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Last week, Bob Reynolds shared his weight-loss success story. This week, it’s his wife Vicky’s turn:
Vicky: “I went on Weight Watchers two years ago and lost 35 pounds in a year, which wasn’t bad, but it’s not a lot either. Then, I decided to rest a bit. Of course, you end up cheating a little here and there, and before I knew it, I gained back 27 pounds. I said to myself, I can’t keep doing this.
“I had never heard of the sleeve gastrectomy until my husband Bob went to a seminar with a friend. When he told me about it, it sounded like something I would want to do.
“So then I talked with Dr. Angstadt at New York Bariatric for about two hours. He was the greatest. He answered every question I had. He never once looked at his watch, checked his computer or rolled his eyes. I left there convinced that this was something I could do and, in the long run, it would be worth it.
“Six months later, I’m down 55 pounds, and I’m excited.
“I was 213 pounds the day of the surgery. Now I weigh 159. I had the procedure the week before Christmas. Bob had his the week before Thanksgiving.
“When Bob went through it, I noticed he wasn’t asking for pain medicine. He said the most it felt like was as if he did a few too many sit-ups. The hardest part was drinking. When you’re thirsty, you tend to gulp, but after the procedure, you can’t do that. But you get past that, and you learn how to drink right.
“We eat healthier now. It’s not that we don’t eat junk food, so to speak — but we eat protein, then vegetable, then carbs. I used to have a bite of meat, a bite of vegetables, and a bite of potato, mixing it all up. Now I eat all my meat first, then my vegetable, and if I’m still hungry, I’ll have a little bit of starch or carbohydrate.
“Potato chips happen. The funny thing is that now I can have three or four chips and be satisfied. Before, I would eat the whole bag. You just need to learn your limits. That’s the whole story. Portion control and limits.
“How do I feel? Like a million bucks. I’ve never felt so great. I exercise every morning. Nothing drastic. I ride a stationary bike, and I do a few arm exercises.
“I’ve had to battle with my weight since the seventh grade. I’ve lost it, gained it, lost it, gained it. But this time, I’m still losing.
“Before, when I went off a diet, I would eat a lot of junk. Now, I wouldn’t feel right if I did that.
“Now when I go to a party where there are a lot of chips and dips, I’ll have a couple, but if I have one too many, I feel it right away. I’m hoping that stays forever.
“I don’t have a target weight. I’m just going by how I feel and how my clothes feel. I’m going 10 pounds at a time right now. To aim for a certain number is hard, because I could look awful at that number. I’m not in my 20s, I’m in my 50s. I don’t want to look like an old lady. I still see the fat lady in the mirror.
“But my friends tell me differently. I have one friend that I’ve known for 30 years, and she says I look like I do in high school. I say, “Really? What about these wrinkles?” She says, “Well, other than that.”
“I’ve noticed now that job interviews are longer. They actually listen to what you are saying. I think there is a prejudice against people who are heavy.
“But as far as my friends go, they’re just so excited.
“So if you’re considering the procedure, I can tell you it would be the best move you ever made. There’s little to no pain afterwards, and you feel so good once the weight really starts coming off. There’s no words to describe it.”
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Thanks to Vicky and Bob for sharing their stories. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to see one of our surgeons, call our office at (516) 616-5500 or click on “Live Chat” in the upper left corner of your screen to have a conversation now.
