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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.

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:

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

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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 . . .

:o) 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.

>

>

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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.

:o) 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.

> >

> >

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