Molly Encouragement

Hi,
At least 4 times a week I look at BOTT... I am 5 1/2 years out... All your posts JUST hit the nail-on-the-head. Sadly, I have gained back 40 lbs and my insanity feels like a run-away train. Back to all the old habits; has just disappointed me so much in myself. I live on the  verge of hopefully/failure.
I have strong hopeful moments, "I'm 100% Back on Track", to only live in the failure mode; like a crazy woman. What in the world is WRONG with me? Eat-eat-eat-eat that's all I think about and all I do. I want to stop lurking and speak-up. often, and get the help I need from you. Molly, your words JUST minister to my heart, thank-you and I need you, I need you all.
Kathy

 Good morning, Kathy :-)

I'm right there with you - lurking and reading is so much easier than sharing and hearing things you might not want to, but it's the only way for us to work through this.  Every day I come up with excuses not to exercise.  I must have "started over" at least 5,000 times already.  I thought WLS was going to be my salvation from a life-time of obesity.  For almost 3 years I actually did feel "normal", but now I'm back where I started.  I just saw a photo of myself from an event last Saturday and it looks like the "before" picture on had on this website when I was going through surgery.  Pretty sad and depressing.  I hope we can help each other -- all of us in this situation -- and we can get BOT!!!
Love,
Vickie

Vickie,

Don't hope you can get back on track. You can get back on track!  if you hope it and don't really believe it, you will not get back on track.  The negative thoughts are the thoughts that always sabotaged us in the 1st place.   If we continue to have them then they will continue to sabotage us.  POSITIVE thoughts.  Persistence. We are not perfect, so just keep trying until you get it right.  You can do it!! We can do this!!!  But you have to really believe it 1st!  KIT.

One more thing Vickie, The more you post the more successful you will be because lurking out there you are not encouraged.  You are isolating yourself by lurking.  BOTT is all about encouraging one another, not lurking.....:-)  You miss out on so many benefits by lurking... We can't read lurking and therefore we don't know what you need help with or what difficulties you are having by lurking.  OH.com was made for the obese to encourage one another.  I really hope to see more posts from you.  Monthly, weekly, bi-weekly or even daily.

Well, it looks like there are at least four of us in this boat.  I am three years out as well, have gained 15 pounds and have become food obsessed again.  I look at every quack cure and diet plan, hoping that this time one of the tricks will actually work.

Instead, today I committed to counting calories, eating protein first, and avoiding all sugary treats and non-nutritional foods.

I made it through day one, and for that I am sincerely grateful

Excellent Judy!!!  The gimmicks do not work.  We know dieting and pills never worked and nothing has changed in this aspect.  I love it that you already committed to just counting calories and eating protein 1st.  and I see you already see perfection is not needed.

The WLS did not fix our brains.  We are the owners and keeper on that front so we have to nurture our minds to think positive thoughts.  It is so hard after decades of negative thoughts but we can do it and I see your mindset is very good because you know you are not going to be perfect at this.  Keep up the good work!!  KIT. 

The more you post the more successful you will be because lurking out there you are not encouraged.  You are isolating yourself by lurking.  BOTT is all about encouraging one another, not lurking.....:-)  You miss out on so many benefits by lurking...

Hi Kathy,

You can get back on track.  You have not even gained back half of your weight, so pat yourself on the back because you have managed to keep off over a 100 pounds.  Normal people gain weight.  You are not a failure and to get back on the stick you have to get rid of the negatives and this is one of them.  If you stay in failure mode-- you have no choice but to be a failure.  Does this make sense to you?

So 1st work on your attitude.  You are not a failure.  You had a relapse like so many of us here.  But relapses can be corrected.  Since you have been lurking, I am sure you are familiar with the 3 P's.  Perseverance, Patience and Positive.  This is what it is going to take to get BOT. 

Now you are 5.5 years older and metabolism is slower.  and your honeymoon stage after surgery is over with.  I wish I only had 40 pounds to re-lose.  I would be half way there already.  But really your 40 is about the same as my 80 since I started off much bigger than you. 

I am so glad my posts are helpful to you all.  I do it for me and us.  It keeps me mindful and posting helps me get feedback and just reading it again is so helpful.  Especially the ones that apply directly to me. 

I want to encourage you to stop beating yourself up so you can start to progress better.  Then I want to encourage you to be more active on the boards here because that is helping me.  Perfection is not the key, persistence is key and consistency.  If you keep messing up so what just keep on trying and if you never give up and keep trying you will eventually get it right 75 to 85 percent of the time.  You can do this Kathy!!  We can do this!!  and posting here is your 1st step.  K.I.T.

One more thing Kathy, The more you post the more successful you will be because lurking out there you are not encouraged.  You are isolating yourself by lurking.  BOTT is all about encouraging one another, not lurking.....:-)  You miss out on so many benefits by lurking... We can't read lurking and therefore we don't know what you need help with or what difficulties you are having by lurking.  OH.com was made for the obese to encourage one another.  I really hope to see more posts from you.  Monthly, weekly, bi-weekly or even daily.