Pizza, Hamburgers and Motivation

[Supkem 3]

I am creating this thread sort of as a diary of my weight loss adventure. A place to write down my thoughts, concerns, plans and the outcomes from those plans. A log so I can remember and follow along with where I've come from and where I have yet to go.

I am a man from Boston Ma. who currently resides in Southwestern Oklahoma. I am not politically correct and make little effort to be so. I am 46 years old and have served in the Military for most of my adult life. First the Navy in the 80’s, then the Marines in the 90’s, then the Army in the 2000’s. Now the Army Reserves. I have been here, there and practically everywhere from the bottom of the ocean to the deserts of the middle-east. In addition to that I have struggled with my weight consistently, but I have not let it hold me down.

While my weight has always been a problem for me, In the twelve years between service in the Marines and the Army I maxed out at 320 pounds and had to use the old fashioned way to get my weight down to “acceptable” levels. I dieted, worked-out, worked out and dieted for two years before I “made tape” at 245 pounds. And for the next five years I was able to maintain that weight (235-250). I did get liposuction on my back and sides in 2010 to change the numbers a little in my favor. But now that I have exited the military for the last time, I have found my weight balloon right back to where it was before I joined the Army. 331 is my new Max.

I am very concerned for my health. I have arthritis in both my knees and both my shoulders. I have Obstructive sleep Apnea; I am on the border of being Diabetic and have a small blockage in my heart. It has become very hard for me to work out any longer, and finding the incentive to do so is non-existent. For roughly two years I have been fighting with doctors and my wife to be able to get this surgery (I am NOT a Bandster, please don’t refer to me as one, I won’t, you) and now the stars have finally aligned in my favor. I know this is not a be-all end all to my weight loss problem, it is a tool that I help will motivate me to get back on track.

My primary care physician has set me up with an initial consult with a Bariatric Doctor on January 21, 2014. I expect at that time, we will discuss what is required of my insurance, and start the process which I am guessing will take 3 months to complete (classes, pre-op dieting and weight loss, eating journals) before I can actually get my surgery. I am ready to do what it takes to get my weight back down to my “acceptable” levels. Between 235 and 225. That’s 100 pounds. I’ve done it before and KNOW I can do it again. The alternative is not desirable any longer. In fact, I am ready to give up pizza and Hamburgers for the rest of my life. I have had enough of them and know the dangers they bring.

I guess that’s it for now, I will check back in with this tread after January 21, 2014. Until then, I will be using this forum for other sources of Motivation.

[gowalking 10,790]

Everybody is different in terms of what they can/want to eat or not eat. But just to let you know, I eat pizza and hamburgers...not often, but I do...and one slice only or one small burger..no more big macs or three slices for me. But...I did want you to know that you don't necessarily have to give up foods, but rather manage them better. And you can see by my ticker that I'm doing just fine with the weight loss so eating 'treats' every now and then hasn't impeded my progress. FYI, I was banded a year ago. Good luck!!

[kimk1999 450]

Hello and welcome aboard! Congratulations on fighting for your health and making it a priority. I am a bit concerned about the wife possibly not being on board, but glad you're taking the steps to a healthy you. I'm only 3 weeks out from being banded. It's not the easiest new life but I need to lose a bunch of weight too. I miss my crunchy foods right now on this post op diet.

[lisacaron 5,075]

Welcome. I can see from your very direct thread that you have your mind set and that is a good thing. Just like the commitments you have made in the past the band will take 100% commitment.

As Go Walking stated you will still be able to eat things like pizza and Hamburgers but if they are not conducive to your plan, and they are going to cause you other health issues that are not band related then by all means cut them out of your diet all together!

If you have some kind of cardiac issue that is not a bad thing to do.

Being banded is not a walk in the park, but you are used to toughing it out as an ex, Navy, Marine, and Army solider this is one more battle for you. Get ready to gear up and hit the ground running!

See ya on the battle field!

[Supkem 3]

gowalking- What works for you prolly won't work for me. IF I need to have it in my mind That I am never going to have these things again, Then So be it. I've been a smoker before, I know that it only takes one to be hooked again. I guess what I am saying is that I plan on treating this the same way.

kimk1999 Don't worry about the wife not being on board. She is. Remember, I am from Boston and so have a way with words. I tend to make things sound worse than they really are. No Biggie.

Thanks for the kind words folks, It motivates me to see a good story.

Now can anybody tell me where I can get one of those weight tracker signature thingies?

[lisacaron 5,075]

Now can anybody tell me where I can get one of those weight tracker signature thingies?

Go to your profile settings under My Tickers and there you can choose and set them.

