Year in Review : 2005
Edit: I added two more pics.
I never do a real recap post each year because my life has been pretty static and unchanging for years now. This year has been the total opposite of that in almost every way imaginable.
So, here is a review with lots of pictures (which can be clicked to be enlarged) hidden for your browser's pleasure.
2005 really began in November of 2004 when I attended my first weight loss surgery orientation at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital's Center for Obesity Surgery. A month or so before this, chisaiboo pointed me in the direction of scarymike's journal and his was the final inspiration I needed to make my own decision to pursue surgery as my best option to get my life back.
It took me 4 months to get a stress test, psych evaluation, endoscopy, electro-cardiogram, pulmonary testing, sleep studies and lots more. I saw Dr. Bessler, whom had come highly recommended by pinkbean and had an amazing record, and we decided on laporoscopic gastric bypass assuming I lost enough weight to not have to be gutted like a fish. ;)
On March 14th, at 355 pounds, I started a liquid diet that was to last until my surgery on April 11th. Here are a couple of lovely before pictures.
BEFORE
March, 2005 - 355 pounds
BEFORE
Jeff and I at Lucky 13. New Year's Eve, 2003/2004.
For my birthday (April 6th) chisaiboo threw a huge party for me at the bar, stripper and all (when you mention the birthday boy might drop dead the week after the party, people come out of the woodwork). It really was one of the best nights of my life up until then, and I am thankful to everyone who showed up and made it so special.
THE day came and razorart was awesome and came and waited with me, and enjoyed herself greatly as I told every single person who saw me that I was having gastric-bypass surgery and not to remove any other body parts. And told my doctor not to kill me. I am torn between the best moment during this wait, the staff's willingness to have razorart watch me change into hospital gowns or razorart's horror at the removal of my fake tooth. I had one moment of panic that I pushed away and was then led to the emergency room. This was where I almost lost my shit. It was so bright and small and cold ... and so final. But I laid down and was pet by one of the anesthesiologists. Before they even had the mask on me, I was out and waking up hours later with awful gas pains. I croaked out a question about whether it was laporoscopic or not and it was and couldn't have gone better. I was up and around in no time. In fact, as my first visitor chisaiboo got to watch me walk, albeit a bit wobbly, for the first time post surgery. At about 9 PM that night, I paced for at least 10 minutes and my walking only increased exponentially in the next few days in the hospital.
Obviously losing this weight was my big story of most of 2005. I went to Lucky 13 for the first time after the surgery at the end of May. Everyone was thrilled with how slim I looked including me and then I saw this pic and was really horrified. However, I kept perspective and kept working knowing I was in for the long haul.
AFTER
Boo and I at the end of May, 2005, ~260 lbs.
Some other after pics show how quick the weight continued to be shed:
AFTER
July - Weight unknown
After
Sept. 3rd, 2005 - 210 lbs.
After
End of August? - 210 lbs.
It was great going out every month or so and bugging people out. Hearing how great you look NEVER gets old. ;)
As it turns out, the most significant thing of 2005 happened at the end of August and not the middle of April. On August 31st at an obesity surgery support group meeting, I met my new girlfriend. Now, not only does she understand the food struggle and all the things I need to worry about, but she also views all of these things the same way I do. She is in the gym every day and has inspired me to get up around 6 AM during the week to do the gym. We have so many things in common it really is scary, and I feel totally blessed to have met her. Now, I never would have met her if it wasn't for the surgery, but this is the thing that has completed the first stage of my transformation. And I am moving into her apartment on January 20th, and I cannot wait. Another repeat picture here of Hope and I at morsobscena's wedding.
AFTER
Oct. 26th, 2005
For Thanksgiving, I brought Hope to my mom and boyfriend's place. I had not seen mom in two and a half years and had not been home since I left that hellhole five years ago. The place looked great, the food was awesome, my mom loved Hope because she is a total doll, and I got along with my mother amazingly well. It was just great. For Christmas eve we saw my mom again, and we are going there for dinner next week. Mom will never be perfect, but no one is and I am happy enough with myself to be able to ignore her warts a lot more than I could before. Not being a completely miserable bastard all the time helps in every aspect of life. Who knew? ;) On Christmas, Hope and I went to chisaiboo's uncle's place and it was really awesome. Hope's veggies and vegan pumpkin pie went over huge, and everything was really nice. 2005's holiday season was my best since I was a kid.
I am starting classes at the end of January at Brooklyn college and in the fall, I am going back to school full-time. I never would have had the balls to do this without the weight loss to make me feel like I can accomplish what I set my mind to.
Right now, I go to the gym 5 or 6 days a week. I follow a strict weight training routine that works every muscle group hard once a week and this followed by a half hour of intense cardio. I continue to walk a good 2.5 miles during the week plus all the walking I do on weekends. I measured my body fat this week and it is 16.8%. My eventual goal is 9%. I currently weigh 175 pounds for a total loss of 180 pounds, and I may get as low as 170 or a little more as I finish the last of my fat loss. Eventually I want to weigh about 190 of lean, mean muscle. Brad Pitt's body is my visualization model. It is a lofty goal, but I now know that I am okay aiming as high as possible because even if I miss, I will probably end up pretty high anyway.
As you can see, the weight loss has been THE focus of my life and even with my partner, whom I love to death, this has not changed as we are both dedicated to making these changes in our bodies and never having to worry about being fat again.
Here I am in a wife-beater from a couple of days ago. I am definitely guilty of some pride in how I am looking. 2006 is going to be the best year of my life so far. I hope everyone else at least comes close to being able to say the same.:)
AFTER
Jan. 7th, 2006
I never do a real recap post each year because my life has been pretty static and unchanging for years now. This year has been the total opposite of that in almost every way imaginable.
