Yes , It is All About Me ...

If you are sitting her today pre-op or newly post op .. well ... I can tell you that I hope that you are ready for the next 18 months to 2 years to be ALL ABOUT YOU .. I can tell you that wanting this surgery and waiting for it to work for you is just not going to happen . You must be the catalylist that drives the tool . You must put yourself above everything now . Your daily food intake must be driven by good choices and safe choices . And it all must be for you . You need to take the mindset that unlike all the failed diet attempts , this one is not a diet .. but a lifestyle change is designed for YOU .. and in order for this to work .. all bets are off on everything else and the new focus is on you . You will see that no one is as unique as you .. your success is driven by you .. and all that you will ever do from the moment they re-arrainge you is to be about you . No one can be there for you to hand you your vitamins .. this task is to be orchestrated by you for you .. and your life depends on it daily . Your protein ... well.. like the vitamins is to be designed for you and by you.. make good food choices .. learn all you can about protein and its value to your new life .. Just know that yes .. it is all about you now .. take time to be good to yourself .. to dig with in your new life and begin to love life .. as it only gets sweeter . But it all has to be about you ... this surgery is NO JOKE .. and the more you prepare ..reach for information the better off you will be when dealing with all that it brings . There is a wealth of information out there for you .. Ask question here .. or at your doc or nut .. they will help you .. Never be afraid to ask .. YOUR LIFE DEPENDS on good choices now ... Make the next months great ones .. a time to enjoy your weightloss .. to learn .. to live .. to make new friends .. to do things for YOU .. things that you will never imagine you will do .. you will .. just keep it real .. and about and for YOU ! Congratulations and Many continued success to you all ! Natalie 310-120.. and Holding on Tight !!

Heya Broken Tink!!! Hope your ankle is feeling better today, sounds like we are both grounded for awhile. Thanks for the wise words today, I needed them. You are so right on, as usual, and I love you dearly!!! XOOXOXOXOOXOOXOXOOX Sharon

Natalie, Good Friday to you sweetie!! (every Friday is a "good" Friday to me!) Very wise and accurate post here hun! I saw this lady I hadn't seen in some time and she was shocked and asked "ARE YOU OKAY?!! YOU'VE LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT! YOU'RE NOT SICK ARE YOU?!!!" I just smiled and told her I wasn't and I was just fine. Thanks again for the post and I hope any pre-ops will pay close attention to it. Keith

Tink, DO you know that what you just wrote made some thing"click" for me. Or as Oprah says an "ah ha " moment. I had my psych eval , the last step before getting a date, and while she said I did fine, I have to fill out a weekly contract where I promise to make 40 minutes a day of me time. To make sure I am getting used to the small meals or eatting episodes 5-6 times a day and to be ready for this. I didn't get the whole me time thing, until just now. That after the surgery I am going to have to make sure I get things done ( taking vitamins, protein exercise etc) and concentrate on that and not the girls matching shorts, sand box toys and light brite pieces. Thank you for this. I am going to print this and stick it in my weight loss note book! Cindy

My Sweet Little Tink, Now did you ever thunk that anyone would call you little Tink? I bet not. But here you are. You are a true inspiration to us all. I could not have found a better mentor than you and when I was praying about whether or not to go this path.........it was you that I found and you that I reached out to. You never hesitated one bit but reached back with more love, support & concern than anyone I have ever met. I was truly blessed the day I found you. Thank you for all the advice. I know for me it is needed advice because I have a tendency to put everyone else's needs above my own. I am a pleaser from the gitgo and some habits are hard to break. But I got the message loud and clear........it's all about me. Funny that your post was titled that because last night I went shopping with my oldest daughter who left for another cruise today and she wanted me to help her find some tanks & shorts last night. I saw this tee shirt or was it a tank top.......anyway, it read "IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT ME".....so now I think I will go and buy that for me even through I couldn't possibily wear anything that small now........it's my promise that one day I will and between now and then........it is ALL ABOUT ME!!!! I love you Natalie, and just so you will know I am doing the protien thingy. I haven't bought the drinks yet.........I'm still waiting for the web site you promised where I can find Nectar Samples. Please send!!! I am eating low calorie...love carbs...high protien bars.......and I'm eating cheese & yogurt all high protien. I am taking my Flintstone Vitamins and taking Hair Skin & Nails. I am so ready for this surgery. Still nothing today but I was told yesterday that it looks to be concluding. So perhaps next week will be the week I hear those words I long to hear...........YOU'RE APPROVED!!! Lots of Love Kathy

Opps Nat......... That was supposed to read...........low fat....low carbs........not "love carbs" Guess my head was typing what my fingers refused to........LOL But I really am eating the low carb protein bars..........South Beach Meal Replacement.........they really are good and very filling. Believe it or not I made it through yesterday with only 1 bar and a cheese stick.........didn't eat dinner until late last night..........LOL Okay, enough about my Big BooBoo..........Hopefully everyone will get a kick out of my goof!!! Lots of Love Kathy

Thanks so much for your post. Taking time for ME will be a challenge for me. With a career, kids etc there's just never been time for anything else. Someone recently asked me what my hobbies were. I was speechless. I don't have a hobby. Then she said OK, what do you like to do. Again, I was speechless. I'm 48 years old and my whole life has been dedicated to others. I'm ready for some ME time. I'm hoping very soon I can say "I have a date". Thanks again for the inspiration you provide to me. Not just today, but lots of times in the past too. Love, Jenn

Truer words have not been said!...well done! I have been 'accused' by some of being to 'caught up', too 'self centered', too 'selfish' since this surgery. And why? Because I won't eat fast foods, because I work at exercising, because I refuse to accept the fact that if I don'****ch what I eat, if I don't exercise, if I don't eat protein first, IF I DON'T PUT 'ME' FIRST in the equation...I will more than likely put some pounds back on. And I say SO WHAT? All my life I tried to make the other person feel good, forget about me, forget about the 66 in. waist, the 5xl shirts, forget about the diabetes, the gout, the pancreitis...just deal with it....Well...I dealt with it...I had surgery...I turned my life around...and yes...I admit...I am selfish...because I make time for myself somewhere in the day...just for me! because I deserve it...because I have to...if I am going to make this work in the long run. Now, that is not to say that I leave everyone else and everything else on the side of the road...but I make it a point of putting some time aside for myself...might be 30 minutes, might be a hour...and on a really good day I can get 2 or 3 hours...I take what I can...but I do it...and you will need to do the same if you want this work...in the long run. Don't have to be a bear about it...just recognize the fact that our lives have changed...drastically...and it's going to take some concerted effort on our part...OUR PART...FOR US...FOR YOU...FOR ME...so what's wrong with that?

Thanks Tink...you are SO right about the post you wrote. The worst thing I have heard so far is...."Why get the surgery? You know you will only gain it back after the first year post op!" What a buttwipe! I was so angry at that but it just goes to prove that ignorance is everywhere. I just try my best to educate with what I know is fact. Thanks for the post hon. Hope the toosie footsy is doing better! Hugs! Shele

Love your profile. Your writing style is great. I had lots of chuckles. Have a great weekend. Jenn