Stress and regain!

Stress is something that just cannot be avoided in life. No matter how hard we try, stress is a fact of life. We are hardwired to sniff out fear and the stress response is how our body initiates its survival mechanism. In today’s day, you’re more likely to trigger your stress response in traffic, running late to pick up your kid from school, taking on too much at work, or forgetting that your boss needed that report by noon, and you look at the clock and it’s 11:35am.. EEEK!

We may not be able to change STRESS itself, but…

What we can change is how we might be able to minimize it, and how we deal with it. We can learn stress management techniques that helps us better deal with stress on a day to day basis.

What most people don’t tell you however, is how much stress can impact your weight loss journey causing more bumps in the road than you anticipated. While I’m sure you’ve heard that stress can be damaging to your health, not many realize that stress can also cause weight regain, a stall in weight loss, and continue struggles in losing weight.

Understanding stress and how it impacts us, both mentally and physically is integral to any weight loss journey so you can take back control over your brain and behavior. The science of stress is fascinating, and once you learn more about it and how to effectively manage your stress, you’ll gain some new tools in working through it on your own.

Understanding the stress response

The mind body connection shows us that stress flows between the mind and the body. You’ll notice the physical sensation within your body, you’ll notice yourself breathing more shallowly, maybe even hyperventilating. Your thoughts race, and your heart beats faster. As you try to find a mental solution, your emotions may be all over the place, and your body is attempting to maintain homeostasis.

Whatever the situation, whether home, school, work, kids, life, finances, family, etc… it can catch you totally off guard. Stress can build up over time and if not addressed, other issues being to pop up. These take the form of prolonged distress, short temper, trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, weight gain and beyond.

Last week I shared the more medical side regarding how your body produces cortisol, dubbed the "stress hormone" which is excreted from our adrenal glands. Cortisol is not all bad as it’s goal is to help you and your body self-regulate. It can help control blood sugar, regulate metabolism, and help reduce inflammation. Too much cortisol, however, occurs in prolonged states of stress which creates prolonged elevations of cortisol. This results in elevations of blood sugar, lowered immune response, high blood pressure, increase in appetite/food cravings, loss of muscle mass, increased fat accumulation, and even loss of cognitive function.

It’s no wonder there is an increase in weight that comes along with stress!!

This week, we want to focus on what to do to manage stress more effectively.

Learning to Cope with Stress

Having a plan of action in place can help you even before stress hits because if you know WHAT to do, you’ll be more apt to do it!

1. Recognize the triggers - when you are in it, sometimes you may not realize the cause. If you can determine what the stressor is, then you can work your way backwards to hopefully prevent it in the future. While going through it, you can also recognize that stress is temporary, and you’ll make it through.

2. Breathe - Deep breathing helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system which reduces the stress response. This helps you to calm your body and your brain down when experiencing stress. This is why so often when people are panicking they are told to BREATHE.. It helps a great deal.

3. Take a step back - Removing yourself from the stressful situation to get all the information is important. Fully processing what is going on can help you in crafting a solution rather than overanalyzing of the problem.

4. Shift the energy - When stress occurs, the adrenals pumps the cortisol and glucose into your system, and it needs a place to go. Moving your body is great way to clear out the energy and to move the hormones through your body. Go for a walk, hit the gym, etc.

5. Talk it out /Ask for Support - Sometimes you need to get out of your own head and calling a friend, family member or colleague to talk it out may help you. For deeper issues, you may consider getting a therapist as well.

6. Relaxation & Self-Care - Frequent self-care and relaxation techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or yoga can also help you get better in touch with your body. This also helps in reducing the stress response.

7. Create new routines - If there is something regularly stressing you out, you may need a routine to help reduce stress, or to combat the stress. Create healthy routines that help you reduce stress before it even starts. It may even be that getting a good night’s sleep can help you to reduce stress at work and throughout your day.

