My life is about to change, for the better!

I haven't posted to MLWF for quite a while, things are changing and I wanted to share.

One month from today my life will change, for the better.  On Tuesday, July 9th, I will be admitted to Stanford University Hospital for weight loss surgery.

I'm 54 years old and tired of the struggle and even more not feeling as good as I could.  I have got to get my act together and this is my jumping off point.

I have too much to live for not to take advantage of this opportunity to turn it all around.  I've spent the last 4 months going through the approval process and good news is I'm healthy enough to have the surgery.

I have the love and support of my husband, my family and the friends I've shared the news with so far.

It's the right time and right place for me!

MLWF Again!

If you've never had a weight problem you can't imagine what an ongoing life changing process losing weight can be. Remember me?  I'm the guy who can walk past a bag of chips and gain two pounds.

The boot was the problem, at least that's what I'm telling myself.  As has happened in the past in my life, when I have an injury I gain weight.  This time I had a partial tear in my achilles tendon which required I wear an air cast on my left foot for 8 weeks. 

I am not a HUGE fan of exercise on any level but when my doctor told me no gym during the 8 weeks I was ecstatic and afraid at the same time.  The result, I managed to put on at least 17 pounds in 8 weeks. It didn't help that the 8 weeks fell over the Thanksgiving and year end holidays either but damn it, here I go again.

I am sitting here eating my porridge as I am back on the fast at least 90% of the time...meaning most of my daily meals will be protein based prepared food...(food like I mean)  I am still going to fat class which I did even in the boot but now I have to get in my tuxedo in two weeks and I don't want to put some one's eye out when I sit down and my cummerbund snaps and studs fly.  So, here I go again.

The better news is I will start physical therapy next week and plan on going back to the gym maybe even this weekend.  It's not fun having a weight problem but lucky me!

I can't promise to post every day but if you want to please read to understand why I am such a cranky ass!

More to come...

MLWF Take 2 Day 4

This is the fourth day in my life without food, this time.

WOW, my fat class teacher was right. It is much harder to go back on the fast once you've tasted the flavors of Mexico, Italy, Memphis and the CA Wine Country (among others).  I am truly taking this one day at a time but damn I'm hungry!

I am very fortunate however, I have the support of my husband, friends and family which is good so everyone will understand my mood swings and over all crankiness!  Sudden bursts of give me a pork chop DAMN IT are understood and we just laugh about them, I mean what else you are going to do.

It would be so helpful if I were one of those people who didn't even think about food. But NO, I think about food all the time, especially when I can't have it.  Sometimes it is a little depressing to have the same thoughts about food at 52 as I did when I was 18, but I was raised on good food and when I say good food I don't mean healthy.

I've never been good at self control (just ask my husband) and apparently it's not something you can learn in life, at least not for me.  I know what and what not to eat but that doesn't stop me.  It's a struggle, but that's just life, if we knew everything we wouldn't be able to say "you learn something new everyday" and I am still learning.

Stay tuned for more food drama!

MLWF Take 2 Day 2

This is day 2 in MLWF Take 2.

So far so good.  They saying once you go off of the fast getting back on it is hard. It is. I made it through day one and in just a little under my 800 calories for the day. I feel pretty good about that. It will take my body a few days to "adjust" to my new nutritional levels, it hasn't figured out that I am starving it yet.

I am only doing this for 6 to 8 weeks, I can do anything for that short period of time.  That's what I am telling myself anyway.

It is amazing that when I am not eating how much I think about food. It's pretty natural I think, you can't do something well if you don't focus on it.  Not cooking or eating does free up a lot of time in my day, now I just need to focus on moving my body and not toward the kitchen.

MLWF Take 2 Day 1

Here I go again.  As I explained last week it's time to do something different. I went on maintenance back in October and while I have maintained mostly, I have lost the additional 30-40 pounds I need to lose.  It's time.

I'm starting my day with a chocolate protein shake, yum yum.  I will be "eating" about 800-1000 calories a day, something I could usually do in one meal under the old out of control plan.  This time I am only signing on for 6-8 weeks unlike the 5 months I did last year.  Let's see what happens.

Losing weight at 52 sucks, I used to be able to drop 10 pounds like that "snapping my fingers" but now it takes work, I'm up for it and you can come along for the ride it you want to. 

This is the same program I did last year so it's medically supervised and I will still be attending "fat class" every week.  I will have help but the work is up to me.  I can do this!

MLWF Again!

I made a decision last week, it's time to go back on the fast.  It works for me.

I started on maintenance back in October and while I have relatively maintained the almost 70 pounds I lost last year you may remember that I had a goal to lose another 30 pounds and that is simply not happening.

This time will be different in that I will only fast for 6 to 8 weeks to jump start the process.  Today I have to go for a "screening" which means blood, pee, EKG and BP check.  Works for me, it's dramatic so I have to be careful.

I am determined to ditch the one piece swimsuit this summer for something a little racier.  Not really, I don't want to scare any of our Palm Springs friends.

Wish me luck and let's hope this goes very quickly.

Thanks for your ongoing support.  I'll keep you updated.

MLWF Thanksgiving Aftermath

This is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I am surviving.

Haven't posted in a while, didn't feel like I had anything new to say, until now.

I have transitioned into my maintenance fat class and I find it very helpful. My goal from now until the end of the year is not to gain back any of the 70 lbs. I've lost to date. Still want to lose another 30 lbs. or so but for now I am just trying to maintain.

I made it through the actual Thanksgiving meal by choosing to limit my plate selection to only 4-5 items vs. the 10 items available.

Appetizers on the other hand were a little harder for me and my nephew did make cheese dip...MAJOR weakness. Didn't go crazy but damn did it taste good.

Couldn't drink too much (even though there was family involved) because I had to drive us home, probably a good thing because I did make some better choices as a result. No desserts for me, since I have been eating less I really was very full and the thought of eating more didn't appeal to me...this time anyway.

With weeks to go to get through the holidays I am still just taking this part of my life one day at a time. I have work and personal events to attend in the next few weeks, I guess we will see how I do, I'll keep you updated.