clendaniel
New member
Been a lurker for awhile now but never got around to starting a diary...it's Friday and things have been slow at work so I figured today was as good a day as any!
I'm 6'4" and currently at 400lbs even (this morning) but was 562 on 3/9/07 which may actually have been higher but that was the only 'official' weight I had as the only scale that i wouldn't max was at the bariatric surgeon's office (more on that later). I guess I'll start with a little background...if you don't have some time on your hands you might just wanna skip to the end!
As long as I can remember I was always the 'fat guy'...even as a young kid I can remember squeezing into 'husky' jeans and struggling with my weight. I was relatively active but always seemed to put on weight. A lot can be attributed to my eating habits that I'd honed throughout the years. My meals wouldn't be overboard but in between I had a tendency to graze and would always reach for the high calorie sodas, sports drinks, etc instead of a glass of water. I was ~285 when I graduated highschool and it would only get worse in college...
I was a good student and had actually completed enough courses while in high school to be a 2nd semester sophomore starting college so of course that meant that I could still take 4 years and just have more fun, right? (Not quite...did it in 3.5 but still had fun!) While slacking a bit with 12 credit semesters, etc I joined a fraternity, went to alot of parties, and did my share of binge drinking with its associated late night pizza runs. Where did that get me? Yup, not good...I was about 380 when I got my bachelors.
I was riding high. I was in (I thought) decent health, I had landed a great paying job after leaving another position, had just bought a house, and was driving a nice, new car. This lasted for a couple years and things were basically the same until the tech industry took a dive. Now at first I wasn't too worried, I had the skills, experience, etc not to mention the area of computers I'm in is fairly specialized. Then the layoffs started...not good. I still was pretty confident but as the numbers in our office dwindled over the next year my stress level rose. With the increased stress and worrying came an increase in eating...and the requisite increase in weight.
After about a year I got my walking papers and honestly by that point it was a relief...got a bit of severance and by then I hoped the worst had past and I could pick up a job fairly easily. Boy was I wrong. I remember showing up to interviews with a 1/2 dozen other candidates there as well thinking why bother. One can only imagine what this mentality would result in.
It lasted 11 months and the only reason I didn't gain a significant amount of weight during that period is because I could afford it. Luckily I had good credit (and due to my previous income combined with the 'generous' folks at AMEX, MBNA, and Discover ALOT OF IT) as savings, retirement, stocks, etc were rapidly depleted and my local fabulous unemployment office, who I had paid a small fortune to in the past, informed me that based on what I received in my final check and the maximum per-week benefit I'd be eligible for a claim in approx 60 weeks. Grrrr...ever bought a case of ramen noodles, a loaf of bread, some pb&j on credit? How about trying to and finding that you are over your limit? Well thanks to some great friends who I'll never be able to thank enough I was taken care of...in fact I think I was their adopted son for awhile!
But alas I pulled through, ended up getting a nice position right at the buzzer...managed to get my first check without ever missing a mortgage payment or car payment and with only a couple bills a few days late but not bad enough for a ding against me. I was still here....poorer, but here. It did have an effect, though, as even with an income I had the added stress of huge amounts of debt hanging over my head my eating habits were worse than ever. When strapped for cash in todays society unfortunately the quick and cheap mentality quickly guides you to fastfood and I'd gotten in the habit of just eating out. I can honestly say that I probably averaged a dozen fastfood meals per week and that's on the conservative side. I can try to blame it all on trying to be frugal, always traveling for work, needing something quick/cheap...whatever, it was killing me slowly.
Since our company had a manufacturing facility attached to our offices we had some warehouse space allocated for equipment that we were certifying. One day while retrieving a server I got a bug up my ass to weigh myself on the freight scale...it was a pretty cool device that you could wheel a pallet on and had a big digital display. Jumped on that sucker and will never forget the 427 lit up 10" tall in red LED's. You've never seen a big guy move so fast to get off that thing before anyone saw that number. I was shocked...last I knew I was 380 when I graduated college.
Apparently, though, this didn't have too much of an effect as fast forward about 5 years...I was turning 30 and I began to have health problems. Now mind you up until this point I was always "fat and happy" with little to health problems. So much so that the time between trips to the doctor could be literally measured in decades. I didn't think I had gained that much weight...heck I might've been 450 I thought. But I was having severe issues with sleeping...so much so that I would find myself nodding at work. My back hurt constantly. I would get winded walking into work from the parking lot. I began to avoid trips to the store or anything involving walking/standing for long periods as my knees and back would have me in pain after a half hour or so. After having 'the talk' from my employer about how great I was and how much our clients loved my work but that they were worried as they were beginning to see health issues that were concerning them and then seeing a couple emails between friends about how they were worried about me I decided that things were a little worse then I thought and I needed help.
