I'm baaaackkkk

[Draconys]

In 2013, I posted the following: 

 

"Hey everyone! My name is Jeff, but I usually go by Draconys.  I just joined the boards here after lurking around Nerdfitness.com for the last week and a half or so.  Let me give you some history: 

 

March 2004, I weighed in at 555lbs. It was an effort to make it from my house to my car. I didn't think I'd live to see my next birthday, which was in April. So I underwent Roux-n-y Gastric Bypass surgery.  If only it had been as simple as that. 
 

After the surgery, I got down to 260lbs, and thought I was doing great. I was very lightly active, as I still had some problems with my back, and my leg joints. Then the weight regain started.  I found that I had received tons of bad info from my nutritionist, and  I was regaining weight slowly but surely. 

 

Fast forward: December 2006, I had a major hernia surgery. The doctor said it was one of the biggest hernias he'd seen in his life. Lovely. Throughout the next few months, I spent a lot of time in pain, and not moving around much. Then the bombshell: while doing an ultrasound to see why I was still in pain from the hernia surgery, they diagnosed me with testicular cancer.  July 2007, I went back under the knife and had that taken care of. Then I spent the next couple months undergoing chemotherapy, and becoming more and more sedentary.  I almost let the cancer and treatment beat me. It pushed me down, farther than I've ever been, and it's been really hard coming back from that. 

 

I've spent most of the time since then spiraling down into depression, with a diagnosis of Bi-polar disorder being added to my growing list of problems. After the chemo, I started developing daily migraines, and have been diagnosed with Transformed Migraines, which is basically a daily headache that never goes away, and that will randomly spike into a full blown migraine. The depression got worse, and i started thinking that maybe I could drink my issues away. Nope, just gained more weight. 

 

I've tried multiple diets, I've failed at going to the gym before, etc, and I had almost just given up. Then came the silver lining to my cloud:  I found Nerdfitness and the paleo diet, both of which resonate well with me. I've spent the last week or so going over all the info I could find, and decided I would give it a shot. I started yesterday, and I think I'm darn near 90% paleo, maybe a bit more. 

 

As of this introduction, I'm back up to 366lbs, and a size 46 waist. I'm setting small goals for now. Work out every day. Get down to size 44 pants. (I'm still better than before my Gastric Bypass, back then I was wearing 52's!)  Plus I'm going to be blogging on this, hoping that keeping up communication out will keep me motivated to keep going.  My blog is  http://psikic.wordpress.com/

 

I'm going to the gym every day, walking about 20 minutes on the treadmill. I'm also trying to do some weights with the machines. I need to get a trainer, but that's something I can't really afford right now. 

 

So that's me, in a nutshell. I am still alive, and continuing the fight. I finally succeeded on my save vs. damage against that damned cancer, and so far I've succed in my dodge checks vs death ray. Now I just need to beat this Boss battle, and I'm all good. 

 

(Edited to add my current Waist size, goal, and blog info.)"

 

So that's my backstory, for the most part. In the last few years, things like my health and life have spiraled down even further. I've lost my home, my car, and my job, all within the last 6 months. I eat (and drink)  worse than I ever have, and I'm all the way back up to about 425lbs and wearing a 50 waist. I can't carry anything because my knees buckle, I can't go down stairs without holding onto things, etc. I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what I can do, when I remembered this website, and the good the Paleo diet did for me a few years ago. I went 100% Paleo for about 2 months, and lost about 40lbs, but then didn't follow through with the lifestyle changes and gained it all back.  So I'm back, to try and work my way back up to level 1 from the negative levels I've sent myself into. Nice to see y'all again. (Oh, and BTW, please ignore the part about the blog, it fell through completely)

[Elastigirl]

Sorry it has been so rough. Glad you came here for support. Have you also though about the NF coaching program? I don't do it, but I know people on the board who have found it really helpful. It might give you some extra one on one accountability and help. We are here for you too, to help encourage you to  beat this boss battle for good.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Welcome to the forums.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jean]

31 minutes ago, Elastigirl said:

Sorry it has been so rough. Glad you came here for support. [...] We are here for you too, to help encourage you to  beat this boss battle for good.

This.

 

Hang in there and don't be afraid to ask for help when the need arises. I find daily 5' walks to be the corner stone to keeping me motivated (because even when I drop everything else, I'm still doing those walks and they remind me that there is a path I'm on and I can make a step forward whenever I put my mind on getting back to it.

 

Grind those levels and take down that boss! It's been overconfident for way too long a time but now, it is your time to shine!

