Most of us go into weight loss surgery knowing intellectually that there is work we will have to do.  We hear over and over again from our doctors, nutritionists, nurses, and psychologists that it will be up to us to change our lifestyles, and that surgery is only a tool.  Many of these same people, emotionally, have a different hope.  We hope that this will be the magic bullet and that suddenly we will NEVER want to have a cookie, chips, an adult beverage, chocolate, or you name your weakness or trigger foods.  That false hope can be shattered quickly if you have Lap Band, or it may take 12-24 months if you have Gastric Sleeve or Gastric Bypass surgery.  At any rate, I promise you that false hope will be shattered somewhere along your journey.

Why not make the choice to let go of that false hope before surgery?  The answer is pretty simple.  Some of us do.  Some of us decided at the point where we signed consent for surgery, that this was our new life and that no matter how difficult, we would change our lifestyle habits as per our doctor’s instructions.  We may have kicked, screamed, cried, tested the limits frequently along the journey; however in our heart of hearts we knew it was on us.

What are some of the habits we changed?  Planning and organizing our days to be able to accommodate eating healthy foods, drinking our water, and getting our fitness in was the beginning.  It also turns out, that it is the end as well.  For me, my long term success is conditional on my daily choices - am I going to get fitness in; will I get at least 64 ounces of water in at the appropriate time, what am I going to eat...?  So you see no changes from my original commitment to change my lifestyle.

One of the first, and probably the most important changes I made was around food.  Surprised?  I thought not.  I planned my food down to the daily calorie and protein intake; I began weighing, measuring, and journaling everything that went into my mouth.  Was I a bit OCD about it?  Probably in the mind of those on the outside looking in; however in my life I was doing what was necessary for me to live in total awareness of my choices.  This was a 424 pound woman coming to terms with what and how she consumed masses of food daily.  It had to stop.  When physical hunger went away I still had the desire to take just one bite of…  You fill in the blank.  I taught myself to walk away, change what I was doing, have some water, and the desire typically left because I was getting sufficient protein and calories on a daily basis to keep me physically satisfied.  Other days it was next to impossible, and still others I gave in.  I kept on going and trying and doing.

Here’s how I did it today.  Sundays are typically my prep day.  Bear in mind that I eat ONLY delicious food.  It doesn’t have to be cooked in butter or covered in chocolate to be delicious after all.  I learned what I enjoyed eating and what fulfilled my sensory needs as far as taste and texture.

Here’s how today, Sunday, 10/4/15 went:

• I got up and took my vitamins and had my first cup of herbal tea
• I had my second cup of herbal tea while reading a trash novel and enjoying me time
• I had my 1^st and only cup of real coffee and checked in on Facebook
• I began meal prep and within 30 minutes had a delicious 4 serving egg frittata in the oven, had created another new chicken salad recipe, and had 4 measured lunch containers of it in the frig.
• I had also browned the prosciutto that was going into my Sunday morning omelet for two when my hubby woke up.

The point is not that I am wonder woman, although some days I do feel that way, but that in 30 minutes I had delicious breakfasts, yummy lunches and today’s breakfast planned, prepped and in the frig.

It doesn’t take the time that you are sure you don’t have - because you are too busy.  All it takes is the time you are willing to commit to yourself to make the lifestyle changes to attain, and maintain, your goals after committing to be wheeled into the OR and have a major surgery to change your life.

Are you willing to commit 30 minutes to make a plan, make some choices and make your life better?  I was.  I did.  I am.  What could that look like for you?