I tried to cut and paste my journal and it didn't work ugh...
I'm too tired to write it all out (what I ate and when) but I found today to be much easier.
I did not crave carbs as much as I did yesterday and stuck to the high protein.
The soup I made from a recipe in the book was horrible. I am used to full bodied, full flavored soups. This lacked both. The soups I normally make fit within the program and I do not use store bought broth yuck!
I also decided to cut out coffee today. I use Creamora which does have carbs in it. Instead I made myself green tea. I'm not a tea drinker, but I took out my fancy tea cup that has a cover and I must say I did enjoy my Green Tea.
I also took Emergen-C. Several packets come with the book. Different flavors which I will critique . I will say this, I'd drink it over Gatorade any day. It has Vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. It is slightly fizzy. I used the Super orange and I'd drink it again. This is supposed to help with carb cravings and it does.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow because I'm dying to try the Tuna patty. Tomorrow is soft protein day. There is a fabulous Breakfast bake, but I won't have time because I have an appointment at 10 am. Perhaps Tuesday.
I was totally on track today and followed everything to the letter. My snack, in a little while, will be my pudding. That is made with instant FF/SF pudding. You blend protein powder in the 2 cups of milk and then add it to the pudding mix. I use PURE unflavored protein and I defy anyone to know it's in there.. I also managed to get some work done today...Much more energy then yesterday...but I am tired now.
I have a great deal to say and explain about this "test" but I fear boring you to death...so as time goes on, maybe I can fit it in. The principle behind the "test" is well thought out and it is very logical to me as to why it works.....See you in the A.M.
My Hidden Treasure
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Day TWO
WOW!! What an experience yesterday was. I always tell people that my weight came from eating GOOD food. I LOVE food. I like cooking it, I love watching people eat what I cook and I enjoy the taste of what I make. I am glad I started this on the week-end, BEFORE I had to start thinking about other things on my agenda (Like health issues and doc appointments ugh:)
Yesterday gave me time to reflect, time to pause. It was like a HUGE "Ah Ha" moment. I found myself hungry and with a terrible headache. The hunger was obviously because I had been eating until I hit that "Last bite" moment..instead of slowing down and allowing the feeling to come sooner. I thought I had given up drinking with meals. I have sjogrens syndrom and cannot eat certain foods without wetting my mouth, but that can be done with a sip. Of course as time passed the sip became an actual drink and I lost track of the fact to wait an hour before drinking...Sheesh, this isn't rocket science.
Several packets of Emergen-C were included with the book. Thank goodness, that helped a bit with the headache. I had the shake for Breakfast, which I will also do today, I had an orange for snack (today I will have a 1/2 apple). I was hungry at lunch so I had soup ( allowable) instead of a shake (I wanted something hot) In between lunch and dinner I had 1/2 cup of blueberries and a 1/2 banana oops! The banana was off program but satisfied my need for a carb. Dinner was soup, which I ate very slowly and did not drink. I felt satisfied much longer. I'm obviously used to snacking after dinner because I found myself craving...I gave that some thought and realized I was in fact snacking...good snacks fruit, peanut butter on a rice puff and also bad ones, like a 100 cal. snack pack. That was a smack in the head for sure. I was able to deal with the waiting, but it was hard...definitely a mind thing. At 7p.m. I had my snack of High protein pudding, very satisfying.
I felt good that I made it through the first day without screwing up too bad. I look forward to this day with hope that it will be easier. I did go back to the penny trick with my water. I don not drink as much as I once did and it has taken it's toll. I line up 8 pennies on my window sill and each time I finish a glass of water (sipping of course) I move the penny to the other side.
I moved 7 pennies yesterday, but also drank the shake and had a glass of ice tea and 6 oz with the emergen-C. I have to confess, this seems as hard to do as the original "Full" liquid stage.
I see myself doing this over and over again until I get it right.
I feel very positive that this has something to do with the renewed energy I feel this morning. I also feel that because I have very few sleep hours, that banana really wasn't all that bad to have.
Stay tuned....
Yesterday gave me time to reflect, time to pause. It was like a HUGE "Ah Ha" moment. I found myself hungry and with a terrible headache. The hunger was obviously because I had been eating until I hit that "Last bite" moment..instead of slowing down and allowing the feeling to come sooner. I thought I had given up drinking with meals. I have sjogrens syndrom and cannot eat certain foods without wetting my mouth, but that can be done with a sip. Of course as time passed the sip became an actual drink and I lost track of the fact to wait an hour before drinking...Sheesh, this isn't rocket science.
