Diet to end all diets

I have a Facebook friend, and former classmate from High School who is interested in my diet.
I told him that it was vicious, and it is if you aren't serious about losing weight and keeping it off for life.
I thought I would write down as much of it here as I can, and maybe edit it on the fly as time goes on.
I should put in the usual medical disclaimers, but I won't. If you try this, you are on your own.
First, some background:
There are two types of hunger that I am going to talk about here:

1. Physical hunger
2. Mental or emotional hunger

#1 is the kind that we would all like to have, and totally ignore #2.

Many of us eat because there is nothing else to do, or we are upset, or it's raining, or whatever.
Few of us can ignore comfort foods.
The trick is, to control our emotional hunger, and satisfy our physical hunger.

So, what do we need as far as food? That is arbitrary and I recommend you go to a dietitian, and set up a plan.
I also recommend you go get an endoscopy/colonoscopy. This will eliminate the possibility that you have something like I do, called Celiac Sprue. If you do have Celiac, and eliminate wheat and gluten products, you might just lose weight.
Another thing you should do, is to check to see if you have any sleep disorders, such as Sleep Apnea in one of it's many forms. If you do, and you can get relief so you start getting a good night's rest, you just might lose weight.
Because of my weight, I had sleep apnea. I still use a CPAP machine, but the pressure has been reduced drastically, and it is just a matter of time until I don't need the machine anymore.

With all that said, what is the change of lifestyle diet that I am talking about?
Well, I lost 26 pounds before the surgery from it, and it continues to help me. My dietitian came in after I started the diet, but she really helped me fine tune it and understand why I was doing what I was doing.

• If you can, try to eat the same basic foods every day for a few weeks to get used to the change. That is, for breakfast, eat the same thing every day. Lunch and dinner, the same.
• Drink only water based drinks. No soda of any kind. Use Crystal Lite teas, and juices. No sugar at all.
• Don't drink anything 15 minutes before, or until 1 hour after your meal. (This is a bariatric thing, but it works with any diet). If you want to know why, ask me.
• Eat mainly protein first at each meal, then carbs, then fruit. Protein should be what you eat the most, and it should be first. So, you eat a steak, then the veggies, then fruit. The protein stays in your stomach longer and helps to keep you full longer, less likely to cheat.
  
• Always have one piece of fruit with each meal. Apple, peach, blueberries, banana, raisins etc. Orange is good too. If you like it, eat it.
• Eliminate bread with your meal.
• Use a smaller plate.
• Eat fresh as much as possible. Use fresh veggies, meat, fish, chicken, etc. The more you eat from a box, the harder this will be.
• Learn to cook your own foods. Use seasonings, not sauces. Sauces add calories, fat, and things you don't need or want.
• No more caffeine. Drink decaf. You can get used to it.
  
• Read labels so you don't accidentally take in sugar or caffeine.
• Sugar from fruit is OK, but not added sugar. Orange Juice is not a good idea because it gives you too much sugar too quickly and messes with your blood sugar levels. But an Orange is fine.
  

Cut down on desserts. There are Jello puddings that have 60 calories per cup. I bought baby spoons and use them. I eat like a king!
Orville Reddenbacker has bags of 100 calorie low fat microwave popcorn.
If you have trouble with artificial sweeteners, that is, they taste funny or have an aftertaste, don't worry. What you have to do is eliminate all sugar from your diet for a few weeks. The aftertaste will go away and you won't be able to tell the difference between sugar and artificial.
Remember, this is a lifestyle change.
Now, one thing I have to say is that you should add non soluble fiber to every meal, even if it is only a little. I use "Unifiber". This is not a laxative, and it has no gluten, so I use it to replace the fiber I don't get from wheat.

Here is my sample day:
Breakfast consists of a bowl of high fiber oatmeal (yes, I can eat oatmeal) with a banana sliced into it. I use hot decaf coffee instead of water or milk for added flavor. 1 small cup of yogurt, usually fiber one, which is smaller in quantity than the Dannon which is loaded with sugar.

Lunch is my special chili. Check previous blog entry for one recipe. I have added and changed it greatly since I've made it. The variations make it slightly different, and I haven't gotten tired of it yet. Fruit of choice.

Dinner is chicken, fish, or meat of some sort, with veggies and fruit. I have also made an omelet since that is very high in protein.

Snacks are usually unsalted peanuts and cashews with a box of raisins. I sometimes have the popcorn with a meal if I have room. My stomach is smaller than yours if you haven't had the surgery, so you can't imagine the difference.

Now, if you do some of this, you will be OK, but the main things that work are:

1. Getting healthy comfort food is much smaller quantity. 60 calorie pudding, instead of the whole box of 300+ calories.
2. Eating more protein and less of the other stuff.
3. Lots of non soluble fiber.
4. eliminating sugar, caffeine, and soda.

So, ask away with any questions.
By the way, my diet is a little tougher than this, but it has never been easier for me to follow it and I think I can maintain it for life. I still get my comfort foods, and my treats, and still lose weight.
The neat thing about this, is that you can design your own meals from this basic menu.
Oh, and the kicker? Get out and do something. Exercise, I will talk about in another entry later.

Do you really want to know? Do ya?

These are the answers to all of the questions you might ever have about food, dieting, and exercise.
They come from the most reliable place in the world.....the internet!

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!
Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! ...... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans ! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride'

AND.....

