9 Years Post Op Plus One Day.

 

I waited for my friendly reminder email from OH - it came!  Today, at 2am.  

Via - MM.net

 

April 5th, 2013 marks nine years since I had roux en y gastric bypass surgeryat Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.  I made it another year.  I am alive.  I  made it past your cash bets.   I am approximately five pounds above my very lowest post op weight, which I saw one year post op before I got pregnant and right before I bounced up to 175 lbs.  I will say this, my lower weight looks different the second time around.  That first low-weight crash post surgery looks like death-warmed over.  I look healthier now, and I think it's honestly because I eat food now and haven't had a massive weight loss like in 2004.  
    People have asked me "What are you doing differently now?"  

• Food journaling and keeping myself aware of the calories I take in.  I don't journal everyday, but I DO journal.
• I stopped using soy milk, and swapped to unsweetened almond milk in my coffee and for whatever other "milk" uses I have.  I don't use dairy milk at all.
• I quit my Starbucks habit pretty much altogether.  I get an iced coffee or cappuccino if someone else takes ME out for coffee, but it's rare, and definitely less than once a week.  Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, once a week.
• No crackers.  If I must, one serving, with protein.
• No potato chips, etc.  
• No candy, only super dark 70%+ chocolate if I must have something.  One serving.
• No protein bars, except to review them, unless I am REPLACING A MEAL with one.
• No protein shakes, except to review them, unless I am REPLACING A MEAL with one.
• This isn't "new" - but zero alcohol in my house.  It's just a rule.  If it's not here, I can't have it.  It's just the rule.
• If there's one thing I have learned this year - it's that I can't graze without noting.  I can't just nibble all day long and expect that I won't see gains, because I do.  I gain very fast on relatively low calories.

I have also learned that giving up things I can't control - stressors - outside influences - people, even - helps.  I started losing the weight as soon as I made this connection.

Look at my weight loss timeline.  Look at the dates.

 Now look at my regain photos from the last year - same timing.

 Seems easy enough, right?  

 

Let. it. go.

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.”  ― C. JoyBell C.

People CAN be TOXIC to your HEALTH.   Let. them. go.

(*Not the ones in this photo.  LOL.  But, I am also 25 lbs lighter SINCE these photos and the timeline.  It's a visual.)

Here's to YEAR ten.  It's a big one.  *foreshadowing....*

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Posted at 04:02 PM in Adversity, BBGC, Blogging, Blogs, Body Image, Food and Drink, Motivation, Move my ass!,Superficial., Support Groups, Surgical Weight Loss Methods., Verbal diarrhea., WLS Success Stories., WLS Support | Permalink | Comments (3)

Just Wow! I always love reading your articles....Congrat's on the 9!

I'm getting close to my one year.....I think I'm going to adopt your rules....been really trying to work on the letting it go part....seems like when I get past one worry or issue another major one crops up.....has much as it didn't seem like the easy part as I was going through it....after the first 6 months...that's when the real work begins (atleast for me) learning to deal with the emotional and learning how to live everyday when the hunger returns. 

Thanks for all that you do!! You inspire me and keep us informed!!

Sherry

Giving up control/letting go of worry.  Please tell me how to work on that.  Those emotions are so imbedded in me, I have no idea where to start.  Thank you.

What has worked for me is learning to meditate. Don't say you can't do it --- you did this!

Angie in Missouri

Wonderful to read.  You are an amazing inspiration.  Thanks for all the tips.  We all need to remember them.

Way to go Beth!

Thank you!

Congrats Beth!!! Letting go has taken time and I'm still a work-in-progress but I 100% agree with you. Dropping the toxic people in my life has improved my life tenfold.

There are still stressors (work, kids) so that's the part I work on now. Onward and upward!

What an inspiration! You look fabulous! Sounds like you are keeping yourself accountable and that's why you've been able to maintain. I think I will have to do the same in order to maintain. Great job!

Congrats on year #9! (My 9 year is in three weeks and I am so excited.)

This journey is so full of ups and downs, and I'm always very grateful for your honest and insightful posts. Best wishes for the future MM!