7 Habits of Successful WLS Patients

Many of us know the books 7 SUCCESSFUL HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE... adults, teens, businessmen, marriage people, etc... how about of SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS?

This article has been circling around the internet today and I felt the need to follow suit. I often wonder to myself... Is there one universal method. My first inclination is HELL NO. Then I read this article and started to open my mind. Just a little anyways lol 

While I still maintain that there is no "one size fits all" plan, I have come to the conclusion that you can fit the plan of your choice into these successful habits. 

Secrets of the Strong Start and the Successful

1. Track Food and Calories 

   Both strong and false starters ranked "food tracking" as the one action that made the biggest difference in their programs. 82% of strong starters tracked food every day vs. 65% of false starters, and strong starters were twice as likely to track their calories.

    Whether you decide to eat 500, 800 or 1200 calories a day after your surgery, I cannot stress the importance of logging your food. After my Sleeve surgery, I was told by nutritionist I could eat whatever I wanted and that my pouch wouldn't hold enough to equal a substantial amount of calories.... WRONG!!! I found out early on that my most favorite coffee drink had over 47 carbs, wayyyyy more than 2/3 of my daily intake. At the time my body was stalled and I wasn't losing weight. Once I started logging my food I realized I had to rework my diet just a bit, the weight starting coming off again. 

2. Don't put certain foods off limits

   Strong starters were less likely to label foods "good" or "bad" and forsake certain foods, and were three times more likely to use portion control techniques that supported consumption of unhealthier foods in moderation.

   Labeling foods as good of bad, puts your mind in "diet" mode. As with all diets we have done in the past... you eventually "fall off the wagon". This is not a diet friends. This is life. If you want an Oreo every now and again, buy the 6 cookie pack and split it with someone you love. Don't buy a whole sleeve thinking you will have two today and two next week. You know damn well you're gonna eat the whole damn sleeve/box/bag!!! Maybe you'd feel better eating those 100 calorie Oreos... but I know one bag is just never enough and they don't have the creamy goodness in the middle!! Allow yourself those yummy goodies every once in a while. 

3. Spend LESS time exercising 

   On average, strong starters exercised for 30 minutes during the first two weeks; false starters for 60 minutes, suggesting that false starters burned themselves out.

   Ok, I am not even going to lie... this one threw me for a damn loop for a moment... But I see what it is saying... Moderation... Again this has to do with putting your mind in diet mode... When we diet, it can become "All or Nothing"  If we are going to lose this weight we are going to eat salad and grilled chicken all day and workout and drink 2 gallons of water and once I eat that first bite of carvel soft serve its ALLL out the window. You get into thinking, "It's all over", "I can't do anything right", "I'm never gonna lose this weight" yada yada yada. Lower your expectations to more realistic ones. Workout 30 minutes 3x a week religiously as opposed to every day for two hours for 3 months. 

4. Focus on both diet and exercise 

   74 percent of smart starters made both fitness and dietary changes from the outset, compared to 50 percent of false starters.

   Unfortunately for us, this isn't easy... Most of us cannot get to the gym within the first 6 weeks of surgery and if you have complications, even more. I'm still dying to get back to the gym (I'm not normal... I <3 the gym!). Do what you can when you can. Move your body, walk the dogs. Always remember, exercise doesn't have to happen in the gym!

5. Engage more with others/have a support network 

   Strong starters were more than twice as likely to communicate with other members online.

   Just sayin... SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT. Join a support group. If there isn't one, start one! I did and its the joy of my life in this community, what keeps me grounded and strong! Here are some links around the net to help you out.
   
   Obesity Help
   Gastric Sleeve
   Lap Band
   
   ON FACEBOOK:
   Sleeve Pixie (me)
   POSE LI ~ My support group
   Bariatric Bad Girls Club
   Bariatric Bad Boys Club
   My Before Became My After

6. Weigh yourself weekly, not daily

   Most strong starters weighed themselves weekly, while the majority of false starters did so daily.

   This one I definitely struggle with. I can see so many pros to weighing weekly instead of daily but I LOVE that quick fix! Although I must say Seeing a 5lbs weight loss at the beginning of the week would prob be more exciting then seeing a half to one pound weight loss daily. Then again, it can also lead to disappointment. If I think I did really well this week I may spike up my expectations and get let down when I step on the scale. I would just say, know yourself...  

7. Focus first and foremost on developing healthy habits, not losing weight

   Most strong starters viewed their #1 goal as "building a strong foundation of healthy habits." A majority of false starters made losing 3-4 pounds in their first two weeks their #1 goal, which backfired.

   Now here is something our surgeons never tell us! Why the heck not!!! This is a GREAT idea!! If we focus on developing those new habits instead of the numbers on the scale we are much more likely to achieve and maintain long term success. Again, this is not a diet. i can not stress this enough. This is the rest of our lives!  

*Note that these methods worked for many people - but we are all individuals and is it important to find out what works for you. 

xoxo
Sleeve Pixie