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat
and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat
and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine
and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine
and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

The numbers

In case you were wondering, here are my numbers. They are the measurements before, during, and almost up to date.
I am posting these as a guide for you to beat. You can do better than me, if you want.
I am happy the way I am.
My current numbers are actually better than this (these were done over a month ago) due to the warmer weather and the exercise I have been doing.
I also noticed that my starting weight was 296. I had already started to lose weight in order to get ready for the surgery. I had dropped from 305. I actually lost 26 pounds by the time I went in for the surgery.
It gives me a chill every time I see these numbers. I was buying 18 inch neck shirts and they were too tight. I used to unbutton the top and hide it behind the tie. Now, even if I wanted to wear those shirts, I am too small.
My shoe size went down from 9W to 8.5 regular.
I am wearing 40 waist shorts, and they are starting to be too big.
Wow, what a journey!
BMI is Body Mass Index.

Stage	BMI	Weight	Height	Neck	Shoulder	Thigh	Calf	Waist	Hip
pre	47	296.0	67.0	17.3	56.7	25.6	18.9	55.7	57.9
2 wks	42	261.0	66.0	16.3	53.5	21.5	16.5	52.4	53.1
6 wks	38	245.0	66.0	15.9	54.9	23.2	16.5	49.2	51.4
3 mo	37	235.0	66.0	15.6	52.2	21.1	16.7	46.3	50.4
6mo	36	224	66	15.16	50.98	19.88	16.54	45.28	47.64
9mo	34	214	66	15.35	49.21	20.87	16.34	42.91	46.06

Short weekend

I have to look through my email to figure out when the next meeting is.
I am interested in attending as long as I can.
This past weekend, I had a half day for a few of my school kids, and not for others, so I ended up working longer than usual. No big deal, because it is just driving, but I did some stupid things.
You see, this is a tourist area, so many people are driving like idiots, rather than the vehicles around them.
I have a pet name for them, but I won't say it here.
Anyway, they were out in droves on Friday.
I came up to one corner, after fighting with the slow movers, gawkers, cell phone texters, and whatever else for the previous 5 minutes.
There was this car along the side of the road sitting at the light when it was clearly a right turn on red opportunity. I figured it was another F****** tourist (oops), so I went around him on the left, and proceeded to make my right turn on red, while they sat there. Bad thing for me to do. I'm supposed to be a professional driver, and I am most days. I will always err on the side of safety, but I was at my wits end at that point.
Well, it turns out that they weren't a tourist. Rather, they were an off duty Police officer just wanting to go home after his shift. I don't know why he wasn't lined up properly, or why he didn't make the turn, but he did write down my van number and called my boss to complain.
My boss called me, and I lied about what I did in order to cover my butt.
Well, that doesn't sit well with me. I usually try to tell the truth, even if it hurts me, but again, I was tired of all the garbage.
I waited until I cooled down a bit, and called my boss back to tell her that I lied, and to ask for the contact information so i could call the officer and apologize. My boss understood, as she always does, but she didn't have the contact information for the officer.
So, tomorrow, I will try to contact the officer and apologize myself, and take my lumps if I have to. I screwed up and don't ever feel good about not telling the truth. I feel even dumber doing what I did.
So, how does this relate to Bariatric Surgery?
Well, let me ask you how many times you have lied about your weight?
How many times have you lied to the doctor over the years about how you've stuck to your diet, but really didn't?
How many times did you feel good about that?
I have tried to tell the truth no matter what. It was one of my goals, along with everything else I promised to do for myself.
It is really hard to do all the time. Try it sometime.
Try not feeling sorry for yourself sometime! Not easy.
Try being upbeat all the time. Impossible.
So, the rest of my weekend was somewhat boring, but for me, I enjoyed myself.
I went to see my friend's band play at a car show in Thomasville, PA. yesterday. I was honest with him about how it sounded. He took it very well because he knows I will support him no matter what. They had lots of trouble with the sound system, and getting the correct balance. Made things tough for them to sing.
But, I stayed the whole time, and I even helped take down and wrap cables and carry equipment. Felt good. Some of those cabinets were heavy.
On Saturday, to go a bit backwards in time, We went to my Son's home to attend Skylar's second birthday party. You can see pictures on Facebook, if you send me a friend request.
I will be uploading pictures from today. I asked my wife to take a shot of me cutting the lawn. Pushing the lawn mower, since I can't seem to get the John Deere ride on to do what I want. It almost melted the new mower deck belt. I tried to adjust it with no luck. I looked online, but can't find a suitable site that doesn't want $80 for a service manual that may not have what I need anyway.
I will be heading over to the Deere dealer tomorrow to look at their stuff and ask more questions. I can't sell the mower the way it is. I have to fix it.
So, this week, I am going to take time to play my guitar. I have songs ready to learn. I should be able to do something. I plan to play out sometime Before the end of the summer.
So, I have been writing what I think in this post, and not worrying about the order. I hope you can get something from this.
Stay tuned, life is good!

Hershey Park

One of my goals was to ride the rides at Hershey Park this year.
I was interested in booking a group of us post people to save a few bucks and to maybe blow our own horn.
"Hey, we lost weight in one of the safest and best ways there is!"
I sent out an email to the people I have on my mailing list, and received only one negative response.
So, I am posting it here in case anyone is interested. I think we need at least 20 in order to get the discount. And no, you don't count as two people anymore!
I will mention it at the next meeting at the General.
If I can't get anyone to go with me, I will go alone.

New/old thoughts and facebook

I've been trying to stay funny on Facebook, but the things that are going on in Washington are making me angry. If you read my Facebook, you will know where I stand. No need to state it here.
I've managed to post many pictures of my family, and to meet old friends, and find people that I thought I had lost forever.
I still have one person I would like to find, but the trail has gone cold and I am not willing to hire a detective to find them. I will just keep my eyes open and hope I do someday.
I found out I had more friends than I thought I had. I found out I was perceived as a different person to different people.
I have friends here in Lancaster County too that I didn't think would really care one way or the other. Surprised me a bit.
My scale is getting happier for sure since it doesn't have to work so hard anymore.
I have DJ friends who are using Facebook as a business tool, and I wish them well. I am more traditional, and use it the way it was intended.
But, I will not play Mafia Wars, no matter what.

