Weight Loss Surgery

ttf_ericrich
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Post by ttf_ericrich »

Nice work mate!

I wish you continued success with your health for the rest of your life!

Justin
ttf_Geezerhorn
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Post by ttf_Geezerhorn »

AND on top of it all - the holiday season - where NO ONE loses weight!!!!!!! WOW!

...Geezer
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: Doug Elliott on Dec 27, 2016, 09:45PMWow, that is amazing progress!
I wonder how you can lose it that fast and still have stamina and chops to play lots of gigs.  I guess the simple fact that you're hauling less around gives you more energy.
Congratulations, it sounds like you're doing really well.

My guess is that it has to do with the fact that fat is stored energy - so, since I'm eating so little, I'm burning up the fat.

I've definitely been busy - at least one job a day every day this month except 12/5, 12/25, and today (which I took for myself - I have a small strain in my back, and some bigger jobs the next few days, so my lower money gig got subbed out in favor of resting that back).

I have had enough energy - I'm worn out now, but I was at this point last year too (same deal then), so that just has to do with being on essentially non-stop for a month.

Quote from: Geezerhorn on Dec 28, 2016, 05:37AMAND on top of it all - the holiday season - where NO ONE loses weight!!!!!!! WOW!

...Geezer

Pretty hard to NOT lose weight when you can't eat more than a few ounces at a time!

That being said, I've indulged in some treats that I normally don't have during the year - holiday cookies, for example. But, where I used to eat more of them, I am eating a lot less. That also might be why the weight loss slowed a bit (in fact, I'm sure of it) - we will see once we've finished the last of the holiday treats how the numbers start moving again.

Quote from: Muffinman on Dec 27, 2016, 10:37PMNice work mate!

I wish you continued success with your health for the rest of your life!

Justin

Thanks!

ttf_harrison.t.reed
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Post by ttf_harrison.t.reed »

Stupendous!

Do you feel like you might have a new lease on your life? Losing that much must have given you a DECADE or even TWO to live beyond whatever you would have had without losing weight. Maybe even more! How great is that?!

Keep on trucking!
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: harrison.t.reed on Jan 01, 2017, 10:38AMStupendous!

Do you feel like you might have a new lease on your life? Losing that much must have given you a DECADE or even TWO to live beyond whatever you would have had without losing weight. Maybe even more! How great is that?!

Keep on trucking!

I'll be honest - I don't feel like I have a new lease on life, in terms of longevity. That may have to do with the fact that, except for sleep apnea (under control with a oral/dental device), and a knee that I've had 2 surgeries on, my health was, and continues to be, excellent (pristine bloodwork, except for a vitamin D deficiency which my doctor said nearly every American has now). As my doctor put it, if it weren't for my weight, I'd be one of her healthiest patients. Now, I have no disillusionment as to what might be coming my way had I not lost the weight - the risks for diabetes, heart disease, etc, were a lot higher, and I'm sure I would have faced SOMETHING at some point because of the weight. But, it's hard to feel like I've gained a longer life when I was feeling great already.

However, I do notice that things that used to wear me out, don't as much anymore. If I had to climb a lot of stairs (not my regular stairs in the house, but 3 or 4 stories or more), it would be tiring. Now, I can do that and not be as tired. My bad knee doesn't bother me as much. And, because I had to be acutely aware of how much I was carrying during recovery, I'm now aware of how much weight 20, 30, 40 lbs is when I'm carrying equipment now, and it shocks me to think I was carrying a lot MORE than that in excess weight.

I'm getting excited about another milestone I'm approaching. I'm about 13 pounds away from the lowest weight I've ever been as an adult. Once I hit that, I'll be in new territory - and I'm very curious and excited to see where that will take me.

As a another note, here's an interesting article published last week about gastric bypass surgery. Bypass is more drastic than what I had - they usually makes the stomach even smaller than what they do for gastric sleeve, and they reroute the intestines so your body bypasses some of the small intestine, making it harder to absorb as many calories. But, it's an interesting article because it does talk about how the entire system that regulates our weight changes when someone has the gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront

And, the times also did an article earlier this year about the Biggest Loser contestants, and how their weight struggles (nearly all regain the weight, most regain most or all of what they lost) have shed a lot of new light on how our bodies regulate weight.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?_r=0


ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: BMadsen on Dec 27, 2016, 08:50PMAn update...

