AnotherGuy

Hello All, I came to this site when I was doing research for my own surgery which was completed in December of 2021. I found it difficult to find numerous relatable stories from men who had weight loss surgery. Hence, I thought I would share my experience. I am a 56 year old male and I would consider myself just another guy. I started my own new business in 2015. If you have ever started a new business from zero, then you know it is a very stressful experience. Consequently, I gained 20 pounds a year for, roughly, six consecutive years. My weight ballooned to an all time high of 353 pounds. If it wasn't nailed to the floor, I ate it. If it was cold, I drank it. I take full responsibility for my actions. I freely made the decision to consume all of the food and drink. I also found ways to justify eliminating my regular exercise routine during this time period. Towards the end of 2021, from a health perspective, I was miserable. I had trouble walking any sort of distance. My poor dogs felt neglected because I could not walk with them. I had a difficult time standing for any length of time because my lower back would begin to ache. I was beginning to have problems with my joints, especially my knees and ankles. From an emotional perspective, I also had issues. I had to search for restaurants with tables instead of sitting at a cozy booth because I could longer fit in any booth. It is an awful feeling to ask, "Can I have that table over there instead of this booth?" It seemed to me they knew I asked because I couldn't fit in the space. I was forced to buy bigger clothes. Soon, those clothes didn't fit and I had to buy even bigger clothes. My clothes needed to be purchased in the "fashion forward" Big & Tall section of stores and websites. I began to hate to have my photo taken because I did not like the way in which I appeared in the photos. To me, the person who looked back at me in the mirror looked nothing like the person who appeared in those photos. Who was that guy in those photos? Was that really me? I began to feel self conscious about eating in front of other people. I just had this feeling they were saying, "look at how much food that fat guy is eating." while I was eating a slice of pizza. I found myself buying food to eat in the car while I was driving so no one would see me. I justified the binge eating by telling myself I was hungry and didn't have enough calories at such and such a place. I grew tired of family members asking me if I was "okay" each time they saw me. I grew tired of friends asking me if I was able to "manage" going somewhere with them. Consequently, people started to avoid me. It was my own fault. I was grouchy all the time. If you are reading this, perhaps you have had similar feelings to my own. I made the decision I needed a little help. I began to look for a surgical procedure to assist me in my weight loss journey. I decided to have gastric sleeve surgery. As previously stated, my surgery was completed in December of 2021. I followed my surgeon's instructions explicitly. I ate what they told me to eat. I drank what they told me to drink. I used an app on my phone to track every calorie. When permitted, I began a regular exercise routine. The routine began with cardio and, over time, I added weight training too. Day after day and week after week, I developed better habits. I ate better foods and less calories. My cardio improved and my strength improved. Oh, I also lost weight...a lot of weight. My weight went from 353 pounds to 199 pounds. Yes, that's right. Today, I weigh less than 200 pounds. My total weight loss has been a whopping 154 pounds in 17 months. My waist size shrunk from 48 inches to 34 inches. My shirt size went from XXX-Large to Large. Hell, even my shoes lost 1/2 of a size. The feeling has been incredible. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Today, I continue to perform cardio four days per week and I lift weights every other day. Luckily I have had no ill side effects from the surgery. I feel great. I feel like others who have described losing a lot of weight...fantastic. Apologies to you if I have rambled on too long. Hopefully you find something here in which you can relate. Good luck in your journey. All the best.

Hello @pintsizedmallrat I had my sleeve surgery in December of 2021. Hence, I am about 14 months postop. To date, I have lost 153lbs. from my highest pre-surgery weight. Interestingly enough, you had your surgery at the same location where I had my surgery...that is if there is only one Dr. Trace Curry who does bariatric surgeries. I did not have any complications from my surgery that were any different than situations that have been described on this site. As a male, I haven't experienced anything different than what others, male or female, have described. I will try to highlight some of the things I have experienced. I only used the pain medication for the first day. The gas from the surgery was the worst part for me. Once the gas went away, everything else was pretty smooth. I stayed at a hotel near the surgery center the first night. The next morning, I went home with someone else driving. I followed the doctor's instructions very closely when it came to food, vitamins and movement. I count every calorie for which I eat and/or drink. I was very cold for the first few months. Approximately 30 days after surgery, I was permitted to begin exercising. (walking) Once permitted, I began other forms of cardio like biking, jogging and the elliptical machine. Once permitted, I began to lift weights. I have continued the exercise regimen every week since. I weigh myself every week in order to track my progress. I don't know if any of this will be helpful to you. I hope your husband has a great experience. Best wishes to you and your family!