Several packets of Emergen-C were included with the book. Thank goodness, that helped a bit with the headache. I had the shake for Breakfast, which I will also do today, I had an orange for snack (today I will have a 1/2 apple). I was hungry at lunch so I had soup ( allowable) instead of a shake (I wanted something hot) In between lunch and dinner I had 1/2 cup of blueberries and a 1/2 banana oops! The banana was off program but satisfied my need for a carb. Dinner was soup, which I ate very slowly and did not drink. I felt satisfied much longer. I'm obviously used to snacking after dinner because I found myself craving...I gave that some thought and realized I was in fact snacking...good snacks fruit, peanut butter on a rice puff and also bad ones, like a 100 cal. snack pack. That was a smack in the head for sure. I was able to deal with the waiting, but it was hard...definitely a mind thing. At 7p.m. I had my snack of High protein pudding, very satisfying.
I felt good that I made it through the first day without screwing up too bad. I look forward to this day with hope that it will be easier. I did go back to the penny trick with my water. I don not drink as much as I once did and it has taken it's toll. I line up 8 pennies on my window sill and each time I finish a glass of water (sipping of course) I move the penny to the other side.
I moved 7 pennies yesterday, but also drank the shake and had a glass of ice tea and 6 oz with the emergen-C. I have to confess, this seems as hard to do as the original "Full" liquid stage.
I see myself doing this over and over again until I get it right.
I feel very positive that this has something to do with the renewed energy I feel this morning. I also feel that because I have very few sleep hours, that banana really wasn't all that bad to have.
Stay tuned....
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Day one report
I feel compelled to write this because when I started this morning it seemed like it would be a breeze.
Gosh how soon we forget all we had gone through and what we had learned. Someone asked me today what I felt I did wrong. My answer "I don't feel I did anything wrong, it's what I didn't do right".
We learn a lot in the beginning and then time passes and although we THINK we are doing very well, the changes are subtle . We take a slightly bigger piece of chicken then we know we should have and think "It's just this once...I'm hungry". We may take a small piece of candy because we "Need" it...but don't realize we took a small piece of cake yesterday because we "needed it". Those snack packs that we trade off for, you know the ones that ONLY have 100 calories. We know they are empty calories, but it satisfys a desire. All the while we see no change on the scale and we are happy :-) Little by little we forget to watch the time, we start eating faster, taking bigger bites, eating just a bit more then we have in the past.... What I didn't do was remember. I allowed myself to slip back into habits that I thought I had broken. Does anyone remember me saying this isn't the EASY way out.
I will always suffer from this disease, I will always be a recovering food-aholic. I have the knowledge, I have the tool and I have the support, all of which I lacked before.
I am pleased to be able to nip this in the bud. I realize from reading my journals that I am addicted to carbs. Now, just after less then one day of the "Test" I KNOW I'm addicted because I am going through withdrawal. I'm talking about hidden carbs...not candy and cake.. but pasta, bread, crackers etc. I wasn't over doing carbs, but I was feeding an addiction. Today is carb free and I'm slowly coming to the realization that I may never be able to eat carbs again. Now I know what my friend Jeff meant and it's so true...Carbs are like potato chips...you just can't eat a few.
I am craving something sweet. Thank goodness the "test" allows for protein enriched pudding, which I have made. It will be the treat I give myself, an allowable treat, as an evening snack.
I did opt to have soup instead of a shake for lunch. I just wanted something warm...just like when I first came out of surgery. It certainly does get you back in touch and on the bright side, it also puts you back in control...stay tuned.
Gosh how soon we forget all we had gone through and what we had learned. Someone asked me today what I felt I did wrong. My answer "I don't feel I did anything wrong, it's what I didn't do right".
We learn a lot in the beginning and then time passes and although we THINK we are doing very well, the changes are subtle . We take a slightly bigger piece of chicken then we know we should have and think "It's just this once...I'm hungry". We may take a small piece of candy because we "Need" it...but don't realize we took a small piece of cake yesterday because we "needed it". Those snack packs that we trade off for, you know the ones that ONLY have 100 calories. We know they are empty calories, but it satisfys a desire. All the while we see no change on the scale and we are happy :-) Little by little we forget to watch the time, we start eating faster, taking bigger bites, eating just a bit more then we have in the past.... What I didn't do was remember. I allowed myself to slip back into habits that I thought I had broken. Does anyone remember me saying this isn't the EASY way out.
