Weigh-in (+5 Months)

Surgery +5 Months

Weight: 236.8 lbs (-6.1)
BMI: 31.7 (-1.9)
Fat: 28.9% (-2.7)
Neck: 18" (-0.5)
Bicep: 14" (-1)
Forearm: 11" (-0)
Chest: 48" (-1)
Waist: 46" (-1)
Hips: 40" (-0)
Thigh: 23" (+1)
Calf: 17" (+1)

See Rob. See Rob run. Run, Rob, run!

For the first time, I believe since college, I really ran. Don't get me wrong, I didn't experience a Forrest Gump moment. But I did run for a short period of time as part of my exercise this morning. It was actually easier than I expected; it still took a fair amount of exertion on my part, but I was surprised and excited by this little accomplishment.

4 Months Post Surgery

Surgery +4 Months

Today marks four months since my surgery.

Since I started this process, I have lost over 87 pounds. I now weigh 242.9 pounds.

This last month has been harder in many ways, including the rate of weight-loss. I only lost 7 pounds in the last month and almost all of it has been in the last week. However, as you can see from my last weigh-in, my body has continued to change.

So for today, I am choosing to focus on where I am today in contrast to where I was 4-and-a-half months ago.

April 16, 2012

August 26, 2012

Weigh-in (+4 Months)

Surgery +4 Months

Weight: 242.9 lbs (-11.3)
BMI: 32.6 (-1.8)

Fat: 31.6% (-4)

Neck: 18.5" (-0.5)

Bicep: 15" (-1)

Forearm: 11" (-1)

Chest: 49" (-1)

Waist: 47" (-2)

Hips: 40" (-1)

Thigh: 22" (-1)

Calf: 16" (-0)

3 Months Post Surgery

Surgery +13 Weeks

Today marks three months since my surgery.

Since I started this process, I have lost over 80 pounds. I now weigh 249.2 pounds.

Weigh-in (+12 Weeks)

Surgery +12 Weeks

Weight: 254.2 lbs (-9.5)
BMI: 34.4 (-1.3)
Fat: 35.6% (-2.2)
Neck: 19" (-0)
Bicep: 16" (-0)
Forearm: 12" (-0)
Chest: 50" (-1)
Waist: 49" (-1)
Hips: 41" (-0)
Thigh: 23" (-1)
Calf: 16" (-0)

75 lbs Lost!

Surgery +11 Weeks

As of this morning, I have lost over 75 lbs! It represents the halfway milestone to my goal of losing 150 lbs. 75 lbs to go!

2 Months Post Surgery

Surgery +9 Weeks

Today marks two months since my surgery. While it hasn't been easy, it has been worthwhile.

Since I started this process, I have lost 66 pounds. I now weigh 263.7 pounds. This is lowest I have weighed since using fen-phen before it was banned in 1997.

Weigh-in (+9 Weeks)

Surgery +9 Weeks

Weight: 263.7 lbs (-7.6)
BMI: 35.7 (-1.0)
Fat: 37.8% (+0.6)
Neck: 19" (-0.5)
Bicep: 16" (-0)
Forearm: 12" (-0)
Chest: 51" (-1)
Waist: 50" (-1)
Hips: 41" (-1)
Thigh: 24" (-0)
Calf: 16" (-0.5)

Relearning to Tie a Tie

Surgery +8 Weeks

For the last few weeks, I have had to tie my ties twice.

When tying a tie, my goal has always been to have the tip of my tie reach my belt buckle. This has meant, because of my girth, that it has become second nature to make the narrow end of the tie very short.

Now that I have lost almost 60 pounds, this habit has resulted in a tie length that extends well past my belt. So I retie my tie.

I don't mind. The too-long tie is a fun reminder of just how much weight I have lost.

Weigh-in (+8 Weeks)

Surgery +8 Weeks

Weight: 271.3 lbs (-3.7)
BMI: 36.7 (-0.6)
Fat: 37.2% (-1.5)
Neck: 19.5" (-0)
Bicep: 16" (-1)
Forearm: 12" (-1)
Chest: 52" (-0)
Waist: 51" (-0)
Hips: 42" (-0)
Thigh: 24" (-0)
Calf: 16.5" (-0)

Weigh-in (+7 Weeks)

Surgery +7 Weeks

Weight: 275.0 lbs (-6.4)
BMI: 37.3 (-0.8)
Fat: 38.7% (-4.4)
Neck: 19.5" (-0.5)
Bicep: 17" (-0)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 52" (-1)
Waist: 51" (-1)
Hips: 42" (-1)
Thigh: 24" (-1)
Calf: 16.5" (-0.5)

50 lbs Lost!

