Weight Loss Information

Running from the Fat Monster after Gastric Bypass


Many patients of gastric bypass report feeling fearful of succeeding at weight loss after a lifetime of failed diet attempts. In most cases, the fear of success subsides as a patient reaches goal weight and becomes comfortable in their new body. About that time the Fat Monster shows up to scare the hell out of patients.

I thought the fear of success was scary - that is until I met the Fat Monster. The Fat Monster came into my life one night shortly after I achieved my weight loss goal. The Fat Monster terrified me with illusion - in the darkness of night he convinced me that the weight loss was just a dream, that by morning the Little Fat Girl would be back. He convinced me that being thin was too good to be true. I was terrified.

The Fat Monster scared the hell out of me and I believed his frightening stories. Even on days when my behavior was stellar - I followed the four rules - I was convinced he could catch me. Many restless nights I woke frequently to run my hands over my body confirming he hadn't caught me that night. I needed to know that I was still thin. Many patients are acquainted with the Fat Monster - after years of dieting failure it is common to believe this weight loss is too good to be true.

To this day the Fat Monster keeps me honest. Aloud I can say that looking and feeling great is my motivation to follow the rules, to exercise and maintain my weight. But deep down inside I'm on a dead run trying to get away from the Fat Monster. I don't ever want to return to being morbidly obese, I hated that life. So when I get on the treadmill I am literally running from the Fat Monster. When I eat my protein and take my supplements I'm building my strength to battle the Fat Monster. I am at war with the Fat Monster and I will never surrender; I am winning!

Other patients are battling their own Fat Monster. One woman believed the Fat Monster had occupied her bathroom scale - she began weighing compulsively around the clock. She had a before work weight, an after work weight, before work-out weight, after work-out weight and on and on. Any fluctuation from normal caused immediate panic and self-loathing. Her husband locked away the scale and she nearly lost her mind! So, they came to a compromise. He would keep the scale - and the Fat Monster - locked away except for the once a week weigh-in. The physical act of locking-up the Fat Monster worked for her. She no longer weighed herself compulsively and her weekly weigh-ins showed she could very successfully maintain a healthy weight without round-the-clock vigilance to the bathroom scale.

Patients do best when they identify their own Fat Monster and learn what behaviors - good or bad - the monster is affecting in your life. Do not surrender control to the Fat Monster but use terror as a source of motivation in your healthy life.

Kaye Bailey © 2005 Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com

Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.


MORE RESOURCES:

Gorilla Zoe "Don't Feed The Animals" Weight Loss Challenge!
SOHH, Jersey City - 3 hours ago
In preparation for the album, Gorilla Zoe has decided to take on a 12 week weight loss challenge perfectly titled "Don't Feed Da Animal" to lose 40 pounds ...


Weight Loss Centers Settle Suit Alleging Bias Against Men
HR.BLR.com - 4 hours ago
An employer operating weight loss centers has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accusing the company ...


Examiner.com

Weight loss secrets revealed
Examiner.com - 7 hours ago
by Stephen Cabral, Boston Weight Loss Examiner 2009 will be here before we know it and the time to start looking and feeling your best is now. ...


Exercise may speed weight loss after gastric bypass
Reuters UK, UK - 2 hours ago
The procedure, which restricts the amount of food a person can eat, can spur substantial weight loss and help control obesity-related conditions like ...


Second Tri-State weight loss challenge to kick off
Huntington Herald Dispatch, WV - 1 hour ago
Millne’s first Tri-State Weight Loss Challenge recently finished up with more than 160 pounds and 230 inches lost by participants. ...


Fund weight loss
Calgary Herald,  Canada - 5 hours ago
... however, if the intent is to save health-care dollars, this money would be put to better use by covering fees for weight-loss programs. ...


Daily News: Weight-Loss Surgery Might Benefit Pregnancy
Nurse.com, VA - 9 hours ago
The researchers, who analyzed data from 75 previous studies, also reported women who have weight-loss surgery can improve their chances of getting pregnant ...


Examiner.com

Randy Jackson's soulful weight loss journey
Examiner.com - Dec 2, 2008
His new book titled Body With Soul, is a testament to his long and hard journey of weight loss. He shares his struggles with fad diets and solutions that he ...


Oh Baby: OB GYN offers up weight loss secret
Sioux City Journal, IA - Dec 2, 2008
Cheat -- even a little -- and weight loss wouldn't happen. Try to cook daily "and you're probably going to fail." The secret: Make your meals ahead of time, ...


BlackNews.com (press release)

Is Randy Jackson The Next "Weight-Loss" Idol?
BlackNews.com (press release), OH - 12 minutes ago
Beyond the obvious dangers that weight loss surgery pose to the overweight person, what kind of message is this sending to the greater public? ...

Weight-Loss - Google News

home | site map
© 2006