" signals. :-)

So, last week I decided to just jump into the Couch 2 5K plan. Downloaded the app and took off. It wasn't as difficult as I expected. But my hips sure hurt after each workout. Any advice or tips to keep me going would certainly be appreciated. Week 01 - 3/15/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:3] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:4] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:5] Week 02 - 3/23/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:9] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:12] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:13] Week 03 - 3/30/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:18] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:20] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:21] Week 04 - 4/06/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:24] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:26] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:27] Week 05 - 4/13/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:30] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:33] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:35] Week 06 - 4/20/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:37] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:38] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:39] Week 07 - 4/27/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:40] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:41] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:43] Week 08 - 5/05/2015 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:45] [sharedmedia=videos:videos:46] The Grand Finale! Week 8 Day 3 [sharedmedia=videos:videos:48]

I never have any foods that get "stuck", but I have some issues digesting things like eggs, chicken, and whole wheat bread. They are a little tougher on Frankensleeve than other foods. I get a few gurgles and twisty feelings in my sleeve after a few bites.

Week 8 Day 3 is over and done! Finished the C25K program, but I'm not done with jogging. I still want to work my way up to jogging a full 5K without stopping. I'm able to complete 2.1 to 2.3 miles right now in 30 minutes. That's approximately a 13 min. mile. My next goal is to reach 43 minutes of non-stop jogging, that SHOULD get me to my goal of running a 5K (3.1 miles). [sharedmedia=videos:videos:48]

Week 8 Workout 2 is done! I really didn't feel up to it, but I did it anyway. It's all about the Grind. [sharedmedia=videos:videos:46]

Welcome aboard the loser's bench. I'm in Southeast Texas as well, the Beaumont area. If I can be of help, just hollar!!

What do you mean, "at almost 48"? I AM 48!!! LOL I'm still working on the "falling in love" with jogging part. Right now we only tolerate each other. :-p

I only jog outside. I don't know if I could handle the boredom of a treadmill. :-P I need something to keep my eyes busy, and TV just doesn't do it for me. 20-22 minutes non stop is an incredible NSV, Congratulations!!!

Keep at it Jamie! You can do it. I had a fallback plan for any workout I could not complete. I figured I'd just repeat the workout until I could complete it. You might try shooting for 1 or 2 minutes more than your longest jog - for your next workout. If that is successful, then, on the following workout, try to add another 1 or 2 minutes until you build up to 28. Keep up the good work. :-)

Here's my blog:http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018-gastric-sleeve-surgery-an-unexpected-journey/ And my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaOsuR2p6f49ptPSPoNav1Q?view_as=subscriber

deedadumble, Thanks for the advice and the link. I didn't think about possibly injuring my knees. I'll have to be more careful and work on my cadence.

At the start of Week 8. Got off to a good start - completed the 28 minutes of continuous jogging. I've started increasing the length of my stride, trying to get up to 2.75 miles per jog. Only 5 workouts left till the end of the C25K program. [sharedmedia=videos:videos:45]

I too weigh myself at approximately the same time every morning, before I've eaten or drank, in my underwear, after going to the bathroom. :-P That is my baseline and the only weight I count as accurate. I don't care if my doc's scales weigh me heavier or lighter, too many variables to know why there's a difference. It doesn't matter if my scales are not as accurate as my doc's. As long as I weigh at the same time, and under the same approximate conditions, I can get a fairly accurate measurement of whether I'm going up or down. I've used the same digital scale that I bought 4 years ago. It does the job. I got it off Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Eatsmart-Precision-Bathroom-Technology-440-Pounds/dp/B0032TNPOE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1430873520&sr=8-2&keywords=eat+smart+scale $36.99 11,079 customer reviews

I was using a 5lb Squash split in half. The thicker half I put in for 15 min and it came out just right. The thinner half, for 12 min and it came out just right. When I first tried Spaghetti Squash and I didn't know the cooking time, I started with 10 minutes, poked it with a ice pick, checked for a crunchy sensation, if crunchy - it's not done, if the ice pick slid into it like warm butter, I knew it was ready.

Hey guys, Just trying my hand at making a cooking show. I've enjoyed Spaghetti Squash since I was allowed back on regular foods, post-op. It's an unusual food that can be intimidating at first glance. But it's easy to cook, has loads of health benefits, and tastes great - alone or as a side dish. [sharedmedia=videos:videos:42]

I just say, "Thanks, I've been working at it." If they ask how I've done it, I tell them - cutting back on my food intake and doing lots of walking.

Congratulations! What a great NSV!! I just finished Week 7 Day 3 of the C25K program, only 2 weeks left till I'm supposed to run 30 minutes. I'll be catching up with you soon. :-)

Heading down the final stretch. Only 1 week left until I'm supposed to jog 30 minutes non-stop. I'm up to 26 minutes non-stop this week. I was a bit late in the week, completing Wk 7 Day 3 workout, but it's done. Sundays may be my new day for doing the 3rd workout each week. [sharedmedia=videos:videos:43]