Re: scales and weight maintenance

[Guest guest]

Faye, I'm totally in agreement. I'm a daily weigher and I consider

it essential, whether its good news or bad. I allow myself a 2 pound

window and if my scale goes above that (after I kick it), I know that

I have to adjust the diet (read:snacking!) and up the exercise to get

rid of the 2 or 3 while it is just 2 or 3. I'm a long, long time

veteran (pre-op days) of ignoring the scale and fooling myself into

thinking its not too bad, then all of a sudden its out of control and

instead of having 10 to lose its 30 or 40 or more..

My husband, who has always been normal weighted watches the scale

like a hawk too. He also wears very fitted clothes. He often knows

by how his clothes fit before the scale tells him that he has to cut

out desert for a few days or have 1 less beer. It IS easier to diet

away 2 or 3 pounds instead of 30 or 40...duh, why couldn't I have

figured this out years and years ago??

Being curious I have tried to " study " thin or normal weighted people

to see how they maintain their weights. I know we are not like

normal people and have a disease called obesity, but we can learn

from them and apply the same principles or lessons. What I have

found is that like my husband, they know by the fit of their clothes,

or keeping an eye on the scale to adjust their food intake, they work

out regularly, and they make good food choices most of the time,

reaching for the salad and fruit at a buffet bar instead of the carbs

and desserts first. And they take care of any weight gain while it is

just a few pounds and not more.

I used to work with this tiny size 4 (possibly a 2) person, who would

moan and groan that she had gained a few pounds on a Monday morning

from her weekend eating. This looking me (size 18 or higher)

straight in the face. When asked where she gained it

(sarcastically), she would point to her flat tummy and said, " ooooh,

there " . My point besides that she was obnoxious, is that very thin

people do " know " when they gain weight as they feel uncomfortable

when they gain and better when they lose.

Another friend I ran into this weekend after telling me how good I

looked (hadn't seen her in a few sizes-LOL) told me that she had lost

10 pounds (she was always normal weighted) and how good she felt

being thinner. That she really noticed a difference in energy and

overall feeling better.

Cindy in VA

lap RNY 2/8/02

> In a message dated 10/12/2003 8:55:48 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> DisDog@a... writes:

> I see the value in not being tied into a number and in

> relying instead on good eating and exercise habits, and being able

to

> maintain

> my weight " naturally " (does this exist?)

> ==============================================

>

> It is too easy to lie to myself about what I am eating. The only

way to know

> the truth is with the scale.

>

>

> Fay Bayuk

> **300/166

> 10/23/01

> Dr.

> Open RNY 150 cm

> Click for My Profile

> http://obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=Bayuk951061008

>

>

> Coping with the emotional aspects of craving food, one day at a

time.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Which is why when my pudgy 10 year old granddaughter wants to drink

water instead of milk with her meals I just say, " Fine " and serve her

water. She doesn't care for milk or soda, she prefers water and

that's just fine with me! I wooda flooped a fit if one of my kids

had said the same thing- age does impart some wisdom, don't it?

Alice

The Loon

RNY 12/28/00

But I sure loved my milk!