Susan Maria's rant of the month...

Susan Maria is a postop, she selss bariatric products as well but aside from that she has a monthly rant, this one about the holidays, take a look at it, also past ones can be found at this link as well! Jamie (*who is not endorsing just passing on info!)* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://store.bariatriceating.com/thismonthsrant.html The holidays are coming up fast and this year I would like everyone to get ready for them in advance, and that includes an annual check up from the neck up! I am already so over the complaining about how terrible Thanksgiving is going to be. I am beginning to hear the rumbling and grumbling. Are you folks kidding? If I had to sit at the bountiful Thanksgiving table and eat a bowl of dirt, while my family pelted me with drumsticks and biscuits I wouldn't even think about complaining about what I couldn't eat! We choose as to whether to see that the glass is half full or half empty... to live on the positive side of life, or the negative. What do YOU see? Full or empty? Where do you live? Positive or Negative? Really think about it for a minute. Are you one of the people who points out your wattle and flab when complimented on your weight loss? Do your friends at work feel sorry for you because of the hang dog painful look on your face while they eat birthday cake? If you are one of those people who is already starting to miss the plate piled high with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with brown sugar marshmallow topping, green bean casserole with the little fried crunchy onions, dinner rolls with butter... oh man, I get sleepy just thinking about all of that. CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Find happiness somewhere else. Go to the craft store and buy branches of ripe berries, fall leaves and flowers to make a gorgeous table arrangement. Crochet a throw for the living room in luscious caramel colors. Paint a set of inexpensive wine glasses with translucent paints. Learn to make a sugar free pecan pie. This year lets start early in preparation for the rush of emotions we feel when we start to mourn the loss of our annual feast of gluttony. Lets get our heads on straight so we can be a weight loss surgery success! This is a rant from two years ago... I am recycling it as I cant think of a better way to put it! "I had a terrible Thanksgiving Day. I didn't have this surgery to be on a diet, so I tried to eat a little of everything but I got heartburn and had to throw up. I tried again, nothing stayed down, and then I felt sick the rest of the day. This surgery has made me miserable." Your backwards thinking is what made you miserable! This surgery creates the need for a LIFESTYLE change. What we couldn't eat was NOT a punishment; what we COULD eat was actually a reward for the smaller sized clothing we were so proudly wearing and for the way we now feel after losing the equivalent of EIGHT 15 pound frozen turkeys. Many of us did very well with the carb overloaded Thanksgiving holiday by planning for a few post op friendly dishes scattered throughout the day... shrimp trays during the nosh phase, turkey moistened with a little gravy and a few green beans (ok, a forkful of fav stuffing is okay too), and a lot of sugar free pumpkin custards and pumpkin pies were baked and consumed by the sliver. So a HUGE round of applause for all of us who did well and celebrated their new LIFESTYLE. However, a smack in the head to everyone who was sad and complaining about sitting there watching everyone enjoy themselves. SNAP OUT IT and WAKE UP! You had better turn around that 'stinkin thinkin' and get the point of this surgery. We made a calculated tradeoff... gluttony for health... fat clothes for thin clothes... mountains of food for a taste of the foods we would really like to sample... quantity for QUALITY... size 28 for size 10... a bowl of stuffing with gravy for a slice of turkey with a light drizzle to moisten... Lane Bryant for Macy's. CELEBRATE what you CAN eat, and don't be sad over what you CAN'T eat. Positive versus Negative will get you a lot of mileage in LIFE, and this doesn't just apply to weight loss surgery post op-ness but in ALL aspects in your well being. Soooooo, if you need any reason to NOT eat and a boost to do better for the rest of this landmine filled season head to the mall and accentuate all the POSITIVE aspects of your LOSS. I have news for you if you were sad yesterday, we didn't lose potato chips, stuffing, candied yams, and mounds of mashed potatoes, we GAINED health, self respect, dignity, and additional years to enjoy with our families. Have a great holiday season... this is just the start. Plan for the next big event; have plenty of protein, make some cocoa out of the good chocolate proteins and you wont know you are drinking it. Have a little sugar free chocolate; no one wants you to be the freak in the corner not eating or celebrating, just plan ahead this time. Remember that absolutely 'Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!' Susan Maria

Hiya Jaims, Often Susan Maria annoys me, but I have to agree with this rant. I started this journey one year ago just before Thanksgiving. At that time, I was just starting to work on my 10% pre op weight loss and last Thanksgiving I was very mindful of what I was eating, but yet I enjoyed my meal. I ended up losing weight that week. Wow. Now I am 95 pounds less and feel and look like a new person. There is nothing that would be offered on a Thanksgiving table that could replace the joy I feel at the changes I've made to body and soul. This thanksgiving, instead of feeling cheated that I can't eat myself into a sad little stupor, I will be so immensely grateful for the sustinance that this surgery has enriched my life with. So I say, "right on, Susan Maria!" Thanks for sharing. xox Aims

Jamie, Thanks for posting this.. I will not go into exactly how I feel but just know that some of us are at different steps in learning our new life! We are all NOT perfect, we strive to be but lets face it we have to learn this NEW way of life and that takes TIME. I like to think I am a very positive person but there are times when life can get to you! You need the time vent and move forward....we all need to know there is a place to come and vent, chat or just be honest with everyone and not feeling that you are going to get negative posts back from how you are truely feeling!!! .....Ok enough I can go on and on but chose to zip my lip at this point, many of you know how I feel about....... love you all....keep being honest and that is the only way you will learn!!! Debra P

Im sorry, i am just not interested in what she has to say.... We are not perfect but as was said before, espically on this NY boards ..this is a place to come and vent and say whatever and not feel bad for saying it. Us NYers are thicker skinned and we say things as they are and we dont cry about it, we take each others mistakes and learn from them....We all make them, we all make bad choices once in a while but SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE even people on other boards. OK i am not going there again.. I will just say it again,,,,,no offense but just not interested in what she has to say ..... Love you all.... LisaMarie

I post different things at times, not ENDORSING a view but as a perspective for consideration/discussion. I realize many have strong emotions/opinions tied to certain people and their opinions and I think it is great to stimulate thought and discussion for us all, whether we agree or disagree. I think the beauty of this board and others is just that sharing. I appreciate al the feedback (+/-) on this rant and the time everyone took to read it! My hopes is we all continue to grow on this journey by being educated and informed and supported, I believe it is good to attack ideas and not people as well. Thank you all for not attacking me who posted this piece but rather the view of 'perfectionism'. I feel with perfectionism we always look at the 1% flaw never focusing on the 99% progress. I know myself I have had this tendency and try to work on it and grow each day! Thank u all for the feedback and insight! HUGS Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=c1132518510 "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"