Getting Closer

Well as you can see I am getting closer to that magic number that will allow me to have the surgery. It has been a long road and one that did not come without daily battles and yes even some losses. But here we are just about 11 pounds from the surgery weight. I feel better and have learned allot about what this is really all about and what a life changing experience it has been. 

So in the coming days I will talk more about what I have learned, what it all means to me, and how it has effected my life and those around me. 

So have a great day and walk with God always. 

Tom

Trying to Get Back in the Saddle!

Hello Old Friend, and to all of you. It has been awhile. My Brother passed away last week after a short battle with lung cancer so I have not really been in the writing mood. I can say the good news to this whole ordeal has been I did not turn to food for comfort. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to real bad. But I chose not to. That is a big step, believe me. 

So for this first blog in a long time I will dedicate to the Memory of my Brother: Robert Wayne Simmons. Born September 19, 1950, Passed on October 16, 2011. He had lung cancer, emphasema, and mold in his lungs. The mold, from what I understand is what got him. His lungs were just to weak to fight off the infection.  


A Vietnam Veteran (Medical Core), Firefighter in Neosho MO., Truck Driver and Mechanic for the last several years. Father of five children, One son by a previous marriage who lives in New Zealand now. Three sons and one daughter all living in Washington. Funeral servises were held today in Connell Washington.  He was preceaded in Death By his Father, all Grandparents and two infant sibling members. 


We pray for comfort and peace among the family members. 


Have a good night and will be back tomorrow and on down the road.


Tom

Just a quick check in

Things are a little stressful right now. My brother went into a coma on Saturday evening and is on life support. He lives in Washington state. So needless to say things are a little shaky right now but otherwise things on target. I am down 81 pounds and still on target for a December surgery date. So if you pray please pray for my brother and his wife and children. Thank you all. 

Tom

Understanding the word "Diet"

What is a diet? In our society today "diet" is what we do to lose weight. Well that is fine if you want to drop the odd ten pounds or so. But for a serious issue with weight it takes much more than a diet.  What it takes is a complete life renovation. I am not just talking about food. Food is actually the easiest part of the whole thing. You have to exercise, get the right amount of sleep, reduce stress in your life, and live different. That is right, live different!

You can't hang with the people you are hanging with if they lead you to drink large sums of empty calories or eat all the wrong things or what ever it was that put you where you are. One thing I learned working with adolescents was the ones who went back to the same environment had a much higher reoffending occurrence than those that changed their environment. You may think that is different but addiction is addiction, plain and simple. So the question for morbid obese folks is, Do you want to live or die? That is what is at stake here. Tough question but in fact it is the question that matters. Do nothing and remain the way you are or fight back and change. These are the same things I struggle with every day, Yes every day. It is not easy but it is one day at a time. Good luck!

Stress Reducers:
Deep Breathing
Rest at Night
Reading

Words of Wisdom:
There never was a wiser man than me until I looked in the mirror and saw the fool staring back.

May the LORD keep us all in his care.

Tom

Just Another Day

Woke up to brrrrr weather this morning. It was so cold two nights ago I dreamt of snow. We went right from hot to cold. What happened to Fall? Well I am inching my way closer and closer to that goal mark for the surgery. I have had people ask me why I need to do surgery. When you are as large as I am it is hard to lose weight after reaching a certain point. The surgery is just a tool to help continue that weight loss. It will still take watching what I eat and exercise just like now.

I received an e-mail from Chris Powell the other day. I had written him a few months back to see if he had any tips to share. I have an application to fill out for his show, Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition. While that sounds like a good thing, I also have to consider what it took me to get to this stage. I may go ahead and fill it out but they get thousands of these apps and only a very few actually get chosen. It is a neat thing, if you have never seen the show; Chris comes to your home for one month to work with you and show you how to work out and eat. Then he leaves and you are on your own, weighing in every three months with him I think. He pays for your food for the one year and leaves you with a fantastic gym that he converts one room of your house into. So there are some perks but what I like over "The Biggest Loser" is that there is no game. you can't be voted off. You are in the program for one year if chosen.