[kll724 3,055]

I can eat a peace of pizza. But, I can't tell you when I had a burger on a bun last. I have has a 1/4 of a subway sandwich a couple times. I eat very little bread, and burger meat. Mostly I eat fish and veggies. i have tried recently to eat naked wings, they did not agree with me at all! If I have chicken, it has to be in sauce or gravy. It is a great idea to decide that hese foods are not for you! Becasue as you said, what works for some, doesn't work for others. there are people on this forum that eat steak once a week. i am sorry, steak is not my friend! Best wishes, will be watching you! Karen..aka.kll724

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

do the best you can with what your dr and nutritionist advises for best results.

best of luck

[dylanmiles23 2,198]

Congratulations on your new journey. I wish you luck. You're going to tell me that if you came back to Boston you wouldn't have a slice of Regina's pizza, only from the North End, though. They have the world's best pizza. I have been going since I was 4, almost 60 years for me.

I know from past experience (I am older than you) when I totally give up things, I want them more. I eat small slider burgers, 3-4 oz ones from the grocery store. I don't have the roll.

[B-52 7,113]

Welcome,,,there are a few men here, but mostly women...

Bostonian living in western Oklahoma?? Interesting...I'm a New Jersyian who lived in Tulsa for about 15 years or so...

You're going to get a lot of different responses to your questions...the Lap Band is adjustable, and everyone has their different comfort zones, and can choose how they want the band to work for them....

On one end of the spectrum, you can loose weight by dieting alone, with a lot of self determination...and the other end you can get the Band Adjusted to where it is doing ALL the work, and there is very little an individual needs to do except adapt to it and learn how to live with it day to day....

People who choose to live on the low end, and are good at dieting, have discipline, motivation, etc, well I'm not sure why they would need surgery in the first place if they are that good...

I LOVE food, could not stop eating...had absolutely no self control....could eat an entire large pizza by myself and wash it down with 3-4 beers....hamburgers all the time....I would be driving down the street and pull into a McDonalds drive in for no good reason, and super-size myself....then go home and have dinner...

It affected my health with diabetes, high BP, and just about everything else, including one Heart Attack resulting in Cardiac Surgery!

I could not control myself, so I needed to have this surgery to do what I cannot do by myself....therefore I elect to have my band adjusted to the other end...I have NO HUNGER or Cravings, cannot possibly overeat no matter how hard I may try, and there are foods I will never eat again.....I have not had pizza or hamburgers in 3 years....there are many other foods I no longer eat also....

But it did not happen over night...it took a lot of hard work and frustration to get there....many times I was convinced I made a big mistake....I think the biggest obstacle was as the band was being adjusted with fills, I had to change my ways to adapt to the band...and it's hard letting your past go and accept the new....but I eventually did learn, and change....NOW I have lost all my excess weight, and I have no fear of ever gaining any of it back...ever! as long as the band continues to perform as it is...

Between the 2 ends of the spectrum, I feel the majority of people choose to settle in somewhere in between...they rely on the band, but not too much....they also rely on their own dieting techniques, with some self determination and motivation...that's OK, if it works for them , then what else matters....

But these are also the people who say they "Fell off the wagon" or "Gained weight back", afraid of family get togethers and holidays, ....if their self discipline breaks down, they can give in to temptation, and eventually pick up all their old bad habits as if it was any other diet.

...

If I should ever be "Weak" and tempted, it does not matter.....the band is a constant, day after day after day...regardless if I am motivated or not. If I should break down and attempt to eat something I should not, the band will let me know ASAP....so eventually I don't even bother....call it Behavior Modification if you like.

Bottom line...it is not an overnight thing...people get the surgery and 3 weeks later are complaining it is not working for them......I continued to gain weight after surgery...it took a few months for me to get to that place where it all started to click, and had to learn many hard lessons along the way...3 years and I am still learning some things.

BUT IT DOES WORK.....if you let it and not get in the way.....I am living proof of that! as well as many others on this Forum.

Edited January 9, 2014 by B-52

[parisshel 1,892]

You sound motivated and determined. These two factors are imho crucial for success. Wishing you a smooth and uneventful pre and post op process, and let us know how you are doing.

[Lady VS 1,147]

Welcome and good luck.

[SandyM 1,956]

I do agree that there are 2 ends of the spectrum. I don't necessarily agree that you have to live right near the red zone to be successful. And I don't agree that if you live nearer to the yellow zone that you'll either fail or probably don't need the surgery at all. I stayed nearer to the yellow zone for a few months and continued to lose. I did have to work at it only in that I'm very carb resistant and had to avoid the very simple carbs because they sparked cravings. I believe I will have this problem no matter how much Fluid is in my band, at least until my brain accepts the fact that these foods are not good for me and were always my biggest problem and I don't need them. Sort of like alcohol and cigarettes. I do believe that I could have maintained my weight without so much work, but to lose, I log, exercise and monitor things closely. As for falling off the wagon, this isn't impossible for anyone since it is easy to succumb to temptations that would pack on the pounds. But all of our opinions differ.

I'm sure I'm not alone in believing that men lose weight and a lot differently than women. Good luck and you can make it with this. By the way, I am a native Oklahoman and miss it very much. I also am former US Army.