7 Month update

 

Went for 7 month check up with the lovely Wendy and was expecting a small band fill as weight has plateaued and not getting as much restriction. Have put on 1.8lbs over the last 2 months and was rather surprised at the results of my weigh in

Weight gone up by 1.8lbs however I has lost 2 lbs in fat and put muscle on

My body fat % is now down to 13.1% from 33.4% in Jan - Healthy range is 12 to 22% so borderline on low and hence no band fill

Have to reiterate the point that this is the best thjing that ive ever done - I feel great and am enjoying increased performance on my road bike - To date this year I have done 3100 road miles and am doing the Cost to Coast Mountain bike challenge from Whitehaven to Sunderland at the end of October

Very pleased to report that WLS group have asked me to be their male guest speaker at a conference in Sheffield in Nov and London in April. Really pleased I chose WLS group for my procedure theyve been brilliant from day one

14 Stone - At last

Great news - Just back from a Cycling weekend with the lads in Riccione Italy - Great times
Went on 3 rides of 82 , 30 and 90 miles duration
Day 3 was awesome with 35 mile hill climb from resort to peak in Tuscany. Roaming hills with beautifully maintained fields

Picture shows me at 7am before breakfast - Did struggle a bit with fuelling as while everyone had monster breakfast all I could manage was small portion of scrambled eggs. I took some baybybell cheeses and energy gels to keep me going but with 35 degree heat and sweating I did struggle a bit. The guys all had sarnies for lunch which I couldnt manage

Next holiday I go on am going to take microwave Porridge with me and more energy gels to keep me going

 

Went for Monthly review with the Lovely Wendy on Tuesday and she got some new 5 Grand scales that are amazing. They give loads of information and thats great so monthly you can track not only your weight but body composition of muscle density etc. As I do a lot of cycling I am very keen to ensure that I only lose body Fat and Not Muscle well Im delighted to state that the following

BMI - 28.8
Fat % - 13.9 - Within healthy range
Weight - 14st 5 lbs - Not bad after weeks all inclusive holiday
Muscle Mass - Above average for obverall weight
Metabolic Age - 30 - Not bad for 45 year old

Had small bandfill adjustment to take me to 6.25 ml

So glad I had this procedure dome and especially with WLS Group - Th ewhole experiance with them has been fantastic right from the first consultation. As stated before but will say it again this is no easy task and during my weeks holiday all inclusive there was a lot of temptation put in front of me but I thought
" Having paid 6 grand of my own money to have this done theres no way Im gonna start working against my band and forcing stuff down I know I shouldnt have "
I stuck to my resolve and the holiday was soon over and now back at home its easier as I avoid the temptation to make it easier

For anyone reading this who is thinking of having procedure or had surgery with another provider and feels alone and wants advise - Pick up the phone and speak to WLS Group

 

Hi

Just got back today from Holiday in Turkey with kids it was great but I was a bit nervous as all inclusive
I stuck to healthy options of omlette or eggs scrambled or fried for breakers and fish with salad for lunch. Evening meal was similair with fish and veg
Stayed well clear off all breads, donuts, kebabks, toasties etc - Had treat of odd ice cream and sometimes bag of nuts mid afternoon. Managed to sink a few wines and no cycling so feel ive put about 4 lbs on but nothing too serious. Im doing a 100 mile sportive cycle ride from York on Sat and then go to Italy cycling for 4 days next weekend which should get me back on plan. Ive got my 4 monthly review with Wendy on Tue so may get just a small fill as feel restriction is not quite as keen as it was and whilst dont want to be overrestricted I have noticed portions sizes increasing. Ive only got 4ml in 10ml band so plenty of room for adjustment Im on my 2nd fill and hope that this next one may be my last. I hovering at about 14.5 stone which is nearly 5 stone off so would like to get down to 13st 10 lbs which would give me a buffer of 5 lbs and I want to stay there. Defo the ebst thing ive ever done - Its not easy as you cant take evan one day off as I found on hols but well worth the sacrifise as I know from previous experiance that my one day off could easily turn into several weeks before I got back on the programme

Cheers

James

4th Monthly meet with Wendy

Today 21 July was my fourth monthly meeting with Wendy and all is good
I am pleased to report that on Wendys scales clothed I am now 14 st 6 lbs which is 4 lbs off from last month and most importantly no muscle loss so muscle % to overall mass on way up and fat % on way down

Some stats

Fat mass 3 st 7 lbs down from 5 st 4 lbs on 10 Mar day of surgery
Fat % = 24.2 ( Healthy is up to 22% ) down drom 32% on 10 Mar
Fat lbs requiredloss to acheive healthy range = 6 lbs

Vital statistics

1 Jan 21 Jul
Weight 19st 3 lbs 14 st 6lbs
BMI 36.8 29
Chest 52 47
Waist navel 50 38.5 - Yeah thats 11.5 inches gone
Hips widest 48 41.5
Neck 18 16
Leg 27 23.5
Arm bicep 15 12.5

Wendys Traffic Light System

Wendy issued me with her new Traffic Light System

Green - What to eat most of
Amber - What to eat little of
Red - What to avoid

Lots of tips and pointers to make eating after Weight Loss Surgery fun

Getting lots of cycling in a susual plus early morning 7am Spin Classes at gym
Am going on holiday to Turkey with Lewis and Holly soon and then another cycling Holiday this time to Italy

Having this Band fitted is the best thing ive ever done. Make no mistake it is not an easy option as I loved my food but I have mentally got it sorted and with my 70% committment to exercise and healthy eating the band gives me 30% and ensures that I do not stray. It might not be right for everyone but it certainly is for me

In summary 6lbs of Fat to loose to become healthy weight and reach my target. Hoping I can do it without another band fill so I will just have 4ml in a 10ml band. It may take a few months to shift that last bit but as I keep saying this is Not a sprint its a Marathon ( Or should I say Snickers )
Really glad that I wnt with WLS group as aftercare has been fantastic and its included in the price. I get 2 years of aftercare so I cn fine tune the restriction in my band so that I get to and maintain at the sweet spot. It also means I get to meet up with the lovely Wendy every month for a catch up which is great evan if I dont need a fill just to have the opportunity to discuss things with a professional who knows banding inside out.

 

Latest picture side profile shocked me at how much weight I have lost
Normally only see myself front on in mirror
Im now down to 14 st 4 lbs which is 1 lb off five stone loss
Following 2nd band fill to 4 ml food choices are now more important and just getting used to having to eat slower and think more about what I eat
Im going on another cycling hol with the lads this time to Italy in 6 weeks so gonna really go for it the next 6 weeks
I want to be down to 13 st 9 lbs which will be my target weight so probably wont need another band fill before then
Did 75 miles ride on sat and 50 miles on sun at 17.5mph avg and going to 7am spin class at gym this morning

Lookin forward to seeing Wendy next week for my monthly consultation

Cheers

James