Dub

Thank you ! I know for certain that I'll show up Tuesday morning ready to get 'r done. I just hope my surgeon is on his A-Game 'cause he's gonna see a damn mess when he gets in there and starts working. You'd probably be laughing yourself silly if you could see how I approached my closet organizing. I've gone through there and simply got tired of sorting this and that. I just started throwing stuff in goodwill bags and have carved out plenty of space for new threads. Tossing that work shirt last night as I walked out of the plant was a power move that I'm still rolling with today. I freaking love it. All these big clothes are now GONE. And now I pray, "Lord........Lord please let me loose the weight quickly.....because if I don't ......well, Sir,.......you see.....I have nothing to wear because I gave it all away. Lord, I do very much want to be nekkid a lot......just not in public.". Thank you. I have decades worth of smashing that I plan on doing..............REAL soon. Okay, not so soon that I bust sutures. But SOON.

Spices. What spices ? I use a lot of stuff.....depends mainly on what the entree is....there are Oriental, Tex-Mex, seafoodish and other directions I'll go in. For a straightforward all purpose rub this stuff is outstanding. Simply spray your vegetables with olive oil and dust lightly with this: http://www.runninwildfoods.com/Gourmet-Seasoning--Veggie-57oz_p_7.html I love to add either of these to omelettes. Killer flavors....especially with jalapeño & shrooms. Also great in eggs, on vegetables and in soup: This is great on grilled chicken: Thank you !!!

Thanks. These are all pics of stuff I've grilled over the past year. My grilling fun can still be had.....just going to keep it dialed in on good stuff. I will occasionally grill pizza which is freaking insanely tasty. I've got to figure out less carby crust sources. There are some recipes for low carb dough that would make it great......especially if I lay off the calorie dense cheeses and load it with the mushrooms, onions and olives that I really enjoy the most.

I know exactly what my grilling will be. I'm going to smoke a beef brisket overnight. A couple burnt ends would be a damn fine Protein for that day. Last one was a 12 pound packer. The 1" cubes of burnt ends are like meat candy. So dang good when a little hickory sauce is basted on them the last few minutes they are smoking. This is the very best of my grilling menu. Burnt ends. Could eat them every day, I think.

Pulled pork with homebrew vinegar sauce

My son said I have to make burgers for him. I'll have one without the toppings. A quick batch of guacamole would be killer. Love grilled salmon Maybe stuffed artichoke and vegetable skewers Did I mention that we like grilled wings ?

I may make fish & shrimp tacos for the family and I'll just skip the shells..... Steak pinwheels may be in order

I really enjoy grilling. I'll most like start with something like grilled boneless chicken breasts. These pics were from one of my last cooks prior to starting the pre-op liquid diet. A chicken wing may be in order, too. Grilled Brussels are one of my favorites, too. If I get rained out then some Ahi tuna would be nice. Grilled asparagus is awesome when you use the right rub. Steak is always an option Salmon and flounder.

Georgia

Looking hot !!!! Looking hot !!!!

No juice here. Might as well drink sugared Water.

It would be medically impossible for me NOT to lose weight on the pre-op diet my nutritionist and surgeon have me on.

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really am feeling very, very good this morning. It's amazing how much difference 24 hours can make. My family is visiting our extended family out of state this long weekend. I had to work....was hoping to handle the regular load plus tie up loose ends for my absence. Just me and the dogs staying around here this weekend. Woke up yesterday at 4:00am alarm clock and felt like crud.....body aching.....hernia protruding and wouldn't go back in not matter how much I tried......sore abdomen and aching knees, back etc. Sat up and came close to simply calling in. Went and took care of a ton of stuff. Very productive work day in spite of the aliments. Never even had time to get hungry. Drank my 4 Protein shakes and 97 gallons of Water. Had fun meeting with several of my employees and had extended conversations with a few while doing their annual performance appraisals. A couple asked about what I was having done. I simply explained that there would be hernia repairs as well as weight loss surgery, too. Some had experiences with family, friends, etc that have had wls. They shared the positive results. Progress.......good util my boss, who has been hugely supportive of my plans, notified me that he was being replaced with a new department manager. Not his call, either. He's a great guy, super person and has impeccable values. I hate seeing him moved. Knowing I'll be going back to a new boss isn't going to be fun, but at least I'll be on the upswing and better able to face the chaos.....providing I follow my eating & supplement schedule and stay fortified. I took today off and was already scheduled off tomorrow. I can nurse this hernia and take things easy.....work on final prep stuff around the house......watch football and chill out with the dogs while drinking 98 gallons of water. I want to go to the gym and hit the treadmill but I"m a little apprehensive about being exposed to any new germs at this point. Paranoid? Hell yes, I am. I don't even want to get too close to my wife and son when they return tomorrow as the surgery is the next morning. Paranoid indeed.

