best advice I could give a newbie

Hi,

Had someone contct me for advice, I told him the following
1.  Listen to you Doctors, Nurses and dieticans, they are part of your team.
2.  Get your mindset in gear and get totally in the program.
and the most imporant

3.  Read this forum and ask all teh questions you have to get guy answers.  Get enough from support groups about boobs and periods.  Men need advice about men.

Any othe suggestions?

Ken

Accept that "buyer's remorse" is almost a universal experience and to expect it.

This IS NOT A DIET!  It is a LIFESTYLE and ATTITUDE CHANGE! 

Do YOUR research on all the surgery types.  Search out YOUR surgeon.  Make the best decision for YOU based on YOUR situation.  Remember it is all up to YOU! 

The "tool" does not fail YOU!  YOU fail it if YOU don't follow YOUR program! 

Yes, comparisons can be made between individuals progress but Billy Joe Jim Bob and you, or I, are not the same person.  Don't kick your self in the ass too often or too hard if you are not where you think you need to be. 

There will be good days and bad days both physically and mentally.  Breathe in, breathe out, move on.  Repeat as necessary.  Ain't no shame in your game to get professional help if you think you need it.

 Finally -- if anybody says that you are taking the "easy way out" or "all you need to do is eat less and exercise more" -- feel free to but your foot up their ass!   Another WLS patient will come bail you out!

STAY AWAY FROM THE FAILED SURGERY FORUMS

This forum is good but there is a lot of info out there about WLS. 

Don't let your family, friends and co-workers sway your decesion not to have it. It's a one person decision.  Cause everyone knows someone who knew someone that had surgery and failed or died. 

Go to the Doctors seminar and ask all the questions you can. That is why they have them.

Stay positive. We didn't pack it on over night and it will not come off overnight..

Be single minded. Keep your eye on the prize. Nothing should be more important than getting surgery, then reaching your goal of being as healthy as you can.

I have a buddy who's having surgery sometime next month, he asked me for "advice" too...

-Don't "test" the pouch to see what you can eat.  Just because you can doesn't mean you should...stick to the plan.  Plus, experimentation can be painful.

-Exercise.  You want to lose fat, not muscle.

-Take your vitamins.  They are EASY to forget.  Also, bump up on the B12, it helps me with energy. 

Boobs and periods?!  ROTFLOL

Jason

320-197
then-now

Eat small amounts often for the rest of your life.  Plan to eat 5-7 meals a day to keep your metabolism boiling hot.

1. You have to make permanent life style changes.
         If you go back to your old habits you end up the same as you were prior to surgery.

2. Become a poster boy for SWL. 
         A former member here made that statement and after thinking about it for a while I completely understood what he meant. Follow your doctors instructions. If I was told to do it, I did and if it was in the paper work to not to do it I didn't. No gray areas. Do what ever it takes to be successful.

pan head
     

Take personal responsibility for your health and your actions. Follow the program of your WL Doctor and Nutritionist with no exceptions or excuses. Exercise every day. Stay focused, dedicated and determined to be successful and healthy. After all, you took the risks and had the surgery, so now it's up to YOU to do what it takes to make it succesful long term. It takes a life-long commitment to yourself and your health.