At 270lbs, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, and living a very sedentary lifestyle, I underwent the gastric bypass surgery on June 21st, 2004.
I was told to exercise by walking 10,000 steps a day. Walking is the most boring exercise in the world to me, so when Dr. Hoehn released me to exercise, I jumped on my bicycle. I was 5 weeks out from surgery, and I hadn't been on a bicycle in 15 years! I went 3 1/2 miles that day, and was completely exhausted afterwards. However, my choices were to walk (which we have already discussed), or to cycle, so I stuck to the cycling.
Each week I was able to go a little further in distance, and I weighed a little less. I enjoyed riding on the trails, but I needed more challenge, as my fitness level improved. I decided to try racing. It is now a little more than a year since my surgery. I've lost 115 lbs, quit smoking while I was still in the hospital, and now I enjoy competing in triathlons. To date, I've finished 3 triathlons, placed first in my division in one of them, and am planning on a half Ironman Triathlon in August.
This surgery gave me the chance to finally get rid of all that excess weight, and have the confidence in myself to attempt a sport I've always had an interest in, but in which I never believed I could succeed. |
