Damn and Blast-Day 1 Goal Posts

So I am already having to do some rearranging of the schedule because I cannot figure out how to do a vlog??? I looked on the web but apparently my little laptop has substandard equipment and it is going to take more than a quick sit-down in the evening to figure out. soo...vlog postponed but instead I will reorganize things a bit.

Up tonight: What I have learned and...begin the give away.

What I have learned:

1. Weightloss is about the little things not the big ones. Changing just one thing consistently is much more important than grand gestures that can only be maintained for short periods of time.

2. weightloss is a delayed thing. Being good this week does not mean you will lose weight at the end of the week. Being bad this week does not mean that you will gain weight at the end of the week. It does mean there are consequences and rewards for your actions but the reaction might take a few weeks to show up. I believe for me it is more along the lines of two weeks for any action than one.

3. Weightloss is physical. Like everyone I was afraid that the band would not work for me (really this mean that I was afraid that I would fail again despite it). When I shifted my view to one of a battle between my body chemistry against the dynamic duo- the band and I- things became more successful. I viewed my obesity as a physical illness. My metabolic thermostat was off kilter. It said I was hungry or desired food when it was really not in my best interests to eat. No one knows how to fix our thermostats really but the band helped me control the thing by helping my body feel full/satisfied. My part was staying on top of my fills. listening to my band. eating healthy protein rich foods first and limiting high calorie slider foods (notice i used the word limit there). I also tried to listen to what my body said. I did not always act on the 'voices' but I did try to listen. I figured out that when my body got really hungry it meant it was about to drop off some weight and was fighting against it.

4. When I weighed 304 pounds I was sunk in a hole so deep it was almost impossible to climb out. fatigue was my friend. When I was tired I was grouchy, felt defeated and very often hopeless. As the pounds came off I found energy that I never had before. Incorporating movement (not the hardcore difficult to maintain kind but steady, simple and enjoyable activities) brings more well-being and more energy. It is a wonderful thing.

5. Food is to be enjoyed, savored and consumed with friends. Tasting, experimenting are fun. Having food adventures is a great way to keep things exciting and stay satisfied. The band means that you will never have to eat too much of anything :)

6. We really (REALLY) do not need to eat as much as we think we do. 1/2 cup of food might not be what we are used to but it is enough.

7. Our lapband doctors don't know jack--They know the band works (mostly) but they have not studied, how we live with them, or even how to help us maximize the lapband's usefulness. Instead we have done that here with blogs and other bandy discussion boards in a somewhat unscientific but pretty helpful kind of way.

8. Socially life is way different as a thin person than it was as an obese person. I am more visible now than I was fat. My day to day interactions with people are friendlier, more personal and more alive than they ever were as an obese person. People look me in the eye (they did not before). People hold open doors, help me pick up dropped papers, say hello, look at me and just smile. This never happened before. Is it because I have somehow changed and exude more confidence?? Maybe but I somehow doubt it..I really think that being fat is much like having a missing limb or living in a wheel chair. People do not want to stare so they avoid any personal contact with you. It is their way of trying to be polite or politically correct but instead it robs one of the joys of community socialization. I am going to try and remember this..and treat all kinds of people who feel different in a more personal and friendly way (yup that means I am going to look people in the eye and say hello and smile). I am still experimenting but have tried it once of twice with positive results.

9. I still feel the same. I did not feel obese (whatever that feels like) when I was obese and I do not feel thin now. I feel...the same. Sure I have more energy but I still feel like me. I wonder if part of the reason I failed to really notice my years of weight gain was because I do not have a good sense of the space I take up in the world? I don't know really.

10. Losing weight with the lapband is a re-normalizing process. It is not like dieting. There are no good and bad foods. There is no success and failure. There is a pathway. It might wind a bit. It may have some ups and then downs. It might seem long and frustrating at times but the band is there..waiting. Waiting for the time when you are ready to use it and change the little things that add up to big things that add up to success. It is funny really I was all worried about what goal would mean and really I was already here all along. doing the best I can do to eat healthily and enjoyably and exercise so I can continue to enjoy everything that started me on this path and think of new and exciting things to try out.

Give Away

So my give-away's (yup you read right..there is an s meaning more than one). I have tried to think of stuff that would be lapband motivating but really as you can see in number 10...there is nothing really band specific that got me to goal. Here is the list of things that I am going to send out to anyone who comments during the week (this is your chance silent followers!!!).

give away 1. A set of lights for your bike (my first bike-riding was done at night). Now you too can ride your bike after dark. It is great exercise!!

give away 2. A big butt seat-put this on any bike and it will help you ease your butt into bicycling again. Use it for a while and then upgrade to a custom fit job. Just pay it forward by giving it to another new biker after you.

give away 3. A hand knit pair of fingerless gloves. You choose-green or black. Great for keeping your freezing hands warm after you lose weight.

There--that is enough to get us started (if I think of some more I will add). Now post me some questions and get your name in. First pulled on Sunday will get first pick of the prizes and so on after that.

xxxooo