wisdom of RhondaRoo

this was on the main vsg board but seemed like a good thing for this group. D

RhondaRoo
West Chester, OH
Dirk I Rodriguez, M.D., F.A.C.S. VSG (04/10/08) Member Since: 02/22/08
[Latest Posts]Post Date: 1/20/11 8:44 am
As I typed this reply, I thought: wow, good for me to reinforce this to me again---good to see again and review again. If it was good said once it's good to say twice:


I am just about 3 years out; and let me tell you it is *hard* in that the mind / head / food choices / and old ways creep back so easily.

Back to basics

I have found so much of my obesity is "head / mind stuffs" So a refresher for the basics:

Walk, walk, walk / sip sip sip; those are first and foremost top priority. This rings true not only for pre ops but also for us "old ops" OK--different reasons though: pre ops to make sure they do not get blood clots, to keep the air and gas moving on out of body, to keep from getting dehydrated. But it is top priority for us old timers as well. Calories in / Calories out for one. A commitment to 30 minutes of something per day is a good start for exercise; and up it from there. It will burn calories, build muscle, but also provides a different venue for stress relief, endorphines, etc---It should be treated like a vital vitamin for your body. I find the days I do not exercise in the morning, I am much more prone to emotional eating by that night. Sip, sip sip---for us, true hunger signals and true thirst signals are so similar. Therefore, if when you are NOT eating, you should be drinking--preferrably a non-caloric, non-caffine drink. This will prevent you eating calories when really your body is asking for water---0 calorie.

Continue on: STOP drinking 15 minutes or so before eating; do not drink while eating, and do no resume drinking for 1 hour after eating. This is still important if you want to max your still working tool. you DO NOT want to push your food so quick through your tummy or you will overeat, get more calories then you really need and not feel satiated as long. Also, whenever possible, stay away from too liquidy, too gravy, to slidery items. This will keep the food in your tiny tummy longer, not slide right through and prevent overeating.

Take your vitamins, because again, get deficient in one or more and your body will start sending out "I'm hungry" signals for foods that may not be your best choice. This falls under a good defense is a good offense: prevent any problems before they are problems.

Food Choices: Protein first (aim for 60 - 100 grams), then veg then fruit and whole grains. If you have any room left, then indulge in a little carbs (keeping carbs LOW for weight loss 40 - 60 works for me). STAY AWAY FROM SIMPLE CARBS IE SUGAR AND WHITE FLOUR--as these carbs crave carbs. Also, gauge your acid--as too much acid will also cause hunger cravings. Like, if you are a big caffine drinker, you may find by cutting it out that the hunger signals subside--true also with high acid foods / drinks like coffee. I personally love my coffee, so when I indulge, I take prevacid to counter the acid that leads to appetite increases. The denser protein is a better choice for us this far out since it will stay in the tummy longer. Think Atkins--meat, chicken, turkey, beef, pork stay in my tummy and take less to get full then ground meats, soft fish, cheeses. Those these are still good food choices, they don't stay as long as dense.

First journal your food intake so you can see truly what you are doing calories, protein, carbs. Weigh and get a good eye on portion. If you are having a hard time recognizing your full spot (for this far out it is gentle, polite, but easy to go by trigger); then don't depend on it; measure / weigh your food. Put it on a small plate, even a saucer is the best size. Use the small utensils (toddler forks and spoons) to keep your bites small, and chew, chew, chew. This will slow down your eating making meal time last long enough to feel that polite full sign. But also, it is proven that you will get more umph of vitamin and mineral absorption if you chew the snot out the food, making it liquid before you swallow. For the record, at this point, I can eat about 4 to 6 oz of dense protein, about 1 cup of cottage cheese per sitting (to make it less of a slider, one chopped hard boiled egg mixed in does quite well). Doesn't matter if you don't get the "full" signal, stop there.

Next, Journal your emotions. Give your "stuffing emotions" a different tool by this. Write or type a blog to get out all the stuffs that you normally would stuff with food. This is so key for me--and one of the hardest things to do since I was a master of not acknowledging emotions. But this will be valuable to show you "what's eating you" and give you a venue to really address some of these at the root. Not easy, but for me, it is a line between obesity life and "normal life as it should be".

And last, but definitely not least---these are major life changes. I couldn't change my mindset without help. Get ALL the help you need. For me, I NEED this board daily, I NEED to have fellowship with like persons in daily discussions, so I go to 'CHAT'; I NEED my family to be supportive in specific ways, so I asked them not only for their help, but spcifically for each one how they could help. I also got over my shame of admitting I needed professional help; and got it as well.

I know, a lot here--but it helps to remember what got us losing weight in the first place and really these are lifelong changes that need to happen, be reinforced, and continually brought back to remembrance RhondaRoo 256/235.5/131.0/128.4
Never, Never, Never Give Up  --Winston Churchill

Here, here!

good post

Definitely concur.  Its the whole the way I lost is close to, if not the same, as the way I need to maintain.

Awesome post.  It really seems so simple when written like that, doesn't it??

Very well said, thanks for sharing it with us!