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As you know, muscle weighs more than fat. I'm sure your waistline is doing better with the workouts. That being said, over the long term, the reason for your surgery was because of health. Since you probably won't be competing for Olympic medals or going after a multi million dollar sports contract, you might want to consider working on toning rather than bulking at this time. There is a time for bulking (at or near goal). But getting to goal is more important than gaining muscle. Yes, gaining muscle is great...No problems with that. I would just like to see a swimmers body type near goal, before you consider going for the bulk.
Here is where the problem lies. As you bulk up, you can justify the extra calories...Especially the simple carbs..."Well, I'll be burning them off anyways." If your weigh loss stall has lasted more than a month, I would say you might be trying to justify those carbs.
Proteins that would be good for weight loss and muscle growth; Whey protein isolate (be careful to not use too much...Bad for the kidneys), milk, plain Greek yogurt, Plain nuts (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, roasted pistachios, dry roasted peanuts, pecans), beef jerky, beans, peas, lean meats, Wendy's Chili, roasted soy nuts.
You may want to add more vegetables and a small amount of fruit. But the biggest issue you need to take a hard look at is the simple carbs; candy, cookies, pastries, breads, soft drinks, ice cream. These things stop your weigh loss in their tracks...You need to limit them.
I want to be supportive here...You are doing good with the weigh loss and the bulking up. But, now is the time for the golden opportunity to work on the weigh loss. The simple carb are addicting. I know. I was at about 300 pounds. I got down to 187 (RNY)...So I started to reward myself (Hey Brian, You're doing pretty good...Relax, don't take this food issue so seriously). Over the next 3-4 years I had regained to about 235...Pepsi being my carb of choice. It took me getting a second heart attack to wake me up to try and drop down below 200. I'm at 197 today (over 11 years out). Stay with the program...You'll be happier in the end.
Good problems to have... My family had about 8-10 8N and 9N Ford Tractors. We harvested grapes and peaches with them. We were a cheap family...All the batteries were dead in the tractors. We would jump start one tractor...Then have someone on one of the tractors pulling another tractor to (pop the clutch) to start the others. Fun days!! Bill, wanted to share with you my best FART (WOW on other forums) moment. After dropping over 100 pounds I got into the tub...The same tub I had used for over 15 years. So the water is running...And it's taking longer and longer for the bath to full up. I'm wondering "what's going on here...It never took this long for the tub to fill up before"?? I think you know the answer...
I went and found a picture of my big machine, the ?63 Super Dexta. We had to put new rims and tires on this year. The original rims finally rusted through after 54 years of sal****er inside. Whoever put it in got his money's worth. The "new" tires and rims, salvaged off an old Ford 8N don?t have calcium in them. But it may be an option for the little John Deere, which is sitting right next to it, and the one which has the snowblower.
Don, no worries at al! I understood and appreciated your humor completely! I laughed out loud, to tell you the truth.
I talked to my wife about putting "calcium" in the tires. Calcium is shorthand for calcium chloride solution, which many farmers used back in the day. My old '63 Super Dexta had calcium filled tires. They must have weighed close to 500 lbs each. It is a possibility, but would make them very hard to handle, as I remove them to install or remove the chains. I also have to flip a couple of tabs on the mower to prevent the all wheel steer from hitting its max with the chains on or it will damage the body.
As for scrap metal, I have lots of lead lying around in the form of wheel weights or ingots. I cast my own bullets for my reloading hobby. I've been working on a couple of ideas to use that, sort of like your idea with the railroad rail. The trick there is to keep it as close to the wheels as possible. The further out back it gets, the more it raises the blower on the front, and I don't want that. I like the idea of a railroad rail though. I could weld a pin on it that would fit into the hitch hole on the back and that would keep the weight close.
Upfront if you felt slighted at my finding humor at your situation I apologize profoundly and profusely because that was not my intentions. I just had never heard that situation being mentioned! So please forgive me if I did.
Yes, I am in Texas and on fairly flat ground but we do have some ups and downs in the topography. Remember too when it comes to snow and ice 1/16" of "frozen precipitation" shuts us down! Everything. Business, schools, churches etc. TxDOT, our state highway agency, and a lot of the counties and municipalities start spreading salt and grit on the bridges etc. We don't have snow tires - we have mud grips and four wheel drives and still get stuck! Both on the snow and ice and in the mud!
