findinglean.com

I have way to much to say in a written entry…so watch this video instead. I’m sorry for the fuzzy video as I completely missed my floor mark after setting the depth of field on the 20mm lens.

Also I’m still looking for that dragon con footage…when I find it I will push the link here so come back later! Also (and maybe I’m just paranoid) but while editing I swear I noticed some grey hair dammit! Oh and I should have shaved…meh…

And if you want a little behind the scenes check this out for the first two minutes of footage to hit the cutting room floor. The rest however is gone…That video is posted over @ facebook.com/stephenrea

~rev (358 pounds)

It’s been a bit since my last post and I am working on putting a new video up soon as well, but sometimes life gets in the way and you end up busier than you expected. And in my case you add to that busy by working on a new project but more about that later in the post.

First off I’d like to talk about something I started doing recently that I’d honestly never thought I’d do. I joined a tanning place and have started tanning once a week (have been twice now) as a result of a conversation with (of all people) my dermatologist. I have psoriasis and sunlight is the best thing for me but a tanning bed is a good alternative and while my goal is over all skin health and not a good tan I’ve noticed color in just two visits and I’ve noticed my plaques are fading away. Now part of the reason for the psoriasis change for the better is I’ve also started taking Enbrel which is an injectable medication that has also been helping with my psoriatic arthritis as well as my visible psoriasis. So all in all I’m looking better and feeling better…and as it turns out on my way to a pretty good tan of all things.

Moving on but keeping with general health I am happy to say that my tendon issue with my left ankle (Achilles) is pretty much better now and I’ve started walking again and additionally I’ve started a once a month massage regiment (tomorrow is my next one) and that has really helped out with my lower back pain. In fact speaking for someone who was on 90 mg of Morphine a day less than a year ago even…I’m down to 30mg and thinking that pretty soon I may be able to drop to a lower end (less narcotic) pain killer all together as I both build strength in my back muscles and continue to lose the weight.

I’ve started cooking again as I mentioned in one of my last updates and while also working around the house digging through boxes I found this cookbook that a friend and former employer gave me several years ago. Needless to say I’m going to enjoy trying some of these recipes again. So far I’ve been fairly lucky with what I’ve been able to eat.

I just had moment of pause and remembered by it’s a bad idea to take so long to write a new post…I’m still not done talking about health and fitness.

Now to my sleeping issues. As I’ve mentioned previously I have, as most if not all obese people do, sleep apnea (obstructive) and in my case mine was so bad when I was tested 2 years ago that not only am I using a BiPAP (assisted inhale and exhale) to sleep with but I also am on 4 liters of Oxygen when sleeping. Recently I had my pressure reduced somewhat and last night I slept with a logging pulse oximeter to check my O2 levels while sleeping without the added 4 liters of 02 and while I’m not the doctor I did look at the machine this morning and I’m thinking I may be off my nightly O2 all together based on what I saw. I’ll know for sure later this week and will update for sure.

One last note. I’m taking a short vacation to go see my sister (brother-in-law) and their kids next week and on my way I’ll be stopping in Nashville to attend a support group meeting on Wednesday. If you are thinking of having or have already had bariatric surgery don’t just go to the one mandated support group meeting….go as often as you can. I can say for me they have helped quite a bit.

Enjoy the week and hopefully I’ll see you sooner next time…oh I almost forgot. That “other project” I’ve been working on. I’m starting a new podcast over @ thatstupidpodcast.com and while I can’t tell you what it’s about it starts in 2 weeks if all goes according to plan. Are you ready?

~rev (384 Pounds)

Not much to say…just watch the video. But I did want to mention one quick thing. Sugar-free popsicles are the business. Oh and Falling Skies Premiers tonight! Summer TV is the reason my treadmill is near the television.

~rev (403 Pounds)

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)

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)