A newletter that is a must read...:-)

IsMollyReallyHungry

There are many good points in this article for anyone on this weight loss journey. This letter was written for WLS patients but apply to anyone on this journey.....I hope you take the time to read it because it is an awesome article and I had to share it with you.:flowerforyou:

The Right Ingredients for WLS Success
by Katie Jay, MSW, Certified Wellness Coach
Director, National Association for Weight Loss Surgery
www.nawls.com

In my upcoming retreat in Ocean Isle, NC (which is sold out), we will be focusing on the "right recipe" for long-term WLS success. So, I have been thinking. What do WLS patients need to include in their "recipe" to get their best possible WLS outcome?

In last week's article, I talked about the things Dr. Cynthia Buffington recommends -- the physical things. This week, I want to remind us all about the psychological fare we require on our journey. Because no matter how well we know what we are supposed to do physically, if we can't get ourselves to do it, we aren't going to get very far.

Deep down, most of us know these things need to be addressed, but sometimes we avoid them out of fear or a dislike for discomfort. Still, if we don't consider the truth about long-term recovery, if we don't know what the target looks like from a "mindset" perspective, how can we get there?

Many of the world's great faiths and philosophies teach us that mindset matters. Most of us have heard the verse
from the Bible, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

So, here is my top five list of psychological considerations that most of us will need to face on our journeys to peace with food and our bodies:

1. On a long, arduous journey, getting help is not
optional -- it's essential.

You'll need a good map, provisions, an emergency kit,
a safe place to rest, sustenance, help overcoming
obstacles, and insight and encouragement from those
who have already made the journey.

2. When your brain chemistry is working against you,
your journey will be longer and more challenging, if
not impossible.

Knowing where you're going, and having your provisions,
won't help if you're too depressed to get up in the
morning, or too anxious to move forward. Sometimes
medication and/or therapy are needed to help you stay
focused and to give you the mental and emotional
strength you need to stay on your path.

3. You harbor beliefs that will hold you back, so you'll
need to take responsibility for rethinking and replacing
the beliefs that don't serve your highest good.

Old beliefs can keep you locked in a story you tell
yourself about the journey. Beliefs like, "I can't
control my eating," "If I lose too much weight, I will
become promiscuous," "Your time and needs are more
important than mine," "You are an adult, but I can't
trust you to take care of yourself -- so, I am doing
it for you," "Exercise is too much work," "I can't
live without chocolate," "I don't deserve to succeed,"
"If I lose too much weight, I'll lose my friends."

4. To create a new you (a you who can withstand the
challenges of the journey), you have to be fully
present for the planning and implementation process.

When you engage in escapist activities; i.e., overeating,
drinking alcohol, gossiping, staying too busy, people
pleasing (focusing always on others); you are not
present with your own thoughts and feelings -- you're
not available to support and encourage your new self.

Learning to tolerate being present with your
uncomfortable thoughts and feelings is the only way
you can learn to shift away from discouraging or
counterproductive thoughts and become more accepting
of your entire emotional palette.

5. To find your truth, your success, your peace ...
you have to head toward Reality. Anything else you
desire, you'll seek, but never find.

I've heard it put many ways, but the bottom line is
the truth WILL set you free -- it is the key ingredient
in your recipe for WLS success. You just can't solve a
problem if you don't know what it really is.

Counting calories doesn't cure depression and eating protein will not keep you from over-focusing on other people's needs. When we refuse to see the truth, we stumble in the darkness.

Many of us tell ourselves a story about why we are the way we are, but those stories may or may not be based on reality. The process of finding your truth is a critical part of your journey.

WLS is not the easy way out. But there are many ingredients you can add to your WLS recipe to gently move through the psychological, emotional, and social issues that arise as you cook up your yummy life.

Over the next five weeks, I'll discuss each of these five psychological considerations in greater depth.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these important issues.

*********************************************************

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metco89

Thanks so much Molly, i am a big one on the positive thinking thing. My mind can tell me anything and if i let it run the comittee in my head will call a board meeting and then well i don't do so well with things but if i can catch those negative things quickly, i can turn my thinking to a positive mode and i am on my way again, on the right path!! that was an awesome read!!:flowerforyou:

lisajuly

great article. Thanks for posting!