Consultation Shocker!

Chris,
No reason to beat yourself up.

I've been there, brother.
On the day of my first consult, I hadn't been on a scale in YEARS.
I was thinking 360-375lbs. Actual weight that day... 417.
I could barely concentrate during my appointment. That number completely freaked me out. After it was over, I got in my car and it took me a good 15 minutes to calm myself down enough to drive home.

I truly belive that once you reach a certain weight... it's all downhill, unless you make a drastic change.
I can see how some folks get up to 800-1000 lbs.

Good luck with the whole process... It's so worth it.

Be Well,
A.J.

hey Chris,

just take a look at AJ's profile. shoot for that. now you can see the power of the "force"! don't give into the dark side, that just leads to overeating........carbonblob

Hey Chris!

Dude, don't sweat the number.....that's all it is.  If anything, consider it the starting point you're going to be able to look back upon soon enough feeling great about the journey you're on!

Get into your program, follow the advice of your doctors and nutritionists, get moving (walking, bike, swim, lift weights, elliptical, whatever!), and things'll start moving in the right direction!

Be in touch,

Bill

Chris-

I started trying to get approved in January 2006 at 440 lbs.  I finally had surgery on 1/17/07, and was at 440 lbs at my pre-op appointment on 12/15/06.  I'm now three months post-op, and here's how much I have lost:

Lost 25 lbs from pre-op to surgery (415 lbs @ surgery)

I'm at 354 now, and have lost a total of 86 lbs.  I feel a LOT better, and am enjoying life a lot more. 

Dude, life is a journey, not a destination.  Negative self-talk is not helpful - it accomplishes no positive purpose.  The sooner you can recognize that you are doing the best you can to get things worked out, the better off you will be.  Forgive yourself, and move forward.  It's not important how or why you got where you are - but it's critical that you move in the right direction.  I ignored my weight, and it got me 200 lbs after I graduated from college.  I'm now on the way down, and it feels great. Keep the faith - you CAN and WILL do great things. Brian

P.S. Care to join me for the 2008 NYC Marathon?

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. After a few days and reading your posts, I do feel better. It was just a shocker. Initially I thought I had to lose 150lbs and if I lost 100, it would be great, I'd be much better off at 225 that 325. My issue was that now I would have to lose 150 just to get to 225! My ultimate goal of under 200 will now require that I lose 173 lbs! almost half my weight!  Imagine planning on buying a house for 300k and when you get to closing it is actually 450k, that's kind of how I felt. The journey has begun and I WILL succeed and be under 200 lbs again for the first time since High school. The road may have gotten a bit longer BUT I am on it and headed in the right direction! Once again, Thank you all, Chris

Chris, first congratulations on your decision to get weight loss surgery..That is the 1st and biggest step....I had the lap band surgery done and I remember my surgeon saying that I could not gain 20 pounds from the time of the intial consultation to the surgery date..Which scared the hell out of me, because, I had plans on going to Cancun, during that period.....Anyway, good luck and keep the questions and your progress coming..Dave T

Thanks Dave, My doc didn't say much about a pre-op diet other than liquids only  afew days prior to surgery. I plan to try and lose as much as possible (little goal of 25-30lbs) but what makes it difficult is I am kind of going through my mourning process....I'm gonna miss you Entenmann, and my two good buddies Ben and Jerry and let's not forget little Debbie.