I will always suffer from this disease, I will always be a recovering food-aholic. I have the knowledge, I have the tool and I have the support, all of which I lacked before.
I am pleased to be able to nip this in the bud. I realize from reading my journals that I am addicted to carbs. Now, just after less then one day of the "Test" I KNOW I'm addicted because I am going through withdrawal. I'm talking about hidden carbs...not candy and cake.. but pasta, bread, crackers etc. I wasn't over doing carbs, but I was feeding an addiction. Today is carb free and I'm slowly coming to the realization that I may never be able to eat carbs again. Now I know what my friend Jeff meant and it's so true...Carbs are like potato chips...you just can't eat a few.
I am craving something sweet. Thank goodness the "test" allows for protein enriched pudding, which I have made. It will be the treat I give myself, an allowable treat, as an evening snack.
I did opt to have soup instead of a shake for lunch. I just wanted something warm...just like when I first came out of surgery. It certainly does get you back in touch and on the bright side, it also puts you back in control...stay tuned.
DAY 1
I have a restored excitement. Doesn't that sound silly? I have such a tremendous amount of faith not only in this surgery, but in our team, and in the program . No one was more ready for this surgery then I. I had not one doubt, I still don't.
This "Test" is really not a test at all. It is a little mini plan to bring you back to the beginning. To make you remember why you started this Journey in the first place. How could I forget? It just happens I guess. I've watched people gain weight and wonder why they aren't doing anything about it. We all work so damn hard at this.. Perhaps people do not realize they have gained 5 pounds, then it becomes 10...I'm not a scale person, nor am I obsessive , but I do get on the scale often enough to catch a gain before it becomes a serious problem.
I have been wanting to jump start my body for a while now, just to see if I could lose MORE weight then what I did initially (I want to break the "window of opportunity"). I believe everything happens for a reason and I'm hoping this 5DPT came along at just the right time.
As I've said to Newbies, this is a life time commitment . Yes your tool will help you melt away, but it's only a tool, it's all up to you to make it work for the rest of your life.
Today I will begin at my beginning. When my pouch was new and sensitive. I will have two "healing "days of full liquids. There is some leverage , there are recipes for soups that I would not have eaten right after surgery, but they have a purpose. This "Test" is to break the carb cycle and get back to basics. This is NOT a diet, but rather a drastic measure to get back into control of my tool.
This is my menu for today (should I vary at all, I will list it tomorrow. Honesty is the only way we can all grow and learn together)
Morning: Strawberry smoothie
mid morn snack- High-protein pudding
lunch- Chocolate smoothie
afternoon snack- an orange
Dinner- Soup I made yesterday (pea soup...delicious) recipe is on site.
Evening snack- Unjury high protein pudding
Needless to say I need to also stay hydrated and take supplements as usual
I certainly appreciate all the support I've gotten. Keep it up.....
This "Test" is really not a test at all. It is a little mini plan to bring you back to the beginning. To make you remember why you started this Journey in the first place. How could I forget? It just happens I guess. I've watched people gain weight and wonder why they aren't doing anything about it. We all work so damn hard at this.. Perhaps people do not realize they have gained 5 pounds, then it becomes 10...I'm not a scale person, nor am I obsessive , but I do get on the scale often enough to catch a gain before it becomes a serious problem.
I have been wanting to jump start my body for a while now, just to see if I could lose MORE weight then what I did initially (I want to break the "window of opportunity"). I believe everything happens for a reason and I'm hoping this 5DPT came along at just the right time.
As I've said to Newbies, this is a life time commitment . Yes your tool will help you melt away, but it's only a tool, it's all up to you to make it work for the rest of your life.
Today I will begin at my beginning. When my pouch was new and sensitive. I will have two "healing "days of full liquids. There is some leverage , there are recipes for soups that I would not have eaten right after surgery, but they have a purpose. This "Test" is to break the carb cycle and get back to basics. This is NOT a diet, but rather a drastic measure to get back into control of my tool.
This is my menu for today (should I vary at all, I will list it tomorrow. Honesty is the only way we can all grow and learn together)
Morning: Strawberry smoothie
mid morn snack- High-protein pudding
lunch- Chocolate smoothie
afternoon snack- an orange
Dinner- Soup I made yesterday (pea soup...delicious) recipe is on site.
Evening snack- Unjury high protein pudding
Needless to say I need to also stay hydrated and take supplements as usual
I certainly appreciate all the support I've gotten. Keep it up.....
Friday, January 21, 2011
The 5 Day Pouch test begins tomorrow
Okay, here I go on yet another Journey. A small one, but interesting, at least to me.
