findinglean.com

That’s right. The internet isn’t just for porn and cat videos…turns out  anyone can put crap out there. So over the last few days I’ve been thinking I might start doing a video blog and I wanted your thoughts. Should I do video at all? Should I do video sometimes but still write entries too? Should I use Video for a portion of the entry but have the rest in text? Below you will find an example of what my VLOG might look like. I took this in my breakfast nook where I’ve been taking my weight loss pictures in my signature but I would move around and do them elsewhere, again this is just an idea.

So what do you think? Leave a comment her or over on youtube or shoot me an email….or find me walking around Knoxville and yell at me from a passing car..you know whatever works for you. 🙂

~rev (419 Pounds)

…and that’s a good thing. So It’s been about a week (though seems like a month) since I posted anything and I wanted to get some updates out there. I’m down a few more pounds and with each day I’m gaining more and more mobility. Just the other day I managed to go grocery shopping without the use of the motorized cart, and not just to pick up a few items. I was in the store walking around for about an hour with no trouble at all.

But with improved mobility comes sciatic pain and now that I’ve lost some weight I think I’m at a place where physical therapy will actually do me some good, so tomorrow afternoon I have my first appointment and with that I hope to get to a place soon where I’m riding my bike on a regular (or semi-regular) basis as well as just getting out more and more.

So from weight loss and exercise to food and eating habits. I realized I need to listen to my body more because I wasn’t eating enough (something I still find hard to comprehend) and as a result wasn’t losing weight that well so I’ve started supplementing my diet with Pure Protein Shakes which some in a few flavors. Vanilla and Chocolate which are both good actually, then strawberry which was tolerable but will never be purchased again and finally cookie’s and cream which was so awful I couldn’t finish one 11oz can. I’ve also started eating more solid meet type foods and yesterday was my first steak (top sirloin) since having surgery and it was really very good…so much so I had the rest of it for lunch today.

I’ve found a few decent protein supplement bars as well (also Pure Protein) and as a result I’ve been able to eat a spinach salad with red bell peppers and cucumber and not worry about being able to get all my protein in for the day. Now the shakes and bars are not cheap (average a couple bucks per bar) but in the end its still less money than I used to spend eating out, even when combined with my grocery bill.

Moving this rambling post right along with little to no logical transition…my pants…yes pants. I wrote recently that I’m finding new (old) sets of clothes as I’d never thrown anything away but I wanted to mention that while that’s true it’s still rather amazing to me how fast I’m dropping inches…take the pants in this photo for example. They were too small for me just a month or so ago and now…they are almost too big. I know I’m still big and have a long road ahead but being too small for these pants already when just 5 short weeks ago they didn’t even fit me is one hell of a motivator to stay positive and keep moving.

And finally…I’m just doing more. I drove myself to Nashville recently and I’ll be doing it again in a few weeks to see Star trek with a friend of mine at the 3D IMAX. I’m making plans to drive up to my sister’s house to visit for a long weekend and I’m also trying to work a trip to Chicago in at some point this year to get a pin-up girl style tattoo from Hannah Aitchison. (If I can get her). And I am also looking to plan a trip out west to stay with a friend of mine in Arizona next winter (won’t do summer there willingly).

And there you have it…a not so short bumbling post to put things out there for what’s been going on…I’ve been rather busy with work so writing these posts has been pushed on the back burner, and while I wont likely write every day I will try to do more than one a weekish.

~rev (424 Pounds)

I’m about to go to bed for the day but before I do I wanted to push an update about my one month checkup.

So far so good, as I’ve been quite lucky having not had any vomiting from my surgery and been able to tolerate everything I’ve eaten so far…and even better news is that I’m down to 430 pounds meaning I’ve lost a staggering 122 pounds since October and over 40 pounds since the first of the month.

I also stopped by the Research Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center to say hello to Pam and Emily who were (along with a few others) the very nice people who conducted the research study I mentioned previously that I’d been a part of. I’ll talk more about that study a little later on, but for now I’m tired and happy and in less pain…all in all it’s been a great month. Here’s looking at you May…bring it on.

~rev (430 Pounds)

I picked up my new prescription glasses and sun glasses earlier today and tonight I did a little house work tonight, then I found a whole new wardrobe full of clothes I’ve not worn in about 2 years or so.

It’s like going to the clothing or department store and shopping in my own closet. See I never throw stuff away so as I’m losing weight I’m just opening boxes and draws and whatnot and finding closets that in some cases are actually new. I found a brand new pair of dress pants and a nice dress shirt (tags attached) I purchased about 2 years ago and since next week is my one month follow-up for my surgery I’m going to wear my spiffy newish clothes to the appointment.

So ironically I gained a pound since yesterday, and before you say anything I know I should not weigh daily due to fluctuations in weight but I can’t help it. I don’t even mind the extra pound, I figure I’ll just poop that out in the morning anyway. 😉

Needless to say finding I could fit in al these clothes tonight made a nice end to my day. Work was such a drag that I was in a rather pissy mood so this really did shine a bright spot on the whole of my psyche today, but it’s rather late for me as I normally would have gone to bed an hour or more ago so I’ll leave you for now. Also not that you’ll notice but if you click my picture below you can check out my new specs.

