For the two people who may or may not read this blog I'm sorry for the long delay between updates.
Graduate school hit hard and fast about a month ago. Before that I was enjoying some much needed R&R before plunging into the world of thesis writing. Needless to say it's been a busy few months. My surgery seems like it was months and months ago instead of at the end of July.
I've apparently done very well since then compared to others who have the surgery. According to my surgeon, who I saw two weeks ago, most people don't lose weight in the first few months after the procedure. I, however, had lost approximately 25lbs since my surgery and now weigh a "slim" 275lbs. I can't remember the last time I was at that weight, but I'm guessing it was sometime between my sophomore and junior years of high school roughly 15 years ago. It's a little unbelievable actually.
To give you an idea of how dramatic a change this is, allow me to tell the story of how I went down two pants sizes in about 3 weeks.
Right after surgery I was wearing pre-surgery jeans (size 46) that were quite literally falling off of me. This isn't some exaggeration I literally had to hold them up with my hand when I walked. Naturally I went to the store to get some new ones, and found a pair of size 40 jeans on the cheap. For those paying attention I went from a size 46 to a size 40 in about 5 weeks. Well, since then, I've dropped another size and am on the verge of size 38 depending on the cut.
The pants I bought less than a month ago now require me to hold them up if I'm wearing anything in my pockets. I bought a belt shorty before surgery that I could barely use the first notch on and now I'm down to the last. Shirts I could wear earlier in the summer now look I'm wearing maternity gear. I'm now able to shop at non-big and tall stores. I can't remember the last time I could do that.
As an aside I realized I have absolutely no sense of what looks good on me as previously my choices were what solid color polo do I want to wear with these basic jeans/pants? I've got no idea what the hell to do with plaid shorts, but they're now in my range of shit to wear.
On the down side I'm having real trouble not drinking during/after meals, and not snacking (on fruits and veg) between meals. The latter is important because I'm basically eating a steady stream of small amounts of food instead of learning to get full off of a single meal.
I'm also having trouble with taking my vitamins. It's mostly because they make me wretch and they're gigantic. Of course not taking the vitamins means that I'm not getting enough iron so I've started to bruise easily.
Difficulties aside, my new life is amazing. I'm less obsessed with food. It's no longer a source of pleasure and is just a thing I need to do to keep going. I promised myself I would eat a small cheeseburger on my birthday, but when the time came I just didn't see the point. Mind you I ate my birthday cookies, but those are cookies, it was my birthday, and I'm just a man.
Thank you, J. Very illuminating. I would ask your friends (girlfriends) what you should wear. (E, for instance, has great taste.) They will probably be right. In my experience, a man can never go wrong for business casual with a sharp man-tailored shirt paired some nice jeans or khakis. And congratulations on continuing to take care of yourself. You make the process seem easier than it actually is, I'm sure. Except for the vitamin thing. Surely they make Flintstone's vitamins in a children's size? Yabadabado!
ReplyDeleteI'd half to take 2-3 of children's vitamins to equal the stuff I have to take. The Omega-3 fatty acids aren't so bad, but the multi-vitamin w/ iron is rough. It makes me nauseous if I take it before 10am or so. The worst are the 1500mg of calcium I need to take to avoid bone loss from rapid weight loss. They're chewables and I'v got to choke them down they're so gross.
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