BigFrank

Hi, for the new people going through their journey, I just wanted to drop by again and say that I am just shy of 10 months into maintenance (1 year and 10 months since I was sleeved), and I am still going GREAT. I will admit that I have gained back 5 pounds which bothers me, but who knows, I weight lift 4 days per week PLUS run 2 miles, some of it could be muscle gain. I have a TOTALLY different life style and my exercise which I have been addicted to for over a year now is my life blood for staying fit. My old life seems so long ago that I can hardly remember it. I am working on a career goal right now that I could have NEVER in a million even considered when I was fat. Time will tell where that goes, but for now keep fighting the fight and get sleeved, it will be the best thing you have ever done!

I just wanted to drop in after exactly six months of mantience and tell everyone that I am the EXACT weight I was when I last posted on 11/26. I had only one instance where I went up 5 pounds but after 3-4 days of going back to the basics I was fine. Eating smartly and continuous excercise is the key. I still work out (2 miles running PLUS weightlifting) 3-4 days per week. When I think back to where I was at in the beginning of this thread it seems like a lifetime ago. For all you new people, read this and you CAN do it. I was reminded of my MONUMENTAL success the other day when I went to buy some shorts a week ago at Old Navy. The summer cargo shorts I wore two summers ago were size 54. I just bought a size 34, the smallest since about junior year in high school. For a quick recap, I was 445 on the start of my liquid diet on 11/21/2012. Exactly ONE year later I was 223. Read the previous posts for every detail! Me then, me NOW!

Me either Jayson, I was able to drink over 60oz's of Water a couple of weeks later, no problem. Now one year out I am drinking 150oz per day.

Hi Baseball Mom, no, my first holiday was Christmas, 4 days after I was sleeved. I stayed home from after surgery pain. New Years Eve kind of sucked because of no drinking or eating but I STILL have not drank yet, over a year now. I am not worried about Thanksgiving, i will eat "light" then work out hard the next day. if i gain a pound or so it will be gone a day or two later.

Hi Nakeia, I was 445 at the start of my liquid diet which lasted 28 days. In that time period of 28 days I lost 49 lbs and was sleeved on the 28th day at 396 lbs. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON that you can't lose ALL of your extra weight. The battle is in your own head. Once you master that you will succeed. Read my story here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/234244-new-guy-here-youve-got-to-read-this/page-19

Hi guys, I was sleeved on December 21st 2012. This might make you feel better, but that seems like a life time ago, I'm serious. It seems so long ago it's not even funny. Your new life is gonna be here soon, get excited and ready for a new you. Here is a comment that might be controversial, but there is absolutely NO physical reason (baring some serious medical condition) that someone can't lose every extra pound that they are carrying after being sleeved. 75% of this battle is in your head. Master your own mind and you will be a smashing success.

By the way, sleeve products, sleeve doctors, or to the owners of this site, I'm for hire! The ultimate spokesman! LOL

By the way, sleeve products, sleeve doctors, or to the owners of this site, I'm for hire! The ultimate spokesman! LOL

Ha! Thanks ladies. I thought this was neat. Me in April 1996 at 18 years old and me in November 2013 at 36. Also a selfie from Sunday.

Extra, Extra, read all about it! http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/234244-new-guy-here-youve-got-to-read-this/page-18

