Support Group Topic Ideas

Pre Ops, Post Ops, Newbies, Maintainers, Everyone--
     If you have been attending support groups, what have been your favorite support group topics?  Or what have you learned?  What has been that "lightbulb" moment that you got at a meeting?  Or..what has been a not so pleasant experience?

I have been trying to do support groups pre-surgery...with 18 days to go I am going to try & fit the Franklin one in & maybe even go up to Spring Hill for theirs....Centennial has outreach programs at both places.  Last week I was in Dr. Ihrig's support group at Centennial and had a light bulb moment, of sorts. 

I am trying to determine if I have any unresolved psychological eating issues before I have surgery.  In other words, I asked Dr. Ihrig at group how to determine if my weight gain is a result of some deep, unresolved issue or if I just have really cruddy habits?  My thought was that I read so much about people using food as "comfort" and a "friend" or that they "cope" by using food or that they have binge eating disorders and the like and tend to eat a lot at certain times of the day.  I am a mom of three and, frankly, I don't really eat anything from the time I wake up until about 2-ish when I usually have a grilled chicken salad somewhere (usually out for lunch) and then I don't eat again until I have all the kids in bed....just lots of bottled water. 

BUT, that's when it starts...I prolly get 90% of my daily calorie intake from 8pm until I go to bed at midnight.....I don't binge, but it's really the only time I have for myself and I have a tendency to just continue grabbing quick things while I am running around getting things done for the next day....starts w/a Healthy Choice Steamer meal...goes to handfulls of almonds....maybe a banana......cheese snack...a diet coke or two....oh, tonight a bowl of Kashi organic cereal with blueberries....and a handfull of M-n-Ms....

So, I asked if this was psychological (i.e. am I not eating in front of people, am I binging, etc.) or if I just had really poor eating habits?  Dr. Ihrig's response was that it is one in the same.  That was fascinating to me...the fact that poor eating habits were, in fact, psychological and that even if my weight gain is from that (okay, and the PCOS and insulin resistance + lots of carbs, etc.) then getting that under control is psychological in nature.  Hum. He's got a point.

So, I feel better that I am psychotic.  Right?  No, wrong? Right?  Okay...now I really do need therapy!!!  Here's to overthinking things! xo, Micheala.

LOVE clothing swaps ! also plastic surgeons as guest speakers are great  recipes (and taste taste) are a hit. .