MeAndTinyTina

I'm a 40 y/o mom of 3. HW 265, GW 150, CW 142. Sleeved January 2023.
I loss my first 90 lbs within 6 months of being sleeved and maintained for another 6 months (without quite getting to goal). Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2024 I had some health issues (unrelated to the sleeve) and had to have a total hysterectomy. I turned to my old comfort of eating and gained 20 lbs in 2 months. My appetite came back with a vengeance and my head hunger was getting the best of me. In a moment of panic, I seen my Dr and she prescribed Zepbound. OMG, where has this drug been my whole life?! I loss the 20 lbs. I gained plus the rest of the weight I needed to lose to get to goal weight within 5 months. Unlike the sleeve, Zepbound also helps with the head hunger which is an issue for A LOT of us. It's truly a miracle drug! I was on Ozempic pre-surgery for diabetes and it did NOTHING for weight loss so I didn't expect much from Zep but turned out pleasantly surprised. Despite severe constipation in the beginning, my side effects are minimal and manageable. I feel like Zepbound + my gastric sleeve was a match made in heaven. My health is the best it's been in 20+ years. Diabetes gone, fatty liver gone, triglycerides were high and are now in a normal range. My life no longer revolves around food and for once I feel "normal."
I maintain with 10mg every 10 days and it's been working perfectly.

I've maintained almost 4 years at goal by eating a TON of carbs. So...there are a lot of ways up this mountain dietarily. I eat high fiber, keep my calories under 1600 a day, and eat very little refined sugar or white flour. (I keep my refined treats under 200 calories once or twice a week)
Stuff I eat a TON of: Oats, Fruit, Veggies, Beans, Chickpeas, Lowfat/Nonfat Diary, Potatoes, VERY lean meats, whole grain breads. Lots and lots of fruit and veggies. (and it shows...my cholesterol and all labs are excellent...and this matters as we get older)
Stuff I don't eat: Anything with animal fat. Fried stuff. (I do stir fry with a little olive oil) I don't eat Refined sugar. I don't eat White flour.
Substitutions I make a lot: Plant protein instead of animal. Olive Oil instead of butter. High fiber...I try to get 25g a day or more. Oatmeal in food processor in place of white flour in recipes.
Best advice I can give.....three of them actually:
1. See a bariatric therapist. The causes behind disordered eating are not addressed by your surgery.
2. Get active! Increasing your activity, even if it's just adding a couple hundred more steps to your routine every day...it will keep your metabolism singing.
3. Count calories. It sucks, but it's necessary.
Wishing you the very best!

What are you thankful for this year?
Your home? Your job? Your family?
What are the other people in your life thankful for? What about your family? Your co-workers? Your friends? Do you ever wonder if any of them are thankful for YOU?
We often spend our lives working for others, doing things for others, helping others. Where’s the time for you? Taking care of ourselves and focusing on our own needs is usually WAY down on the list, if it’s on the list at all.
It feels selfish.


So, what if I told you it was actually self-LESS?
Yep, you read that right. Self-LESS.
Stop. Breathe. Read this very carefully:
If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else.
Go back and read that again. And once more. Think about it:
What happens when you get sick? Or injured? Or have a nervous breakdown because you Just. Can’t. Even.
Again: If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else.
Are you hearing that? That’s not selfish, that’s self-LESS. If you don’t take time for YOU, you won’t be able to do anything for ANYONE ELSE. You will break, you will fall, you will crumble.
Give yourself a moment to let that sink in. While you are doing that, take a look at a few suggestions at how to make that happen:
Give yourself permission to say “no.”
Let’s go ahead and get the hard one out of the way first thing. You aren’t responsible for making sure that everyone gets everywhere or that they get everything they want. Granted, young children have more needs than adults, but I’m betting that if you sit back and think for a moment, there are times that if you said “no,” the individual would either: a) just do without it, or find some other way to make it happen. Often, you’re the “go to” person because people realize that you’ll say YES.
Set aside a specific time for your self care and treat it like an appointment you can’t miss.
You know that doctor’s appointment it took you 2 months to get? And how you made sure that nothing stood in the way of you getting to that appointment? Yeah, treat your self care time just as special. Program it in your phone. Write it on the calendar. Let your family know that you have an appointment that you can’t miss and that you won’t be available. You need this.
Expect others to push your boundaries.
Especially in the beginning. They won’t be used to you being so assertive, so the attempts to make you feel guilty for not dropping everything to attend to their needs may ramp up for awhile. It’s okay! Remember, this is expected. You’re preparing for it now, by reading this, so when it happens you will already know that it is temporary.
By sticking to your boundaries and not giving in, IT WILL GET BETTER. If you give in now, you have shown that if they push hard enough, they will eventually get there way. Don’t stop.
Remember: we cannot be good caregivers if we don’t practice self care.
It’s not selfish, its self-LESS.

