Spend anger wisely

Wow,  I have been all afternoon up at the hospital as my Dad who had a knee replacement surgery last week has had to be readmitted today with a pulmonary embolism, which is basically a blood clot on the lung. Luckily he is doing fine and the clot was positioned in a smaller vessel and it was not too large. It certainly gave everyone a fright and it appears that he will make a full recovery. 

So, I have not had anytime today to work on today's NAWLS Small Bite, but I will still share what it is.

Spend anger wisely
One of the hardest emotions to master is anger. Handled unwisely, it can be costly. Whether your anger isjustifed or not, wallowing in it is a luxury you cannot afford. Anger can lead to self-destructive behaviour, which can undermine your WLS success. When you feel anger, allow yourself a private moment to think things through. What will be the consequences? Will you alienate a friend who has been supportive? Will you affect your position at work? Will your anger cause you to overeat?

If thinking through consequences does not dissipate your anger, then you can remove yourself from the situation completely and cool off. Try again to resolve your issue when your emotions have settled down.

Action for the day:
Think about how you deal with anger. Does your anger hurt you or others? Plan a strategy to implement when your anger rises. Get help if you need it.

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Embrace your Shar-pei look.

The NAWLS Small Bite for the day.

Embrace your Share-pei look.
As the poung melt away, your skin may get a bit droopy. Just like the Shar-pei dogs with the many folds of sagginh skin, you too will be loveable, soft, and healthy. Your loose skin may tighten up in time, or you may choose to have it surgically helped along. 

Yet, is it not better to have the saggin skin, proud scars of your battle, than to be sick? Would you rather trade that skin for diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer risks, breathlessness, and immobility? Resolve not to be distressed by loose skin. It is only on the outside.  Inside you are healthier, happier, and still you. Acknowledge the sagging skin as a positive change, for it is an indicator that WLS is working for you. You are fulfilling your commitment to yourself. 

Action for the day:
Make a list of the things you can do now, that you coud not do before you had weight loss surgery. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

I know that there are many things I can do now that I could not do before, more than I can even write down. I know that the loose skin is an acheivement, and a battle scar, but why did it have to be my arms??

Cultivate an independent attitude

So now to today's NAWLS Small Bite

Cultivate an independent attitude.
What does it mean to be independent? It means freedom from the control and influence of others. To be truly successful with WLS you need to detach youself from the influences of society and depend on your own judgement. 


Being independent of action does not mean you need to isolate yourself from society. But, when others around you are indulging, you need to develop the ability to make a different choice. It is not shameful to say no to food. You can determine what is good for you in a situation and be confident in your choices. Participating in society, yet ultimately making your own decisions, is true freedom. 


Action for the day:
True friends will respect your independence. Make a choice today that honors your WLS lifestyle.

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

 The thing that rings out for me in this Small Bite is the word "true friend". Am I being a "true friend" to myself by making some of the choices that I make? It is so easy for me to have plans and then change my mind because it's what others are having or it's quicker and easier. So was this journey meant to be easy? I certainly don't think it is the easy way out at all. In fact, it is so much easier to just eat whatever I feel like, rather than what is good for me. 

 

Love your new face

Well I managed to miss a day again - but catching up for it today with two posts. I have had my Dad in hospital this week having a kneww replacement, so have been going up there everyday to visit. Has meant that the exercise has taken a back seat and it seems so has th being in control of eating. I was actually just saying to another WLS person that it is like I need the choices taken away. I need to know exactly what I am having, and it needs to be quick and easy!!! 

On one of the forums I belong to though, is a very inspiring women. At 9 years post op and after some regain she has gotten to goal for the first time.  You can check it out here. I made a comment that I never think I will get to goal, and one of the other ladies, who is amazing commented back saying. If you think you can, or you think you're can't, you're RIGHT ;-)  It does really sum it up doesn't it? If I want this badly enough, I will work towards it and get there.Even if it takes 9 years. 


So, onto the NAWLS Small Bite

Love your new face.
As you lose weight, your rounded face changes. The double chins fall away and your baby face begins to mature into an adult face, with perhaps a bit of sagging skin. the person you see in the mirror is unfamiliar to you, but he or she is the mature and vibrant you. It may take you awhile to see your new face and body as they really are, rather than the distorted interpretation you may see now. 

You will see yourself more accurately the further out from surgery you get. Give yourself a couple of years.It takes time. 


Action for the day:
What you say to yourself about yourself will affect how you think and feel. Write down a positive affirmation about how you look and say it to yourself every morning as you look in the mirror. Notice how this changes your thoughs and feelings about yourself. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

I am still getting my head around my new shape, and I think this is harder with the regain, as I feel like I am back to my heaviest, and sluggish. Actually the regain makes me feel much worse that what I did when I was at my heaviest. I know that is stupid as I still need to remember how far I have come, but it is a constant battle not to let it get me down.

Give your gifts to the world.

My head is not in the right place for my blog at the moment, but I am going to perservere and get through that tiredness and although I might not do the whole action of the day I do want to keep post the NAWLS Small Bite

Give your gifts to the world. 
Everyone has gifts to share. You may think you are not blessed with gifts, that you have no special talent, but that is not true. What do you enjoy doing? What kinds of things are you good at? Have you helped someone? What do people turn to you for? The answers to these questions will reveal your gifts.

A gift does not need to be spectacular talent like playing classical piano at the age of three, it could simply be the ability to show compassion. Your gifts are meant to be shared with the world, to make it a better place.

Action for the day:
Make a list of your talents, gifts, and strengths. How can you help a neighbour> Your community. Take an action today that utilizes on your gifts.

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Well I know that I need a job that is ultimately helping people, and I know that I can organise things, look atthe recent Meet & Greet. That is why I know that I want to get this organisation up and running, and to ultimately help and support others who are going throguh this journey and to collate and share the resources. 
 

The new Website for the organisation

This evening I finished the first version of the website for the Weight Loss Surgery New Zealand website that we are getting up and running. You can check it out by clicking on tab above.

I would love your feedback on it!

Make peace with your limitations

Another day at home today, woke up wiht a major headache and just aching body. Slept till around 10:30 and then jsut watched some, played online a little and made a couple of calls. Just wish I could feel good at the moment, but everything just seems a little hard right now. I have not managed to do any exercise this week and my eating has also been shocking. 

Onto todays NAWLS Small Bite.

Make peace with your limitations.
Beacuse WLS is a life-time journey, your post=op life will include both extreme highs and extreme lows, and there will be times when making a healthy choice is very hard. 

You can look back and review how you've handled challenging situations in the past to get clues about how you will handle them in the future. Identify your weak areas, so that you will know what kind of support you'll need. It's okay to have limitations. Just make a plan for how you will handle them.

Action for the day:
In your journal, explore how you've handled extreme times in the past. Make a list of your areas of vulnerability. Think about how you can get support so that your limitations don't become major setbacks. 

© 2007, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.

Well my limitation today is even journalling about this. I am just so tired right now, and not feeling in touch with myself, my pouch or my potential. But I know that this is probably just a result of me changing my medicine around and I will come right. I will think hard about this. I think for me I just keep going and eventually I push through the hard times. I know however diet wise or study wise and even work wise when the going get's tough I used to quit. BUT I won't allow myself to do that!