So, here is a review with lots of pictures (which can be clicked to be enlarged) hidden for your browser's pleasure.
2005 really began in November of 2004 when I attended my first weight loss surgery orientation at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital's Center for Obesity Surgery. A month or so before this, chisaiboo pointed me in the direction of scarymike's journal and his was the final inspiration I needed to make my own decision to pursue surgery as my best option to get my life back.
It took me 4 months to get a stress test, psych evaluation, endoscopy, electro-cardiogram, pulmonary testing, sleep studies and lots more. I saw Dr. Bessler, whom had come highly recommended by pinkbean and had an amazing record, and we decided on laporoscopic gastric bypass assuming I lost enough weight to not have to be gutted like a fish. ;)
On March 14th, at 355 pounds, I started a liquid diet that was to last until my surgery on April 11th. Here are a couple of lovely before pictures.
BEFORE
March, 2005 - 355 pounds
BEFORE
Jeff and I at Lucky 13. New Year's Eve, 2003/2004.
For my birthday (April 6th) chisaiboo threw a huge party for me at the bar, stripper and all (when you mention the birthday boy might drop dead the week after the party, people come out of the woodwork). It really was one of the best nights of my life up until then, and I am thankful to everyone who showed up and made it so special.
THE day came and razorart was awesome and came and waited with me, and enjoyed herself greatly as I told every single person who saw me that I was having gastric-bypass surgery and not to remove any other body parts. And told my doctor not to kill me. I am torn between the best moment during this wait, the staff's willingness to have razorart watch me change into hospital gowns or razorart's horror at the removal of my fake tooth. I had one moment of panic that I pushed away and was then led to the emergency room. This was where I almost lost my shit. It was so bright and small and cold ... and so final. But I laid down and was pet by one of the anesthesiologists. Before they even had the mask on me, I was out and waking up hours later with awful gas pains. I croaked out a question about whether it was laporoscopic or not and it was and couldn't have gone better. I was up and around in no time. In fact, as my first visitor chisaiboo got to watch me walk, albeit a bit wobbly, for the first time post surgery. At about 9 PM that night, I paced for at least 10 minutes and my walking only increased exponentially in the next few days in the hospital.
Obviously losing this weight was my big story of most of 2005. I went to Lucky 13 for the first time after the surgery at the end of May. Everyone was thrilled with how slim I looked including me and then I saw this pic and was really horrified. However, I kept perspective and kept working knowing I was in for the long haul.
AFTER
Boo and I at the end of May, 2005, ~260 lbs.
Some other after pics show how quick the weight continued to be shed:
AFTER
July - Weight unknown
After
Sept. 3rd, 2005 - 210 lbs.
After
End of August? - 210 lbs.
It was great going out every month or so and bugging people out. Hearing how great you look NEVER gets old. ;)
As it turns out, the most significant thing of 2005 happened at the end of August and not the middle of April. On August 31st at an obesity surgery support group meeting, I met my new girlfriend. Now, not only does she understand the food struggle and all the things I need to worry about, but she also views all of these things the same way I do. She is in the gym every day and has inspired me to get up around 6 AM during the week to do the gym. We have so many things in common it really is scary, and I feel totally blessed to have met her. Now, I never would have met her if it wasn't for the surgery, but this is the thing that has completed the first stage of my transformation. And I am moving into her apartment on January 20th, and I cannot wait. Another repeat picture here of Hope and I at morsobscena's wedding.
AFTER
Oct. 26th, 2005
For Thanksgiving, I brought Hope to my mom and boyfriend's place. I had not seen mom in two and a half years and had not been home since I left that hellhole five years ago. The place looked great, the food was awesome, my mom loved Hope because she is a total doll, and I got along with my mother amazingly well. It was just great. For Christmas eve we saw my mom again, and we are going there for dinner next week. Mom will never be perfect, but no one is and I am happy enough with myself to be able to ignore her warts a lot more than I could before. Not being a completely miserable bastard all the time helps in every aspect of life. Who knew? ;) On Christmas, Hope and I went to chisaiboo's uncle's place and it was really awesome. Hope's veggies and vegan pumpkin pie went over huge, and everything was really nice. 2005's holiday season was my best since I was a kid.
I am starting classes at the end of January at Brooklyn college and in the fall, I am going back to school full-time. I never would have had the balls to do this without the weight loss to make me feel like I can accomplish what I set my mind to.
Right now, I go to the gym 5 or 6 days a week. I follow a strict weight training routine that works every muscle group hard once a week and this followed by a half hour of intense cardio. I continue to walk a good 2.5 miles during the week plus all the walking I do on weekends. I measured my body fat this week and it is 16.8%. My eventual goal is 9%. I currently weigh 175 pounds for a total loss of 180 pounds, and I may get as low as 170 or a little more as I finish the last of my fat loss. Eventually I want to weigh about 190 of lean, mean muscle. Brad Pitt's body is my visualization model. It is a lofty goal, but I now know that I am okay aiming as high as possible because even if I miss, I will probably end up pretty high anyway.
As you can see, the weight loss has been THE focus of my life and even with my partner, whom I love to death, this has not changed as we are both dedicated to making these changes in our bodies and never having to worry about being fat again.
Here I am in a wife-beater from a couple of days ago. I am definitely guilty of some pride in how I am looking. 2006 is going to be the best year of my life so far. I hope everyone else at least comes close to being able to say the same.:)
AFTER
Jan. 7th, 2006