The first thing that I did was make an appointment for a physical (after choosing a PCP, that is...amusing that I had that insurance for 4 yrs before ever choosing one) knowing that at the very least I needed/wanted a sleep study done and that I wanted to look into bariatric surgery. I was honestly terrified...by then my 'sleep' had degraded to 5-6 hours of tossing, turning, getting up to pee, and waking with a splitting headache. I could only imagine the outcome of a physical...diabetes, high blood pressure, etc, etc. Much to my surprise the physical went rather well. The doc was mildly surprised that I had 'normal' BP and when the labs came back that I actually had low blood sugar and was in normal ranges for everything. I found it amusing that he said if he didn't know about the sleep issues or my size that he'd have thought I was perfectly healthy. Huh, who'd have thought, I guess I had something going for me. Now keep in mind that the scale at the office only went to 350 so I was still in the dark as to how bad things had actually gotten.
I had a sleep study (ended up with 2 separate ones after all was said and done as the pressures were astronomical the first time) and was fitted with a cpap which after a couple weeks had me sleeping like a baby again. I also had a consultation with a local bariatric surgeon after going to an informational session and doing a bunch of research. I wasn't sold on it but I wanted to consider my options. I knew I was out of control and felt that I needed help and that might be it.
So I met with the surgeon...mind you the last time I had been on a scale was when I saw that 427 and that was almost 5 years prior. After a very shocking 562 flashed up on the fancy fat-people-friendly scale I was ushered into the surgeons office to have a consult. During this alot of regurgitated facts that I'd read numerous times and heard at their presentation were thrown out...and then he hit me with it. He can't help me. They have a 'policy' that there's a 450lb limit for patients. WTF? I was confused and a little disheartened. I had just found out that I was >100lbs heavier than I imagined and now hear that they'd be glad to help but come back when you're 450. I was ushered out to the nutritionist who was proud to show off her line of Optifast products and that I was welcome to come back anytime to weigh myself.
Hmph.
Yeah, I was a little pissed...and more than a little depressed. But that number hit hard. I never in a million years thought I would've gotten to that point. 562 was huge, no pun intended. I'd always watched TV and seen 600lb people that were bedridden, ones barely able to get around, and ones with big health problems. How was I five hundred and sixty two pounds? I didn't 'feel' 562...I still got around fine. I still did stuff. I didn't 'look' 562 (shocked some friends too) At that point I felt like surgery was my only option...a 'healthy' weight was a pipe dream....hell I was over 2.5 times my healthy weight.
So what did I do? I busted my ass to try to get to 450...I stuck to that Optifast crap for over a month. It sucked. Bland shakes and soups and a tiny bar once a day...800 calories. Heck at that weight I used 800 calories reaching for the alarm clock in the morning.
To be continued...
I'm 6'4" and currently at 400lbs even (this morning) but was 562 on 3/9/07 which may actually have been higher but that was the only 'official' weight I had as the only scale that i wouldn't max was at the bariatric surgeon's office (more on that later). I guess I'll start with a little background...if you don't have some time on your hands you might just wanna skip to the end!
As long as I can remember I was always the 'fat guy'...even as a young kid I can remember squeezing into 'husky' jeans and struggling with my weight. I was relatively active but always seemed to put on weight. A lot can be attributed to my eating habits that I'd honed throughout the years. My meals wouldn't be overboard but in between I had a tendency to graze and would always reach for the high calorie sodas, sports drinks, etc instead of a glass of water. I was ~285 when I graduated highschool and it would only get worse in college...
I was a good student and had actually completed enough courses while in high school to be a 2nd semester sophomore starting college so of course that meant that I could still take 4 years and just have more fun, right? (Not quite...did it in 3.5 but still had fun!) While slacking a bit with 12 credit semesters, etc I joined a fraternity, went to alot of parties, and did my share of binge drinking with its associated late night pizza runs. Where did that get me? Yup, not good...I was about 380 when I got my bachelors.
I was riding high. I was in (I thought) decent health, I had landed a great paying job after leaving another position, had just bought a house, and was driving a nice, new car. This lasted for a couple years and things were basically the same until the tech industry took a dive. Now at first I wasn't too worried, I had the skills, experience, etc not to mention the area of computers I'm in is fairly specialized. Then the layoffs started...not good. I still was pretty confident but as the numbers in our office dwindled over the next year my stress level rose. With the increased stress and worrying came an increase in eating...and the requisite increase in weight.
After about a year I got my walking papers and honestly by that point it was a relief...got a bit of severance and by then I hoped the worst had past and I could pick up a job fairly easily. Boy was I wrong. I remember showing up to interviews with a 1/2 dozen other candidates there as well thinking why bother. One can only imagine what this mentality would result in.
It lasted 11 months and the only reason I didn't gain a significant amount of weight during that period is because I could afford it. Luckily I had good credit (and due to my previous income combined with the 'generous' folks at AMEX, MBNA, and Discover ALOT OF IT) as savings, retirement, stocks, etc were rapidly depleted and my local fabulous unemployment office, who I had paid a small fortune to in the past, informed me that based on what I received in my final check and the maximum per-week benefit I'd be eligible for a claim in approx 60 weeks. Grrrr...ever bought a case of ramen noodles, a loaf of bread, some pb&j on credit? How about trying to and finding that you are over your limit? Well thanks to some great friends who I'll never be able to thank enough I was taken care of...in fact I think I was their adopted son for awhile!
