I wrote this post for a WLS support group I am on. It is worth sharing here as well!
I was chatting with a friend today about WLS and my journey to goal weight. He told me someone asked him how much time I spend in the gym. I laughed. We had a great conversation about what made me successful in reaching my goal weight. So I thought I should share it here.
I am a stay at home mom to 4 kids kids. I am crazy busy all the time. So exercising has always been a struggle for me. In the begining of my journey I was too fat to do any weight bearing or jarring exercises. It hurt too much. So the first 40 pounds or so I lost with no exercise at all. Just DRASTIC changes to my diet. Then for a few months I swam in the Pool at the Y and lost another 40 pounds. By that time I was small enough that it didn't hurt my knees and hips to exercise so then I walked. I walked around my neighborhood. I walked on my treadmill. But not everyday. Just when I could fit it in.
I started out small with my walking. I would park at the back of the lot and walk across the parking lot to go shopping. I would walk with my kids while they rode their bikes. I would push my son in a stroller and walk with my other Mom friends instead of sitting at a coffee shop. I would take the stairs instead of the elevator. I bought a bike at a garage sale and would ride around the block with my kids. At my kids soccer practices i would walk around the soccer field and watch them play. So yes even a busy mom of 4 can find time to exercise. And all those small things add up to big results!
Where I made my biggest changes that contributed to my success at meeting my goals..... was in my diet. I drastically reduced all carbs. I always ate my protein first. I lived on cottage cheese, greek yogurt, string cheese, nuts, and lean meats. The basics of what we all started on.
I changed my mind about food. Food was no longer to soothe my emotions, It was to nourish my body. So I was mindful of what i put into my body and how I was feeling when ate. I ate mindfully.... meaning at a table, not at the TV or computer, I mindfully chewed each bite and paid attention to my portions. And I listened to my pouch. I didn't drink with my meals.
I also fight daily to address the concerns of why I overate in the first place. I have some demons I fight. I never feel like I am enough. I have traced that back to my childhood and things that happened to me then. I can pinpoint the moment in a conversation with my mom that I started believing the lie that I wasn't worth anything. And that I was unlovable. I fight to stop believing that lie and all the rest of the lies that followed it everyday.
The head work is by far the hardest part. But the headwork is what has to be done to keep me from gaining it back! The moment I stop fighting and give up on the head work is the moment I will start stuffing my face again!
I am a hot mess emotionally alot of the time. But I know that just like losing the weigh that I can and will be successful in getting through the mind fucks.
You sitting here reading this can be successful at this WLS journey. But it isn't only about calroies in vs calories out . It is about head work and changing your mind to change your life. And it is about having the right support to keep cheering you on even when you feel like you cant move one more step forward! Thank you everyone that has supported me and contributed to my success! heart emoticon
