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If you are interested in participating in the Lakeland discussion group, I ask you send me a personal e-mail at [email protected] so we can add you to our meeting notifications.   Our next meeting is October 5th at 7:00 pm at the Community Southern Bank on S Florida Avenue.

We are looking to make changes to our group and appreciate feedback from our members.

Due to some unforseen circumstances, neither Ira or I will be available for the meeting on Monday (August 3)...Additionally, we will not have a meeting in September since it will fall on Labor Day.    Our next meeting will be on Monday, October 5th.   We hope to see you then.   Please check back for additional information on the next meeting.

Today I will take control of my life and my food consumption.   My surgery changed my life, forever.  But it did not cure it all.   As I get farther out from my surgery, I am seeing that I have to take it moment by moment.

I once heard a good friend say that he lived life so he did not have to make the same choice day after day.   He would make a choice not to eat a certain food or not to do something detimental to his health and the decision was made, he stood by it and never had to make that choice again.

With weight loss surgery there are some people who will do that same thing.   Make that choice to only eat the food that will help in their weight loss and it is done, the follow the plan as they were instructed by their doctor.   Unfortunately, I believe most of us are not like that.   I did so in the beginning but slowly made choices that did not fall into the right category.

As I still learn about using my tool more than a year out, I know that I am a food addict...call it carb addict if you like but I know that I have an unhealthly relationship with most foods.   There are few things that I am doing to deal with this. 

* I have to control what comes into the house, if it is not something I should eat, it needs to be out of my line of  sight.  

* I have to take this moment by moment, paying attention to the choices I make.   Is this what I should be doing, should I be eating this?  I know that I may not always make the right choice and I will allow myself that on occassion but those occassions will be fewer.

*I am establishing a 2 bite rule, it there is something that I want, I can have two bites then it goes in the garbage,   Don't konw about you but I hate to waste money so I will think twice before I buy it in the first place.

* I am walking every day.   For now it is not miles but it is what I can do. I know excersize alone will not make a huge difference.  If I go a hundred steps more today than I did a week ago, I have made a difference for me.  

What decisions are you going to make for your self today to help you become more successful in your journey?

Wishing you success in all you do today,

Melissa

Our meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm at the Community Southern Bank on  S Florida Ave, Lakeland.

We have hit the one year anniversary of this group although we did not start our meetings until May.   During this time we have tried some different things but we are finding that we are not meeting the needs of our members at the meetings.   Why do we say this?   While our on-line group is growing, the actual meetings have dropped to three members.

Our goal is to provide what our members need, but what we need is to know how we can serve you better.  What would bring you to a first meeting or bring you back?  Do you want educational meetings, discussion group meetings, guest speakers?  

We know at times life interferes with our schedules but how can we create a program that works for you?  Feel free to provide feedback here or through a personal e-mail.  

It has been forever since I really blogged so I thought I had better get my rear in gear for the new year!   I hope everyone had a nice holiday season.   As we anounced before, we have moved our meetings to the First Monday of the month in hopes that the bank can accommodate us and we can accommodate others who have not been able to attend.    If you are a member of our on-line group but do not receive the e-mail updates but would like to, please send me a private message with your e-mail address.

We had a great meeting to start of the year.  Beverly brought her grandson and walked in on her own!!!  WooHoo!   Chris was wearing her new and improved smaller jeans!   Selma brought two guests with her.   We talked about why we come to the meetings, why did we had the surgery and what our commitment was when we had the surgery, how do we reconnect with that commitment to get us back on track.   Sometimes just reconnecting to that commitment can be a big push to continue the effort!

This week I got a big push.   I looked at one of my wedding pictures and busted into tears.   I did not see me in the picture, I saw a very fat woman that I almost did not recognize.  It was like all these years I was ignoring what I was seeing in pictures and in the mirror.   It was like a slap in the face.   That was me...size 32.  I never want to go back there and I am even more motivated to get to my next goal of 10 more pounds to hit 100.   At that point I will be about a size 16/18....WoW!   It reminds me that this journey is about me.   Freeing myself of the chains that held me back...a body too big to do a lot of everyday things, health that was declining rapidly, and just a lower quality of life.   Amazing that we chose to take such a measure but even more amazing is how it works.

So as we start out this new year...recommit....recommit to yourself the changes you are striving for in your life. 

So here is to

Good Health
More Wow moments
Pounds Dripping off
and above all else,..a commitment to yourself to stay focused on your goals!

 

Dec 22, 2008 - 7:00pm WLS Support group monthly meeting @ Community Southern Bank

Today is a very special day.  It marks my one year anniversary of having my WLS.   Looking back on it all, I am very thankful for Dr R and his staff and for everyone in the support group who has helped me through the tough times.

Sometimes I did not always have the fortitude to follow Dr R's advise on diet, but I am very pleased and thankful for the weight that I have lost because I know that I am healthier today than I was one year ago.  I have no regrets. 

I am thankful for Dr C assisting me on my path.  He has been so supportive of our support group efforts.  Through his referrals to our group we are expanding our support of those who choose to go through WSL.

Dr B has also been awesome!  He has helped many in the area also find their way to our group.

My family has been awesome throughout.   My grandmother who was not the most supportive person at the start has even come around.   She compliments me often and has even opened her closet to me.   It feels good to see her so excited when I can fit in her clothes.   She is one of those women who has all sizes of clothes so now I can work my way down.

I am most thankful for my husband.   Without him this would never have happened.   I needed to know there was someone to stand by my side.  He has done it all...not only for me but for many others.   I see the pride in his eyes when he brags about what I have accomplished.  He is truly the love of my life.  So for this Thanksgiving I am very thankful...

And most of all...no optifast this year!

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Thank you for your support.   Hang tight to your program and see that regardless of the speed of your progress...you are better off today than the day you had your surgery,

Our next meeting will be at 7 pm on Tuesday, November 18th at the Community Southern Bank in Lakeland.  Remember, we welcome both pre-op and post-op patients and their support person(s).   Community Southern Bank
3340 S Florida Ave
Lakeland, FL 33803
This week we are going to collect recipes that are high protein, low carb for the holidays.   If you will forward me your recipes early, I will be more than happy to get them printed out to share!   Additionally, we may have a guest from the Lakeland Ledger.   This gentleman is interested in learning more about the long tern experience from surgery.  Look your best, there may be pictures involved if  you are interested.     If you are not able to attend Tuesday night meetings, please note that our December meeting will be on Monday, December 22.   We hope to continue with Monday dates into the new year.   Don't forget to check out our group site www.obesityhelp.com/group/UpToMe/ We are continually updating it with pictures, links, recipes and celebrations!    The site also has a calendar page for upcoming events.   That is where we post our group meetings and any other events that are coming to our area.   Feel free to contact either of us if you have any questions or concerns! 

I apologize for being away from the blog for a while.   Work has been crazy and I have been working to get back on track.   We have some awesome things coming our way!

Ira and I attended a roundtable phone conference and learned a lot about a the VST model.   That stands for Victim, Survivor, Thriver mode.   Great news is we all have made it to the Survivor mode!   Now we need to become Thrivers and stay away from the victim mode.   We will probably go into the details about this at the December Meeting

Awesome news!!!   Someone saw our efforts!   Gary White from The Ledger called today to say that he is very interested in doing a story about our group and talking to individuals about their journey.  He would like to join us for our next meeting.   I am extremely excited about the opportunity, but I want to know what you all think about it!  He would like to do some pictures.   If you do not want to participate in pictures you do not.  But I think this would be a great chance for us to help others!

There is no meeting tonight!   The next meeting will be November 18.