But alas I pulled through, ended up getting a nice position right at the buzzer...managed to get my first check without ever missing a mortgage payment or car payment and with only a couple bills a few days late but not bad enough for a ding against me. I was still here....poorer, but here. It did have an effect, though, as even with an income I had the added stress of huge amounts of debt hanging over my head my eating habits were worse than ever. When strapped for cash in todays society unfortunately the quick and cheap mentality quickly guides you to fastfood and I'd gotten in the habit of just eating out. I can honestly say that I probably averaged a dozen fastfood meals per week and that's on the conservative side. I can try to blame it all on trying to be frugal, always traveling for work, needing something quick/cheap...whatever, it was killing me slowly.
Since our company had a manufacturing facility attached to our offices we had some warehouse space allocated for equipment that we were certifying. One day while retrieving a server I got a bug up my ass to weigh myself on the freight scale...it was a pretty cool device that you could wheel a pallet on and had a big digital display. Jumped on that sucker and will never forget the 427 lit up 10" tall in red LED's. You've never seen a big guy move so fast to get off that thing before anyone saw that number. I was shocked...last I knew I was 380 when I graduated college.
Apparently, though, this didn't have too much of an effect as fast forward about 5 years...I was turning 30 and I began to have health problems. Now mind you up until this point I was always "fat and happy" with little to health problems. So much so that the time between trips to the doctor could be literally measured in decades. I didn't think I had gained that much weight...heck I might've been 450 I thought. But I was having severe issues with sleeping...so much so that I would find myself nodding at work. My back hurt constantly. I would get winded walking into work from the parking lot. I began to avoid trips to the store or anything involving walking/standing for long periods as my knees and back would have me in pain after a half hour or so. After having 'the talk' from my employer about how great I was and how much our clients loved my work but that they were worried as they were beginning to see health issues that were concerning them and then seeing a couple emails between friends about how they were worried about me I decided that things were a little worse then I thought and I needed help.
The first thing that I did was make an appointment for a physical (after choosing a PCP, that is...amusing that I had that insurance for 4 yrs before ever choosing one) knowing that at the very least I needed/wanted a sleep study done and that I wanted to look into bariatric surgery. I was honestly terrified...by then my 'sleep' had degraded to 5-6 hours of tossing, turning, getting up to pee, and waking with a splitting headache. I could only imagine the outcome of a physical...diabetes, high blood pressure, etc, etc. Much to my surprise the physical went rather well. The doc was mildly surprised that I had 'normal' BP and when the labs came back that I actually had low blood sugar and was in normal ranges for everything. I found it amusing that he said if he didn't know about the sleep issues or my size that he'd have thought I was perfectly healthy. Huh, who'd have thought, I guess I had something going for me. Now keep in mind that the scale at the office only went to 350 so I was still in the dark as to how bad things had actually gotten.
I had a sleep study (ended up with 2 separate ones after all was said and done as the pressures were astronomical the first time) and was fitted with a cpap which after a couple weeks had me sleeping like a baby again. I also had a consultation with a local bariatric surgeon after going to an informational session and doing a bunch of research. I wasn't sold on it but I wanted to consider my options. I knew I was out of control and felt that I needed help and that might be it.
So I met with the surgeon...mind you the last time I had been on a scale was when I saw that 427 and that was almost 5 years prior. After a very shocking 562 flashed up on the fancy fat-people-friendly scale I was ushered into the surgeons office to have a consult. During this alot of regurgitated facts that I'd read numerous times and heard at their presentation were thrown out...and then he hit me with it. He can't help me. They have a 'policy' that there's a 450lb limit for patients. WTF? I was confused and a little disheartened. I had just found out that I was >100lbs heavier than I imagined and now hear that they'd be glad to help but come back when you're 450. I was ushered out to the nutritionist who was proud to show off her line of Optifast products and that I was welcome to come back anytime to weigh myself.
Hmph.
Yeah, I was a little pissed...and more than a little depressed. But that number hit hard. I never in a million years thought I would've gotten to that point. 562 was huge, no pun intended. I'd always watched TV and seen 600lb people that were bedridden, ones barely able to get around, and ones with big health problems. How was I five hundred and sixty two pounds? I didn't 'feel' 562...I still got around fine. I still did stuff. I didn't 'look' 562 (shocked some friends too) At that point I felt like surgery was my only option...a 'healthy' weight was a pipe dream....hell I was over 2.5 times my healthy weight.
So what did I do? I busted my ass to try to get to 450...I stuck to that Optifast crap for over a month. It sucked. Bland shakes and soups and a tiny bar once a day...800 calories. Heck at that weight I used 800 calories reaching for the alarm clock in the morning.
To be continued...
5lbs this week...down to 383 as of this morning. Also started taking measurements, something I wish I had started long ago. Would've really liked to see the progress in that area as I KNOW it's changed significantly.
Allie 
I wanna break 300 like nothing else. I'm looking to do it by the end of Sept. and should be able to hit that pretty easily as I've been averaging a hair over 5lbs/wk for the past couple months. Next goal after that is 281...not a meaningful number to most but for me that will mean I've lost 50% of my bodyweight.