My life has gone from strength to strength, as soon as I was able and with the words of Prof Senapati
Simon Owens
I walked my daughter down the aisle on the 27/5/17 and completed the great Manchester run on the 28/5/17.
My story starts the same as everybody else’s, I’m very very overweight. It started young and in my adolescence I had to work out 7 days per week just to maintain a good weight.
This lead to bodybuilding and then I met my wife, I spent less time in the gym. I then got married.
As you can see I was a healthy weight and happy.
I changed jobs regularly, it was when I became a bus driver that it all started to go wrong; a poor metabolism combined with sedentary work and poor eating habits.
the rest as they say is history.
Speaking of history:- my father was the exact dimensions as I was in this pic (above) he died at 51 on my 24th birthday, in the above pic I’m 49 and heading towards the same fate as my departed father.
I had tried every diet known to man and a few only known to aliens, the most effective and yet destructive was the “Atkins plan” I lost 4 stones. Awesome I hear you say, fantastic even. NO as soon as I started back on carbs I ballooned back up and put on 6 stones!
I started looking at the possibility of weight loss surgery, this is a long and arduous road, however totally worth it! I was told by a dietician that she would not recommend surgery as I was classed as a “binge eater”. I would routinely miss breakfast, work through lunch and be ravenously hungry by 10pm, eat whatever I could find not worry about portion control then go to bed.
I explained to the dietician that if I was a smoker, drug addict or an alcoholic they would be fighting over who would help me!
It worked; I then went through over 3 years of courses, therapies, weight loss programs and psychological screening.
During which time my grandson Oscar arrived
Now it was more important than ever to stay alive! I went to hospital 3 times over six months for the Gastric Bypass, only for it to be cancelled (twice while I was prepped for surgery. During this six months and the liver shrinking diets I did I lost 4 stones.
On the day of surgery I was really calm, I met Prof Senapati, he totally had me at ease with his calm manner and reassuring smile.
The rebirth of Simon, I had some discomfort with trapped air just under my left shoulder all perfectly usual. The nursing staff taught me how to inject myself with the blood thinner. I hate needles but this was quite easy.
I returned to work after a 4 week mandatory leave of absence, (I was climbing the walls and did some of the office work at home).
My life has gone from strength to strength, as soon as I was able and with the words of Prof Senapati ringing in my ears “this is not a cure it’s a tool” I joined my local gym and signed up to do the great Manchester run on the 29th of May 2017.
It’s been a steady decrease in weight and an increase in physical activity.
This morning 19/4/17 I weigh 14 stone 2lbs.
Other than a bit of flabby skin on the tops of my legs and where my belly has shrunk I’m toning quite nicely.
Loose skin can’t kill me, but obesity can!
In total I have lost
12st 4 lbs or 78.74 kg or 173.6 lbs
For perspective the lady pictured above is the beautiful Davina McCall, she weighs what I have lost!
I don’t recognise either of these guys! The one on the left is 58” waist the guy on the right is 34”.
Your brain will play tricks on you, I still see the guy on the left when I look in the mirror. Also when shopping for clothes I start at the end of the rack where the 4/5xl stuff is.
Top Tip.
Wear your old clothes as long as you can, then buy from either charity shops or in sales. Don’t buy too many as you won’t be in them long!
Listen to what the healthcare professionals say, they’re qualified we’re not.
Keep some of your old clothes so you can try them on from time to time, I still wear the same belt I had at 58”. I’ve made so many new holes in it, and it now fastens and goes through the loops and halfway around my waist to the middle of my back.
Enjoy your new life!