2 half yrs out still maintaining

One Year Toady
254 June 2nd 2014 to 135 June 2nd 2015 119 pounds

What 100 pounds looks like

GOOD FOR YOU!!! Keep it up. Those pounds are melting away.

One problem that can come up after weight loss surgery is cooking for one person. You need to cook healthy meals, but you can only eat tiny portions. And, you can’t take a day, or even a meal, off. You need each healthy meal and snack, and nobody’s going to make it for you.


You may already be used to cooking if you cook for the entire family, but now you might need to cook separate meals for yourself if you no longer eat what they do. On the other hand, you may be learning to cook for the first time, especially if you used to eat out instead of cooking for yourself before weight loss surgery. It’s also possible that your significant other used to be the family chef, but you need to take charge and cook for yourself now to make sure you stick to your weight loss surgery diet.
On top of everything else, you still have the real-life time and money constraints that everyone has. How can you possibly stick to your weight loss surgery diet without getting bored out of your mind, wasting food and money, and spending all of your spare time in the kitchen?
This series of articles will look at some strategies for cooking for one after weight loss surgery. In the first article, we have strategies for approaching the kitchen when you’re cooking for just yourself. The second article has a few helpful recipes. Finally, the third and fourth articles will help you stock your kitchen.
Don’t forget to check out the BariatricPal conversation on this topic for tons of tips from other BariatricPal members. Add your ideas to the mix!
Organization is Key
The more you plan, the better you’ll be able to handle cooking for yourself. This is true whether you’re cooking for one or for the entire family, but when you are cooking for one, nobody else is depending on you to follow through. The dedication needs to come from within.
Use the weekends to prepare what you can. Plan your meals, buy the ingredients, and make some recipes. Then, divide the recipes into single-serving portions, put some in the fridge, and freeze the rest. You can make:
Soups, using almost any combination of broth, vegetables, and lean proteins such as beans, chicken, turkey, and shrimp.
Stews, chilis, stir-frys, and casseroles.
High-protein muffins.