After seeing your reply I got to thinking about your issues with the lesser weight. Check the local metal scrap yards, and it may take going to a business that sells iron and steel to check theirs too, and ideally find a 3' piece of rail road iron, 35lbs/ft, or some 2.5-3" cold roll the same legenth and some way or another attached it to the mower.
Thinking out load again do you have a freeze proof solution in your tires? I keep water and antifreeze in back tires on our "big" tractor. At 8 lbs to the gallon might be able to add another 40-50 pounds depending on size of the tires.
Hope it helps.
Hey All-
So I have been in the same range for the last 2-3 months. I am currently at 290, but have been below 300 for at least 3 months. I blame some grazing on carbs for the first bit of it, but I have also started heavy lifting workouts with a trainer a few times a week in this time period as well. I have definitely gained a ton of muscle and my body shape has changed during this time more than ~10lbs the scale says I have lost.
I was wondering if any of you have had long term stalls, and also around what level of calories are you all eating. I have been tracking of late and I am around 1400-1800 (which I know is high for surgery) and I am still shocked that a level of calories like that could stop my weight loss like this for so long. Do I need to go back down to 800-1000? I have been trying to be patient, but mentally as the months tick by it is getting harder.
I am less than 4 months from my year anniversary now and I am starting to get really worried about not getting into the mid 200s by then. :/
Thanks,
Dwayne
-Dwayne
The struggle is real. 
If I recall correctly, you live on flat ground, right? In the south. Thin**** snow, and hills. But it is worth it, that's for sure!
As long as I've been on OH this is a first! Being too light to hold down a lawn mower! 
Great FART moment!
(Fantastic, Awesome, Remarkable, Terrific)
Being fat is why we're here, and getting rid of the extra weight is our focus. But it comes with problems of a different sort sometimes. I've written a few times in various places about problems with my tractor since I've gotten skinny(er).
Today was my semi annual tractor reconfiguration day, where I put on the chains, remove the deck, and install the snow blower in anticipation of winter storms. I reverse the process come spring. This year I added wheel weights to the process. I am not sure they will be enough.
Last winter I was down essentially 100 lbs. That meant 100 lbs less ballast over the wheels of my machine. There was lots of slipping and sliding, and more than a few times, I got stuck. That didn't happen when I was fat. This winter I'm down just over 200 lbs. These wheel weights add 100 lbs back, which means I am back where I was last year.
I am glad to be skinny, but there are times I miss my ballast. I'm still working on ideas for another 100 lbs. If anyone has any thoughts, I would be interested to read them.
I'll go down your list the best I can. This is not "the easy way out". I've had a double heart bypass...That wasn't the easy way out. It was there to help save my life.
Clothes...You don't want to spend tons on new clothes till you have reached near goal. I bought $300. worth of new clothes cause " I knew" I was done losing weight. I quickly grew out of them. I know it can be tough, but ask friends, family, coworker for good clothing. You fly through clothes sizes like nothing you can fathom. Men lose the weight faster than women in general (we have a larger muscle mass)...Easier for us to lose the weight. Drive extra miles to find good quality second hand shops for the best clothing. Also go to the local support group and ask for help in this area...Yeah, it can be humbling , but you will only use the clothes for a few weeks.
The skin is what it is. You can look into plastic surgery about 1 year post op or maybe 6 months post a stable weight. Just see what needs the most work. I hate my neck...Turkey neck. But I live with it. The younger you are, the more elastic your skin is...The older, the more likely you'll have skin issues.
Sex...Yes you loose the weight at the base of your thing...Which makes it seem longer. Your thing also gets skinnier too. Also remember with the weight loss comes the release of estrogen. Yes, estrogen...It is stored in your fat cells. Many men who are stable for years and years find themselves "falling apart" and have no idea what is happening. It's the release of the estrogen (called the estrogen dump). You will be better as your weight stabilizes. Just keep that one in the back of your mind...It does happen. The sex is better in so many ways...You'll see.
Hair loss...Try and stay on the protein...Protein first. For many it happens. For some men the hair comes back...For others, they were losing it anyways. So you just live with it.
Again you are doing this for your health. The bonus is you get a new lease on life and better health. You may take up different exercise programs that you never thought you would get into. Some jog, others ride bicycles (me). One guy was walking long trails. Someone else takes on more physical work. You find out what works for you (your body type, comfort level, exercise enjoyment, hobbies) and start taking them on. Go from one to another to see what fits your life style. I prune fruit trees and grapevines for a hobby. I also mow lawns and walk to pick up garbage (with a grabber). I went from one exercise to another till I found what works for me...Not you...ME!! Enjoy your journey. Brian
