"Just This Once Won't Hurt"

I decided to copy it here to make it easier.. please take a moment to read, digest it and really think about this one.. its worth your time, I promise. "Just This Once Won't Hurt . . ." by Ken Miller I've had the opportunity to closely watch the weight-loss journeys of hundreds of WLS patients during the last two or three years as I've studied those who are very successful and those who struggle. Almost everyone has plateaus along the way. Some lose weight rapidly and consistently; they reach their goal weight quickly and are able to easily maintain their weight when they get there. Meanwhile others lose weight much more slowly and some never reach their goal weight. Most of those who lose slowly, with extended plateaus along the way, usually struggle much harder to maintain their weight once they reach their goal than those who lost weight quickly and consistently. The number one factor that affects a WLS patient's rate of weight-loss and the ease with which they are able to maintain their weight after they reach their goal is the intake of refined carbohydrates. When they start their journey everyone wants to know . . . "How fast will I lose weight?" "Do you think I can actually lose all this weight?" "Do you think I can do it in a year?" Those are difficult questions to answer because we can't predict, just by looking at them, which people will lose quickly and which ones will lose slowly. The number one factor that affects a WLS patient's rate of weight-loss and the ease with which they are able to maintain their weight after they reach their goal is the intake of refined carbohydrates. Of course there are rare exceptions, but my observations clearly show these two facts: Those WLS patients who say to themselves, "Just this once won't hurt anything . . . I'll go back to no carbs tomorrow," and eat refined carbohydrates struggle to reach their goal weight and then, if they do reach their goal, they have a much harder time maintaining their weight than those patients who don't. Those WLS patients who eat only complex carbohydrates and who do not eat any refined carbohydrates lose weight rapidly and consistently and they have a much easier time maintaining their weight during the following years. So, here's my advice to those who might be interested; Don't make the mistake of saying to yourself, "Just this once won't hurt anything." It will. The consequences of that decision won't be immediately evident to you; it will take time before they show up. But, they WILL show up, and by the time they do, it will be too late to go back and "fix it." Don't cheat yourself out of the final success that you can achieve and maintain for the rest of your life, by trading it for "Just this once . . ." The Carb Monster shows no mercy; not today, and not tomorrow, or next year. I know that's very black and white advice. It's not sugar coated; it doesn't taste good, or feel good, and it might create fear in some WLS patients who have already cheated themselves. I hope so. The good news is that the sooner you banish the Carb Monster from your life, the easier the rest of the journey will be for you. I also hope it will scare every new patient enough that they'll use those initial few months following surgery to banish the Carb Monster forever. There will never be an easier time to do it. It only gets harder later. I expect there will be those who want to express their opinion on this subject . . . both those who believe they are exceptions to what I've said, and those who are willing to take a couple of minutes out of their lives to warn other WLS patients about what happened to them when they said, "Just this once won't hurt . . ." Ken Miller, President ([email protected]) Bariatric Support Centers International

Definitely an interesting take on the subject. I am so guilty of "just this once" I have been trying to make a concentrated effort to take that sentence out of my vocabulary!! Thanks for posting this Melissa!

I sooo relate! My "Just this once" ended up being....Just once a day! Confessions! I tried a piece of Dove dark cholcolate...tolorated it and so had a piece every day, then had a few pieces every day. I figured out that spacing them out prevented me from feeling the bad effects and I got my chocolate fix. I caught myself. I went a couple weeks without any refined sugars again and then tried a bite of my beloved dark chocolate. What happened? I felt so icky, dumpy, and eventually wanted to crash. Fluke? I don't know, but that feeling made me not want to eat chocolate again. I take it one day, sometimes one meal, at a time. I am a little rebellious and still do not like to write down what I eat (in the beginning I had no problem with it) but I do keep a running tally in my mind and analyze what I eat before I eat it. I ask myself, "Is this food worth it in the long run?" If it isn't then I don't eat it. I know I have come so far but I feel like I have so far to go and I don't want to be one of those that does not reach their personal goal.

This is so real, we need to stay away from refined carbs......no wonder I gained a pound this week. Great to see it in black and white.

Holy moly!!! I do believe this fellow has been spying on me cause that is me to a t!!!! Now I just have to figure out how to get this crazy brain to leave me alone so I can do what is right. Thank you melissa for posting this mini me

Great Article.....it is something that i have known for sometime BUT seem to keep forgetting.........

Oh my gosh, Melissa....this is so good! AND....I printed it out and put it in my wls binder the first time you posted it a loooooong time ago. My favorite line from that is 'The Carb Monster shows no mercy; not today, and not tomorrow, or next year.' That is so TRUE!!!!! Thank you for posting this, it is excellent reading! You always find the best things to share with us to help keep us informed and motivated. Thank you!!! Molly

I knew I had read this article before.. I wasn't sure if I had shared it here or not.. but I knew if I had it had been long enough that it would be a good reminder anyway.. I think its very good.. very straight forward and as a postop, I value that. I don't like people beating around the bush.. if its wrong then say it in black and white.. just what this guy does. I appreciate that! Glad you didn't mind the reminder

Mind it? No way! You posted this on the RNY board when we were fresh post ops and I consider great info like this a must-read many times. Just like 'Pouch Rules for Dummies'. I still re-read that to get more out of it.

Thanks for posting this Melissa. I am sooo STRUGGLING and this is so my problem! What are some complex carbs as I honestly think I am carb stupid...I love them all and show no discrimination to any of them. Lately they have ALL been WELCOME I have been doing Fitday this week to "TRY" to get a hold on what I am doing wrong and my carb number is HIGH. I have been eating pineapples and grapes the last few days and this morning a banana and I have to say I am SHOCKED at how high my number is becuase of this. I guess I am one who needs to see it in black nad white. Diana