What's the difference between being successful and not?
By successful, I am sticking to a broad defination. But my defination would be getting to a goal weight that you are content with, and maintaining long term.
So I guess it can be seperated into two seperate forms of "success."
Success with losing the weight, and success with keeping it off.
So from those that have succeeded or not, (and I feel that only you can define for yourself if you did or not), why or why not did you?
Just curious, as I am in the losing process still and I have doubts and fears all the time.
Steph
So I guess it can be seperated into two seperate forms of "success."
Success with losing the weight, and success with keeping it off.
So from those that have succeeded or not, (and I feel that only you can define for yourself if you did or not), why or why not did you?
Just curious, as I am in the losing process still and I have doubts and fears all the time.
Steph
I "succeeded" on both counts... by setting a REALISTIC goal weight and by committing to changing how I view and use food. I no longer use food for comfort (but, yes, I have slipped up a couple of times when I have been under great stress) and I think about whether something I am about to eat is GOOD for my body. That doesn't mean that I don't eat anything that is less than healthy, though (because I believe that my new relationship with food has to include enjoying it)... it means that "moderation" has to be the rule. I don't have any foods that are "forbidden", but I eat 6M&Ms instead of the whole pack, choose to eat VERY few fried foods and eat them very RARELY, and I only eat cookies when I am at my mom's (or I bring home just a couple).
I don't exercise much, partly because of bad knees and partly because I still hate exercise (I have never felt those "endorphins" that people claim exist, LOL, even was I was exercising like crazy for a brief period of time), so I know that I have to limit my food intake to compensate for that.
Lora
I don't exercise much, partly because of bad knees and partly because I still hate exercise (I have never felt those "endorphins" that people claim exist, LOL, even was I was exercising like crazy for a brief period of time), so I know that I have to limit my food intake to compensate for that.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I am over 2 years out and have successfully lost 103 lbs. and maintained my loss.
The approach I take is a bit different. I use a mindset that I call "decide ONCE."
I have decided ONCE that I avoid refined sugar and carbs.
I have decided ONCE that I will exercise as close to daily as I can.
I have decided ONCE that I will attend support group regularly.
And mostly, that deciding once has worked. I have modeled my eating behavior on that of a very succesful support leader that I met early in my process. I heard her say that she didn't eat sugar, and I wondered, "Could I ever say that?" Well, the answer is YES. And while it's not for everyone, it has worked for me to keep pandora's box closed. Given the choice, I'd rather have a bit of a baked sweet potato than sweets.
The other concept that I have learned and "hung my hat on" is the idea of "SUCCESSING." Success is a process. We do it every day - when we drink enough water, take our vitamins, eat protein, exercise, etc. I literally do not say or think, "I am a WLS success." But each day, I know I am "successing"!
Finally, two variables that my surgeon shares with her patients are attendance at support groups and exercise. There is never a support meeting where I don't learn, especially from those a bit further out than me. (And I have to drive 90 minutes to get there.) I've come to love my gym time, whether I do yoga, swim, water aerobics, zumba, or whatever strikes my mood for the day. After a certain point, we do absorb calories and the exercise really helps me keep my metabolism in shape.
The approach I take is a bit different. I use a mindset that I call "decide ONCE."
I have decided ONCE that I avoid refined sugar and carbs.
I have decided ONCE that I will exercise as close to daily as I can.
I have decided ONCE that I will attend support group regularly.
And mostly, that deciding once has worked. I have modeled my eating behavior on that of a very succesful support leader that I met early in my process. I heard her say that she didn't eat sugar, and I wondered, "Could I ever say that?" Well, the answer is YES. And while it's not for everyone, it has worked for me to keep pandora's box closed. Given the choice, I'd rather have a bit of a baked sweet potato than sweets.
The other concept that I have learned and "hung my hat on" is the idea of "SUCCESSING." Success is a process. We do it every day - when we drink enough water, take our vitamins, eat protein, exercise, etc. I literally do not say or think, "I am a WLS success." But each day, I know I am "successing"!
Finally, two variables that my surgeon shares with her patients are attendance at support groups and exercise. There is never a support meeting where I don't learn, especially from those a bit further out than me. (And I have to drive 90 minutes to get there.) I've come to love my gym time, whether I do yoga, swim, water aerobics, zumba, or whatever strikes my mood for the day. After a certain point, we do absorb calories and the exercise really helps me keep my metabolism in shape.
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