The beginning...well...we'll start at the six-month mark

The beginning of my blog doesn't start at the beginning of my journey...it starts a lifetime later.  I have battled with my weight since I was 11 years old.  Ever since then, it has been a constant struggle that I have lost time and time again.  A battle to lose weight, get healthy and live an active, normal life.

Unfortunately for me, as time goes on, the damage to the body becomes more and more difficult to repair.  I was born with a slight hip rotation that makes exercising somewhat difficult, especially when carrying a lot of extra weight.  My liver is packed full of cholesterol - I have the liver of a 50+ year old.  This condition, known as hepatosteatosis, or fatty liver, occurs when excess fat builds up in the liver.  This condition can later lead to cirrhosis of the liver, which can lead to liver failure and death.

So, as time goes on, the condition worsens despite medication.  Given traditional methods of weight loss have been less than successful, my doctor strongly urged me to consider weight loss surgery.  I had been thinking about the surgery for some time and when he recommended it, I was already in the mindset to get it done.

On top of the fatty liver, I also have very high cholesterol, mild/moderate sleep apnea and hypertension with edema.  I take 9 pills a day to try to control the different issues I have.  At 28, I know that I can't live like this.  Without a permanent fix, the road ahead only goes down.


In September 2009, I chose a surgeon to perform Roux-en-y gastric by-pass surgery.  In order to receive insurance approval for the surgery, I had to undergo 6-months of pre-operative, medically supervised diet and exercise programs, receive a nutritional evaluation, a psychiatric evaluation and visit with my primary-care physician monthly for regular check-ups.  In addition, all the doctors had to write reports on my behalf with recommendations, evaluations, test results and analysis.  The pre-approval requirements have all been met...the insurance company is now reviewing my file and I should know in the next two weeks when my surgery will be scheduled.


That is the background, in a nutshell.  Over the past six months, I have been on an exercise and diet regimen that has prepared me for the weight loss surgery.  I slowly reduced my calorie intake from over 4,000 calories a day to less than 1,800 calories per day.  I exercise in different forms several days a week.  In the past month or so, my weight has dropped 31.5 lbs.  It took a while for results because I slowly reduced my calorie intake so my body didn't go into shock...that would have lead to binge eating, which would not have been good.  My calorie intake is between 1550-1800 calories a day, depending on the day.  After my surgery, I will only be able to eat 2 oz. per meal, three times a day.  My calorie intake will be around 800-1000/day total.


Now a little about me as a person.  I am 28 years old.  I am married to my beautiful wife Nicole.  I am an ex-executive that led a very active and stressful career managing condominium and townhouse communities in some of NJ's most well-to-do neighborhoods.  I am also a classically-trained singer who performs throughout the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area.  I have recently performed with the NJ State Opera, Coro Lirico and multiple other groups, taking me to prestigious venues like Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Academy of the Arts in Philadelphia.  I am currently the tenor section leader of the Russian Chamber Chorus of NY and will be performing with the group at Madison Avenue Pres. in NYC in May.  I am also a pretty good amateur chef and love working in the kitchen.  The reason I tell you all of this is I have tried not to allow my weight to interfere with my life.  However, property management was never my career goal.  I am happy with other parts of my life...but my career has been a disappointment to me for a long time.

I have always wanted to be in law enforcement.  Eventually, I want to be in the FBI, but my main goal (5-year plan, you could call it) is to lose the weight and become a NJ State Trooper.  Law enforcement sort of runs in my blood...many of my family members are police/FBI/military and I have always been drawn to the calling of helping people, enforcing the law and providing a service to my community.  I am limited now in how much I can do because of my weight, but that changes when the weight is lost.

So, over the next year, I plan on writing this blog to document my journey.  I will post once a week...I will post pictures as I go, so you can see how I change.  This is my journey to a new and healthier life...I hope you will come along for the ride.