I'm down 35 pounds from my maximum of 221. However, I don't recommend a spinal cord injury as a weight loss strategy! I was in some degree of CNS shock for 3 weeks.
I did the math yesterday and decided I went to hospital on July 30 and woke up Aug 11. No food and very little water for 12 days took 10 pounds off of me. I've gained five of those pounds back in 38 days.
The most dangerous thing in that place was the food! I wouldn't eat anything I couldn't identify, so I lived on dinner rolls and fruit cups for the 3 days I was awake. Everything was institutional quality, Conagra brand, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, mono and diglycerides with carageenan, and red dye #3.
How can anybody get healthy on mystery meat and chemicals!? It would probably kill a person in a year or two if that's all they had.

Now I'm at home eating peaches and plums that are over 11 inches in circumference. Yummy! One peach contributed to 3 meals.

Big problem: With my back unstable, my exercise has to be...different...mostly floor exercises and stretching exercises. I'm only up to walking 1/4 mile per day and I dare not sort lumber or tool boxes. Too heavy and too risky right now. No crawling under cars or leaning over machines to work. No heavy lifting, twisting, or standing on ladders, etc. I am sure I'm losing muscle mass, but the threat of, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up" is enough to make you really cautious. I never want to do that "horizontal with screaming" again!

Still, I'm getting better, week by week. Muscle spasms are rare now, but there is a pain that keeps swapping sides in my posterior portion. As long as it won't localize, I assume I am not finished healing.

 

It has now been seven months since I had the gastric bypass surgery. I have been doing Body for Life for six weeks. Overall I am still very pleased with the progress to date, but the last week has really sucked.

• I've lost 89 lb (333 lb -> 244 lb). (only 1 lb in the last month, but that's because I've gained 13 lb in the last 9 days)
• My last HbA1c was 5.8%, which is phenomenal for a diabetic -- a bit more and I will be classified as non-diabetic.
• My cholesterol meds have been reduced 75% and am only on the small dose I am because I am diabetic.
• I am off the blood pressure meds for two weeks and my morning BP is typically 115/70 with a heart rate around 60.
• My last blood workup looked truly outstanding.
• I'm walking 6.75+ miles (11 km) three times a week most weeks and last week did a 10 mile walk.
• I'm wearing 38" pants (down from 56" before the surgery).

I have been doing BFL for six weeks and haven't missed a single workout, though my Aerobic workout yesterday was cut short. I've been walking, in addition to the stationary bike riding which is my official three-per-week aerobic training, a lot. Unfortunately, the extra walks have largely come to a halt because I am back working for my old employer full time, but the weather would have shut me down pretty soon anyway.

I'm not seeing much strength improvement from the BFL, but I didn't expect to given the limited calories I am consuming. But until 9 days ago it really re-ignited my weight loss. I went from 247 lb to 231 lb in the first month (which was 102 lb lost since surgery). But for some reason my weight has ballooned back to 244 lb in just over a week, which closely coincides with when I stopped the extra walks. Clearly that's not fat or muscle or much of anything except mostly water. I've been pretty bad about staying low carb, which has probably caused me to retain a bunch of water to re-establish the electrolyte balance suitable for glycogen burning instead of ketone burning, but my total calories is still not rising above about 1200 kcal even on my worst days. So I'm trying to reset myself by doing just the protein shakes for three days. Starting Monday, I'm going to try to get the extra protein and amino acids I need to make progress on the strength training over the next six to eight weeks. We'll see what happens.

The ulcers appear to have completely healed, which is really good news.

I'm still hoping to get below 200 lb by New Year's day, but unless I whoosh away this weight I've gained soon, that's unlikely to happen. That's fine. A year from now when I have long since reached my goal, I'm not gonna care that it took a few months longer than I had hoped for.

The main thing is that I still feel so much better and am much healthier than I was. I'm quite optimistic that I will continue to make progress and reach a good goal in the next half year or so.

 

Good to hear from you. Get healthy and stay healthy.

 

Oct 11: Pretty much back to normal except for that tiny PIB and the sure and certain knowledge that I am never going to push myself that hard again. I was working 12 hour days for the 10 days before my back went critical, and I don't mean sitting at a desk! I mean acting like I was in my 20's. Up on roofs, under cars, twisting wrenches, moving appliances, like I wasn't over 60 years old.

Looking back at e-mails I sent in the last two years, I see that the old, "3 days in bed and a week of pain" had developed into 20+ days per episode. Denial is strong in this one! It's because I am used to pain. I refuse to stop just because of pain. Wrong. That has to end now and completely.