8. Prevention - Start to look at where stress pops up in your life and make notes in your journal. You may see that there are patterns of how or when stress pops up. Thinking about preventing stress can be another tool in your tool box to help you reduce stress for the long-term.
   
   

It’s essential to recognize that we’ll never fully get rid of stress, as it’s a normal part of life. However, it is important to know how to handle it when it does pop up and get involved in stress-reduction strategies when you can. The most important thing is having long-term healthy habits that will help you refocus your attention on the most important aspects of life while losing the weight and working toward keeping it off.

The TWO biggest predictors of weight regain are.....

You likely have heard me say it before…or you've heard it elsewhere…

The two biggest predictors of weight regain are….
excess STRESS & a lack of SLEEP

According to quite a few clinical journal articles and one very profound professional training I attended a couple of years ago - stress and sleep are among the leading causes of weight regain.

In the training I attended, a bariatrician (obesity medicine physician) shared with us that in his practice and in a review of the literature many people fail to cope with stress and struggle with getting enough sleep. This can be due to many varying personal and professional reasons.

High psychological stress and a lack of sleep can stall your weight loss and cause weight regain. In my private practice, these two predictors play out frequently among bariatric patients. However, it's not as simple as that. There are other issues too.

Let me share..

Ultimately, the hormones behind stress and sleep are the cause, but the behavioral indicators are stress and sleep.

See, when your stress levels are raised, your adrenal glands release CORTISOL into your system. Elevated cortisol levels are responsible for lower immune function and bone density, increase in weight gain, increase in blood pressure, can interfere with learning and memory, and can impact cholesterol levels and heart disease.

How does CORTISOL cause weight gain exactly you might ask??

It interferes with your appetite and sends signals to the body to store fat - this is called the glucocorticoid contribution to obesity.

And guess what?? Cortisol is also impacted if you don’t get enough sleep. In many of the articles I’ve read on "how to lower cortisol levels" - they talk about stress reduction in addition to making sure you get enough sleep.

Those who struggle with high stress may also be at risk for not getting enough sleep (insomnia) due to high stress situations.

So, how’s YOUR sleep patterns?

We all know that the generally recommended amount of sleep is approximately 8-hours per night, yet there have been studies that show when you sleep less, you’re actually at an increased risk to eat more too!!

When tired, that 3 o’clock slump can hit you pretty hard, and may end up sending you to the vending machine, eating your friend's gummy bears, stealing some M&Ms off your bosses desk, or at the very least going for a cup of coffee.

And… another recommendation the research suggests, is to stay away from caffeine in the afternoons because guess what???

It can also impact your ability to sleep in the evening, further impacting this cycle.

See, when you don’t get enough sleep, fatigue sets in. You can be irritable, disrupts hormone patterns, and in an attempt to self-regulate, your body changes the way it releases appetite-controlling hormones, and can increase cravings or cause you want to eat to stay awake.

So, now that you know ALL of this.. what can you do about it??

First of all, getting involved in a stress reduction plan is key. Secondly, making sure that part of that stress reduction plan is getting enough sleep.

What is a stress reduction plan??

Simply put, it’s self-care. This journey involves you taking care of you and you getting educated about yourself, your needs and things no one every taught you.

Get back to going to your hospital/local support group (or find one that supports your needs).
Go to therapy - talking it out does amazing things!!
Move your body as exercise is a great way to release stress.
Make sure you’re drinking enough water, and put down the excess caffeine.
Set boundaries and remove yourself toxic situations that involve toxic people.
Take "breathing" breaks.
Journal it out.. Journaling helps you get your emotions out on paper, to release them.
Eat only when hungry (avoid eating when head hungry and get help with emotional eating).

And there are so many more I can name…

There are many ways you can get yourself involved in working on you to help you keep the weight off for good. Stress is a part of life, and learning how to reduce it, deal with it, and process through it are great benefits.

