Need a Mentor!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Don't despair. You have lots of people here that are on your side.

I would really suggest though that you use there 12900 calorie meal plan that Kaiser gave you in your binder to take off the weight. It will take it off fairly quickly also. With that meal plan I was able to lose 35 pounds in two and a half months.

You said that you live in a house of overweight people. Are these your family? It could be that you need to talk to them about becoming a part of your support team and getting some of that junk food out of the house.

My house used to have a lot of junk food in it. But now it is very rarely that any is brought in. I know how hard it is when you feel like there is very little support in your house but you can do it because you are doing it for yourself. You have to remember that you are worth it. Every time that you are starting to wander away from you meal plan and eat something that isn't in that meal plan you really need to stop and ask yourself if you really need to eat that or if it is just because you want to. I find that when I start to ask myself that I end not eating it. You really do have to get a hold on this now before you even have the surgery. It doesn't get any easier after you have the surgery. You family will still go on because they may or may not become a part of your team. The junk food may or may not go away. You have to learn to fight the temptations. Do it for you.

I live in Sunnyvale which is a little distance away from San Leandro. If you would like to talk on the phone my number is in the files. Also there are lots of people that have had the surgery which live on your side of the bay. I am sure you will be able to find an angel. I am always available to talk to in the mornings and early afternoons. If I am not home just leave me a message I will call you back.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone!

My name is . I received my approval for the Kaiser Permanente

Bariatrics Program in July of last year (2005). I was thrilled. I

went to orientation on September 17th, 2005, where they discussed the

10% weight loss, and the fact that I had to quit smoking for at least

3 months before they would allow me to have surgery.

I attended the Kaiser Smoking Cessation Program and quit smoking on

October 18th, 2005. I haven't have a cigarrette since. I put my 10%

weight loss efforts on hold until after I quit smoking, assuming it

would be harder to quit smoking than it would be to lose the weight.

HUGE mistake!

Since I've quit smoking, I've gained 12 more pounds -- not lost!

Despite hundreds of attempts to lose the 10%, I'm constantly giving

myself excuses why it is okay for me to just cheat today and start

again " tomorrow " -- only to cheat all over again the next day!

I'm so confused. I sincerely want the surgery... more than anything

I've ever wanted. I do not understand why I am sabotaging my own

weight loss! I often wish I had lost the weight before I quit

smoking... because before quitting, I could stick to a diet for a

good three months and lose at least 40 pounds.

I badly need a mentor. I'm looking for someone who has had the

surgery in the San Leandro, California, area that I can meet up with

and get some pointers and that can help me become excited and

motivated for the surgery. Also, any other support you can give me

would be more than welcomed!

I am starting off today on a low-carb diet. I'm really going to do

my best from this point forward to lose the 40 pounds I need to

lose! (I originally only needed to lose 27, but I've put on 12

pounds since Kaiser weighed me and they will not re-weigh me because

the surgeon has already determined my goal weight.)

Please help. I'm desperate for someone supportive to be on my side.

I live in a house of overweight people who constantly have junk food

around, and I haven't yet had the strength to turn off my bad

habits. I'd give anything for someone with will power to take over

my body for a couple months to lose this weight!!

I'd love to hear from you all!

[Guest guest]

Boy, , I can SOOO relate to this. I had orientation 2/7 and I've

been having some severe " motivational issues " the last couple months

even though I was doing great before orientation.

I think part of the difficulty for me has been recognizing that

obesity is an illness, and I truly am " addicted to food " in much the

same way that other members of my family have been addicted to less

legal substances. It's very hard to face, and very very hard to deal

with. I keep making excuses for why I blow it, and trying to start

again " tomorrow " . One of my problems is that I need to realize that

I can't wait till " tomorrow " , that if I make a mistake I need to

start again RIGHT NOW. No excuses!

I do think it's important to recognize that the changes you've made

already will improve your health and your life, however. Smoking is

far, far worse for your health long-term even than obesity; that's

one of the reasons they insist that you stop months before the

surgery. Have you started exercising yet? That will help, and if

you're not smoking now you should have better lung function and be

able to do more than you could have last Fall.

Weight loss is scary. It's going to change everything, and even

though I really want it it's difficult to change the way I deal with

problems (by eating), with emotional highs and lows (by eating), and

with stress and tiredness (by eating). I have to figure out ways of

celebrating family occasions without depending on food. I have to

figure out how to reward myself without depending on food. I have to

figure out what food gives me, and then how to replace it with

something else that ISN'T FOOD.

It's a huge task. I'm struggling, but we all are in this together

and we'll make it. You can too!

Cathy C.

>

> Hello everyone!

>

> My name is . I received my approval for the Kaiser Permanente

> Bariatrics Program in July of last year (2005). I was thrilled. I

> went to orientation on September 17th, 2005, where they discussed

the

> 10% weight loss, and the fact that I had to quit smoking for at

least

> 3 months before they would allow me to have surgery.

>

> I attended the Kaiser Smoking Cessation Program and quit smoking on

> October 18th, 2005. I haven't have a cigarrette since. I put my

10%

> weight loss efforts on hold until after I quit smoking, assuming it

> would be harder to quit smoking than it would be to lose the

weight.

> HUGE mistake!

>

> Since I've quit smoking, I've gained 12 more pounds -- not lost!

> Despite hundreds of attempts to lose the 10%, I'm constantly giving

> myself excuses why it is okay for me to just cheat today and start

> again " tomorrow " -- only to cheat all over again the next day!

>

> I'm so confused. I sincerely want the surgery... more than

anything

> I've ever wanted. I do not understand why I am sabotaging my own

> weight loss! I often wish I had lost the weight before I quit

> smoking... because before quitting, I could stick to a diet for a

> good three months and lose at least 40 pounds.

>

> I badly need a mentor. I'm looking for someone who has had the

> surgery in the San Leandro, California, area that I can meet up

with

> and get some pointers and that can help me become excited and

> motivated for the surgery. Also, any other support you can give me

> would be more than welcomed!

>

> I am starting off today on a low-carb diet. I'm really going to do

> my best from this point forward to lose the 40 pounds I need to

> lose! (I originally only needed to lose 27, but I've put on 12

> pounds since Kaiser weighed me and they will not re-weigh me

because

> the surgeon has already determined my goal weight.)

>

> Please help. I'm desperate for someone supportive to be on my

side.

> I live in a house of overweight people who constantly have junk

food

> around, and I haven't yet had the strength to turn off my bad

> habits. I'd give anything for someone with will power to take over

> my body for a couple months to lose this weight!!

>

> I'd love to hear from you all!

>

>