This month's in-person support group meeting was held at the "Golden Corral" in Raleigh today. We had a nice turn-out with about 25 members.

The 'Topic for the Month' was Best Resources. We shared books, magazines and websites that have helped us in our journey, addresssing what we liked about them and how they were helpful. Some of the resources that were discussed included websites to

*  log intake and activity, such as www.mydailyplate.com, www.sparkpeople.com, or www.fitday.com which go a long way toward helping us become aware and accountable

*  help with meal planning for post WLS, such as www.cookinglight.com and http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com which are great for learning a new way of cooking

The following books that address behavior issues were shared:

The Beck Diet Solution and the Beck Diet for Life, by Judith Beck
Mindful Eating, by Jan Chozen Bays

We also shared the latest issue of the OH Magazine.

As we introduced ourselves, we also had a discussion on laying the foundation for longterm success. We discussed how important it is to really start addressing some of the behaviors that got us to a point that we needed WLS in the first place, so that we can be ultimately successful at not only losing the weight, but also reaping the true meaning of success... Maintaining the hardwon losses and associated gains. The other issue that came into the forfront was being able to 'see' the new us that others see. This really takes some time and effort. It was suggested that professional photographs will help us to see the new us... It was suggested that we schedule a group picnik where we have our photos taken and we'll look into do just that.

We had a clothing swap which allowed some of us to gain some much needed room in our closets, while allowing others to shop through some of the goodies that were donated by friends that no longer needed them. It was a win/win situtation.

We will be maintaining the monthly in person general support group meetings on the 3rd Saturday morning of each month, but because our group has grown to be so large, I have started a few special interest groups and we talked about them at this meeting. The Grads Group that addresses issues of interest to those who have had at least one surgiversary and Over50 BMI Group that addresses issues of interest to those who started their journey with BMIs over 50 are doing well and will be continued. We have started a Beck Group that will use the Beck Diet Solution workbook as a basis for discussions. We are considering a Guys Group for the fellas, but I need to be sure that there will be enough interest to support this. These special interest groups are open to anyone who would like to join in, but the focus of the discussions is directed towards the specific special interest.

Several members of our group attended the WalkLikeMADD 5K event in Raleigh and really enjoyed it. Another Charitable walk for MS is scheduled for next week in Raleigh. We also have a group that has decided to try the Couch to Run event and AndreaU has taken the reigns to coordinate this event.

OH in Atlanta in November 09... Several members expressed a desire to attend the OH Event being held Nov 6/7, 2009. For more information, please see the  following link. http://www.obesityhelp.com/events/uzone,events/action,event_details/event_id,3004/... It looks like we might try to gather an NC contingent to go to Atlanta. I hope you'll join us there!

This month's in-person support group meeting was held at the "Golden Corral" in Raleigh today. We had a nice turn-out with about 30 members. It was cold this morning, but will be a beautiful, clear day.

The 'Thought for the Month' was Behavior Modification and Mindful Eating. We talked about how this journey is about identifying behaviors that can impede our success and finding ways to manage those behaviors. We also talked out how not eating mindfully can be a slippery slope. Many have found that using a logging tool such as www.mydailyplate.com, www.sparkpeople.com, or www.fitday.com go a long way toward helping us become aware and accountable.

When we introduced ourselves as went around the room, many shared some of the behaviors that they have noticed that could compromise or sabotage our long term success. It was good for us to share the struggles we are having because it helped to know that we are not alone and to work through finding ways to make some positive changes in our behaviors.

We had a clothing swap which allowed some of us to gain some much needed room in our closets, while allowing others to shop through some of the goodies that were donated by friends that no longer needed them. It was a win/win situtation.

We will be maintaining the monthly in person general support group meetings on the 3rd Saturday morning of each month, but because our group has grown to be so large, I have started a few special interest groups and we talked about them at this meeting. The Grads Group that addresses issues of interest to those who have had at least one surgiversary and Over50 BMI Group that addresses issues of interest to those who started their journey with BMIs over 50 are doing well and will be continued. At this time, we will be suspending the Banders Group due to lack of interest; we've had 3 meetings with attendance as follows (2 members, 2 members, 1 member) We have started a Beck Group that will use the Beck Diet Solution workbook as a basis for discussions. We are considering a Guys Group for the fellas, but I need to be sure that there will be enough interest to support this. These special interest groups are open to anyone who would like to join in, but the focus of the discussions is directed towards the specific special interest.

Last week we also had a special event. Dr. Karl Schwarz, a local plastic surgeon provided an informational seminar. It was attended by about a dozen members and was very well received.

  Before you read this topic, please take a few minutes to jot down answers to the following questions:

How do you incorporate protien into your daily diet?How many grams of protien do you average?
How many ounces of water do you drink daily?
Is it challenging to consume the amount prescribed by your doctor?
Do you take your suppliments daily?
What is your vitamin regimen?
Do you exercise? 
What do you do and how often?
 

Let’s start with the first corner of your foundation –    
PROTEIN:   Why is protein so important? Proteins form the body’s main structural elements and are found in every cell and tissue. Take away the water, and about 75 percent of your weight is protein.   Your body uses proteins:
1.  For growth; 2.  
To build and repair- Bones; muscles; hair; connective tissue; skin; internal organs; blood; and, virtually every other body part or tissue.   Besides building cells and repairing tissue, proteins form antibodies to combat invading bacteria and viruses; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA). They make up enzymes that power many chemical reactions. They also carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way.   Hormones, antibodies and enzymes that regulate the body’s chemical reactions are all made of protein. Without the right proteins, blood won’t clot properly and cuts won’t heal.   Each protein is a large complex molecule made up of a string of building blocks called amino acids.   The 20 amino acids the body needs can be linked in many different ways to form thousands of different proteins, each with a unique function in the body.    