Hi Everyone, sorry for the delay, but Saturday November 23rd was the one year anniversary of starting my epic weight loss journey which has been chronicled in this thread. The final stats are in! In exactly one year from the start of my liquid diet I lost a mind bending 222 lbs, finishing 2 pounds under goal! I officially weigh what i did in high school! Needless to say, my life has COMPLETELY changed in that time period. There has been SO much happening in the past few months it would be hard to get into it all, but I will give you my secrets to success. First, what I did won't work for everyone. The absolute key to my success was accomplished my the power of my mind. I practiced EXTREME discipline and determination which trickled down to everything I did from exercise to eating, to maintenance, etc. Don't feel like exercising today? To bad, get out there. I'm hungry, so what, think about something else. The motivator was the way I felt and eventually looked. My goal EVERY SINGLE DAY was to top something I did the day before. Do something I haven't done in years, beat my best run time by 2 seconds, lift another 5 lbs, whatever. I just had to top what I did the day before. I know it's kind of extreme, but it worked for me. The absolute best thing exercise wise for myself is running. I walked for several months straight then began taking baby steps every day with my running, pushing it lap by lap. That literally changed EVERY aspect of my physical self to the point where at 36 years old I feel better then I did at 18, and I'm NOT kidding. I literally have the strength and energy of an athlete. I run and weight lift 4 days per week about 50 minute work outs and I LOVE every minute of it. I finally understand what the "exercise high" is and I'm telling you, it's absolutely real. There is SO mush more to all of this so if anyone has any questions fire away. In the mean time I will post some before and after pics below.

To all of the new people that are reading this thread!! DO NOT LET THIS SCARE YOU!! I can't believe this thread popped up again! I do not read this site often, but I was sleeved about 3 weeks before this thread was started. I remember reading it and getting the **** scared out of me. I seriously had a thermometer in my mouth every two hours afterwards. I am now over 10 months out and that time seems like a lifetime ago. I have lost an astounding 213 lbs since then and am only 7 lbs from goal. My life is now absolutely phenomenal since I started my journey on 11/23/2012. Imagine where you will be in a year from now, work hard and it will be so. I'm serious. If you are willing to change your life, it WILL happen!

Thank you all for the nice and helpful comments. I'm going to start weight lifting on Monday, it's about time. I don't know if my idea was backwards or not (I guess not since I lost a ton of weight), but I wanted to lose as much weight as possible before I started to bulk up weightlifting. I had planned on doing it once I hit 230 lbs anyway, so I will just push it up. I guess my body and system are just in a "funk" and need some jump starting. I am just SO darn close. The thought of shocking my system with another liquid diet makes my head start to spin. As I have mentioned before I was on a 35 total day liquid only diet in the beginning. It was tough, I can't imagine doing t again even for a day. If I had to do it though I would, we'll see.

Ok guys, I am frustrated, a feeling which I have NOT had up until this point. I began my journey 11/23/2012 and have lost a record 208 pounds in the past 9 1/2 months. Yeah, I know I shouldn't be complaining, but I am officially stuck, the first time this has happened to me at this level. In the past 13 days I have only lost 2 pounds. The part about this which is driving me crazy is that I am so close to goal. I actually had a couple different goals as I have gone along. My initial goal when I started was 245, then I lowered it to 225, then I figured I would try and be less then high school weight so I figured 215 lbs. These goals were set when I was losing big weight each month. Lately people have been telling me that I need to stop losing weight before I look to skinny, so I upped my goal back to 225 lbs (I was 220 in high school, I'm 6' 2" tall). The problem is that I am totally stuck, I have been bouncing back and forth between 237-238 for about 10 days now, this has NEVER happened before. I know I shouldn't complain, my wife things I am nuts and all, but what I tell her is that when I put such unbelievable discipline and effort into weight loss, how could I not be losing weight???? I am eating probably 1500 calories per day PLUS running 3 miles a day, 4 days per week, not to mention all my other normal physical activities. A guy my size and energy level needs more then 1500 calories to just maintain weight, then throw in the dedicated exercise. How could this be happening???? Experts out there that have reached goal, is that old myth about the last 20 lbs or so being impossible to come off true? It feels that way to me. Advice is really needed! Attached are my most current pics. The bottom one is me exactly one year ago at the exact same event.

The poster described eating a gyros sandwich, then doing it again, that goes beyond taking a nibble in a pre op diet. Hopefully she got it out of her system and now that she is sleeved is ready to take this seriously. You were given a second chance in life, don't waste it. Good luck.