I've said this before but I always end up feeling let down from the scale related goals I set for myself. It's been better than other weight loss attempts, but I can't say it's all motivation and willpower. (Thank you Sleevie!)
My first goal passed this past weekend. I took a business trip and wanted to be 220. I ended up at 222.8 which isn't bad but the truth to making a ton of goals ahead of time is that if you miss one goal it's only going to be more difficult to catch up.
One of the things I've found with surgery is patience that I didn't have before. Perhaps this is me maturing, but I have a hunch it's more that I know the surgery will make me successful. I have to work at it but in the months out from surgery it's fairly difficult to not do well.
It's my fear of this complacent mindset that has kept me going the past few weeks to break out of my norm and start adopting healthy habits and challenge myself. I sort of see it as a race between New Me an Old Me to see who is strongest.
I think we can all agree that once you start sneaking things on a fitness or nutrition plan is the beginning of the end. What may be a small setback for most people can lead to self hatred and bad decisions on a grand scale for others (ie ME!)
Friday, May 20, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I Have a Hole In My Life (Not In My Stomach)
Are you genuinely hungry for food or are you looking for a hobby?
Ever since surgery I've felt like I've had a lot of time on my hands. I had a solid week off work after surgery and while juggling getting in nutrients was time consuming I really wished there was something else to entertain myself
Before surgery I always felt that the constant eating was trying to fill a hole I had in my life. I wasn't happy with who I was and had a feeling of dispair, change seemed so difficult. I turned to food and because of my uneven sugar levels got into a bad habit of making bad decisions when it came to what I was putting into my body.
When I look back at the time I spent focusing on food I can see how the surgery has made me a better employee, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
I no longer think about food non-stop in the way I did before surgery. Now I make sure I am getting the nourishment I need and plan what I take with me around that. When I run errands I run errands, I don't plan on what I'm doing when based on fast food options. It's a life changer.
Personally, I try to be artistic really hard but it's just not in the cards for me. Photography is my outlet. It helps me slow things down and notice the smaller things. I may not be the best, but it keeps me busy. This blog is another outlet and I've been spotty with fitness as of late but the gym will be another source of energy and positive reinforcement so I can reach my goal.
So to anyone who is looking to lose weight, regardless of whether you are a WLS patient or not, I implore you to see if there's something missing in your life. If you are, what is it? What might help you fill what's missing? Will food help you in the long run? Will eating your trigger food make you feel better than a workout?
Ever since surgery I've felt like I've had a lot of time on my hands. I had a solid week off work after surgery and while juggling getting in nutrients was time consuming I really wished there was something else to entertain myself
Before surgery I always felt that the constant eating was trying to fill a hole I had in my life. I wasn't happy with who I was and had a feeling of dispair, change seemed so difficult. I turned to food and because of my uneven sugar levels got into a bad habit of making bad decisions when it came to what I was putting into my body.
When I look back at the time I spent focusing on food I can see how the surgery has made me a better employee, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
I no longer think about food non-stop in the way I did before surgery. Now I make sure I am getting the nourishment I need and plan what I take with me around that. When I run errands I run errands, I don't plan on what I'm doing when based on fast food options. It's a life changer.
Personally, I try to be artistic really hard but it's just not in the cards for me. Photography is my outlet. It helps me slow things down and notice the smaller things. I may not be the best, but it keeps me busy. This blog is another outlet and I've been spotty with fitness as of late but the gym will be another source of energy and positive reinforcement so I can reach my goal.
So to anyone who is looking to lose weight, regardless of whether you are a WLS patient or not, I implore you to see if there's something missing in your life. If you are, what is it? What might help you fill what's missing? Will food help you in the long run? Will eating your trigger food make you feel better than a workout?
Support Groups: The Key To Success
I have Kaiser Permanente health insurance which is unique in the industry where it acts as the insurance company and the doctor's offices. As a part of my pre-op education I completed a 24 week educational course. Post-operatively there are support groups to reinforce positive behaviors and to give patients the feeling of togetherness.
I went to my first session last week and was impressed. There ended up being 4 other people there and the social worker in the Options program. We spent the first half talking about addiction which was the topic of the evening and the second half was opened up to general questions and comments regarding post-op life.
The surgically altered pouches ranged in age from a few weeks (me!) to three years. As someone fresh out it was encouraging to see people 1-3 years out because they look so normal. You would never know they struggled with their weight for decades. Looking at it from the other side, I'm sure it's a refresher to look at people like me to see where they used to be and how their current lifestyle has changed their lives.
Alternative Support Avenues
Different surgeons and hospitals have their own support groups. To find one in your area please contact your surgeon's office because there may also be surgical support groups for the general public, as well.
If you do not have access to an in-person support group or you do not want to attend one then the internet has a wealth of information. There is a larger volume of people offering support and advice can be more forthcoming and prompt compared to a surgeon's office where they haven't had the surgery. Of course, every surgeon is different so make sure you follow your protocol and contact a physician with any serious matters.
Every forum is different so you may need to try multiple ones until you find home. Some that I have found include:
Other informational sources include YouTube, podcasts (I highly recommend Bariatric TV), blogs, and books.
Some blogs I frequent include:
I went to my first session last week and was impressed. There ended up being 4 other people there and the social worker in the Options program. We spent the first half talking about addiction which was the topic of the evening and the second half was opened up to general questions and comments regarding post-op life.
The surgically altered pouches ranged in age from a few weeks (me!) to three years. As someone fresh out it was encouraging to see people 1-3 years out because they look so normal. You would never know they struggled with their weight for decades. Looking at it from the other side, I'm sure it's a refresher to look at people like me to see where they used to be and how their current lifestyle has changed their lives.
Alternative Support Avenues
Different surgeons and hospitals have their own support groups. To find one in your area please contact your surgeon's office because there may also be surgical support groups for the general public, as well.
If you do not have access to an in-person support group or you do not want to attend one then the internet has a wealth of information. There is a larger volume of people offering support and advice can be more forthcoming and prompt compared to a surgeon's office where they haven't had the surgery. Of course, every surgeon is different so make sure you follow your protocol and contact a physician with any serious matters.
Every forum is different so you may need to try multiple ones until you find home. Some that I have found include:
- www.bariatrictv.com
- www.thinnertimesforum.com
- www.obesityhelp.com
- www.verticalsleevetalk.com
Other informational sources include YouTube, podcasts (I highly recommend Bariatric TV), blogs, and books.
Some blogs I frequent include:
- The World According to Eggface
- Bariatric Foodie
- Chef Woody
- Bariatric Eating (great recipe resource!)
Got a BodyMedia Fit!
Those of you who follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/futrfitmeg) know that I won a contest BodyMedia put on for Mother's Day. While my mom technically won the BodyMedia Fit, she is contemplating taking my Bodybugg instead since I'll most likely be entering her information anyways. After playing around with the BodyMedia's interface I'm hoping I get the new toy!
I posted a video on my YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/futrfitmeg) comparing the differences between BodyMedia's BodyMediaFit and the Bodybugg. Neither model I compare has bluetooth wireless technology.
With hands on experience with both devices I really like the BodyMedia Fit, even though it's the same hardware the interface is more intuitive and user friendly. I also love that it has mobile apps for Android and Apple. Having a Spring Android Device the tech g33k in me loves the ID pack o'widgets, as well.
www.bodymedia.com
www.bodybugg.com
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