Ramblings

It seems as time goes on, so slowly, that thoughts pop into my head. I don't know where they come from, or why they are there, but they are interesting, at least to me.
I sometimes will put a problem into my memory banks and let the brain work on it until there is a solution. If I can't find one inside me, then I can look elsewhere.
So, as time moves on in this bariatric world, new ideas are just happening all over, causing me to start asking questions, such as, why not?
"I am finished with this. I will never do it again, so why even think about it. I'm fat, and I will die soon, so concentrate on the things I can do."
I never thought I would be thin again, or able to do some things. Now, I can, and it's opening up new ideas for me. My dreams are much more fun to work with too.
So, someday soon, I will find a way to get to Hershey Park, and go ride all the coasters, just because I can fit into the seats.
I have looked at Kayaks, but they are too expensive right now.
I have looked at other parts of the country, but even though I have my heart set on Florida, liberal state that it is, I am still not convinced that that is where I want to go.
I have about $3000 in medical bills from things I needed to have done, but put off. The taxes here in PA. are horrendous, and we don't get anything from them. My monthly expenses added to the taxes and medical bills, put me over the edge financially and mentally.
The only way out is to win the lottery, and that ain't gonna happen.
So, enough for felling sorry for myself. I guess it's time to get ready for summer, and a new job hunt. In the meantime, I'm going to get back to living.

NAWLS

I just joined this at the invite of a fellow post traveler. I haven't had time to get to all of the places I like to visit, so this will be another to add to my list to explore in the near future.
It's seems to be a good place to get lots of info, and share stories, tips and tricks. The more I network, the better things will be. I need support, and socialization, and I need to move away from the negative side of the net.
So, here is the "about" page for you to see. Look up the "Brader Brats" if you go there. That's where I'll be.

NAWLS Network

Two Organizations, One Purpose.

NAWLS Network is a new, free resource offered by the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS). Both NAWLS and the NAWLS Network embrace a mission to help weight loss surgery patients achieve long-term recovery from obesity and live a satisfying and healthy life; and to provide support, information, and resources to bariatric professionals and support group leaders.

NAWLS Network is for people who want to connect, and to share information and support in a lively, social-networking environment.

It’s for patients AND professionals.

If you are a bariatric surgery patient who has had any type of weight loss surgery, or if you are just thinking about having the surgery, this is the place to be. We encourage you to sign up for free and start sharing your experiences with others. Upload photos and videos, participate in discussions, post blogs, or start a new group. You're sure to make some new friends while you're here.

If you are a bariatric professional or support group leader, take some time to explore. This is a great place to interact with other professionals and leaders in the WLS community. Discuss treatment issues and challenges. Create a private group for your local support group members, where you can answer questions and provide online support to complement your live groups. Talk about what's working for your patients and what's not. Compare notes. We hope you use this resource to further WLS care, support, and education. Enjoy!

More about NAWLS.

NAWLS is a safe, loving, and nonjudgmental community of bariatric surgery patients who struggle with weight maintenance and regain, sugar and carbohydrate sensitivity, transfer addictions, emotional eating, and eating disorders.

The membership organization was founded in 2005 by Katie Jay, MSW, Certified Wellness Coach, who became an advocate for patient support after her surgery. NAWLS provides comprehensive and personal support including retreats and workshops, coaching, teleseminars, books, classes, and now, a social and professional networking site.

Who is Katie Jay?

Katie Jay is the creator and director of the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery. She holds a masters in social work and is a certified wellness coach. She also is an obesity survivor who underwent RNY gastric bypass in 2004.

She founded NAWLS because she wanted to create a safe, nonjudgmental community for bariatric patients to get the support they need to change their obesity mindset and unhealthy habitual behaviors, and to achieve lasting results.

Katie coaches clients on a regular basis, facilitates powerful WLS retreats, leads workshops, and does sensitivity training and education for nurses, who receive contact hours. She also speaks often at patient-focused conferences and events, bariatric professionals’ conferences, and at support group meetings. She also writes regularly for WLS Lifestyles Magazine and Beyond Change.

Katie published her popular and ground-breaking autobiography, Dying to Change, My Really Heavy Life Story, in 2006. She has since published her second book, Small Bites: Daily Inspirations for Weight Loss Surgery Patients, and is currently writing her third book to be released late this year.

She writes a free online newsletter, Small Bites for Your Life, which reaches thousands worldwide. Sign up to receive Katie’s free newsletter, and begin taking advantage of this instrumental WLS resource.

Also, check out Katie's blog.

Appetite

Appetite. At least I spelled it correctly.
Feeling full. Got that one right too!
Hunger.
Panic.
Which and who and what am I trying to do?
OK, first.

Feeling full

I used to sit on the couch to eat (still do). I would balance the plate on my belly and eat until I was done, and then some.
Now, I sit on the couch and balance the plate on my stomach, which is much smaller. The pouch is off to one side, and if I put too much weight on it with the plate, I can feel it. This helped me to find my pouch. I am careful to not put too much pressure on it.
If I feel like I have to burp and can't quite do it, I am full. That's how it now feels to me. Before, I never felt full.
The goal now for me, is to measure out the food that I need, eat it, and walk away, even if I am not "full". I haven't gotten to that yet. I still have baggage between my ears that prevents that from happening.
I also get low blood sugar episodes that mess things up for me sometimes.