You can also prepare some ingredients to use later in the week. Wash, peel, and chop your veggies and fruits, cook a pot of beans, and cook some chicken, ground turkey, or fish to freeze for quick use later.
Playing with Portions
Portions need to be small on your weight loss surgery diet. You basically have two choices when it comes to cooking. You can make regular-sized recipes, divide them into weight loss surgery-sized portions, and store these portions in individual packets or containers. The benefits are that you get to make more interesting recipes, and you have multiple meals on hand after cooking only once.
Or, you can make small single-serving recipes that you make up or get from someone else. That way, you don’t need to worry about measuring individual portions after you cook the recipe. If you love what you made and eat the whole thing, you don’t need to feel guilty about overeating. But, cooking this way can be a little more effort because you won’t have leftovers.
The best approach is to do a little of each. Make some full-sized dishes to depend on during the week, and fill in the rest of your diet with single-serving meals and snacks.
Don’t Overdo It or Get Intimidated
Unless you’re one of the few people who just loves to cook and has enough time and energy to do so, you’re not going to want to cook a gourmet dish for every single meal and snack. That’s okay. Don’t put pressure on yourself to do so. There are plenty of ways you can cheat on your kitchen time without cheating on your diet or cheating your taste buds.
These are some other ways to catch a break in the kitchen.
Eat out, drive through, or order in. Really. It’s okay. Whether it’s a side salad with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a grilled chicken patty from McDonald’s (150 calories, 22 grams of protein) or half of a Chicken Bella dinner with zucchini and spaghetti squash from Ruby Tuesday (260 calories, 23 grams of protein), you can fit it into your diet. Just stay away from the baby-back ribs, pasta, and burgers and fries that can be over 1,000 calories per order.
Use meal helpers. Heat up a tray of Green Giant Just for One cauliflower and cheese or Italian seasoned broccoli and carrots and serve it with chicken or tuna, or toss tofu with bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables.
Take advantage of easy meal options, like whole grain cereal mixed with Greek yogurt and fruit, canned tuna or salmon with cottage cheese, and low-fat string cheese and baby carrots for a snack.
Frozen meal have preservatives, but the occasional one can help you out by keeping you from eating something far worse out of desperation. Choose ones with lean protein, at least one serving of veggies – unless you’re planning to add your own – and a whole grain or starchy vegetable instead of potatoes or a refined grain. It’s far better to eat an entire low-fat frozen pizza for 290 calories than to order in an 8-slice large pepperoni pizza for 300 calories a slice.
Learn to love leftovers. When you make too much, get excited about saving it and using it another time. Also, get creative with your ingredients. If you eat half a can of tuna for a snack, figure out how you will use the rest in a different way so you don’t get bored and the tuna doesn’t go to waste. For example, you can make a tuna melt with fat-free cheese on a portobello mushroom.

Now that you are in the mood and have the right mentality for cooking for one, it’s time to get to the specifics. Stay tuned for the next article, which will have tips for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for one.

Jean,
I, like many of us here I'm sure, came from a home where you finished what was on your plate. Anything short of that was being wasteful and insensitive to those who didn't have food on their plates. My parents certainly never intended to set me down this path of morbid obesity, but this skill was ingrained in me at a young age. I noticed that I was doing the same with my own children (four of them) and even my wife at times. If they wouldn't finish their food at a restaurant, I would often finish it myself (after eating my own) so as not to offend the server or anyone else who might notice how "wasteful" my kids were being.
It took time for me to come to this realization, but I'm there. I encourage my kids to only eat what they know they'll like (they can experiment from someone else's serving if they'd like) and, if they can't finish, asking for a container in which to take the food home is a good thing. I no longer hover over them making sure they "clean their plates."
I still talk to them about being wasteful and how there are starving people in the world, but the onus is no longer on them to cure the worlds ills.

Guess what? You just got a new job! Isn’t that exciting? Except…it’s a tough job: you will now be the CEO of Lifetime Weight Management. But don’t worry. You can do it, and the pay is fabulous.


