Wow... has it been a year?

Sorry that I haven't kept this up to date lately. I have been out living life! At this point, I am about 110 pounds down, and I am running road races competitively (well sort-of, I've never finished LAST) I ran in the Just Fur fun 5k in College Station in November, and the Jingle Bell Fun Run in College Station Dec. I have been training hard to get my distance up. Here is my tentative schedule for 2010 so far -

Jan 9th - New Year's Resolution 5K - CS

Feb. 13th - Valentine's 5K - CS

Feb 26th - Glow 5k (Night 5k) CS

March 7th - Armadillo Dash 1/2 Marathon - CS

April 17th - Blue Bell 10K - Brenham

May 9th - Rookie Triathalon - New Braunfels

Monthly update 6/15/09

Hey everybody! It's that time again. I am still around 98 or so pounds lighter than I was last year, and it feels great. Some folks have been pestering me for before and after pics, and I am finally down to a point where I feel comfortable posting pics. Just for a frame of reference, the befores were taken about a week before I had everything done. The afters this last weekend. The shorts I am wearing in the afters are 10" smaller in the waist, and the shirt is a 2x vs. a 4x.

Before and After Pics:

Update 5/14/09

OK folks, been gone for a while, and it's a long story. I got a temp job working with a friend of mine, making great money. Bad news is that it is in Jefferson City, Missouri. So, I have been living in a hotel and flying back and forth every week. Good news is that I have lost another 15 pounds. That's 95 pounds since December... I am so close to 100 I can taste it!!! I've been working out, but I just don't eat that much on the road. I did get a job close to home which starts on May 25th, so I get to go home! Stay tuned, and As soon as it's official, I'll announce where I will be working.

Update - 4/8/2009

Folks, I am down 80 pounds today. I can't believe it. In these 4 months, I have lost 10 inches from my waist, I am wearing shirts from a REGULAR store, and discovered I have ears and hip bones again! For those that don't know, I got laid off from my job at the end of March, so I am looking for another job. Crap, I'm in good enough shape now though that I could go back to being a carpenter and framing houses ( I did that when I was MUCH younger....). I am thankful that my lovely bride Rachel has had a job for the last 4 weeks as the bariatric coordinator for my surgeon, and she is loving it, and making enough money to where we are making ends meet even without me having a job. I am currently re-doing the website for my surgeon, and staying home with little bit, until I get a job. I am hoping to get on with the University, and possibly continue my education. While the jobs at Texas A&M don't pay that great, the benefits are good, and most departments are flexible with grad school.

Weekly update - 2/23

I haven't been posting any updates lately. Not that I have felt bad necessarily, since my last post, I lost like 9 more pounds. This last week though, I did not lose a single pound. I only worked out twice, and ate crap. So, yes, even I have a bad week sometimes. Staying in for a few adult beverages Saturday, certainly didn't help, but it was a fun weekend!
However, I think I determined why I felt like crap last week. My blood pressure was too low. The doc took me to a lower dosage, and my bp is still good. I am starting to get energy again. It was just so weird, not having energy, sleeping in. Otherwise, I am doing great. I worked out this evening, and am eating much better stuff this week.

2 months out

Two months post operation as of yesterday. I weighed in at 343 pounds. In two months I have lost 55 pounds. I am a little more than a quarter of the way to my goal. The weight loss has slowed somewhat. I am continuing to eat right, and work out most every day. I average a pound or two lost every week, and that is really encouraging. I have gotten rid of almost half of my clothes so far, and I have given most of them away. Today, I am wearing jeans 3 sizes smaller than I was 2 months ago, and shirts two sizes smaller. This is a fun ride.

Week 7

OK, it is time for an update. I am 7 weeks out now, and I am down to 345 pounds. That brings my weight loss to 53 pounds. I hit a little plateau, only losing 2 pounds in a week... But, I am not letting it get me down because I also went to see my surgeon yesterday. In 4 weeks, between the weight loss and adding 25 pounds of muscle... My body fat percentage dropped 5% in a month. He said that told him I was getting PLENTY of protein and exercise... He was amazed again!

Rachel and I tried advanced water aerobics last night (we skipped beginner) and it kicked me and wifey's BUTT! It's not for old ladies... It is a total body cardio workout that leaves you exhausted. I am thinking we will continue that... Today I did weights, and walked for 35 mins. I sprained my left knee going all out on the elliptical, so I am taking a break from it for a few days...

I have become an evangelist for this surgery. The guy that has an office next to mine went to seminar with my surgeon Tuesday night, because he wants to get a sleeve now too.

Week 6

Ok, I am six weeks post-op today. The scale reads 347 pounds. I have lost 51 pounds so far. I am continuing to hit the gym daily, and it has become fun. On the weekends though, it's fun to break up the monotony of the gym with hiking through the woods, geocaching. I am averaging 4 - 5 pounds lost per week, which is really cool.

Week 5

Weekly Update - I have lost another 6 pounds since last week! This brings my total in 5 weeks to 46 pounds! I am really happy with this, and I continue to work out, and still have have lots of energy! I think I have decided to buy myself a mountain bike once I lose 50 pounds as a mini-goal reward for myself... Thansk for all the support my friends and family continue to give me. I am having a blast!

One Month Out

I am now officially one month out. For the month, I lost 40 pounds. I am working out everyday, sometimes twice a day, and I feel 500% better than before I had this done. I wish I had gotten it done 10 years ago...