My Long-Term Lap Band Success - Staying Motivated After the Compliments Stop Coming
Have you had lap band surgery? Are you considering weight loss surgery? Are you interested in learning about how a real, long-term successful lap band patient stays motivated? I had lap band surgery four years ago and have been maintaining a normal, healthy weight since 2007.
When I moved cross-country to a place where no one knew me before lap band surgery a really strange thing happened.
People assumed I never had a weight problem.
While that may sound like a great thing it has been difficult for me at times.
I was already at the point in my journey where the compliments had started slowing down; I was no longer receiving that daily dose of: "You look great! I didn't even recognize you.
You don't look like a person who has ever had a weight problem...
" Those compliments that had come many times a day, slowed down to a trickle; when I moved, they came to a screeching halt.
Since childhood I always fantasized about what it would be like to live in a normal body.
Now I found myself in a normal body confused; I guess that should have been a reason to celebrate - an NSV (non-scale victory).
Instead I felt lost, like someone had shut off a major spigot of motivation for me.
To further complicate matters I am an extrovert.
The definition of an extrovert is that you get energy from others.
I found myself missing and craving those compliments, the constant reminders of how far I had come which are a huge motivating force for me.
Thanks to my lap band I got what I asked for, now how would I stay motivated and maintain my weight loss success? I found myself needing new sources of external motivation and having to accept that I need others to help propel me on my journey.
I need support and encouragement along my journey.
I can't do this alone.
I don't want to do this alone.
Some things that have helped me when the compliments stopped coming are:
I hope some of these tips are useful for you or someone you care about.
When I moved cross-country to a place where no one knew me before lap band surgery a really strange thing happened.
People assumed I never had a weight problem.
While that may sound like a great thing it has been difficult for me at times.
I was already at the point in my journey where the compliments had started slowing down; I was no longer receiving that daily dose of: "You look great! I didn't even recognize you.
You don't look like a person who has ever had a weight problem...
" Those compliments that had come many times a day, slowed down to a trickle; when I moved, they came to a screeching halt.
Since childhood I always fantasized about what it would be like to live in a normal body.
Now I found myself in a normal body confused; I guess that should have been a reason to celebrate - an NSV (non-scale victory).
Instead I felt lost, like someone had shut off a major spigot of motivation for me.
To further complicate matters I am an extrovert.
The definition of an extrovert is that you get energy from others.
I found myself missing and craving those compliments, the constant reminders of how far I had come which are a huge motivating force for me.
Thanks to my lap band I got what I asked for, now how would I stay motivated and maintain my weight loss success? I found myself needing new sources of external motivation and having to accept that I need others to help propel me on my journey.
I need support and encouragement along my journey.
I can't do this alone.
I don't want to do this alone.
Some things that have helped me when the compliments stopped coming are:
- Reinforcement from my children - my daughter constantly reminds me that I am healthy, fit, and strong; my son likes to "work out" on my exercise equipment.
My children model my behaviors.
They tell their friends "Mom eats healthy.
Mom exercises and takes care of her body.
" - Trying on clothes - whether it's "shopping" in my own closet or in stores, when I am reminded that I wear single digits I get a lot of reinforcement.
- Joining a new gym - people looked at me as one of the fit people at the gym and I am now comfortable working out and trying new approaches to staying fit.
- Talking to my mentor on a daily basis - my lap band support network is more important than ever.
- Going back and re-reading my goals for surgery as well as old food journals.
Both are constant reminders of how far I've come. - Going public with my story.
I was very private about my decision to have lap band surgery - now it's all over the internet.
I share my story with anyone who will listen. - Reaching out to others in the lap band community and paying it forward.
- Listening to others who are on this journey.
I'm always in awe of how much inspiration I get from people who are early on their own journeys, on a daily basis.
I hope some of these tips are useful for you or someone you care about.
