The Key to Overcoming WLS Defeat

The Key to Overcoming WLS Defeat
by Katie Jay, MSW, CTA-certified Wellness Coach
Director, National Association for Weight Loss Surgery
www.nawls.com

"I don't want to do it!" insisted my nephew during a
recent visit.

We were trying to convince him to try our new Wii Fit
-- a virtual exercise/video game that has everyone
talking.

"Why not? It's fun!" my sister (his mom) exclaimed in
surprise.

"Because I won't be able to do it," my nephew
pronounced. He had just witnessed me doing very
well on the Hula-Hoop activity and then his sister
doing poorly. I suspect he didn't want to be
embarrassed by a failure.

After all, his sister is more coordinated and more
athletic than he. If she wasn't any good on the first
try, surely he would be a miserable failure.

Plus, we were all watching each other, teasing, and
laughing hysterically. (Watching someone do the Hula
Hoop, without the hoop, can be knee-slapping funny.)

You might have heard the saying by Henry Ford, "If you
think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing,
you're right."

My nephew had decided he would fail before he tried.
He told himself he couldn't. That is how some WLS
patients feel when they hit a rough spot and backslide
in their WLS program.

A weight regain, or the return to hunger and food
obsession, can make a person feel defeated. Then, if
the person entertains thoughts like; "I can't stop
eating" or "I have always failed at weight loss, and
now I'm failing at weight loss surgery" or "I knew this
wouldn't work for me;" they start to see that they are
right.

My nephew watched his sister try the Yoga activity
next. She stood unwavering with her right foot placed
on her left leg, above the knee. She held the pose for
awhile.

"Your turn," she encouraged her brother. She wanted to
see him try.

He made a feeble attempt, lost his balance, and gave up.

So, my niece tried the same pose with her opposite leg.
We all encouraged her as she wobbled, not nearly as
steady on her other leg.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my nephew stand up
again, and quietly place his left foot on his right leg.
He barely wobbled. In fact, he did far better than my
niece was doing at the moment.

I could see the surprise on his face. What if he had
never tried again? What if he had given up for good?

Are you feeling defeated? Have you given up?

If you are struggling with any aspect of your WLS
program, don't let your thoughts defeat you.

If you think you can overcome your challenges,
YOU CAN.

Your Assignment:

Adopt a plan to reprogram your mind for success. Start
saying to yourself morning and evening, while looking in
the mirror, "I am grateful and excited to be succeeding
on my weight loss surgery journey; and I am undertaking
one new success strategy this week to show myself I CAN!"