The Weight of My World

Part of getting myself back is getting back on track with my weight and general physical health.  On April 30th, 2007, I had Gastric Bypass Surgery.  It was deemed necessary by my GP, as I had reached over 300 pounds and have a family history of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.  The thing is, I never minded exercising at all.  I actually enjoyed it.  But my lack of motivation would often torpedo any efforts I made to get back into a fitness routine.

So I met with the folks at the Mass General Weight Center, who set me up with a surgeon, a psychologist, and a nutritionist to determine whether surgery was my best option (as I mentioned in a previous post, it was here that I learned of my ADHD for the first time).  After several meetings, they did finally recommend Gastric Bypass over the lap band procedure.

It was a nerve-wracking decision.  I'd never so much as spent a night in a hospital.  I had no idea what to expect, and of course there's always the possibility that something could go wrong.  But I was also hopeful and optimistic about finally being able to get my weight under control.

The surgery worked.  I lost about 140 pounds, got down to about 175, and my energy and self confidence grew in leaps and bounds.  I felt like I had turned my whole life around.

Unfortunately, the depression and ADHD issues I've previously written about sapped my motivation to keep going, and I gained some of the weight back.  Not a huge amount, but enough that it started becoming a concern for myself and my loved ones.  By the beginning of this past December, I was back up to 212 pounds.

So I determined to hit the gym.  There's a modest one on the first floor of the building I work in, and I started going after work, three days a week.  Treadmill, weight machines, and some ab exercises that I've picked up over the years, and I pretty much just designed my own little program.

This morning, I was down to 198 pounds.

Back under 200, and in a good routine.  I also started cutting way back on my consumption of Arizona Diet Green Tea (I stopped drinking carbonated soda altogether about five months before my surgery) in favor of good old water.  It's funny, I think the water has actually kicked my weight loss into overdrive.  For a few weeks, I was going through a period of losing two pounds and gaining one back, and now it's been only losing.

So it's back to the gym again tomorrow, and Wednesday, and Friday, and the same for next week, and the week after that, and hopefully the progress I've made will compound and continue.  Because I like feeling fit and healthy.  I think I'm going to keep it.