WATER:
Okay, now for the second corner of your foundation – H2O, The “Perfect Drink? of WATER:   What’s the big deal about drinking water? Water is a fundamental part of our lives. It is easy to forget how completely we depend on it. Human survival is dependent on water -- water has been ranked by experts as second only to oxygen as essential for life. The average adult body is 55 to 75% water. The water you drink literally becomes you! Since such a large percentage of our bodies are water, water must figure heavily in how our bodies function. We need water to stay healthy. Aside from aiding in digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature and blood circulation, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and removes toxins and other wastes.   This "body water" also cushions joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from shock and damage. Dehydration leads to excess body fat, poor muscle tone, decreased digestive efficiency & organ function, increased toxicity, joint & muscle soreness, water retention. Water works to keep muscles and skin toned. Dehydration can cause many ailments. Every process in our body occurs in a water medium. We can exist without food for 2 months or more, but we can only survive for a few days without water.   Want to maximize your weight loss and make your weight maintenance easier? Water is an excellent tool to do just that! Among its other benefits, water plays a major part in weight loss. Since water contains no calories, it can serve as an appetite suppressant, and helps the body metabolize stored fat, it may possibly be one of the most significant factors in losing weight. Water is the perfect drink. It's fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium, and completely without calories. Drinking more water helps to reduce water retention by stimulating your kidneys and keeping them flushed. So….pour a glass of fresh water and enjoy!  

VITAMINS:
If water is the drink of life, then vitamins are the nutritional supplements for a healthy life. Don’t we get all of our nutrition from food and vitamins are only optional? No, no, no! As a result of weight loss surgery, smaller portions of food are consumed and with any malabsorption issues, vitamins are essential. Vitamin deficiencies before surgery can occur despite adequate caloric intake but are common due to poor eating habits. For post-ops to maintain good health, we know that vitamins are critically important to keep healthy and prevent disease.  

EXERCISE:
The third corner of your foundation...MOVE IT! After having weight loss surgery, physical activity, whether it be exercising or moving about your daily life, becomes a “get to? rather than the drudgery of “have to?. We feel good and it is exhilarating to move our bodies without the excess weight. Regular activity is an important part of effective weight loss and weight maintenance. It also can help prevent several diseases and improve your overall health. It does not matter what type of physical activity you perform - sports, planned exercise, household chores, yard work, or work-related tasks - all are beneficial. Studies show that even the most inactive people gain significant benefits if they accumulate 30 minutes or more of physical activity per day.

Need more motivation? What’s in it for you? The benefits of exercise, in addition to enhancing weight loss and maintenance, are:
Balancing the number of calories you expend through exercise and physical activity with the calories you eat will help you achieve and maintain your desired weight. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine. 2

DISCLAIMER: Information provided by this handout is for informational www.ObesityHelp.com/ohsupportgroups purposes and is not medical advice. Only you and your doctor can ObesityHelp Support Group Leader Program determine what regimen meets your specific needs. [email protected] or [email protected] (866) WLS-INFO ext. 382 or (866) 957-4636 ext. 382 

 

 

We had our first Get Together for the Bander's Group this week. We met at the local Applebee's which has a nice WLS friendly menu.

We didn't have a large turnout, but it seemed to be very successful for those who attended. It was nice for members to be able to talk about the successes and struggles that they are encountering on their journey and to realize that they are not alone. Tips on types of foods, textures, and quantities were shared. We also talked about food journaling and the benefits of awareness. We talked about the fact that we tend to make better decisions for ourselves when we look at what we are eating when it's written down in black and white... even when no one else will see it.

This looks like it's going to be a very successful event and we look forward to watching it develop and grow as we meet once a month.

This month's in-person support group meeting was held at the "Golden Corral" in Raleigh today. We had a very nice turn-out with about 40 members, despite the incredibly cold morning.

The 'Thought for the Month' was Making Changes. We talked about how this journey is about making changes... some big and some small. We talked about making a list of the changes we want to make. Prioritizing those changes and then picking one to work on each month.

When we introduced ourselves as went around the room, many shared some of the changes that they would like to make in the coming months.

We had a clothing swap which allowed some of us to gain some much needed room in our closets, while allowing others to shop through some of the goodies that were donated by friends that no longer needed them. It was a win/win situtation.

We will be maintaining the monthly in person general support group meetings on the 3rd Saturday morning of each month, but because our group has grown to be so large, I have started a few special interest groups and we talked about them at this meeting. We now have a Grads Group that addresses issues of interest to those who have had at least one surgiversary, a Banders Group the addresses issues of interest to those with restrictive only WLS and on Over50 BMI Group that addresses issues of interest to those who started their journey with BMIs over 50. These special interest groups are open to anyone who would like to join in, but the focus of the discussions is directed towards the specific special interest.

We are arranging to have some special events. The first will be a seminar put on by a local plastic surgeon that has experience with WLS patients.

We also sent a "We're Thinking of You" card around. As you know, we all have our 'reasons' for taking the plunge and having WLS. For one of our members, the big reason was that she wanted to start a family and her weight was standing in the way. Forturnately, her surgery was successful, she lost the excess weight and has been blessed with a pregnancy. Unfortunately, there has been a complication that has caused her to be hospitalized for the remainder of the pregnancy, so we passed around the card so that everyone could send her our loving concern. A few of us went to hospital afterwards to share the card and visit for a while.