8 Weeks Post-Op: Seeking My Blue Jeans from 1998

I know I'm not back to 1998 weight yet, but I'm definitely about to dust off some old jeans in the top of my closet.  This bariatric weight loss has been unlike any other diet or exercise regimen in the past.  Obviously, the rate and pace is unmatched.  But it really seems like I am losing weight in my stomach more so than usual - and that is just great.  I expect it's due to eating much less bread than ever in my life. 

I'm a numbers guy, so I weigh every day, and my Internet enabled scale drops the number right into MyFitnessPal.  I also have been snapping a selfie every day for the purpose of creating a chart like this at some point.  So here it is: 

I'm really pleased with the photos, and how my face has been thinning.  Man, I looked and felt so bloated before this.  I'm about halfway to my goal.  Clearly my rate of loss has slowed, as expected, but I think/hope I will continue to lose into the new year.

As for issues, problems, etc.  I still maintain that I have been a best-case scenario patient.  I've not had any complications, knock on wood.  As noted in my post 2 weeks ago, I stopped my morning coffee as it seemed to be upsetting my stomach.  I've had probably 2 coffees since, during the day, without issue.  I don't miss the morning coffee a lot, so I will probably avoid it for a while.  I have avoided soft drinks, but I wasn't a big soft drinker even before this - maybe 4 cans a week.  Now: none.  As for beer, I've probably had 3 in the last 9 weeks, and those were ingested so slowly, they were warm before I could finish them.  Main issue is the carbonation, which tingles my stomach in not a good way.  If I eat too fast it will feel like I swallowed a rock.  That will usually pass within 1 minute - 15 minutes.  If I eat too much or if I eat something really sugary (like a few bites of cake) I will feel a little nauseous.   

One thing I heard others say about bariatric is that you will be a gas factory, and that is becoming more and more true!  Fortunately, my farts don't stink (usually :-)), but the sheer volume of gaseous material coming from me is spectacular.  It's pretty funny, and usually happens when I'm walking.  Or sitting.  Or standing.  Or laying in bed.  Pretty much anytime.  :-).  It's all good, and feels better after it happens.  Never any pain associated with it.  I'm wondering - Where is it all coming from?  Speaking of TMI, I have had some diarrhea over the past week or so.  Usually mid-morning or mid-day.  Morning poop, when I have one, is usually normal.  I am drinking water throughout the day and keep my water bottle by my side all the time.  That, in and of itself, is a better habit than before.

I can pretty much eat what I want, but I do try to follow the guidance of filling up on protein more so than veggies or starches.  I am still drinking a little water or tea or milk when I eat, though they advise not to drink liquids when eating (+/- 30 minutes of meal time).  I am eating a small bowl of cereal for breakfast 1-2 days a week.  Sometimes 2/3 of a high protein bagel.  I know both are unadvised, but I am doing it in moderation.  I have a 1 egg omelette quite often.  Still eating yoghurt and cottage cheese for snacks.  I will order off the kids' menu sometimes at restaurants.  For lunch and dinner, I eat regular stuff as before, just MUCH LESS of it, and again, focused on protein more than other meal components.

As news of my surgery has been coming more to light with friends and distant friends, I'm learning about more and more people who've had a bariatric procedure.  I hope that my experience will help others decide whether it's right for them.  There's a stigma about it, and I really do believe it is a last resort.  But many people need to consider it, rather than continue to break chairs and fail at dieting over and over, en route to a slow fat death, like I did for many years.

Day 42: No Longer Qualified (in a good way)

Day 42 post-op.  

Max (12/17/19) weight: 305.1
Pre-pre-op (8/28/20) weight: 293.5 
Surgery (9/4/20) weight: 284.3 (-9.2 since pre-op)
Current (10/16/20) weight: 256.9 (-27.4 since surgery, -36.6 since pre-op, -48.2 since max)

I reached a milestone yesterday.  My BMI finally dipped under 35.  This means I no longer would qualify for bariatric surgery under most insurance plans, including my own.

Everything is still going pretty well.  Eating has become more normal, though I am still eating smaller portions and avoiding bread for the most part.  I can really tell the difference in my waist and butt as compared to prior diets when I've reached this level.  I really think the huge reduction in bread has been the cause of this.

