Post by Joanne on Mar 28, 2015 8:37:17 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I'm working on my 6th year with my DS. I had someone interested in surgery ask me the secret to maintaining my weight loss. I don't think there are any major secrets, but I had a good conversation with her about the things that work for me. It prompts me to share them here.
For some background, I had my DS in 2009 at a weight of 295 lbs, at my height of 5'7". I lost about 140 pounds, down to a weight of 155 before plastics. After plastics I have maintained in the mid 140's. I've never seen 150 again on the scale. The all time low was 138 for a hot second after plastics.
-I think most of the credit has to go to my DS. Even though there are habits I've incorporated into my day to day life, I never feel as if I'm on a diet. I certainly don't feel deprived. I think I chose the best weight loss surgery for me, and chose an experienced surgeon who knew how to make it all come together. I think that is the single most important thing to my success.
-The second thing I do is controversial: daily weighing. Some people hate this, some people equate this to being a slave to the scale. I think each person has to find what works for them. Before my DS I would avoid the scale like the plague. What would happen is when I was forced to face my weight, usually at a doctor's appointment, I would be shocked at the increase. I decided long ago I wasn't going there again. I weigh myself every day, naked, first thing in the morning. I've learned to not let the scale rule my emotions. If I go to the high end of my range I no longer freak. I just remain mindful for a few days, and am confident it will drift back down.
-I am a creature of habit. While I dont eat the same exact things every day, I have a repertoire of things I like for each meal, and don't stray too far. I think of it more like a formula than a set meal. For example I eat a lot of salads with protein in them. This can be anything from a chicken Cesar salad to a steak over Greek salad, a taco salad, etc. The formula that works for me is salad + protein, but there's a lot of mixing up to be done. Same with other formulas of my meals. I think the reason this works for me is that this is entirely natural to me, it's what I would choose for myself. I dont think of it in terms of points, exchanges, etc. It is what I prefer to eat, which fortunately suits my DS.
-I choose natural unprocessed foods. I like eating whole foods. And I think I'm a good cook. I can go to the store or a Farmer's market and create lots of meals for myself. I read recipes for inspiration but don't need to follow them. I am really good at customizing something to my taste, and to cut carbs.
-I choose low carb snacks. I typically have on hand: Cheese, always lots of cheese. Olives - blue cheese stuffed olives, provolone stuffed olives, etc. Sliced deli meat, one of my staples is Whole Foods roast turkey and roast beef. It's the real thing, not processed. I eat it as is, or roll it up with a pickle. I do eat a lot of fruit. The carbs might not work for everyone, but it so far has worked for me. I pretty much eat pineapple and canteloupe every day.
-I try to stay active. I have a Fit Bit and easily get in 10,000 steps per day.
-I wear a lot of fitted clothes. When I was MO, most of my clothes were stretchy, legging type stuff. I could easily gain 20+ pounds and not feel it in my clothes. Smaller sizes have less give. If I'm up a few pounds, I feel it in my jeans. I hate that feeling, it makes it easy to remain mindful and drift back down.
-Mentally, I try to appreciate each day how far I've come. I know I dont want to go back. It takes very little effort for me to do these things, so I dont want to give the impression that I constantly diet. I don't. I just know that when I'm at a decision point (pasta vs protein, and I really want pasta), I think of al I accomplished and it makes it easier to decide on protein with *a small portion* of pasta.
These things might not be the same tactics that work for everyone, or the same things you would choose. They may not even continue to work for me long term, who knows where I'll be in 10 years? But I thought I would share them as a bit of insight into what works for me.
I'm working on my 6th year with my DS. I had someone interested in surgery ask me the secret to maintaining my weight loss. I don't think there are any major secrets, but I had a good conversation with her about the things that work for me. It prompts me to share them here.
For some background, I had my DS in 2009 at a weight of 295 lbs, at my height of 5'7". I lost about 140 pounds, down to a weight of 155 before plastics. After plastics I have maintained in the mid 140's. I've never seen 150 again on the scale. The all time low was 138 for a hot second after plastics.
-I think most of the credit has to go to my DS. Even though there are habits I've incorporated into my day to day life, I never feel as if I'm on a diet. I certainly don't feel deprived. I think I chose the best weight loss surgery for me, and chose an experienced surgeon who knew how to make it all come together. I think that is the single most important thing to my success.
-The second thing I do is controversial: daily weighing. Some people hate this, some people equate this to being a slave to the scale. I think each person has to find what works for them. Before my DS I would avoid the scale like the plague. What would happen is when I was forced to face my weight, usually at a doctor's appointment, I would be shocked at the increase. I decided long ago I wasn't going there again. I weigh myself every day, naked, first thing in the morning. I've learned to not let the scale rule my emotions. If I go to the high end of my range I no longer freak. I just remain mindful for a few days, and am confident it will drift back down.
-I am a creature of habit. While I dont eat the same exact things every day, I have a repertoire of things I like for each meal, and don't stray too far. I think of it more like a formula than a set meal. For example I eat a lot of salads with protein in them. This can be anything from a chicken Cesar salad to a steak over Greek salad, a taco salad, etc. The formula that works for me is salad + protein, but there's a lot of mixing up to be done. Same with other formulas of my meals. I think the reason this works for me is that this is entirely natural to me, it's what I would choose for myself. I dont think of it in terms of points, exchanges, etc. It is what I prefer to eat, which fortunately suits my DS.
-I choose natural unprocessed foods. I like eating whole foods. And I think I'm a good cook. I can go to the store or a Farmer's market and create lots of meals for myself. I read recipes for inspiration but don't need to follow them. I am really good at customizing something to my taste, and to cut carbs.
-I choose low carb snacks. I typically have on hand: Cheese, always lots of cheese. Olives - blue cheese stuffed olives, provolone stuffed olives, etc. Sliced deli meat, one of my staples is Whole Foods roast turkey and roast beef. It's the real thing, not processed. I eat it as is, or roll it up with a pickle. I do eat a lot of fruit. The carbs might not work for everyone, but it so far has worked for me. I pretty much eat pineapple and canteloupe every day.
-I try to stay active. I have a Fit Bit and easily get in 10,000 steps per day.
-I wear a lot of fitted clothes. When I was MO, most of my clothes were stretchy, legging type stuff. I could easily gain 20+ pounds and not feel it in my clothes. Smaller sizes have less give. If I'm up a few pounds, I feel it in my jeans. I hate that feeling, it makes it easy to remain mindful and drift back down.
-Mentally, I try to appreciate each day how far I've come. I know I dont want to go back. It takes very little effort for me to do these things, so I dont want to give the impression that I constantly diet. I don't. I just know that when I'm at a decision point (pasta vs protein, and I really want pasta), I think of al I accomplished and it makes it easier to decide on protein with *a small portion* of pasta.
These things might not be the same tactics that work for everyone, or the same things you would choose. They may not even continue to work for me long term, who knows where I'll be in 10 years? But I thought I would share them as a bit of insight into what works for me.