Hunger

I've found that hunger is not just one thing.
There is an emotional hunger that comes from between the ears, of course. This type of hunger is the toughest to control. This is probably the hunger that caused the obesity in the first place, along with other things like self control, laziness, depression, loneliness, and other things you can add on your own.
Then, there is physical hunger. This is a real hunger. It's the only hunger we should be concerned about. It is a form of pain that is a signal, telling us that we need to get something to eat. We really don't need to eat right away because we have plenty of storage energy, but it is a good idea.
I can get dizzy, or have a slight headache, which is the way my body complains because it is too lazy to tap into it's reserves. Which leads us to:

Appetite

This is an emotional need to signal that we should be storing more energy just in case. It can be masked by the brain, or blown out of proportion by that same brain.
It is all an indication of how we are doing over a time period. If we have a strong appetite, we are "OK" in this society. If it is weak, we lose weight, and are probably not "OK".
Appetite is something we don't need with bariatric surgery. Many times, we have to eat out of necessity, not need.

Panic

This is interesting.
Panic that we haven't eaten in awhile.
Panic that we don't fit in.
Panic that we ate the wrong thing and out wonderful pouch is about to let us know in the worst way.
Panic that we forgot something.
I have experienced this many times since my surgery. There are so many rules and I forget things so easily. I have been very lucky so far. The younger folks are better off than me in the memory department.
I think that's all I want to say for now.

So where have I been?

I've been in the basement cleaning the place out and getting ready to paint the walls. My wife doesn't know about half the stuff I've thrown out, so don't tell her.
I cut the lawn by hand mower 3 times this week.
Couldn't do any of that last year.
I have had people over every day this week to look at the scooter. I think I have it sold, but no money just yet.....
I've been working on the old/new John Deere. I have to replace the mower belt because I messed it up last week and it broke. Now, when I'm finished, I will put the mower up for sale at a slight profit. Maybe, I'll buy another one to work on....
I am still trying to get to my guitar, but have been having too much fun doing other things. I will play it this week for sure.

Putting it all together

I started to copy and paste my blog today into a word document, so that I could read the whole thing and see what I went through.
If you would be interested in reading the whole thing, contact me, and I'll try to send you a copy.
It is 80 pages long, and there is both good and not so good information there.
91 pounds ago, I had more time to write because I was still stuck in my fat.
Now, I can go outside and do things, and I take advantage of that.
Now, my next step is to free myself from some chains, and make some real progress!
In my previous entries, I mentioned some thing, and I plan to do them very soon.

• I am going to rent a kayak and try my hand at it as soon as the water warms up a bit.
• I am going to organize a trip to Hershey Park, and take as many formerly fat people with me as I can.
• I am going to seriously look into relocating to a warm climate.

There are other private things that I am going to do, none of them illegal, or fattening, but I won't list them here.

The saga of the John Deere RX 63

The meeting on Thursday evening was a good one, but I was exhausted from another day of driving my school van, and working on my John Deere ride on mower. So, I left right after the main part of the meeting and got an early night.
They had 4 people in various stages of post op, including a lap band. One guy had the surgery back in November and has already lost 100 pounds! He looks good, so he must be following the rules to the letter. I am at 91 pounds, so I don't feel so bad.
We are going to have a clothing exchange in July, but I will probably pass. I am planning on taking all my stuff to Goodwill, or the Salvation Army. Lots of clothes that are in good shape, and a few pairs of pant that never got worn. And the best part is that I am too small for all of them!

The John Deere has obsessed me since I got it. I bought an IH Cub Cadet a few years ago that was ancient, with the intention of fixing it up and restoring it eventually when I was fat. I even went so far as to buy a snow thrower attachment. The work overwhelmed me, and I had to sell it due to lack of energy. I really liked that machine. There is nothing quite like the older machines with all their problems, and quirks. They were made before everything went plastic.
So, this past week, there has not been one day that I haven't been to Deere country, the local dealer.
The people there have been great, taking the time to answer my questions and print out pictures of the various parts and how they fit together.

• Fuel line replaced along with the fuel filter.
• Lots of carb cleaner sprayed over everything to cut the gunk.
• Mower deck removed, cleaned.
• Blade sharpened.
  
• New Belt for the mower drive.
• New pulleys/spindles installed.
• Mower deck put back on.
• New rope for pull start
• New spark plug
• bolts tightened to spec.

Now, with all this work, you would think that I have been able to use the machine, but sadly, I've only used it twice since the season started. The darn thing just won't stay fixed! This is not a bad thing because I am learning so much. But I sure would like to run it already.
I plan on draining oil sometime after I finally get to use the mower this morning. This will be a chore since I have to tilt the whole unit to do that. It has a drain plug on top of the deck, which is kind of dumb. It should be underneath, so the oil would drain and not spill over everything, but the dealer said they did this sometimes back then.
I have to wear ear protection because the mower is very loud, especially with the blade moving, but I don't mind. I did have headphones and music playing, but it was too loud to hear the music, so I just use the basic ear plugs.
I would like to learn more about the mower and engine, and maybe get a job repairing them, but I really don't know how to do that. The Vo Tech school is not the best place for learning that. They have been infiltrated by advertising for particular brands, rather than teaching tips and tricks for good old fashioned hard work.

The great thing about all this is, I am able to function as a normal human being, even after spending hours climbing all over the mower and getting to do everything except sit in the seat and drive it. No collapsing after labor for me anymore! Yippee!
I plan to take pictures of the mower and maybe send out an article to Stacey David's "What are you working on" to see if he likes it.
So, what are you going to work on?

Update: I finished the lawn, but the belt for the mower broke. I am trying to figure out what went wrong, and they can't get a new belt until Thursday. I am not sure I want to repair it after all this. So, I went for a ride on my Helix, and felt better. But, I still don't know if I should bother anymore next week with the JD. I have a life to live, and am tired of laying on a piece of cardboard in the garage. Oh well....

