Look Forward, Not Back: Don’t Let Your Past Stand in the Way of Weight Loss Surgery Success Part 2

[Alex Brecher 10,516]

Is your weight loss history standing between you and your current success after weight loss surgery? If you’re not getting the results you want, there’s a good chance it is. In Part 1 of the series, we brought up the idea of learning from your past, not running from it. Now, we take a look at a few more ways your past might have brought you down, and what you might be able to about it.

Problem: Depending on Others

This one’s not always so obvious, but it may be keeping you from reaching your full potential in weight loss and, frankly, in life. Of course, it’s normal and healthy to depend on others for some things. Maybe you rely on your spouse to pick up the kids from school, and you depend on your parents to parents to take care of your house when you’re on vacation.

But what about the important things? What about your health? Do you take full responsibility for it? Or do you do what you did as a kid – depend on someone to make sure you had the food you needed and expect your parents or the doctor would make you better if you got sick or hurt?

You’re still living in the past if you have not taken control of your health. You are the one who needs to purchase and prepare healthy food; set aside time to work out; eat the right foods to avoid complications from surgery. Others can help, but you need to be in charge.

Problem: Looking for the Quick Fix

If you look for a quick fix, you’ll probably find one. You can lose weight quickly using any number of strategies, and you’ve probably used them all from juicing to low-carb to low-fat. The problem with quick fixes is they’re quick to break, as you’ve found out when you went off the diets and gained the weight back. After WLS, don’t look for the quick fix. Be patient, and know you’re in it for the long haul.

Looking for the quick fix can be something obvious that you recognize in yourself, but it is not always. Looking for the quick fix can be as subtle as subconsciously thinking of what and how much you eat as a temporary diet or thinking of your exercise program as something with a start and finish.

You may be subconsciously looking for the quick fix if you’re unwilling to sign up for a long-term gym membership, or to invest in a kitchen scale or bariatric surgery recipe book. If you feel these things aren’t worthwhile, think about why. Is it because you don’t honestly see yourself needing them for long because you’re not really invested long-term into weight loss surgery success?

Problem: Not Building Your Support System

Many obese people struggle with late-night eating. Even if they are able to make it through the rest of the day eating reasonably healthy, night-time binges can strike furiously. If you weren’t able to overcome them previously, it may have been because you did not build enough of a support system.

This time, don’t underestimate the power of your support system. Include people, such as friends and family, as well as alternate plans. You can set up many layers of protection against late-night overeating. Don’t store junk food at home, and don’t drive home past trigger spots like drive-through burger joints. Have two or three friends or family members whom you can call or talk to if you’re about to make a bad choice, and choose a pre-determined activity to do before eating, whether you decide to blog, sew, or take a walk. Also, have plenty of ready-to-eat healthy food around so it’s easier to grab than any junk.

Problem: Lack of Self-Confidence

Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? You think something will happen a certain way, so you act as though it will happen that way, and then it does.

For weight loss, that can be a bad thing if you let it. “I know my diet’s going to fail, so I’m not going to bother weighing my food.” Then, guess what – you don’t lose weight! “I knew I wouldn’t lose weight.”

But self-fulfilling prophecies can be just as positive as they can negative, especially if you have self-confidence. “I know WLS will work for me, so I’m going to hit my Protein goals and weigh my portions every meal.” When you don’t even let doubt creep in, you can be more empowered to follow the behaviors that lead to success.

Weight loss surgery can be a fantastic tool for weight loss, but it’s only as good as you make it. To make it more powerful, don’t run from your personal history. Recognize your past, identify what went wrong, and fix it. Make sure this time really is different.

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

Wow, this one stepped on my toes - in a GOOD way!
I completely relate to every one of these issues - especially the quick fix one.
A lot of WLS patients are not only addicted to food, but they're addicted to dieting as well! Always looking for that perfect eating plan, that perfect diet, and the "next best thing". What I was searching for was validation that it was okay for me to eat certain foods!

[The Candidate 3,215]

Lots of excellent information here to consider. Thanks for sharing!

[MrsSugarbabe 727]

A lot of excellent points and reminders made, Alex. Thank you!!!

I continue to tell others about BP and how helpful it has been to me pre- and post-surgery.

Keep up the great work!!