Reputation from Caltania - Page 5

Caltania got a reaction from AZhiker in Changing Habits Prior to Surgery November 5, 2019

First off - hello, fellow Wisconsinite! *waves* OK, on to the real advice :-)
I can't really speak to long-term success yet, since I'm only about 5 months out from my surgery, but some of the best advice I've gotten came from a friend who had gastric bypass and gained it all back... he said that he tried too hard to be perfect, and that's what got him. It's taught me to embrace my imperfection and look at each day, sometimes each moment, as a clean slate. Just because I sneak some fun size candies from the dish at work doesn't mean this is who I am now. It means I made that choice once, and the next meals I have I can choose to be healthier. Self-forgiveness has been an incredible tool for me.
I'll also say that the gastric bypass has been an <i>amazing</i> tool for me. I literally can't fit in very much, and I experience just enough distress from eating certain things that it generally dissuades me from wanting to have them. As someone who also loves sweets and sugar, I find most of the time I pass on them now just because more than a couple of bites can make me feel miserable.
Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I hope some of this helps!

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 November 4, 2019

OK, I'm a few days behind, but I've been sticking to the challenge! And, I'm pleased to report it's been actively helpful - it's stopped me from taking Halloween candy from the treat table and stopping for frozen custard. I'm grateful for that, that's for sure!
Day 2 gratitude: I'm grateful for my smartphone for allowing me to keep my life organized in such a way that I feel empowered to continue to lose the weight.
Day 3 gratitude: I'm grateful for lettuce, oddly enough. I refused to eat it most of my life because I had a fear of trying new foods. Now, while I don't love it, I can eat it pretty easily, and appreciate both how it fills me up and the way my body craves it (even when my head doesn't!)
Day 4 gratitude: I'm grateful for a sad memory, actually. When I was little, I told my mom I wanted to lose 25 pounds on Jenny Craig, and she said, "But you only weigh 40!" This memory actually helps remind me that my weight issues have been around for my whole life and were shaped by influences beyond my control (and beyond my family's control, too). It helps me more easily forgive myself.
Tea time question: I'm thankfully not experiencing that from anyone I know. My friends and family have all been wonderfully supportive, even the friends I know who have had WLS surgeries that were not long term successes for them. As other posters have said, I do sometimes have those "I told you so" moments in my head, but I am generally very good at tuning out that voice these days and forgiving myself.

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 November 4, 2019

OK, I'm a few days behind, but I've been sticking to the challenge! And, I'm pleased to report it's been actively helpful - it's stopped me from taking Halloween candy from the treat table and stopping for frozen custard. I'm grateful for that, that's for sure!
Day 2 gratitude: I'm grateful for my smartphone for allowing me to keep my life organized in such a way that I feel empowered to continue to lose the weight.
Day 3 gratitude: I'm grateful for lettuce, oddly enough. I refused to eat it most of my life because I had a fear of trying new foods. Now, while I don't love it, I can eat it pretty easily, and appreciate both how it fills me up and the way my body craves it (even when my head doesn't!)
Day 4 gratitude: I'm grateful for a sad memory, actually. When I was little, I told my mom I wanted to lose 25 pounds on Jenny Craig, and she said, "But you only weigh 40!" This memory actually helps remind me that my weight issues have been around for my whole life and were shaped by influences beyond my control (and beyond my family's control, too). It helps me more easily forgive myself.
Tea time question: I'm thankfully not experiencing that from anyone I know. My friends and family have all been wonderfully supportive, even the friends I know who have had WLS surgeries that were not long term successes for them. As other posters have said, I do sometimes have those "I told you so" moments in my head, but I am generally very good at tuning out that voice these days and forgiving myself.

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 November 1, 2019

Day 1!
1. Avoid impulse foods and stick to the pre-planned foods I have with me each day (so far so good, despite our treat table being LOADED with goodies today...)
2. Gastric bypass, ~5 months post-op, still losing
3. CW 245.4, BMI 39.6
4. Today's question: What are you most grateful for today?
Today I'm feeling grateful for a lot of things, but since I'm in the midwestern US, I'm going to have to say I'm especially grateful for warm sweaters and blankets, because it's been COLD this week! Brrrrr.

