Troy Holden
VISIT www.troyholdenministry.com and come out and hear me SING!
UPDATE APRIL 7, 2011
I am on Day Four of the 5DPT and no doubt... my ouch is "alive and well". Today I ate about 6 oz of canned chicken with a touch of mustard and garlic salt and I was full... just like the old days! I have realized that the slider carbs were killing me. The best part is I have lost 9 pounds already... remember those days? It was 6 the first day then about 1.5 a day so far. To top it off I have not been able to walk yet as I was feeling feverish (kids had a bug and I got a touch) so I ma certain I can lose 3-5 a week until I get back to a level 200.
This book is fantastic in relating common sense back to the surgery and is written by a patient. SHe gets it! It also woke me up to the old basics on drinking before/after a meal... HUGE reason we can pass more food through.... and also to the snacking dangers. I had not gained back a big percentage of weight, but to me it was getting "scary" and this book got me back on track. I am accountable!
Protein first, Lots of water, No snacks, Activity Daily. Not being selfish but I have to put this first so everything else stays right! When I am balanced with eating/weight I focus on work and family and the important things... when I am not focused I am a tad depressed and just want to sit around and moan!
If you want more info go to www.livingafterwls.com and get the book.
UPDATE APRIL 1, 2011
Discovered a grerat tool to get my WLS back in gear. THE 5 DAY POUCH TEST is a cool book and 5 day program to "flush" your system and get off carbs again and back on track. I will start on Monday 4/4 and will update the blog here weekly with the progress. I need to drop about 20... to be back where I was and feeling right. THis book explained the "slider" snacks (crackers were my weakness) and the "light" version of crashing. I totally identified... and am going to give this the 100% dedication I gave the first 2 years after WLS. BACK ON TRACK... water. walk and protein first.
UPDATE FEB 1 2011
I have managed to hold between 215 and 220 for another year. I ride up and down that 5-7 lb range BUT I don't feel as goos as I did at 200. Last April I made a pledge to drop 20 but I dropped about 10 and then went back to 220. I have started this year at 225, now at 220 and plan to SLOWLY drop these "new-old" habits.
NO SNACKS- I never snacked when I was in year one
NO SUGAR- Not even a taste... it causes too many issues...not worth it
WATCH CARBS- I think I took it for granted I could eat a little bread, a few crackers...
These items are not causing GAIN but preventing LOSS. I know how great I felt at 200 and I want it back! I still feel GREAT compared to what I did at 320... but now I understand what I used to laugh at... I used to laugh when somoene said "I really feel that 10 pounds" when I was 110 over! NOW I GET IT!
So the plan is to update here MONTHLY and try to report a loss of about 5 lbs a onth and be VERY HAPPY with it. If I excercise it will be more but for now, it is too cold, my house in under remodel, and I wonlt join a gym in the interim... but when were done in a few weeks I will have a 10x10 "home gym" and will be hitting my treadmill again.
HELP ME FOCUS and ENCOURAGE ME as I try to get back to and hold 200... or better yet 199...
PRAY FOR ME... and my ministry and I will for you!
UPDATE APRIL1, 2010
Winter was HARD on me this year. Actually I have slowly gained some weight, but it is MY FAULT in that I have drifeted away from my basics. April 1 2010 is the day that I have named for SPRING CLEANING for my body. I have slid into SUGAR and although at times is makes me "sick" I am tolerating it too easily. For a long time I just said NO to it 100% and I have to go back. Since July 2009 to today, I have gained about 20 pounds and I am MISERABLE because I worked too hard to get fit! I am NOT excercising and I am NOT on the program.
With that let me say this... WLS is just what you were told... it is a TOOL and YOU have to manage yourself when you are 2-3-4 years out. YES YOU CAN gain weight! But you can also get your head on straight and focus back to what got you down to your goal and get back, so follow me and inspire me on this journey to RETURN TO 200 by JUNE 1. That gives me 8 weeks to lose about 22 pounds which is less than 3 lbs a week which is SLOW ENOUGH to last...
THIS IS ON ME and is not reflective of WLS or my doctor or anoyone else... I have gotten up day after day KNOWING what was going on because I weighed nearly every day. The oddity is this... I might weigh 216 today and 222 tomorrow then 218 the next day. The committment has to be this... UNDER 1200 calories, maintain protein, drink the water and get at least 20 mins of walking in EVERYDAY until this levels back out THEN learn what I have to do to MAINTAIN 200 and DO IT!
NO bread...NO sweets... REDUCE CAFFIENE... I am a coffee slave! This is not meant to scare anyone from surgery... this was and is still the best step anyone can take towards health! The fact is WE RE HUMAN and WE CAN BLOW IT! I have had a rollercoaster life the past several months, lots of trials and struggles and too much eating out... your surroundings can DEFINITELY affect your diet. Urge me on! I want to get back to my old jeans, not change sizes and get my summer shorts on! GO GO GO!!!!!
