Beginning of the Journey

[Midnight Phil 0]

Hey everyone,

I am 44 years old and just got banded a month and a half ago (May 31st). I started at 397 pounds 2 weeks before the surgery. As of two days ago, I have lost 45 pounds, so everything has been going great. I have a long way to go, but I am thrilled with the initial start.

Before the surgery, standing or walking for more than 10 minutes caused a fair amount of pain. I was pretty much a lump and not doing much physical activity at all. I have type 2 diabetes and I was taking 100 units of lantus once a day and 30 units of humalog twice a day. I had severe swelling from the lower calves to my ankles. My diet was also pretty poor, but I had been working on that.

After I lost about 20 pounds, I was able to start exercising. For the last 24 days in a row, I have worked out on the treadmill for a half an hour or more. I started at 2.6 miles and hour and now up to 2.8. For me, this is quite a workout. I am now only taking 60 units of lantus a day and no humalog, and my blood sugars have never been so good. My swelling is still pretty bad, but maybe a little better. My eating habits have changed dramatically and it has been a pretty easy transition so far.

What are some of the things that helped me get off to a great start? For me, the biggest help has been God. A series of small miracles has changed my life dramatically since the beginning of the year. I became a follower of Christ and I ask for His help a bunch. I listen to some great worship music when I workout and it really helps keep me focused and energized. Maybe different kinds of music, audiobooks, or videos will help. Great supportive friends have also been a blessing. I think making the time to exercise every day has also helped me make it a habit. A friend told me it's easier to form a habit if you can do something 21 days in a row. I don't know if it's true, but it helped motivate me to try. This place is also great. I don't post a lot, but reading all your stories is very inspiring. And, knowing we are all going through the same trials helps me not feel alone.

I have been heavy all my life, even when I was pretty active. I was wondering if any of you have been able to loose the amount of weight you wanted to, after being overweight since childhood. Also, anyone able to reverse bad leg swelling with exercise.

Love you all.

[Rachel412 116]

You're doing a great job! I have no helpful advice, I just wanted to tell you to keep it up