Prudence Ticknor

Creating Motivation?
How do we create daily motivation to stay focused on our desires? You made the big and brave decision to have weight loss surgery; which is in your stomach. Now we need to have surgery on our brains.


To change a behavior, leading neuroscience expert Joe Dizpenza says, “You need to become greater than your conditioned or current habitual state or environment” You need to fall in love with a new thought/feeling state to experience lasting change.
It’s about making what you want in the future a reality now. We can do this by being a visionary. Surgery is a tool to support you. It is now up to you to create your own motivation for staying focused.
Watch this video for a simple technique to create daily motivation:



PS: This is my brand new YouTube station! If you found this information helpful, I would appreciate your support by liking my video and subscribing to my station.
Sending the biggest hug!

I would love to lead or co-lead a group in my area. I am a health professional that has specialized in working with bariatric patients for over 10 years. I did not have bariatric surgery but I was obese for over half my life. I have lost over 70lbs and maintain a healthy weight. I am a true believer in support groups and being around people that understand your struggles and maximizing on the positive energy of being with a group of people who are on the same journey of health.
I have a flexible schedule so support group days/times could vary depending on the demand.

How do you stay mentally strong on your weight loss journey? Are you currently satisfied with your results and the direction you are going? For most of us, having the knowledge of healthy foods, exercise and even having bariatric surgery is not enough. The missing piece, the training we most skip is addressing our mental strength and how we think.


“Anything is possible when you shift and go inside, to ask, to be silent and to listen. This is a journey where what you once thought would be a miracle becomes a reality” –Mind over Eating
Stop and become aware of the thoughts you have attached to food and why you are eating. Your thoughts are what drive your actions to eat. Therefore, making lifestyle changes requires becoming aware of and altering how you think. We all have automatic dialogue, mind chatter or what I like to call “mind monkeys”. This mind chatter distracts us from our goals, accomplishments and success for long term weight loss. This mind chatter is what leads us to feelings of discouragement, regret, guilt and all sorts of negative feelings.
You will reinforce new habits by first training the most efficient machine in your body; your brain. Do you want to make decisions about creating healthy habits and really sticking with them? You can do this by accepting the fact we all have voices, internal dialogue in our heads. Your thoughts program you to act or react in a certain way. If you want new behaviors, you need to train your brain and recondition your thinking. Start learning to reprogram your thoughts by watching the video below.
Sending you warm wishes

How do you stay mentally strong on your weight loss journey? Are you currently satisfied with your results and the direction you are going? For most of us, having the knowledge of healthy foods, exercise and even having bariatric surgery is not enough. The missing piece, the training we most skip is addressing our mental strength and how we think.


“Anything is possible when you shift and go inside, to ask, to be silent and to listen. This is a journey where what you once thought would be a miracle becomes a reality” –Mind over Eating
Stop and become aware of the thoughts you have attached to food and why you are eating. Your thoughts are what drive your actions to eat. Therefore, making lifestyle changes requires becoming aware of and altering how you think. We all have automatic dialogue, mind chatter or what I like to call “mind monkeys”. This mind chatter distracts us from our goals, accomplishments and success for long term weight loss. This mind chatter is what leads us to feelings of discouragement, regret, guilt and all sorts of negative feelings.
You will reinforce new habits by first training the most efficient machine in your body; your brain. Do you want to make decisions about creating healthy habits and really sticking with them? You can do this by accepting the fact we all have voices, internal dialogue in our heads. Your thoughts program you to act or react in a certain way. If you want new behaviors, you need to train your brain and recondition your thinking. Start learning to reprogram your thoughts by watching the video below.
Sending you warm wishes

Thanks for sharing.

Nice

Thank you

How do you stay mentally strong on your weight loss journey? Are you currently satisfied with your results and the direction you are going? For most of us, having the knowledge of healthy foods, exercise and even having bariatric surgery is not enough. The missing piece, the training we most skip is addressing our mental strength and how we think.


