Inner Surfer Girl

Here is a link to the website where you can put in your address and find a meeting near you:
http://www.oa.org/membersgroups/find-a-meeting/

I go at least once a week to Overeater's Anonymous preferably on Sunday afternoons. I feel it goes deeper than just eating habits and meal plans maintenance. Its a way of life a new life free from the mental obsession of food as being an activity. Emotional eating is what landed me in the position to get the surgery in the first place. The 12 step program shows a life free from the bondage of food being the center of daily life. When people share during the meeting they discuss real life problems surrounding compulsive eating and compulsive food behavior. yes I said it behavior part that includes that mentality of eating disorders because its more than just getting the surgery. Its not an answer all at all. The issues the dark secrets, regrets, shame, guilt all those issues that kept us in bondage with eating disorders. Eventually doing an inventory with someone else that has experience in the 12 step program. An inventory is a list of issues that kept us mentally in bondage to emotional eating. Getting the surgery is just a tool in a program of maintenance which might include therapy with a therapist especially during the first year out. What good is getting the surgery if we are not prepared to deal with the disease of eating disorders. Thats right Im talking real talk not sugarcoating what the core of obesity was or is. Even after we reach goal weight and congratulate ourselves by patting ourselves on the shoulders for a job well done. Then whats next fighting the obsession for poor food choices by the food industry. we cannot do it by ourselves remember dieting didnt work or the idea that its all about fighting obesity by ourselves. Its all about letting people into our lives that can be part of a healthy support network. Its all about changing old behaviors.

@@Summer Rain -- one more thing! You have a great handle. How about put your arms up in the air regularly like some one crossing a finish line and say something positive to yourself. I watched a Ted Talk about this. That gesture, "I did it!" Arms up, yippee, helps rewire our brains for more positive self-esteem. Sounds a bit kooky but I think it has worked for me. Also regarding friends and relationships, spending a year on this forum with people in the same process (we are all different, we are all the same) has given me some new people in my life who are such gifts. We haven't even met and probably won't but here we are. The support is tremendous. So you see, you are better than you thought at forging new relationships these days. You are reaching out and reaching in to take care of yourself. Enjoy the ride -- it's going to be great!

Just bought some hummus from wall mart today used mushrooms like chips . I have to say it was pretty damn good !

I wholeheartedly agree! IMO the idea is for those of us who do not have vested interests in any products or medical entities to give our experiences or opinions. NOT for vendors. That is what the little pop-up ads are for. It has much more impact when it is someone who has actually used the product or doctor, surgeon or hospital. As you stated, you can tell when it's a "put up" job.

Is it just me or does the rash of raves about GENEPRO Protein on this board lately sound very scripted? If you are shilling for the company you need to be open and above board. I have never tried the product and based on the red flags that go up when I read these "reviews" I won't be trying it. Does anyone else have a problem with this kind of covert marketing?

Is it just me or does the rash of raves about GENEPRO Protein on this board lately sound very scripted? If you are shilling for the company you need to be open and above board. I have never tried the product and based on the red flags that go up when I read these "reviews" I won't be trying it. Does anyone else have a problem with this kind of covert marketing?

Congrats, Ginger Snaps - that's a great NSV.
I was at a conference at our local university last weekend - it was spread out all over the campus and I could walk between the buildings with no problems. Also fit into those little chairs with the fold down desk in the lecture halls

Ok, I didn't really cheat...but it sure tasted that way! I haven't really craved sweets since surgery, but it's a rainy afternoon and I thought I'd see what kind of food experimenting I could get into with stuff I had in the fridge and cupboard.
Ended up with a killer cheesecake. Super simple...just cottage cheese, Muscle Milk cake batter powder and a dash of milk. Glad I only had 1/2 cup cottage cheese left or I might have OD'd on the stuff. With a big huge smile on my face. If only a I had graham crackers to sprinkle on top for a "deconstructed cheesecake". (Yes I watch Chopped)

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So yesterday, my family and I went to beach. I put on my swimsuit then a nice sundress cover up. I had no intentions of taking the dress off. However, when I put my swim suit on I glanced in the mirror and thought I saw a reflection that just didn't seem to be me. She was attractive, young, and vibrant. That was an image that I had not seen for a while staring back at me.
Fast forward to the beach. We were taking pictures of the kids as they enjoyed their afternoon. Something came over me. I took off my sundress, jumped up and asked my friend to take a picture of me. I was so nervous as to what I was going to see. You see, often times when I look in the mirror and see one thing, when i see a picture of myself, I see something quite different. But this time, when I saw the pictures. I was amazed. The person I saw staring back at me in the mirror, was the same person in the picture. The young, beautiful, vibrant me. Maybe she is not what society defines as young beautiful and vibrant but screw you society. I love me and that's all that counts.
Here's to 83 pounds in 6 months and 40 more to go!

What has worked for me the best up to now is to sign up for a class. Whether its Water aerobis or belly dancing or whatever, having something at a specific time and place makes it harder to put off.

What has worked for me the best up to now is to sign up for a class. Whether its Water aerobis or belly dancing or whatever, having something at a specific time and place makes it harder to put off.

Greek yogurt does have Protein. Does he want you to focus on that?