Hello All. The scale moved again this morning and my BMI also moved: down to 30. What does this mean? Well, according to the CDC, I am no longer obese. I am just OVERWEIGHT! Who knew that being labeled overweight would be cause for celebration? I may have some extra chicken. 😁 So now the goal is to lower my BMI to under 25. This is the healthy range. It is only a matter of time. I love to read about all of your successes. Thank you all for sharing.

Happy Birthday @kcuster83 Just tossing in my two cents. I am coming up on 8 months post surgery. I began to drink alcohol again around month 5 or 6. I did not have a problem with alcohol prior to surgery and I do not believe I have a problem with alcohol post surgery. As others have stated, the alcohol hits you much faster than before so I would recommend that you are careful. I would also recommend not driving...even with only one drink. The alcohol really does go to your brain much faster.

Hey @FarfelDiego, You definitely got this! You are going to grit it out and work your way to a healthy lifestyle. Sure...there may be setbacks along the way. Every worthwhile journey has two steps forward and one step back. Here is an inspirational video of someone's journey. Perhaps this will help you too.

Congratulations!! Your results are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing. Cheers to your new life!

Good morning @debg74 Welcome to the forum! I am certainly not the official spokesperson here but wanted to make sure you felt welcome. Congratulations on your surgery. There is a large amount of information on this site. I am certain you can find the answer to almost any surgery or food related question here. Everyone is very friendly on the forum and those with similar experiences are willing to share their wisdom. I am only four months post op and I still have a long way to go. Best wishes on your journey!

Hello All, There are certainly many posts about non scale victories. Like many of you, I have clothes of various sizes in my closet. There is no need to purchase anything new yet, so I have not experienced the joy of shopping for smaller clothes. However, I was forced to purchase a couple SMALLER belts to use with the aforementioned clothes. Is there any better feeling than losing weight? I must say I truly felt joy disposing of the old, larger belts. I heard Oprah say this once, "..losing weight feels better than any food tastes." I agree. Please share any recent non scale victory you may have had. I like to read them. Best, AnotherGuy

Hey @thinblueline, So nice to have you here. I am not the most active member of this forum, but I like to read the things you post. I don't always reply to everything I read...sorry about that. As always, good luck on your journey.

Advice is sometimes given with the best intentions but everyone is different. You should do the things which work for you. Only you know what is best for you. Listen, learn and experiment with your routines. Find something which is sustainable to achieve your long term goals. In my personal case, I believe the following things contribute to my success. I eat less calories because of surgery. I made a decision to make healthier food choices. I exercise regularly (cardio.) I perform weight training regularly. I feel great. I am losing weight. This is what is important to me.

Congratulations on your achievement! It is fantastic that you are on your way to running road races again. 🏃‍♀️

Hello All, Reading this forum for a few months has taught me that everyone is a little different. But today, I am looking for some 'misery loves company' friends. If you are able, riddle me this. Why are there times you get so cold? I do not understand. As for context, I am a few weeks post surgery. Things are going well...just wondering who gave me a membership into this Polar Bear Club. I wasn't looking to join a club where members are forced to freeze nearly to death. Through my years, I have always been a warm person...temperature wise that is. To say it another way, I have always been a "scrub a little too hard and I can sweat in the shower" kind of person. But, as Bob Dylan once said, "The times, they are a changin." Let me explain. There are times when I am on the couch. I am dressed in warm clothes and thick, comfy socks. I am under at least two or three hefty blankets. There is a fire in the fireplace. A large labrador retriever that goes by the name of Bella is curled up beside me sharing her warmth. Yet, I still shiver to my bones. What the hell is going on here? As odd as this may sound, I have actually worn a winter hat inside of my own house because I cannot get warm. But a few hours will pass and, suddenly, I feel like I am back to normal. During these 'winter wonderlands,' my beautiful wife is wearing shorts, no socks and a flimsy t-shirt. As she lifts her hair in an attempt to cool herself, she proclaims the problem is with me. So I have a few questions for you. Perhaps you can help me. 1) Have you experienced this same issue? 2) Does it go away? If so, when? 3) Does anyone really know what causes it? 4) Why am I not cold all the time? Thanks for all of your sharing. Hopefully your wisdom will provide me with some new knowledge. I wish each of you the most wonderful, healthy and fulfilling days ahead. Best, AnotherGuy

