Dee_1111

I watched the Biggest Loser like some tv zombie, ask me anything about that show! sad really. But here's the thing that was ALWAYS foremost in my mind as I watched--> Biggest Loser is a REALITY TV SHOW!!!..with producers, camera people..and a million other off camera folks making this show watchable and entertaining. Edited so we out here in "couchville" think we can DO IT TOO!!!!..Get real people!!!..not once did I get up off my couch, set down my Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and get to the gym. NOPE not once. I was to busy watching tv!!!..Gotta love 'corporate' America! It was my declining health and threat of death, that got my lazy a$$ moving. Once I had RnY (not to mention the MONEY it cost me to have the surgery) and got my inner dialog fighting with me, like a bad sibling, my life became like a SUPER SET. I never looked back. I couldn't afforded to. Financially or physically.

What you're talking about, I call it my 'Inner Dialog"..we fight like siblings! I remember my first real Inner Dialog about a month after surgery, and was at my daughters house and there were 'pinafore's' on the sideboard (a delectable treat). I'm pretty sure I skidded to a complete stop. Eyeballed those mouth watering objects, and reached for one. It wasn't me, it was my inner obese-self..she is shameless, that one..I had to SLAP her hand!!..she can get me into mischief if I allow it. She's my biggest cheerleader and my biggest enabler. I keep a tight eye on her. I talk to her constantly. She will be with me forever, so I gotta love her. And I do. But she's very mischievous. She keeps me on my Game.

Leepers, I too eat out ALOT..My job demands it..I have learned to NICELY ask the wait staff to please omit any butters, sauces, salts and oils from my foods. I've never had a problem yet. One time, at a chain restaurant I did have a slight hiccup. Apparently the food came from a pre-made frozen bag, off a delivery truck, so it already had butter, salts, and oils upon defrosting, Sorry, had to scratch that place off my list. My family is lovely, they always ask "Can You Eat There"..Loll..I love them.

In all honesty, my success has come from a strictly enforced, plant-based diet. I do eat chicken, but I add it to a 'Raw Foods' based plan. So while I'm not a vegan, or a Raw Foodist..I do base my entire fruits and vegetable life around a raw foods diet. It has keep me stable at 115 lbs for 4 years. I have NEVER felt better and weight stable in my life. At this stage I cant even imagine myself going back to: bread, Pasta, crackers, dairy, or any processed dead foods. I feel to good for that.

PS..I live in the northern Midwest farmbelt..believe me when I tell you, what I see in the fields, and what I know is on the supermarket shelves, are totally 2 different commodities.

I am RnY..my problem here is not gluten or celiac..my problem is bread (except Ezkeil bread, which I eat) in general, whether it be gluten free or whole grain. It is a highly process food product. Being Gastric, I can not eat bread, it 'doughs-up' in my esophagus and gums up my pouch for hours and makes me feel vomity. By the time the 'Wheat/Whole Grain' reaches the shelves in markets, it has been so violated, chemicalized and changed, can we really call it 'Whole' anymore'???

Hmmm..I gave this a lot of thought. All my hearts desires have been met. Wow, I couldn't think of one thing I wanted or need from life anymore. Just to live it in peace and happiness. I guess when your young life seems so much more desperate and dramatic. Now I'm simply content. I've become comfortable in my own skin. I like who I've become, I adore husband & family. I love where I live. I love my job, and I travel. That's a good life to me. I quietly dismissed all the negative things I use to surround my self with, and that wasn't as difficult as I thought. Easy really. I guess my heart desires the things I now have around me, SIMPLY LIVING a clean, healthy good life.

Good for you..sensible thinking..I've never heard of 5:2..I wouldn't do that even if I knew what it was. I have learned and adapted a healthy way of eating and I stick to it. I eat pretty much the same things everyday. I get into trouble when I introduce unfamiliar foods into my staples. for meat its just chicken, turkey bacon, venison (I live in Minnesota..lol) turkey burger, ham, & deli ..quaker oatmeal, Quaker caramel corn flavored rice cakes, Smuckers natural peanut butter, applesause, lots of fruits and every vegetable I can get my hands on..lol..oh and green olives..lots and lots of spices.. I've been maintaining for 4 years. oh yeah, no bread, pasta, rice, dairy (surgery made me lactose) and absolutely no sugar. But its maintainable for me. I had to find it. it didn't find me, Im still looking for great foods..

Sorry I forgot to mention, My PhD's / team consist of: My physiatrist, Physiologist, Nutritionist , Dietitian, and last, but never the lesst, love you Tim, My Life Coach!!!

I truly hope that the future of WLS makes this subject a 'Mandatory' no Exception rule, that EVERYONE have access to this kind of help. I was fortunate to receive this kind of help before surgery. Because I promise you, without it, I'd of been doom to failure. My PhD's taught me to come face to face with all the "Why's"..Why am I overweight, Why do I use food for anything other than nourishment, Why do I feel I'm addicted, they also taught me the signs to look for or avoid ..etc. I never knew the importance of PhD's. They really are incredible at their jobs if you find one that is right for you, I did. They taught me food logging, how to eat, what to eat, how to shop, where to shop, what foods to avoid, what my portions should look like,.how to weigh food, how to read labels, how to fix foods I never heard of..just incredible amounts of information to make me a success at being a Bariatric person. So Thank You for giving me the knowledge to go forward with intellect and confidence. There are no other works I can think of to state my admiration and appreciation for what they've done for me PRE-OP. Because of them I am a successful POST OP.