I think it is enlightening to see how different cultures have such different relationships to food! I would love to develop a more French and Mediterranean attitude toward nutrition. It is cool to hear everyone's experience.

I took a friend to the hospital today for tests. After they told me I could go get my car and pick her up outside the front entrance. So I was walking a long and there was a mom and a little girl behind me....
The little girl was chattering away about everything and nothing. Then she stops and says, 'mommy why is that lady's leg so little?' I knew she was talking about me because we were the only ones around. Her mother did not miss a beat! She said,' honey I think she was born with them like that.'
I looked around and the mother smiled faintly at me hoping I did not hear. I smiled back.
I thought, " you should have seen me two years ago, they would have been hidden from view."
Is that a NSV or just an observation by a little girl with big blue eyes!

I am focusing on it since I like it and it's available

I have been addressing my food addiction for 15 years. I regularly attend 12 step meetings and talk about stressors in a group setting.

I have been reading through your threads and it is making me very sad. I am pre-op and have only recently come to the decision to have the surgery. I am doing a lot of research because I know that surgery is not a "magic bullet".
I am not where you are in your journey but I have worked with college students in helping them succeed in school. How are you doing in school? My guess from your posts is that you are having struggles in most areas of your life.
May I offer some unsolicited advice and give you a bit of homework?
First, be completely honest with yourself, your surgeon and your therapist.
Write out why you had the surgery in the first place and what you hoped the surgery would help you accomplish. What do you want your life to be like?
Print out your threads on this discussion board and share them with your surgeon and therapist.
Go through these posts and write down everwhere you said you CANT do something.
Change each of these statements to a positive statement.
Make a list of the advice that others have shared wirh you. (It probably matches your surgeons instructions in the first place -- pull out your surgery manual if you received one and reread it).
Once you have done this you probably have a very clear list of things to do every day. -- get back to basics.
Pull out your calendar and make a schedule include your classes, study time, activities, sleep, etc. Fill in the activities you need to get back on track -- be detailed. Schedule time to drink Protein shakes, take Vitamins, drink Water, exercise, etc. Get your nutritionist to help you with this.
I think if you try these suggestions, you may not feel so overwhelmed.
You have already had the surgery. With the help of professionals and support from resources like this board, you can succeed. But, you have to do the work one day at a time.
Keep your chin up!

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!

Someone who was very close to me for many years, is my same age (we celebrated our bog 4-0 together 10 years ago!) is laying near death in a skilled nursing facility. It has been sad and shocking for someone so young to be taken by brain cancer.
I was up visiting on Saturday even though she is no longer aware of our presence. I was walking down the hall at this nursing home and a woman in a wheelchair who looked to be at least in her 90s spoke to me in a clear and strong voice ...
"what color is your hair? "
Me: "Brown"
Grand Lady: "I see auburn too"
Me: "Yes, I have some red in it too. "
Grand Lady: "You should thank God you are so beautiful and have such lovely hair"
I was stunned. While I realize that she probably has dementia and likely has this same conversation with every woman that walks down the hall, it actually was a very wise remark and gave me pause... a reason to stop and ask myself if I am remembering to be grateful. I was reminded to thank God daily for everything I have - not really just appearances but everything. I get to go out and enjoy life. I can run, jump, breath, laugh, hike up a mountain, go dancing, go out and play with my friends, ride my horse on a beautiful day. Enjoy life and remember to give thanks. I was able to do some of these things as a super morbidly obese person, but it is ingrained in my life now... and that is a good thing.

I didn't enjoy the sleep study, just because I have a hard enough time sleeping without all the wires, the different bed, etc. But they were all very nice and did their best to make me comfortable, and I knew it was really important to do. Turns out I stopped breathing 251 times in just 3 hours!
I don't mind the CPAP at all, in fact I actually love it since I sleep better now than I have for years. It's become something very comforting, if that makes sense. I certainly won't be sad to not need it any more after surgery though!

Thanks guys and I try to never lose appreciation for the beauty around me. There's a plaque in my kitchen that reads "If you are lucky enough to live in the mountains then you are lucky enough". And it's right next to the plaque that reads "Thou Shall Not Whine"
BTW, I'm in eastern Idaho on the "good" side of the Teton range. And by good I mean about 2 million less tourists/year than Grand Teton National Park on the other side. The trail I took the pictures on is one of the more popular ones over here, but we still only saw 7 people on the 6 hour ride. Most times we never see anyone.
Cody's mom...it won't be long before you are back in the saddle and it will be fabulous! And save up for a new saddle....I actually had to get a new one with a 3" smaller seat....my most expensive NSV. As for mounting, I still look for a log or rock or stand her downhill to get on in order to minimize the pull and twist of the saddle and girth. It's better for them anyways.

Just thought I'd share a few views from my saddle yesterday....
the little white speck in the middle is my dog
tin cup creek
south Leigh canyon on the west side of the Tetons

And ditto to what Cowgirljane said. Your BMI is pretty low, so you are already close to what a lot of people set as goal. They just had to lose way more to get there. You should look at percentages of total excess pounds, not just number of pounds lost. Actually, I take that back. You shouldn't be comparing yourself to others at all.