[Nedwin]

Welcome back! We're glad to see you and please let us know if you need anything

[Draconys]

Thanks for the words of welcome, and the kind words of support as well, everyone. I'm glad I remembered this site. I'm starting off with I think a 10 minute walk, and some body weight exercises. Won't be able to do much about changing the diet until Friday, and that's going to be extremely difficult to do. I live with my Dad and Brother, they eat like crap, and all that's in the house is overly processed junk. Making room for my unprocessed foods and stuff is going to be a pain (plus we have no tupperware for advance meal prep. Who doesn't have tupperware in this day and age???).  A question I have, and I hope I don't catch a lot of flack or judgement for this, is how do I cut back on the liquid calories? I tend to drink pretty hardcore a few nights a week, usually Friday and Saturday, and sometimes Wednesday. I basically get the cheapest beer and/or wine I can find (have to, the only non-government money I'm getting is from doing surveys online, and that does not fill the pockets) and binge drink while surfing the 'net. I know that alcohol withdrawal can be one of the most dangerous withdrawals out of all the drugs, so I know I can't just quit. Has anyone else ever dealt with this, and might have some advice  for me? 

[Jean]

1 hour ago, Draconys said:

Won't be able to do much about changing the diet until Friday, and that's going to be extremely difficult to do

 

I'd go with babysteps and try to make them stick. Your situation seems difficult, so go with what works and take that as a win. How about offering to cook for them once a week ? You'd go groceries shopping, then cook the meal, then keep some leftovers in a plate in the fridge and already have two healthy meals a week. On the off chance that they like it, you'd have a good standing ground to negociate some space in the fridge for more unproccessed food.

 

 

1 hour ago, Draconys said:

how do I cut back on the liquid calories?

 

This is going to be a hard one. The academy has a quest worth 200 xp for drinking only water, black coffee and black tea for a month. As much as I hate it (you always need exceptions on a spawn of a month), it has helped me a lot to get rid of the excess coffee I was drinking and upping my water intake. Of course, your situation is very different. You need some way to unload the pressure of your life and alcohol seems to have done that for you so far. Are there any help group available for free in your neighborhood where you coud go to search some guidance ? Having some outside support and a regular appointment usually helps with hard habits.

 

Anyway, gl&hf! Hell mode may be on but you can totally rock that game!

[Draconys]

Like you said, Jean, baby steps. Got up this blustery fall morning and dragged my brother out to walk his american bull mastiff down the street and back. Day #1, 0.2 of a mile in 10-15 minutes, but its a start. 

[Draconys]

A slight setback... I was talking to my Dad about our impending shopping trip tomorrow, and he said that I don't get to take up a whole lot of room for anything. I had said that I wanted to get one of those 5 dozen packages of eggs, and he almost freaked out that I was going to take up room for his precious breaded chicken strips, and his cottage cheese and other random crap that he has. I'm thinking this might be harder to do in this house than I thought, but I have no alternative for a living situation. Any thoughts as to how I can navigate this situation? 

 

Update on the exercising... Daily exercise has not happened. I wish. Monday I walked. Tuesday I wanted to go to the store, so I borrowed my brother's bike. OMG, what a mistake! I am still sore in places I didn't think possible! It actually got to the point, both going to and coming back from the store, that my legs just wouldn't operate the pedals anymore. I also had an asthma attack halfway home. By the time I finally made it home, it took me over an hour to be able to breathe properly. This is going to be harder than I thought. Yesterday I was so sore, I couldn't do anything.... Today I have no real excuse, except no real motivation. I woke up feeling like I was hit by a mac truck and I'm not sure why. 

[Jean]

There's probably no miracle way to work around your home situation. Options could be:

• Use your room as storage space and buy mainly food that doesn't need to stay in the fridge (vegetables would last a few days, so could eggs though not 5 dozens at a time, canned things (chickpeas, corn, other kinds of veggies - keep some oil and vinegar to make salads out of it), dried soups, these kind of things);
• Same as the above but buy a small fridge/freezer and put it there. You'll have to talk your father through the electricity bill, though;
• Slowly work your way toward your own appartment - this is probably the best solution in the long run but not an easy one to get going so, work on it one step at a time, try to get some regular income flow coming, see what programs you could subscribe to in order to increase it, search the area for cheap lodgings and, when you're ready, go for it.

As for exercise, you seem to be doing great. Don't let yourself down when you feel like you could exercise but just don't want to (go for even a small walk, it'll help build momentum), find what you can do without feeling utterly destroyed and push the limit whenever you can.

