Sources of motivation to maintain lost weight

Many people, many reasons

Motivation is one of the key factors of weight management. Each of us has a very good reason why we want to keep a lower weight and the reasons are as varied as there are people in the world. But I think that the main reasons could be grouped into a few main groups.

1. Health

Most people will tell you they lost weight because they wanted to be healthy. And in many cases it is true. The moment when your health starts crumbling and you are faced with chronic diseases, life is not as much fun as it used to be.

2. Looks

Another group will call it something like: I wanted to get in shape, but the reality behind this is that they wanted to stuff their butt in smaller jeans and look better. Nothing bad about this, it is a very valid reason. In today’s society looks are very important and whoever says that they are looking at the heart or personality, is lying. It is a fact.

 

3. Fear of regain

Then some people have been fighting with their weight forever, now they lost it and it is scaring the heck out of them that they will gain it all back. This is a somewhat different field of motivation. It is a little sicky one. These people would not keep any particularly healthy diet, they are likely to be starving themselves, weighing themselves every morning and this act will cause them major anxiety. What if they found a higher number? Unfortunately, for some reason, it is a valid source of motivation for them.

4. Pathology

The very last group could be people, especially women, who were once a little chubby, somebody threw at them very well-meant advice, a nasty comment, poked in the sorest spot and these girls develop a very unhealthy and distorted picture of themselves. They became obsessed with their body image, the restrictions, the control, and the obsession with becoming perfect. Yes, I am aiming at anorexia. These people desperately need help before it is too late.

 

The bari-circle

The fun part of bariatric surgery is that you are very likely to go through various of these groups, depending on how far from your surgery date you are.

 

Obviously, we all start this procedure to become healthy. Many of us had several comorbidities, not only excess weight, so getting rid of all the medications and nagging doctors, always commenting on your weight, is a number one priority.

 

But then, when the weight starts to peel off and you are finally able to buy some new clothes, you slowly pass to the next group. It sounds like heavenly music to your ears when somebody comments positively about your weight, asks if you have lost something, they compliment you on your look. You know what I am talking about. Each of us has been there.

And then, when you have lost all the excess weight and you are finally on your target/healthy weight, start the fight about not gaining anything back. Because let’s face it, we have put in a lot of effort and time, and we reached our goal, and everybody is looking at us now, so we mustn’t gain any weight no matter what, because we would have to listen to all the naysayers who had claimed that the surgery is a scam anyway and that it doesn’t work.

And see, I had told you, you are gaining the weight back and it is only a matter of time until you have it back all. And some more! It is a pure nightmare for every bariatric patient. And yes, one day there will be a little higher number on the scales. The question is how to deal with this, what to do, and how to stop it.

Swallowing vicious spiral

Unfortunately, there are people, luckily not many, who took the bariatric journey too far and started experimenting with how little they can eat before they pass out, how many days they can go without food, and how low they can get with their weight. This is not healthy. At all! They switched addiction to food for the addiction of starvation. These people need help. The surgery is not here to help you do anything like this. It is addiction and it must be treated as such.

 

Note: I am not giving anyone any stupid ideas to follow here, ok?!

 

Realize the truth

I think that many of you have recognized yourself in this circle. People say that losing weight with bariatric surgery is easy. But the reality cannot be further from that. It is a lonely journey where you are fighting your demons and old habits daily. When you think you are finally on the right track and things are going right for you, bam! Your old nightmares show up all of a sudden and in full force and they turn your life into hell.

Food is everywhere!

It is always you and your tool against the old. It is a constant fight. The food is everywhere, you can’t avoid being around it, you can’t say: I will never eat again. It is impossible. You must eat. But you must eat right and in the right quantities. Plus at the right times. It is constant stress.

 

Just imagine a normal morning: you switch on the TV to have some company with breakfast and what do you see? All those sugary cereals, yogurts full of sugar, juices, coffee with heavy cream, cookies, and bread, the ads go on and on. And what are you having on your mini plate? Scrambled eggs and black coffee. This is a clash of Titans in your head.

And the very same goes in the afternoon when you come home from work. Restaurants, pizza, KFC, McDonald’s, and cookies, all full of colors and life, everybody is having fun, drinking Coca-Cola, and you are chewing broccoli and breast chicken. Forever. Very little exception is allowed here.

 

Plan your meals and exceptions

I am not saying that you absolutely mustn’t eat any cookie or a slice of pizza ever in your life. But be very careful with exceptions. Now and then, it is perfectly ok, from my own experience I would even encourage that. But plan and use the special occasions wisely.

 

Because what once was absolutely off limits, then became an occasional treat, and then a weekly exception, could very easily find its way among your normal meal choices. And this is exactly where the huge problem starts. You haven’t even realized it, but you are sliding back into your old habits. Who would have thought it, right?

Remember the big reason why

You have to have a very clear picture for yourself about why you are doing it all and what is your big reason for keeping going. If you lose sight of the big picture and you start to see only the short-sighted decisions in front of you, it is where the failure starts.

 

At the beginning of your bari-journey, no one will tell you this, but you will have to rely on yourself and your willpower. No one else will help you. You will have to become your police officer. I would say your own SWAT. Special Weapons and Tactics. Without these, you won’t get far.

Rely on systems, routines on checklists. Don’t improvise too much. If something works for you, repeat it. This is the way to go. I still have a very unflattering pic on my fridge. Right next to the handle. It helps me to remember where I come from. I had talked about this here before. But this is my motivation.

I want to hear at my regular health checks that all is fine and see you in a year. That was my major motivation at the very beginning. Now I have a wardrobe full of new clothes that I love wearing and I would be very disappointed if they wouldn’t fit in a few months. I like my size 6 jeans and my deflated butt in them 😀

 

And no, I don’t want to listen to anyone who was doubting my surgery in the beginning and having to admit that I messed things up and that I gained the weight back. That is my nightmare. That is why I am my best policeman and my best friend at the same time. No need to be extra hard on myself, but cutting corners is not the way to go.

I plan my meals, I have the kitchen scales, I have my small containers, I prepare my meals for the day, I have my water bottles and I plan for special occasions.

I had a small regain. It happened to me. I learned my lesson. It was a real wake-up call. Something like slamming with a frying pan over your head. BOOOM! And I lost it all, I am again at my best weight, my clothes fit and I am doing what I should be doing. And things work. And they work great. But it is all about will and dedication. It is so easy to let off guard and allow the bad habits to come back. There is nothing more easy than that.

Keep in mind why you did all this. What is your big reason? Why you did do it? Have you lost all your extra weight? Have you gone through a bumpy road? Have you regained? Have you lost it? What is your story? Do you think I am right?