We’ll get to the job news, but first I’m going to tell you a job story of my own. I’m a writer and story-teller: that’s my job. Often my stories are fiction, but every word in this story is true.
Many years ago, I attended a business luncheon with a coworker who was naturally slim. The food was delicious: a huge, flaky croissant filled with chicken and grape salad, a mountain of potato chips (I adore potato chips), and strawberry shortcake for dessert. About one-third of the way through her meal, my coworker stopped eating and pushed her plate away.
“What’s the matter?” I said. “Don’t you like the food?”
“Oh, it’s fine,” she said. “I just can’t eat any more.”
She must have seen the baffled look on my face, because she added an explanation. “I eat a certain amount, and then I reach a point where I just can’t eat another bite, so I stop eating. I’ve always been this way.”
I wanted to offer to finish her lunch for her, but was too ashamed of my own greed to suggest it, and I was busy digesting what she had just said. I couldn’t remember ever in my life reaching the point where I couldn’t eat another bite of food. And although I had tried more diets and slimming plans than I could name, it had never occurred to me that I might become slim simply by stopping eating when I became full. My coworker was effortlessly slim and I was effortlessly obese. I subsided into silent envy over her natural advantage.
I spent the next 20 years suffering from morbid obesity and developing numerous health problems as a result of it. Finally, after much research and thought, I decided that weight loss surgery was my best option. On September 19, 2007, I had adjustable gastric band surgery. Ever since then I have been learning how to eat, and live, like a slim person. During that time, I’ve accumulated a lot of information, and have cultivated a lot of opinions that may not agree with yours, but of everything I’ve learned during my weight loss journey, there’s one truth you need to heed.
Like it or not, no bariatric surgery of any description is magic. The WLS patients I know have all worked hard for their success. Adjustable gastric band. Roux-en-Y. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Sleeve plication. Duodenal switch. The surgical procedure happens only once (good Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise), but one thing, common to us all, happens every day for the rest of our lives. Weight loss and weight loss maintenance require attention, commitment and action every day for the rest of our lives. It’s a job – a career – we must do or die.
A smart, mature, diligent acquaintance who did her research before she took the weight loss surgery plunge said to me once, “I had no idea how much work this was going to be.”
The work is not just in the weight loss but in lifestyle changes. The work doesn’t end once you reach your goal weight, but believe me: it is so very, very worth it. I love this new job of mine. I love the improved health and high energy and increased self-esteem and size 4 clothing, and I hope I never grow tired of it or take it all for granted.
A lifetime of work ahead of you can seem overwhelming. Think of it as a lifetime of learning. Learning is a good thing. If you stop learning, you stop growing. And if you stop growing, you die.
My mother, who struggled with obesity most of her life, used to say that there was a tall, thin brunette inside her just waiting to get out. I will always have a short, fat blonde girl inside me just waiting to get out. But having weight loss surgery has given me some wonderful tools for lifetime weight management, and I hope that proves to be the same for you.

Hi again y'all!
Hit my one year surgi-versary on Wednesday & I'm now down 100lbs! Feels surreal. This hasn't been easy but I'm thrilled with my progress thus far.

2 months post op and 45lbs gone !

Surgery date 9/25/13, height 5'1, Weight 238lbs

After: 130lbs

Best decision I ever made!

Hey everybody surgery july 1st 78 pounds down soo happy with my results

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), bariatric surgery can curb alterations in patients’ brain activity, leading to improved cognitive function.
This fascinating study was led by, Cintia Cercato, MD, PhD, of the University of São Paolo and provides a wealth of insights into the mental impacts of obesity, rather than the purely physical, and the role that weight loss surgery can play in alleviating these alterations.
The longitudinal study looked at the effect that gastric bypass surgery in particular had on brain function. Dr. Cintia Cercato and her team examined the mental function of 17 obese women using positron emission tomography (PET) scans - a functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of processes in the body – as well as neuropsychological tests. These examinations and tests were used to assess the brain function and activity of the participants, prior to surgery and six months after the procedure. The same tests were also then performed on a control group of 16 lean women.
Researchers found that the 17 obese women tended to have higher rates of metabolism in certain areas of the brain, including the region responsible for regulating emotion, meditation, and intrinsic control networks.
However, following bariatric surgery, there was no evidence of this exacerbated brain activity and their brain metabolism rates were comparable to the activity seen in the leaner women. Following bypass surgery, the obese participants also performed better on a test measuring executive function than they did before the procedures.
Five complimentary neuropsychological tests designed to investigate other aspects of memory and congnitive function showed little to no change following weight loss surgery.
“When we studied obese women prior to bariatric surgery, we found some areas of their brains metabolized sugars at a higher rate than normal weight women,” said Dr. Cercato. “In particular, obesity led to altered activity in a part of the brain linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Since bariatric surgery reversed this activity, we suspect the procedure may contribute to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”
“Our findings suggest the brain is another organ that benefits from weight loss induced by surgery,” Cercato continued. “The increased brain activity the obese women exhibited before undergoing surgery did not result in improved cognitive performance, which suggests obesity may force the brain to work harder to achieve the same level of cognition.”