Livin life

Tonight is the support group meeting over at Lancaster General Hospital.
Last week we met with a group of students doing their final project for graduation. The subjects were various aspects of the bariatric experience, from pre to post and beyond. They had stations where they explained things.
I registered for several prizes and even won one. A bottle of skin care lotion is now on my night stand. The stuff isn't too bad!
So, this week I spent almost every day over at the John Deere Dealer asking questions, and getting parts for my RX 63 project.
The thing is running really well, but I still need to do some minor adjustments. I'm learning so much and extremely pleased to be able to climb all over the thing without passing out after 5 minutes!
I'm also down 91 pounds officially, and all my numbers are right where I want them to be. No more pills is a great thing.
I got some more tips from the dietitian, and passed another milestone.
I have one more appointment before I am finished with my post surgery visits. After the appointment in the fall, I will only go to see the team once a year for the next 5 years. Wow!

Up to date

I have been spending less time at the computer and more time outside doing things. That's great!
It is raining a bit since yesterday, and the grass needs to be cut, so I am going to go out after this and install the new pulleys on my new/old John Deere, and go cut the grass.
I read the other blogs I follow, and my coffee (decaf still has a bit of caffeine in it) caused me to respond to comments more than I usually would.
I have been trying to maintain control over new/old emotions, but they get out once in awhile, and I end up sounding like a know it all.
Even though I know next to nothing, I still look and sound like I know it all because I practiced over the years, and I know lots of big words!
Oh and let's not forget spell check!
If, you are reading this blog, please send me comments, or just leave them here. Good, or bad, it doesn't matter. I will learn from them either way.
Time to go fix the mower....

Tuesday, I think

I am aiming towards my first hundred posts, so I thought I would write here instead of my Facebook page.

I have driven some type of bus for a living since 1974. School bus has been my favorite. City bus is a pain, and Tour bus is too dangerous today.
During that time, I have had days where I will arrive at a corner and not remember which way I have to turn. This is strange, since I have been to this corner many times before.
It's not the same corner all the time. It's different corners at different times.
It doesn't happen all the time, otherwise, I would not be writing this now. I would be on the road somewhere, trying to find my way home. Pay Attention!
Sometimes, I forget how to drive. Sometimes, I forget where I am. I always recover quickly, and it's a fleeting feeling, but not all that different from how they describe Alzheimer's disease.
I have spoken to doctors, and they all say not to worry about it, but of course, I do.

So, I have been on a quest to quit driving all together. I have wanted to go back to playing my guitar and singing for a living for years now.
But, I'm afraid of change.

I'm afraid of success.

I'm afraid of failure.

I'm afraid of being alone.

I'm afraid of making my own decisions.

This surgery is the first things I've done to conquer those above listed fears.
If I ever get the belt changed, and the blade sharpened on my new/old John Deere, I'm gonna go play my guitar again.
Wait a minute.......
I must be afraid of taking the first step too. Better add that to the list,,,,....along with procrastination.
Hmmmm, what else?

A New Day

Just after my surgery, I played an event for my Chiropractor to celebrate the Grand Opening of his new office. (I am a Disc Jockey, in case you were wondering)
I had lots of help because I wasn't allowed to lift anything, and I was still on my pureed foods diet. My friend Charles helped carry my stuff in and set it up. He also stayed with me and took over when I needed to rest. It's tougher to DJ than many people think. I sat for most of it, and ate and drank as I needed.
We drew a very nice sized crowd. All of the businesses in the center donated door prizes, and I announced the winners as the day went on.
Anyway, I kept announcing prizes that I had no idea what they were. So, I finally pulled one of the office staff aside and asked them. She pointed me in the direction of the shop down the row. I had time, so I walked into the shop and spoke with the owner to find out what I was giving away.
Bruce, turned out to be a really nice guy. His shop was impressive, with lots of soft colorful clothing. I told him I couldn't buy any of it because of my dropping weight. But, I told him I would be back when I reached my goal.
I went into his shop this morning and bought one shirt. I know that's not much to you, but to me.... This is the first piece of nice clothing I have bought since my surgery. It's just a shirt, but I will post a picture of it on my Face book (look at my profile pictures) and will speak of it here. If I can figure out how to post here, I will.
The title of this post is a link to his online store. Free shipping and no minimum at this time, so feel free to do a little shopping and spread the word.
This is one of those small businesses that will fall through the cracks if the socialists stay in power too much longer.

New Found traveler!

Click the title of this post to go to the site I found.
I found this site by accident. I forget what I was doing, oh yeah, I was googling my blog to see if anything came up.
This site came up, so I started reading. I am still reading, and have been a bit distracted recently, so if you want to take a look for me, or just to get an idea of someone else on the same trail, feel free.
I am writing run on sentences today. I think it's just a phase I will pass through.
To answer the previous post comment, I have thought of buying a trailer, actually, more than one trailer.
I need something that I can haul things with, like my scooters, or lawn mowers, etc.
I also have been toying with the idea of selling my chili at fairs and flea markets and such, and the idea of a food trailer appeals to me because it allows me to be outside, since I hate being inside. I have always hated being inside for too long. To travel and be outside is a dream of mine, along with kayaking, and designing and building my own amusement park.
I probably would be happy doing lawn work too, if I could make a living at it, and have warm weather year round.
And, A hot tub. I would be in heaven if I had my own hot tub. I'd fill it with hot chocolate!