 

Congrats on holding the ball, you're tackling it good.

[Draconys]

Hey all, just checking in, I know I've been MIA lately. It's been hectic with the holiday season upon us. Paleo pretty much went by the wayside mid November, because my Dad convinced me to make the 6 hour drive with him and my brother down to the bay area for T-Day (6 hours held captive by 2 chain smokers.... Ugh). There was no way to maintain paleo during that trip, and by the time we got back, all my veggies and things had either gone bad or been eaten by the person watching our house and dog for us. Haven't been able to go shopping again (perils of running out of money on the Snap benefits card and waiting for it to renew... I hate having that thing, but at least it allows for me to get food). But the family has been a little more open and accepting, allowing me to have my own drawer in the fridge, and I've claimed a cupboard for dry stuff and they don't seem to mind. So that's all on the up and up. 

 

Exercise, however, has fallen completely by the wayside. I was doing okay before the trip, but ever since we came back, I've been sick, tired, and depressed to the point of retreating from the world and drinking the pain away. I know, not good for me, but it's what has kept me going. I keep meaning to try some body weight exercises  since we have snow on the ground now and I can't risk going for a walk and falling (that almost happens enough during good weather, let alone with slick conditions), but then I look at my living space, and I've literally got about a foot of space between my bed and a wall of boxes (my room was a storage room before I moved in), which isn't enough space for me.  I've been told eventually that will change, but I've been hearing that for 9 months, so I'm not holding my breath. 

 

Anyway, on the up side of things, I am seriously trying to put together my own body weight exercise regiment, and I'm also looking into DDP yoga, but I'm not sure on that. I watched a video of a former paratrooper that screwed up his body really badly and was told he'd never walk unassisted again, and he gained a bunch of weight, but then did DDP yoga, and not only has he lost weight, he can walk and RUN unassisted! I thought, with the damage my size has done to my body, that might be a good thing for me to look into. Thoughts? 

 

I hope everyone has had, and will have, happy holidays!  

[Pherales]

13 hours ago, Draconys said:

Hey all, just checking in, I know I've been MIA lately. It's been hectic with the holiday season upon us. Paleo pretty much went by the wayside mid November, because my Dad convinced me to make the 6 hour drive with him and my brother down to the bay area for T-Day (6 hours held captive by 2 chain smokers.... Ugh). There was no way to maintain paleo during that trip, and by the time we got back, all my veggies and things had either gone bad or been eaten by the person watching our house and dog for us. Haven't been able to go shopping again (perils of running out of money on the Snap benefits card and waiting for it to renew... I hate having that thing, but at least it allows for me to get food). But the family has been a little more open and accepting, allowing me to have my own drawer in the fridge, and I've claimed a cupboard for dry stuff and they don't seem to mind. So that's all on the up and up. 

 

Exercise, however, has fallen completely by the wayside. I was doing okay before the trip, but ever since we came back, I've been sick, tired, and depressed to the point of retreating from the world and drinking the pain away. I know, not good for me, but it's what has kept me going. I keep meaning to try some body weight exercises  since we have snow on the ground now and I can't risk going for a walk and falling (that almost happens enough during good weather, let alone with slick conditions), but then I look at my living space, and I've literally got about a foot of space between my bed and a wall of boxes (my room was a storage room before I moved in), which isn't enough space for me.  I've been told eventually that will change, but I've been hearing that for 9 months, so I'm not holding my breath. 

 

Anyway, on the up side of things, I am seriously trying to put together my own body weight exercise regiment, and I'm also looking into DDP yoga, but I'm not sure on that. I watched a video of a former paratrooper that screwed up his body really badly and was told he'd never walk unassisted again, and he gained a bunch of weight, but then did DDP yoga, and not only has he lost weight, he can walk and RUN unassisted! I thought, with the damage my size has done to my body, that might be a good thing for me to look into. Thoughts? 

 

I hope everyone has had, and will have, happy holidays!  

 

Yoga in general is great exercise for severely overweight, because it's zero impact which means joints getting beaten up less.  Improved flexibility and muscle strength go quite a long way when you're seriously out of shape (Speaking as someone with a good 200+lbs to drop myself.)

 

If you're not sure about dropping the cash on DDP to begin with, check out Yoga with Adriene on youtube.  She has a ton of beginners stuff completely free.  It's not a complete program like DDP is, but it'll help you figure out if yoga is something you wanna get in on without paying out of pocket first.