Why is journaling important???

A fellow WLS friend asked me "Why is journaling important?" so I thought I would share my answer with all of my WLS friends!

Journaling for me is accountability along with a reminder of where I have been. It was always ingrained in me “If I bite it, I write it.” I’m a visual person so writing down what I ate helped me stay on track because seeing it in black and white made it feel almost like permanent proof that I could never take back. In my mind if I just said what I ate and how I felt then later I could deny deny deny! This way it actually hurt a bit more when I was admitting in writing what was truly going in my mouth and happening in my environment!

When I journal I actually do it online because it’s easier for me to type while my brain is going 100mph. I write everything from what I ate to how I felt physically/mentally and what was going on in my life. I will write down if it was a good/bad day and detailed events if necessary. It’s been a key part of my journey to show me in black and white what is happening in my environment how I felt about it and finding out if my eating patterns change. It has also been crucial for me as a post op with complications to decipher any patterns of actions/foods/feelings that either were or were not associated with what was going on with me physically.

I like to look back and recall where I have been and be reminded of how far I have come. Those times when I felt like I wasn’t doing well in my journey and the stinking thinking would set in I would go back and read where I had been. We get to a certain point in our journey when we are so focused on what we have not achieved and tend to forget how far we have come. This has always been a great reminder for me and like a mini timeline of my journey!

So my fellow WLS friends what would you write about today??

Eat it Up! - A must have in your post op resources!

I have always viewed the choice to have weight loss surgery as a lifelong life style change. For me this life style change affects us not just physically but also mentally and spiritually. After years of obesity how many times did we attempt diet after diet, have weight loss only to gain more back ? Many of us still have a healthy fear of weight regain in our post op lives. We need resources and professionals that recognize those fears and give us the support we truly deserve.

This book was written by Dr. Connie Stapleton who is one of the most supportive/positive/inspiring professionals I’ve met in our bariatric community.

She has a profound knowledge of the psychological struggles we face and has provided us with additional insight and strategies to overcome our barriers. She recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to mind/body/spirit as a whole.

I highly recommend this book for all post-op patients no matter where you are in your journey.

I am a resource junkie and feel like you can never have enough resources/support in our weight loss journey! By clicking on the link below and scrolling down you will find information on Dr. Stapleton's book. While you are there check out the other additional resources for patients/professionals in the bariatric community.

**Side note this is also a PERFECT gift idea for any weight loss surgery patient**

http://healthyeverydaylp.com/

One of my favorite resources in the bariatric community..

As a weight loss surgery patient I am a fanatic about support and using every resource available to me. One of those resources has always been Obesity Help where I have been a member since 2006. OH gives us a place to go for support on all levels. You can choose to reach out to other WLS friends through the main forum /state forums and even local support groups that have been set up by Obesity Help support group leaders like me.

Another level of support they offer is the OH Magazine which is published 6 times a year and includes a wealth of information. In the magazine you will find personal weight loss journeys from your fellow WLS friends, WOW moments, before & after pictures, articles from professionals who support all of us in the bariatric community, information on bariatric friendly products/fitness/recipes and one of my favorites the OH event information.

Look on the right side of the blog for the offer and discount code for a 1-year subscription.

I encourage all of you no matter where you are in your journey to take a moment and check out this resource which is a wealth of information and support for you.

True Meaning of Stress...

This is something I received from my other mother "Mom H" at the perfect moment. Enjoy!!


The True Meaning of Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... She fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.

20 * It was I, your friend!

*Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!*