Now What?

It's been a little more than a year after my weight loss surgery. When I went in for my year follow-up appointment, the doctor told me "You have hit the maximum amount of weight loss you will get as a result of the surgery. Now it is up to you. What?!? I wanted more weight to come off! I was a little devastated. Now what? I still wanted the "tool" - the surgery - but I didn't have that anymore. Don't misunderstand me. I am ecstatic with the amount of weight I have lost so far. Now it is up to me to lose the rest I want to lose. Now I am worried. What if I can't do it? Am I satisfied with where I am right at this moment? I know one thing for sure, the fear of regain is still very real and my drive to not gain. I just need to take that fear one step further and figure out how to continue to lose the rest of what I want to lose. This is HARD, really hard. It is the same struggle I had prior to my surgery. I still have the same habits as I did...and they are tough to break. Now is when I really need a support structure. The medical group I was going to before and after surgery was just not doing it for me anymore, and that is OK. It helped me make my decision and helped me through the tough times right after my surgery. I went searching for other support groups in the area, and to my surprise, there aren't any that advertise their existence. It is actually kind of sad if you think about it.

Now What? This is about to change. I want to fill the need. There are people who are thinking about having weight loss surgery; those who have had the surgery and are struggling; those who are trying to lose weight on their own and are struggling; and those who have a support network who would like to know more about weight loss and how to support their loved ones and friends.

I am reaching out to those people to come together and form a group where the environment is friendly, helpful, relaxed, informative and of course....supportive. I am in the midst of organizing such a group and would love to hear from you if you are interested, curious or desperate. I will be promoting the group just as soon as I firm up some things, so expect to see something in August. I will post the information as soon as I can.

We all have struggles. Most of the time they are the same ones. We all need help, whether we ask for it or not. We will be there for you....for whatever support you need. This is my second part of sharing my journey with everyone. If you have a need or know someone who needs help, please let them know this group is being formed.

Now What? I need to keep moving forward. What is the saying..."that is why the windshield is so much bigger than the rear-view mirror". We need to keep looking ahead of us, the past is done. The future is out there for us to explore. So, what is your "Now What?"

We can do this...with a little support from our friends.