Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 I have graduated to the over one year since surgery group. My RNY was performed September 5, 2002 at Medical Center East in Birmingham, Alabama by Dr. Les Miles. I have given away over 90 pounds( and never want them back!) I am less than 20 pounds from my personal goal weight. This surgery has improved my life in so many ways. During my anniversary check up, the doctor talked about the learning experience of this first year and my success. He talked about my eating and excercising program. But most importantly, he talked about how I am going to live the rest of my life. He talked about making decisions and being aware and consistent follow thru. In the months that I have been reading the posts in this group, I see that some people are struggling to lose pounds regained or to restart the losing cycle to reach a goal weight. I would like to ask you all for advice. What are you doing right and what would you do differently? What would you tell a fellow traveler to do to be successful in the long term? If you are struggling, why do you believe this has happened? Any input will be appreciated. I am giving a lot of thought to this " rest of my life " preparation. I know that all WLS patients have to make choices just like non-WLS people. And I realize the bottom line is still if you consume more calories that your body uses, you will gain weight. I am looking for the deeper thoughts from people who are on the same journey that I am. Please advise. Thank you for your words each day. It is comforting to know that I am not alone. God bless each one of us as we go through this life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 : Congrats on your anniversary! It sounds as though you have a doc who really cares. >What are you doing right and what would you do differently? Making a commitment to exercise and to myself..to be the best that I can be, to make good use of this " second chance, " and to continue breaking the vicious abuse cycles that helped to get me where I was. Differently: I would never touch sugar again. =) >What would you tell a fellow traveler to do to be successful in the long term? Exercise NOW. Stay away from sugar forever! Work on the mind while you're working on the body....they go hand in hand it seems. >If you are struggling, why do you believe this has happened? Any input will be appreciated. I've struggled in the past year, but I've also gotten back on track. Unfortunately, the doc only operated on my guts and stomach, not my brain. =) I'm learning to deal with life's challenges in ways other than eating. >And I realize the bottom line is still if you consume more calories that your body uses, you will gain weight. I am looking for the deeper thoughts from people who are on the same journey that I am. I don't know how deep my thoughts are, but IMHO, weight issues are more complicated for many of us. Yes, there's the matter of how much we consume vs. how much we expend, but I *KNOW* there is more to it than that. I can just about gain weight eating three lettuce leaves instead of two. That's more than simple " put down your fork. " That's genetics & insulin resistance. There's certainly also the emotional component. I crave sweets and carbs like there's no tomorrow, whether I eat them or not. That feeling is just THERE. Before WLS, I also NEVER felt full...even after I'd gorged. I NEVER had the sated feeling I get now when I eat a small amount. That is more than " pushing away from the table " too... Theoretically, my body--according to all the physical fitness sites and charts and experts--is supposed to burn about 2000 calories a day if I just sit here and don't move. I'm very active, I eat about 800 calories a day, and I exercise one hour to 1 1/2 hours six days a week. This allows me to maintain my weight at about 40 lbs over my goal. I'm absolutely, positively consuming MUCH less than my body purportedly uses, but I don't lose weight unless I literally starve and exercise for five hours a day. Sucks to be me! LoL! pandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Hi All . . . I know you haven't heard from me in a while. Its because life has gotten WAAAYAYAYY too busy. I am basicly working full time now, even though it is from home. I still read the list when I have time . . .there is just no time to respond. I like the questions this person posed. The answers to the questions are the key to our success.(What are you doing right and what would you do differently? What would you tell a fellow traveler to do to be successful in the long term? If you are struggling, why do you believe this has happened? Any input will be appreciated. I am giving a lot of thought to this " rest of my life " preparation.) In response . . . I am almost 5 years post op (12/98). I lost 100% of my excess weight and my BMI was about 22 last time I checked. I am as successful weight wise as I hoped to be, or rather was determined to be. It wasn't as easy as I wanted it to be. I am a short proximal RNY and my weight loss was slow from the beginning. I started out at 268 and my beginning goal was to lose 100 pounds. Long before I lost 100 pounds, it bacame the wrong goal for me. I quit focusing on the weight loss and instead focused on getting healthier and making choices (in all areas of my life) that were right for me. My choices are not necessarily the right choices for anyone else. For me, I wasn't willing to settle with being left a little overweight, but I was willing to accept my body type and live with it rather than try to reshape it by getting thinner than is natural for me. What was right was that I soul searched and found what I could live with for the rest of my life. What was right for me was, I allowed my self to experiment and fail sometimes and learned what not to do. For me to be successful long term I have to confront uncomfortable feelings because