I put an additional 150 pounds on my body, 5 pounds at a time. I gained 5 and said..."just 5 pounds , I can lose that". Gained another 5 pounds and instead of seeing it in it totality I said once again "It's only 5 pounds, no biggie". Then came the next 5 and yet another remark of just 5 pounds instead of the 15 it actually was. You get the picture, right?
I vowed when I lost 135 pounds that I would NEVER go back. If nothing else I am committed to keeping that promise.
As the years (2+) passed, I've been proud to maintain my loss. Then it happened...I got on the scale and had gained. I was devastated and immediately started to look back at my journals. Of course I saw a pattern...A pattern of complacency and some very bad choices (making notes that it was a tiny this or a very small that) In reading my journals, I also began to see the lackluster of my over all personality. Yes the positive was still there. I'm a very positive person so that's no surprise. But the glow was not there, it had begun to vanish. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, short of sewing my mouth shut. I knew I had to do something. While talking to a dear friend she mentioned the 5 day pouch test and gave me the site to go look at.
You and I both know that WL is a billion dollar industry, so to say I was suspect (the woman has an on-line store) is an understatement. But then I realized something, aside from a fantastic positive outlook on life, this woman offered everything for free. Sure you could buy stuff, you can even subscribe to get more recipes...but the basic facts and the basic help is there for all to read.
She got my attention with that. She obviously is a business woman who also has a heart and a true belief in bariatric surgery. So I continued to read, then I sent for the book, because I wanted the info in my grubby little hands. I read some more. The kit came with some vitamins, some soup mix and some other stuff...all of which we can buy or not buy later on down the road.
In reading the book I began to feel that same excitement I felt when I went to my very first meeting. This woman KNEW how I was feeling, she's obviously been there. She also shares my attitude that weight loss doesn't have to stop and all things are possible.
So I've decided to take the 5 day pouch test...I've decided to "fix my WLS tool" and get back in control...I'd like to take you with me...If you are a newbie, don't let this scare you...rather rest easy in knowing there will always be help available and you NEVER have to go back to that dark place. For those of you around longer then I, if you're okay, that's fabulous...if not, join me.
No matter, I'd just like to see how this works and I'd like you all along for the ride.
I will leave you with her book dedication : Dedicated to the courageous owners of the WLS tool who, through personal responsibility, pursue their greatest potential for health, wellness, knowledge, and self reliance. May every day of your life be dedicated to doing your best at LIVING after WLS.... YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
I put an additional 150 pounds on my body, 5 pounds at a time. I gained 5 and said..."just 5 pounds , I can lose that". Gained another 5 pounds and instead of seeing it in it totality I said once again "It's only 5 pounds, no biggie". Then came the next 5 and yet another remark of just 5 pounds instead of the 15 it actually was. You get the picture, right?
I vowed when I lost 135 pounds that I would NEVER go back. If nothing else I am committed to keeping that promise.
As the years (2+) passed, I've been proud to maintain my loss. Then it happened...I got on the scale and had gained. I was devastated and immediately started to look back at my journals. Of course I saw a pattern...A pattern of complacency and some very bad choices (making notes that it was a tiny this or a very small that) In reading my journals, I also began to see the lackluster of my over all personality. Yes the positive was still there. I'm a very positive person so that's no surprise. But the glow was not there, it had begun to vanish. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, short of sewing my mouth shut. I knew I had to do something. While talking to a dear friend she mentioned the 5 day pouch test and gave me the site to go look at.
You and I both know that WL is a billion dollar industry, so to say I was suspect (the woman has an on-line store) is an understatement. But then I realized something, aside from a fantastic positive outlook on life, this woman offered everything for free. Sure you could buy stuff, you can even subscribe to get more recipes...but the basic facts and the basic help is there for all to read.
She got my attention with that. She obviously is a business woman who also has a heart and a true belief in bariatric surgery. So I continued to read, then I sent for the book, because I wanted the info in my grubby little hands. I read some more. The kit came with some vitamins, some soup mix and some other stuff...all of which we can buy or not buy later on down the road.
In reading the book I began to feel that same excitement I felt when I went to my very first meeting. This woman KNEW how I was feeling, she's obviously been there. She also shares my attitude that weight loss doesn't have to stop and all things are possible.
So I've decided to take the 5 day pouch test...I've decided to "fix my WLS tool" and get back in control...I'd like to take you with me...If you are a newbie, don't let this scare you...rather rest easy in knowing there will always be help available and you NEVER have to go back to that dark place. For those of you around longer then I, if you're okay, that's fabulous...if not, join me.