Saturday Work

I bought a new/old John Deere RX 63 riding mower on Friday.
My Honda Helix was having trouble.
So, I went over to the Uhaul dealer after putting my Honda Metro outside with it's for sale sign, and rented a trailer for transporting my new/old mower from Mountville to "The Pete".
I started taking my Helix apart after returning from the Uhaul place because my mower would not be ready until later in the afternoon.
In order to change the headlight bulb on the Helix, I had to take the whole front end apart. Honda is known for it's reliability, but they sure didn't think things out when it came to design.
The scooter looks like it was designed by 30 different engineers who weren't talking to each other.
There are millions (or so it seems) of screws to remove, in a specific order. The problem comes when I tried to place them so I wouldn't forget where they go when I re-assembled everything. No luck there. I just started piling them up here and there and hoped my memory would allow a reasonable semblance of the past.
I had already replaced the battery, which wasn't holding a charge, and everything worked, except the headlight, so I figured it was a good idea to get that fixed.
Well, the headlight bulb was fine, but I replaced it anyway since I had just done all that work.
Then, I started tracing the electrical lines to see if anything was amiss.
I made it to the fuse box, and took the old fuses out to see if they were burned out. They seemed fine, so I just replaced them anyway, just in case. I pushed the headlight fuse in and it stuck a bit, so I cleaned the socket out, and lo and behold, the headlight worked!
So, then, I spent the next hour or so finding out that my memory wasn't so good anymore. But, most of the screws made it back to one hole or another, and I didn't have any left in the end.
Then, I took the trailer and rode over to pick up the mower. I loaded it without problem, tied it down and transported it. I unloaded it, stored it, and returned the trailer.
When I got home, I took my Helix for a 30 mile ride, hitting speeds of 74mph at times. Mostly cruising around 45 the rest of the time. The top speed was only for short bursts on open highway.
I watched a movie last night and hit the sack around 10:30 for a good night's rest.
Sound boring to you? Well, a year ago, I would never have lived through this boring day. I would have been dead .
Thank God for bariatric surgery.

Donating blood

Just a quick message this morning.
I will be donating 15 tubes of blood this morning to be tested as I do every 3 months or so. I am hoping this is one of the last times, although my doctor has vowed to keep in touch for the rest of my life.
I have never had this kind of coverage before.
The downside, is that the insurance only covers so much, and I owe $600 from the last time. The total for the tests is around $2000.00 each time.
Oh well, it's worth every penny.
I am looking forward for the first time in years, instead of back. I have made contact with many people and managed to find closure with all but a few. I am interested in what I will be doing in the near future, and I think I have found my path.
It's about time.
Maybe I will grow up?



NAH!

Day 4 of 5!

I got to run the mower yesterday while is was still warm outside. I actually made it through the whole yard with only two breaks. I felt good at the end, but I was tired.
My mower is the old 2 cycle kind that you have to add oil to the gas in order to run it. It also doesn't have a self propelled drive. I used it to lose 27 pounds before the surgery, and now it seems I am going to use it to lose another 10 pounds in addition to whatever I lose on top of that.
I have been at my plateau forever it seems. I vary on the home scale between 212 and 217 depending on how much water I have inside me.
My mind is reeling too. I have been dreaming and remembering my dreams recently. They seem to answer questions I have been asking myself for years. It is amazing and scary at the same time.
I notice my personality changing too. I am much quieter now, and when I see or hear something that I don't agree with, I speak up loudly. I have taken to trying to keep quiet more and learning to listen, but I sometimes can't seem to help myself.
I have been spending a lot of time on Facebook too. I have been looking for an old partner of mine. She is one of the last people from my past that I really want to talk to. I have some unfinished business with her, and I need to apologize also.
I hope the people reading this blog can understand the changes that are going on with me as I lose weight and journey down this strange new path. I hope it helps them to find their own way.
Tomorrow, I should be contacted by the sleep study people to get me my new CPAP machine. They told me the pressure was too high and they recommended reducing it quite a bit. I am glad to hear that. I should be able to get a new machine paid for by insurance. My old machine is well worn and almost ready to be replaced. I am one of the few that actually use the machine every night. Many people can't seem to adapt to it. I feel bad for them. This machine has made life much better for me.
Oh, for the record, I cheated yesterday: I made a fillet Mignon, and added strips of bacon, and fried onions! Oh, how good that was!!!!!!

Long weekend!

Taken before surgery!








I have a 5 day weekend. Isn't that great?
I took the day yesterday to do a bunch of things. I was testing myself to see if I could keep going.

• I did the dishes
• I did the laundry
• I actually made a list of what I needed to do! (WOW!)

All of this before 8am. I got up at my usual time of 4:45am. The laundry was washed, dried, and put away.
I set up the crock pot for making my killer chili too, before 8.
Then....

• I went to Home Depot and bought a shut off valve for the hot water line. I also bought a shower plumbing set (Faucet, shower head, and ball for turning it on and off. And, a much needed replacement toilet seat.
  
• I went to Weis and got my chili fixins, as well as an RX for my wife.
• I started the chili, and set it to simmer for four hours. I used sausage this time, and kept the seasonings to a minimum. I did get a few hot peppers to drop in. The sausage was listed as "hot" too. Trust me, it is hot. I love it!
  

All of this before noon.
After I finished the chili prep to simmer (Add the beans an hour before eating), I cleaned out the bathroom closet, and took the tub fixtures off. I then climbed into the closet to access the water lines. Oh, I also turned the water off and drained the lines. Lots of trips up and down the stairs.
I cleaned off the old stuff and ended up frustrated, because the copper lines and the new fixtures aren't "plug and play". They require me to take the old lines off and install new ones. I didn't have time or energy to do that by the end of the day.
About this time, Paul started banging on my door because I had the music turned up and couldn't hear him. He talked me into taking a ride on the scooters to get away for a little while. Since my Helix is not running, I took my Metro (top speed of 38mph) which takes forever to reach top speed. It was a long slow ride for Paul, but I enjoyed it. He took a picture of our scoots in front of a barn. The view was fantastic.
I put the shower back together and tested the water lines for leaks, dropped the beans into the chili, and managed to clean up before my wife got home.
Oh, I also collected the trash, and took it to the curb.
And, I did all the dishes, pots and pans before I went to bed. The crock pot was dry and put away this morning.
So, I proved to myself that I could do the work. I am still sore today, and I took a nap this afternoon, but managed to go out and look at ride on mowers. I did some other things too, but really took it easy compared to yesterday.
Tomorrow, I will install the new toilet seat, and cut the grass with my non self-propelled push mower. I lost 27 pounds before the surgery last year with it's help, and I guess a riding mower will have to wait. So, I hope to lose 10 pounds over the next few weeks. I started to go down a little this week, so my plateau may be over.
I hope so.