“Anything is possible when you shift and go inside, to ask, to be silent and to listen. This is a journey where what you once thought would be a miracle becomes a reality” –Mind over Eating
Stop and become aware of the thoughts you have attached to food and why you are eating. Your thoughts are what drive your actions to eat. Therefore, making lifestyle changes requires becoming aware of and altering how you think. We all have automatic dialogue, mind chatter or what I like to call “mind monkeys”. This mind chatter distracts us from our goals, accomplishments and success for long term weight loss. This mind chatter is what leads us to feelings of discouragement, regret, guilt and all sorts of negative feelings.
You will reinforce new habits by first training the most efficient machine in your body; your brain. Do you want to make decisions about creating healthy habits and really sticking with them? You can do this by accepting the fact we all have voices, internal dialogue in our heads. Your thoughts program you to act or react in a certain way. If you want new behaviors, you need to train your brain and recondition your thinking. Start learning to reprogram your thoughts by watching the video below.
Sending you warm wishes

How do you stay mentally strong on your weight loss journey? Are you currently satisfied with your results and the direction you are going? For most of us, having the knowledge of healthy foods, exercise and even having bariatric surgery is not enough. The missing piece, the training we most skip is addressing our mental strength and how we think.


“Anything is possible when you shift and go inside, to ask, to be silent and to listen. This is a journey where what you once thought would be a miracle becomes a reality” –Mind over Eating
Stop and become aware of the thoughts you have attached to food and why you are eating. Your thoughts are what drive your actions to eat. Therefore, making lifestyle changes requires becoming aware of and altering how you think. We all have automatic dialogue, mind chatter or what I like to call “mind monkeys”. This mind chatter distracts us from our goals, accomplishments and success for long term weight loss. This mind chatter is what leads us to feelings of discouragement, regret, guilt and all sorts of negative feelings.
You will reinforce new habits by first training the most efficient machine in your body; your brain. Do you want to make decisions about creating healthy habits and really sticking with them? You can do this by accepting the fact we all have voices, internal dialogue in our heads. Your thoughts program you to act or react in a certain way. If you want new behaviors, you need to train your brain and recondition your thinking. Start learning to reprogram your thoughts by watching the video below.
Sending you warm wishes

Long term weight loss can be maintained by mastering one simple but very deep question. Even after bariatric surgery, weight loss or weight maintenance is a mixture of self-love, discipline, commitment, courage, will, focus, determination and taking responsibility for our actions. As human beings, we tend to want instant gratification, usually reacting to our emotions instead of doing what Full-Fills us in the long term. Although many WLS patients may be deceived early on, bariatric surgery does not change this.


We have two urges that unconsciously control us: the need to feel good at any cost and to avoid pain at any cost. Therefore, if we do not consistently ask the questions and check the real motivation behind our behaviors, we will react to our emotions instead of choosing options that will empower us in the long run. The beauty is, every moment is a fresh opportunity to make new choices. You are bigger than any conditioned behavior you want to change. You are always able to regain control and shape your live in the direction you desire.
The crucial first step is awareness. In order to alter any behavior you must first take the journey of self-discovery and ask the questions to get to the core of why you do what you do. Do you love yourself enough to learn what will truly full-fill you and keep you satisfied?
Watch this “how to” video to create daily mindful actions that will assist you in reconditioning your thinking and reaching and maintaining long-term weight loss.

Long term weight loss can be maintained by mastering one simple but very deep question. Even after bariatric surgery, weight loss or weight maintenance is a mixture of self-love, discipline, commitment, courage, will, focus, determination and taking responsibility for our actions. As human beings, we tend to want instant gratification, usually reacting to our emotions instead of doing what Full-Fills us in the long term. Although many WLS patients may be deceived early on, bariatric surgery does not change this.


