NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!!
OK, here's my thought on this. I've seen a lot of post this last week on the pros and cons of the "protein bar"! Who knows whether it's good for them or not! By no means am I a Doctor, nor do I pretend to be one on TV. I'm just Ole average Joe, or Scott if you must! I'm you, whether you want to believe it or throw it out the window! I put on my pants one leg at a time. I am not an expert on any subject, but I believe I have done my homework, and I know what's right for me!!!
But these protein bar posts have got me thinking about me!
All right, back to the subject at hand....Never say never!
When I had my surgery, I just knew that I was gonna lose weight, and I would never eat anything that was not good for me. I feel as if I have been pretty successful at accomplishing half of that. I have lost weight, that's a truth. I have gone from 365 pounds at my heaviest, down to a low of 189 pounds! So, YEAH for me!
But here comes the "never" part. Since RNY, I have eaten the some of the same things that got me in trouble:
"I'll never eat a candy bar again, cause it will make me dump, and I surely don't want that to happen".
"I'll never have that urge to get a bowl of ice cream in the middle of the night, because I've had surgery".
"I'll never overeat, because my pouch is only the size of my thumb".
Do any of these statements sound like you, or sound like something you've said? Welcome to my world. I have found out recently that sugar does not make me dump. How scary is that? The one mechanism that sent me in the direction of RNY, seems to be broken. Now, I'm sure that if I pushed it enough, I could eat enough crap that I would get sick, and end up in the dumper. But I have not pushed the limits of my pouch!
Now, I'm not looking for anyone to don their Sister Mary Teresa nun outfit and slap me with a ruler, but here comes the confession! This last Sunday, I weighed in at 201 pounds! Let's talk panic mode. Can we say "OH SH*%**&##*#"!!!!! Now, that's not bad for my height, but it was scary. Oh no, my pouch is broken!!!!!
Not, it is not broken!
It is not stretched!
I am not a failure! And neither are you!
Let's just say the nevers caught up with me. When I looked at what I have been eating, it was the nevers creeping back into my life. The occasional candy bar, the late night snack, the overeating at dinner because it tasted good. Simply put, it was the nevers! I shared with a friend my confession. Her comment was, “You know what to do". So, I got right back up on that horse and started riding. I focused on what I was eating. I journaled my food intake. I have not drank before, during, or right after my meal. I have focused on protein first, then anything else. The one comment that my friend did leave me with, that caused me to laugh is this…"I don’t think Mother Teresa would worry about what you’ve been eating. Heck, she even had a cinnamon bun with her image on it!"
Be careful of what’s going on with your body. Be aware, be smart, and be mindful of what you are eating or drinking!
This brings me back to my opening statement… Never say never, cause as soon as you say it, you'll be "pouched slapped with a cinnamon bun"!!! 
Dr. Janice Livengood is tackling a great subject at support group Monday night -
the "new" me versus the "old" me. The group meets at 6:00 at Centennial in the main hospital (2300 Patterson Street), in the 3rd floor classroom (same location as seminars). I hope you and everyone else on the board can attend.
Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity
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Hi Scott,
I think this one is kind of a tough act to do… Never saying never and trying to get into and stay in that head place of I can do this I can do this I can do this. Any self help study guide will tell you to surround yourself with positive thoughts and by doing so increases your chances of success by pretty substantial percentage points.. So if telling one’s self in their head “I will never eat a candy bar again after my WLS cause I feel like I have been given a second chance at life or a do over if you will," helps that person get through their day then who am I to go to them and be a negative wet blanket and rain on their parade?
Negativity breeds negativity. Have you ever been around a person that is so negative and such a downer? That person never has anything good or positive to say about anybody or anything? After spending just a very short time with this person you walk away feeling so depressed and down yourself. Actually if you hang around that person long enough they will suck the life right out of you..LOL That is some powerful stuff isn’t it?
I am not Catholic, so I don’t know much about nun outfits, ruler slappings or public confessionals but I don’t think I would advise my friend if they asked, to do some sort of public confession hour over the airwaves to cure what ails them. Remember, misery loves company.
