James, I will number my answers to correspond to your questions. I am almost 14 months post op, and have lost 204 lbs so far.

1) Clothes. I am sort of blue collar, in that I run my own business building stuff. I had a stack of old clothes I outgrew and thought they would last me through the winter last year. They did not. I went through quite a few sizes, from a 60 in pants down to currently 42. To solve the problem, I bought two pair of pants and did more laundry. Well, someone did more laundry. I will address that in another answer.

2) Depending on how much weight you lose and where it comes off, you are going to have excess skin. For me it was not real bad, and I am 59, so a little wrinkly isn't unexpected anyway. But excess skin is a fact of life. Skin removal surgery is available to some eventually, but it is a lot of work and a lot of money from everything I read.

3) Sex drive is even better, and it was good before. Some things are easier. We will be married 34 years in a couple months, and have a very good relationship, so there were no problems in that area at all. Each couple is different though. I am not sure how someone would not like it, unless she is afraid you are going to start fooling around on the side. That is a different issue though.

4) I already lost most of my hair off my head. I have not experienced any other hair loss anywhere else, although my beard seems to grow more slowly these days. That might be from old age creeping up on me too. I don't know. Everyone is different. I don't think you are going to lose the hair on your back though, if that is what you are hoping.

Overall, the results have been way more positive than negative. I have lots more energy, I get lots more done (most of the time) and the negatives have been very few. Probably the biggest one for me is being cold more often.

Oh yeah, the laundry thing. We have been married a long time, and my wife is extremely supportive of this, so much so that she has modified her own diet substantially to match up with mine in many ways. She still eats a few things I can't or won't, but I do not begrudge her that in the slightest. She was willing to do more laundry (i.e. more frequently) in order to not have to spend extra money on clothes I would not be wearing for a long time.

Every time I hit a new pants size, we would go buy two more pair of pants. I do not know where you are physically or philosophically, but one of the things that really helped me extend the life of a pair of pants was this. I carry a sidearm everywhere it is legal. When I started with a new waist size, I would use my outside the waistband holster. As the pants got looser, I would switch to inside the waistband, first with a single stack and then with a double stack .45 ACP. Some folks are fine with that, and some think it is horrible. I don't give a rat's rear end. It worked great, and continues to work great.

Shirts are a little easier to make last longer, depending on how tight you need or want your collar to be. If you wear a tie all the time, it may be an issue for you depending on how much weight you lose around your neck. We also bought less expensive but still new clothing, since it did not have to last as long. Finding my size in a lot of things is still problematic. I am down to almost no weight left to lose, and still weigh 277 lbs. I am about 280 in the picture below.

Ahh...No fair!! Two times (during this Thanksgiving week) I have been offered cheesecake!! Needless to say I had it both times, but let's get real. Apple or pumpkin pie (without the topping) can work fine...But Costco Cheesecake!! They are not fighting fair...!!!

Thank you. I think. I am still in my honeymoon from what people tell me, but it has gone very well.

197...Same as last week. Because of my sleeping issues, I try and stop caffeine by 12 noon. I also try and stop large amounts of sugar by 2-3pm. Because of this (no coffee, ice/hot tea, Pepsi) in the afternoons. This allows me to (I believe) keep the weight down. I do it for my sleep, but it helps with the weight loss too. I need to exercise or do some hard physical work during the day (again for sleep)...But that too helps with keeping the weight off.

If you are at family or friends this long weekend...Ask if there are any projects you can take on (hint...Stay away from the grazing). Ask if you can; clean windows, detail a car or truck, pruning projects, gutters...Anything to stay away from those snacks!! Brian

195.8 Last week
194.6 Today

Food: D
Water: D
Vitamins: A
Exercise: C

I just looked in my book of excuses. I think I've used them all up.
Just got back from the weekend helping a buddy out at his lakeside cottage.
Some hard work raking leaves, but mostly eating well, and snaking on not so well things.
I could have been more mindfull with the snacking, but I own it. I haven't been up
to his cottage since my my surgery, and forgot that it is usually a lot of eating, watching B movies, and
driving around coastal Lake Erie.
All is well! I'm thankful for my family and friends (including my new ones here) and my new lease on life.

Good week to all.

-bob