Thanks much to Ben for sending in this story. Ben is 6'3" and weighed 560 pounds at his heaviest. He was refused gastric bypass surgery because of the health risks but has succeeded in losing over 200 pounds on his own since then. I just wanted to share my story, but I am still a work in progress! I'm 34 years old and stand 6'3 I have always been a big boy! All my adult life
Like everyone else that ever had weight problems I denied I was that bad or that big, even with the border line type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, with all the Drs warnings, and such I ignored them all. I wasn't that big and no one told me what to eat, through the years.
I tried diets and I would do them for few months and I would double my weight back that I lost and I did this for years! I was told by my physician that bariatric surgery was the only way I could get my weight off, (at that time i weighed around 420lb) but I didn't have the money and insurance didn't want to help me out on it, so that was a no go.
Fast forward a little and about two years ago, I hurt my back while I was at work, I learned at that time that I would have to have surgery. All the physical therapy and injections in my back didn't work, I knew that surgery would be risky because I was overweight, but I was left with no other options. Drs didn't want to touch me because I was such a health risk, finally after several drs one said he could help me!
So he scheduled a surgery but I would have to pass all the pre surgery physicals first, well at that time I thought I was weighing around 470lb, "again with all the denying" so when I weighed in I was a staggering in at over 560lb and it could been more than that because I really couldn't get accurate weight because I was so heavy! So I flunked the weight part, and then I learned my blood work was horrible because of a fatty liver!
So, at this time, the Dr. had to cancel my surgery. The Dr. told me that bad news and told me that if I didn't get my weight off somehow that my back was gonna cripple me and then I would probably be immobile and dead within 2 years. I knew I was in bad shape because I couldn't even walk to Wal-Mart, because I was out of breath. But here I was in my early 30s and I'm being told I would never see 40 and or be in a wheel chair!
That day was the lowest absolute worst day of my life I hit rock bottom all my years of ignoring my weight and denying myself caught up with me! I felt so ashamed and humiliated! I couldn't have gastric bypass to fix my weight issues! What was I to do? After about a couple days feeling sorry for myself I picked myself up and went down to our local YMCA! There I began a weight journey that has changed my whole life!
I started counting my calories I would only allow myself 1400 a day and I would keep a journal of everything I ate and drank. I would go to the gym 5-6 times a week and I had to start with water aerobics because I didn't have the energy to do more, I took baby steps. And more and more the weight would come off! The more I saw the disappearance the more determined I became.
22 months later here I am still determined! I've lost well over 200lbs by going to gym 5-6 days a week for hour and half a day, and by counting calories and that being around 1400 or less a day, and I would allow myself one cheat day a week. I don't allow myself to go crazy on my cheat days. My blood work is now all stable and I am having surgery in 4 weeks.
All I know is if I can do it anybody can do it. I had the word SACRIFICE & DEDICATION tattoo on my forearm to let me know everyday that I can do it. Even though i still have a ways to go, I know I found the tools to continue success because this is forever, not just a fad thing anymore!!
Thank you for letting me share my story and I hope I can help inspire others... P.S. At my heaviest I was over 560lb now I'm around 350 and "counting" went from size "58" waist to size "44" here few pics from my heaviest to just last week.. Ben Stanton