Use these to help you move forward and try one at a time. Monitor your stress levels by keeping a mood journal or diary, and do your best to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

Stay tuned also, as we continue to talk about stress and sleep in the coming weeks…

Why Mindset matters...

Mindset.. Do people recognize why it's important?

So I wanted to pop in and share more on this topic.. MINDSET is from the perspective that you think...

Whether you believe you'll be a success or a failure.. It's the engine to your whole process.. whether you start, or not.

MINDSET...

It’s how you think, it’s why you do what you do.. It’s how you perceive things..

It’s whether you’ll take action, or whether you’ll give up on yourself.
It’s whether you’ll have the ability to slow yourself down, or find yourself comatose after a sugar binge..
It’s whether you’ll be able to refocus yourself and resist the urges, or find yourself standing over the toilet regretting what you just ate, because it’s coming back up.

Your #mindset determines your outcome.

So often you’ll see eat this, not that..

And while that is important you don’t see many people talking about the struggles of the person with their face in the fridge at 9pm. No one is talking about the emotional side of this WHOLE process.

Let’s be clear.. It’s a struggle.

You must be intentional.
You must have focus.
You must be on your "A" game.

And in order to do this, you must be in the RIGHT mindset.

The RIGHT mindset is about…

Believing in yourself.
Pushing yourself.
Challenging yourself.
Encouraging yourself.

Taking action - even when you don’t want to…

Because life happens, and NONE of us can play our "A" game all the time.. NO ONE!

And, when you get the tools to be your BEST, you can still be GREAT at your worst, when you have the RIGHT tools in your back pocket.

See PRACTICE is the key to success. And your MINDSET helps you stay the course no matter what.

Having accountability, support, and guidance to get through the trenches day by day, is what you need to succeed..

And this group is providing just that.

And education on topics to help you see life, yourself, and your struggles DIFFERENTLY.

The support to navigate the struggles, and the accountability to keep going.

This is what we’ll do a deep dive on in M3.

We give you the tools and the support together..

You get the training, you apply it to YOUR life, specific to you, and you integrate the tools and skills into your daily life.

This helps you make it easy.

M3 starts on Sunday, August 4th.. and our first video training drops Wednesday!!

We are already getting to know one another as a group on the inside. If you are ready to make a change, this is for you.

Don’t put off your growth any longer.. take a step for YOU..

You deserve it!!

Why tracking is important for your mindset and your journey

Let's talk TRACKING!!! Some of you swear by it, others avoid it, and whether you love it or hate it, there are soooo many benefits to tracking.

Some of you may be tracking already, while some of you may have given it up a while ago.

The thing is many can get anxious about tracking or it feels cumbersome - and yet another step you have to take.

However, the clinical research suggests that tracking increases long-term success. When measured, people who tracked their food lost more weight and kept it off longer.

And it also helps with practicing awareness of what you’re eating, and it keeps you conscious of everything you put in your mouth.

A handful of nuts here, 1 small cookie there.
A small bite of this, a small bite of that..
That second glass of wine.
And so on.

Your brain might say, "oh comon’ One bite won’t matter", and before you know it, you’ve had two, or three.

Without conscious awareness, grazing and impulse eating can happen.

This is why tracking is helpful for lasting lifestyle change.

It keeps you in check.
It keeps you aware.
It keeps you conscious.
It keeps you on track.

Some don’t track out of shame and guilt. Yet even then, it won’t keep anyone safe from seeing the results on the scale.

If eating becomes out of control, returning to tracking and self-monitoring can help you see where the struggles are.

For some tracking is not enough and issues go deeper. Yet starting with a reflection gives you initial perspective of where to begin.

Start this week with tracking your food and beverages. Drinks can also be high in calories. Be mindful of everything you are eating and drinking.

This is a great way to recalibrate yourself and regroup for weight loss success.

Spend 5 minutes each day to track your food in an app or keep a log of the foods you are eating and beverages you are drinking. Check in at the end of the week to review how you did.

