DON'T WORRY, my August friends!

Hi all. I've just spent a great deal of time on this board reading the messages and responding to some of them. I thought I would take some time to post a topic of my own to reassure some of you. A NEEDED thing to do is to quit worrying about some of the stuff you are thinking about. I can tell it's driving some of you crazy with worry and anxiety. YOU ARE OKAY and YOU CAN DO THIS! You *know* what you have to do: 1. Get enough protein 2. Exercise OFTEN--my doc recommended at least 5 times a week. 3. Take your recommended vitamins and supplements. 4. Keep hydrated. Now there are some other things you might want to do (Or, the things I have learned in the month since my surgery) 1. Stay off the scale if you can't handle weighing every day. Try to wean yourself from it. If you stall or gain, (both of which I have done) and it totally freaks you out, then maybe you need to weigh in only once a week, or every two weeks, or maybe even once a month! I know we are addicted to the scale, and I'm no exception--I weigh every day and keep a graph of my weight loss--but if weighing is causing us to stress or experience anxiety, then maybe we need to re-evaluate the place the scale has in our lives. We don't need the mental stress added to the physical stress our bodies are already enduring. 2. Give yourself mental and emotional kudos and pats on the back. You are doing well. I'm sure we all think, "Maybe I'm the one this surgery isn't going to work for" or something similar. Let me share with you *my* crazy thought. I actually thought that perhaps my surgeon didn't really perform the surgery on me. I didn't feel any different. (Except I could only drink about 1.5 oz in the hospital before I was stuffed.) But really, I entertained this idea, thinking that the so called "surgery" was going to fail me cuz he really didn't do it! Now, I really had to talk myself out of this one. (Message me for details.) We all think something like this, that the surgery is going to fail us. It WILL FAIL if WE FAIL to use it as the tool that it is. That means following the 4 "rules" above. 3. Don't compare your weight loss with someone else's. Our bodies are individual, and even our surgeries are individual, even tho they are all the same procedure. But give yourself a little slack...we are US, and we are going to lose in OUR way, not like anyone else. I had to really tell myself this one for a while. 4. Don't freak out about stalls/plateaus, or even weight gain. Our bodies have went through quite a bit of physical trauma from the surgery, then the rapid weight loss. We ARE going to stall, and maybe even gain a lb or two. I've done it. Like I said, if it's what you see on the scale that you can't handle, then wean from the scale. But if we plateau or gain, then we need to reason with our brains that our bodies are just adjusting. Give yourself gentle excuses, and be loving to YOU. We had this surgery not only for our loved ones, but for US. 5. Remember that when we are not losing pounds, we are probably losing inches. Do you measure? I'm not as obsessive about that, and I KNOW I've lost inches...I can tell by the way my clothes feel. I can tell by looking in the mirror. This is especially true if we exercise like we NEED to. I personally hate exercising, but I know I gotta do it, and when I decided to have this surgery I commited to doing what it takes to be successful. Have you made that commitment? But if you are worried, then measure weekly. That may be helpful and boost you all up. Umm...I think that's it. I hope I have not been harsh or long-winded. I only wrote this because of the major amounts of mental anguish I read on the board this morning. It made me sad to see many of you scared and worried, and feeling like you are failing, or will fail. Don't let yourself get into that mode of thinking! I love you all...you are all my August buddies, and I want us ALL to be successful. Let's do what it takes to achieve our dreams, and boost each other up along the way! Please feel free to email me anytime for an encouraging word. UTE_NDN

Great advice to everyone. Thanks for the encouragement. Hugs, Trish

Loved your post. I also said to my husband if I wasn't never hungry I'd think the surgeron didn't do anything cause I feel great. Only difference is I'm eating 400 to 500 calories a day and I'm full. We have to remenber that we are all learning a new way of eating. It is very scary and I know I'm afraid of making mistakes. But each day I try to do better. I want to up my protein now. I'm getting around 50 grams and would like to up it to 60 grams a day. The nutitiousnes said I should begin to get around 600 calories a day so I am going to try to up my calorie count to. But I'm not kicking myself when I don't. Your post hit it on the nail. We need to relax and do the best we can. Our tools will work. Dianna

Thank you thank you for those words..well said! Cindy

I truly appreicate your words of encouragement. Very well said and well thought out; I couldn't of said it better myself. I do have to admit though; I have been stressed this last two weeks since I'm stalled. I know it's my own fault not drinking enough, not enough protein and not enough walking. I guess I expected it to melt off and am facing reality today... it's not melting off. I will step up my game and dedicate myself to 64oz + of liquids, including increasing my protein intake and going for more walks and going further. I was so impressed when I see others from this group walking 2-3 miles a day, WOW! I am not even close! So my game was just stepped up effective ASAP more fluid, protein and going for longer walks! I will praise my weight loss of 29 lbs so far and know my clothes are baggy. I'm fitting into size 18/20 from 22/24 in just 4 WEEKS! I am greatful for your positive words as we all need to hear them. Keep sharing and caring! Your WLS sister, Carrie

Hey, I'm right there with you--I went from a 22/24 to now a 18/20. Of course, it does depend on who manufactures the clothes. But I have more than a few 22/24s that I used to wear, and that were getting too small, and now they are big and getting bigger. I put a pic of me on the bottom of my profile...in front of my BEAUTIFUL car. (Yeah, I'm obsessed with the car.) Check it out if you want. I'm still livin' large, but I'm shrinking day by day! Today is my birthday and I'm under 200 lbs! Woot! "WYNN IS THIN" UTE_NDN

hey Winnie, Loved your profiie and great before and after pix ! car is pretty too ! Happy belated Birthday ! Hugs, Amie

Carrie I have gone from 22/23 to 18/20 as well. I was @1 month when I got to this point. I am losing a lot of inches in my bootay area, but only 24.5 pounds. Lisa C.

OMG, this should be stickied and mandatory reading for everyone who is having this surgery, esp. the part about weighing yourself every day. There are so many people about people who are frustrated and pissed off because they don't lose every day or every week. It's totally normal!!! I wish people would understand that before freaking out. I was lucky because I had a year (of course I never thought that was lucky while I was waiting) to read these boards, so I understand that there will be plateaus and weeks I won't lose. That doesn't mean it's over people! Your body needs to adjust! I understand wanting to lose it all as quickly as possible, but as it is said all the time, it didn't go on this fast, and for many of us we are actually losing it faster than we did put it on and still getting upset. Please, just relax people. It will happen. jacie

Jacie, I *REALLY* appreciate your reply, and your support of my post. I *DO* appreciate EVERYONE'S support of my post. I honestly posted it out of my love and concern for all the women on this whole website who were worried about failure and plauged with fear that this surgery was going to fail them. Okay, to be blunt, there will be SOMEONE for whom this surgery will fail, but the percentage is SO SMALL...it's prolly NOT YOU. So please, my buddies, take a deep breath and start to trust. Do what you are supposed to do, and think POSITIVE! You are fortunate...you had a year to read the boards and realize that the weight wasn't just going to fall off, pound after pound, week after week. It takes some time for our bodies to adjust what they are going through, and our job is to keep on keeping on and be patient. I kind of figured it out from reading profile after profile...it was so cool to "meet" so many women and journey with them through their weight loss...I shared with them their hopes, dreams, set-backs, and successes. I'm a total profile reader! NEwayz, thanks for your support...I do wish we could all read my post cuz most of it is common sense...some is just experience! I wish you continued success and a downward spiral on the scale. UTE_NDN