I'm now down 69 pounds since 10/12. That's an average of 27.6 pounds a month.

My weight loss is slowing, but is still continuing. This is expected, but, after seeing the weight just drop, a little disappointing (I know it will continue, but there is something about seeing that scale move that quickly that is very motivating).

So, the above was a mistype - and I didn't notice at the time. I do apologize. I'll attribute it to late December exhaustion, because the accompanying math was also based on the wrong data. It was actually 59 lbs, and 23.6 lbs a month.

I'm now down 75 lbs, averaging around 20 lbs a month. As you can see, the weight loss is slowing, as expected. I've also hit that milestone - I'm the same weight I was when I was 20 (last was this weight in May of 2003).

The doctor believes I'll settle anywhere between 100 - 130 lbs lost, all in all. They figure I'll hit that point in July. That would be 9 months, which is an average of 11-14 lbs a month at that point. Considering I have 25-55 lbs to go, that's 5 - 11 lbs a month.

At this point, the weight loss, while still something I'm watching and excited about, doesn't occupy a central role in my thinking. Most of the changes that I had to deal with regarding eating are now habits, and I don't even miss most of the old foods I used to eat and can't anymore.

I will say I am noticing some changes in my tastes. I used to have to be really careful with sweets, because while I wouldn't crave them, when I got started on them, it was hard to stop (so I mostly aimed to avoid them, and did so successfully most of the time). Now, I can enjoy a sweet from time to time without that drive to keep eating them - and it doesn't have to do with fullness. I CAN eat more than one of my wife's homemade chocolate chip cookies (they are small). I now find one is enough.

I am noticing a little bit of extra skin. That is normal, from what I understand - it can take up to 2 years for the skin to catch up to the weight loss because it happens so fast, so I'm not worried. But, it's enough that I'm one size of pants bigger than I was when I was last this weight.

I still, occasionally, eat too fast and have some issues. But, I'm getting very good at knowing what I can eat without any problems, and when I have to eat fast on a gig, always eat less than I probably could to ensure no issues.

All in all, I would highly recommend this to anyone considering it, who is willing to follow the recommendations for the diet, and can stick to the vitamin regimen. To say it's life-changing is an understatement - while I'm not skinny, I look trim now. I'm down 10.5 points on the BMI scale (an imperfect measure of health, but nice to know). And, believe it or not, I notice my car getting better gas mileage, by almost 1 mpg!
ttf_BGuttman
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Post by ttf_BGuttman »

Thanks for the update, Brad.  This is really interesting.  I hope you check back in April to see how you are doing.  Meanwhile, keep helping us with our playing issues when you can.
ttf_Geezerhorn
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Post by ttf_Geezerhorn »

I was wondering about you. You're doing amazing!

It's interesting how the tastes can change. Wife & I turned mostly vegan about 2 years ago and our tastes have definitely changed. It's all what you get used to.

Keep going strong!

...Geezer
ttf_BillO
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Post by ttf_BillO »

This is amazing Brad.   Image

I wish you the best on this voyage.  You're a real trooper!


ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: BGuttman on Feb 22, 2017, 05:44PMThanks for the update, Brad.  This is really interesting.  I hope you check back in April to see how you are doing.  Meanwhile, keep helping us with our playing issues when you can.

Will do. I've been slammed lately - had a record January, fantastic February, and just scored a great opportunity that will very likely be very lucrative, and fun. It means playing a different axe for that gig (non-low brass), but definitely worth it.

Been working a lot as a consequence (I'll share the whole story of that opportunity when I can go public with it), so I haven't had much time to chime in. I will when I can though!  Image
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

As promised, I'm back.

I've been SUPER slammed as of late, so I'll have to re-acquaint myself with what's going on with the other boards, but my weight loss is progressing very well!

Back in February, I was down 59 lbs. I'm now down 91 lbs  Image. I think I mentioned before I will probably lose somewhere between 100 - 130, so I'm closing in on the low range of that. I also crossed another milestone - I'm now down over 100 lbs from my max weight ever.

