Saving my Life ..

This is something I posted on Facebook in my weight loss support group for the hospital that I had surgery at:

Last night I went bowling and had a great time with an old friend. Sitting there at the table in between frames waiting for my turn I'm surrounded by horrible bad food. They had gotten a big plate of french fries with sour cream and chicken tenders fried in grease, hamburgers, beer, etc. I drank a cup of coffee and ate nothing. I had a greek yogurt when I got home.

Looking around me at all the food that I used to devour and love, I had some mixed emotions. Part of the time the huge plate of french fries were even sitting directly in front of me as if it were mine when it got pushed around the table. I stared down at it briefly and then looked away. I at first thought, "Wow .. that is inconsiderate of them to be eating this crap in front of me." But then I said to myself, "Nah, I can't expect others to change because of what I decided for myself."

Then I looked around and noticed that all of the overweight / unhealthy looking people were eating this junk. Her son reminds me a little bit of me when I was a kid. Overweight and shoving those hot steaming chicken tenders in his mouth before they could even cool off nearly burning his mouth chewing with his mouth open to let some of the heat escape. I thanked God that he showed me a new life and a new meaning of food. I was no longer the little boy shoving it in as fast as I could.

I asked my daughter, "Jess, do hey have anything up there that I can eat?" She replied, "I don't think so Dad."

It's no wonder so much of America is obese. I know its a bowling alley .. but really? The only things they offer to eat is fried greasy crap. It's hard NOT to be obese in today's America. Today my friend posted on Facebook that her kid wanted Gino's for Sunday lunch so burger and fries it is! I wish my mom would have taught me better and I wouldn't have had to get 85% of my stomach cut out. He wouldn't be getting Gino's burgers and fries if his parents were not taking him there to get it. I'm guilty of doing it too for many years. I'm just thankful that I'm more aware now of it.

Now looking at my friends around me eating artery clogging french fried greasy carbs of fat and calories, I look on them in pity .. not in envy as it used to be.

Thanks St. Agnes team for saving my life :)

Congratulations!  In a sense, you're "waking up" to the real world, and starting to see food in a different light, for what it really is.  Not just food, but it's role in our society and what is made available for us to eat.

I wish there was a 'like' button. Very well stated!  

I agree with the need for a "like" button!!!

Great post Kev........

I truly looked at this like a life or death situation...... I felt life..... literally slipping through my fingers..... I really felt I couldn't hang on any longer..... so I played my last card.... or get dead.....

frisco

Kevin, thanks for your beautiful post.  Congratulations also on your success based on hard work and solid thinking.

Yes, we live in a world (or at least a country) full of a minefield of bad food choices.  Having made this decision for surgery, we then have to choose between carrying on the good work our surgeons did by caring for ourselves properly or else sabotaging the recovery that we seek.

Really messes with your head thinking about before... now... How did this happen?

Sometimes when I'm in those situations I get irritable and grouchy. Sometimes I say; "There but for the grace of God, go I."

I really connected to what you said about looking at the food and then looking at the people eating it.  I did that the other day.  I was really wishing I could go out to eat like old times, but I had a moment of clarity where I stopped to look at the people eating in the restaurant.  It is hard NOT to be obese!

You're saving your own life too! Great post! 

I'm scared for these kids. Some don't even know what real food is. It's terrible. I am just happy to know I'm going to do my best to make sure that my son isn't one of them. This surgery was for me and for him. I never want him to grow up eating the way have for the last 30 years.  

This is a post where I am wishing for a "like" button. There are so many places where they only serve garbage food, but you are not allowed to bring your own. It makes it hard for those who want to, or have to make good choices. Bowling allies, ballparks, concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, and amusement parks all fall into this category. It doesn't help that our culture just eats this stuff without question. I am glad you were able to resist, I know it is hard when this junk is everywhere.