Saturday August 12

Uh oh! 0.4 outside of my range. Time to dial back a bit.

I'm going to speculate a bit of the gain is from a quite vigorous and strenuous work out. I am working on adding weight to front bar bell squats. The bar makes the squats significantly more difficult (at least for me). I'm doing 65 pounds, which isn't really too much weight for me. It is the balancing act of keeping everything aligned so that my form stays correct the entire way through the squat that makes the squat so much more difficult for me.

Admittedly, I have not been eating terribly well this week. Not enough sleep, a few stressful days, and no desire to plan and cook or prepare healthy meals. By the time I'm ready to eat, it's more along the lines of, "What the hell is there to eat?", foraging through the fridge and throwing something together. I have come to recognize that EASY FOOD usually equates to LESS THAN OPTIMAL FOOD. Duh....

Trimmed a dog this morning. Just finishing up lunch.

Puppy people coming this afternoon to be screened and interviewed. The woman coming today looked me up online and discovered my long time connection with the breed and my affiliation with the regional and national clubs. She was so impressed by all that BS that she admitted to being nervous to meet me and felt honored to even be considered for one of my dogs. That cracked me up! I had a good chuckle over that! I don't get it, but it's flattering! What she doesn't know is that I wouldn't even be having her over if she didn't pass the paper and phone screening! Shhh...

Tomorrow looks to be a low key day and that makes me happy! The quiet before the storm!

Do you have standard questions you ask in the phone screen (I assume you do on paper) or do you just play it by ear based on the paper answers and how the conversation goes?

The phone conversation is always based upon the answers in the written questionnaire. The phone call is a great way to get clarifications regarding written answers, get questions answered that the questionnaire may have triggered, and helps to to humanize the person looking for a puppy. If the phone interviw goes well, then I will invite the person/people to come by and meet the dogs.

Greetings All

136.5. Too much cheese eating on my part. Oh well. Congrats on holding on your three year anniversary. But just wait until you get to 6 or 7...

The Golden Pond image is great. Will try to keep a mental picture of that when I need a moment of peace. Though this morning was peaceful at the gallery. The wind picked up and its overcast so not so many hearty visitors.

I have made the decision to euthanize our old refrigerator. Its old, crappy and I want to decide when it dies. We have had it for 15 years and it was used then.

Well get a good hike in Shel. People were asking me for easy redwood and beach hikes today. There are loads. I only know the easy ones.

More paperwork coming in for my mom's estate. Its gonna be some work.

Please continue with all summer fun including puppy clean up and placement. Tee tee the dog show world Is so much about opinion and attitude and little feuds and alliances. A microcosm of the world. Hope good homes are found for all.

More shrimp tonight then the costco shrimp is gone. Really have to start going through the freezer.

Diane S

Diane, I saw a study reported recently here at OH of a five-year evaluation of RnY and VSG patients' weight losses and regains. On average, the VSG patients continued losing through Year Three. But in Year Four their average weight went up and in Year Five their average weight continued to rise. At the end of Year Five ALL WLS patients wound up at about the same place -- in terms of weight loss calculated as BMI changes from their pre-op weights.

I've been very aware of the "regain after three years" phenomenon that many sleevers report on message boards. Again, this isn't something everyone experiences, but the study (mentioned above) sure confirmed the anecdotes I've heard. So I'm on hyperalert about my coming Year Four.

On this very subject, several years ago I posted on another WLS message board my shrink's thoughts on this topic:

My shrink works with a number of bariatric patients and has seen many people go through this process. Toward the end of yesterday's session, I asked: "What issues do you see patients struggling with who regain weight? And by that I don't mean that they're eating too much. I'm really asking what's going on inside them that leads them to regain?"

After thinking a moment, he said: "What I mostly see is that they're struggling to find new reasons and new motivations to focus on their weight and fitness.

"After they hit their goal weights, many of the rewards they got while losing weight go away. They're no longer motivated by seeing the scale move down. After a while, their family and friends get used to what they look like and stop commenting on their weight loss or weight. Even people who were their strongest supporters during the weight loss phase no longer offer supportive comments. And when this positive reinforcement disappears, that has a negative effect on the patients.

"So then they must find new goals and new motivations to maintain their weight and to be fit. And for some folks that's not easy."

I have no idea how my attitudes might change and how I might be tempted to change my behavior in the coming few years. But I'm about to find out!

As always, I welcome ANY insights about Year Four from those of you further out than I am.

Hey interesting thoughts Ann and I think your shrink is so right. My surgeon told me his most dedicated people sometimes have trouble after 5 years. The novelty of being slim has worn off plus its just plain easier to eat more. Plus sleeve is still on duty but it "naps" once in awhile. Plus the idea of "I did not eat a donut for four whole years so just one will be ok." Anyway, good stuff. Kairk please weigh in on this LOL. Diane S

It is ALL about the good homes for me. I would much rather see a dog with a decent, loving, caring, kind family than have another show dog champion living a life as a kennel dog!!!!

You are a great puppy daddy!