We have two urges that unconsciously control us: the need to feel good at any cost and to avoid pain at any cost. Therefore, if we do not consistently ask the questions and check the real motivation behind our behaviors, we will react to our emotions instead of choosing options that will empower us in the long run. The beauty is, every moment is a fresh opportunity to make new choices. You are bigger than any conditioned behavior you want to change. You are always able to regain control and shape your live in the direction you desire.
The crucial first step is awareness. In order to alter any behavior you must first take the journey of self-discovery and ask the questions to get to the core of why you do what you do. Do you love yourself enough to learn what will truly full-fill you and keep you satisfied?
Watch this “how to” video to create daily mindful actions that will assist you in reconditioning your thinking and reaching and maintaining long-term weight loss.

Good advice. With the cold weather season coming up here in Colorado I'm always looking for ways to stay healthy and fit without leaving the house.

Long term weight loss can be maintained by mastering one simple but very deep question. Even after bariatric surgery, weight loss or weight maintenance is a mixture of self-love, discipline, commitment, courage, will, focus, determination and taking responsibility for our actions. As human beings, we tend to want instant gratification, usually reacting to our emotions instead of doing what Full-Fills us in the long term. Although many WLS patients may be deceived early on, bariatric surgery does not change this.


We have two urges that unconsciously control us: the need to feel good at any cost and to avoid pain at any cost. Therefore, if we do not consistently ask the questions and check the real motivation behind our behaviors, we will react to our emotions instead of choosing options that will empower us in the long run. The beauty is, every moment is a fresh opportunity to make new choices. You are bigger than any conditioned behavior you want to change. You are always able to regain control and shape your live in the direction you desire.
The crucial first step is awareness. In order to alter any behavior you must first take the journey of self-discovery and ask the questions to get to the core of why you do what you do. Do you love yourself enough to learn what will truly full-fill you and keep you satisfied?
Watch this “how to” video to create daily mindful actions that will assist you in reconditioning your thinking and reaching and maintaining long-term weight loss.

Such a beautiful article. thank you!

Prior to Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) I had never considered that my relationship with food was unloving to my body and my spirit. I just knew I had impulses deep within me for comfort that food seemed to sooth and that I couldn't seem to "control" and I knew my body was unhealthy because of them. I would start the day at 7:00am when the alarm sounded and with my first semi-conscious thought I'd think, "Today's the day I change it all!" That thought would be followed within moments by the dreadful thought, "I wonder how long I'll make it today before I screw it all up? 9:30 a.m.? 10:30 a.m.?"


Because, without exception, the thought always came that I was destined to screw it up. It was only a matter of time. So I was unloving toward myself with this thought too. Then, when at whatever hour I did "screw up," the thoughts came about being a failure; a fat, out-of-control, slovenly failure! After WLS this continued and was often worse, since the pressure was "on" to lose and not regain. Everyone knew I'd had surgery and would know I was a failure on a whole new level if I didn't lose or regained. How's that for unloving thinking?
WLS surgery may prevent, for a while, the eating of large meals but it does not remove from us the need to break unhealthy patterns of thought or behavior with food and create healthy loving patterns in their place. When this work is not done a new kind of hellish relationship with food can begin and along with it continue all those unloving thoughts, which actually get worse much of the time.
On Message Boards and on Facebook I'm reading posts from people who have recently received surgery and are surprised to discover how much of the work they must still do, rather than the surgery doing the work. There are also the posts from people who received surgery months, even years in the past, who are struggling with unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. Often, these are new behaviors that came into existence when the path to the pre-surgery behavior is blocked by the anatomical changes of surgery.
When an RNY patient post-op tries to eat a plate of french fries and reports being drawn to fried foods, even more than before surgery although there is physical pain each time, that is a new unloving, unhealthy behavior. When a LapBand patient considers "productive burping" or PBing a positive way to enjoy food and then vomit it without digesting and absorbing calories or nutrients that is a new unloving, unhealthy behavior. When a WLS patient stops exercising and stops eating Protein and vegetables first and foremost, relying on liquid forms of caffeine and sugar for energy, that is a new unhealthy behavior.
I know this experience firsthand. When I was newly "banded" in 2003 I would enjoy eating 2 shrimp and know that eating the third shrimp, which I of course ate, would bring-on pain and vomiting. Every meal ended at the railing of my deck with me vomiting into my backyard and I actually thought that was a good thing! I got to enjoy the shrimp and then...it was gone! Within 2 years I was living on liquids, with tight LapBand adjustments so that a sip of coffee sat uncomfortably in my stoma for many minutes before dribbling down. Eventually I ate large meals anyway so my esophagus became distended and stretched and is now capable of storing a large meal above the LapBand.
These surgeries are not cure-alls, as we are all warned before we receive them. I am shocked by how much we, me included, don't heed the warnings and find ourselves wandering down new, dangerous paths. If this is happening to you it is vitally important to work with someone who can help you with your thought patterns and behaviors. You can do this with a therapist, a nutritionist, a Certified Life Coach specializing in Bariatrics or a great support group. It is vital to create a place where it is safe for you to get help early with any unhealthy new behaviors that arise before they do real damage to the body and become entrenched in your mind.
Being morbidly obese is just an outward manifestation of behavior and beliefs that are unloving to us. Without addressing specifically those beliefs it will be difficult for most to experience an end to unloving, even violent, acts against the body and spirit as well as develop a healthy relationship with food long-term.

