Four Year Surgiversary.....

Today I am celebrating my 4 year surgiversary of my RNY Gastric Bypass! Looking back into my pre-op life I remember reading stories about what people were doing after weight loss surgery and imagining how my post op life would look.  I could not wait to start shedding my excess weight because it would solve so many of my issues.  Life would be good and Handful Harry would never show his ugly face again. I was morbidly obese/miserable and was convinced that the grass was greener on the other side because society told me I was outside of the norm.  It was my impression that being “normal” was the gold standard of happiness. 

I always knew that surgery was not the easy way out and that making a lifelong lifestyle change would be hard.  After all of my research, chatting in the forums and attending support group for 2-years I truly felt educated and prepared for life after surgery. 

I’ve come to realize that no matter how much I researched, investigated, talked to patients etc. nothing can fully prepare you for what happens mentally, physically and spiritually until you have gone through the process. 

This journey has introduced me to an amazing community of bariatric professionals and fellow patients who have given me a world of support.   I’ve learned that this is a very individual journey and part of my journey is discovering what works for me.

Things that ring true for me:

·         Handful Harry still shows his ugly head and I deal with him minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day

·         Size/Shape/Weight does not define who I am

·         My journey is personal,  I have to own it and do what works for me

·         I’m human, I make mistakes and I’m not perfect

·         Every day I have the opportunity to make healthy choices

I’m truly grateful for those of you who have touched my life and shared this journey with me.  If it wasn’t for you I would be the person I am today!  MUAH…  (((HUG)))

Moments that take our breath away...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,

but by the moments that take our breath away!

That is probably one of my most favorite quotes...

Those who have followed my blog for a while know that my WLS journey has been eventful and challenging at times.  I've been asked more than once why I chose to have bariatric surgery and if I regretted my decision because of my complications/obstacles. 

We all have different reasons why we chose this path and like many things in life, for me it's the little things! Football season recently started again for the elementary kids so the past two weeks have included practice two days a week and Saturday game times.   

Saturday I was reminded again what this journey has allowed me to do..

Having the ability to carry shoulder pads and a helmet, water cooler, chairs and walking up and down the field without stopping every few feet. There was no stopping every few feet to catch my breath, no racing heart, no sweat pouring down my forehead or the thought that if I took one more step I would collapse!

Sharing the energy with him before each game, seeing the elation on his face after each tackle and being there when he looks for me cheering him on in the crowd....

These are some of my most precious breath taking moments... 

Family Eating Habits - How do we change them?

I recently wrote an article in the summer 2011 Your Weight Matters magazine for the OAC. We all struggle with poor eating habits at some point and this is about trying  different approaches.  Enjoy!

In today’s fast paced world, many of us consume food in a very different manner and time frame due to time constraints brought on by our professional/personal commitments. Families are busy with different social functions, school/church events, sports, appointments and the list continues to grow. The convenience of food is continually growing and can be found on any street corner at a fast food chain or your local convenient store.

Then there are the times our minds tell us we don’t have enough time to prepare a healthy well-balanced meal. We say things like, “I don’t have time to cook,” and “Eating healthy is too expensive and healthy food doesn’t taste as good.” All of these factors can lead to poor family eating habits. What about those meals you prepare and believe you are making a healthy choice? How do you identify if your family’s eating habits are poor?

Fun Ideas on How to Change Your Family’s Poor Eating Habits

IDEA #1: Tell your family you want to do an experiment for a week about the family’s eating habits and you need their assistance. Be creative and give each family member a fun pad of paper or create something simple on your computer to print off along with their favorite color pen. Come up with a prize to work toward at the end of the experiment, such as a sleepover with friends and movie night, new CD/DVD, day at the pool with friends, or a canoe/camping trip.

Start by asking them to write down what they think about the family’s overall eating habits. Do they think the family has good or bad habits, and why? Ask each family member to write down their meals and snacks throughout the next week, the environment while eating (in the car, in front of the TV, standing at the counter, cleaning my plate because mom told me to) and what they do after each meal or snack (took a nap, walked the dog, played basketball, etc.).

At the end of the week, everyone will pass their entries to another family member for review. The goal is to highlight any repeated poor eating habits within the week. Here are some red flags to look for:

• Eating a limited variety of foods
  
• Indulging in too many foods like soft drinks, doughnuts, chips, candy or ice cream
  
• Not including all food groups such as vegetables
  
• Skipping breakfast

Ask everyone to give feedback on any items they highlighted and why they identified those as poor habits, then what a healthier choice would be.

IDEA #2: As a family, make a list of healthy meal/snack choices and post the list in a visible space for everyone to see. Then, make a list of all the recognized poor eating habits and ideas on how to change those to healthy eating habits. Decide together which family members deserve recognition and earn prizes on things such as:

• Identifying the poorest eating habits
  
• Providing healthier choices
  
• Creative ways to change those habits

At the end of the week, ask each family member the same question you did before the experiment started. Do they think the family has good or bad habits, and why? Then compare both answers.

Create a plan of action on how to replace the poor eating habits and what other changes will help promote healthy eating habits.