Even eating off track can teach you a thing or two. Release the shame and recognize that each misstep helps you gain clarity on what to do next.

Track your food and drink for a week and check-in on what insight you gain.

Then use these prompts:

What new insights have you gained?
Do you struggle any specific time of day?
What times of the day are easiest to stay on track?
Is your food intake consistent?
How might this insight help you grow and learn?

I hope this serves you well!!

5k's are not for everyone

Last Friday I had to go see an orthopedic for my knee. Having knee issues is something that I struggled with long before my bariatric surgery. I've always fallen or tripped over my own feet. My mom would call me a "klutz".

In 2011, I fell down a flight of stairs and had a meniscus tear in my right knee that flipped on itself. I had surgery to repair it, and then after my WLS in 2013, my knees have done so much better. Also, staying active has helped a ton!!

Recently, though, the knee pain got worse. So, I decided to see an orthopedic doc and see what was up with my knee, since part of my post-op process is staying in shape. Come to find out, I have arthritis in both my knees and it's hereditary.

What was interesting was that the doc told me to avoid running and walking outside. He suggested I use the treadmill, but that even better would be to do all my cardio on a glider, elliptical, or bike. He also suggested that NO MATTER WHAT, I should stay active and keep doing things that will help me stay conditioned rather than aggravating it.

Similarly my doc told ME to stay away from crossfit, or HIIT workouts. While these are all the rage, he suggested that I avoid "high impact" types of training to avoid injury.

So often, I see that 5k's are the rage and many bariatric patients seek to use this as a way to stretch themselves especially when signing up and getting ready for a race. The training process can be a way to hold oneself accountable. And, while 5k's are a great way to do this, they are not for everyone.

As someone who has NEVER run, and has been advised not to run, 5k races are not for me. The point here is to listen to your body, and do activities that make you feel good, make your body feel good, and stay fit doing what works FOR YOUR BODY.

I knew this advice long before the doc told me, yet I wanted to share this and my experience with you because not everyone has that 'body wisdom' yet. Sometimes, following the crowd is what people do, and many crowds do 5k's.

The purpose in moving your body is to feel good, whatever it is; not to incur any damage, and to enjoy what you do when you are moving.

I know that if I were to start pounding the pavement, it would just further aggravate my knee and cause more problems for my body. So, instead, I'll do that elliptical, take spin classes, do yoga and Pilates, and focus on strength training, because that's what my body likes.

Now it's time to figure out what's best for YOUR body..

Tuning in to your body can be ONE of the best things you can do. Following the crowd, or what's best for burning calories may not be what's best for YOU!! Focus on what YOUR body likes and needs, and you'll stick with it for the long-haul!

This weeks' prompts:

What type of movement makes your body feel good? Is it dancing? Pilates? Yoga? Barre class? Or is it something more fast paced? Are you a high-impact type of person? Or do you need low-impact movement?

What wisdom is your body sharing with you about what activities you need to be doing?
And, what activities might you need to pass on or avoid to avoid injury?

What activities/movement/workouts would you like to try on that you haven't yet?

What activities are you willing to try or commit to this week?

I hope this helps you get moving!!

PS.. our membership is open for enrollment!!
For all the info, check it out HERE!

Getting prepared for crises

This is the time of year when many are watching the weather. Hurricane season lasts June 1st - November 30th, and living on the East Coast, it affects many.

Last week New Orleans was under a major weather watch as a tropical storm thundered through the area. The fear would be another catastrophe like Katrina..

Hurricane prep isn't the only thing we need to be concerned with though, as the mid-west gets hit with tornados and potential flooding, while the pacific coast is under threat of earthquakes - and has even seen a few lately!

It can be super scary when there are many situations and circumstances out of your control (like the weather), and yet knowing how to be prepared, is so instrumental to your long-term growth...

This is because we don't always get a big warning sign that something is going to happen. When life happens, it just happens!