To give you all a sense of the roller coaster ride I've been on, things have been good, for the most part, but I started having issues taking my multi-vitamins. If you've read up on this surgery, or any other weight loss surgery, you know that it's vitally important to take them. I had to work closely with my team to solve the issue, but it looks like I'm back on track there (was getting nervous - there are lots of stories out there of people not staying compliant with their vitamins and ending up in the hospital, so this was not something I took lightly).

I did develop some back issues because of the weight loss, believe it or not. I didn't realize I had developed poor posture because I was leaning on my weight as I played, so the muscles that would normally hurt with bad posture were not strained. I've found a great chiropractic and physical therapy practice, however, and they are setting me right.

Other than that, work just stays busy - this week is a little lighter, but then I have 2 shows, and then May and June are always slammed.

ttf_BillO
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Post by ttf_BillO »

Wow!  Way to go  Image
ttf_robcat2075
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Post by ttf_robcat2075 »

Congratulations!


ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Wow, I have to be better about reading my old posts. I wasn't down 59 in February - I was down 75 lbs, not 59. Either way, that's another 17 lbs.

The nice thing is that, except for the change in portion size due to the surgery, I haven't done much. Haven't made it to the gym because of the back issues, and I just broke my toe, so won't be back there for awhile. I plateaued for a bit, but that was on me - I was not eating as well as I should. But, to be able to say that I didn't gain during that time of not as healthy eating is awesome - and I'm back to eating well again, so it was just a short time.

As a side benefit, I think my migraines are, for the most part, completely resolved. I usually get 3-4 a year as a matter ofncourse. My last one was 2 months before the surgery. So, I'm at 8 months with no migraines. Very, very happy about that!  Image
ttf_timothy42b
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Post by ttf_timothy42b »

Quote from: BMadsen on Apr 22, 2017, 02:28AM
As a side benefit, I think my migraines are, for the most part, completely resolved. I usually get 3-4 a year as a matter ofncourse. My last one was 2 months before the surgery. So, I'm at 8 months with no migraines. Very, very happy about that!  Image

Mine came back after weight loss.  Weird.  I'm up a few pounds from that and holding steady, and the migraines have abated again. 
ttf_sterb225
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Post by ttf_sterb225 »

Thanks to Brad and everyone participating in this thread.  I am going for my first consult this coming week to weigh the surgical options.  I am happy to know that the gap in playing is so short even though I am only a weekend warrior now days and rarely gig anymore.  The issue with back pain is interesting, I'll have to give some though to how I 'use' the lump of fat I carry above my belt when I play so I start correcting bad habits well in advance of it being a thing of the past!   
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: sterb225 on Apr 22, 2017, 08:08PMThanks to Brad and everyone participating in this thread.  I am going for my first consult this coming week to weigh the surgical options.  I am happy to know that the gap in playing is so short even though I am only a weekend warrior now days and rarely gig anymore.  The issue with back pain is interesting, I'll have to give some though to how I 'use' the lump of fat I carry above my belt when I play so I start correcting bad habits well in advance of it being a thing of the past!  

Very excited for you! Definitely worth keeping an eye on your posture - you may not have that issue, but it came out of left field for me. I've basically resolved it, except when I'm in a bad chair (as I was last week for a run of Urinetown), and even then it's manageable.

Wish you all the best on your journey!
ttf_sterb225
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Post by ttf_sterb225 »

Updating this thread with my current experience.

I am surprised by the number of very comprehensive pre-surgical tests that have been needed.  The down side is the length of time these collectively take to get through and the up side is the depth to which I know in what areas of my physiology there are issues and not.

After meeting the nutritionist, I am starting to practice the type of diet that will be required for my long term post surgical life.  It was quite enlightening to really get down to the basic needs of my metabolism and the best ways to keep myself fueled without gaining weight or losing lean muscle mass in the process.  Even if you are never considering surgical intervention and struggle with weight, a nutritionist can be an amazing help.  I have already lost 20 lbs, in a short period and can predict with deadly accuracy whether or not I will be up or down on the scale in the AM based on what sins I may have or not committed in my eating over the prior day or two.  Knowledge is indeed powerful.

