PreOps and New PostOps ... (sorry, long)
Hi,
Because of a trend in some posts I've seen lately, I just wanted to put something out here that, on the surface, will seem a no-brainer and automatic thing to do, but ... if you haven't done it here's a reminder:
Find one outfit that you've worn as an SMO ... one that you've either depended on a lot or that you've re-e-e-e-e-e-eally hated how you've looked in ... and keep it.
I know, I know ... so tell us something we didn't already know to do, Myra ... 
Well, here's the reason I said this (actually several reasons):
One: You'll want that to always remind yourself where you've been.
Two (and this is especially for the -6mo postops who feel they're not losing well or fast enough): Put that saved garment on once a month and look (really look) at yourself in the mirror. Because we've all been so SMO, it takes alot of time to not see ourselves as fat,fat,fat(!), no matter what. Because this process evolves over months of time, and we're so involved with following our requirements and getting through each day, memory can tend to play tricks on us ... meaning, as we we lose and move into smaller sizes of clothing, we'll always tend to see FAT underneath, no matter what (especially if we're plagued by hanging skin) ... it's a sort of optical illusion that we're not really losing weight because we're wearing clothes that fit. (I hope that sentence made sense to you all.) We'll just always be prone to seeing a fat image.
The fact that you've REALLY lost the weight will be one of the hardest parts of the WLS process to wrap your mind around ... that you've really LOST WEIGHT. The surest way to make yourself SEE your body's progress, no matter WHAT the SCALE says, is to put on the clothes you used to wear ... at regular intervals. When you see the blouse/jacket/dress that you used to have trouble buttoning/zipping/etc hanging on your body, that's when it all begins to sink in that you ARE NOT as you USED to be, but it will take multiple times for this to really take hold. It's this one thing that has really helped me when I've plateaued or been plagued with thoughts of "I'm not losing enough/fast enough". I can be really actually SEEING myself as I am now, FEELING slimmer, and then hit a snag ... have a bad day food-wise or a lengthy plateau ... and somehow feel all the weight I've lost settle back down on me, even though it's not really there any longer. That's how easily we can become discouraged if we don't prepare ourselves for it and keep SHOWING ourselves, once in a while, that we ARE doing it.
For myself, I saved that d*mned black and orange shirt and black slacks in my preop photo. For one thing, that shirt saw me through some hard times, so I'm rather attached to it, but it's also a sort of talisman now. When I get to goal, I'm laying out that black outfit with new clothes on top and taking a photo ... and I expect that will be when I finally accept that I've really lost weight, and I'm not going to wake up from this dream and still be SMO.
Third reason (and last, I promise): My support group has a Halloween "fashion show" each October. No costumes ... you just have to show up in your "fat" outfit (stuffed to fit), stroll down the aisle in it, and then shed it (you'll have clothes on beneath!!) in front of everyone. Depending on the style of the person doing the "shedding" it can be hilarious but it's also so uplifting to see everyone's progress.
Ok ... I'm done ... sorry long post, but it's from the heart, I promise. 
and 
to all
Myra
Well, here's the reason I said this (actually several reasons):
One: You'll want that to always remind yourself where you've been.
Two (and this is especially for the -6mo postops who feel they're not losing well or fast enough): Put that saved garment on once a month and look (really look) at yourself in the mirror. Because we've all been so SMO, it takes alot of time to not see ourselves as fat,fat,fat(!), no matter what. Because this process evolves over months of time, and we're so involved with following our requirements and getting through each day, memory can tend to play tricks on us ... meaning, as we we lose and move into smaller sizes of clothing, we'll always tend to see FAT underneath, no matter what (especially if we're plagued by hanging skin) ... it's a sort of optical illusion that we're not really losing weight because we're wearing clothes that fit. (I hope that sentence made sense to you all.) We'll just always be prone to seeing a fat image.
The fact that you've REALLY lost the weight will be one of the hardest parts of the WLS process to wrap your mind around ... that you've really LOST WEIGHT. The surest way to make yourself SEE your body's progress, no matter WHAT the SCALE says, is to put on the clothes you used to wear ... at regular intervals. When you see the blouse/jacket/dress that you used to have trouble buttoning/zipping/etc hanging on your body, that's when it all begins to sink in that you ARE NOT as you USED to be, but it will take multiple times for this to really take hold. It's this one thing that has really helped me when I've plateaued or been plagued with thoughts of "I'm not losing enough/fast enough". I can be really actually SEEING myself as I am now, FEELING slimmer, and then hit a snag ... have a bad day food-wise or a lengthy plateau ... and somehow feel all the weight I've lost settle back down on me, even though it's not really there any longer. That's how easily we can become discouraged if we don't prepare ourselves for it and keep SHOWING ourselves, once in a while, that we ARE doing it.
For myself, I saved that d*mned black and orange shirt and black slacks in my preop photo. For one thing, that shirt saw me through some hard times, so I'm rather attached to it, but it's also a sort of talisman now. When I get to goal, I'm laying out that black outfit with new clothes on top and taking a photo ... and I expect that will be when I finally accept that I've really lost weight, and I'm not going to wake up from this dream and still be SMO.
Third reason (and last, I promise): My support group has a Halloween "fashion show" each October. No costumes ... you just have to show up in your "fat" outfit (stuffed to fit), stroll down the aisle in it, and then shed it (you'll have clothes on beneath!!) in front of everyone. Depending on the style of the person doing the "shedding" it can be hilarious but it's also so uplifting to see everyone's progress.
Ok ... I'm done ... sorry long post, but it's from the heart, I promise.
and to all
Myra Most Active
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