Overeaters Annonymous??

Thanks Gwen. I am going to try it with an open mind.

For what it's worth, the group I attended had ZERO issues with my having had weight loss surgery. They were perfectly lovely and welcoming. The only problem at all that I had was the whole higher power thing.

Thanks Gwen.

OA HATES WLS despite ( or possibly because ) lot of members getting the lifesaving and life enhancing surgery . It?s a very shaming totally unsympathetic and unsupportive situation.

For what it?s worth I?ve always HATED twelve step groups .. a bunch of complaining craving losers .

whose only REAL wish was having the access and freebie drinks catered foods etc I had access to .. can?t tell you how I?ve been publicly shamed by ? recovering? homeless and other jealous morally deficient opportunists.

Thanks. I missed the meeting I was going to attend today as my husband wanted to go to the dump to dispose of our broken 50 inch plasma TV that was sitting in our living room all week since getting new one last week.

i had a bad taste when I went at age 20-21 but I am a bit desperate for some in person support and wondered if I try it 30 years later and it be different. I do remember that misery feeling you described and my husband came with me to be supportive back then and he thought looney a bit. Which it was at the time. People losing control talking about eating twinkles and uncontrollably crying at many meetings. One woman screaming crying that she was doing the speed limit to get to the meeting. Out of control out bursts at meetings I attended. I left feeling worse and doomed. I was happier not attending yet still fat until I found WLS at age 41. No judgement at the time just not for me and I went for quite awhile. Didn't do the sponsor thing which was frowned upon. So I was going to go today to see if all these years I find different and not mention to my husband until he had plans for the dump. I am sort of afraid to go now I think I find something else.

I have been out of control and time to just get real with myself and get back to basics. I don't work the last year (after working since I was 15 years old) and it has been tough adjustment. Involved with my kids schedules now and working not in the cards. I did lose a good portion of regain but gained 10 lbs back so now have 25 to lose again. Just don't want it to increase. Feel lost a bit, cut off and miss my old life. Overall a good life and I have no reason to complain.

It sounds like you're going through a lot of change. Have you thought about doing a couple of counseling sessions to get some tools to cope with everything that's going on?

With insurance these days as it is I have held back. I have never had therapy ever but would if I could. I checked last Spring and person I was going to see was not covered. Not cheap!

You are right though about where I at. Need to stay positive and go back to exercising and walking. Maybe reading! I bought a book and have not opened it yet.

I'm currently (concurrently?) reading two books that I'm finding really helpful.

One is "Bariatric Mindset" by Kristin Lloyd. She is a licensed therapist and a PhD candidate, and she has been and is right where we are...she was over 400 lbs, then had VSG five years ago and has been maintaining since. She also has a FB group that is active and very helpful to many of us who belong to it.

The other book I'm reading is "Eating Mindfully" by Susan Albers. She also has a workbook-type of book called "eat, drink and be mindful". It's got some really powerful stuff in it, and I'm working through it with my therapist.

Both of these books really make me think. Make me think about how I got to 303 lbs, and how I will deal with a huge weight loss, and how I will maintain that loss. They're both proving to be powerful tools for me in this journey.

I hope you find what you need...I think you should give OA a chance, without considering the negative opinions that other people may have about it. It very well may be exactly what you're looking for. Many over eaters are never "cured", but they do find a way to live with the desire to overeat, and they learn to not let it rule their lives.

As was suggested, I probably wouldn't share that I had WLS...not until I got to really know those who go to the group and I felt "safe" with them. Maybe not even then.

Thanks TessieLoo. I will check out these books. I am always running my 2 teenage girls around this Summer but I think self help books are a great idea and reading is great I know what I need to do and generally very happy. Mad I let myself fall off track but in grand scheme at 10 years out it is a small regain. I don't think I will go back to OA, I did try it many years ago and not for me. I am doing well last couple days off carbs and sugar and if I feel falling I think I willl go back to WW which I feel suits me better. I don't do well with a lot of drama. I have been successful before and want to go back to a better lifestyle for now.

Something that is helping me is I have never really explored You Tube, as most of my internet exploring is on my iPhone and even though it is the 6plus not large enough for me to enjoy videos in my opinion. 51 year old eyes! Our iPad and laptop are older and I have hated how slow the are! Never use them. Anyway, about 2 weeks ago our 10 year old plasma tv died and last week we splurged on a new Smart TV! Prices at Best Buy were great! Husband early Christmas gift. I guess mine too! Well I am like a kid in a toy shop with the Options the TV has, particularly Netflix, Hulu, pandora and YouTube. I don't have sling or starz or HBO subscriptions (not sure if they are better then Hulu or Netflix??) but easily accessible if we wanted to spend the $. In the past we only had Netflix connection thru Wii and it was clumsy to use, so unless someone else selected a movie at night I never used it. Now I am having a load of fun!

i have been watching some you tube videos on my TV - Gastric Bypass - the successful, upbeat stuff out there and find it really good! We joined Hulu as well since just $7.99 a month and some great shows.

Congratulations on how well you are doing Tessieloo!

Thanks for the suggestions.

Megan

(Edit to add a couple commas and typo)

Thanks for calling my daughter a complaining, craving loser. That's just awesome.

You have no idea how hurtful those words are to a mother whose daughter has fought for her life-and I'm sure you don't care.