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Freedom from weight obsession...

gmanbat

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gmanbat    5,889

gmanbat
Posted

I have reached my goal and am in top shape. I am above average in strength and endurance for a man of 64 years as attested to by the 20-30 year olds I work with shoveling dirt and wheelbarrowing in the hot and humid Florida summer. If I try on clothes now I am making sure they are not too big instead of making sure they are not too small. I am set in cement on my resolve to remain in shape and train like an athlete for the rest of my life. The fat shall never make a comeback.

Weight obsession took up a great deal of my attention. It demanded and received it because of the health drain that it was on me physically and emotionally. The enemy has been conquered but my body requires a garrison to be situated to guard against an insurrection. Peace is only sustained through diligent observation. I will continue to observe my exercise and diet but not obsess. I don't obsess about brushing my teeth but I do it several times a day. My time on this forum is also a part of that diligence.

Isn't freedom what we are wanting through all of this? Free to move with ease, free to breath normally, free to wear what we want, free to look attractive, freedom from self-consciousness, free to have confidence, and most of all, freedom from obsession about weight. Now we can go about life's other aspects: love, God, family, work, fun, fulfillment of dreams,... exploring our hidden potentials and turning them into actuated realities. We can fill up the space formerly occupied by weight obsession with life itself.

So in the end weight loss is not an end in itself, it is one leg of a journey to the goal of freedom to live out our humanity to the maximum.

LipstickLady, Gojogo, SuNMooNStaRS816 and 6 others reacted to this

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Oliver's Mom    258

Oliver's Mom
Posted

Very well said! Kudos to you!!

gmanbat reacted to this

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Ytsepam    15

Ytsepam
Posted

Speaking of exploring "hidden potentials," have you thought about writing as a second career? I am so inspired by your post, that I am going to copy it and refer back to it when I hit those inevitable lows. Thank you!

lifer, gmanbat and neneh_vsg reacted to this

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ShellBell25    41

ShellBell25
Posted

Fabulously said! Love it! :)

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Go To Topic Listing POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
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