Make this a fun project by including all family members and assigning tasks they enjoy. For example, purchase a bright colored poster board/trifold science board and create a title that fits your family. Make it visual by cutting out pictures of healthy foods, asking someone to be creative and decorate the board, create a healthy food list, list new habits to promote change and keep it visible in the kitchen as a reminder for the family.

Sample Changes to Help You Get Started

Here is a list to help get you started on some changes to promote healthy eating habits:

1. Keep only healthy food options in your home. Have a family participation session to “purge the pantry” and remove all items not on your healthy list.
   
2. Pick a specific time frame each night and agree to designate this as “family dinner time” with no interruptions.
   
3. Make it a habit to sit together at a kitchen or patio table to encourage the importance of doing this together as a family.
   
4. Slow down – it takes our minds 20 minutes to catch up with our stomachs. Practice putting your fork down between bites to force yourself to eat at a more leisurely pace. Engage in conversation as another way to slow your pace of eating.
   
5. Stop eating when you feel full. The “clean your plate” mentality will lead to extra unnecessary calories in your body.

Ask each person to pick a day of the week and create a healthy meal plan and then help by preparing the meal. Make it fun by adding a theme, (Mexican, American, Italian, etc.) researching the Internet for healthy recipes or a specific color and use paper/plastic (cups, utensils, plates, napkins) to set the table.

Be creative, have fun and step out of your comfort zone while tasting new healthy food items. By encouraging your family to stay involved and repeating these behaviors, their healthy eating will become a daily habit!

Fighting for the education and treatment of obesity.. Who are they????

Have you ever wondered who or what are the names of the organizations out there fighting for the treatment of obesity and how do we find out more information? 

These are some of the most amazing groups of

passionate people fighting for the cause...and for YOU!!

Take a moment to read the latest....

The Obesity Care Continuum (OCC) CONTINUES Discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Expanding Treatment Options for patients with Obesity

Washington, DC – On Monday, July 18, 2011, the Obesity Care Continuum (OCC), represented by The Obesity Society (TOS), the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) again met with the FDA to discuss expanding treatment options for patients with serious medical obesity.

                “We are very pleased that the FDA has taken the time to meet with the OCC to allow us to further elaborate on the need to help those struggling with significant health problems due to their obesity,” said Joe Nadglowski, Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) President and CEO.

                FDA Participants in Monday’s meeting included Janet Woodcock, M.D., Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and other senior CDER officials and representatives from the Endocronologic and Metabolic Drug Division.  OCC and the FDA discussed numerous topics including improving the benefit risk ratio of obesity drugs by limiting the medications to those with serious obesity health related issues and ensuring that individuals who receive such medications do so as part of a comprehensive obesity management program.  In addition, TOS presented a list of 40 obesity experts as potential Advisory Committee Members.

“The tenor of the meeting was positive with the FDA expressing an understanding of the profound impact obesity has on patient health and the significant benefit derived from a modest 5-10% weight loss.  Furthermore, we are encouraged by the FDA’s commitment to continue working with obesity experts in finding safe solutions,” said Dr. Caroline Apovian, The Obesity Society.

The OCC is grateful that the FDA continues to dialogue with the obesity community to help ensure that the more than 90 million Americans affected by obesity have treatment options. Such options have the potential to prevent numerous obesity related deaths, lower cost of the chronic diseases associated with obesity and improve the lives of many Americans.

About the Obesity Care Continuum (OCC)

All of our organizations work together representing patients, registered dietitians, scientists, clinicians, and surgeons to elevate the recognition of both the prevention and treatment of obesity. 

About the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)

The OAC is a nonprofit, national charity dedicated to helping those affected by obesity. The OAC was formed to bring together individuals struggling with weight issues and provide educational resources and advocacy tools.  Visit OAC at obesityaction.org. 

About The Obesity Society (TOS)

The Obesity Society is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. Since 1982, The Obesity Society has been committed to encouraging research on the causes and treatment of obesity, and to keeping the medical community and public informed of new advances.  Visit TOS at obesity.org. 

About the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS)

The mission of the ASMBS is to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery by continued encouragement of its members to:  improve the care and treatment of people with obesity and related diseases; advance the science and understanding of metabolic surgery; foster communication between health professionals on obesity and related conditions; and advocate for health care policy that ensures patient access to high-quality prevention and treatment of obesity.  Visit ASMBS at asmbs.org. 

About the American Dietetic Association (ADA)

The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.  Visit ADA at eatright.org.

Listening as Spiritual Hospitality

I loved this saying by sunnibrown.com and just had to share with my post today!

A friend of mine shared this with me and after I read it she said these words to me " I strive to be more like you!" which made my heart smile!  Here is what she shared:

To listen is very hard, because it asks of us so much interior stability that we no longer need to prove ourselves by speeches, arguments, statements or declarations.  True listeners no longer have an inner need to make their presence known.  They are free to receive, to welcome, to accept.

Listening is much more than allowing another to talk while waiting for a chance to respond.  Listening is paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very being.  The beauty of listening is that, those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking their words more seriously and discovering their own true selves. Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality by which you invite strangers to become friends, to get to know their inner selves more fully, and even to dare to be silent with you!

With that being said my friends - Take some time out of your day and truly listen!