Eats with Two Forks

Sept 29th! Best of luck!

It’s exactly one week before my big surgery date. I started this journey back in May 2020, but I’ve dreamed about losing this weight all my life. I’ve always been big since elementary school and my weight has steadily crept up each and every year. I maxed out at 360 pounds back in 2002 and have had some success at losing weight, but for the most part I would just gain it all back and then some. I got down to 268 for my wedding through hard work and a trainer. I exercised 4 times a week and would do squats with a 40 lb vest and was eating an insane amount of protein. I would have a 12 egg white omelet each morning and several protein shakes and pre workout shakes during the day. I felt strong and great, until we moved and stress started to creep in along with living outside the city. I ballooned back up to 341 and decided it was time to take back my health. Since I started this journey, I went from 341 to 325 by myself. I cut out all sugar and carbs but still didn’t exercise. I even had a weekly cheat meal on Sundays for the last 3 weeks as a “reward” as I knew my three week Optifast diet was coming. I’m on my last week of Optifast and I’m currently 299 lbs. I’m down a total of 42 pounds pre surgery. I feel very proud of myself for accomplishing this so far. My goal weight is 295 on the day of surgery and I’d like to be 185 in a year or year and a half. I’ve learned so much on this journey so far. My eating habits and portions were terrible. Once I turned 40 I knew I couldn’t eat as much as I used too. I’d make two giant sandwiches for lunch and only be able to eat one of them. When I did try to eat them both I became very ill. Being on Optifast has taught me a lot about my eating habits. I look forward to having much smaller portions, but of higher quality foods. My back, hips and feet feel so much better now. I used to have trouble getting out of bed. My sore back would wake me up and I literally had a hard time to get out of bed. I like to envision myself carrying around two groceries bags pretending that each bag contains 21 butter bricks. That’s how much weight I don’t have to carry around anymore. Imagine being 156 “butters” lighter. That’s how I feel...like I’m carrying another human on my back. I’ve often thought and many people have said to me “why don’t you just keep drinking Optifast and keep losing weight”? I understand now that I’ve been on a yo-yo my entire life when it comes to my weight. Sure I may lose some more weight on Optifast, but when I go off and start to eat normally, or even binge a bit, I will be back in the same boat. I’ve done it hundreds of times. I have to be honest with myself. I need this tool to help me. I’ve done the hard work and there is so much more to do! I’m so looking forward to when food is not my focus anymore and it won’t have such a hold on me. There are so many other beautiful things in this life to appreciate and focus on, like my loving wife and daughter. My entire family and friends. I now look at food as a fuel rather than a comfort. I am by no means done with my journey and understand that there will be ups and downs to come, but I feel like I already have a better grasp on my weight and health and I’m ready for this change. To everyone here that is starting their journey or have completed it, I tip my hat to you all and good for you for even thinking about your health and weight. There are so many benefits to enjoy and I wish you all the best in your own personal journeys. We got this!