Friday Reflection

Hi BOTT,

Kathy started the Friday Reflection last week and asked me to start one for this week.  Thanks Kath!

Our BOTT Friday Reflection is to share an overview of our week.  What we're proud of, what we're struggling with, wins, challenges, successes, you name it and you can share with our group.

So, to start us off.....here's mine:

I had a rough week as far as a couple of things that came up.  Pre-BOTT, I might have hit the kitchen but I didn't AT ALL.  I still have those pretty gift boxes from the huge box of goodies.  I didn't get into them at all.  I cannot believe how successfully I'm BOTTing.  Even when I lost my regained weight before, it wasn't like it is now.  What's the difference?  It is this group.  It is the daily check-in thread BOTT C&C, interacting with all of you, posting, responding and hanging out just us.

I had a little veering off the BOTT road earlier this week.  However, I consider it a success.  A success because even though it was a slight veer off the BOTT road, I pulled it in very quickly and got right back on track.  I didn't eat as much as I would have previously and it was just a very different experience.  The day after, to me is the most important, and it went fine.  I didn't beat myself up over it because it was minor AND I got right back on track.  Between the veering off, the difference in how much and what I ate and getting right back on was a success to me.

Another thing I learned and shared here was in my post where I shared about my veering off the track was "alien food."  I called it that because after I ate it, I felt physically gross.  I felt like some foreign food had entered my body and it had!  I've been so used to eating healthfully that it was foreign to my body and my body reacted accordingly.

So, that's my overview of the week for me.  I look forward to catching up with everyone here.

Thanks for reading!

Cathy

Cathy - Is this really the week I started off feeling as though I was scum of the earth, that no one here would ever want anything to do with me, and that I was an outcast?  It's almost impossible for me to remember that day.  Do you know that truly seems as though it must have been weeks ago because it is so foreign to how I feel now.  WOW

That's amazing.  This group makes the bad times shrink and the good times magnify.  Here's to the BOTTs

i've had 7 BOTT days this week.  Have either exercised or cut back on calories.  I've wished I could have lost faster - but not get down on myself, or even be tempted to unBOTT as I would have before.

THANK YOU ONE AND ALL 

Hi Happylapbander,

I'm glad that you don't even identify with how you were feeling earlier this week.  You bring up a great point.  At the time, emotions can feel so right on and true.  If we give it time, think it through and reach out to a friends (BOTTers), it will pass or we'll be able to deal with it WITHOUT the numbing of food. 

Your insights are so valuable.  I love the "group makes the bad times shrink and the good times magnify" because you put into words how I've felt too.

Thanks for all you do to make our group special.

Cathy

Thanks for your kind words. The group is so special to me, I want to contribute whatever I can.  This group of folks is truly awsome

WE ARE DOING THIS TOGETHER, YES WE ARE!

Awww good ole' reflection time....don't we love that!  LOL  I've really had a pretty good week over all.  I've been a little grumpy b/c AF is due any day and I'm always very moody before hand.

So, my first day of BOTT was Sunday the 11th.  From that day to today I've lost 4 lbs!  That, I'm super proud of.  I've not missed my vits in almost 2 weeks.  I'm eating TONS of protein.  Not drinking with my meals.  I'm trying to limit my carbs and sweets to maybe one bite here or there. 

What I'm struggling with is finding the time to fit in exercise.  I know I can, I just need to carve out more time between juggling 2 little girls.  I'm having daily fights with "head hunger" and I'm winning but, it's been a struggle. 

This board has helped me beyond belief.  It's given me such motivation and willpower that I don't think I could have got BOTT without it.

Thanks to everyone for being so supportive.

Ash :)

Hi Ash,

You go - you've accomplished all these adjustments to your BOTT habits.  That's great.  Reading your post gave me such inspiration and happiness that we're sharing the BOTT together. 

I can hear the motivation in your post.  The arm wrestling you've won with the head hunger is great.  Struggle execises your commitment muscles to your own personal BOTT.  You're building strong BOTT muscles.

Cathy

Cathy, you're the one who gives me inspiration everyday.  Thank you for being so supportive.

Huggs to you!

Ash :)

You may be struggling, but the IMPORTANT fact is you are winning.   Give yourself a giant pat on the back

You're also winning at the juggling you have to do

I'm so glad our paths have crossed!!!!

Hello All

                This is my first post on here so I decided to just jump right in on the Friday reflections. This has been a great week for me. I started my second semester of college. This will be an exciting semester; I got all the classes I wanted unlike last semester. Last semester I did not get a lot of the classes I wanted because my grant money did not get approved until the last minute and by the time I got to pick my classes the ones I wanted were full. Two of the classes I am taking this semester will fit in perfectly with my weight loss surgery. One is called Lifetime Wellness and the other is a Nutrition class. Both classes deal with having a healthy life style by promoting good nutrition and exercise. The nutrition class will get into great detail of all aspects of food and how it affects the body. In both classes we are going to have to keep food and exercise logs. No big deal for me I have been doing that stuff for years. I opened my big mouth to my nutrition teacher about my WLS and she said we will cover WLS in class. She said she did not know a lot about it and she asked me if I would mind talking about it to the class. If there is anything I love to talk about it is WLS. I didn’t think to ask her if I will get extra credit for doing it.LOL..

                I also got back into the gym this week after several weeks off due to my recent problems with my heart again. It feels so good to work out again. The new medication my doctor has me on is working well so far and my bruised ribs and broken finger are healed from when I fell when I passed out from my heart not beating properly. I also knocked out both of my front teeth when I passed out and I am self conscious now about that especially when I have to speak to a group of people like at my support group meetings.

                Eating at school is kind of a challenge I have classes form 7am until 3pm every day and the cafeteria does not have much of a WLS friendly menu. Mostly everything is deep fried or loaded with fat and calories. They have a salad bar but they do not have any fat free or reduced fat salad dressing and they charge $3.99 a pound for the salad. Also most classes do not allow you to have food or drink in the classroom and that makes it a little difficult to get my water in. I have been brining a few bottles of water with me and keeping them in the car to keep cold (and with the weather as cold as it is here they keep very cold) I go to the car in between classes to get a drink. I have tried the water from the drinking fountains but our city water is not very good and ever since my WLS all tap water tastes bad to me.

                                                                                                    Alan Hartman     

Hi Alan,

I'm so happy to see your post and you're BOTTing with us.  You have been an inspiration to me ever since I met you.  You are such an inspiration to me and those that know you.

Thank you for sharing your potential challenges with eating and drinking at school.  I admire how you do what it takes to overcome those challenges.  Sometimes it is easy to allow those challenges to get in our way....not you!

Thanks for sharing.  You show there's no obstacle we can't overcome.

Cathy

P.S.  Hi Brenda!