I disappeared for about 6 months...and it was a **** of ride. Major changes in my life.
I decided to get weight loss surgery and spent the last 4 months focused on it. But the organization I was working with was not the right fit for me...and even though in my mind I wanted the surgery this December, I called a halt to it. There's a lot of reasons that this place wasn't the right fit...To begin with, they were over an hour away, and driving there once a month was adding huge work stress. In addition they seemed really unorganized. My last session with them I was chewed out for not doing something that I had never been told to do. Turned out the information was in a folder that I had never been given. They lost my paper work, but wanted to put the blame on me.
I realized I didn't want to be vulnerable to them. And so didn't make a new appointment. That was at the beginning of November.
At the same time I decided to do the surgery, my husband of 8 years decided he didn't want to be married to me any more. We're divorced now, and I won't lie, I'm still pissed at him. But it was probably in the long run, the right thing.
I was in crisis mode, but my friends really stepped up and my support network came out of the woodwork. Two of my oldest friends (a married couple) invited me to live in a Casita on their property. So I've been living on my own for 4 months.
In that 4 months I've lost over 25 pounds. That's about 6 pounds a month. Which seems to me like a pretty healthy rate of weight loss. So what did I do differently...when I was married, my husband did the grocery shopping and most of the cooking. I now had to shop for my self. First thing I did was not buy trigger foods. Just the act of not having chips and sweets in the house helped me lose the first 5 pounds. Then I started cutting out processed food in general. Lean meats, beans, veggies, fruits, complex carbohydrates are what my meals consisted of. That alone helped me lose another 10 pounds. I wasn't even measuring my portions or restricting how much I ate. The last 10 pounds have been because I did start paying attention to portions...or more importantly paying attention to being full. That was easier to do because I think my blood sugar had leveled out, so I didn't have my brain telling me to eat more when my stomach was saying it was enough.
I still have a ways to go. I haven't ruled out weight loss surgery, but If I lose much more weight, I don't think my insurance would pay for the surgery. But The changes I am making have to take place surgery or not. After all, the surgery is only a tool and not a cure all. But if making the changes without the surgery works then I guess that's better.
In the mean time my next short term goal is to start working on increasing my exercise. I pretty much hate exercise, but it's time to bite the bullet. I still have 75 more pounds to go.
So here we go: Highest Weight: 250. Current weight: 224. Goal Weight: 150.
I admittedly have never looked into this, but I have always thought you had to have more to lose in order to qualify for weight loss surgery... Like 300+ pounds. Surprised they'd do it with you under 300.
I agree that you can do it on your own. Might take a bit longer, but it's better to take longer and stick, than lose it fast and gain it back fast.
The typical criteria for weight loss surgery is 40 bmi. I'm pretty short so being 250 and even at 225 I am still at 40 bmi. Or you could have a BMI of 35 with some other factor related to the weight, ie diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc. Sadly I think I would still qualify because I do have sleep apnea and high blood pressure. In my journey I am beginning to believe that fast weight loss doesn't actually cause weight gain, but instead it typically means that people haven't actually changed their life style. So it's possible to lose weight with the surgery and keep it off. But it really is only a tool that doesn't work on it own.
But for the me...I have to admit. I'm glad that yesterday I could enjoy thanks giving yesterday. I even had pie. But the lifestyle means I didn't bring any pie home. And the mass amount of eating is done. It's one day of feasting. I don't plan to feast the whole season. In fact, my current plan is not to eat all the candy and junk food that is going to make it's way into my world in the next month. But I do plan to enjoy myself for Christmas. One day. And even then, I will still make good choices. That's what I did yesterday. I enjoyed myself and I was full. But I didn't binge, I didn't shovel food in my mouth. I savored everything. And today, I am back to eating healthy again. Surgery would prevent me from having days like that. I really can see the benefit of surgery. But if I can do it without it. I think I want to.
Oh ok... Thanks for the clarification on the criteria! Like I said, I've never looked into it. I think the whole BMI thing is ridiculous bc there is so much it does not take into account, but that's a discussion for another day!
I'm right with you with wanting to be able to enjoy holidays and special occasions, and get back on the wagon the next day! Did I overeat on Thanksgiving? Yeah, probably... Was it really, really yummy and a once a year dinner? Yes!
Sounds like you know that you need to do. Keep it up!
Welcome back Seana! Sorry to hear about the divorce, but glad you ditched the first WLS clinic.
Congrats on the weight loss, and especially the healthy eating!! If you want exercise motivation, there's a nice, very encouraging monthly thread here under challenges.
Back again....