Thoughts to help me move forward!

I didn't do this surgery to go to work at something I don't like.
I didn't do the surgery to look good again.
I did it to live.
I am going to live.
I am going to move forward every day until God decides I've done enough.
I am cleaning out the house, and cleaning out my mind. My mind isn't what it used to be, though. I forget things, and I don't have the youthful energy that I thought I would have.
I am fighting low blood sugar and pain that wasn't there when I was young. I am fighting years of relaxing when I should have been active.
I need to balance relaxation with work, needs versus wants.
I need a vacation. I want a vacation. What I have are bills and taxes out the wazoo!

Comments on the meeting last night 4/2/09

Once again, my brain didn't work.
I told people about this blog, and I gave them the address backwards. I hope they find their way here despite this.
The meeting was excellent. One of our post people introduced an aquatic fitness instructor who spoke about using the YMCA as a way of building the muscle without pain. It was a good program. I will look into it. There is a rec center closer to me than the Y that I will check out too.
We broke into groups after that, and I got the chance to hang with the "post" people. This is always a good thing because it re-enforces things that I learned but maybe forgot along the way.
Because of the information I got last night, I will be making some needed changes to my diet and exercise program.
I have way too many things I want to catch up on that I left go before God answered my prayers.

• Does anyone want to babysit me to make sure I start to write my books? I have 3 of them just waiting to get out of my brain. I need to manage my time better so I can write and exercise, and work at the same time. I get stuck, and can't break free.
• Talking about jobs, I need to find one that is full time, or I need to find another source of income in addition to my school bus driving. I have my DJ equipment, but have been holding off on that for some time.
• I need to play my guitar. I am going to do that very soon. I have songs that I want to write, and songs that are already written by others that I want to play. I have a very close friend who has accepted me for who I am. He plays and I want to work with him, but I don't have anything to present to him just yet. Again, it all comes down to scheduling my time, and doing it.

I need to break my fear of success and my fear of failure. They are one and the same, but I still haven't been able to beat either one.

Thursday

So, what do you eat?
I know that the amount of food is much less than it used to be, but the quality of food is much greater.
I don't eat fast food anymore. Wow, what a change!
But is it interesting that food has been something that is so much more important to me now. Thinking about food, and planning meals takes much of my time now. That is something I didn't do before.
I still go to Bob Evan's once a month. I go to the Akron Restaurant too. But I don't go to Wendy's, or Pizza Hut.
I do go to Two Cousin's Pizza because they have lots more than Pizza. They have great salads. I don't eat the bread for the most part, but I do cheat now and again.
My meals at home have stayed the same and I am trying to mix things up a bit, but this is proving to be very tough.
I am glad to be driving a school bus (Van) because the schedule allows me to make my meals at home. I still eat my killer chili, but even that has changed.
This week, I added spinach to some already made chili. This was the bottom of the pot with very little beef, so I "beefed" it up with the spinach and a bit of refried beans.
My exercise program is suffering some. I am doing so much around the house now, and taking care of computerwork (it used to be paper!). I am very active compared to before, but I am not working out this week with heavy weights. I guess I am tired and sore from last week's water heater replacement. I am still tweaking that. I would not like to do that for a living.
Today, I will bring up trash from the basement to be taken to the curb. I will make numerous trips up and down the stairs. I have to cut up the box that the water heater came in, and have a pile of other stuff. I don't think I can get the old water heater up by myself, but I will look at it and see. I am not ready to ask for help there yet, because my new body may be able to do it on it's own.
I have to contact a satellite TV company to see how much they really charge for service. Their start up costs and starting discounts are so deceptive. I am really tired of paying Comcast Cable to see infomercials on TV. Cable is way too high. $768 a year to watch infomercials?
I have cut hundreds of dollars by switching my insurance to Geico. I have a friend that switched and he has had experience with their actual service that was positive, so i checked into it, and found them to be very helpful. That service starts tomorrow.
I cut back on energy usage and improved our comfort level. I am warmer now than before.
I need to get to a dentist to have a tooth fixed. My regular dentist can't do the work.
I have new glasses and can see again.
So, I have made great progress.
Now, let's hope the government comes to it's sense and doesn't take everything away in their effort to create Hope and Change!

The heck with it!

I've been giving this a lot of thought, and after many days and nights of sleepless days and nights, I've decided to call Dr. Brader and ask him to reverse my operation.
I feel as if all the hassle of trying to eat small portions just isn't worth all the hassle of eating small portions.
I think I have learned enough now to lose the weight on my own now instead of later, and other times.
Besides, I already have a head and the rest of my body start.
So, forget whatever you read. It just isn't worth it.

Next meeting

The next meeting is this Thursday, April Tooth!
It will be at Lancaster General Hospital again. They are working on the new building and should be finished for us to use in June!
There should be some other events scheduled, and I will post them as they become available.
Contact me if you need information, directions, or just want to talk.

This past week

I did a few things I haven't done for awhile, or before.
I had some roadblocks and I am now moving them out of the way.

• I did up a stew that is great, and mixed it down to make it last.

