Weight Loss

As mentioned in some of my previous posts, one of the things transplant centers really focus in on when determining whether or not you are a candidate for donation is your Body Mass Index (BMI). Candidates with a BMI of greater than 30 are generally considered ineligible for donation (there are some exceptions). Candidates with a BMI greater than 25 but less than 30 will be considered for donation but generally need to meet with a dietician to make sure they know how to maintain a healthy weight for the remainder of their lives.

As of my initial testing, I had a BMI of 27.6 so I was within the allowable range but still fell into the overweight category. I was passed through to further testing but encouraged to lose some weight before the actual surgery. I met with the transplant center’s dietician and set out to lose approximately 28 pounds before surgery day. I was sitting at 203.6 pounds and set a goal of 175 pounds. I am happy to report that as of this morning, I broke the 175 pound barrier – 10 days before surgery day!

My sister joked the other day that I should write a book called “How an Accountant Loses Weight.” As a numbers geek, I actually find losing weight to be fairly easy. I didn’t go on any fancy diet, I simply used a program that allows you to calculate your daily consumption of calories and sets a daily calorie limit for you based on your age, height, weight, activity level, and your per week weight loss goal. It’s pretty simple – consume less calories than you burn, you lose weight. I went 105 consecutive days of not once consuming more calories in a day than I burned and hit the 175 mark just in time - tomorrow we are celebrating my birthday and I plan on chowing down on my mom's spaghetti, loads of garlic bread, and some Peanut Butter Perfection from Cold Stone for dessert (which might just exceed my allowable calories for the day).

Tracking calories can be a pain in the rear but it works. Also being a numbers geek, I kept a white board chart of my weight loss to keep me motivated (I couldn’t stomach the thought of not seeing the line drop every week so I absolutely had to keep my consumption down). My BMI today is 23.7 so I now fall in the normal weight category and am set for the surgery. I will, however, need to make sure I keep my weight in check for the rest of my life (definitely don't want to fall into the greater than 30 category and should try to stay in the less than 25 category).

For those interested, you can calculate your BMI at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. To track calories, I used an iPhone app called “Lose it.” I know others who have been successful with on-line calorie tracking programs such as www.livestrong.com and http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/.