JustinNC

Well here's an update. Down to 245. I guess that makes 120lbs lost. I still maintain a fairly strict diet. High Protein, low carbs, fairly low fat. I have a weakness for Gatorade, watermelon, and about once every two or three weeks, I MAY get a Cheerwine (for the NC peeps) slushy. I try to keep things in the 1000-1100 calorie range until I hit the weight I want to be at, then will adjust from there to maintain. I havent hammered down a true diet yet, but over the course of a day I may eat a pack of Lance cashews, which is a meal for me now, a boiled egg, maybe a half a chicken breast, or whole one over the course of two meals, and some green vegetables (broccoli is a favorite), or Beans of some sort, and generally some Water and a 32oz Gatorade. I don't necessarily eat those foods every day, especially since eggs add a lot of calories, as do the cashews. I eat a lot of beans, chicken, cashews, and quinoa. Those are pretty much staples in my diet. I try to shy away from beef, but will occasionally grab something from a chinese place with mixed vegetables as a rare treat about once a month. No bread, no candy, no sweets. Once or twice a month I may grab a sweet tea while at a restaurant, old habit, and I never drink it, and don't know why I order it. Occasionally, at my bi-weekly Men's group before work every other Thursday, I'll get grits, an egg over easy, and add a little butter. I eat maybe 1/4-1/2c cooked grits, and all the egg. I run occasionally. Can't sit still any more. Hate to sit at home. Have to be doing SOMETHING. Got a couple issues to straighten out post marriage and will join the YMCA. Basically, I don't have a checking account (weird, I know), and need to set one up in order to have my payment drafted from the account to pay the YMCA. They don't take debit card, and I wasn't paying 3 months up front right now with cash, as Im still paying off some of the ex's debts that she miraculously racked up in my name. As far as weightloss.... I went down 100lbs quick, like 3 months or so, then stopped for a few weeks. I went down another 5 or so, and stopped again for a week or so, and now down another 15, and slowed again. Not worried, it will come off. I haven't really tried pushing it yet. I have 15 pounds until I reach my goal weight. My focus then will be to tighten up what I have and rebuild some muscle, and see where I am. I may try to continue to lose more weight while trying to build. I know adding muscle will add weight so I want to try to even them both out. I also mean by adding muscle I mean not trying to get ripped, but just building some strength back to an acceptable level. I'm not weak, but I have gotten a little weaker through the process, enough to notice, but it may just be because Im active again and doing stuff I haven't done in years. Goal is 230. Over weight by the charts, but a number my surgeon and nutritionist agreed on since I'm pretty broad in the shoulders and hips. My hip bones stick out as is where I am now. The start.... And now.... here's a cheesey mirror selfy showing my progress... excuse the dirty mirror. I had all the kids this weekend and havent cleaned the bathroom since they left. Apparently toothpaste is supposed to go elsewhere besides your mouth and the sink.

I forgot to add, my surgery date was 3/18/2013

Omg lol.....

always seems to coincide with ignorant, which can be used in a derogatory way, or in a literal sense, to describe many thread starters. Maybe I am? Point being....spend more than 30 seconds researching whatever topic it is you'd like to know about on VST before you whine and moan about whatever it is. Good grief. There is an excellent search feature that will lead you just about any where you want to go on here. So many common questions covered 10 times a day, and a new thread for each. They always tend to clutter up useful topics that end up on page 2, 3, 4, etc which in turn become irrelevant unless someone thinks to SEARCH. Also, listen to your surgeon. Don't come on here looking for support to do something stupid like jump ahead in the diet or "what to do if I go out with friends...". Don't be ashamed, tell the truth, eat your 3 bites, and let your friends get over the fact that you had surgery. If you have to be private about it for fear of what others think, then you should reevaluate your priorities. Not saying you have to tell the world, but don't hide it. Embrace the fact that you're changing yourself. Worry about YOU, not THEM. The heck with what everyone thinks. This is time to rebuild yourself. If your friends and family can't handle that, set them to the side. Don't let them hold you back or get you down, or make you feel inferior. I may come across like a butthole, and so be it, but this is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Shed the bad in everything and embrace the good. Keep it real. Don't sugarcoat or coddle and just do the damn thing. People want to be reassured of everything they do, and that's fine, but do yourself and everyone else a favor and look for that reassurance already posted in the same topic 241924 other times. Solve the problem you have by listening to your doctor, or then, if you want some affirmation, read the 29147123 topics people have already started about the SAME DANG THING....if you have something new, don't sweat it, post up, this thread has nothing to do with you.

I appreciate the report

End it then

See, it's already rubbing off on me. Gmanbat....hilarious.

Nothing to do with anyone that hasn't gotten to my point. Heck, I'm friends with a bunch of pre-sleevers and barely post sleevers here. It has everything to do with the inability to spend 30 seconds trying to answer your question on your own before posting up asking one that was asked yesterday, the day before, twice the day before...

Furthermore....the failure to heed one's advice is comical at best I'm all for support and help. Hard to give it when the same post tailored to XYZ screen name keeps bumping the threads down

The support is here. I can't tell you how many people I've helped in the chat room and given advice to. My point is, it IS a LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE!....Ever heard of the wise old owl that sat in the oak??? Take the time to research it instead of running to the web and whining about it. 5 minutes here told me more about what to expect than I could have ever imagined. As I have already said and will point out later, if it's something new or you can't find, POST IT UP and I'll be happy to share my response. Just stop the redundancy of the SOS DD....or SOS SAME DAY. I suppose because it is labeled as a support forum, people feel the need to wallow in self pitty and panic rather than take the time to try to figure out how to get out of it without drawing attention to themselves. Yes I am a ball of sunshine, as are you my dear The internet is full of information. This forum in particular. Just about anything you could ever want to know about it, and I believe the next subsection I've quoted will cover the fact that I covered that. I think I covered that already. Ive got Facebook, no group, but many like minded individuals, some of which have posted on here about it. It's a rant, you don't like the rant, skip it and GET OVER YOURSELF much like the advice you gave me Good day

All one has to do is read the forum for 3 minutes to find a post on it.