As my 12^th year as a weight loss surgery patient begins I think about what I keep hearing day after day on Facebook, in my groups, on my website, at support group meetings from other weight loss surgery patients.  Here is what is said, if not in these words, in words very similar to them:

• “I am so tired of working so hard on this every day.  I just want to be normal and not have to worry about food”

What exactly does that mean?  What is “normal”, and what does worry about food mean?  Those are the questions I ask, and here are some of the uncensored responses I have received:

• I don’t want to have to plan my food
• I want to be able to eat cheeseburgers and fries
• I want ice-cream
• I’m tired of worrying about whether or not I got enough protein
• I want pizza

So those are the first words that come tumbling out of the mouths of folks I have coached to success, to their lifetime maintenance range weights, to health, to happiness, to whatever their vision of success might be.  The next words that come after they are quiet for a moment, and I too say nothing are often these:

• I guess everyone needs to plan their foods if they want to stay in a certain weight range
• Ice cream would send my blood sugars all over the place
• The last time I ate what I thought I wanted it took days for my body to recover
• Skinny people make healthy choices
• I NEVER want to go back to where I started

People often share very personal moments that bring their thought process to the “why” planning or thinking about food is so exhausting.  THAT is exactly when they let go of the concept.  They remember days when they wanted a cheeseburger as a child but their mothers/fathers/sisters/brothers/teachers/friends told them you don’t really need that - you are too fat, or worse yet, NO you can’t have that, you are on a diet.

Remember those days?  Remember how you felt?  Remember how embarrassing it was to be called out in front of other people, or just feel like the entire cafeteria/restaurant or dinner table is watching everything you put in your mouth? 

What if those were the reasons planning your foods based on what you could enjoy that would also meet your weight loss surgery needs is so exhausting and overwhelming to you? 

What if you just sat with those thoughts, allowed them to wash over you, breathe through them and let them evaporate?

What could the possibilities be then?

I challenge you to let go of some of your past thoughts, ideas and emotions around food and look at it for what it is- fuel for your body.  It can be delicious and healthy at the same time, if you allow it to be.

Normal - I chose weight loss surgery and on the day I went into the OR I expected that as I was wheeled out I would never again be the person who went in.  If that was normal, 424 pounds killing herself daily with what she put in her mouth, I don’t want it.

How about you?