One main difference since my last post is that I was noticing some upset stomach pain each morning.  I sensed that it might be related to my coffee, so I skipped a day, and noticed an improvement.  So I've skipped a few days since, as well.  It seems to have helped.  I think the caffeine irritates the stomach according to what I've heard.  I don't know that I miss it but I may try again to confirm the experiment.

Last night I had Taco Bell for the first time in months.  Had 2/3 of a taco and 2/3 of a meximelt (which is a cheesy roll-up, add beef, add pico) and prayed I wouldn't have any issues.  I didn't.  It sounds like a lot, but I took my time, and also had a smoothie for lunch, so I was due for some real food. The smoothie really grossed me out.  It was similar to the type drinks I had during the liquid phase.  Some banana, peanut butter, and vanilla protein powder.  I just didn't enjoy it.  Maybe it brought back memories of the many days when I had something like that for every meal.  Ugh.  I was so over that.

I need to work on eating 5 small meals a day.  I know that I'm still mainly eating at the 3 main meal times, and nothing in between.  I can do this, because I'm just not hungry.  It's really fascinating that I can have a 1-egg omelette for breakfast (with a little cheese and bacon mixed in), and then not really think about lunch until 1pm or later. 

Day 34 Post-op – Hitting My Stride

Day 34 post-op.  

Max (12/17/19) weight: 305.1
Pre-pre-op (8/28/20) weight: 293.5 
Surgery (9/4/20) weight: 284.3 (-9.2 since pre-op)
Current (10/8/20) weight: 261.6 (-22.7 since surgery, -31.9 since pre-op, -43.5 since max)

I have to say, this picture of me from surgery day is a bit overinflated.  I guess I really was pumped full of fluids at that moment.

My progress continues to go well. I feel like I have cleared most of the hurdles on the post-op diet. I instinctively can tell what I can and cannot eat, and what I will feel like as a result.  I'm sure I'm still breaking some rules, but in very small moderation.

After my prior meeting with the dietitian a few weeks ago, as noted in my previous blog post, I did dial back my food quantities, and I believe that has helped. I still do not experience hunger pangs, and I occasionally will enjoy some flavors that I crave.  For example yesterday, Seth and I went to PDQ restaurant, and I ordered one of their chicken sandwiches and added pimento cheese to it. In the past I would have devoured that entire sandwich along with an order of fries. Yesterday I cut the sandwich, and gave myself 1/3, and was completely satisfied with that.  A few nights ago we went to MOD Pizza, and I ordered a barbecue chicken pizza with cauliflower crust. I ate two pieces of that, and felt overfull and a little queasy in the following hour. So the next day I only had one piece as a leftover for lunch. Live and learn. On a positive note, I have to think a cauliflower crust has got to be a major improvement over a flour crust.

One of the bitter sweet benefits of losing weight is the challenge in finding clothes that fit. I have a vast collection of T-shirts which will serve me well for another 50 or 60 pounds of weight loss, I’m sure. However, pants are another challenge. It took me a while, but I did locate some shorts and jeans in the attic that now fit me and should fit me over the next 10 to 20 pounds of loss.  After that, I guess I’ll go shopping.

I have switched to a capsule for my daily vitamin, instead of the nasty chewable vitamin that I started with. Hopefully that will absorb properly and not be an issue. But that chewable vitamin was disgusting. I’m still walking 4 to 5 days a week, and Lori goes with me sometimes.  Speaking of exercise, I really need to get to the gym and start working on some strength training. It’s on my list.

I finished the real estate class a few weeks ago, and I passed the NC licensing exam on Tuesday of this week. So that is a huge relief off of my shoulders. I will somewhat miss having to study and practice all the exam questions I worked on the last few months. But my break will be short-lived, because I will be taking two of the post licensing classes beginning in November.  I love learning new things.

I need to do some catch-up time with Old Play, as I have neglected that for several months. We have a gig this Saturday night, and then another one on October 24 in our neighborhood (outside).  The last gig we had was during my pre-op liquid diet, on the day that I was going into ketosis! That was a memorable evening, that I hope to never relive!