[fr1endly2]

Yes indeed reality is after The honeymoon life can still be stressful and sometimes even more so. We discover that losing wt didn't make us happy and take care of all the bad things in our lives/relationships etc. Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful tool but this reality is a challenge at times to accept!!!Afterall we had the irrational belief that after we lost wt everything would be perfect (or close to it right!) Because we may of been so unhappy while obese it reinforced this false thought!!!

THE ‘WLS DREAM’ It just doesn’t happen.....(how we envision it!)...Most people who have WLS look forward to all the ‘wonderful’ things they want to happen to them when they reach their goal weight...Clothes, comfort with self, increased social activity, no more isolation/loneliness, improved health, enriched relationships...and much more.

WHAT we sometimes FAIL TO CONSIDER IS THE LONG JOURNEY FROM WHERE we ARE PREOP TO WHERE we WANT TO BE...FORGOTTEN OBSTACLES...NO MATTER HOW INFORMED/EDUCATED we ARE NO ONE CAN fully PREPARE FOR THE DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENTS..MANY FEEL THERE IS SORT OF A ‘MAGIC’ TO WLS.
MEANING ‘MAGICALLY’ THEY WILL SURVIVE SURGERY, RECOVER, MAKE ALL THE LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO LIVE A NEW LIFE.
IT IS A RUDE AWAKENING WHEN we RUN INTO OBSTACLES ON THIS PATH sometimes....

Loss of food...THIS CAN BE EMOTIONALLY PAINFUL IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO PREOP WHEN ONE COULD EAT WHATEVER, WHENEVER IN WHATEVER AMOUNTS THEY WISHED...DEALING WITH TRIGGERS PLACES, TIME, EMOTIONS...CONTROLLING CRAVINGS...EATING IN RESPONSE TO A CRAVING SETS YOU UP FOR SELF SABOTAGE
...WEIGHT PLATEAU...1ST FEW MONTHS RAPID WT LOSS..BEGINS TO SLOW..CAN STOP COMPLETELY FOR A FEW WEEKS...NEED TO CONTINUE ROUTINE AND NOT GET DISCOURAGED/DEPRESSED...EXCESS SKIN! etc.......

Having Realistic expectations can help...That it is just...
A tool to CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE!
We will need To relearn healthy habits, self responsibility and accountability.
We WILL NEED TO CHANGE OUR LIFE & MIND to be successful long-term, otherwise this too can be a 1 year failed diet attempt!!!

Psychological Issues Emerge...LEFT UNRESOLVED CAN LEAD TO SELF SABOTAGE! It takes extraordinary courage to consciously limit food choices for the rest of your life (and potentially limit social opportunities built around meals). SURGICAL SUCCESS REQUIRES THAT THE PATIENT INITIATES AND MAINTAINS DRAMATIC HABIT AND ATTITUDE CHANGES.....

[DocSanae]

As CraigT tells it, the Journey is the Destination.
I hope you'll be able to take the time to read his input, along with Lisa's post.

[Becca]

That is so true..........You know our parents always said, "Finish whats on your plate or your not getting up"

Boy that is so stuck in my head.........I put very small amounts on my plate, and i feel so guilty when i cant eat it all............I ask everyone want this, want that? I was at the mall, and i just got nugget's, and cold slaw, (i love the slaw) from chick-fla-a, and they put fries in the bag.....We their was some kids with the parents beside me eatting, and offered my fries, and they looked at me like i was offering drugs.....I explaned i had surgery and i didint want those to go to waste........They got up and left........And the seen me sit down with my bag.GEEZZZEEE............

But i'm not makeing, Cameron finish his plate, if he has eatten good.........I feel that starts the bad eatting habits..To keep eatting even if we are full..........And i feel our eyes are and have been bigger than our stomachs. I feel this has what made us fat in the first place. But i feel its how we were raised..........

Lastnight i made Salmon, and whiting, and scalop taters, rice, peas, rolls.......I had my Salmon, 2in X2in peice, some taters, maybe 1.5 table spoons, peas, and a 1/2 of a roll....I was really full..........I had taters,roll left, on my plate.....And i just waled off.......And started washing dishes.......To forget i left it behind.........Then Wes got rid of for me. ........Cameron loves his pink fish, he calls it LOL.........

[wannabethin]

Good post, Lisa---and I LOVE your new picture. You look fabulous!

[howietam]

Becca,

Congrats on that victory!

Goes to show we all have our issues...the biggest epiphany for me so far, (I'm 5 wks out) is how much emphasis I have placed on food all my life, and how important it is in our society. I equate so many experiences with food, like shopping at the mall. That always meant pigging out for me. I have to deal with this issue somehow...develop some type of strategy. These are just smaller battles in the larger war!

[*Butterfly*Girl*]

I think that the surgeon that does not warn his patient of such things does a great disservice to his patients. I have not once thought of this as the easy way out or the quitters way of losing weight. Nor do I harbor fantasies that this is the bippity boppity boo magic wand that's going to make my life perfect. I'm 36 years old and I didn't become morbidly obese overnight. It's a good 20 years of learned overeating, coping through overeating, numbing myself through overeating, mistreating my own body through overeating, stuffing the anger and frustration down with food, et al.

I do see a therapist on a semi regular basis (he's been my therapist for 12+ years now) and he & I have discussed at great length all of the emotional hurdles I'm going to have to confront while losing the weight. These emotional things are perhaps things I could go on forever ignoring if it were not for the surgery. One could easily lose themselves in obesity forever without really looking at their emotions in their life.

For me this surgery is a tool and a tool only. It's a way to a means. It's a way to unleash my inner athelete and to literally kick a$$ and take names. It's going to afford me the opportunity to know what THIN feels like so that I'm able to stay there for the rest of my life.

I think that the world view's this surgery as the easy way out or a surgery for those that have given up on themselves completely. I choose to see it as just the opposite. It is the best choice for my life to gain health back in every single area - my body, my emotions, my spirituality, my parenting. My life as a wife, mother, lover, daughter, friend, and so much more. I am so much more than how my morbid obesity defines me. I'm so ready.

Pray it up ladies and gents. My paperwork sits NOW at this minute on the desk of the deciding doctors. My scheduled surgery is for this Thursday and the waiting is KILLING ME.

[fr1endly2]

glad everyone liked the article thats why i brought it here when i read it.
I am struggling and coping in these areas daily.
I took some weight management councling but still a constant
daily fight. BREAKING some old habits!!!!

WANNABETHIN...glad you like the new avatar pic .....
the full lengh shot is up in the holiday party pictures thread!
I just put them up friday night as my husbands party was very
late !!!!