ALL IN A YEAR
My new life began a year ago today. One year ago, I was sitting in the doctors office, waiting to get my date for weight loss surgery. The doctor walks in and tells me I am too fat for weight loss surgery. The next couple days, were pretty rough. But the following Monday, I pulled up by big boy pants and started a new life style. My wife and I joined a gym, started on a serious diet and got after it, hard. Over the next 4 months I lost 110 lbs. On March 8, 2010, I roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery. Since then, I have lost another 134 lbs. 244 lbs in one year, not to bad if I say so myself!
I always get asked, how has your life changed. I’m not sure exactly what people are looking for in this question. Do they want to know what I can do now; that I couldn’t do before, are they looking for inspiration, and are they looking for a story that will bring them to tears…I don’t know. But what I do know is just how much easier life is: I no longer worry or stress over things that a normal person never even thinks about. I no longer worry about, will the waitress put me in a booth at the restaurant, can I fit into the seats at the movie theater, I can not get through this crowed hallway without displacing half he crowd, I can not park this far away from the store because I can not walk that far. The list can go on and on.
I have accomplished so much over the past year. I lost 50 lbs, 100 lbs, 150 lbs, 200 lbs, made my first goal of weighing 225 lbs, I rode a century bike ride, ran a 5k in under 35 minutes. All things, I never even thought was a possibility when I weighed 460 lbs. But what is even more surprising, are the thoughts I get in my head, “what can I accomplish next". Some of my future inspirations include, riding in a double century bike ride, a 24 hour bike challenge, Trek the Tower (runners run up a 40 story building in Omaha), a duathalon, a triathlon (I have got to become a better swimmer, fat is very buoyant and I have a hard time swimming now!!). Will I accomplish all of these things next year? Probably not. Will I accomplish them in my lifetime, maybe? My point is without Dr. White, Katie, Beth, Mary, these thoughts and dreams would not even be thought of. I owe the team at Allegent, a big thanks!
But my biggest thanks has to be to my wife. For the past year, she has endured me having two surgeries, constantly being gone from home (exercising, bike riding etc), endless laundry of exercise cloths, me *****ing about not washing certain things right, my attitude change when the hormones were dumping as a result of the fat melting away quickly. She worries (as do my kids), when I’m in the bathroom when something doesn’t sit right, or I eat too quick, or something I’m not supposed eat. She goes to my 5k races with me, an hour before the race starts and just has to stand around in the cold, just to take a couple of picture at the start and the end of the race. I know I have not thanked her enough….thanks Babe.
How has my life changed……I now have a life. See my full journey at www.roytyson.com.
it's a DEATH sentence...Reward yourself with Good Health!
Highest Weight: 287 Lbs-January 2010; Reached Goal 195 Lbs - Dec 2010
Total Lost: 92 Lbs; Completed FULL MARATHON (26.2 Miles) 10-16-2011
This really resonated with me. I don't necessarily feel like I didn't have a life before, but I feel like losing weight and getting fit has awakened me to the life I didn't even dare to dream of at my highest weight. I'm constantly learning new things about myself as I shed those layers - some good, some not. But this process has produced so many amazing moments and I am very thankful.
Thank you for sharing your story... it's so inspirational to me. 244 lb in one year... STUNNING!
http://www.sangriasisters.com
"What can I accomplish next"? We have all been there. You're like a kid in a candy store with a wad of $20. I think the mental side of WLS is harder than the physical side...You get treated different...better (especially in business situations). Beautiful women will walk up to you and smile...start up conversations. If you're not grounded in this stuff it can really throw you for a loop. But it seems like you know what's going on and are handling it ok.
Sounds like you have a great wife. My weightloss came to a head with my wife when she was pulling some pants out of the dryer and I asked "are those yours or mine". Went over like a lead balloon...Oh she was furious inside. Also she hated the phrase..."I'm down another pound". After awhile, that one got old fast. Good luck on your journey...Now go take on the world!!
