The lessons from being

"The past is finished.  There is nothing to be gained by going over it.  Whatever it gave us in the experiences it brought us was something we had to know."
~Rebecca Beard

As all of us get to know each other, you'll find out that I love quotes.  Short and sweet usually but full of meaning.  I found the one above and thought of all of us as we get back on track together. 

I don't know about you but as I've struggled on and off through my post-op journey, I tend to beat myself up when I go off track.  This quote made me stop and think.  What lessons have I learned from my struggles and being off track?  Hmm, I never thought of it that way.

For me, losing weight after my surgery was easy.  It was a no brainer.  I kept it off virtually effortlessly and easily for over three years.  Then, life happened.  I underwent a period of transition and realizations that I had to face and deal with.  I went right back to my comforting ways of coping which was to emotionally eat. 

So, what's the lesson for me as I reflect back?  It is not to take my weight loss surgical success for granted.  Just because I reached my goal and stayed there for a long time doesn't mean I'm done.  I know that I earned it once by finding my track and staying on it by my healthy habits.  Off track will help me to deeply appreciate and understand myself better and be even more successful in the future.  The ultimate success will be relosing regained weight. 

We can do it!  Especially together with our support. 

What is the lesson for you?

Cathy

Cathy,
I love that quote...I have been struggling for the past 6 months, dealing with on going abdominal issues that still have no answers and finding out after all these years that my thyroid was not working correctly.  It has not been easy, not that I thought it would be, but I can deal with the daily pain, but I can not deal with this weight gain at 4.5 yrs out. I am very lucky that my husband is supportive and knows that if I need encouragement to get pass those "bad" days he is front and center for me. I however am my own worse enemy and sometimes beat myself up and fall back to those old comfort foods.
For me, I don't feel hungry and I don't feel full so it can be a fine line to stay in my "on track" meal plan and not fall off and eat bad choices..or not eat at all, I never thought I would forget to eat...
I am now on new meds that should start showing a difference in the next few weeks. I am so looking forward to getting back to basics, eatting protein first, always not drinking with my meals, doing at least 30 minutes of exercise daily and making sure to hook on my pediometer daily to see that I am getting in enough steps to keep my heart and lungs open and healthy.
My attitude when I first went to my surgeon's info meeting was that this time I would be a lifetime success at keeping the weight off. I was not nieve in my thinking, knowing that I would have some ups and downs but I will say here, that I am very proud of myself now, in the past I would have just ignored this gain, and would gain so much more, now I am accountable daily, I do jump on my scale daily to do this. I kick my butt when it is
up and I reward myself with something special...when I make a week with a steady on track number...my last reward was hylites for my hair....and my reward for making it through this holiday season with a loss or maintaining number...I will have a facial that will help me to relax and focus on just me...something I rarely do....So thank you for getting this forum up and running with Kathy, I think we will all be able to help each other too.

The lesson on being off track for me was it simply was not worth it. I ended up feeling guilty, slow, sluggish and just downright miserable. What started out as a little vacation over the holidays ended up being a miserable vacation that I couldn't wait to get back home from. I am doing "31 days of Healthy Habits" the month of January and someone said oh Dottie you won't have any trouble doing this, you have good willpower and are really disciplined. I thought to myself........yes I can do it, I do have control of what goes in my mouth, when I exercise and how much I exercise. I can do it, there is no reason to keep feeling miserable. I have the power to focus on what I what, what is good instead of focusing on the bad things I cannot have. I cannot change my behavior by focusing on what I do not want. I desire to be back on track and I will focus on that.
Dottie....who is back on track

I too have been struggling.  It seems that I can always justify "a treat".....whether it is a biscotti or a sugar free cookie.  I have to check in with my emotions before I do that.  I am a very emotional person and eat like one too!!!  I have to be dedicated to my healthy habits and choose things that I know can be accomplished.  When I first had surgery, I used the self talk technique to get through the bumpy days.  I have stopped doing that.  Tomorrow I will add that to the list of things that gets done on a daily basis.  Words like "you can do it", "of course it's hard.  Anything worth doing is hard"
Saying no more and taking time for myself.  I am really good at telling people what to do....just have to do it for myself!  I can't take care of my DH and DS's if I don't take care of myself afterall.

I agree with Cathy.  I have to stop taking my success for granted.  It is clear that the things I could get away with in the beginning are not working anymore....and as I think back, I don't want them to.  Those habits got me to where I was at the beginning of my journey.

I have to be the best me that I can be.  

Anjanette