Well, the title pretty much says it all. This is one of the hardest things I think I’ve ever done. I’ve known for some time that I need to lose weight, but I’ve not been able to weigh myself as the scales I have access to only go to 300 lbs. I had been going to the gym but the pressure on my knees and back made going on a treadmill painful after seven minutes. I needed to work-out to lose weight, but I need to lose weight to work-out.

I booked a Dr’s appt for a physical – ok, all honesty it was my wife that booked it – and I made the decision to ask her about weight-loss surgery. Something needed to happen and this looked like my best option. One of my best, and longest, friends arranged to meet for a beer to talk about an outdoor projector. We met at the bar and talked about the projector and then he said something that I hope changes my life forever.

“Listen, I need to talk to you about something but I’m not sure how you’re gonna take it”. WHOA!! This can go so many ways. When a friend drops this, you have no idea what’s coming, but you know it’s going to be huge. “Do you know what the Bariatric clinic is? I talked to a nurse down there and they may have a plan for you. There is something called meal replacement and she said you can call and they would be happy to meet with you”.

“I hope you’re not mad, but the guys and I have been talking and we are concerned”. I ran the gamete of pretty much every emotion – shock, pride, fear, embarrassed, but mad was not one. I told him that I wanted the info and made sure he knew how honoured I was to know that my friends really cared about what happened to me and I thanked him as we left.

I called Heather down at the Clinic, told her who I was and she explained with more detail what this plan was all about. For twelve weeks I would be taking Opti-fast shakes instead of food. This would equate to 900 calories, but contain all the necessary nutrients. This would allow for some rapid weight loss to make moving around alot easier.

The bigger component of the program is weekly consultation in regards to how I got to where I am. This will help me confront my bad relationship with food. We will learn how to read labels, what foods are best to eat, and how to manage my intake and eat foods that help fill me up.

This is going to be brutal!! During this twelve week, meal replacement period, I can have no food, and no alcohol.....sorry, let me re-type that for you, NO ALCOHOL!!! I have two guy’s weekends, a cottage trip and a fantasy football draft. However, this is important to my family, my friends, and to me too. 

Since I decided to take this path, I’ve been ashamed to even talk about it. I told a few people and got nothing but love. Told a few more and it was the same thing. Even through that, I still couldn’t talk to anyone. I went to spend Saturday night with some friends and I couldn’t look anyone in the face. I’m sitting there at 450 lbs and it’s eating me from the inside. So, the next day I decided to tell a few people the number, and now I’m writing this.

So, this is the beginning of the biggest journey of my life. In two weeks I go for my first meeting and after that, I get my shakes. I really want this to work for me. It’s scary because I have to do this and I’ve never been accused of being the most committed guy. On the journey I will have more support than one man could ask for. Looking at the faces of my kids will be the biggest motivation I will ever need. My wife, stronger than any woman I know, will keep me on the straight and narrow. The Curtis clan, well, they’re a second family, and just like family they will be another shoulder. My parents and my brother Bob have always had my back and now is no exception.

And finally, my brothers. These guys put me on this path, and for that I will always be grateful. I can never thank-you enough. I look forward to going to Fantasy Island and screaming my head off on a roller coaster real soon.

Russ Burmaster