JeffA70

Work on the eating slow, taking small bites, etc. now preop. That's been a big issue for me; wish I'd practiced more. For me, personally (everyone is different, obviously), my surgery has made the losing fairly easy. Even if I feel the urge to smother emotions with food, I can squash it easier and can't eat as much as I used to.

Awesome job, man! Glad to hear that's what it's like for you a year out.

So, now that I'm at (below) goal, I want to get a 'bucket list' item checked off and do a pull up. Have never done one before, even when young and fit. Certainly wasn't even going to try at 362. But now that I'm down near college weight again and more focused than I was at 19, I'd like to build up to that. Tried one over the weekend and could only get about halfway up. I've found a number of sites with various exercises to build up to it, but what's a realistic time line? And any general advice? A chinup would count too. I'm 6'6", 42, and thanks to the elliptical, much better in cardiovascular than I ever dreamed I'd be. But obviously, my arms need some work.

I just made Kale chips for the first time today and they are excellent. Picked and ripped off about 2-inch sections of Kale leaf, tossed them in a bag with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt, and put on a baking sheet. Cooked for 30 minutes at 300, turning once. Really, they're not bad. I already made a second batch with a little parmesan. Also good is Kims Magic Pop / Kims Deli Pop.

Despite promising myself that I'd never buy a product that used a 'Z' where an 'S' should be, I bought a "Sklz Chrome Pullup Revolution" at d**k's Sporting Goods. Comes with up to three bands, offering at most 100 lbs. of assistance. And, um, I need all three bands. But I did my first 3 sets of 5 reps today! Baby steps, baby steps. I've also tried to do 3 sets of 5 reps of negatives in the morning using a step-up to get above the bar. Oh, this sucks. But I'm hoping it'll be better soon, just like the elliptical was at first.

Woobs!!! ! Rock that 5k...when's your race? I start C25k in June for my October 5k. You're doing awesome!!! Reading this thread, I asked my wife if she's noticed hair loss on me, because I haven't. She said that my hair looks a little thinner. I dunno... Certainly not feeling it myself, but my hair is usually short, so I might not.

I want to try these bands, but I can't find one online that gets good reviews from big guys. At my height and weight, any recommendations for specific models?

Teddie Peanut Butter is my favorite, by far, however, I have to be wary of having it in the house, if you know what I'm saying. I like the Jif Naturals to-go because it's forced portion control. I'm down to my doctor's advised maintenance weight (almost 10 lbs. below my goal) and I have to bump up my net calories now from 900 to 1,200. Planning to add in some peanut butter to do that.

I've been wondering about that. Haven't seen it here yet, but keeping my eyes open. From what I gather, getting those vitamins in is key.

Totally fine, obviously, to tell or not tell people, but I'd say this... You better be prepared for people to ask. My standard answer is that I lost the weight through 'diet, exercise and weight loss surgery.' And it's true. It wasn't my surgeon busting his ass on the elliptical for 40 minutes the other night.

I've found that you get this heightened sense of how much everyone around you eats. It's scary, actually, to see these huge plates going by and think, 'I used to eat that.' I have also found myself getting judgemental about that topic, which is terrible and negative and 'not like me.' We went out to a Mongolian place for dinner the other night, the kind where you pick the type of food and they cook it right in front of you. I found it very easy to stay on track... A few shrimp, a few scallops, some thin beef and then fruit for dessert. But I saw plates upon plates of noodles, meat, etc. walking by, and I have to be honest that it turned my stomach a bit.

Chia Seeds are the seeds that, yep, grow on Chia Pets. But they're edible and pack a decent little bit of fiber and Protein and nutrients. I get them at Trader Joes but many places have them. You can just stop them into yogurts, bread mixes, etc. but most people seem to let them soak first, which makes them develop a kind of clear jelly around them. That's what I do.

I think the general rule of thumb is that you can take in two inches.* So, that may help a little bit. I found that I melted through sizes post-op, though. When I put on my pre-op suit today, I look like David Byrne in that old Talking Heads video. Visual: http://titaniumrod.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/david-byrne.png You're welcome. Also: * "That's what she said."

Thank you all! Sorry for the delayed response. Crazy day or two at work. I've never heard of these elastic assists. Will definitely have to look for those! I've started doing dumbbell rows with a 30-lb. weight, 3 sets of 8-10 reps, 3-4 times a week, just to start. Maybe if I give those elastics a try, that is prefered for every other session or something like that. Really appreciate this advice!

At the rate I'm going, I may be in diapers again before I can do one.

Welcome, brother! Best of luck to you in your journey. I was about your weight of 360-370 in my late 20s / early 30s as well. I'm about 4.5 months post-op and below goal. You're making the right choice. Ask questions any time!

I was horribly constipated until someone here suggested the combination of Chia Seeds and Miralax. I do Miralax on Wednesday and Sunday and soaked Chia Seeds in a yogurt a couple of days in between. All good! It's a wonderful thing. My previous self was a horror show of irritable intestinal issues. I haven't had diarrhea in months postoperative.

