Almost 5 years post-op and the enclosed is true

4.5 years later I find this to be gospel. Read it...and know that if you had
WLS recently, these stages are a guarantee in your life. Be prepared or regain is eminent.

1. Decision Point:
You make the big decision to have Weight Loss Surgery

2. Shock and Awe:
You feel "Buyers Remorse" or are in awe of how little you can eat.

3. Grief and Loss:
You feel sad about the loss of some foods, rituals or even friends.

4. The Miracle:
You feel invincible...like you will never overeat again.

5. Testing Limits:
You go back to foods that used to trigger you to overeat, like sweets.

6. End of Invincible:
The "honeymoon" ends and your eating can more easily affect your weight loss
or maintenance.

7. Give Up or Change:
You realize if you don't make changes, you will gain weight or are gaining
weight.

8. Learning:
You open up and learn to pinpoint what your real problems are (not what you
assume they are.)

9. Experimenting:
You go through a trial and error process to discover what really will work
for you.

10. Self Trust:
You develop a sense of self trust and self care that was previously
non-existent.

11. Mastery:
You regain some control and begin to experience some peace of mind with food
your body and the scale.

12. Freedom:
You see that what you really want to do, and what you must do to stay
healthy, are one and the same.

Stage 12 is also a reflection of having reach a better stage of good mental
health. It means we are not only eating right, but we are now eating right
because we love ourselves enough to also want good health. We stop using
food as a punishing rod from old and tired history. We now desire to
eliminate those bad foods...the toxic foods, from our lives so that we can
enjoy the blessings of life before our health deteriorates from heart or
obesity issues. Life stops being about the scale and it starts being about
living it to the fullest.

This comes with love...from someone that has learned that when you get to
Stage 12, you must protect it and cheri****because there is always
something or someone that might want to steal it away from you. Love it,
live it and protect it. It's your only life :)

 

(credit) Katie Jay  - National Association of Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS)

Hi There, and Thank You! I'm still waiting for my surgery, but I've been looking for and taking in as much info about regains as possible. It is one of my biggest fears and I'm trying to set myself up for success long-term. Reading about the realities of WLS is so important! Its not just a walk in the park, its effort, resolve and motivation. I'm sure that there is a bit of blood, sweat and some tears in there too. I really hope I can be a veteran success as well. Thanks again.

C

Please let me know when I reach peace of mind with food, my body and the scale.  

I'm still waiting.....

 

Dawn

I agree with you...100%!!!

Words of wisdom from a vet!  I salute you!

as noted on the bottom I cannot take credit for it...I pirated it, but I do share things that I believe in and think will be of benefit to others.

 

After all we are ALL on the same journey~!

I needed to read this today.  At almost 11 months out I am starting to feel the mind mess of very very slow loss.  It's frustrating !

I just went through 10 years of photos last night and I can't believe I didn't know to do this then.  So many years wasted being overweight and being afraid. 

 

When I want to overeat or eat crappy things I am going to read this.  I am going to look at my FatPhotos and I am going to go for a walk (easier said than done I suppose) and although I may eat, it will be a good choice. 

Fingers crossed I continue to succeed and so do all of you !

 

 

Thank you for the read it is something that I am going to print out and try to live by.

Great post. I really want the peace from crazy eating and thinking. So far I am learning a lot about head hunger and how it applies to me. Really is quite a journey isn't it!!!

every little bit helps and sometimes reminders from the past are what keeps us on track or PUTS us back on track...that's why I like to keep things that I feel are motivational and may help ME or someone else in the future...glad that almost 300 people have read this~!!

 

Continued success to all~!