As I sit here messaging with two folks on Facebook, trying to just walk them through their own thought process about their weight loss surgery, their life in general, their reasons and excuses for where they are today I am grateful that “the stars aligned” and brought me to my bariatric doc in 2004. I was 424 pounds, miserable, killing myself slowly with food and still living in denial. I knew that “if I wanted to” I could lose the weight. I had done it many, many times over my 54 years of life. I just kept letting life throw it’s curve balls at me, and using those curve balls as an excuse to allow myself to eat anything I wanted, whenever I wanted, in obscene quantities.
Bad day at work… have some chips and, of course, a diet soda while you fixed it. Tough issues... with family, eat a box of cookies with tea or coffee. Happy... let’s celebrate, and go out for food and drinks. Had to work all day and then drive 120 miles round trip to visit Mom... have a fast food dinner (dashboard dining), and on the way home stop for something else because “you earned it”. Knee hurts really bad... eat something gooey so you’ll forget about it…..Well you get the picture. Life happened. My Mom, and Mother-In Law, both passed, we brought my granddaughter to a boot camp in Idaho to try to get her head on straight, my 10 ½ year old granddaughter succumbed to her genetic disorder and we scattered her ashes over the Pacific Ocean. My daughter fell apart for a while and I tried to help hold the rest of the family together. I was told I needed knee replacement surgery. My body ached, and I could barely walk. Well, you get it; regardless of what I ate, or didn’t eat, LIFE continued to happen.
After a blood pressure crisis in my doctor’s office I investigated and choose to have my lap band surgery. I changed my habits from 2 days before surgery when I went on my pre-op liquid diet. I worked hard and lost weight, and then I worked hard, and made some muscle. Over the years life continued to happen, and I made some choices that were not in the best interest of my health - you get the picture… cookies, candy, chips, and I paid for it on the scale in the way my clothes fit, and how my body felt. One day of “crap” eating and I would have several days of aches and pains and exhaustion. I had come to realize that I make the choice in how I feel. I always knew this intellectually, and emotionally, regarding positive mental attitude, but it is only in the last few years that I have truly accepted at all levels that -- I AM WHAT I EAT.
When I eat foods rich in protein, vegetables, and low in carbohydrates, and avoid processed foods, I feel GOOD. I get up in the morning and can get my motor running and some great aerobic and muscle building time done at the gym, work all day, and have a smile on my face. I can plan family dinners, go out with friends, take bad news with sorrow without allowing it to control me. I can walk by a mirror and smile at the image that greats me.
I can be happy. I choose to be happy. I make the daily choice around food, water, and exercise that keep my body feeling good and that make me happy. Why would I choose anything else? I can’t answer that today because I don’t.
Am I perfect? NOPE. Did I have a little more of the family dinner than I planned to eat? YUP! Did I take 3 bites instead of one bite of the birthday cake? YUP. Today is a new and different day with no birthday cake, and no family dinner (which was totally weight loss surgery friendly and healthy with the exception of the birthday cake), so I will start it fresh and happy.
Why wait until _____________ (you fill in the blank) to get started? Why focus on what is hurting at the moment, what you can’t do, and why you can’t do it. I say focus on what you can do, and the rest will follow.
What is your goal? Is it a number on the scale? Is it improved blood work from your doctor? Is it a pair of designer jeans, or a certain little black dress? Is it throwing away those blood pressure pills, or that insulin? Is it shopping in any store you choose for your clothes, and fitting in?
Whatever your goal is, don’t wait for tomorrow to plan to get it. GO GET IT TODAY!
WEEKLY WEIGH-IN
Need help? Need support? Want to learn what it takes to make this all work well together? Want some motivation and inspiration from others dealing with issues just like yours? Want to belong, be part of something bigger than just your struggle? We all do. We can’t do this alone.
Together WLS Success Matters Weekly Weigh-In participants lost over 1000 pounds last year, and many of them reached their goal weight. We are a family that takes each of our individual challenges seriously, and with the coaching skills of our two facilitators, and the input of the other participants, bring most everyone who asks for help through their challenge to their place of success. It’s not just about the number on the scale.
We have a new group starting Tuesday February 3rd and if you are ready to start letting go of the “reasons” and reaching for your goals and your best life I invite you to join us. Here’s the link, register today and choose your life, don’t let it choose you.
WEEKLY WEIGH-IN