The major fright is that the next time I work until my back, "goes out" it will go straight to inpatient status. Therefore, I am doing my best to never get the first spasm. It shouldn't be too difficult to do that. Just limit my full speed work activities to two hours per day. That seems to be working right now. I can do anything I want for an hour or two, considering that I don't want to move appliances or furniture, ever again.

I guess it's just a matter of acting my age.

 

There you go,
Now you got it.

 

Was a real good boy the last three days and my weight has come down from 244 lb to 236 lb this morning. My calorie intake has averaged 440 kcal/day (high: 510; low: 320). Today I started the increased intake diet which is putting me right at 1350 kcal/day. Don't know how well I will tolerate that much food. We'll see and I may have to ramp up to it over a few weeks. The menu I've put together has me at nearly 180 g of protein, 100 g of carbs, and just short of 30 g of fat (with only about 6 g of saturated fat), and 11 g of fiber. I wish the fiber were higher, but it is actually quite a bit higher than I have been at. We'll see what happens.

I'm also starting the process to get my aeromedical certification reinstated. I talked to the AME (Aeromedical Examiner) just now and it looks like it should be doable, but will take a couple of months. So I will probably not be able to get it before we go to the Virgin Islands in mid-December. But that's not the end of the world.

 

Congratulations! Keep it up! ... no, keep it down! ... whatever...

 

I got past the weight gain issue I had and am now down to 226 lb. I hope to be down to 220 lb my the first of November, which seems pretty doable at this point. If I make it, then I will be overweight for the first time in nearly three decades (as opposed to being obese in one degree or another).

I'm trying to increase my caloric intake to hopefully see some strength gain from the BFL workouts. I'm hoping to get into the 1500 to 1700 kcal/day range, but it is going to take a while. Last week (my first week's effort) I was able to average 750 kcal/day, which was a noticeable increase, and the most I was able to get was 1065 kcal (which made for a pretty uncomfortable day). I just can't consume that much food yet, even with six meals a day with three of them being high-protein (42 g) shakes (the most I've gotten in so far is two). But that's fine -- it will go at whatever pace it goes at. I've still managed to significantly up my protein intake from about 50 g to close to 100 g with the goal to get in the 180 g range (1.8g/kg of body weight). None-the-less, I think I am already seeing results, though it could be coincidental and it was just time for results to start showing up anyway.

I'm not getting in anywhere near the walks that I was. I did a ten-mile walk a couple weeks ago, but since then I've only gotten in one six-miler. Still, I'm doing the aerobic interval training on the stationary bike three times a week and I am improving. My time on the 1.5 mile aerobic fitness test has dropped from right at 22 minutes to just over 20 minutes. Nothing to get giddy about, but progress in the right direction.

 

24 Oct 2014
86 days post trauma.

I accomplished my, "usual" one mile (night time) walk a few days ago. No bad effects!
Some days, I have no pain at all!
I didn't notice when I stopped taking anti-spasm pills. Must have been about 2 or 3 weeks ago.
I think I'm going to be as good as ever except for the unexploded bomb between L3 and L4.
If I never trigger it, I might live a long and comfortable life.

ps, down 36 pounds from 221 (max). That's 185 and declining by a pound or three per month.
Very little effort expended reminding myself not to graze in front of the TV at night.
Perfectly good attitude about slowly losing weight.
Three pounds a month? Six pounds a month? Not important as long as it keeps going in the right direction.
I didn't gain 50 pounds in one year. I'm not going to lose 50 pounds in one year.
I believe that I am in a safe enough weight range to keep up my muscle mass by losing weight rather slowly.
This is what I call, "no news is good news". Complete lack of re-injuries, setbacks, stupid moves, or excess enthusiasm.
I think this is going to work.

Thank you for your concern. I just gave you the best reward I can...good news.

 

Glad to hear that things are going well for you -- may they continue to do so.

 

#12 sounds really good, stress can hit you hard too though!

I had a boss 2 years ago and he drove my crazy with stress. I'm only 5' 8" and should be around 150 + pounds. But, I started drinking heavy when he came; just like a soda alcohol can add those extra calories which add up over time. He was with the University for 2 years and my weight shot up to 200 pounds; blood pressure shot up from (115 over 60) to (150 over 80) I never ever had blood pressure problems before.

Now I'm back down but I can't get below 180; however the blood pressure is normal again. That "Boss" has been gone for 2 years with stress 200 without stress 180 big difference.

WBahn, we just don't know about people on the other side of the keyboard unless they say something. I'm glad to hear your on the rebound also!

 

WBahn, we just don't know about people on the other side of the keyboard unless they say something. I'm glad to hear your on the rebound also!

Oh, I'm here. I'm finding time to post on the boards some, too.

