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as 360 pounds. Realizing his weight was becoming an issue, Jovanovich joined the Oakville YMCA in 2003. He got back into a workout routine, focusing on cardiovascular exercises over lift- ing weights, and was also active in other ways. He played tennis, was a member at Glen Abbey Golf Club and regularly rode a bike. But even being active wasnt making much of a dif- ference. I would work out in the morning, then come home and eat three bagels, Jovanovich says. I got back to exercising, but the moderation was not there. The final wake-up call (Jovanovich calls it his aha! moment) came at an annual physi- cal three years ago. (The doctor) said Your blood pressure is good, your cholesterol is good. Youre healthy as a horse, but youre carrying a lot of weight. When you get older, that baggage will start to take its toll on your body, Jovanovich recalls. It was time for drastic measures. You dont see many 80-year-old 6-5, 350- pound guys, chuckles Jovanovich. That was kind of my mantra. I was getting on the back nine of life, and I needed to do some- thing. The workouts were there but I wasnt getting anywhere with the weight. Underwent surgery Gastric bypass surgery, where the top of the stomach is cut off to drastically reduce its size, had been performed for decades. But a friend of Jovanovich had undergone a similar procedure that was far less invasive. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band sur- gery, commonly referred to as a lap band, involved putting a saline band around the top of the stomach. Since the top of the stomach fills up faster, it sends signals to the brain that the person is full. NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes, who faced the same challenges as Jovanovich when he retired from the NFL, had lap-band surgery in 2008. New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan opted for the procedure last year. Jovanovich met with Dr. Chris Cobourn at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga three years ago. Cobourn suggested Jovanovich was an ideal can- didate for lap-band surgery, and Jovanovich chose to have the procedure. You can sustain a diet and f lose 30 pounds in a matter o weeks, he says, but if your lifestyle doesnt change, you balloon again. I needed a life- style change with modern medicine. No regrets Three years later, Jovanovich says he has absolutely no regrets. He lost nearly 100 pounds in the twelve months following lap-band surgery. And bet- ter yet, hes kept it off. Its dropped my consumption to maybe 30 per cent of what I usually ate, he says. Its been a great experience. I can buy clothes off the rack. I dont have to go to the big and tall stores, or buy clothes off the Internet. I just feel better. Its opened doors career-wise Its self-confidence, a bet- ter image. Not everything about lap-band surgery was ideal, Jovanovich admits. If you eat too quick- ly, you can easily get indigestion and regurgi- tate what you eat. Some days you want to eat and then run out the door, but youve got to eat slowly, he says. There is also a significant cost involved, since lap-band surgery is an elective proce- dure. According to several websites, it can cost anywhere from $16,000-$18,000 in Canada, though it can be done cheaper in the United States and for as little as $8,000 in Mexico. But, for Jovanovich, it was worth it. I look at it as buying a car for four years, Jovanovich says. For me, it was a decision that I didnt want to be big anymore. Obesity has become a big thing in Canada. But there are options, and not just the soup f diet. There is exercise and moderation. A lot o people get the exercise, but the moderation they cant get down. I found a way to get the moderation down. Oakville Adult Recreational Hockey 905-849-9712 or: www.hmhl.bizland.com Information and/or Registration by Phone: Intermediate (18+) Oldtimers Divisions (30+, 40, 47+) Womens Rec/Comp (18+) Register now for our fall season. Prime time games, no late nights! Get Your FREE FAMILY PASS! Just look for the bright pink insert in Todays Oakville Beaver. Dont miss our best show ever! SEPTEMBER 9, 10, 11 at the Glen Abbey Recreation Centre (1415 Third Line north of QEW) SHOW HOURS Friday 3pm-8pm Saturday 11am-5pm Sunday 11am-5pm The Oakville CORRECTION NOTICE We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. WALMART For our yer effective Sept. 2 - 8/11. Page 3: The photos of the Huggies items are not correct. They should be Huggies Pullups or Goodnites Mega Packs. Page 15: The description for the HP printer is not correct. It should be: HP 1000 Single Function Printer, #30050744. Page 17: The description for the Blackberry is not correct. It should be: TELUS Blackberry Torch 9810. w w w .i n si d eH A LT O N .c o m O A K V IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , S ep te m be r 9, 2 01 1 3 2 WOMENS INDOOR SOCCER REGISTRATION WITH BWRSL Now Accepting Registrations. Sunday Indoor 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM 5-a-side Monday/Wednesday Night Indoor 7-a-side. Season runs from mid-October to spring 2012 - including playoffs. Price is $305 for the season for full-time soccer. Contact us now to get signed up! All registration info is online at www.bwrsl.com Being active wasn't enough You don't see many 80-year-old 6-5, 350- pound guys. That was kind of my mantra. I was getting on the back nine of life, and I needed to do something Mike Jovanovich Continued from page 31 MISSING THE ACTION: Mike Jovanovich, pictured in action with the Ottawa Rough Riders, weighed 305 pounds when he played in the Canadian Football League. Shortly after retir- ing, he weighed as much as 360 pounds. .Better your odds Visit getserious.ca WITH DIABETES, YOUR ODDS ARENT GOOD. 4 out of 5 people with diabetes will eventually die of heart disease. Reduce Reuse Recycle