burying them results in overeating ,drinking or " needing " anti-anxiety medications or anti-depressants. For me to be successful long term I have to be religious about my vitamin supplements. When I was just over 4 years post op, feeling physically good at my smallest size and with reconstructive surgery behind me (abdomnioplasty and mastopexy with augmentation), I got lax on vitamin supplements and ended up an emotional wreck, depressed and unable to sleep. The writing was on the wall that weight was going to become an issue again. I was still fine with food, as it had become a non-issue as to what and when I ate, but I could feel the back slide coming. Not having a weight problem didn't make everything all right. Being a size 4 - 6 - 8 - 10 whatever does not make everything all right. One night at about 3:00am I went online and read about insomnia and found out it can be caused by a lack of calcuim. I read about other " mental " stuff like anxiety and depression that can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. (If you are great on your nutrition and still have those issues then the meds are a important option.) *I* knew I wasn't making sure my vitamin needs were well covered even though I had all my body needed in the medicine cabinet! I finally listened to my body which speaks with feelings and behavior and I turned it around. I take my vitamins religiously and I am sleeping again. I am no longer depressed and feel better about everything. Instead of feeling like crawling in a hole, I feel like " bring it on, " I can handle it. I had tried all the " in " meds the shrinks prescribe and they made me crazier, as they toyed with my emotions, clouded my judgement,thinking and feeling. I made a decision that I was depressed for a good reason and that antidepressants can make the intolerable tolerable and instead decided to express my feelings Vs bury them. So for the rest of my life . . . I am going to focus on my nutritional needs i.e. vitamins, take care of my body (exercise) and check in with myself daily Vs just go through the motions of living. Good luck with the future . . . ) Vicki in CA > I have graduated to the over one year since surgery group. My RNY > was performed September 5, 2002 at Medical Center East in > Birmingham, Alabama by Dr. Les Miles. I have given away over 90 > pounds( and never want them back!) I am less than 20 pounds from my > personal goal weight. This surgery has improved my life in so many > ways. > > During my anniversary check up, the doctor talked about the learning > experience of this first year and my success. He talked about my > eating and excercising program. But most importantly, he talked > about how I am going to live the rest of my life. He talked about > making decisions and being aware and consistent follow thru. In the > months that I have been reading the posts in this group, I see that > some people are struggling to lose pounds regained or to restart the > losing cycle to reach a goal weight. I would like to ask you all > for advice. What are you doing right and what would you do > differently? What would you tell a fellow traveler to do to be > successful in the long term? If you are struggling, why do you > believe this has happened? Any input will be appreciated. I am > giving a lot of thought to this " rest of my life " preparation. I > know that all WLS patients have to make choices just like non-WLS > people. And I realize the bottom line is still if you consume more > calories that your body uses, you will gain weight. I am looking > for the deeper thoughts from people who are on the same journey that > I am. Please advise. > > Thank you for your words each day. It is comforting to know that I > am not alone. > > God bless each one of us as we go through this life. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 What I meant to say is antidepressants CAN'T make the intolerable tolerable. You can't treat " mechanical depression " the same way as chemical imbalance depression . . . So I had to work on the mechanics . . .and still am. ) Vicki in CA > > I have graduated to the over one year since surgery group. My RNY > > was performed September 5, 2002 at Medical Center East in > > Birmingham, Alabama by Dr. Les Miles. I have given away over 90 > > pounds( and never want them back!) I am less than 20 pounds from my > > personal goal weight. This surgery has improved my life in so many > > ways. > > > > During my anniversary check up, the doctor talked about the > learning > > experience of this first year and my success. He talked about my > > eating and excercising program. But most importantly, he talked > > about how I am going to live the rest of my life. He talked about > > making decisions and being aware and consistent follow thru. In > the > > months that I have been reading the posts in this group, I see that > > some people are struggling to lose pounds regained or to restart > the > > losing cycle to reach a goal weight. I would like to ask you all > > for advice. What are you doing right and what would you do > > differently? What would you tell a fellow traveler to do to be > > successful in the long term? If you are struggling, why do you > > believe this has happened? Any input will be appreciated. I am > > giving a lot of thought to this " rest of my life " preparation. I > > know that all WLS patients have to make choices just like non-WLS > > people. And I realize the bottom line is still if you consume more > > calories that your body uses, you will gain weight. I am looking > > for the deeper thoughts from people who are on the same journey > that > > I am. Please advise. > > > > Thank you for your words each day. It is comforting to know that I > > am not alone. > > > > God bless each one of us as we go through this life. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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