What LIFE CHANGES have you made since VSG ??

I was thinking about what LIFE CHANGES I have made since getting my VSG -- and realized that in the past year, I've changed HOW I live and WHAT I do.

Here are some of my LIFE CHANGES ....

*   I actually TAKE my vitamins EVERY DAY

*  When I go out to eat, I transfer food to a small plate to eat it.  Or move my 'portion' over to one    side.

*  I NEVER order a combo anything (ie: do you want fries and a drink with that?)

*  I get up early 5 days a week to work out BEFORE work.

*  (started this before my vsg) A donut is not a food group.  And cannot be considered breakfast.

And the most important one is this:

I AM POSITIVE ABOUT EVERYTHING.  IF I CAN LOSE 120 POUNDS IN UNDER TWO YEARS,  I CAN DO ANYTHING !!!!!

What are your life changes ???

I am more outgoing since surgery. I always "hid" behind the fat.

On a similar note, I no longer buy clothes based on how much they'll hide. I buy clothes that fit instead of loose clothes.

I'm more willing to try new things - less afraid. I guess I know if I can do this, I can do anything.

Any time I eat, I serve myself a planned portion and eat that (or sometimes less).

I've learned to actually LIKE much healthier foods. Before I craved cookie/cake foods and salty/crunch foods like chips. Now, I enjoy veggies, fruits, yogurt, stuff like that and avoid any starchy carbs.

I'm a borderline lacto-vegetarian - meat at most one meal a day and I could skip that if it weren't for eating with my family. This is because my tummy is so tiny that I can't eat enough meat to make a difference. I use protein shakes, Greek yogurt, beans, nuts and seeds instead. I don't recommend this for others, but it's what works for me.

I move more in general. I don't work out every day (about 4 times a week), but I move much more than I did all the time.

my life changes are,
i always have breakfast now
i never drink and eat at the same time always leave thirty minutes either side of the meal time
always take all my vitamins and b12 injection
always make time for swimming twice a week, cant do the gym due to disabilities

i plan my meals and never go food shopping hungry and always make a list and stick to eat

My biggest change is I am fiend for exercise.  This morning I took a 5.16mile walk (in 119minutes thank you very much) and I am about to walk out the door for a 1 hour zumba class (my absolute favorite thing to do now). 

I am also much more outgoing and dare I say it...I am much better dressed!

I have about 5lbs until my personal goal of being half of my old self....sometimes I just can't believe this is me...

-I'm more active. My DVR is always at 98+ percent because I don't lay around watching tv.
-I clean my house more
-I look for opportunities to take in vegetables
-I take my vitamins
-I workout more intensely AND without a trainer (past abusive trainer issues)
-I'm not an all or nothing thinker anymore
-I'm less harsh or judgemental with myself
-I know what a serving size is determine my portion BEFORE I eat
-I regularly weigh my food, especially the meat
-I'm more willing to go out because I have less anxiety

Biggest changes -

now I make an effort to exercise everyday and enjoying finding new ways to build my exercise program

cook most of my meals at home again - had been in a bad habit for years of buying most of my meals out (my wallet is happy about this too).

enjoy healthier food choices these days too - the thought of greasy food actually turns my stomach now

taking my vitamins and supplements pretty much every day

drinking more liquids even though I might need to up my liquids to 80 or more ounces instead of just 64

not being embarrassed when somebody says something about my weight. These days the remarks are along the lines of "you're shrinking" and "good for you."

but the biggest one is losing that mentality of having to eat everything on my plate.

Like Mom4JazzAndHasGreatPictures, I've also changed into becoming more outgoing... before in groups, I'd always feel like the fat outsider, an intruder.  Now I feel like "everyone" else.  I used to hate things like social groups.... now I'm running a WLS support group!  A couple week ago, I actually went out to the clubs - that's a different story though.

I definitely stop processing stress with food.  That's a huge change for me. 

Oh, I'm active in ways I would have laughed out loud at you for suggesting exactly one year ago.  Training for a 5K?  Yeah, right, very funny.  Yet, here I am.....

"Not eating everything on your plate"

This is a biggie for me. My parents grew up between the Wars (between WWI and WWII) and my mom, in Europe. Food was scarce, and there was food rationing. I grew up with "Eat your food, the children in Europe are starving" -- LITERALLY said every night at dinnertime.

For me, leaving food on my plate is difficult ! Yes, I'm 55 years old; but the things we grew up with, the cultural mores, the family traditions...those are hard ones to break...

My dad, who will be 86 next month ALWAYS cleans his plate. And due to having to have necrotic tissue removed from intestine a few years back....basically had an intestinal bypass, so he CAN without damage to himself ! And at 86, who would say no to him anyway !

What life changes have I made besides actually living life to the fullest now???
I tale care of myself more now than I ever have. Eating right, working out, taking my vitamins, just to name a few.
Now I need to control my spending on clothes until I reach goal because I'm not staying in one size long enough anymore! Don't cha luv that?
Congratulations on 120 pounds lost gurl!!!

 I'm a newbee but I already have made so many changes, such as not drinking with my meals, no more soda, no more bingeing, eating breakfast, drinking water, stopped smoking (that was a BIG one)!!  

Leah