I love the imagery of this photo. It's so important to just keep chipping away, take our time, and be methodical yet gentle with ourselves as we transform.

I love it that she's not in a hurry and she isn't frantic. She actually looks relaxed and content, like she knows she's transforming, knows she is beautiful and is content and comfortable within the process of change. She isn't desperate and she isn't racing to be different. She isn't busting off huge chunks of rock which could actually damage the final product of her labor of love.....her labor of self-love.

And while she is relaxed and chipping away do you notice that she is half-way done? With no struggle, no war against herself? She is half way there and the bits of rock all around her on the ground are a testament to her gentle, persistent drive toward transformation.

I think all of us who sometimes struggle to change faster choose ways that aren't always gentle or kind to speed things up. We can forget, me included, at times that the transformation is in the daily process of chipping, rather than a destination we arrive at when a certain number is achieved. This is an image worth studying periodically on our WLS journey. Are we as comfortable in the present moment of our journey as she is?

Bariatric Pal's reporter at large learns from the experts at Obesity Week 2014. Check out what one bariatric dietitian is learning about her news, weight loss and agendas.


HI there. Having a wonderful time at OW 2014. Meeting some great nurses, dietitians and physicians in the weight loss world.
At my first lecture yesterday on media, communications and obesity, I was reminded how slippery many folks find ‘the media.’ Having been a reporter for about 7 years before becoming a dietitian, I knew politicians often felt this way but, scientists? I was surprised. . Sylvia Rowe from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy offered this explanation in her presentation:
Science thrives on consensus. Media thrives on conflict.”
Don’t you love it when someone can clearly articulate what you’ve been feeling but couldn’t possibly explain? This statement helps me understand why I get frustrated with some of the food and nutrition headlines and pseudo controversies.
Then Sylvia offered this:
Science isn't in a state of confusion but a state of continual change.
Explains a lot, doesn’t it? The general public gets frustrated with nutrition professionals because it seems, (according to headlines of the moment) that we’re changing our minds all the time, i.e. ‘Fat is Bad…no wait, Fat is Good.’ etc. when we’re only sharing the latest results in ongoing work.
Bottom line for consumers? Question what you hear on the news. Ask yourself, who funded this research and would they gain financially with positive outcomes? Also consider, is there more to the story? Could the reporter have taken something said out of context, changing the meaning and making a more provocative/sexy story for the 11 o’clock news?
Be a critical consumer of your science/obesity/weight loss headlines. It’s more important than ever since everyone with a phone, computer or Twitter account is now delivering your ‘news’.

Standing outside this morning I looked about and all was quiet. Moments later a light breeze started to affect one of the Maples we planted thirty years ago. It drew my attention because it was a soft rustling noise that came from no where and sounded peaceful and pleasant. Suddenly in the distance I could hear the rumbling of thunder and it felt ominous. Approaching my peaceful moment with the ability to give me cause to worry. It hit me that the entire experience of a few moments was comparable to the journey of weight loss surgery.