@@cj76 You describe a very similar situation with my family......tall, fit and trim son and wife, both active.....heck, even our dogs are fit and active. Then there is me. Imagine a big football player, who still thinks he's ready to hit the field.......then add 30 years of beer, steaks, pizza, etc, etc. You are so very smart to get this thing done BEFORE the health issues have arrived. I can speak with painful experience that arthritis doesn't play well with being overweight. It used to be where I could lose 50 lbs and feel great relief on the knees and such. This time around it hasn't been so. Having to only use Tylenol these past two weeks hasn't been fun. Hurting all over and grouchy as heck. Massive abdominal hernia poked out like and alien trying to bust out. To say that I"m ready for my surgery next week is an understatement. I'm enthused and excited, just like you described. I hope to reach the point where someone will see my tall and fit 16 year old son, wife and then me and say, "Well, we see where the handsome young guy gets his genes". His excellent grades are obviously from his mom.......maybe I can at least lay partial claim to his looks. Just kidding. I am serious about how great it is going to be when I reach the point where I no longer need prescription meds for blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis and disc pain from slowly healing injury......and re-injury. Ah...the days ahead when the only pills I take are simply the chewable supplement tabs. Looking forward to this bigtime. I do have to admit, though, that it will be really cool cleaning out my closet and buying clothes that are no longer big & tall sizes......just tall. I haven't worn blue jeans in 20 years. Thats' gonna change. Some comfortable Levi's and worn in cowboy boots will be my default wear. I hope the path before you goes well. It sounds like you have the perfect timing to do this and a great supportive family to stand by you. I'll bet you feel like a teenager again and will be mistaken for your kids older sister whose looking superfine.

Surgery is Tuesday as well. Gonna stick with it and it'll pass soon.

My surgeon will not work with candidates that injest nicotine from any source.

My pre-op is only 3-5 Protein shakes and non-calorie liquids. I could chew threw a chain link fence right now to eat a salmon fillet or a can of tuna.

I really enjoy a social drink, too. I just reached the point where I was ready to put everything else aside and do the surgery and commit to it. You'll know when you reach that point.

I'm wondering how long I'll need due to the large umbilical hernia & hiatal hernia he'll be repairing as well. What does everyone suggest? 3-4 weeks ?

I haven't a clue. I'm jealous, though. You'll be back to the game well before I will be. A torn ankle tendon on my downswing with a 3-wood on Sep 1, 2010.....Morehead City CC. We were in the fairway of the first par 5. The group ahead had cleared the green and I was going for it....trying to make up for a week drive. Snap. Ouch. Surgery two weeks later. No more golf since. I'm hoping that I'll reach my weight loss goal and regain good back flexibility and core strength all along. I'll evaluate this and see where I'm at. Maybe a Tommie Copper ankle sleeve and an easy swing and I'll be back in the game. Good luck. Hopefully your surgeon can answer your question on when you can return to the game.

Well.....a couple more things arrived today. Also were three memory foam body pillows. I'll layer these so I can slay elevated....hopefully comfortably elevated...in bed. I've had a couple odd developments over the past couple days. Tuesday, wee hours....found me in the emergency room taking one of my employees. She'd slipped and fell while walking to the restroom and broke her left wrist. 4 hours in the emergency room waiting room surrounded by folks that had flu, pneumonia, walking dead virus, etc. I was glad that her break would not require surgery nor need further manipulation. Just a follow up with her ortho-doc for a rigid cast. Grateful. Upon returning to work and getting my employee squared away, I later explained to our nurse about being surrounded by the walking dead.....and having surgery next week. Not only did she support the idea that I get on some antibiotics....she gave me a good general antibiotic that I started right away. Today was a day off. Working all weekend and have surgery on Tuesday. Tried to get as much done as I could around the house. Our mailbox has been pissing me off lately so I replaced it. Somewhere along the way of digging the hole, shopping for the new mailbox & wood post and lifting the 80 lb bag of cement mix i really aggravated my healing back. Not good at all. Back on the pain med & muscle relaxer. All I freaking needed. Idiot. The mailbox could have waited. No spasms yet.....so I'm not at DEFCON4. Just moving gingerly and resting. Going to be very, very careful at work tomorrow. I also broke ranks and cheated yesterday on the pre-op diet. Cheated and enjoyed every single bite and slurp. My cheat meal was Chic Fil A's grilled chicken nuggets, chicken Soup and two large diet lemonades. Damn tasty. It happened. I'm done with it and have been back on the Protein shakes since. Oh well. Sh@t happens. I'm hoping the new unjury chicken soup flavored protein is decent. I'll be using in the days and weeks after the surgery. Getting ready to hit the bed in a few and hope that the back will ease up for a 4-5 hour nap.

MyFitnessPal is excellent. I need to explore what FitBit has to offer on their site. I've never update my macros with fitbit....just my activity.

I would sidestep that contest for sure. No good would come of it. You've already won. Just ride it out and work your plan.

Surfer Girl nailed it.....keep that Water bottle filled and sip hard. You'll be staying hydrated and maybe helping weight loss, too. That's exactly one of the tactics I've been using during this timeframe. What I've found is that when I"m up on that bathroom break, I'll stay mobile and walk around the work area more, too.

Huge respect for those that traveled after having surgery. The umbilical & hiatal hernias being repaired at the same time of my sleeve surgery has me thinking I'll be fairly sore and I'm not looking forward to the 30 minute car ride home from the hospital a day or two after surgery.