• We went to Levittown last Saturday to support a Facebook friend, and Neshaminy Alumni. He had a CD release party at a place called "Cheeseburger in Paradise". I called out to a bunch of folks, and we had a nice reunion. Friends from Pennsbury showed up, and it was great. We stayed at the booth for about 3 and a half hours! We got to hear Michael Francis Hughes (I will try to remember to post his website). The waitress was great and we tipped her very well. She was happy about that. Nice memories were shared, stories were told, claims were made, no disclaimers!

• I am supposed to be going for a sleep study to lower the pressure on my CPAP machine, but I may not go because there is quite a charge involved and I can't really afford it. I will have to put up with the strong wind blowing all night.

• I put an ad on a website to try to get some music going.I have been playing guitar since I was 11. Last weekend, I saw my old friend and original guitar teacher. He and I were friends first. We played music to get girls and we did! Not as many as I would have liked, but you can never get enough now, can you?
• I took pictures of my guitar in order to send it out to the builder so he can post an updated shot on the website.
• I did a workout today while wearing leg weights. I pumped on the total gym, and did more free weights than I have in quite some time. It felt good, but I could feel it when my energy levels dropped. I had a bottle of protein drink with me and sipped it throughout.
• Then, I carried some of the junk up the stairs, and took it to the trash pile. I will take it down to the curb tomorrow night if I can still walk! I still have a truckload of stuff to bring up, but this is a new part of my life. Every time I come up the stairs from now on, I will carry stuff until it is gone. The leg weights are 5 pounds each and feel like they are 100 pounds!
• I am talking with my best friend about building a design that we have been talking about for months. It is a speaker system that is a miniature of a concert system. I will use it in small clubs. If we do it right, it will sound great and be able to be heard clearly. My buddy has CAD programs for this type of thing, so as soon as we finish with that, we will start to gather materials and assemble it. I didn't know how complex this could be.

• I am down to 215. These last 3 pounds have been the toughest so far. I think I am building muscle and my body may be getting used to the lack of food. So, every weekend, I will try to mix thing sup a bit food wise, and exercise wise. For the past two months, I have been eating pretty much the same thing everyday. I will start mixing that up. Also, it is getting warmer, so I will get out more often.

My Helix won't start, so I may take the Metro out soon. I have to dust off the 21 speed and get that going.
Anyone want to buy some music equipment? I will have it listed soon.

Aroma!

I am basking in the aroma of a new stew!
I did pretty much the same thing as I always do, with the exception of adding tomatoes.
I added red, yellow, and green peppers, red skin and white onions, scallions, lots of spices, black beans, beef cubes, and white potatoes.
I am going to check the freezer for spinach or other frozen veggies. I might have some green beans or snap peas. The more, the merrier!
There should be plenty of protein and complex carbs from the veggies.
Dinner is at 5pm sharp!

Wow, what a weekend!

I spent more energy in the past 3 days, than I spent in a month when I was fat. I did things I couldn't do, or at least, had to plan carefully to make sure I didn't collapse.
What a great thing this surgery was!
Friday, I did a workout to end all workouts. I hit blinding speeds of 3.5 mph on my treadmill at grades up to 6%. I stopped the treadmill every 5 to 10 minutes to do a workout on my total gym, or use the free weights. So, I was doing circuit training, and mixing it up pretty good. I actually went for 40 minutes, and hit 85 to 90% of my maximum capacity according to the heart monitor on the treadmill.
I got up Saturday morning and took a walk with my music. I covered the 3 mile loop at a fast pace for the most part.
I don't get tired as much as I get sore now. I have yet to get out of breath, but I really haven't pushed myself yet. I am still afraid of getting hurt and slowing my progress.
Now, in the fat days, I would have quit at that point for the rest of the weekend, but this day, I decided to go shopping. I took my wife and we visited 2 furniture stores, an RV place, and a Dunkin Donuts! We were out for about two or 3 hours, and even stopped at the Humane League to look at dogs. Sadly, they were sparse. I have been thinking about a 4 legged friend ever since I lost my two collies. They only had pit bulls at the humane league, and I don't want a pit bull.
I felt a bit sore on Sunday, but I went to Maryland and picked up my grand daughter, and we went to Ikea. I carried her a lot of the way, after she decided it was too much to walk. I did put her in the shopping cart about 3/4 of the way through the store. If you've never been to Ikea, you are missing a real treat.
I bought a desk chair that I couldn't find anywhere else, at a price that was soooo low.
Then, we went to a play park, but she fell asleep before we could get inside. So, I took her back home and sat and talked to my daughter for a few hours before coming home to write this.
All in all, I spent a very satisfying weekend and didn't once think about where the nearest seat was in case my fat legs couldn't hold me up anymore.
I am throwing out the sweater I wore today because it is so big on me as to be totally unusable. The arms are stretched out into orangutan length. I remember just barely fitting into it a few short years ago. Now, it just hangs. It is threadbare and worn out. Bye bye.

As time goes by....

It has been my experience that as time goes on, the post Bariatric people seem to lose interest in the whole thing.
This is both good and bad.
It's good that they don't have to think about the surgery, and they consider themselves able to handle life without worry.
It's bad, because some of them fall off the wagon and have a tough time getting back on.
My heart goes out to them, because this is by far the best tool I have found for losing the weight and keeping it off.
The whole of America is concentrated on trying to get us to eat more, and all of the things that aren't good for us. We are bombarded with drugs on TV, and Fast food franchises trying to convince us that their fish has a name, so that makes it healthy and good for us.
For convenience, we can eat our meals as pop tarts, or instant liquid drinks. We are "ensured" it will be the best thing for us.
I don't remember the last time they advertised vegetables, or fruits.
So, without support, how can we handle this onslaught?