UPDATE JUNE 2009
I have not been updating at all, sorry... but things are about the same. I float around from 200-205 and mainly because I am working 16 hours a day and not walking and doing the thngs I should. I do have a goal to get back to walking 2-3 times a week in June and to focus a little more on water. It is easy to drift off of the "basics" but overall the scale keeps me honest.
I hope that seeing this helps someone move on to the decision to GET THIS DONE.
God bless!
UPDATE October 6, 2008 and October 13, 2008
Happy Birthday to ME! I turned 45 today and I feel 25.... well maybe 35! Anyway I feel GREAT. I had a shock lately as I gained 4 pounds in 2 days for some unknown reason. I have always "floated" around 195-199 but I went to 204... I have gotten it back to 199 and working on going to 195. Very weird as I changed nothing in my lifestyle or eating... who knows! Good thing is I saw it, I didn't freak out and I am working it back down!
I still am a big advocate of the PURE PROTEIN bars. These low suger-18-19g protein bars are the ultimate morning food and on-the-road meal for me. I have not had any protein shakes for several months and normally eat twice a day (meals) and have 2 of the bars a day. I think some of the change is the fact we started a business... I forgot about that! Stress can do some crazy things to you.
10/13*-It was a great summer... not too hot and I enjoyed being out and working. The new job is great as is the new business. Yes, I am still singing and I enjoyed a "Methodist" weekend on Oct 11/12 in Westmoreland and Portland at 2 wonderful churches. Last week I was at Union Chapel in Portland. I hope the Methodist did not think I was too rowdy... us General Baptists can get excited! They took it pretty well! You can sure tell the economy is slow though. Even our CD's are selling slower than ever. We surely need to pray for our country. This election is scary and our economy even scarier! But like Dave Ramsey says, don't do anything based on fear! We have to ride this out and let God direct our leaders. I pray for one who is listeming to God's will for our country...
I do thank God for everything on this day and everyday. He has shown me to trust and obey... and His rewards here are NOTHING compared to the one we'll have in heaven!
God Bless...
UPDATE June 30, 2008
Looking below, I was holding around 190-194 and I still am. Wow. It is wonderful to be normal and now I hear more of "I don;t remember you being big" than "Wow, you lost a ton!" and I like it just as much. Could I lose another 10 or 15? Sure, but I feel GREAT where I am. If it were affordable ad now that I have had time to adjust, yes I would have some work done on the "leftover" but when I am upright, It just looks like some "poochy" fat ad nothing else, but if I bend at the waist it is FREAKY as it all falls to gravity!
But I can't afford to payout $5k or more to get my mid section trimmed. I am sure I could lose 20 if I had that done as well but I am happy clothed and wear a 34 waist which is a size smaller than I hoped to be. Even a 32 in some pants... so it is what it is!
Again, if this is for you PRAY hard about it and let God lead you. I have been blessed that I had no problems but I waited patiently for everything to happen. It was a long 3-4 years knowing I needed this and had to wait but He took care of landing me where it was paid for without one issue at all.
I pray for those of you waiting and needing this surgery as I know it saved my life and at least added many years to it.
Update
DEC 29, 2007
Happy New Year all! Just had my one year follow up and weighed 190. I seem to float from 190-194 and I still weigh DAILY and try to adjust and hold! After years of being that heavy, I will watch it daily and keep it in the road! My Vitamin D was down again so I go back to a once weekly dose but that is not a big deal. I think i need more fish and I also stopped eating the Sugar Free Jello Pudding for some reason and they may have helped keep the "D" in line... I may start back on one a day!
I feel great and also start a new job in January. The confidence in interviewing as a "thin" person was huge. I felt in control; and on top of my game, knowing I could rely on my abilities and not be judged on anything else. WOW! And I am finally starting to see myself thinner. I still am amazed when I walk through a tight place or sit in a chair and have space on the sides, but it is becoming accpeted more daily.
Still thoughts of "what if" from time to time as in "what if I gain it back" but I know if I focus I can keep control. I fell into eating too many carbs for a couple of weeks (graham crackers were the main culprit) but curning that back because I noticed it made me hungry when before I was not. Also have introduced some Diet Coke again, and that is nice to have. As long as I go slow it doesn't blow me up. Still chugging the water, tea and coffee daily and making the protein grade!
As I look forward to spring and summer (I am freaking COLD now and headed to Canada in Jan/Feb as well) I pray that my body does as I have read and "accepts" what has happened to it (always heard it takes a year for the systems to settle down and then holding the weight level is easier) so by June/July I will have had that year since the final loss. Still amazing to see people who I have not seen and watch the reaction... YOU NEVER GET TIRED OF THAT!
