I'M ON A QUEST

Hey all. Relapse prevention is fast becoming my obsession of choice these days and I've had a thought about our beloved board of beloved post-ops. How 'bout we pull together a TOP 100 list of strategies and/or tricks we ea*****orporate daily into our lives to ensure we maintain our weight loss, overall health and ultimate longevity. Are you game? You can contribute 1 tip or 100, whatever suits you but the goal is for us to come up with a comprehensive list of TO-DOS that will help to keep us all in check, day in and day out. I volunteer to compile the final list for sharing with our board when it's all said and done -- but the goal is to come up with the TOP 100 tips for successful relapse prevention. Okay, here goes (and in random order as they come to mind) -- I'll go first! 1. Stand Tall! It will remind you of how little space you now require in our world. 2. Make the Rules of the Pouch part of your daily living, like flossing or shampooing your hair. The Rules are mandatory for successful maintenance. 3. Drink at least 64 ounces of water daily. 4. Exercise 30-40 minutes a day, five days a week. 5. Start your day with a quiet moment of thanks for all the blessings in your life, and name them. 6. Live truthfully. 7. Embrace change, it is the only constant in life. 8. Laugh hard and often. 9. Eat your protein first and make sure you are ingesting at least 60 grams per day. 10. Get reacquainted with an old friend or make a new one. YOUR TURN! Reenie

Great idea, Reenie. I started a list on my profile, but never updated it. 1. Throw it away. If that bag of Doritos snuck into your cart at the store and you broke into it at home, enjoy what you ate, don't beat yourself up and throw the rest away. Dump the contents into the trash can and dump something nasty on top. It's not wasting food. I feel worse when I eat something I shouldn't than when I throw it away. I have to get out of my Depression Era thinking. I was born in 1960 for Pete's sake. 2. Enough of the all or nothing thinking. Just because I ate a handful of Cheetos, the day is not shot. There's no reason to wait until tomorrow to get back on track. I can get back on track this very minute. I bet I gained at least a 100 pounds over my lifetime from my all or nothing thinking. Well, I've blown today so I'll start again tomorrow. I'd then procede to eat enough to feed a third world nation for the rest of the day. 3. Be a better parent to myself. I wouldn't let my kid eat all that crap, stay up late, run with scissors. Why do I let myself? I've spoiled myself rotten for the last 30 years and it's time for my inner parent to kick in. 4. It is what it is. This has become my mantra. When I start to dwell on my saggy belly, wrinkly thighs and boobs that have gone South, I remind myself that it is what it is and don't make excuses for it. I plan to change these things, but I don't dwell on them, don't beat myself up for them and don't even feel bad about them. Hugs, Connie

1. Hang with people who build me up rather than tearing me down. 2. Encourage others, whether it is healthy lifestyle, or other needs. 3. Remember that the cup is half full. Joy

1. Find something you like to do that is not food related...be it a hobby or something...and put your heart into it. 2. Tape your "before" picture to the corner of your full length mirror. Then look at yourself. Look how far you've come and what you're NOT going back to!

1) Put up or give away the clothes that become too big for you. 2) Keep Smiling 3) Keep snapping those photos. Who is that person in the photo? Is it really me? 4) Enjoy the moments when someone does not recognize you that you have not seen for a while. 5) Remember we are all different, we did not gain our weight the same way and we will not loose it all the same way either. Some loose faster than others. Some had a higher/lower amount to begin with than you.