Another Tinman repost from my collection

[Lee6Lee]

(Had to share)


"I've been reading this site all day and I am seeing the same things over and over. Folks are stalling, folks are doubting the procedure, folks are looking for someone to tell them that it's ok to be bad...etc, etc, etc......

Look, for those who are recently sleeved, please don't take offense to what I am about to say. You need to keep your advice about diet, exercise, and post op recriminations to your self. You are killing the folks in the same boat as you and you are absolutely scaring the Bejeezus out of newbies and pre op sleevers. You haven't been doing this long enough to give advice. Nothing wrong with piping in with an opinion, but don't make it sound like you are some kind of guru. Here's an example. Mrs. Sleevenheimer posts that she is so sad that she had four crackers with cheese whiz and then had two oreos. The one and two month veterans chime in with the tried and true..."There there sweetie...you made a mistake. You fell off of the wagon. Get back up on that horse and keep on dieting and failing. Because after all, it worked so well for you in the past, why change now?".

Get it?

Now, someone who is 1 year post op is going to say, "There there sweetie.....big effing deal. You ate an oreo? Did you keel over and pass out? No? Well what do you know. Look, you have to live with this sleeve for the rest of your life. You might as well wrap your brain around the fact that unless you overeat, you won't eat enough "bad" foods to keep from losing weight or gain it back once you've lost."

It is impossible.

So, which advice is better. The advice that makes you feel like crap, or the advice that tells it like it is? I don't know about you, but I like the advice that advocates getting on with your life, leave behind the failures that diets and regimens made us all endure, and get on with the business of living.

Now...Mr. Sleevesteen posts..."WTF? I've been on a stall for two weeks and haven't lost a pound. However, I've lost 70 pounds in 60 days, but now I'm stopping and I have failed." Of course...the one and two monthers say...."Dude....cut back on carbs. Cut back on Calories. Cut back on food. Cut back on Air. Cut back on sex with your wife. Cut back on wearing pants. Cut your hair. Cut back on work. Cut back on living." I mean, the fact that cutting back on the things that we love worked so well in the past, why wouldn't it work well right now...right?

In comes the 18 month sleever and says, "Dude...get a life. You've lost 70 lbs in 60 days. That's epic. As for your stall....quit worrying about it. I mean, you've lost 70 lbs in 60 days. Cry me a river. If you want to bust the stall...do something different. If you are exercising..stop. If you are eating 900 calories a day...stop counting calories and eat what ever the hell you want. If you are counting carbs...shame on you....errrr......eat a freaking cookie or fried pie. In other words, quit being a baby and get on with the bidness of living. You have to live with the sleeve for the rest of your life...get on with it and quit killing yourself. You are already skinnier than you have been for most of your life. Can't you be happy with that?"

"If not, then get a check up from the neck up."

People, I have been there and done that. I have sat in a dark room and cried a river about how I wasn't losing fast enough and about how I made a huge mistake. Once I came to grips with the fact that I, all by myself, am in control of my future, that's when the trip became an amusement park ride. While this board is absolutely the best place for good sound advice, it's also the worst place for absolutely asinine advice. This post is included. Understand that you need to jump in with both feet, find your place in the new sleeve world and get on with it. You cannot mess this up if you don't over eat. It's just plain old impossible.

So, as with all things causing you a problem...look to yourself for the answer first. If you have a problem in your life, and I'm not talking food or sleeve related, most times, you are the cause of your own problem. We as adults instinctively know this, but we are not the best at realizing it. The sleeve is no different. The sleeve will work if you don't over eat and it will fail if over eat. Very simple.

So, look to yourself if you are stalling. Look to make changes. Look to shake it up. But please, for the love of all that is good and simple and pure, quit denying yourself the simple pleasures of life. Quit beating yourself up. You are not a bad person. You are just human. You've made a bold move to better you life so enjoy the fruits of your labor.

For those that don't know....here's my mantra.

You are not on a diet.

Since you are not on a diet, you cannot be failing at a diet.

Carbs are your friend.

Eat as much protein as your little peanut sleeve will hold. Protein is the key.

Drink no less than 64 oz. of WATER a day. Hydration is just as important as protein.

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever overeat.

And if you need to take a swing at me...please do it privately....lol.

[JanPit]

Like, like, like!!!!! I have lost 83 lbs in 6 months and I have eaten ice cream, nilla wafers, even a piece of cake. I don't eat this every day nor do I eat a lot of anything. But I am living with the sleeve. I am still losing, and enjoying life much more than ever before. Because of my sleeve, and the choices I make, I am in control. Following the basic rules makes all of the above possible. Boy oh boy, did I enjoy buying clothes in size 10 instead of size 22 today!! And my knees didn't hurt walking around the mall. This is the good stuff.

[stargazerlily]

Thank you for your post!!!! It is a great reminder to all of us. You are a great inspiration to us all!!!!

[thenewmetoday]

Wonderful, thank you.

[Nancy23]

I love this! Thanks for sharing.

[crcindy]

Thanks for sharing- great wisdom

[Crybaby]

when I first started reading your post, I thought "What an ass!" LOL but as I read more, you are totally right. I have not been sleeved yet, but I absolutely loved your advice. I get it, and you are awesome for sharing

[Jeannie D]

I loved this the first time you wrote.. Love reading it again. You are spot on.

[beachgirl22851]

Great post and a great reminder!

[Lee6Lee]

....for the new people

[Love4mykids]

....for the new people

omg thank you, i was beginning to worry i had made the wrong decision, i mean its good to know some things but theres also a lot of negativity and unnecessary posts and its nice to hear things straight up from someone , i will be looking for more of your support, praying my sleeve will go A OK !! God bless

[Love4mykids]

as u can see 4 years and im finally getting the courage to do this, so yea need all the encouragement and positivity i can get

[sas5814]

Love4mykids...I screwed around for 10 years before I pulled the trigger. Got fatter, got sicker... always had a reason. I'm not ready to divorce food...how will I socialize because its all around food and drink...it's too expensive... blah blah blah.
I am a couple of months out, 55 pounds lighter, no diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea. I just had a long wonderful weekend with my kids and my grand kids. All are amazed at my transformation and my energy and I sat and ate small portions and visited all through the weekend. My only regret is I wasted 10 years being hesitant... go for it.

[Lee6Lee]

omg thank you, i was beginning to worry i had made the wrong decision, i mean its good to know some things but theres also a lot of negativity and unnecessary posts and its nice to hear things straight up from someone , i will be looking for more of your support, praying my sleeve will go A OK !! God bless

You should be made aware that I didn't write these words. I don't have that kind of talent. If you have sleeve questions or concerns, contact Tinman (the original poster), Ann2 or other person you admire for words of eloquent wisdom such as these.