The Key to Success is Paying Attention~

I remember when my daughter was very young, I used to tell her this all of the time. “The Key to Success is Paying Attention.” I have no idea where I came up with such a phrase, but it sounded good to me, so I ran with it. Poor girl! I’m sure she’d feel like hitting me over the head with one of her many Waterbabies every time I’d repeat those words to her.

Well, she survived and now she’s away at college and I often wonder if she ever thinks of that little phrase.

Today, I was thinking about my Band and my eating habits since becoming a Bandster - Jan. 29, 2008. I know previously, I rarely paid attention to what I consumed. In fact, if I wasn’t on one of my many diets, I didn’t pay attention at all. It was pretty much a free for all. I have to admit, I did eat things that would be considered very unhealthy. Well, very unhealthy in most circles. I’m sure that goes without saying! AFTERALL I was super morbidy obese. (WAS!)

Now that I’ve been banded, I strive to be fully aware of each and every thing I eat. I log my food online at www.fitday.com. And many times I am shocked to find that I’ve consumed way more calories than I had planned. I have sadly figured out that one cookie from my favorite bakery is over 460 calories. Four hundred and sixty calories is almost half of my daily caloric intake! I was devastated to obtain this information. I remember I was sitting on my bed - diligently logging my food in for the day. I had to go to www.CalorieKing.com to find out how many calories that one cookie was - the one cookie that I just had to eat - the one cookie that my head insisted I have, that one chocolate, pecan cookie! I searched CalorieKing and finally found the bakery - looked on the list and found the cookie, clicked on it - CHOKE!! Oh My Goodness! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Was it really worth 460 calories? It wasn’t even that large!

Now that it’s been consumed and months have passed since that night, I can honestly say, “NO, it wasn’t worth it!” So why did I eat it? I saw it, I was hungry - I wanted it. I could have ordered some soup or a half of a sandwich. I could have gotten something more substantial, something healthy, something that would have fed my body the nutrients it needed, but I didn’t. I wasn’t paying attention.

I think of my weight loss since being banded and I wonder. Could I have lost more if I hadn’t had the occasional slip? Would I be almost to goal, if I had paid attention?

Then I think about all the times I did pay attention. I think of all the rules I’ve followed to the letter! I think of all the times I listened to my body and didn’t eat - because my body wasn’t hungry. I think of all the times I passed up that cookie - that piece of cake - or that bag of tortilla chips. I’m not looking for applause here. NO reason for praise! I haven’t been perfect by any stretch of my imagination. But I have followed the Bander rules. I’m almost obsessed with following the rules. I’m sure some of my friends are bothered by my compulsion to not break the rules.

I remember hearing a seasoned bander say, “I didn’t get this band to be on a diet!” I thought, that makes sense. If I could have stayed on a diet - gotten to goal and maintained it, I would have never had to get a band. I’d be perfect. I don’t want to be on a diet. I don’t want to feel I am depriving myself of things I crave. BUT I do want to take the new habits I’ve learned and make them my new lifestyle. I want to enjoy the healthier foods, not because that is what my nut suggests I eat, but because they taste good and they are good for me.

I want to eat with awareness. I want to pay attention - and know that I am feeding my body good nutritious meals. I’m okay with not being perfect… I’m not okay with not paying attention.

Success is my goal! Paying attention will get me there!

May 19, 2009 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

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Straws or No Straws? That is the question~

There are so many rules to being a good Bander.  My doctor never told me about the No Straw rule.  I read it somewhere else.  But I always followed it.  Except for two times.

Once was on a road trip.  My daughter and I were driving to Vegas.  I was drinking my Starbucks, Passionfruit, Lemonade, Tea with no sugar syrup, Venti (ha!)  We got to Vail and my stomach was so full.  I tried to eat lunch and couldn’t.  The first bite gave me my ’soft stop’ and I thought to myself, “why am I so tight?”  Could it be the altitude?  I had no idea.  I had eaten breakfast 6 hours before and still felt full.  I waited a couple of hours and tried to eat again.  Same feeling of being too tight.  First bite and feeling satiated.  That’s when it hit me, “It might be the straw.”  By the time, I tried to eat the second time, we were in Utah at the hotel, so altitude wasn’t an issue.  That day, I was only able to eat breakfast - the meal prior to using the Straw.  AND I had a bad bloated feeling all day.

So last week while in ABQ, I used a straw again.  All day, actually.  That evening, I thought I was going to die - my tummy was so full.  I feared I had done something bad.  By morning, I was 100x better and it again hit me that it was the straw.  The Stupid Straw!  What is wrong with me?  Why did I try it again?  Had I forgotten the road trip?  Or was it that I see Banders use straws everyday and they claim they have no problems!

If I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that every Band patient is different.  Some have ’soft stops’ - some don’t.  Some have problems with Bread - some don’t.  Some can’t eat raw veggies or dry chicken - some can.  Some don’t reach their sweet spot until they have had several fills - some reach it after one. 

Some can use a Straw everytime they drink - I can’t.

May 13, 2009 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

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It’s working, but I’m scared!

Day 11 of my 100 day challenge!  I’ve lost 16lbs since starting.  I’ve worked out 12 times in 11 days!  AND I’m feeling confident and excited to see the scale move! 

Next week, I’m traveling to ABQ.  My routine will totally change.  I won’t have my weights, I won’t have my pool, I won’t have my cycle and I won’t have my fridge full of fresh fruit and veggies!  This will be a real test!  I hate tests!  ARGH!!!

May 1, 2009 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

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