My wife, who is nowhere in the category of obese, is going for a lap band consultation soon as she, like me, has fought excess weight and she is in her early 30's and could definitely get control of it. I waited and it got worse after 40. Pray for her in this journey and my Doctor is definitely the choice for us. It was a journey for me and I would love for her to be my WLRS buddy! Then she could understand the focus I have about this and together we could build a life long comittment to our health that goes right along with family, faith and the love we have for each other!
In His Service... God bless you!
UPDATE JULY 18 2007
Looks like I have found my place on the scale at 195. Although the doctor thought 170 or 180 I am very happy at 195 and in a 34 waist. I think I wore a 36 in 8th grade, but that is the last time I remember 30-anything! I had been in a 46 for a long time. Still have not tried any red meat much other than a nibble, but the white meats and fruits and veggies are all I need. I do like the PURE PROTEIN bars in the morning versus dealing with eggs, etc as I am no longer an egg person. Funny how tastes change after surgery. I do like my SF Jello and Pudidng as a treat mixed with 1/2 banana's or the sugar free fruit that is canned in Splenda. The Low-Carb Bread is also great for a turkey sandwich now and then! And yes, I still throw a protein shake in when I feel tired or know I need protein.
My last Dr visit went well but my blood work showed low Vit D so went back on the supplement of D for 2 months. I go back in early Sept for another draw. Everything else was awesome. I still have not dumped and avoid sugar like the plague. Unfortunatley and honestly my workouts/excercise took a backseat recently as we had allot going on at home (3 yr old tonsilectomy and other issues) but I do wal allot more at work and I will get back to the gym since Donna is getting home allot earlier these days.
My ministry is flourishing and God is using me as only He can. I pray for Him to use me however needed. I have sang in so many more places this year and have several on the calendar going forward. I am just amazed how much more energy I have in my ministry and in life. I thank God again and everyday for this miracle.
No new photos yet. I have talked to a plastic surgeon but my wife had a tummy tuck and I saw her pain! Standing up the excess is very un-noticeable for me (just a little roll at the waist) for the upper body but if I bend at the waist it looks like a bagfull of mass just falls out! WEIRD! I can deal with it but at the pool I am very self conscious not to bend from the waist. I have a wrinkle or 2 under my buttocks and some excess in the thighs but not enough to concern me. I wear clothes 90% of the time so who would know, but still when I bend forward I keep saying "That needs to go" and I am sure it would take off 10 or more pounds. Not sure of the cost yet and definitely not sure if I want to suffer the pain!
Unless something major happens I may not update for awhile. I am enjoying my health and starting to get used to the new me. I FIT IN! Not that I care to be a part of the world, but not to be stared at or made fun of or whispered about is HUGE no matter what. I pray for those needing or wanting this surgery that they receive what I have and also that they have no complications. I pray for those doctors that have taken advantadge of some people in certain situations (NOT MY DOCTOR!!! HE IS GREAT!!) but for some I am aware of through church.
If it has all failed and you pray about it God will answer your prayer... not always in our way, but He will answer. Keep the faith and thanks for reading!
UPDATE MAY 31 2007
199.5 Today. I broke into the 1's! Bought Levis last week that are 32 waist and they fit great. Back for my 6 month check-up on June 4 and things are going great! I am enjoying life and family more than ever. My ministry is growing and I am blessed to have so many great things going on in life. My cholestrol is down from 199 to 134 and my overall blood test was so normal I almost fainted! I now take my Flintstones Chewable, Calcium and Singulair for allergies but no BP meds, no anti-inflamatory meds and very occasionally a Childrens Chewable Tylenol for a headache (mainly eye strain). If you would have told me last November I would be in a medium shirt and 32 pant I would have said "A 36 is fine... a 32 is not going to happen" but it has... and I feel great.
I do enjoy my Sugar Free Jello Pudding once a day and Shrimp is the new meat of choice... like Forrest said "shrimp fajita, shrimp garlic, shrimp raw..."
Can't go on enough about how good I feel and although the mental block of weight is not yet gone (I see a chair and think "I can't sit there" or see an opening and think "I can't go through there") but that is getting better. I got on a motorcycle the other day and it felt SO WEIRD how easy it was to ride... I want to go to an amusement park and ride a roller coaster... I want to get on a plane... I want to do the normal things and not be stared at or feel out of place... and now I can. It came off fast and it will take time for me to realize I am no longer "big man" or "hoss" in peoples eyes. Thank God for this miracle!
UPDATE MAY 4
Somehow my site has lost it's "history" but as of today on my 5th Wedding Anniversary I am down from 330 to 205 for a total of 125 lbs. Still losing 4-5 pounds a month and feel great! No issues at all. Praise the Lord for the results in His healing after my awesome Doctor did his thing!
SIZE:
From a 46 waist to a 34
From a 54 Suit to a 42
Energy from NONE to TOO MUCH!
Posting new photos from a singing last week. DON"T DELAY, this is the answer!!!!