No matter, I'd just like to see how this works and I'd like you all along for the ride.
I will leave you with her book dedication : Dedicated to the courageous owners of the WLS tool who, through personal responsibility, pursue their greatest potential for health, wellness, knowledge, and self reliance. May every day of your life be dedicated to doing your best at LIVING after WLS.... YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Don't be in a Hurry
Over the last few months I've seen new Butterflies emerge, I've spoken to people eager to start this journey..One thing that always jumps out at me is that everyone is in a hurry to make it happen.
Being anxious to start this journey is understandable. We've took years to pack on the pounds but now suddenly there is a tool available that will help us take it all off with the sweep of a magic wand. WRONG... There is a reason why we are asked to jump through hoops, a reason why we are evaluated by many professionals and for some there is a reason our surgery seems to take forever to be approved. This is an educational process and some of us take longer then others. I am always amazed, that even after all the education, all the meetings, all the continued questions and answers, some people still remain in the dark about certain things.
That's one reason I attend as many meetings as I can. Just in case I fall back into darkness, there is always someone to bring me back into the light.
There is no Magic wand...Those choosing the Band, for the most part, will only lose one to two pounds a week...However that's as little at 52 pounds a year. Some do better.. some do worse.
If you chose RNY the pounds will melt off like magic, but it's a hard road and you will pay for every mistake you make. Point being, try to stick to the program and not make those mistakes too often. Then there is that "Window", many people have proven it wrong, but on average you will cease to lose weight after 18 months or so...that's the claim.
So we take our time and we pick the surgery that is best for us...not based on ridiculous statistic's or the foolish rantings of others...but on the education we have gotten over time by listening, following successful people and doing our research. I don't quite understand why some people tend to latch on to those having the hardest of times with their tool...You may not be like them, so why get the crap scared out of you? Doesn't make sense to me... I picked people who had not only lost a great deal of weight, but kept it off and had the same logical approach to this program as I did.
Then we have those New butterflies that can't wait to experience every aspect of their surgery...The good, the bad and the ugly. Slow the hell down people!!! Take a breath and let it all happen in due time. You WILL lose weight, chances are you will slime, you may dump...and then again maybe you won't. We all want to share our experiences and as time goes by, your experiences become more credible. When I look back at my beginning I realize that all those "New" experiences...were only new to me LOL and as time went on, I had REAL experiences and I could relate to the experiences of others.
This is all a learning process and I suspect it is one that will continue for the rest of my life.
I learned a long time ago to live in the moment and when I first had surgery, I almost lost touch with that concept because I began rushing the future...I wanted to experience EVERYTHING.
It took a while, but I got back to my beliefs. Today is all you have for sure. This moment is the only thing really happening. Appreciate it for what it is, savor it, because it will never happen again. leave tomorrow for tomorrow and if it comes savor every moment...but for today enjoy what you have, appreciate life as the gift it truly is and for Petes sake SLOW down. Everything will happen when it's meant to happen..Enjoy the moment.
Being anxious to start this journey is understandable. We've took years to pack on the pounds but now suddenly there is a tool available that will help us take it all off with the sweep of a magic wand. WRONG... There is a reason why we are asked to jump through hoops, a reason why we are evaluated by many professionals and for some there is a reason our surgery seems to take forever to be approved. This is an educational process and some of us take longer then others. I am always amazed, that even after all the education, all the meetings, all the continued questions and answers, some people still remain in the dark about certain things.
That's one reason I attend as many meetings as I can. Just in case I fall back into darkness, there is always someone to bring me back into the light.
There is no Magic wand...Those choosing the Band, for the most part, will only lose one to two pounds a week...However that's as little at 52 pounds a year. Some do better.. some do worse.
If you chose RNY the pounds will melt off like magic, but it's a hard road and you will pay for every mistake you make. Point being, try to stick to the program and not make those mistakes too often. Then there is that "Window", many people have proven it wrong, but on average you will cease to lose weight after 18 months or so...that's the claim.
So we take our time and we pick the surgery that is best for us...not based on ridiculous statistic's or the foolish rantings of others...but on the education we have gotten over time by listening, following successful people and doing our research. I don't quite understand why some people tend to latch on to those having the hardest of times with their tool...You may not be like them, so why get the crap scared out of you? Doesn't make sense to me... I picked people who had not only lost a great deal of weight, but kept it off and had the same logical approach to this program as I did.