We get to a point where we give in and think that we have reached the bottom of our life. There is nothing left and we think there is nothing for us out there to help or offer us an option to turn our lives around. But through gentle words and in the form of encouragement by family, friends and the medical field we learn about Bariatric Surgery. We are offered a tool that can assist us to find a new path to good health and well being. A fear builds deep within us but we know inside that this is the only option left. This is make or break it time and we have no where else to go. We see our mortality and the future looks dim. We are willing to do what it takes to find ourselves on the other side which offers a new life without food addiction.
We can't even imagine how that would feel to be thin and in good health. Finally having the real control of our future and our lives. Not being the object of well intentioned or intentional comments or opinions that hurt so deep we feel wounded and or scarred for the rest of our days. But it is not to be. We have an option. A gentle breeze overcomes us as we realize we do have an option. We do have a future. One that will keep us around long enough to enjoy the rest of our lives as the person we always wanted to be. Being able to watch our children grow up and then the grandchildren. Not to mention doing all the things you thought you would never do. Making a bucket list of experiences you want to have and places you want to go. Not to mention the effects this new and improved you will have in a positive way with your family and friends, work acquaintances and yes even strangers. This is the gentle breeze of realization that is engulfing your spirit and giving you hope for a better life ahead.
When does the thunder roll in the distance to threaten this new found peace you are experiencing? When you realize that it will take real effort on your part to accomplish this. When you take the time to really start changing how you view food and figure out why you used food as a comfort in good times and in bad. We are conditioned to believe that food plays a much bigger roll in our lives then simply giving us the proper nutrients to keep our bodies in good working order. By well meaning parents who told us how it was so important to clean our plates to the diet industry that makes millions off of failed diets. The false comfort in the form of food related slogans that advertising companies use to make us think that food equals happiness. That food is the backbone of our lives. Here are a few.
Help yourself to happiness – Golden Coral
Come hungry, leave happy – IHOP
Unwrap a smile – Little Debbie's
Comfort in every bite – Mars Bar
Life tastes better with KFC – Kentucky Fried Chicken
Little nuggets of joy- McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
Double your flavor,double your fun – Double Mint Gum
Feels like home – Sarah Lee
Get your smile on – Lay's
And on and on, teaching us that food is the answer to all our woes and will bring us happiness. But we know from our own personal experiences that this is not the case. And yet we battle these feelings of needing food as the drug of choice to fulfill in us an emptiness every single day. We find ourselves reverting back to the habits that has brought us momentary relief only to find that it did not help at all.
This is the thunder that we all experience in our journey. The fight to stay on course and not give into the heavy winds and booming sounds of habit or the artificial comfort of using food to make us feel better. We are in a war. We will win a battle at a time. We will get there. Maybe not today or tomorrow but we will control this disease. Weight loss surgery is our tool to learn new life long habits and choices that will once again bring the gentle breeze of hope and then success.

As the weather becomes warmer, lighter meals are more appealing, such as salads. However a a common problem results in unappealing soggy salads.
The exciting news, this can be avoided by preparing a salad in a jar.


I have prepared a video to help you create your own salad in a jar
There are two key points to preventing a soggy salad.
Place the dressing first into the jar
Place hard vegetables next that do not absorb the dressing and become soggy

With all weight loss surgeries you want to make it more suitable to your nutritional needs. A consistent message with all surgical procedures is to cut all salad ingredients into small pieces such as a salsa.This allows the smaller components of the fibrous skin to be better tolerated.
These salads can be prepared the day before and kept fresh in the fridge.
Regarding the ideal balance of foods in the jar, protein is crucial to help make you feel fuller for longer, which can include tinned tuna, flavored tofu, scrambled egg and legumes as examples.
Each type of surgery will request different portions.
A sample recipe is indicated below
Moroccan Salad In A Jar
Ingredients
4 oranges, peeled, white pith removed
250g packet cooked beetroot, cut into wedges
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained
120g pkt Coles Baby Spinach Leaves
6 radishes, halved, sliced

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/37794/moroccan+salad+in+a+jar
Reminder; eat a portion that suits your weight loss surgery

The “no white foods” diet is still around. We encourage our bariatrics patients to give up white bread, white rice, white pasta or white potatoes. These foods typically raise blood sugars. However, cauliflower is not one of those white foods.


