Helping/rewarding my husband

[Lauren_kay21 11]

Hi everyone! My husband is going through the pre-op for the gastric sleeve surgery just waiting for final approval from our insurance carrier and a surgery date.

I am trying to be the most supportive wife I can be. Which let me tell you can be a struggle Sometimes. Cutting out juice drinks and soda were hard but we've gotten through it, down to one glass of soda a week and no juice drinks.

My husband suffers from hbp, borderline high cholesterol, borderline diabetes, lymphedema and cellulitis of the left leg.

I just wanted to know if there is anything that y'all used as non food rewards. The doctor stated he would go down to approximately 250-300 pounds once all was said and done, as long as he does everything he is supposed to. Which is approximately 440 pounds.

I want to be able to show a little extra support with fun things once he reaches milestones like -100 pounds, -200 pounds. Any ideas?

HW 11/22/16- 691 pounds

CW 1/19/17- 646 pounds

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[erp 2,016]

Thank you for being so supportive as many of us not only lack support but often have friends and family actively discouraging us.

As your hubby hits major milestones, new experiences are a great way to Celebrate.

For me that included becoming more active as I regained mobility. I did an indoor skydiving session, something I would never have done at my pre-op size. Similarly, going on amusement park rides or doing other previously size-limited activities are a wow. I did a 5k not because I love jogging/running but just to finally experience it...to be able to say, "I've done that". So what are things your hubby can't do now that he wishes he could do?

Shopping for new clothes was also a reward. The experience of shopping for a new pants with smaller waistbands is exciting and even foreign as you get out of the big and tall section and into the mainstream area of a store. For example, I bought a special outfit for my birthday that was smaller than my current size and saw it hanging it up knowing the reward I had for hitting that new lower weight. I didn't care that I may not wear that outfit 100 times as I continued to lose weight and it became too big because for that one day, I felt so special not because I wore a new outfit but because I earned wearing that outfit. Obviously for your hubby, he may care nothing about clothes but hopefully you can see that it was more about the accomplishment. So what is meaningful to him regarding how he presents himself? (Or maybe it's you buying something sexy for him to enjoy? )

Finally, Celebrate things that aren't weight loss related but are health enhancing. Celebrate tossing out medications. Get a massage to help with the lymphedema, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions at the gym or whatever is appropriate. Again, it is wonderful that you are so supportive. Good luck on your husband's upcoming surgery.

[Lauren_kay21 11]

Thank you!

There are so many things he can not do comfortably right now that I take for granted. Like sitting at a movie theatre to watch a flick. Going to a football game. Walking around the mall. Going out to a restaurant. He is currently on disability due to the lymphadema. He is unable to walk without extreme discomfort a and pain. Which is understandable carrying around 646 pounds. I have quite a few things on my rewards list that will go hand and hand with the amount of progress, like a new outfit or sneakers. A golf weekend (he once was an avid golfer).

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[MissKay 329]

Those are great options! At -100 for me I got a tattoo. Nothing extravagant, but it was a nice reward for me. Something I now see and helps me push through when things are getting rough or I'm going through a stall.

[Lauren_kay21 11]

Congrats on your -100!!! He's not a tattoo kinda guy, unlike me lol. But I think it's an awesome idea. I was thing of buying him a halfway there watch with his highest weight inscribed so he will remember where he came from and strive to keep going.

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