WHY DO WE DO IT!!!!

 I was instructed by my surgeon at my first meeting in November 2016 that I need to lose 50# before he would do the surgery.  I am currently down 35# with 2 months to go and I'm sure the pre op diet will shave quite a bit more.  I have had quite a few "come to jesus" moments with my diet change counting calories and portion control... I am amazed at how MUCH I was eating, and when, and why... I bet I would go a month without eating a piece of fruit or vegetable even by accident (not counting spaghetti sauce or bloody mary mix LOL)  but seriously, going on diets, losing weight and having the weight "creep back on" it is just settling into the old habits and lifestyles.  morning doughnuts, grazing all day on chips and peanuts, stressed day?....go home and eat a pizza... wait a couple hours and eat a huge bowl of ice cream with peanuts and fudge right before bed...  eat when you are bored, eat when you are stressed, eat especially when you are hungry and that gives me free reign right... because i have starved myself for 4 hours so i deserve to eat, and i mean EAT, burgers, fries, steak, cake.  No more,

i don't want to do this to look good (although it is a bonus) i want this so i can be at my daughters sports games, graduations, weddings.  so i can walk to the beach with my family and enjoy a day outside with them.  so i can walk through the mall and not think that everyone is looking and judging.  Don't do this for looks, do this for life.

Thank you God (whichever god you pray to)... thank god for calorie trackers, thank god for pedometers, and all the technology available, thank god for giving surgeons the capability to do this, thank god for family and friends,  thank god for helping open my eyes and show me there is help, thank god for all of you and keeping up the fight because that is what this is, it isn't a fight against bullies or media or food or the scale, it is a fight each one of us is fighting in our head against both the most fierce enemy and the most compassionate friend, one that will fight back as hard as he can and at the same time support us as much as he can.  OURSELVES and in the end, you only have one person to turn both blame and praise on and that person is in the mirror.  when you slip up, scold yourself but don't dwell on it we aren't perfect, dust yourself off and get back on this carnival ride.  i didn't get this way because of one slip up.  God has given us each our own set of challenges and i am a firm believer that we each have a path and if god brings you to a problem, he will bring you through it. 

anyway, that's enough RA-RA!! for now.  i appreciate all of your comments and support and hope one day i can pay it forward...

i will finish with my new motto:  cheesy as it may be but hits home for me.

"Get busy living, or get busy dying"  (yes i know, Shawshank redemption... but this is pretty much like being in prison)

PEACE!!

I can't love this enough!!  Thank you!!

Thank God for you and this post!  We are all here, wanting to see you succeed.  Keep up the good work!

Thank you for sharing. I'll need to lose about 40# when I get to that part of the program through SW Washington service area. They require a twelve week basic weight management class that I'm taking by webinar and then the dietician and social worker appts start.  I was told it takes 9-12 months to get to surgery if you complete all the requirements. God gives us the strength and grace to make it through our trials  I just started using a CPAP machine yesterday.  That's my trial along with the weight loss. Thanks for your encouraging words.  God bless.

I had to ditch the CPAP - nope - not happening. It was a full mask as I am a mouth breather. Let's hope that I now lose enough weight for the sleep apnea to be gone. I agree, that is your biggest trial lol. Stay strong.

Amen sister!