Banded Together Wichita Newsletter August 2010
Support Group:
August 12: Genesis Health Club, 854 N. Socora, Wichita at 7 PM.
Topic: Motivational challenge rules.
August 17: 1 PM in the office.
July winners: Karen and Robert won gift cards. Belinda, Sondra, and Jill won rewards points.
New Opportunity
“Motivational challenge.” Starts in August and goes through December. Must attend August Support Group for details.
Things to think about:
What is your definition of weight loss surgery success? Now that you have had weight loss surgery and become healthier, you need to take your eyes off the scale and focus on Non-Scale Victories (NSV).
A non-scale victory is an ability, situation or observance that reflects how your health, fitness and overall life have improved. It is an accomplishment or something that you can do now (or have done) since having surgery and losing weight. It is any success that you enjoy in your life outside of your total body weight numbers.
Here are some NSV’s to think about in your life.
1. Change in numbers: change in body fat percentage, muscle mass, blood pressure, values in your lab tests.
2. Clothes: how your clothes fit now compared to before surgery, where do you buy your clothes now compared to before surgery.
3. Medications: has there been a change in the dosage of your meds or discontinuance of some meds you were taking prior to surgery.
4. Energy: do you have more energy, vitality, and a new zest for life? Does your energy last throughout the day?
5. Room to spare: do you have more room between you and the steering wheel, able to fit comfortably in an airplane seat without a seatbelt extension, or sit in a booth at a restaurant rather than a table?
6. Tie and cross: can you tie your shoes and cross your legs?
7. New “Tude”: do you have a new attitude toward life and activities in your life?
8. Fingers, eyes and toes: are you wearing a smaller shoe size, had your rings re-sized, or your glasses adjusted to fit your smaller face?
9. New bones: are you feeling and seeing new bones that you have not seen or felt for years or at all in the past?
10. Face your face: Compare a picture prior to surgery to the one you see in the mirror now.
11. It’s the little and big things: Take notice of the many small and large NSV’s that occur all the time. Some of the most profound are the changes in choices and behavior.
12. Overall daily well-being: Some of the best NSV’s are increased confidence and higher self-esteem; also determination and persistence; feeling more comfortable within yourself which projects outwardly to others. The best NSV of all is your enhanced quality of life.
A great way to outlast a plateau showing up on the scale is to make a list of all your NSV’s. When you review your list it can provide encouragement to outlast any pesky plateau. Small Bite of inspiration: taken from Small Bites Daily Inspirations for weight Loss Surgery Patients by Katie Jay and Julia A. F. Persing
Stand up.
Standing up for yourself and being who you are can be very hard. But you do not have to give into the pressures of life. You can remain true to yourself. Yes, it is often easier to fall into line with the rest of society. But the long-term results can be devastating, especially when it comes to food. So many temptations exist that are unhealthy; you just can’t afford to indulge all the time.
Do you want to be a mindless automaton in the machine of life? Or do you want to take control of that machine? After WLS, following in the way of the world can mean disaster. Shaping your new reality to meet your needs will lead to success.
Action for the day
Walk your own path today. The one that will lead you to the great health and well-being for which you have longed.
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Something you may be interested in: As I have discussed at office visits and support group meetings, it is helpful to food journal periodically to see actually what and how much you are eating, especially if you are struggling with portion control. Here are some new sources for those of you who may want check them out.
Losing Weight the Smartphone Way, With a Nutritionist in Your Pocket (July 17, 2010) LOSEIT (iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone; free).
Tell the app how much weight you want to lose and how many pounds per week you want to take off, and it calculates the amount of calories you can consume each day. LoseIt has a database of 40,000 food items and can also calculate how many calories your daily exercise burns up.
CALORIE COUNTER by FatSecret (works on all platforms; free).
This program works much like LoseIt. But one advantage is that when you enter your basic information, you can sync up with the FatSecret Web site. The site has forums where users can swap ideas about diets, recipes and working out.
TAP & TRACK (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad; $3.99).
This app costs $4, but users say it’s worth every penny. The program helps you come up with a daily calorie goal and features a large food and exercise database.
WEIGHT WATCHERS MOBILE (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile 6; subscription required).
If you already follow Weight Watchers or Weight Watchers Online, consider their app or one that can track the points used in their diets. Free for online subscribers, Weight Watchers Mobile lets you track and calculate points and see your weight loss history.