Then we have those New butterflies that can't wait to experience every aspect of their surgery...The good, the bad and the ugly. Slow the hell down people!!! Take a breath and let it all happen in due time. You WILL lose weight, chances are you will slime, you may dump...and then again maybe you won't. We all want to share our experiences and as time goes by, your experiences become more credible. When I look back at my beginning I realize that all those "New" experiences...were only new to me LOL and as time went on, I had REAL experiences and I could relate to the experiences of others.
This is all a learning process and I suspect it is one that will continue for the rest of my life.
I learned a long time ago to live in the moment and when I first had surgery, I almost lost touch with that concept because I began rushing the future...I wanted to experience EVERYTHING.
It took a while, but I got back to my beliefs. Today is all you have for sure. This moment is the only thing really happening. Appreciate it for what it is, savor it, because it will never happen again. leave tomorrow for tomorrow and if it comes savor every moment...but for today enjoy what you have, appreciate life as the gift it truly is and for Petes sake SLOW down. Everything will happen when it's meant to happen..Enjoy the moment.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
5 Day Pouch Test
http://5daypouchtest.com/ is a site worth looking at for all people who have had RNY surgery.
AS we go through our Journey, this new life we have found, we very often come to bumps in the road.
These bumps can be in the form of health issues, small weight gains, family issues that cause stress...You get the picture. We also tend to become complacent as time passes, we know the program (or at least we think we remember it all) and we go on our Merry way. We know the weight will level off and sooner or later stop (why) and we accept that.
I have stayed connected to my group, I've taken an active part in mentoring and promoting my Butterfly Project (because I believe in it). I think I've done a good job at following the program and making it part of my life style. I have NOT changed my life, just like I didn't change my life as a diabetic. I accepted it for what it was and fit it and all it's rules into my life. (Not sure people get that)
I've maintained my weight loss for over 2 years and I realized , when I stepped on the scale the other day, that complacency had set in. I have not lost my enthusiasm for the program, I've just become relaxed with my life style. I don't live in fear of the scale but I do check it once a week...this week showed a gain of 4 pounds. Yes it could be a lot of things, but I never , ever want to return to the person I was almost 3 years ago. I like my life now, I like the way I feel.
I like the fact that the diabetes is gone and it took my knee pain with it. There are too many pluses to allow myself to slide back down into that abyss.
Enter the 5 day pouch test. It is something to jump start you back to that old feeling. I like a challenge so I have challenged myself to proving once and for all , that people can and do lose weight beyond the "window". If I'm wrong, you'll read it here. If nothing else, you all know, I tell it like it is...not what I think you want to hear or even need to hear...just the truth.
This is a little ditty I read each day in order to keep my Journey fresh and I leave you today with this thought:
There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and the people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who threat you right. Pray for those who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE , getting back up is part of LIVING~
AS we go through our Journey, this new life we have found, we very often come to bumps in the road.
These bumps can be in the form of health issues, small weight gains, family issues that cause stress...You get the picture. We also tend to become complacent as time passes, we know the program (or at least we think we remember it all) and we go on our Merry way. We know the weight will level off and sooner or later stop (why) and we accept that.
I have stayed connected to my group, I've taken an active part in mentoring and promoting my Butterfly Project (because I believe in it). I think I've done a good job at following the program and making it part of my life style. I have NOT changed my life, just like I didn't change my life as a diabetic. I accepted it for what it was and fit it and all it's rules into my life. (Not sure people get that)
I've maintained my weight loss for over 2 years and I realized , when I stepped on the scale the other day, that complacency had set in. I have not lost my enthusiasm for the program, I've just become relaxed with my life style. I don't live in fear of the scale but I do check it once a week...this week showed a gain of 4 pounds. Yes it could be a lot of things, but I never , ever want to return to the person I was almost 3 years ago. I like my life now, I like the way I feel.
I like the fact that the diabetes is gone and it took my knee pain with it. There are too many pluses to allow myself to slide back down into that abyss.
Enter the 5 day pouch test. It is something to jump start you back to that old feeling. I like a challenge so I have challenged myself to proving once and for all , that people can and do lose weight beyond the "window". If I'm wrong, you'll read it here. If nothing else, you all know, I tell it like it is...not what I think you want to hear or even need to hear...just the truth.
This is a little ditty I read each day in order to keep my Journey fresh and I leave you today with this thought:
There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and the people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who threat you right. Pray for those who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE , getting back up is part of LIVING~
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