I am now seeing a therapist so I am not to thrilled about this. I do not like dredging up the past. I understand the idea behind therapy and addiction transfer, but I just do not like talking about myself. So I will do my best. The real me, I do not know if I know the real me. I have hidden behind so many masks that I don't know for sure who that is. So we will see. I am hoping to be able to have surgery by December, that would be a nice Christmas present. In the mean time it is time to pull out the coat and gloves ans walk, walk, walk. Figuring that 10,000 steps are five miles then I am doing about 1.25 miles a day now. A long way from the one to two hundred steps I used to do.

So if you are out there thinking it is time ti do something for yourself, get up and get moving. even in the winter time, if you can not afford a gym membership, go to a mall and walk around. Go to Wal Mart, you would be surprised how much walking you can get done there. The idea is ti do it today. Don't procrastinate, the only person that can do this is you. So I hope you are ready to start the first day of the rest of your life now!

Stress Reducers:
Yoga
Meditation/Prayer
Using Positive Affermations

Words of Wisdom:
When someone speaks ill of you or tries to hurt you remember, people who do this are people who are envious of what you are or have. Pity them, pray for them, they are the ones with problems!

May The Lord Continue To Walk With You In Every Step You Take.

Tom

New Pictures 6 Months In

Cuurent at 471 pounds









+

















490 pounds

531 pounds

This was at 571 pounds

Annual Reviews

Well I had my annual review today from my Caseworker. He was impressed that things were going well and I have a plan in place for getting back on my feet. So with that out of the way I can breath a little easier.

So if anyone really reads this I am going to do a week of recipes. Not mine but yours. If you have a recipe you would like to share with me and anyone who reads this please post it in comments or send it to me via email. I am looking for some different ideas. Especially from my friends across the big lake as they say. I would love an idea from Russia, Thailand, Greece, an the many others who have read this blog. So please give me a new recipe to try.

I have started my therapy and have my first working appointment tomorrow. I have done the homework for the most part as I understand it so we will see how it goes. will let you all know afterward.

Therapy is not my favorite thing but I know it is necessary. Food is an addiction just as sure as alcohol or drugs. So the therapy is to prevent me from transferring one addiction to another. So I will do the therapy and learn to control my obsessive behavior. (addiction)

As far as the surgery it self I am looking at a December date. What a Christmas gift hey. I have bumped up my exercise to 3000+ steps a day and lifting 6# weight.  I am feeling better and especially about myself. That is how I win. Doing his for me.

It is rainy and gray today but my spirit is high and getting through. Hope where ever you are no matter what the weather is outside the weather inside is warm and sunny.

Stress Reducers:
Dealing with problems not ignoring them
Walking
Spending time with God

Words of Wisdom:
"I use to complain about my shoes, until I saw a man with no feet"!  Unknown Author

May the Lord guide your steps through this crazy thing called Life!

Tom

Kicking It In The HEE HAW!!!!

So there are the day's that you wonder what is going on and is it worth it all. Worth what all? I am eating, Breathing, and moving around. What is it that I am doing that I would give up, Life, a chance to go back to work, or get off this %^&&##(** disability?

The answer is simple, The mind can make us believe we are doing something extra when we are losing weight. The fact of the matter is we are doing what we should have been doing all along. So out with the stinkin thinkin and onward.

I have bumped the walking up to a little over 1,000 steps three times a day, lifting light weights and drinking my water. They say that 10,000 steps is just right for optimal health. 10,000 steps equal 5 miles. So I am getting over one mile a day, that is a far cry from "the mailbox and back".

So I guess I am just saying when you need to get angry do so but not at anyone, but at yourself and say, look we are going to do this so suck it up and get it done! getting angry is not bad, it is what you do with the anger that can cause trouble.

Here's to better days ahead. Healthier, happier, and more full filling.

Stress Reducers:
Plan ahead
Make sure you follow that plan
Realize you are worth it

Words of Wisdom:
When you know you have gone as far as you can go, Get up and go some more!

May the Lord Bless you all in what ever journey you are on.

Tom