My progress (GOAL!) and a question for all of you!

Hey Everyone!  I had weight loss surgery a year ago, reached my goal and have gone even further beyond anything I could have dreamed of.  I am currently studying to be a Certified Wellness Coach with a focus on helping those who are considering or have had weight loss surgery.  I personally believe that the difference between success and failure after the procedure is more related to our mental health more than what is on the end of the fork.   Our surgeons can give us a list of what to eat, but until we deal with our internal struggles, we can easily fall back into old habits.  

My question for all of you who have had the surgery (or even the ones who haven't) what do you believe is the biggest mental hurdle you've come across in you're journey?  What you you think you needed to change in your life aside from physically and nutritionally that would have aided you in your journey?    Thanks every for your input!

Lauren http://www.thehappiestwomanalive.com

First.. just let me say WOW!!  You look fantastic!!!!

OK.. for me.. my personal biggest mental hurdle as been dealing with the death of my son at 18 mths post-op.  Just when I should have been focusing on myself, diet, exercise and keeping the weight off... tragedy struck and ... I lost focus.  I basically no longer cared about myself.. just spent years worrying about my other family members, helping them, trying to come to terms with our loss.. and putting everyone else first!.. I fell back into old habits very easily.. at a time when my body started tolerating more foods, sugar, etc.  The worst possible timing surgery wise.  UGH.. 

Since then (over 6 years now) I have been back in the yo-yo stage, .. and just recently decided that "Back to Bariatric Basics" was the only way I was going to be able to get control of my life once again.  I am trying.. finding it much harder than I had hoped for, but still determined!!!

You look fantastic. You are obviously a success story

I have recently started Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I am an emotional eater and found I still had not dealt with my issues. I am at goal weight and maintaining but I know for long term success I will need to deal with the mental issues. I think it is important to encourage people to work on their emotional issues before and after surgery. Head hunger can lead to weight gain.

Good luck with your goal , I think you would be great knowing the issues from both sides

I agree completely.  This is why I am becoming a wellness coach.  We need to focus on our emotional health as much as if not more so than the weight loss for long term success.

You look fantastic!!!  

How tall are you?  Just curious.  Our stats are close:)

One of the biggest mental challenges for me is still wanting to eat big portions.  It's just one of those things that usually happens when at a social gathering or eating something really tasty.  It passes when I think about my size 8 pants...lol

I am 5'8" and currently 144 pounds.

I've come across the same issues during my progress, with portion control.  Now I eat slower so I don't feel like I get less than everyone else.  The faster I eat the more I want to continue to enjoy it, and end up over eating, which we all know is the most uncomfortable feeling ever (aside from dumping syndrome).

You look absolutely fabulous and I love the ink!  :)

Congrats. I think so many of us expect to "save the world" and want to work in the bariatric community post-op, but very few are actually successful in doing so. It is a very political arena and there is so much more to it than just being successful in losing weight.

Good luck.

I am a life coach, and getting certified in "wellness" which  includes nutrition and exercise, but mostly on emotional well being.  I am not interested in the politics of surgery, but the emotional healing we need to do.  The diet and such is between you and your doctors.

You look amazing. 

The biggest challege  I had was 10 months of complications.  spent 6 months in hospital and then transferred to a nursing home for 4 months.  I was bedridden and on oxygen 24/7. Being transferred to the nursing home,  the medical staff (doctors & nurses) told me that I would need long term nursing care.  I walked out of the home 4 months later, breathing and walking on my home.

It made me more determined to do the right thing to keep my health in check.