Nothing particularly original to add to what others have said, but here's what I do when I need to knuckle down and fly right (that's an old expression my Daddy used to say
):
1. Clean out the kitchen and the house of all the crap you're "sliding" on. That means whatever it means for you and likely includes cookies, crackers, chips, ice cream, any other "snack" food -- you know what your trigger foods are.
2. Fill up the refrigerator with foods that you SHOULD be eating. That means make a grocery list before you go to the store and buy only the things on your list. I find that when I eat nutritious foods (the foods I should be focusing on) my urges to eat the crap foods decline.
3. Drink LOTS of water. Obviously, not with meals, but between meals. Really, hydrating well makes your body feel less "hungry" -- since ghrelin (the hunger hormone we have less of post-op) is also the "thirst hormone."
4. Exercise daily. And I really do mean daily. Schedule it. Do it.
5. (Cough!) Plan your daily meals on My Fitness Pal (or some other online tracker) and track the foods and amounts that you really do eat. This is one of my super powers, and it has made 100+ pounds of difference for me. Not everyone "likes" to track. But I'll say this -- so many people I know who do lose all their excess weight post-op and go on to maintain well after that are trackers like me. Obviously, not everyone -- but so many people are.
6. Weigh every morning. That's been key for me. That way your weight doesn't become "invisible" to you. If you don't know what you weigh, then you'll wake up one morning and be "Shocked! Shocked!" that you've gained 10 - 20 pounds and go "How in the world did that happen?!" Don't close your eyes. Keep them open.
7. Stay connected here. Become more vocal and active here. Ask for help. Support others who are here -- all of us. Find other supportive individuals and groups that meet your needs for accountability. Change your ticker when it goes up, as well as when it goes down.
8. Get back in touch with all the reasons why you knew pre-op you needed to change your life.
9. Finally, take a good hard look at those people you're associating with. Is there something about their behaviors and/or your relationships with them that is distracting you from reaching your goals or even sabotaging you? If so, you have two choices: (a) Put those people on notice that you can't hang with them if they keep acting that way or (b) stop hanging out with them. Peer pressure can have a positive influence on you or a negative influence. Again, don't close your eyes. Keep them open.
Please let us know how you're doing in future. We would like to support you, too.
Bookmarks