Halfway point - time for reflection

[shriner37 249]

This month is the five month anniversary of my sleeve surgery. Next week is a big company meeting. I had set a personal goal of achieving 50% weight loss by that date. I will hit that goal or be within a pound of it.

My rate of loss has seemed slow to me but after looking at the charts I realize it has been pretty steady with great progress, just a bit slower than I'd anticipated.

So far I've been very pleased with every aspect of this journey. Here are a few of my victories and observations post surgery.

Victories:

Weight loss - 55 pounds - halfway to goal

Clothing sizes - Went from (men's) size 46 slacks to 40, size 19 shirts to 17 1/2, size 4xl t-shirts to 2xl

sleep apnea - Gone

Type 2 diabetes - Gone

Joint aches, pains and stiffness - Gone

High blood pressure - went from 2 meds to 1, and only half the dose of that one

Other NSV's:

Airplanes - went from almost needing a seat belt extender to being able to put the tray table down all the way

Travel - can now sleep in most any hotel bed without needing the mattress and pillows to be 'just right'

Stairs - I used to be winded at the top of a flight of stairs, but can bound up them now with no issues.

Exercise - much easier now and I have more stamina.

Some observations:

Stalls - I've found that I stall easily and really need to watch my program closely.

Diet - It's a tight balance - too few calories and I stall. Too many and I stall.

Hunger - I never realized how much of my problem was "head hunger" or bored snacking until the real hunger went away.

Snacking - is an insidious enemy and can derail progress without you knowing it. You have to account for everything you eat.

Alcohol - I can have a drink or two without problem, but it does stop my loss for a couple of days. Better save it for maintenance.

I lost weight rapidly for the first couple of months but have noticed now I've settled into a fairly steady rate of loss of around 2 pounds per week. I'm fine with this rate as long as I can keep it going. Over time it will require more exercise to maintain but at this rate I should hit my goal weight at about my one year surgery anniversary. That is now my new goal.

Edited February 6, 2016 by shriner37

[Bluesky1 191]

Wow! What a great accomplishment. I look forward to the Pros you shared about. Kudos to you for the hard work ????. Wish I could see the faces at the company meeting. I'm aure it will be a big suprise for those who haven't seen you in a while.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Congratulations! Sounds like you are doing great.

I wouldn't worry too much about the stalls. They are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the process.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Good for you! It's wonderful to see patients who are as mindfully observant as you as they go on this journey.

Those who have the ability to notice what's happening as they lose weight -- understanding how X and Y and Z affect A, B and C -- have a real leg up on those who post-op just go with the flow, losing weight easily (as most do during the first 6-8 months post-op).

Later, when weight loss slows or boredom sets in and as capacity increases, some folks aren't altogether certain which levers to push to stay in the lanes that lead to the finish line.

That was probably too many bad metaphors. Congratulations!