wls grad retreat

I am in the planning stage of a wls grad retreat and am curious as to what topics people might like to see addressed.  The retreat will be a one and a half to two day event at a nearby state park.  Participants will have to be at least two years out, and we will limit participation to about a dozen people. 

What issues do you find you would like information and/or support on?

Thanks.

Weight gain after WLS.....

Since my WLS back in 9/04 I have regained approx 20 lbs which I really want to lose desperately.

Are there specific concerns about  1) why you regained or 2) what isn't working now?  A slight regain is statistically likely, so it isn't just you.  Would you want to learn more about increasing motivation? behavioral/thinking changes? food options? etc.

Below are the things I was brainstorming--so please remember they are very rough ideas.  Would something like that be useful to you?   Making meals about more than food (making shared meals a social event even if just with family) [do something with meal prep, ideas for menus (linking menus to themes—movies, music, topics-- or new food items/table settings/conversation builders/etc.] Finding creative outlets to use instead of eating to deal with stress/boredom/emotions [maybe have two or three crafts that they could choose to learn or practice] Accepting disappointments—excess skin, less than perfect body shape, etc. [maybe do something with dressing based on body type] Getting re-motivated [participating in challenges, setting realistic goals, etc.] Create a notebook with take home information, ideas, record pages, sources, etc.

 

When? We'll be in Omaha June 29-30

I am looking at next fall.  I'm thinking about having a day 1/2 retreat at a near by state park where we would rent a place.  I'm limiting it to just 10-12 people, so we can really focus on moving beyond information to some hands on practical knowledge and application.  I want to keep the cost down, so I'm trying to plan far enough ahead that I can get some area "talent" rather than have to pay for external speakers.