Male pattern fat storage

I was very successful at losing weight on a couple of occasions in the past, only to always regain.  I've always felt that my fat was subcutaneous, sort of beneath the skin (I never had a distended belly I would just get flabby.)   Now I feel both bloated and flabby.  I am much more affected by my weight than previous times at this approximate level of obesity.  I seem to have stored much of my bodyfat this time viscerally (affecting my internal organs and distending my belly.)  I tire more easily when playing basketball and am just uncomfortable.  Man, do I hate tying my shoes.  Maybe its just my age, I'm 48. You know the saying about complaining you have no shoes.....  I realize that I'm a lightweight by OH standards with a BMI of 38.  I still can be quite active, so my complaints must pale to compare with some of the bigger guys here. Anyway,  did any of you guys's fat storage pattern change as you got older?  

I didnnotice right away as I too did the yo-yo diet success failure thing most of my life.  But at 42 the Blood Preesure (BP) started needing meds to control and I didn't take the warning.  Always beena kinda blocky, stocky build guy, big but squared.  After 42 the stomach and butt rounded more and I ignored the weight gains as the maintenance activity wasn't maintaing the stamina.  At 48 the wheels started coming off; already with CPAP from sleep apnea since age 45, it got worst, BP got worst and keep getting worst every 3-4 months (meds increased) type II diabetes was going up and being monitored, then the heart started missing beats and beating too rapidly.  That was the kicker that pushed me to WLS if I wanted to live much longer. 10 months post RNY, down 176 from 408 to 232, from a 60 pants to a 40, tying my shoes and wiping my own butt are no longer taken for granted.  Both had become an embarrassment. I turned 50 in May 07 and feel 20. I lost 60 pounds from 260 to 200 and maintained it for 8 years from 2 years out of High School to 2 years from getting married (76-84).  Then started gaining 20-30 lbs a year average.  I'd diet and lose 20-30 but put on 30-40 after because I would return to the old eating patterns.  I ended with the resolution that I wasn't dieting anymore, it had to be a lifestyle change not a temporary program.  That never happened and how I got to 408. It wasn't until after WLS that I hit the reality of eating because I looked forward to it, because I was frustrated.  I talked about it but the reality of it was more than I had perceived.  After WLS and the period where eating is not a pleasureable experience, caused me a real re-evaluation of eating habits and fuel for the body rather than companionship for the soul. Guess I'm off on real tangent but, this is a tremedous opportunity to be a different person than before because of the physical digestive reconfiguration.  Age maybe effects recovery time but th eose and exercise have me feeling better than I ever imagined possible.  I felt bad before WLS but I never realized how bad compared to how good I feel now. If you can eat right and do it as lifestyle change, no chemicals or magic pill solution,...your conscious decision making, you can be succeessful.  You can eat wrong after surgey, you'll pay a price but you can mess this up.  Or it can be valueable tool to encourage smarter eating than you've ever been successful at before.  Its a choice with a monetary and physical cost.   Hope that answered you direct and indirect question.  Great pics and success I saw on your profile. Good job considering doing something to get that or just plain better health back. Joe

great post joe, i think you ought to post this as a stand alone so some of the newbies can read it......carbonblob

Thanks CB.   With all of the typos and mispellings, I'm surprised it made any sense at all!

Just a word...I was high visceral fat. Then 5 months post-op, had a CT (doc couldn't see my heart because of a kink in my spine). The doc said, "no noticeable visceral fat." So the surgery (and maybe a lot of exercise) can get rid of that stuff.

Dave

This is all great stuff for newbees like myself (one month out). I appreciate the honest sharing of the good and the bad as I begin this journey. Did I have some misconceptions? Yes. Do I hope I can make this work? Yes. Do I feel like I have to do it all alone? No. Thanks for all your input and support, from one of the newbees.