This morning I'm 221 lb (actually just a shade under) which is a BMI of 29.97. Since any BMI greater than or equal to 30 is considered obese, I am now "overweight". I hope to be in "OnederLand" (any weight that starts with a '1') before the end of the year.

 

I am my own worst enemy, but I never drink alcohol.
Retired. No job. No boss. No wife. No money. Just having too much fun investigating the world. Too much curiosity and a refusal to stop just because I'm in pain. See post #204

Right now, I have my course set in any direction besides self-destruct. My cholesterol pills are cut in half. My blood pressure pills are down to, "none at all". My weight is slowly drifting in the right direction. I hired a lawn service. I gave my scrap metal pile to some random stranger that drove by in a ragged pick-up truck. My hobby is filling trash cans with stuff I have "been gonna" do for years and never actually did anything with. And right now, I can't find my, "Things to do Today" list. Looks like blue skies and warm breezes from here.

 

Why at GO, #12! I made a huge dent in the Greater Wall of Stuff early this summer and hope to finish it off before the end of winter. A couple decades of boxes of stuff that might come in handy and it's time for them to get handed to anyone that will take them.

 

I am my own worst enemy, but I never drink alcohol.

I do because of extreme asthma I have to use an inhaler everyday or other day which is said will eventually kill me. The alcohol at night before bed time 6 fingers of whiskey relaxes my lungs and no need for the inhaler. I gave it up for 30 years and then around 13 years ago I became very ill and used it to help calm me at night; until four years ago I had to sleep in a chair upright all night. I had a much needed surgery and now can sleep laying down and breath all night. Back then I was working two part time jobs and a full time; thats all gone now. But, I'm still working at the University and trying to get my Network Certification.

And right now, I can't find my, "Things to do Today" list. Looks like blue skies and warm breezes from here.

I didn't get a chance to fish this year; but I hope I can next summer. I had to re-roof the front of the house this year; something that has been waiting for over 8 years. Ever since we moved into the house. With that and minor repair and de-clutter; I hope to sell it in the next 3 or 4 years and downsize. All the kids are gone but one and he's looking for a house as I speak.

Enjoy Florida

It gets to cold out here in Utah.

kv

 

It's taken a long time, but I am now officially overweight! At 220 lb, my BMI is below 30 kg/m^2, which is the starting point for being considered obese.

 

The last three months have not been good in terms of making progress on weight loss. Almost immediately after hitting 220 lb in late October my weight went up 22 lb in two weeks to 242 lb. From there, it drifted downward at a moderate pace until I was 235.5 lb at the first of the year. I was actually pretty happy with that because in the intervening two months we went on a two-week vacation to the Virgin Islands and over that entire time, including the holidays, I made no effort to watch what I ate which, sadly, included a lot of sugar ("a lot" is admittedly a relative term for me now). About a week ago I got serious and as of this morning, my 50th birthday, I am at 217.5 lb. My blood sugars are looking very good and my blood pressure is staying very nice, too. I have 40 lb to go to get to my primary goal and there is a better than fair chance that I can do it by the first day of summer since I just have to average 2 lb/wk over the next 20 weeks. Plus, if I can just average 1 lb/wk, I will be at goal by the end of the year. No reason at all that I can't achieve that. My big goal right now, which is a bit aggressive, is to be in Onederland (i.e., a weight that starts with a '1') by the end of February. That requires 3.6 lb/wk for 5 weeks, which is doable, but aggressive. I'll be quite happy with 205 lb or even 210 lb.

 

You mean Onederland?

Yes, my weight has been inching up and I'm the heaviest I've ever been.
Not to worry. I would still be considered underweight.

 

You mean Onederland?

Yes, my weight has been inching up and I'm the heaviest I've ever been.
Not to worry. I would still be considered underweight.

Thanks for the catch -- typo corrected.

I'd have to get all the way down to 147 lb to be considered underweight and, at that weight, I think I would be getting concerned.

To get to "normal" I have to get below 184 lb. My "official" goal right now is 177 lb (200 lb down from when I first started low-carbing) but am really shooting for anything in the 160s, at least to see how it feels and if I want to stay there. But, honestly, anything below 190 lb will be a blessing and if I can only get below 200 lb and stay there I will not be complaining.

 

I didn't know about this thread... It's good to hear that people here are taking care of themselves... I lost 45 lbs about 7 years ago, and I've kept my weight (75Kg @ 1.77m) mainly through moderation (almost zero sugars) and exercise.
You may find this article interesting.

Mainly, I control my impulses by remembering what I've eaten during the day, and also by chewing and savoring slowly... trying even to identify every ingredient of what I'm eating, if possible.