Thoughts.com Blogs - March 2008

3/15/08 – GETTING READY FOR THE BAND
I’ve had all my pre-meetings. I met with the nutritionist, I understand the basics, but it will be a learning curve once I am banded. Ann gave me good advice and some food lists. I met with the psychologist – OK, check the box! I met yesterday with Christie, the exercise physiologist. She was the most informative of all. I will set up some one-on-one sessions so she can set me up with a routine after surgery.

I subscribed to WLS magazine and started receiving the online archives. The important thing is that this surgery doesn’t solve everything, there’s still a lot of work to do. I have the ‘golden window’ of 12-18 months where it’s ‘easier’. After that, it’s pretty much up to me to have a plan, make the right lifestyle changes, and stay focused.

Seems that the four key things are:
• Protein
• Water
• Supplements
• Exercise

3/24/08 - FOODFEST
I had a weekend ‘foodfest’. I at Easter candy, which I don’t even care for, a bag of chips, it was just constant eating. It’s almost like I’ve made the decision to have surgery and I’m acting like I have a free pas until then. I’m eating way too much, not even trying to exercise; it’s a mental thing. I have to reign it back in! I should be taking this time to start living more like I will when banded… It’s almost lie I’m saying goodbye to food, which is kind of scary. It’s not until I started exploring WLS that I realize how important food is – it’s part of my every waking moment!

I do notice a pattern – I eat because of STRESS! (Not boredom, depression, happiness, etc. – just stress!) Big bites to fill my mouth, eating until I’m stuffed… Like I’m trying to fill a hole… If I go back to childhood, maybe I figure out the stress trigger. Although, I had a pretty charmed childhood with awesome parents and a wonderful life, so it’s not the upbringing that would have contributed. But, as I gained weight in elementary school after we moved to Jupiter, I got more insecure. Maybe there was some stressor in that move that started things… where’s a psychiatrist’s couch when you need one!?!

The built in behavior modification of tiny bits and small portions will force me to address my stress triggers. Portion size and bite size and meal speed – some of my biggest control problems. But there’s one more, and that is that I binge when I’m alone, not with others, (although even in front of others, I will clean my plate no matter how large the portion). I don’t know what it is about being alone that make me nuts, but I have a real problem that I’m just now starting to really see…

Band or not, I have to learn to deal with stress and with being alone or nothing will change…