~rev ( 433 Pounds)

I like many obese people in the world suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, one of the things I will hopefully be cured of when I lose all my excess weight, but for now I use an Oxygen Concentrator (4L) and a BiPAP Machine to help me sleep through the night.

So last night my BiPAP decided to die on me and needless to say this resulted in a horrible night’s sleep. I have an appointment with the company who services my stuff but since I own this unit I’ll likely either need to pay the service call fee or submit for a new unit through my insurance company.

On a positive not however I’m down to 432 pounds which means since surgery I’ve lose 36 pounds bringing my total weight loss (pre surgery included) to 110 pounds. I still have a long way to go, but I’m feeling great overall and this is a hell of a jump start on my excess weight loss.

And speaking of feeling great overall, I found myself starting to do more and more simple household chores and projects. For example, just last night I replace my home thermostat with a Nest Second Generation Wi-Fi enabled one, which took me around an hour or so, between going back and forth to the breaker box and documenting and removing the old unit then installing the new one, and even though in the end my sciatica did flair up just a bit causing my right leg to go a little numb I was able to deal with the whole thing without sitting once. And that was all after I replaced the guest bathroom shower head with one I purchased months ago but haven’t had the inkling to get it done until now.

I did however forget to drink during that hour so I got a little dehydrated, but I managed to rehydrate with little effort. So tonight I plan to replace the door knobs (2 of them) that have been giving me trouble and take a look at why my office door doesn’t shut properly. It’s really nice to be able to start doing things like this again.

~rev (432 Pounds)

I’ve managed to get my protein intake up enough (thanks to the powder) I’m again losing weight! Also I’m definitely more mobile than I have been in a long time and I put a shirt on today I’ve not worn in over 2 years so all in all it’s a nice way to end my week. I had a friend visiting from out of town all week and I just dropped him off at the airport so for the first time in just over 3 weeks I’m going to get some truly alone time. While it’s been great seeing friends and visiting my sister & brother-in-law and their kids it will be really nice to just veg out a bit today with my thoughts.

On another topic I’m really starting to find more and more energy so I’m thinking I may take up walking at the local park this week. I’ll go Monday after work and see how it goes, and if it goes well enough I’ll try to start doing that 2-3 times a week for now. Ultimately in March of next year (or the year after perhaps) I want to walk in the Walk from Obesity 3K or 5K. I won’t likely run much but I think I have it in me to get there by next year, so wish me luck.

Also while I’m not sleeping in my bed just yet I am getting a good night’s sleep on my recliner and I think next weekend I may try to sleep in my bed again; I’ll let you know how that goes. I’m eating well enough and so far I’ve not had (knock on wood) any vomiting from eating too fast or anything bad, though I came close once or twice this week, mostly from the omelet I made which while very tasty was a bit too spicy (lightly pan scrambled omelet with spinach, diced tomato, onion,  and jalapenos), and I have had issues with eating too quickly causing some pressure (which is painful) but does subside quickly enough. All in all I am definitely on track for where I need to be which means I’ll likely lose the bet I made with my best friend Scott. He thinks I’ll lose 50 pounds in the first month after surgery and I don’t think I will. I’ll let you all know how the bet goes on April 30th when I weigh that day but it does look like he’s going to win. So the bet is simple. If I win he has to drive to Knoxville to see the new Star Trek movie in IMAX 3D and if he wins I have to drive to Nashville to watch it there. Either way I’ll get to see a hopefully fantastic movie!

I leave you today with the simple hope that my sharing can help you if you’re in the process of making the decision to have bariatric surgery, I’ve watch my friend lose 170 pounds and I’ve already lost so much that I know it’s the best thing I could ever to for myself. So I hope you all can Share & Enjoy. (it’s not just  the slogan of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation)

~rev (437 Pounds)

Well not really, but when I went to the optometrist today I decided not to sit in the waiting room but rather walk or pace a little until I felt I needed to sit. As it turns out that time never came and I was able to stand for 20 minutes while I waited for my appointment to begin as well as standing after the appointment while I looked at frames and they ran my insurance information ,etc. This time last year I was about 100 pounds heavier and was barely able to walk into the vision center let alone simply stand in the waiting room, so that’s a pretty significant change in mobility. 

On a completely different topic, but back to my journey to find my lean so to speak I find I’ve not really lost any weight in 3 days so I know for sure I’m not getting enough protein as I mentioned yesterday, so this morning I had a protein powder filled yogurt for breakfast and will do the same tomorrow I guess, and the next day….I may have to also start adding a smoothie into my liquid intake to get the level up more.

I may also need to find some better food to eat. While my spinach salads are great they offer very little protein and since I’m not healed up enough to eat protein bars I may have to hold off on salads for a while and focus on other stuff. Still all in all I’m focused and in ready to hit the next level, which for me I think is to start walking a little bit. I’m not sure how much just yet, but I’ll let you know how it goes this weekend. That’s all for today….thanks for following along on my journey.

~rev (441 Pounds)