Number Crunching

Today is the 16 week marker since surgery and I'd like to take a few minutes to share a few incredible numbers with you.  Some of which I can't believe myself.

First, but by no means the most impressive number as you will soon see, my weight loss from March 1 (surgery Mar 25th):



Next, my measurements:

	Pre Surgery 3/23/2011	Week 4 4/24/2011	Week 12 5/19/2011	Week 16 7/17/2011		Total Loss	% Loss
Clothing	T-22 B- 26	T- 18/20 B-26	T- 14/16 B- 20	T-Large B-16
Neck	15.75	14.75	14	13.75		2”	13 %
Shoulders	46.5	44.5	41.75	41		5.5”	12 %
Upper Arm (R)	18	17.5	??	15.5		2.5”	14 %
Bust	47.5	45	42.5	42.25		5.25”	11 %
Waist	44	41	38.25	37.5		6.5”	15 %
Hips	56	54	50	48.5		7.5”	13 %
Upper Thigh (R)	35.5	34.75	31.5	30.25		5.25”	15 %
Center Knee (R)	21.75	20	18.5	18.25		3.5”	16 %
Calf (R)	19.25	18	17.5	17.25		2”	10 %
Weight	283	255.6	228.2	216.8		66.2	49.8 %*

*This is a percentage of excess weight lost. 283 - 150= 133 extra lbs.

And finally, what I believe to be the most impressive:

	LDL	HDL	Total Cholesterol	A1C	Blood Pressure (Avg)	Resting Heart Rate (Avg)
February 2011	126	62	205	5.3	177/134	85
July 2011	64	43*	123	4.8	112/72	65

* the HDL is a bit low but could be attributed to a severe change in diet with too little fat and or adjustments to rapid weight loss

I imagine by now, the insurance company is ecstatic to have spent the money for my surgery.  The changes in my health status are pretty astounding.  This is a true testament to the hazards that excess weight places on your body and how much you can change your life expectancy with just a few simple changes.  I wouldn't have believed it myself, if I hadn't seen it in writing.

Time to go celebrate with an exercise session!

12 Week update

Last week I hit the 12 week mark and made it into the 220's.  Yippy!

This has been one crazy process and I find that as I am losing weight, I am feeling so much better.  I think that when one makes the decision to lose weight, no matter the method, they know that they will feel better, but it is pretty amazing to have been able to experience this feeling so quickly. 

My average weight loss is about 4.3 pounds per week and boy does that add up quickly!  Of course, there are others who have far surpassed my average, but like I have said before, this is my life now and not a diet.  I haven't limited myself too much, in that if I find that I want a bite of something, I will have it.  I think I have a very healthy attitude about it since I am able to very easily limit my intake of "prohibited foods" and I don't feel bad about it.  I feel like I have a perfectly healthy relationship with food now, and view it as fuel rather than friend. 

In addition, I have always been interested in sports and have liked to exercise, but I had forgotten how good it can feel because at nearly 300 lbs, it didn't feel good at all.  :)  I find that I enjoy some of the muscle soreness because I know that it did some good!  I need to increase the amount of weight training I do however, because I feel like things are a bit softer than they should be.

In memoriam: A moment of mortification

As I am reflecting on the changes that have been made in my life (and my back side) to this point, I can't help but to be reminded of all of the times where I have been in a position to be mortified, or had fear of being so.
Over the years there have been so many times where I was worried about fitting into a chair that I can't even begin to count them.  Outside patio dining sets, stadium seats, airplanes fearing that I would have to ask for an extension, roller coasters and the list goes on and on.  The worst incident by far however, was on a cruise in 2006.

As a Christmas present from my in-laws, they took the entire family (ours and my sister-in-law) on a 3 day cruise to Mexico.  Being with all of my in-laws at one time is never easy so towards the end of the cruise, my nerves, patience and generally good natured attitude was wearing thin.  On the second night, we went to see one of the various entertainment shows on the ship...  but I have very little recollection of what the show was about.  Why you ask...  well, I didn't stay for very long.

We all filed into the theater, fortunately after the house lights had already been dimmed and took our places in the tiny rounded club chairs.  Except, of course, me. I tried to sit squarely in the chair and was denied....  then like I have had to do so often in the past with stadium seats, I twisted my hips and tried to writhe my way into the seat, only to be denied once again.  With the people behind me surely getting annoyed by our late entrance and my ineptitude at actually taking a seat, I fled.  As quickly as I could I left the row, trying futily to hold back the tears.

I  found a couch/bench in the very last row and planted myself quietly there hoping that someone would join me.  Unfortunately, that never happened and there I was sitting alone, in the back, sobbing uncontrollably through a comedy show.  Even years later, I can recall how I felt at that moment with such intensity that it hurts to bring it all up again.

I cannot tell you how freeing it is to finally know and I mean really know, that I don't ever have to worry about having an experience like that again.  No more jamming myself into stadium seats where I can't relax my body position and no more worrying about having to slyly ask for a seatbelt extension.  There will be no more worries about potential public humiliation and no more fear that I am pressing my luck and all the laws of physics when I squeeze into a roller coaster and push like mad to get the lap bar to click, just once.  I will always be able to fit into any roller coaster I choose.  I will always be able to fit into airplane seats and their respective seatbelts.  I will no longer have to stand in line for coasters and silently worry about having to leave the line hanging my head in humiliation because my girth was too much for the seat to handle.  The smaller I get, the more whole I feel.

R.I.P. Fear
R.I.P. Humiliation
R.I.P. Dear Fat Body

Knockin' Knees

There have been so many changes in such a short time with my body that sometimes it is hard to get used to. The most recent one that have to adjust to is the fact that with less "padding" on the inside of my knees, it is less comfortable when sleeping. But on the flip side, my back is doing SO much better. Ah, the trade-offs of being healthy.

If anything is true in this life its this:
I'll take knockin' knees any day over ones that hurt all the time in a body riddled with high blood pressure and other problem lurking in the wings!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry