NEW DAY; NEW DIET

Last week I was talking with the Husband and he mentioned that his coworker was about to reach the 100 pound milestone in her weight-loss.  Back in September, she had Gastric Bypass surgery.  I am well aquainted with this woman so I am always interested in her progress.  She’s doing so well that when she was at our house for Christmas, I didn’t recognize her.

During the previous year, I had researched what my insurance company would require in order for me to have a weight-loss surgery (WLS).  After losing so much on WW and then gaining it all back, I was feeling a little desperate and searching for answers.  I totally fit the profile of a surgical candidate and my doctor (at the time) could attest to how other programs have not worked for me in the past.   But the Husband and I talked about it and he found it way too, too risky, so I let it go.  A few months later, I received notice from my insurance company that they would consider WLS to be cosmetic, now, and would only cover a certain (low) percentage.

Fast forward to this week where Husband is now telling me that if I want to have the surgery, we’ll find a way to make it work.   Since “you seem to be bringing it up more often.”

 The hell????  You’re the one who brought it up!

I’ve never felt the surgery would work for me in the long run.  It requires a committment to diet and exercise that is rigid, to say the least.  (I’ve always felt, and have said before, that if I could make that committment, I’d do it now and skip the surgery.)  And, yes, we could probably cover the surgery with the money Grandma left us, but what about the six weeks of work (and pay) I’d miss?  We can’t take a financial hit like that.

Still, I spent a day last week doing more research.  What I found are a lot of blogs that end abruptly two to three years post-op, and others that detail serious health issues that have cropped up after WLS.  Almost all of them address some point at which weight regain became an issue.  (Reference all the latest hoopla surrounding Carnie Wilson.)

Basically, it comes down to this:  I don’t stop eating when I’m full now.

You’re tired of hearing it and I’m tired of saying it. But I did make a committment to myself this weekend that I’m makes me proud. 

I joined a gym in my neighborhood.

It’s a nice little place; clean and bright.  It has a small number of showers and a small number of lockers.  But it has the hours I want and the location I want and the price I want.  Also, look at all of those eliptical trainers!  And, so what if I have to bring my own towel, shampoo, and padlock (mine is blue!)?  It’s literally around the corner from my home!

I went Sunday and signed up.  While I was there (much to the surprise of the gentleman behind the desk) I thought I’d throw in a carido session.  I did 20 minutes on the treadmill at level pathetic and then thought I would do 10 minutes on the eliptical to finish it off.

My ass thought better of it. 

I think I did maybe 5 minutes before my legs started to give out.  It’s been way, way too long since I’ve been doing that type of thing.  I’m going to have to work up to it. 

I just have to remember how great I felt the rest of the day.  I had every intention of going home and crashing, but after about 30 minutes of rest, I really didn’t feel like laying around. 

Anyway, that’s my committment for now.  To get back to a healthy workout routine.  Then we can work on the food issues. 

It feels good to be in control of something.