.....the sensation of being NOT hungry and NOT eating
The sensation of being NOT controlled by food anxiety, anticipation or fear of growing hungry.
Yes, fitting sizes I outgrew in 1964 also is pleasing.

Creating Motivation?
How do we create daily motivation to stay focused on our desires? You made the big and brave decision to have weight loss surgery; which is in your stomach. Now we need to have surgery on our brains.


To change a behavior, leading neuroscience expert Joe Dizpenza says, “You need to become greater than your conditioned or current habitual state or environment” You need to fall in love with a new thought/feeling state to experience lasting change.
It’s about making what you want in the future a reality now. We can do this by being a visionary. Surgery is a tool to support you. It is now up to you to create your own motivation for staying focused.
Watch this video for a simple technique to create daily motivation:



PS: This is my brand new YouTube station! If you found this information helpful, I would appreciate your support by liking my video and subscribing to my station.
Sending the biggest hug!

It was so much fun to read your posts! Thank you for the smile I love hearing about all the positive inspirational living!

Just about everything! food is definitely on the back burner these days. It's so liberating to not be controlled by it. :-)

I'll watch the video later, but feeling light on my feet and healthy does it for me.

Here's what turns me on way more than food. These are pictures from last month taken on our submarine experience excursion in the Bahamas. Two years ago, I was also in Nassau and couldn't even get off the ship because I was so heavy and in so much pain from my arthritic knees and hips. Now I can do almost anything again. There isn't a food in the whole world that tastes as good as living my life normally feels.

I have TOTALLY fallen in love with my new feelings... feeling my outside matches the fun, bright person I am on the inside. Feeling like my body can handle the athletic things I want to do. Feeling that I can do this and get to a healthy weight and maintain it.
Every food habit I had before has changed (in part because it had to and in part because I am DETERMINED not to go back to old habits. The conditioning I had before (picking up bites of candy, grabbing bread for a snack...) has gone out the window and I refuse to let them back in.
THIS gives me motivation to keep it up every day. I'm LOVING this!

@@Prudence Ticknor
the new way i emotionally feel about life
my self-confidence
being able to talk to you guys (that can be challanging )
wearing a size 6
walking anywhere from the malls to the grocery stores with my head held high
(hurt my neck sometimes )
all the meds i no longer need to take
my appearance (remember i'm cute as a button )
the joy i feel waking up each and every morning
life is good
kathy

I've never had a problem with motivation. I suppose the need to be healthy and looking better never leaves my thoughts.
But, it's so common here to see so many who have fallen off the wagon and are looking for motivation to restart their journey. I understand your message in the video but it seems like that's not enough for some people? Breaking it down to something even more simple(and it's already very simple) might be in order?
tmf

I didn't watch the video...I am answering the title.
#1 to feel normal (ie removal of social stigma,not worry about fitting in seats etc)
#2 to be rid of medical issues related to obesity
#3 to love how I look in clothes
#4 to be able to DO fun stuff - hike, fun, jump and ride!