Just two weeks ago, a private client of mine had to take her sister to the ER and was freaking out because it was a potentially life threatening situation. She emailed me two days after this incident to thank me because part of our work together had prepared her for this exact situation.

She used her stress management tools that we developed in our sessions to help her stay calm despite the overwhelm and uncertainty of the situation.

She had some snacks already in her purse for emergency situations, so she knew she would have something in the event they were at the ER for a long time (which they were!).

Then, she used our tools to think ahead about what to eat while at the hospital so she could avoid fried cafeteria food and vending machines, all while working to stay calm for her family.

In these types of situations in the past, she told me, she would have shoved food in and never looked back. She shared that "with the awarenesses you have taught me, and how you've taught me to listen to myself, my body, and how to calm myself down.. I felt totally prepared for this ridiculously chaotic situation, and I cannot thank you enough!"

Thankfully, her sister was discharged a few days later and all is well. The major point here though is that when disaster or crisis strikes, we end up in our heads, overly emotional, and running around not sure what to do next.

This is why preparing mentally and emotionally and gaining new tools and skills are INSTRUMENTAL for your long-term growth.

Whether it is a weather disaster, a family crisis, or some other situation that arises, as humans we don't get to PASS on life issues. They will still happen to us whether we like it or not, whether we are prepared or not.

And, far more people come to me with help to lose their regain due to some family issue, life crisis, job loss, relative death/passing, than anything else...

This is why learning in advance to deal with life stressors is one of the best things we can do for our long-term growth and healing. Getting ready for crisis doesn't mean that we expect it or that we welcome it.. it means that we put our armor on, and we get ready for battle, even when the storms are calm, and everything seems peaceful. It's gaining the wisdom to deal with things we hope and pray will never come, just in case.

Here are some questions and tips for you this week..

What do you need to prepare for you in your life so you know what you'll need to stay on track?

What potential weather issues could happen where you live?

What life issues might you need to potentially work on so that you can gain strength and wisdom on your journey ?

What would help you prepare best for crisis?

And.... if you'd like to catch my HURRICANE PREP sheet, head on over to the Bariatric Mindset Mavens Facebook Group and grab it from the files tab.

We want to make sure that you are prepared and thinking ahead no matter what is going on...

As always.. in love and light...

The best (and most important) project you'll ever work on...

Quite often, I hear people struggle with comparing themselves with others, struggling with...

When will I get there?
Why haven't I lost as much as that other person has lost?
Why am I not there yet?
Why can't I stick with anything?
What's wrong with me?
Why can't I just.... ???

The truth is, this journey is a process more than it is anything else.

And.... if you continue to focus on where you're NOT yet, or why you CAN'T, you'll continue to feel and be stuck, because your focus will be on what you DON'T want, instead of what you DO want.

Working on you is part of your WLS journey. Working on yourself, is the best gift you'll give to yourself, and to those who love you, EVER!! This is because not only do you get YOU back again, they get ALL of you as well. You are able to do all of the things that you weren't able to do before surgery. And, you'll rediscover the magic of life, because you'll learn to rediscover the MAGIC of YOU!

There are many reasons why you may get frustrated with various parts of the journey, (stalls being one area I see many people feel frustrated). When you recognize that these things are temporary, you'll have the courage and insight to keep moving forward.

Getting down on yourself just tends to keep you immobile instead of zooming right alone.

Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam and wondered, What the hell is going on up there? - OR - What is taking them so long to clear the road??

You are doing this to yourself on your own journey by playing the "stop/start" game, and by not recognizing that you learn as you grow.

Sometimes the "stuckness" may be emotional and it may be anxiety, depression, or a clinical mental health issue. If this comes up, it is very important you find a counselor in your area to help you process these emotions, so you can work through them and keep going.

Mental health issues come up frequently in our community, and having a therapist can be essential to gain the therapeutic tools to deal with depression, anxiety, grief & loss issues, etc.

