Choose Your Hard

Being overweight is hard.

Losing weight is hard.

Maintaining weight is hard.

Choose Your Hard.

I saw this on the internet.  I have no idea who came up with this, but it is SO true.  I’ve experience the first two… not entered the maintenance phase yet.

Even though I had WLS, losing weight is still hard.  You still have to make the right choices.  Post WLS, making the wrong choices can end very ugly…

Being overweight is hard.

I wasn’t always overweight.  Growing up I was an average weight.  I was thin in high school, but started gaining in college.  Then, I developed thyroid issues.  Then, I got depressed.  Then, I had a baby.  In each situation, I piled on the pounds.

The heavier I got, the more depressed I became and hated the way I looked.  I’m sure my unhappiness was seen by others.  My poor family has been the victims.  I’m not proud of that fact and I take responsibility for it.  My weight should not have effected how I treated others, but it did.

Overweight people are treated differently.  The general population believes that overweight people are lazy and lack motivation and self-control.  For some, this is true.  However, most overweight people are working hard to rearrange the numbers on the scale.  Overweight people are not seen as being “pretty” or “handsome.”  They’re called “big boned.”  Or “she has a pretty face.” 

Overweight people are picked on and made fun of.  Remember those “your mama’s so fat” jokes?  Enough said.

Losing weight is hard.

Losing weight means making and sticking to drastic changes.  You don’t always eat what you want or crave.  You eat less.  You have to endure hunger.  You have to try new foods and sometimes, eat something you don’t like.  You have to drink water!!  All of these go against our human desires.

Making the changes may seem easy.  Consistently following those changes is another story.

Those who have never had WLS or not done the research, thinks that WLS is the easy way out.  That could not be further from the truth.  WLS changes your physically, but doesn’t change your desires or cravings.  I still want cake and ice cream.  I could eat the whole cake.  BUT, there were would be severe consequences.  I’ve learned that I can have a couple of bites to satisfy the craving and walk away (or throw it away).  I’ve learned that it’s ok to eat a little of something that’s not healthy.  I’ve learned that it’s ok to throw away food, rather than get sick from over eating.

WLS is just a tool to help someone lose the weight.  It’s not always successful and many will regain their weight later.  You still have to make the right choices.

Maintaining weight is hard.

Now, I haven’t gotten to this point yet.  It will come soon.  Herein lays the delicate balance between eating enough, but not too much, satisfying a craving and sticking to the better choices.

You still have to make the right choices.

Choose your hard…