DadTo2

I've been following this topic since almost it's inception, and I thought it was time to join in officially. I'm Eric, known on here and on MyFitnessPal as DadTo2. I was sleeved on June 19, 2012 and had a starting weight of 371 and two months after surgery I started running one day on a walk and decided that I like doing that and wanted to do more of it. I started doing slow jogging for a while and in early August of '12 I started the C25K program. I ran my first 5K in the sixth week of the program and had a time of 34:27. Since then I have run 4 other 5K races with an official PR of 29:25. I will be running my 5th 5K race next Saturday. Currently I am coming off a Grade II Calf Strain which sidelined me from running for the past 5 1/2 weeks, but it seems to be better now, and have run a few times this past week or so. I am going to ramp it up over the next few weeks to get back into training mode. I won't be trying to make up for lost time, but I will instead move my goal of running my first 1/2 Marathon back to September at the Plano Balloon Festival's 1/2 Marathon, in Plano, TX. In between that and now, I will be running two or three 10K races. By the way, I love the idea of a VST running team. If you have a slot available, I'd like to be a part of that! Eric

Nicely done BTB!

I was sleeved June 19 of last year and I am currently in training for my first half marathon. I've run five 5K races, and I average about 29 minutes right now while racing them. My race schedule so far for this year includes 5K and 10K races and in September, or perhaps earlier if I believe I am ready, I will run my first half marathon. I can tell you that I do eat carbs pre-race. I usually increase my calorie intake about two days before hand, going from my current 1200 calories to upwards of 1800 to at times 2000 calories. I will include Pasta, bananas, and yes, even breads, but I will still make sure I get my Protein in. I also make sure to drink lots of Water to make sure I stay hydrated. On the day of the race, I normally start with a couple of bananas an hour or so before the race and then about 15 minutes before the race I will do a Gatorade Pregame Fuel. I will admit that I don't know everything there is to know about running and the nutrition that goes along with it, but I am learning more with each race. Since I am starting to run longer distances ( I am up to 8 miles now on my distance runs) I am finding myself needing additional carbs/calories and will be using the fuel gels for longer runs. Now I have spoken to my NUT and she has told me that I need to watch my net calories during the days I do my exercising and running and make sure I that I consume enough calories to ensure I do not have a net deficit of calories. On those days I might consume upwards of 2400 calories.

Okay, I'll play, but the suit pic will have to wait for another month when I take my youngest daughter out to the Daddy-Daughter Valentine's Day Dance! (That way I can have one of me and her in "formal" outfits). Here are two pics of me. The one on the left is me right before surgery. In this pic I had already gone from 371 to 351 and it was taken the day before my surgery (6-19-12). The two pics on the right were actually taken last night right after my workout at the gym. I am 230 in these two pics.

Thanks! Glad you both enjoyed it.

Hi All! I had my sixth month follow up with my nutritionist Tuesday and had several questions answered, especially those concerning how I should eat to train to run. I am running quite a bit lately and am starting to train for my first half marathon so the answers were very helpful. I had several questions for her that I needed answered. Questions such as: Do I need to count net carbohydrates or gross? Am I eating too much? What should my ideal weight be; what should I be aiming for? How should I nutritionally balance my meals? How should I nutritionally prepare for race days? Is it okay to use fuel gels during an endurance race? How should I eat to recover after a race is finished? I really don't want want to retype or copy paste what I have already written, so here is the link to the post about the conversation with the nutritionist on my blog. You can access the post here: http://randomthought...tritionist.html (Edited to say you cannot access my blog in my signature now. I hadn't realized they butchered my signature like they did!) Eric

I did it. I ran the Plano Balloon Festival 5K this morning and accomplished both of my goals. I ran the whole thing without stopping to walk (goal number 1), and I finished it in under 35 minutes (goal number 2). My official time was 34:27:55 and I came in 299 out of 1000 runners. My average speed was 5.5 mph.

I started this journey at 371 pounds. Two months, two weeks and one day after surgery I have met my second goal of losing 100 pounds! Now on to my third goal: 250 pounds. I have to say it does feel nice to not be at my former weight.

Hi Everyone! I have signed up for my first 5K race and will run it this Sunday here in Texas! It's the Plano Balloon Festival 5K. (http://www.planoballoonfest.org/event-information/festival-runs) I have set a couple of goals for this race and since it's my first, Winning it is not one of them. What I am wanting to do is to actually run the race and not have to stop and walk. The other goal is to finish it in a time of under 35 minutes. I have been following the C25K training app (free one in the Apple app store) and am on week 5 day 3 today. I have been working out six days a week, doing cardio all six days (3 days of running/jogging on the road and 3 days of running/jogging on the treadmill at the gym) and doing weight training (lighter weights with higher reps) 3 days a week. The most pressing question I have involves eating up to race day. What's the best strategy for loading up on fuel for the race? Carbs the day before and morning of or doing this for a longer time period? (say two to three days prior to?) I really appreciate any advice and answers for this. Thanks! DadTo2 aka Eric

I'm eating between 800 and 1100 calories a day on average, depending on my workout. 3 days a week I am walking/jogging 3.5 to 4.5+ miles per training session (one session per day) I am currently training with the Couch to 5K (C25K) and am incorporating that in the days I do my walking/jogging session. This is on Monday/Wednesday/Friday of the week. On Tuesday/Thursday/Saturdays, I am working out in the gym, doing 35-45 minutes of cardio, and 45-60 minutes of weight training, working on shoulders/arms on Tuesdays, chest/back on Thursdays and legs/abs on Saturdays. Also, I lost 25 pounds prior to surgery (took me about a month) and the remaining 75 is post op. Hope that helps...