I've found that I get very lightheaded post surgery, particularly from getting up after being seated. Since my blood pressure has dropped a decent amount, doc thinks it is related to that.

We all do. We all do.

If there's a Trader Joes near you, check out their 'nibs.' They're near the register in mine, and in a metal box about the size of a Bic lighter. Just a few calories each, and I find I can just have a few and get my fix.

I don't typically cross-post between here and my blog, but I wrote this last night and thought it'd make for good discussion here too. ================================= The issue of weight and body image has been on my mind a lot lately. I guess it’s somewhat natural that it would be, but I truly didn’t appreciate how it would come into play every single day until I made the journey that I have. Life is pretty good right now in the health and weight department. I’m down more than 130 lbs. from my peak, and I’m at a point where I feel healthy, am fitting into clothes that I could have worn 20 years ago, and all vitals are positive. My BMI is very close to “normal” (almost not even “overweight”!), my blood pressure is low, and I’m having few problems adjusting to my new diet. But the day-to-day living with this new version of myself is proving to be very different from what I expected. Not all good, not all bad. Just different. A great case in point: I was in an elevator today, the kind with mirrored doors on the inside. I don’t spend an inordinate amount of time in front of mirrors, but this elevator kind of forces you to look at yourself. I checked myself out, even did a glimpse from the side, and thought, “You’ve still got more to lose there, buddy.” In case you’re wondering, there was no one else in the elevator. Then the doors opened and I made my way to my desk. In the span of about 50 steps, literally, two people commented on my weight and how I’m looking good these days. It’s flattering; I get some kind of comment from someone daily, and it’s really nice. The kind words make me feel good. Hell, I think I thrive on them; I couldn’t have done this without the support of my friends. But the disconnect between what I see and what others do troubles me. I’ve had two people recently tell me that I’m “slim.” I can’t see it. Can’t imagine it, really. When you’re fat for a long time, the notion of being slim is so foreign that they may as well have called me plaid. But words have meaning, and enough people have said it that I think they truly are perceiving it. So, why am I unable to do so myself? Part is, I suspect, that this new body is still unknown to me. I lay in bed in the morning and feel my ribs as if I’ve never noticed them there before. I can feel their edge, the individual ribs, and if I suck in my stomach, I can almost reach under the curve of them. I’ve been working out a lot more and I step out of the shower to see something close to pecs forming in the mirror. Not to drag a cliche or movie into the mix, but it’s a little like Freaky Friday. I feel like the same person inside, but that guy in the mirror isn’t me. The fat cheeks are more or less gone. The skin around my waist and chest is no longer being pushed out by all that fat. And the change has been--most dramatically, anyway--since January. Four months. There are bottles of salad dressing that have been in my fridge longer than I’ve been living in this body. The other part of my disconnect, I think, is our larger definition of people based on their looks. Without piling on the jackass from Abercrombie and Fitch who was in the news lately, we pigeonhole people. Marketers do it, sure, but we each all do it too, and shame on us if we can’t admit it. There are a lot of people who talk to Me 2.0 who probably wouldn’t have talked to Me 1.0 in the same way. It’s not that no one talked to me when I was fat...far from it. I’m an outgoing guy. But a lot more people are talking to me now. Friends, co-workers, employees at stores, people in line with me. Men, women, young and old. Attractive people, normal people, and attractive people. I may have mentioned attractive people. It’s noticeable, and more than a little weird. I got to thinking: do I do that too now? I suppose I do, in a way. I certainly don’t think I’m a different person inside, but I’ve noticed overweight people a lot more than I did before, and I definitely notice people eating huge portions more than I ever did. I HATE this new enhanced vision I have. Mere months ago, I was the one ordering the combo plate and finishing it without a thought. Mere months ago, I was wearing size 54 pants. It’s ugly and it’s unhealthy to have this combination of constant self-criticism of myself, and what seems like a constant view that centers around obesity. So, as I remind myself that I’m the same person inside, I think it’s a lesson for us all that the outside is really what society transforms us to see. We prize slimness, we eat a lot, we look down on people who are overweight. But it’s the inside that really counts, and finding peace and balance with who you are. I have the same moral compass I did at 362. I have the same big picture values. Another step in the journey, I suppose, and one that I didn’t see coming.

I literally have told hundreds of people via Facebook, at work, etc. Have only had two negative reactions, both from guys. One was unfortunately a good friend who went "full d*ckhead" on me. We've rarely talked since January, but, being guys, we're starting to get back in touch and will probably never mention his stupidity (at least while sober ). The other was from a really, really overweight guy who scoffed at what I did and said he believes in losing weight the "right way." Um, yeah, well, good luck, dude...whatever, um, works for you. People ask now, and I tell them that I lost it from, "Diet, exercise and weight loss surgery." It's not a lie...my surgeon wasn't the one who dragged his ass on the elliptical for 40 minutes+ tonight! He just gave me a tool to use, and I'm using it. hehehehe "He said tool."