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 October 31, 2019

I'm hoping I can manage this! I really need the extra motivation this time of year in particular...
1. My personal goal is to generally avoid impulse foods and stick to the pre-planned foods I have with me each day.
2. Gastric bypass, ~5 months post-op, still losing
3. CW 245.6, BMI 39.6 (just crossed out of morbid obesity - so proud of myself!)
4. I realize the challenge doesn't start until tomorrow, so for today I'll just say I'm grateful for this challenge! 😄

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 November 4, 2019

OK, I'm a few days behind, but I've been sticking to the challenge! And, I'm pleased to report it's been actively helpful - it's stopped me from taking Halloween candy from the treat table and stopping for frozen custard. I'm grateful for that, that's for sure!
Day 2 gratitude: I'm grateful for my smartphone for allowing me to keep my life organized in such a way that I feel empowered to continue to lose the weight.
Day 3 gratitude: I'm grateful for lettuce, oddly enough. I refused to eat it most of my life because I had a fear of trying new foods. Now, while I don't love it, I can eat it pretty easily, and appreciate both how it fills me up and the way my body craves it (even when my head doesn't!)
Day 4 gratitude: I'm grateful for a sad memory, actually. When I was little, I told my mom I wanted to lose 25 pounds on Jenny Craig, and she said, "But you only weigh 40!" This memory actually helps remind me that my weight issues have been around for my whole life and were shaped by influences beyond my control (and beyond my family's control, too). It helps me more easily forgive myself.
Tea time question: I'm thankfully not experiencing that from anyone I know. My friends and family have all been wonderfully supportive, even the friends I know who have had WLS surgeries that were not long term successes for them. As other posters have said, I do sometimes have those "I told you so" moments in my head, but I am generally very good at tuning out that voice these days and forgiving myself.

Caltania got a reaction from GreenTealael in 🍂 Nov 2019 Challenge🍂 November 4, 2019

OK, I'm a few days behind, but I've been sticking to the challenge! And, I'm pleased to report it's been actively helpful - it's stopped me from taking Halloween candy from the treat table and stopping for frozen custard. I'm grateful for that, that's for sure!
Day 2 gratitude: I'm grateful for my smartphone for allowing me to keep my life organized in such a way that I feel empowered to continue to lose the weight.
Day 3 gratitude: I'm grateful for lettuce, oddly enough. I refused to eat it most of my life because I had a fear of trying new foods. Now, while I don't love it, I can eat it pretty easily, and appreciate both how it fills me up and the way my body craves it (even when my head doesn't!)
Day 4 gratitude: I'm grateful for a sad memory, actually. When I was little, I told my mom I wanted to lose 25 pounds on Jenny Craig, and she said, "But you only weigh 40!" This memory actually helps remind me that my weight issues have been around for my whole life and were shaped by influences beyond my control (and beyond my family's control, too). It helps me more easily forgive myself.
Tea time question: I'm thankfully not experiencing that from anyone I know. My friends and family have all been wonderfully supportive, even the friends I know who have had WLS surgeries that were not long term successes for them. As other posters have said, I do sometimes have those "I told you so" moments in my head, but I am generally very good at tuning out that voice these days and forgiving myself.

Caltania reacted to caroconcerta in Before and After Pics November 4, 2019

A 70lb difference.

Caltania got a reaction from Hop_Scotch in RNY for Children - Thoughts? November 4, 2019

I think this is a decision for each family to make together with their care teams, rather than a blanket yes/no allowance. I do think there are instances where a child could successfully benefit from the surgery, and others where it would definitely not be a good idea, but I would imagine the majority of medical teams would be able to work with the families to make the determinations on a case by case basis. I don't know these people or their stories, so I feel it is not my place to pass judgment on their decisions.
From a personal standpoint, I wish I'd had the option of WLS when I was younger, at least as a teenager. Whether I would have pushed for it or not, it would have been good to have a care team that was knowledgeable enough and concerned enough to have the conversation in the first place, and the conversation alone may have been enough to help me begin to understand the severity of my issues.
Also I feel that the gender reassignment comparison is a red herring - they are very different issues, and the only reliable commonality is whether a decision is made to perform surgery on someone under 18.