I am nearly complete with all my tests and am looking forward to getting my surgical date.  My surgeon has asked for 4 weeks off the horn to avoid herniating incisions (not worried about the actual surgical site).  I am going to petition for a shorter layoff ... but 4 weeks is not terrible considering I am not making a living on the horn.

Updates to come.
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

That's great to hear!

I only needed a week and a half off the horn, but my surgeon asked I be conservative in my return (started with very easy gigs, and built up as the weeks passed). But, most important thing is you heal well. And, you will have lifting restrictions, so you have to abide by those (I couldn't play my Sousa or big tuba for 6 weeks, but my mini tuba and all my other horns were in the clear the week and a half after.

I played for my surgeon so they could feel how my abdominal muscles were activated when playing - you may want to consider that so they can better assess how much time you'll need off.

I'm currently hanging out between 95 and 100 lbs lost. I'm finally back at the gym, and very grateful for that. I am very happy with the way I look, and I feel great (although I always did). I miss a few foods I can no longer eat or drink (missing my seltzer, for instance), but I'd rather have all this weight off, so it's a worthwhile trade off. And, staying compliant on my vitamins is easy.

ttf_Geezerhorn
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Post by ttf_Geezerhorn »

I always look forward to seeing your updates.

My hat's off to you!

...Geezer
ttf_robcat2075
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Post by ttf_robcat2075 »

Quote from: BMadsen on Jul 11, 2017, 06:19AM... I miss a few foods I can no longer eat or drink (missing my seltzer, for instance)...



Why is Seltzer banned?
ttf_BillO
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Post by ttf_BillO »

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jul 11, 2017, 10:45AM
Why is Seltzer banned?
Because of the gas it produces, maybe?
ttf_timothy42b
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Post by ttf_timothy42b »

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jul 11, 2017, 10:45AM
Why is Seltzer banned?

High in sodium.
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: BillO on Jul 11, 2017, 10:54AMBecause of the gas it produces, maybe?

Correct - can stretch the stomach out in the worst case (long term drinking of it). Best case, it will just make you sick since the gas needs to go someplace, and since the stomach after surgery doesn't have much give, it comes back up and pushes out the liquid along with the gas.
ttf_FlamingRain
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Post by ttf_FlamingRain »

Fantastic Brad, it's awesome to hear about your progress with your surgery from a perspective like yours.

Question for you: Did you pursue it because of the possible health risks from being overweight or a body image thing? Just curious what your motivation was.

I guess I can share my side of the coin:

I have a similar background where I have also been heavy since elementary/middle school, but for the most part, especially since high school, I have been very physically able, and I've also been very healthy as well. I've never broken anything, been to the hospital for anything and I've only ever taken antibiotics once for an ear infection.

At my worst, at the end of my first year of my undergrad here, I was at 265 lbs, and that was when I wasn't working out regularly and eating typical freshman dorm BS for a year. I started running 3 times a week, started just cutting down on portions and eating smarter and I went down to 208 by the opening of my Junior year here. I don't know what my weight was but in high school I did lifeguarding for a semester and with how that kicked me into shape I'd imagine my weight was around 208 as well at the time. My high school swim coach wanted me to be on the team even at my weight. On average right now, I run 2.5 to 3 miles about 3 times a week and my average pace is like 9 minutes (it was down near 8:30 for a while...)

I'm hovering around in the same range between 210 and 220 for the last year, and it seems like that whenever I miss a couple of workouts I immediately put the weight directly back on. I've had a blood test and I'm healthy except for one anomaly with my hematocrit which the doc wasnt terribly worried about especially because of my physical shape. I exercise and watch my portions decently well. The only thing that I can think of is that I have a bit of a a sweet tooth but I control it fairly well, just trying to have a small dessert at night...

I'm just curious as to what perspective you came from to help me think about it. I definitely have some body image issues which contribute  anxiety issues that stem from my rough upbringing, my minds tendency to run at 1000mph and my social anxiety.


ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: FlamingRain on Jul 25, 2017, 11:35PMFantastic Brad, it's awesome to hear about your progress with your surgery from a perspective like yours.

Question for you: Did you pursue it because of the possible health risks from being overweight or a body image thing? Just curious what your motivation was.

