By: Ulysses So

Ulysses So — Fri, 07 Mar 2003 20:12:14 +0000

as for swimming…..i lost alot of weight because i have been on a very
restrictive protein first diet and put on a lot of muscle too i think
because of the amount of exercise and swimming i have been doing. i think
you are right. doing one thing without the other doesn’t work. we all know
that eating and exercising is the best way to get healthy results.

By: Nanette Zora

Nanette Zora — Wed, 26 Feb 2003 11:59:03 +0000

But, you see… most of us Morbidly Obese folks (or formerly MO folks) have
ZERO self control… the self control it takes to eat *only* one Kiss a
day. If we had that kind of self control, why would we have needed surgery?!?
Having watched and listened to post-ops for 3 years now, I know *exactly*
what Sandra is asking for because she, too, has seen what one Kiss a day
can turn into. It turns into a Kiss a couple of times a day… then
several… then every hour… I mean, what can 8 Kisses a day do,
right? It’s only 200 extra calories. I can walk an extra 10 minutes on
the treadmill.
And so the head game begins.
(Speaking for myself but knowing that MANY relate) My head is a grand
manipulator. My head can justify just about anything it wants to if it
involves food going into my mouth. If I had one Hershey Kiss a day now, it
would be 50 in a month. I just cannot accomplish moderation… without my
WLS. I wasn’t a snacker, but a volume eater, so my RNY has helped me

tremendously.
But, I know how to play the Let’s Eat game well. I know from watching that
one can eat a Kiss every 5 minutes and never fill up the pouch (chocolate
melts and goes right on through). I could drink milk shakes, eat ice
cream, eat M&Ms, even eat Snickers slowly… and never fill up. How I
*win* the Let’s Eat game is to NOT eat what will push me over the edge to
loss of control. For me, those foods are Cheetos, donuts, chocolate candy,
cakes, and pies (this is a short list, btw).
Instead, I abstain from those foods that are Danger Foods for me.
I work so hard to put what *nourishes* my body into my mouth. My head
wants a whole slew of other foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever
and while I have chilled somewhat (ate bites of sf/ff ice cream and sf
cheesecake on vacation), I still know that everyday, for ME, would turn
into disaster and re-gaining the weight I have worked SO HARD to get rid of.
Another couple of reasons: NutraSweet, in many studies, has been shown to
increase appetite and trigger sugar cravings. Caffeine, which is found in
most sodas, is a diuretic and we posties need as much fluid in our bodies
as possible. I know that MANY posties drink diet sodas (some even drink
regular sodas, which, to me, is sabotage) and I encourage those who choose
to to consider drinking Diet Rite sodas. They are made with Splenda and do
not contain caffeine. (No involvement with Diet Rite here, btw.)
Sandra: Look around you. Look at how fat our society is. Look at how fat
people struggle through their day. REMEMBER that that was YOU not so long
ago. Remember the horrors of all that fat on your body. Bask in the
warmth of your newfound freedoms. Feel what it feels like to be in your
body now… how it moves, how it fits, how it reacts to life experiences
such as walking, sleeping, exercising, driving, etc. Remember… REMEMBER
what it was like before surgery to be in that other body… YOUR
body. Remind yourself over and over how hard you need to work to keep the
body you have… and get even healthier and more fit.
And something else… about exercise. (I know I will be lambasted for
this, but…) Swimming, while a great exercise for MO people and those
with mobility issues, is *not* a good weight loss exercise. Unless you are
swimming so hard that you are out of breath and sweating for many minutes
afterwards… and your face is red from exertion… you are not getting
much benefit aerobic-wise from it. Even the standard Aqua Aerobic classes
don’t push you hard enough to get the heart rate up… unless you work
*hard* during a Deep Water Aqua Aerobic class. I am not speaking out of my
butt, but have been a water-girl most of my life (hence the Feral Mermaid
as my moniker). I listen over and over as fat people complain about not
losing weight/fat even though they are swimming 80 laps. *I* can swim 80
laps *easily* (crawl!) and not even remotely breath hard. And the fatter
you are, the less swimming helps aerobically because our bodies float with
the fat. When we float, we aren’t having to work very hard to move through
the water. SO! For those of you who swim for post-op exercise… just
PUSH… move faster and faster… get yourselves out of breath… sweat
after you are out of the pool. Then you will know you have actually burned
some calories.
Anyway, back to not wanting to exercise in the winter. (*getting tough
here*) These bodies were meant to move… every day… in a thousand
different ways. These bodies work well in 100 degree heat and 50 below
cold. We have regulators that help us keep our organs and blood warm or
cool. When we exercise in the cold, we burn more calories because our
body’s thermostat perks up trying to keep us warm. That brain game I spoke
of earlier? It also works wonders in the exercise department. I listen to
your excuse for not exercising and imagine your head working overtime to
convince you not to move. Well, my friend Sandra… there really is, in
this day and age, NO excuse for not moving these bodies.
You can: go to the inside mall and walk your butt off… go to the Y… go
to a gym… go to a friend’s house and do a tape together… do tapes alone
in front of your tv! Or, you can bundle up and get thee outside in the
world! There is SO much we didn’t see as fat people… I am LOVING getting
to know the cities I visit in a way I never did before. I have been to San
Antonio about 10 times, but have never been to the River Walk or the Alamo
because I physically couldn’t do it. I am leaving Sunday for there and am
giddy with excitement about walking around that city! I am *freezing*
since surgery and it is darn tootin’ cold in San Antonio, so I bought a
slew of long sleeve tee shirts, long johns, leggings, and gloves and hats
because I am *not* going to let the elements keep me inside or from
enjoying my new physical freedoms.
Honestly? I think that it benefited me tremendously that I was unable to
walk for so many years (first, because of an ankle disability, then because
of my fat… about 10 years total). It has put mobility in a whole
different perspective for me… and I hope I NEVER take my physical
abilities for granted. I am trying, Sandra (and others), to impart that
determination onto you as well. Remember the restrictions of mountains of
fat. Do not let ANYTHING put restrictions on living life every again.
*jumping off soapbox [because I can jump again]*
Barbara Herrera
San Diego, CA - 40 years old
Open RNY April 5, 2001
Dr. Julie Ellner, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA
4/5/01: 344# BMI: 63
8/24/01: 244# BMI: 45 (minus 100 pounds!)
12/18/01: 198# BMI: 36.2
(LOST: Diabetes, GERD, IBS, Stress Incontinence, Sleep Apnea, Snoring,
PCOS, Joint Pain, Immobility, Insatiable Hunger/Thirst, & A Premature Death
Sentence. FOUND: LIFE!!!)

By: Tommie Yadira

Tommie Yadira — Tue, 25 Feb 2003 03:07:27 +0000

I don’t get it. Why the need to be perfect? I don’t see that you need a
butt kicking. Your behaviors are to be commended, IMO. So what if you have
one Hershey’s Kiss a day, as long as you never have more than one? And a
diet soft drink once every few days? Whats the prob? I’d call that a major
victory. If I could learn and practice moderation I’d have a Kiss a day,
myself. Love,
Tammie

Comments on: Butt kicking needed

By: Ulysses So

By: Nanette Zora

By: Tommie Yadira