Commitment.....

Are you "really" committed to this?

Do you fold like a cheap tent if the wind blows?

Commitment and compliance is the #1 reason for success or failure.

If you study the people that do well at this you will find the common denominator is commitment and compliance at the forefront.

Not even saying to look at me.... I'm sharing with you what I do when I read these forums and study IRL.

We all have issues, we all got so fat we needed a drastic medical adjustment.

Not to discount anyones issues, but more commitment can make some of those issues smaller.

Commitment is the key.... get you some, if you have some, get more !!!

frisco

Excellent commentary.  My wife would tell people I was "militant" when it came to what I ate and the portion size.  If I see my commitment waning, I directly see it in the results.  There are so many victories in this that will act as positive reinforcement if you allow it.  Choose to focus on the great results, new things you can do, and not the old behaviors you miss.  That commitment will make/keep you healthy!

A good reminder of what it takes to succeed at this.  It was just a couple of days ago that I realized that this is the third Christmas season that I've been at this weight - IN A ROW!!  I still get up each day and make a conscious decision to eating on plan.   Most days, I go to bed knowing that I followed through.  Not every day, but by far, most days.  As the years go by, I realize my commitment is becoming more and more a part of who I am.  

Add - Also reflecting on the number of reasons I could choose not be be committed and compliant today, yesterday, tomorrow.  Life is not and never will be perfect.  It is full of stressors and I must accept that bad stuff is a part of life, for everyone, I have to accept that and still make the choice to be committed and compliant.  In the past, I used to constantly promise myself that I'd be committed to eating better when whatever stressor of the day/week/month/year was over.  Now, I stay committed through those stressors.  There will never be a 'perfect' time.  Instead I work with the cards I've been dealt with now.  The notion of a better time to start doing what I need to do to be healthy and happy is crap.  No excuses!!

I had my yearly physical a couple of weeks ago, and for the third straight year, my weight was within 1 pound of being the same. It's amazing, isn't it? I doubt it was ever within 20 pounds from one year to the next before WLS.

I think you have been the epitome of commitment and consistency.

I really glommed onto the line, "We all have issues, we got so fat we needed a drastic medical adjustment." 

It's so true. However we became obese, whatever the issues were, we are all here for the same reason: to beat obesity and learn to manage it within a healthy weight range. 

I have come to realize that "commitment" is so much more than a commitment to a food program. Commitment for me has become a promise to myself to work every day at leading a healthier life. Commitment has become making eating and food choices deliberate and conscious decisions. Commitment is getting on the scale even when I don't want to. Commitment has come to mean I accept that I've got some major food issues - some that will never go away - and I am willing to work with those issues honestly to make myself successful over the long haul of this journey away from obesity. 

Having a commitment to take care of oneself and sticking to it and practicing the habits of being committed do make us stronger and more capable to deal with other issues that surround us.

It took me awhile to come back around to this committed lifestyle. I let some "life" get in the way and I stopped practicing being committed to myself and my health and well being. It's much nicer being back on this side. 

Great post.  I needed this right now!