I guess I can share my side of the coin:

I have a similar background where I have also been heavy since elementary/middle school, but for the most part, especially since high school, I have been very physically able, and I've also been very healthy as well. I've never broken anything, been to the hospital for anything and I've only ever taken antibiotics once for an ear infection.

At my worst, at the end of my first year of my undergrad here, I was at 265 lbs, and that was when I wasn't working out regularly and eating typical freshman dorm BS for a year. I started running 3 times a week, started just cutting down on portions and eating smarter and I went down to 208 by the opening of my Junior year here. I don't know what my weight was but in high school I did lifeguarding for a semester and with how that kicked me into shape I'd imagine my weight was around 208 as well at the time. My high school swim coach wanted me to be on the team even at my weight. On average right now, I run 2.5 to 3 miles about 3 times a week and my average pace is like 9 minutes (it was down near 8:30 for a while...)

I'm hovering around in the same range between 210 and 220 for the last year, and it seems like that whenever I miss a couple of workouts I immediately put the weight directly back on. I've had a blood test and I'm healthy except for one anomaly with my hematocrit which the doc wasnt terribly worried about especially because of my physical shape. I exercise and watch my portions decently well. The only thing that I can think of is that I have a bit of a a sweet tooth but I control it fairly well, just trying to have a small dessert at night...

I'm just curious as to what perspective you came from to help me think about it. I definitely have some body image issues which contribute  anxiety issues that stem from my rough upbringing, my minds tendency to run at 1000mph and my social anxiety.



Hey,

I was worried about long term health. My health before the surgery was excellent except for the weight. Great cholesterol, heart rate, ect. As my doctor put it, I was one of her healthiest patients except for the weight. But, I have a fair number of bigger friends and colleagues who are anywhere from 5 - 30 years older than myself. Some took good care of themselves, some didn't. All had some health issues related to their weight, and I didn't want to walk down that path if I could avoid it. After trying for two years to lose weight with diet and excercise (and failing due to my issues with migraines and hunger), I finally sought help.

There are some pretty strict requirements to qualify for the surgery (at least, for insurance purposes). Usually, a BMI of 35+ with two obesity related health issues, or 40+ with none is required to qualify. Some of the health issues that qualify are sleep apnea, heart disease, diabetes, etc, although every insurance carrier is different. I was at a BMI of 44. Then, even if you qualify, there are usually a lot of hoops to jump through to still qualify, including a meeting with a psycho therapist to ensure you are a good candidate mentally for it.

If you can keep the weight off without it, definitely don't have the surgery - unless you are really short, your BMI is probably not high enough, and it's not worth paying out of pocket for it. And there are other attendant things that come with the surgery - you can't eat certain foods anymore (well, some can, but it's not recommended as most can't tolerate them, and they can negate the surgery in the long term), and you have to take a lot of vitamins everyday for the rest of your life. Not worth it if you can manage it on your own. I tried for years with no success, so I knew I needed the help.
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

So, another update.

I'm now about a year in (a week out). I saw my doctor for my 1 year followup on Monday. According to their records, I'm down 104 lbs! (less by my count, but I'll take the higher number  Image)

I'm seeing the weight loss slow significantly at this point, but I'm still seeing body changes as I continue working out. I'm into a pretty solid program of 3-5 workouts a week (at least 2 weight training workouts, and at least 1 run).

It's amazing - I have been able to start running again, and it feels amazing. In 2 months, I've gotten myself to running over 3 miles per run, and at a pace of less than 10:00 min a mile! Even at my peak running days in college, I was hitting an 11 min mile for 5 miles.

For the first time ever as an adult, I have also hit some clothing sizes I never expected to hit (even after having the surgery). I was wearing XXL or XXXL, deeding on the brand before the surgery. I just bought new clothes for the fall/winter, and bought some M and some L shirts. I have been a L all summer, so having to buy M so they fit right was quite a nice feeling! As for pants, at my lowest weight, I could wear a 38 waist - I just bought new jeans that are a 36 waist!