Scott, I didn’t realize that posting last week about choosing fresh food alternatives such as nuts and raisins (Keep it real) and do you know what is really inside your protein bar? like ingredients used to make some bars of soap (Protein Bars) was going to cause my OH email to reach a full capacity.. If I had known and really thought about it I would not have ever posted… But, THANK GOD I didn’t know…. I would have missed a lot of what life is really about…
And just think, one of the threads was in part prompted by a thought I had of if you really care about someone or someone’s well being and you really want to see them succeed and you want to do a goodwill gesture wouldn’t it be more beneficial to present them with a beautiful basket of fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries and tell them you are happy they are in your life as opposed to oh um, here is a protein bar for you that tastes just like a candy bar, now I don’t ever eat the things cause they stall weight loss, but here you go and oh by the way, here is where you can buy more of em and don’t forget to tell em Ralph sent you so you get your discount…… Naw thanks anyway, I think I am gonna present my new friend with the beautiful Strawberries….
Scott, I have all the faith in you in the world. You have been and are a true success and inspiration to many. Actually when I cast my vote I voted you “Most Likely to Succeed". You are a very smart guy and you have unlimited resources available to you. I know you will work out what ever it is that is going on. I am working out my struggles daily too so you are not alone.. We all have areas we can improve.
I thought for a long moment... and I realized NO ONE TOLD ME THAT. I was naive and I honestly believed that I would NEVER eat "forbidden foods" again... you know, the ones on our list that you can't have until you've lost up to 75% of your excess weight. What if you lost 110% of your excess weight? What then? I didn't know "what then". I thought the 75% excess weight list applied for the remainder of my life. Those excesses like I talked about yesterday came into play... and it has taken me 3 yrs to figure out what I figured out... I must be doing pretty good because I consider myself successful.... But then again... what one person measures as success, someone else might measure as failure... that is in the eye of the beholder.
Honestly, there are a LOT of things that vets do not talk about on THIS board. While the rules don't change, the way we interpret the rules DO. We aren't as strict and uptight as we once were, and we realize that we still have a pouch that works... we know how to lose weight should we gain a few pounds, but we don't live in that constant fear of "I'm going to be right back where I started...." It takes a long time to get to that place... don't get me wrong. We still HAVE the fear of being obese again, and it keeps us in check, accountable for our actions... BUT we have found or are searching for ways not to let it ruin us or keep us in bondage.\
And as much as there are many things we want to bring out into the open, and talk about, the truth is, many vets are not willing for fear of judgment. Or, perhaps they are still living in the "extreme" and afraid to try to walk the fine line of balance and extreme... if that makes any sense. At any rate, I don't think we are ready to venture into those waters just yet.
One of those foods were breads, traveling in the northeast every little dinner has their own bakery. They would bring a selection to your table and I would eat every bit and leave with a bag full.
So saying that sense WLS I have been pretty discipline I've learned great life style changes, I wouldn't have if not going through the process.
But sense I knew how bread and a few other items (cheese cake) sent me out of control I've avoided them, because to be honest I'm afraid to open Pandora's box.
I still even being over a year out are not sure that would send me spiraling out of control. Even protein bars that are made to taste like something I use to crave or SF items as well. So I avoid them until I know, really know that I have total control over those foods.
I guess each of us have to do what works best for us. There is no right or wrong way I just hope and pray that everyone finds some way of dealing with eating issues.
I think everyone here truly want each other to succeed and when one struggles we all feel it.
If we didn't care I don't think we would even participate in this support group.
C'ya Bob
Aha!! THAT IS THE PERFECT DESCRIPTION, BOB!
Self Control. Yes. You said it best....
I think we all have "that trigger food"... its different for each of us. For some folks, protein bars may BE that trigger. For others, bread. Or chips, or crackers. There are some things that people have posted about and I have thought "Now that has never been a problem for me." And then there are things that I post about, some others say "Now that has never been my problem." Isn't it funny how those things work. Kind of like the luck of the draw, so to speak.
Whoever said this was THE EASY WAY OUT? Let me just shake that person's hand and say "Thank you for making me feel like a complete nincompoop...." because its not been the easy way... nor does it get easier. It's not always HARD... it's just not easy. It's a daily walk... daily choice... daily commitment... like we all read before... this journey is not for the faint of heart.
Whoever said this was THE EASY WAY OUT? Let me just shake that person's hand and say "Thank you for making me feel like a complete nincompoop...." because its not been the easy way... nor does it get easier. It's not always HARD... it's just not easy. It's a daily walk... daily choice... daily commitment... like we all read before... this journey is not for the faint of heart.
Right on Mel! 
ROLL TIDE!!!
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Bob, ol' buddy, this sums it all up!
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