Sound thinking...especially the snorting part. 😁 My surgeon recommended waiting 30 days for the stomach to heal before drinking coffee which, according to surgeon, could be an irritant. I waited 30 days and I have been drinking normal amounts of coffee since. There have been no issues.

I am a member of the "Polar Bear Club." It has not gone away...although I am no longer cold most of the time, just some of the time.

I am almost 8 weeks post surgery. Like you, I incorporate strength training and cardio every week. At the moment, I do cardio five days per week and I do strength training three days per week. One day per week, Tuesdays, I have a complete day of rest. Did I mention I love Tuesdays? It is my opinion that it is very difficult to build muscle while losing weight. To build muscle, your body needs the raw materials (food) for which to build muscle. While losing weight, your body has a calorie deficit...or in other words, a lack of food. Therefore, it is very difficult to build muscle while losing weight. Perhaps a good goal might be to maintain as much of the muscle you currently possess through strength training. As you lose weight, you will be losing fat and keeping lean muscle. And muscle burns way more calories than fat. Odd fact of the day: According to Harvard Health, adults lose 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade after the age of 30. (This is the reason we get fatter as we get older even though we eat the same amount.) 🤔

Your motivation is inspiring. 💪 Not too far from you, we are buried under snow. Got some extra exercise shoveling. I can think of 10,000 things I would rather do.

I still get cold all the time...I don't think I am ever going to like it. 😕

This is an excellent idea. I believe you and me are cut from a similar cloth. I enjoy your posts. 😁 I also find that I do better when I have an accountability partner. For instance, someone who agrees to do five days of cardio per week. We do not need to do the activity together, but we hold each other accountable for getting the work done. Later, we celebrate together.