Playing-wise, I can definitely say it's improved my playing. Not so much the actual playing, but the stamina needed for gigs. I play the San Gennaro feast in NYC every year, and usually by the end my back is destroyed - need a couple days of rest to recover. This year, no trouble whatsoever - finished the gigs, kept on working without a break! And, day by day, I was less tired, even on my long days with 2 or 3 gigs back to back.

I'll update as I have news, but will probably wait for major milestones at this point. My hope is this thread will help musicians decide if this surgery is right for them. I'm not perfect in what I'm eating by any means, but I'm pretty good - and I'm holding to the major things (no carbonated beverages, little to no bread/pasta, taking my vitamins, etc). If this thread can illustrate that it's possible to live a normal, happy life after the surgery, keep playing, and be at a healthy weight and not be deprived, then it's worth pursuing if other options have not worked out.
ttf_robcat2075
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Post by ttf_robcat2075 »

Congratulations on the good results!

Quote from: BMadsen on Oct 11, 2017, 01:09PM
I'll update as I have news, but will probably wait for major milestones at this point.

What would you say are the milestones still to be achieved?
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Quote from: robcat2075 on Oct 15, 2017, 08:44AMCongratulations on the good results!

What would you say are the milestones still to be achieved?

At this point, I've been holding pretty steady between 212-217. If I can get that below 210, then every 10 lbs below that. Or, if I find that my clothing sizes change significantly. Or if my weight holds, but my shape changes (going from the "dad bod" look to something more toned). Hard to know at this point - I feel like I'm pretty much where I will be, so I'm interested in what my efforts will bring as time goes on.
ttf_sterb225
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Post by ttf_sterb225 »

Reviving the thread now that I am 2 days post-op.  In the build up to the procedure I spent quite a bit of effort on trying to maintain a good routine and focusing on basics so my layoff will not be too difficult to bounce back from.  I've put all the horns into their boxes knowing that in a week or so as my pain subsides they will become a temptation.  Part of my prep over the 10 months leading up to this was to make adjustments in the way I treat food and a result of that effort was to lose 50 lbs.  These first 50 lbs have revealed that my posture was/is very different with all that weight on the frame, and as I have been losing I have had to adjust the way I support the horn and myself when playing ... which I am sure will continue to change even further over the coming months.
ttf_robcat2075
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Post by ttf_robcat2075 »

May your recovery continue well!

Quote from: sterb225 on Jan 26, 2018, 05:13AM These first 50 lbs have revealed that my posture was/is very different with all that weight on the frame, and as I have been losing I have had to adjust the way I support the horn and myself when playing

What is changing?
ttf_sterb225
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Post by ttf_sterb225 »

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jan 26, 2018, 09:57AMMay your recovery continue well!

What is changing?

As my dimensions around the belt have been shrinking I have come to realize that I had been sort of leaning on my belly when seated and playing ... which has meant adjustment to my posture as the weight leaves.  I am also finding that my lung capacity is increased without the weight and engaging my lower abdomen is also easier.  I'll keep updating over the coming months ... though it will be 4 weeks until I pick a horn back up. 
ttf_BMadsen
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Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Congrats on having the surgery! I'm surprised they want you to take 4 weeks off from playing, but your circumstances likely differ from mine, so definitely follow the advice of your surgeon.

Also glad to hear you've lost so much already!

I had the same issue - leaning on my belly and not realizing it. I would suspect it's more common among those of us who have/had a belly than we realize. Keep on adjusting your posture, and watch that when you start playing again that you continue to maintain good posture - I ended up with some significant back pain because I didn't realize I had poor posture after I lost the weight (solved it with chiropractic care and strength training).

Keep up the good work!
ttf_BMadsen
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Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2018 11:59 am

Weight Loss Surgery

Post by ttf_BMadsen »

Congrats on having the surgery! I'm surprised they want you to take 4 weeks off from playing, but your circumstances likely differ from mine, so definitely follow the advice of your surgeon.

Also glad to hear you've lost so much already!

I had the same issue - leaning on my belly and not realizing it. I would suspect it's more common among those of us who have/had a belly than we realize. Keep on adjusting your posture, and watch that when you start playing again that you continue to maintain good posture - I ended up with some significant back pain because I didn't realize I had poor posture after I lost the weight (solved it with chiropractic care and strength training).

Keep up the good work!
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