As you move through this journey, you'll recognize that the things you once thought were road blocks, were just speed bumps, and you breeze right through once you deal with the issue that comes up.

Sometimes, I will see people's own issues with unworthiness, or feeling they are not deserving of good things, or not good enough themes come up which is why they stop working the process. You chose this journey for a reason. Despite what your past looks like, or even your present, you are worthy 100% in the here and now, regardless of what you've been through, regardless of anything.

You are worthy right now!

Believing this is a different story.. Working on you, however, helps you bust through these limiting beliefs, so you can live the life you've always wanted, and feel worthy of having it to boot!

Here are some journaling prompts to help you work through this so you can REFOCUS your attention on working on YOU!

• What keeps you stuck NOT working on yourself though?

• What emotions/feelings come up when you think of working on yourself in this post-op journey?

• Besides the "effort" that goes into maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviors, what else frustrates you?

• What would your life be like if you could zoom past these issues?

I hope you have a amazing week and these prompts serve you well..

Has summer thrown you off?

Summer is definitely here. Last month I wrote an article about summer and it seems that so many people resonated with it, that I wanted to discuss it again.

Summer is the time everyone goes on vacations, school is out, teachers are resting, barbecues and family reunions happen most often, etc.

This is also when things slow down in a lot of places, and while life seems to be ALWAYS busy, this is when many people tend to get thrown off by life.

And, then because they are overwhelmed, they think they need to WAIT until life slows down. Remember that email a few weeks ago where I suggested that you "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can." - You can find that message again here.

This week, it's important that you pause, reflect, and initiate a restart for what you want the summer to bring.

Would you like to get back on track, or stay on track? Would you like to move into the Fall season with confidence and ease?

Would you like to master your habits, and feel better in your body?

What is it that you can work through this summer that would create a better life for you moving forward?

All of these questions can be answered when you slow down and get in touch with yourself, and focus on what you want or need to be working on.

See, more than anything, I see bariatric patients freaking out because:

they aren't "there" yet...
they don't know "what" to focus on...
they fear they are falling behind...
they don't know where to begin...
and/or they are just generally overwhelmed with the process

So instead of staying stagnant, take a step back, breathe a little, and work on something that is doable just for this week. Get in a flow of taking action on something that you know you CAN follow through with..

Then, move onto another area next week.

Maybe this week you focus on moving your body, and next week you focus on meal prep.
Or maybe this week you focus on setting boundaries, and next week, you focus on feeling good in your body.

Each person's journey is different, which is why it's so important to recognize what is coming up for you, and working at your own pace.

This isn't a competition, it isn't a race, and you're going at the pace you need to go, receiving knowledge and learning as you go. Even if you think you are messing up, there's a lesson to be learned in this process.

As we move into this first week of July, and the second half of 2019, it is important that you look at what you want to achieve the second half of this year, and start to put a mini action plan in place.

What can you start with?
Where do you want to grow?
What is happening in your life that may be preventing you from achieving this? -OR-
What is happening in your life that is allowing growth to unfold, even if you feel the timing is off?
What can you do now to help you grow?
What is one small step you can take toward the life you desire?

Feel free to share this in the Bariatric Mindset Mavens group as you expand your horizons into the second half of this year.

Or reply and let me know what you're working on.

And, if you need additional guidance - the Bariatric Mindset Mastery Membership is opening soon! Keep your eyes peeled for more details!!

In search of the new you

So often I see so much more than weight loss happen on this journey. I see lives changed and transformed.

The weight loss, while the main focus of WHY everyone started this process, ultimately is not the big WHY for the end of everyone's journey.

There are so many twists and turns, and changes that take place in the weight loss process that a new understanding of who you are, and who you want to become is one of the things I don't hear a lot of people talking about.

Sure, we will see where people talk about divorce and dating on the message boards, yet I know many go into this process hoping it will save their marriage; while others may have a strong marriage before, and a strong marriage after.

