Day 21 - The First Victory!

After being stalled out for 10 days, I finally dropped the 50th pound this morning. I hope this is a sign that this stall is over and I can begin losing again.

There are small victories everywhere at this point. My pants are loose. I'm starting to feel it in my shirts. Even my shoes fit better. I was able to get into some shorts that were previously too small.

More importantly though, the results are noticeable in my joints. I wake up every morning now without an aching back, sore knees, and agitated ankles. I can walk a mile with no discomfort, which had gotten impossible because of nagging knee pain.

And as I mentioned yesterday on Facebook, my blood pressure continues to stay low without medication. That just tickles the pee pee out of me.

At this point, the diet has turned into something closely resembling the Atkins diet - Meat, Eggs, and Cheese. Those are the things loaded with protein and so they must be the focus at every "meal." Because I can only eat ~2oz of food at a time, once I get my protein I'm not hungry for much else. Which means I've left carbs behind for the most part. I haven't had any fruit in a month or two. And veggies are an afterthought.

Now that I'm getting the daily requirement of protein, my energy level has increased. I find myself anxious to break the bonds of my lifting restrictions.

One of the things I'm still struggling with is the inability to drink with my meals. For the rest of my life, I'll have to drink 30 minutes before or after my meal. But drinking with my meal can lead to dumping syndrome, which is apparently just as nasty as it sounds. I've been very fortunate thus far to have avoided any type of reactions to foods, and I hope it stays that way. Still, the normal human within wants a sip of tea to cleanse his palate between bites.

I'm trying to get into a regular exercise routine. Last night I was able to walk a little over a mile. My goal is to try to do that 5 times a week. Once the sun begins to set and the temps drop, it becomes fairly pleasant outside again. To hell with walking during my lunch hour. It's too damn hot out there right now, and I'm still battling staying hydrated as it is.

I have my first post-op followup on Thursday with the surgeon. I don't expect any ground-breaking revelations. My incisions have healed nicely. According to the nutritionist I'm ahead of schedule with regards to weight loss. I can't imagine there is much he can yell at me about. We'll see.

Until then, thanks for following along as I become half the man I used to be.

Weight this morning: 391 (-50lbs)

Regards,
The Vanishing Taylor