The “no white foods” diet is still around. We encourage our bariatrics patients to give up white bread, white rice, white pasta or white potatoes. These foods typically raise blood sugars. However, cauliflower is not one of those white foods. One cup of raw cauliflower has 27 calories, 77 percent daily value for vitamin C, 5 grams carbohydrate, 2.5 grams fiber, 2 grams protein and is a good source of potassium, folate, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
Cauliflower is a low glycemic food, which means is has very little carbohydrate to raise your blood sugars. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable group which also includes broccoli, cabbage, bok choy and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables provide sulforaphane, a phytochemical linked to a decreased risk for cancer.
Instead of rice and potatoes as a side dish, think cauliflower. Whipped cauliflower as a side dish instead of potatoes has been around since the low-carb craze from a couple of decades ago. Here’s a quick recipe to try. You can make this recipe four weeks after surgery, when cooked vegetables are reintroduced to your diet.
Cauliflower “rice” is chopping this vegetable in a food processor or grating by hand to look like rice and then steaming it. Here is a recipe, which can be prepared in Phase 4 after surgery when fresh produce comes back in - four months after surgery.

I consult on a Facebook group made up of people who experience very large weight losses through Bariatric surgeries and today I am struck by how they view their slimmer bodies and the BMI chart. What strikes me is that when they get down to within 30-40 pounds of what the BMI chart says is goal for them I notice many deciding they know better than the chart. The phrase, "I feel good at _____ weight" keeps coming up, as though that "feeling" makes irrelevant the BMI chart and scientific data about the dangers of carrying an extra 30-40 pounds on our bodies. Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as other illnesses linked to overweight, don't care when we set an arbitrary number that we "feel good" about.


Today I'm wondering if it has more to do with the emotional work left undone when the excitement of the huge weight drop is focused on. It's great to focus on the big drop and enjoy it but it is also important to do the emotional and psychological work to embrace a body without a protective layer that keeps the world at a distance. I wonder if not doing this work accounts for people deciding to hang on to the last 30-40 pounds and deciding the BMI chart doesn't apply to them. Again and again, I see the term, "Everyone is different." While that is true, I see it as an excuse to not face fears about a life without fat and finish the job of making the body as healthy as it can be.

I know this pitfall well, which is why I care so much about it and am writing about it now. When I was 333 pounds and got down to 210 in my 30s and 220 in my 40s I said the same thing! "Good enough! I'm big-boned! The BMI-chart doesn't apply to me because I am 6'3" tall. I naturally have a linebacker's body. My body isn't meant to be slim." The thoughts that limited my possibilities seemed to go on and on and they did stop my progress at the exact weights at which I accepted those thoughts as fact.

The last and final time I lost weight I decided to allow my team of professionals, my coach and doctor, to decide when the goal had been reached for my body. I decided it was possible that my thinking about my body was limiting my results.
Imagine my surprise when a slim, sexy, very un-linebacker's body was waiting for me at 175 pounds and a BMI of 21. Imagine! The BMI chart applied to me too!! I try to gently point this out on the message boards I consult on, but people carefully choose their language with the term "I feel." We are taught to respect "I feel" and hold whatever follows in reverence. The problem is that many couch a thought with "I feel" terminology. They are actually expressing what they THINK and the thought, unexamined, limits their potential.

I love to work with people willing to differentiate between what they think and what they feel. These people are willing to examine their thoughts for patterns that limit their possibilities and may even cause a backwards slide into obesity. Really, losing the weight is just the beginning. Working with our thoughts about our weight and almost every aspect of our lives is central to long-term success and health.

I expressed thoughts like this on the message boards and within minutes there were multiple comments from people reverting saying "The BMI chart doesn't apply to me because I feel [this and that]." Losing a lot of weight isn't the end of the journey. It is just the beginning. So I believe examining the thought patterns that led to obesity is key in order to not return to obesity.

The BMI is not a perfect tool. No tool is perfect and there are some concerns as to its' value in all cases and for all bodies. But why not test it ALL THE WAY in your weight loss journey rather than holding-up short of optimal results? What do you think?