The individual journey is different for everyone; and in saying that, I'm going to share some examples of things I see day-to-day from people going through the post-op process of lifestyle change.

Career changes are a big thing I see in the post-op journey that many don't discuss often except in private forums. Not being heard at work, or feeling confident enough to FINALLY put yourself up for promotion, asking for the raise, recognizing your worth to say "enough is enough" and looking for new positions.

Feeling dismissed or unheard or taken advantage of by family and friends (or even in your career) can create boundary issues that you may not have realized could come up on your post-op journey.

Recognizing the steps that you need to take in order to fully and completely take care of yourself in the post-op process and learning how to make yourself a priority.

What does that even mean? How might you make YOU a priority in your own life?

So often, I see bariatric patients putting EVERYONE else first. In this process, one of the keys to success is the ability to put yourself first so that you can stay healthy. Giving and being of service of others can still be done, but creating healthy boundaries will help you be a better steward of your health, and will help prevent others from taking advantage of your kindness.

Overall, I see growth in confidence, self-worth, self-esteem, and individuals recognizing how they might have doubted themselves, all due to their struggle with obesity.

So, in letting go of that old self, those old habits of "not good enough" in any area of your life, start to think of WHO you want to become.

Here are some questions to consider:

What needs to change for you?
What already has changed for you?
What do you see changing as you continue to lose the weight?
What might change when you get to goal?
What will change regardless of your weight loss?


Journal prompts for growth:

Who do you want to become?

What steps do you need to take to become that person - that version of you?

What smaller goals need to be set and achieved for you to start working towards that larger goal?

What other life changes may be in your path? Would it be in your personal life? Professional/work life? Home life? Family life?

WLS goes beyond the weight loss. There is so much more that happens when you gain your life back. You start to realize all the things you've missed out on, and all the things you desire to do.

Don't wait for things to unfold. You are the creator of your identity. You are in charge of the change you seek to create.

Start living. Start Doing. Start becoming the person you desire to be.

Be better than you were

I've paid attention to the twinges of perfectionism in our community - and how it impacts our ability to succeed. The all-or-nothing mentality is one that keeps us stuck, more than it helps us to grow.

Perfectionism is actually the antithesis of growth because it keeps us stuck in "not good enough" thinking. This makes people (over time) think, "why bother" and then they give up.

I want to encourage you and empower you to think DIFFERENTLY.

This isn't a race. This isn't a competition. It's a life-long journey.

Even in taking a quote from the ASMBS (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery), in how they define obesity -"in terms of individual and societal health, longevity and psychological well-being," and then they go on to state that "obesity, due to its progressive nature" is a LIFE-LONG process, requiring "life-long treatment and control". So, this is a huge insight that this surgery, this pre-op and post-op process - is NOT a one-and-done event. This is a life-long process. We will all be continuing to battle this - for as long as we live.

This is not to scare you at all, this is meant to teach you that there is no "THERE", or end point. This is a life-long process of growth, change, self-love, self-reflection, and self-care. This is a life-long process of monitoring our food intake, moving our bodies, and making sure we set healthy boundaries.

So my words of wisdom for you today is....

BE BETTER THAN YOU WERE YESTERDAY

Instead of focusing on being perfect, or doing everything right...

Focus on changing one thing.
Focus on starting on one new thing.
Focus on being BETTER in ONE area.
Focus on being better than you were yesterday.

The smallest steps over time create big results.

This isn't about getting to some imaginary finish line. This is about you living your life to the fullest!!This is about doing things that you couldn't do before surgery, and becoming the best you that you can be.

What does that look like for you?
What might changing one thing to be better look like for you?
What's the one thing you're excited to work on?

How might you shift perfectionistic "all or nothing" thinking to "being better" in one area today and moving forward?

I hope this message serves you well today!

Sending you tons of love and light!