My Journey will never end

Tuesday, August 18, 2015
We may want a journey to end to come home or to explore. A new place is a highlight for me. Yet, I title this entry; My Journey will never end. I do come home. I do see many people in many places. I explore and learn all about this journey I am on to conquer obesity.

Last week, I flew to San Antonio to the Obesity Action Coalition's #YWM2015 Convention held at the Marriott Rivercenter. Next year, it will be just a few miles outside of DC. I want to post this before I get too far into the post and forget.

I love that the weight loss community has expanded to include those who are seeking information, those who have had the various bariatric surgeries and those who are losing significant amounts of weight through diet and exercise regimes.

We must support all who are in this journey at each step. As a post op, I still struggle with my weight. I have lost all of my excess weight. Yes, it is gone but my brain or my mind chooses to make bad choices. I struggle in those choices in a self sabotaging way. I have had to talk myself down from the ledge. I have had to walk the perimeter of the grocery aisles and not look in those aisles that I am passing.

So my joy in the journey is when I get to meet those people who are struggling as I am and learn techniques through conventions and conferences where some experts help us see how we can bypass those choices. How we can select that which is good that which we crave may be a need for a certain element not the direct need for chocolate!

Those of us who gained weight later in life with medical conditions or medications that lead to weight gain as well as stress or through injury are in the same boat as those who started out as an overweight child and struggled all through life. Those who have had injuries or physical challenges to exercise can find exercises to match our needs. There are now new medications that can curb weight gain that have been approved by the FDA.

Because obesity is a disease you will be able to take these medications even post op if you are suffering with weight regain. Thankfully, there are senators and congress persons who are signed on to a bill in both the Senate and Congress to allow us to see nutritionists, dietitians and nurses or nursing assistants who can help us with our weight loss goals. I know that if you tell your story and urge your senators and congress person to sign on to TROA2015 we will have more than a few minutes with our PCP to discuss our weight.
I want to recap this year as far as my journey goes, I have seen my bariatric surgeon where I learned that I exceed the norm. I went from losing 78% of my excess weight by 6 1/2 years to losing 100% of my excess weigh by 7 1/2 years post op.

To further recap the year, I want to describe the fun I had on various vacations. I traveled to San Diego for the WLSFA.org meet and greet. Some went on to cruise but I chose to go on home. I think the highlight of this conference was speaking with Carnie Wilson again. She has struggled with her weight loss and overcome the lack of satiety.

I was also able to sneak a weekend in down in Atlantic City. I drove there in my brand new car and back with just dead bugs as a consequence which are now washed off. Well, a little more than that I have ongoing issues with my knees and my left knee reminded me that dancing following an extended ride in the car means that I was still hurting despite Tylenol and sleep. I think that I found the hotel we should stay in next year, The Chelsea is right on the Boardwalk and elegant in all aspects.

Our family vacation down on Cape Cod was a wonderful respite for my husband and I. Thoughtfully, my daughter and her boyfriend provided the food. He can grill and make the chicken so juicy.
Next month, I travel to many cities in Central Europe. I would list them but you would be jealous. I will exceed my steps that I did down on the Riverwalk. I feel like packing now. We will be staying in apartments that have washers so I am sure I can pack a lot less for the trip from Sept 15 to Oct 5 than I did for the trip to San Antonio where we had to dress up and wear a costume.

I am excited to go with my traveling companion Caryl. We have been traveling on three trips put together by ourselves. Last October, we left London to go to Paris and Amsterdam. It was an eye opening experience in the Imperial War Museum and Anne Frank Home for us. A relaxing highlight was the cruise on the river in Amsterdam. Our trip this year will include a cruise on the Rhine River as a day trip from Bingen to whereever we want to take the train back to Dusseldorf. This part of the trip we will just have our overnight clothes in a back pack.

I always bring a protein powder that I mix to help me complete my protein intake that is necessary for the continued weight goal. If I feel the meal was not sufficient, I have a snack protein bar that I might take. My favorite protein powder is made by Jay Robb and is 100% Whey Isolate. I have tried many products along these years of my journey and still go with Jay Robb for the benefits I receive from drinking his protein drink.

I am 147 pounds. My original goal was 139 in a post that I put in at 174 pounds. I think that is not realistic for me. It would be a dream.

Yet, I am still traveling on this journey.

OAC YWM2015 Convention and Maintenance Regain Stress

I made a video in which I discuss that there is less than a month before I'll be packing to go to the OAC's convention in San Antonio. I see this as another opportunity to learn. I especially like the finding healthy along your weight loss journey session. 

I talk about how I used an industrial scale to weigh myself and mention that I took all weight articles off like my coat and shoes. In the video, I didn't mention that at any time someone could have witnessed my weight so that I was very cautious. The scale was two sided with an office on one side where people would work. Also, there were multiple entry points on the dock where I would be seen. 

I mentioned that I start my day with a Jay Robb Protein drink. I made mine with Lactaid Milk and blended it. On many occasions, I will add fruit, produce and chia seeds. I did not because I was making a video...no seeds in teeth! 

In my years before learning that I did not need to travel to have weight loss surgery, I had thought of plans to go to Atlanta to where my cousin had RNY surgery. My weight was going up as I stepped on that scale. I did not have a home scale. I would not be within the parameters of a home scale. At the doctor's office, the 250 block was always added plus more weight!

I began losing weight in February 2007 after seeing a digital photo of me sitting reading to pre school children in Marigot Dominica. I lost weight on the trip. I continue to lose weight on trips. 

My plan was hatched over the months following where I wrote everything down in a Little Black Book put out by dailyfooddiary.net that helped me tremendously. I would check calories for my food with the Calorie King calorieking.com book. I began to make more of my own meals and eat more meals at home. Lastly, I would drink a protein drink. 

I talk about stresses and regain during a time that many close family members were dying of cancer. I talk about how that manifest in weight gain and a superficial ulcer. I'm sure glad it wasn't a full blown ulcer because it was very painful. My water intake was increased and I was waking up at night more often to walk and burp and pee of course. The soothing effects of the water did nothing to alleviate the pain. I was going back to see my surgeon four months after my annual check up because I had regained. No scale at home at the time, but my clothes were fitting better and I was in smaller clothes! I love shopping in my own closet! 

I had to schedule another operation that was day surgery and found out the pain was from a superficial ulcer and had my opening widened to half an inch. I thought this would help me eat more. I still eat very little solid protein 

My daughter does 5ks and cross fit training with squats and deadlifts 215 pounds. My injury means that I cannot do repetitive motion and my knees means no running. I do walk and get as much time moving as possible. 

My original surgeon retired five years ago, I have the other senior surgeon in the office and have been very successful in my maintenance to the point of losing  more of my excess weight. At 6.5 years, I had lost 78% of my excess weight. At 7.5 years, I have lost 100% of my excess weight. 

No sitting back on my laurels.  I'm going to the Your Weight Matters #YWM2015 Convention August 13-16 would be a nice place for you to increase your learning about your weight loss. I hope to see you in San Antonio next month.