You look stunning! That is an inspiring accomplishment! Congratulations!

One piece of advice from me (I dropped 25 pounds before my surgery) is to use MyFitnessPal.com. It is (to me) the best way to keep track of what you eat, and how much you eat. I honestly did not realize how many calories and related items (carbs, Proteins, etc) I was taking in a day until I started recording everything I ate and drank. This one thing really was a huge help to me. Just to let you know, I did NOT do any fancy diet plans. I ate what I wanted to watching portions (portion control) and making sure I did not go over my calories. If you want to start having a support system, click the link in my signature. Once you're on it, try to stick to the calories it recommends. As you lose weight you will be asked to adjust your calorie intake. Another bit of advice: Exercise. I don't care if you simply take a stroll around the block or do what I did and build yourself up to walking 5 miles or biking 10 miles at a time. Simply start moving. This will help tremendously. You CAN do this, if you WANT to. I wanted to and did. Eric

That is simply amazingly awesome!

Just remember the most important rule about having WLS (in my opinion): Everyone loses differently. Everyone loses at a different pace, men tend to lose faster than women (just ask my wife!) and everyone's journey is not the same! It is different. You've lost 58 pounds since your surgery (at 4 months out!) and you're down to 204! That is awesome! As for not losing for a couple of weeks, stalls are normal. My wife had a 3 week stall and then started losing again. Don't be hard on yourself, and don't compare how you're doing to others. Best advice I can give you at this moment. But you are doing great! Keep it up! Eric

Before I google it, sounds very much like LARP. I have several friends who participate in it (LARP) and i was in the SCA for over 20 years before dropping out. Much fun! Edited to say: Sounds really cool. I may have to check this out up here in my neighborhood.

Swordsmanship? The only people I ever knew who practiced that were Fencers or in the SCA. What's the story on swordsmanship?

It's still way too soon for me to get in resistance training, so for me it'll be biking or walking. I will be pushing myself this weekend to get in 8 miles on the bike in one instance, then try to maintain that for a while. I was sleeved a little over two weeks ago. If I walk, then I'll do my best to get back up to five miles a session.

Laura, I can tell you that the pain pump bag on the left side is something I had to deal with and take out when it was empty. It really was no big deal. Actually didn't hurt at all. My wife, who was sleeved a month before I was also had to do the pain pump bag and she took it out herself. Didn't hurt her either. That part should be fine for you. It actually is a lot more mental than physical. Now the drain on the right side? That's a much different story. They took that out of me before I left the hospital and I thank God for that! That was not a pleasant experience at all, but I lived through it! So can you! I can't really speak of the shots as I only had one that I am aware of in the stomach while I was awake, but I've had bee stings that hurt much more than that shot. You'll make it! Believe me and the others on here that you'll do fine and make it through this. You've already done the hard part: making the decision for a new and better life! Eric

That is amazingly awesome!!! Congratulations of everyone of them!

I was sleeved June 19th. Lost 25 pounds before the surgery and 35 pounds in the 16 days since my surgery. My personal goal is 180. Not sure what the doctor will say, but I am looking forward to being at that weight!

We have two girls, 9 and 13 and we told them the absolute truth. Mommy and Daddy were going to have the same surgery a month or so apart, so that we'd both have a better tool at losing weight and getting healthier and that we would be here longer for them. My oldest was fine with it, and my youngest was okay with it after a couple of days of reassuring that everything would be okay and that we showed her exactly what would happen and how long things would be.

You're not alone. I don't feel physical hunger either and I am two weeks post op today. What I am doing is to actually schedule my meals at times and then take my meals then. I usually do Breakfast between 7 and 8AM, lunch between 11:30 and 12:30 and then dinner around 5:30 to 6PM or so. Be sure you are getting in enough Protein. Everyone is different on this. Me personally, I am shooting for 70 to 90 grams of protein right now, and between 80 and 100 ounces of fluids while I am on my liquid phase (for another week, then on to mushies). I made the mistake of depriving my body this past Saturday and believe me I was tired, cranky and really run down. I won't make that mistake again.. Also, Welcome to the Forums and congrats on your new life!

For the first few days post op I had no problem getting liquids down. I was easily downing 8 ounces or more an hour. Now that I am exactly 2 weeks post op, I am easily up to 16 ounces at a time. I am logging between 8 to 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day and could probably drink more, but I am trying not to. I want to keep it at about 80 to 100 ounces a day for now.

I had the Caribbean Cooler flavor for breakfast and it was good. I'm still on liquids so I am mixing mine with cold water only right now. I still have other flavors to try as well. I'll post as to how those taste to me as I try them.

Today is the my first day back to work in the office since being sleeved two weeks ago and everyone says I look great and everything, but what one of the senior managers (the CTO actually) that I work with on a daily basis just said made the day perfect. He told me that he walked by earlier while I was talking to another co-worker and then walked by again, thinking to himself, "Who is this guy? New hire?" and after a third pass he stopped and walked up and finally recognized me! Not too bad of a Monday for me.