My fav thing to do on this site..besides the obvious (babble a lot..lol)..is that I can read and respond to the 'Article Section"..I love mags, so finally to be able to respond directly to the author of them, AND get a response is amazing to me. Love that!!

Maybe Alex, the founder of this site might be of great help to you..he also has a great app for this site. He may be able to get you on the right path technically. Good Luck

Just an after thought..I do practice the 80/20..but my 20 is grabbing recipes from this and other sites on how to make pouch safe muffins and stuff for the wkend..I know..to rigid ..well I suppose someone's gotta be..lol.. (sigh) didn't think it was a bad thing till I read this post..gotta be more choosy :/

Wow just reading that so relaxed me..I just wish I could be one of those people. It sounds so enjoyable, like being in a sauna. But alas, I'm that ridged person 'personified' who your talking about. I can not waiver left or right and come back to center. Man, I wish!!!..but for most people this is prob the way to go. Lot less stress, that's for sure..

PS--> Their not missing out on "love food", their OTHER grandma Kris is a 'baker baker candle stick maker', from WAYYYY back, old school style. So they get 'theirs'

Perfect subject for me..I have changed my 'Love'um with Food' ways towards my family..took them aback at first..but..what I've taken to doing is-->finding out what their fav stores are and gifting 'Gift Cards"..for instance: My Aunt Gladys loves kitchen gadgets, so I carded her with a 'Creative Kitchen' card..she loved it..my daughters love The Gap..my husband loves Man Malls..etc..My grandchildren have their fav stores also. Love the smiles on their faces when they open the envelopes instead of opening their pants after a 10 course meal..lol...works for me!!!! (and their waist lines)

ok I fess up..lol...the 6 out of 7? I watch GADS of tv..lol..hundreds of hours probably..lol..love my tv and coffee..GUILTY AS CHARGED!!

Well Warren PhD..here I am..a BONIFIED sugar addict! full responsibility & no guilt, just fact. scientific actually. Great Doc I had. MY PhD and I have worked very hard to come to the finale, the finish line if you will. it will never end, but I know where the line is now. I had (and still do) trigger foods, and triggered sweets. Long long story short..We, together discovered my triggers, which lead to other triggers, which lead to other triggers. Once established, she left it up to me, to either disregard the Pasta's,breads & chocolates (refined carbs) altogether, or learn discipline and moderation. I chose to not have sugar or process flour products in my life. That's discipline, not willpower. You are right about the 7 rules. . 6 out of 7 I do religiously, and I am also a case study in my area for a nation wide obesity study. My surgery was 3/1/2010-Gastric. I wanted my sugar/pasta 'addiction' under my control before I had my surgery. If having a 'politically correct' word for food addicts makes you PhD's feel self important for coining a new phrase for the Webster dictionary, by all means, give a prettier name. But I know what I am, I have live it for a very long time. Now I don't, but it will always be there with me, just like an alcoholic or a drug or sex addict.

right!!??..lolol..love this article

sorry sweetie..Im not getting it?? who lied about what? and why on earth were you forgotten??

Thank you for this article!!..I'm 4 years out and maintaining. This actually made me laugh!...cuz that's exactly what I heard before and after surgery. Eyes & Ears WIDE open. I was focused and determined. I did my research, got educated to the ways of becoming a WLS patient, Picked my surgeon, got my 5 PhD's in order. Packed my bag, and headed off down the YELLOW BRICK ROAD!!...What she's saying here people, is LISTEN to what your life is about to become! It has RULES, trials and tribulations. WLS comes with a price, it aint a free ride sista's ( and brotha's)..lol

These are good..I make them..minus the mayo..I just add water for creaminess, but yep good stuff!!

Im right there with you..Im a gym rat, and I don't eat any of the white foods, sweets, red meat, or dairy..thats how bad I wanted it. I has paid off. You'll get no apologies from me...lolol..rock on girl!!!

Yayyyyyy for you. It gets better and better..I found I like walking and Katy Perry..lol..Yes life is AWESOME here in maintanence!!! ..I flew on a plane and put my arms down by my sides and still had room between me and the ARM RESTS!!!!!! little things like that!!!!!..I'd hug you in person if I could

I love the subject of food..My food intake varies..Im visual so all the cups, 1/2 cups, 1/3 cup mean nothing to me. All that measuring and counting became overwhelming to me. It became to stressful jut to enter the kitchen. I eat from a small salad plate. I visually fill it. I have learned the HARD HARD way how to fill my plate! I go over, and discomfort and pain will follow. Now, fruits and vegetables? I can eat way more than my salad plate, why? I chew them down to a pulp. One or two bites of mash potatoes (which I no longer eat) Im full to capacity, and discomfort ensues. So I choose to eat lots of fruits and veg & chicken.