Do you find this journey easy?

I was looking at a post on another board about the journey and it being really tough..Is it tough for you? Are you obsessing over failures? Are you failing? Are you beating yourself up? Are you enjoying the journey?

What do you think?

I will stick with one of my favorite quotes:  A lot of this job is mental.

Given that I made goal, is my journey over?  Or, perhaps, that meant the real journey was just beginning.  Many people think that the day of surgery is the first day of the rest of their lives.  Strangely, I think the day you reach goal is the first day of the rest of your life.

The losing phase is temporary and will come to an end eventually.  After that, you still need to live with your addiction and survive (and eat) in the same world you were in before surgery.  Only then will you understand that "a lot of this job is mental"

I totally agree with you. I don't find this journey hard or easy at all...it's mostly mental. But is it difficult for you to stay compliant or is it a daily struggle? I don't find it a struggle to keep on the straight and narrow. I don't find myself tempted to test the waters on sugar at all...

How about you? 

Its been so much easier than my other diets - hunger wise.

Mentally?  Its been a lot more revealing than all my other diets!!   There is no failing, this was it, my last chance, I am taking advantage of it and thankful to have gotten another chance!

I do not beat myself up because that does not do any good, but I guess the other part of that is, all of this is just learning and growing. 

I am enjoying the journey, and it is SO very much mostly mental - but I have come to the conclusion that labeling the challenges good or bad, labeling food good or bad, labeling ourselves good or bad is not helpful to anyone!

I because of the junkie gene that I definitely have, and how long my addict mind has been calling the shots, need to keep a watchful eye on me every day - but its not a bad thing! 

Like its not a bad thing for diabetics to check their sugars and take their insulin - its reasonable, its RESPONSIBLE! 

I think folks get weary of be beating the "keeping your mind in the game" drum, until some of them realize - hey!  NOW I KNOW WHAT SHE MEANT! 

I am thankful for this place, to be able to learn so much, especially from the folks who come back and have gained - because I tend to go back through all their posts and see how/when/what/why they got derailed.  The reason I do that is because, if I were going somewhere and someone offered me a map that SHOWED the places where there were roads out, and potholes - wisdom says - pick a different road! 

Maybe life just has not squeezed me hard enough yet to derail me - but I know the how of the getting back on track.

But I also remind myself - its so much easier to stay here than have to get back - and the KNOWING was never the hardest part of any journey.. its always been the doing! 

Good question!

"if I were going somewhere and someone offered me a map that SHOWED the places where there were roads out, and potholes - wisdom says - pick a different road!"
 
I love that! It's exactly why I listen to the people further out than me and the ones who have gained back substantial amounts of weight..I'm determined not to fall into any potholes. If I do, I want to know how to get OUT of them too! Maybe I'm alittle too obsessive but this was my last chance too and I fully intend to use it to the fullest.

Thank you for posting..

I think staying involved with the board really helps me to stay focused too.

I have a friend who said obsession is just intense concentration.  :} 

I think the folks who think we are obsessed maybe just have not NEEDED a second chance. 

Thank you for asking! 

It's been easy for me - the weight loss took longer than most of my post op friends, but I did eventually get there. And my skin is happy it took so long so it could shrink back. I hit goal about 11 months out and have stayed there ever since. It's not a daily struggle, it's a daily lifestyle. Protein first, lots of water and exercise - just like normal non surgical people have to do to stay at a healthy weight and stay fit. I don't look at anything as failing and I don't beat myself up. I eat what I want to, I make good choices most of the time.
I didn't have this surgery to deprive myself so I don't. But I don't screw up more days than I am good and that's the key. Moderation is the best way to describe it. The journey has been fantastic and I wouldn't change it for anything. Easy, yes for me. Achieved my goal, am happy and healthy,
changed my lifestyle and haven't regained. No complications because I had a great surgeon, good aftercare and I listen to my body and know what it needs. (and yes, sometimes it needs chocolate!) but protein forward or only meals are the norm for me now, I don't even think about drinking with meals or right after, I can move easier so exercise is fun and I've changed my eating habits and my mental attitude.  LIfe is good!

Jen 9 yrs post op.

Yes.

It's been easy as pie, after the first month or so of getting used to my new innards and how they worked.  Eat right, take your vitamins, get your labs done and evaluate from them = health.  I'm so happy with what I've got now at 4.5 years out.  I wouldn't trade my life for anyone's.  My DS has been the best medical decision I've ever made, bar none.