Hello All, Sometimes it is nice to know that you are in a group of the "world's best" at something. It is my opinion that we are the world's best at losing weight. I do not mean to imply that once we have had bariatric surgery, we are good at losing weight. I am willing to say that, prior to your surgery, you have lost (and gained) tens and tens of pounds over your lifetime. You have tried at least six or more diets and you were probably successful in losing a significant amount weight on each of them. I have done this too. The problem is we are world class weight gainers also ...ugh! Thankfully, we have weight loss surgery to help us eat fewer calories. However, each time we lose weight, we must face the "STALL." You know, that period of time when we don't lose weight even when we think we should. Everyone dreads these time periods. If you are interested, I would like to share with you some information that has helped me over the years to overcome and understand stalls. First, I am not a doctor nor am I offering any sort of medical advice. I am simply trying to provide you with information from my own personal experiences. You are free to believe or not believe. Every single person is different. If you know something that works, please share. I would love to learn from you. Until then, here are my thoughts. Vary your exercise routine. This is pretty simple. One must understand that we come from a long, long line of survivors. Just think, there is a very good probability that several of your ancestors survived the black plague which eliminated almost half of the population of Europe. Over time, our bodies have learned to adapt to new "challenges" so to speak. Here is a secret to assist weight loss: YOU MUST CHALLENGE YOURSELF to avoid your body's natural ability to adapt and become more efficient to your routines. If you are doing any kind of exercise, you will need to vary this exercise every few weeks. For instance, I am currently using an elliptical machine for cardio. Every two weeks, I change my routine. I went from just moving for 30 minutes at any speed for the first two weeks to adding intervals of going as fast as I can for one minute and then slowing down for three minutes. I have also changed the interval times. For example, I went fast for 30 seconds and then slower for two minutes for a period of two weeks. Next week, I will be changing to a stationary bike for cardio. In a few more weeks, I will be heading outdoors for walking/jogging, etc. The point is to change it up so your body must adjust to new challenges. Build muscle. These are the facts. Muscle burns more calories, even while resting, than fat does. Did you know that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson eats more than 5000 calories per day? The man is a beast and definitely is not fat. He is able to eat so much because he has a huge amount of muscle mass. That muscle burns a lot of calories. Check out what he eats in a typical day here: The Rock's Diet. I wish I could say the phrase "build muscle" and, magically, I would build muscle...*sigh* Until then, I must incorporate strength training the old fashioned way. I lift weights. At the moment, my routine consists of body weight type of exercises, pushing and pulling. My goal is to preserve as much muscle as I can while losing weight. I want to burn the maximum amount of calories possible...even while sleeping. YouTube has many, many videos to help just about anyone. Keep track of your food intake. I measure my food and keep a daily log. I know how much food my stomach can hold and I do not over eat. But my personal opinion may be different than yours when it comes to caloric intake. Personally, I cannot live for the long term on 800 calories per day. Many of us were/are eating about 800 calories or so per day after surgery. I have no plans to eat only 800 calories per day for the rest of my life to maintain my goal weight. Therefore, I have increased the number of calories I eat per day. At the moment, I am eating around 1500 calories per day. I am about six weeks post surgery. The bulk of my calories comes from protein. I try to add calories to my day without adding a lot of volume to my stomach. Here are some things I do in order to add calories. Once per day, I drink a protein shake instead of water. Also, I will add the following ingredients to meals throughout the day (not all at the same time, mind you): olive oil, avocados, sour cream, cheese, mayonnaise and peanut butter. These are generally healthy fats which allow me to consume more calories at every meal. I try to eat approximately 400 calories three times a day and then supplement with a few snacks in between meals. I typically eat 5 to 6 times per day. Set realistic goals. If you do not know, one pound of fat is 3500 calories. To lose one pound of fat, you must create a deficit of 500 calories per day for each day of the week...500 calories x 7 days = 3500 calories lost. Create a deficit of 1000 calories per day and lose two pounds per week. 1500 calories = 3 lbs. per week. This is the idea...a 500 calorie deficit per day equates to one pound loss per week. A typical male burns about 2000 to 3000 calories per day (typical female: 1600 to 2400.) You can play with these numbers all you like but the reality is: it is very hard to lose a large amount of fat in one week. Last week I lost three pounds. I believe that this result is fantastic. That loss is a 10,500 calorie deficit for the week (equivalent to NOT eating 37.5 Snickers Candy Bars.) I believe this is a heroic effort on my part...I celebrated with a quiet "YES" and a fist pump while standing on my bathroom scale. Fist bumps to all of you who have shared the same win. NOT an exact science. Things change. There is not a perfect formula. When you lose weight, you lose fat AND muscle. This is NOT avoidable. No one is able to lose 100% fat. It is not possible to do so, therefore mentally prepare yourself for some disappointment. If you do not have strength training in your schedule, you will lose more precious fat burning muscle than you would if you incorporate strength training. Either way, you will burn fewer calories per day when you, eventually, weigh less. It makes perfect sense. At 300lbs. you may have burned 2500 calories per day. At 250lbs you may only burn 2200 calories per day. You were bigger so you burned more calories. Therefore, it is harder to create a calorie deficit when you weigh less because you are burning fewer calories. Again, this concept really sucks but it explains why we lose less weight as we get closer and closer to our goal. Okay...so this turned into a much longer post than I originally anticipated. Some of the words above make it sound like I have it all figured out. But alas, no. I have issues too. I gained over 100 lbs. in the last six years eating pizza with extra cheese and trying to diminish the world's supply of beer. I am somewhere in the early stages of this particular weight loss journey. My goal is to make this my last weight loss/gain journey. I truly wish all of you the very best life has to offer. The struggle is real and I know, like me, you are fighting every day. I look forward to all of your comments and learning from your experiences. Best, AnotherGuy

This is awesome! Congrats on not losing muscle mass. It is so hard to lose weight and maintain muscle mass. 💪

I completely agree. Shake the body up...😁

It is definitely a tremendous feeling.

I am not willing to share what the current temperature setting is within my house. I am embarrassed to say it is higher than 68F. 😢

Lol. We shall huddle the masses here in cyberspace and weather the cold. From my understanding, warmth will return in the near future.

Love the descriptive phrases. Thanks for the info. I have hope this doesn’t last forever.