Choices...and SCOPE!

The information I got at the consult mentions in several places that the choice to be successful is up to you.  The surgery is not going to do it all for you.  If you continue to eat the worst food, to eat more than you comfortably can, to not exercise you are probably not going to be as successful.  And, you might make yourself miserable in the process.

I've started my homework.  Yesterday I did a full daily intake log.  I am pleased to note that it does not include (at this time) a calorie count.  It does count grams of protein and amounts of calcium, iron, b complex, and if you're taking a multivitamin.  It also counts water intake and physical activity. It gives a reminder to get enough sleep and another area to work on protein.

So, although it may not be counting calories, writing down everything you put in your mouth does make you think about it!  And my first day - being able to eat as much I can - I still only managed 52g of protein.  uhm, not good.  I can see why they have you start working on this early.

Also, have you ever tried to chew every bite to the consistency of applesauce?  Yeah, that's not so easy either.  I am trying. And there is no way that I have taken 30 minutes to eat a meal in years.  Wow.  No wonder I can eat so much, I must eat like a Hoover...

The no soda thing is no biggy...I rarely drink soda.  But keeping it to 3 meals with no in-between is harder.  Especially in the morning.  I have been eating breakfast lately.  I didn't for years but I'm trying to be smarter about that.  But I have a time crunch.  I need to be at work and ready to go into morning meeting by 6:40am. I get up about 4:40am to make this happen.  That gives me time to do my crunches and all the other stuff (if the dogs don't putter too much) and get there.  But taking 30 minutes and eating enough to sustain me until noon is another matter.  I'm going to have to work on that.

While I was working on all my first day stuff...I got a call....from the hospital scheduler....MY SCOPE IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY!  woot! And we're off to a fast start!  It will be good to know that there's nothing going on that could mess this up.

Next week is a busy one!  My scope on Monday, meet with the dietitian on Thursday and start vacation Thursday night!

So while this journey is full of choices I am choosing to move forward.  I am choosing that while most of this is not easy, it is worthwhile.  I am choosing to change my relationship with food in a most permanent way.  You may not need to do such drastic changes, and certainly you may not need to address an issue with food...but are there better choices you could make in your life?  Is there drama that you could walk away from?  Are you getting enough rest to allow your mind to regenerate and lose some stress?  Are you choosing to spend time with your family and loved ones over letting work take over your life?

I hope that you do look at things a little different and choose to make choices that make you happy.  We are only here for a little while so we might as well enjoy it!! :)

~Mikki