Surgery +5 Weeks

As of this morning, I have lost 50 lbs! It represents the 1/3 milestone to my goal of losing 150 lbs. 100 lbs to go!

Weigh-in (+5 Weeks)

Surgery +5 Weeks

Weight: 281.4 lbs (-4.3)
BMI: 38.1 (-0.6)
Fat: 43.1% (-1.2)
Neck: 20" (-0)
Bicep: 17" (-0)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 53" (-0)
Waist: 52" (-1)
Hips: 43" (-0)
Thigh: 25" (-0)
Calf: 17" (-0)

Sinusitis

Surgery +4 Weeks

I have been suffering from a sinusitis flare-up for the last week-and-a-half. This is not uncommon for me and often includes my sinuses bleeding. In the past this has given me a sour stomach, but with my new small pouch it has made it difficult for me to tolerate eating and drinking.

The major problem has been hydration. Besides suffering from dehydration symptoms, I believe this has hampered my weight-loss. It is strange to be in a position where I am forcing myself to eat and drink.

I did find some sugar-free popsicles that have helped. They are approved by my doctor and easier to tolerate than flavored water.

My sinuses have finally been recovering and I hope to see better results next week.

Weigh-in (+4 Weeks)

Surgery +4 Weeks

Weight: 285.7 lbs (-3.4)
BMI: 38.7 (-0.5)
Fat: 44.3% (-2.4)
Neck: 20" (-0)
Bicep: 17" (-0)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 53" (-1)
Waist: 53" (-1)
Hips: 43" (-1)
Thigh: 25" (-1)
Calf: 17" (-0)

The Surgery - Part Two

The next thing I remembered were small snapshots of the transpiring events. I saw a ceiling; you spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling in a hospital. Nurses were rushing past. I believe there were patients on both sides of me, but I never had the inclination to move my head enough to look. I was in a recovery room.

I remember having some discomfort in my abdomen and I must of made my pain known, because a nurse came and gave me some medication. I felt better and went back to sleep. Then someone's alarm went off! In addition to that, a nurse got into my face and told be to take a deep breath. I was breathing — why wouldn't they let me sleep. I took a few deep breaths and the alarm finally was turned off. It turns out that the alarm was an oxygen saturation warning. The pain medication had relaxed me enough that I wasn't taking in enough oxygen.

The cycle of medication, sleep, and alarm happened once more before an orderly was called to taxi me to my room. The elevator ride was embarrassing. I am sure you have heard of the challenge to face the rest of the riders instead of the doors. This felt like that, except that it didn't because it was completely worse. There were doctors, nurses, and orderly all the way around the gurney and I was the spectacle in the middle (in my mind).

I didn't make this realization until after my surgery, but I felt that I would wake up feeling like some kind of cyborg. What would happened when I sneezed? Would I still burp? How much would I feel that my insides had been re-piped; Roux en-Y Gastric Bypass. I actually felt normal; it was surprising.

After the orderly spun the gurney around, I was pushed into my room where my lovely wife was waiting for me. At this point I felt awake and coherent, however my wife has a photograph proving otherwise — don't ask; you can't see it.

Weigh-in (+19 Days)

Surgery +19 Days

Weight: 289.1 lbs (-8.2)
BMI: 39.2 (-1.1)
Fat: 46.7% (-0.2)
Neck: 20" (-0)
Bicep: 17" (-0)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 54" (-0)
Waist: 54" (-0)
Hips: 44" (-0)
Thigh: 26" (-0)
Calf: 17" (-0)

Weigh-in (+13 Days)

Surgery +13 Days

Weight: 297.3 lbs (-13.4)
BMI: 40.3 (-1.8)
Fat: 46.9% (+1.6)
Neck: 20" (-0)
Bicep: 17" (+1)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 54" (-2)
Waist: 54" (-2)
Hips: 44" (-0)
Thigh: 26" (-0)
Calf: 17" (-0.5)

Weigh-in (+5 Days)

Surgery +5 Days

Weight: 310.7 lbs (-5.9)
BMI: 42.1 (-0.8)
Fat: 45.3% (-2.3)
Neck: 20" (-1)
Bicep: 16" (-0)
Forearm: 13" (-0)
Chest: 56" (-0.5)
Waist: 56" (-0)
Hips: 44" (-1)
Thigh: 26" (-1)
Calf: 17.5" (-0.5)