Gastric Bypass Surgery How Fast Will I Lose The Weight?

October 15, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

The gastric bypass procedure isnt for everyone, but those whove had it an you will of heard of the success stories tooted by the marketing wizards and infomercials, the gastric bypass achieves maximum results and starts working right away after surgery. Well it would, since patients are unable to eat more then a few spoon fulls of food per serving!

For those that endure this mental torture (Im kidding, I just cant imagine eating so little with my personal love of food!) weight is lost extremely rapidly. Right after surgery most patients generally lose around 9lbs per month for the first two months, then steady weight loss from then on as long as patients stick to the strict diet oh yes, its certainly not an easy life after gastric bypass surgery.

If youre currently morbidly obese or your doctor has suggested the gastric bypass for health reasons then you may be weighing up your options and the risks involved in the surgery. You can find much more of whats to know about the procedure on my website where I try to answer all of the common questions relating to the gastric bypass.

The weight loss after gastric is fast and some may call it the miracle cure for obesity, but if you hack a rigid exercise and diet thats not too dissimilar to the diet and schedule thats suggested to you after surgery, then Id have a serious think and talk to friends and locate actual patients whove had the gastric bypass. Remember, losing weight the normal way you can still achieve 8lbs/month and it doesnt carry the risks the gastric bypass does.

About the author:
Article by Beverley Brooke, visit her website for more information on gastric bypass surgery
http://www.healthandfinesse.com/gastric-bypass.html

Tags: Laparoscopic, weight loss, bariatric surgery

Common Complications Of Gastric Bypass And Gastric Banding Surgery

October 14, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

It?s natural to be concerned about the risks associated with gastric bypass and gastric banding surgery, since some complications associated with weight loss surgery can be fatal.

A recent study by University of Washington researchers found the fatality rate from gastric bypass surgery can be as high as 5% for younger patients, and 50% or more for older patients.

Less experienced surgeons and obesity clinics have the highest rates of complications. It makes sense to discuss the possible risks with your doctor before agreeing to the surgery, and to find out how many previous surgeries they have performed, along with their outcomes.

Gastric Banding Complications:

It appears there are fewer complications after Lap-Band? weight loss surgery, which restricts the size of the stomach but does not change the intestinal tract or cause the malabsorption of nutrients. The most common risks of this type of procedure are nausea, vomiting and gastroesophageal reflux.

Since this type of procedure does not cause the ?dumping syndrome? common to gastric bypass surgeries, Lap-Band patients are still able to eat sugary and high-fat foods in small quantities. This may be why these patients lose weight slower than those who undergo a more invasive gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric Bypass Complications:

There is a longer list of common complications and risks associated with the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, but many surgeons and obesity centers prefer to offer this type of surgery because of it?s overall safety record and the fast weight loss experienced by most post-gastric bypass patients. Among the common complications are:

? Bleeding, either internally and at the site of incision.

? Leakage around the internal sutures, causing food or liquids to exit the digestive system into the abdominal wall.

? Internal and external infections.

? Gallstones due to significant weight loss in a short amount of time, which will often require a return to the operating room, and which may be life-threatening.

? Gastritis, an inflamation of the stomach lining.

? Vomiting, if too much food is eaten at one time.

? Malabsorption of Iron or vitamin B12, which can lead to anemia.

? Malabsorption of calcium, which can contribute to bone loss (early osteoporosis) or other bone disorders.

? Dumping Syndrome ? including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a bloated feeling, dizziness and sweating. These symptoms can be somewhat controlled by following a strict diet and continuing with nutritional counseling after your surgery.

? Emotional issues resulting from rapid weight loss and a change in the patient?s self-image, or changes in family relationship dynamics after the surgery.

Any operation comes with risks, and obese patients have even greater than normal risks due to common conditions associated with their excess weight, such as diabetes or heart disease. Your surgeon will carefully monitor your progress after surgery to reduce the risk of infections, pneumonia or pulmonary embolism.

The care you receive after your surgery is particularly important, because this is when the medical staff at the hospital can discover any problems, such as leakage and infection, which will need immediate emergency surgery or treatment.

It is also important to keep up your regular exams after surgery, and follow the diet and other advice given you when you?re released from the hospital. Some problems such as infection, pneumonia and gallstones can be fatal if not treated in time, and may occur after you go home.

Since the outcomes of surgery are much more positive if the surgeon and staff of the obesity center are experienced in this type of surgery, you may want to insist on treatment only at a bariatric surgery facility that has been designated as a Center of Excellence. Your health insurance company will be able to help you find a Center of Excellence in your state.

About the Author:

Learn more about gastric bypass and gastric banding complications, the costs of gastric bypass, and alternatives to weight loss surgery, at http://www.1gastricbypass.com

Tags: gastric bypass, morbid obesity, Laparoscopic

Very Low Calorie Diets ? An Alternative To Gastric Bypass Surgery

October 13, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

laparoscopic-weight-loss-surgery-doctor-photo-8

You lose weight after a gastric bypass surgery because you?re restricted to a very low calorie diet. You can only eat tiny portions because your stomach is much smaller. Some high-calorie foods high in sugar and fat cannot be eaten because they cause nausea and vomiting, and part of the digestive tract is bypassed, which reduces the absorption of nutrients and calories.

If you?re looking for a safer alternative to gastric bypass, you might consider a doctor-supervised very low calorie diet (VLCD), without the surgery. VLCDs have been shown to result in weight loss of up to 15 to 20 percent of the patient?s initial weight in three to six months, but follow-up therapy is needed to maintain the weight loss.

The diet itself may require hospitalization or a stay in a treatment center so your physician can monitor your progress and health. This can be expensive, but there are some advantages over gastric bypass surgery. Although there are some risks, a very low calorie diet is far safer than surgery when the patient receives regular care from a physician.

The diet usually consists of liquid shakes or bars that have been specially formulated to include all the vitamins and minerals the patient needs. Using the pre-made shakes and bars makes it easy to regulate the number of calories without sacrificing nutrition.

A new five-year study financed by a large BlueCross BlueShield insurance plan is designed to find out if a VLCD, with or without weight loss medication, is as effective in treating obesity as the more expensive and dangerous weight loss surgeries. At this time, most group insurance policies do not cover any treatment associated with obesity, but the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure is being added as a benefit to some plans.

Obesity treatment was scourged from most policies after the diet pill scams of the 80?s and 90?s, but insurance companies are discovering that the costs of obesity are extremely high. If weight loss treatment, either surgery or doctor-monitored VLCD, can reduce the incidence of diabetes and heart disease that accompany obesity, the reduction in these chronic illnesses would more than pay for the additional costs of covering weight loss treatment. If it is proven that a VLCD results in long-term weight loss, this treatment may be added as a benefit to some policies.

A VLCD diet contains around 800 calories a day and the typical patient can lose up to 44 pounds in three months. In past studies it has been found that most obese patients who reduce their weight through doctor-supervised diet will regain much of the lost weight unless they receive ongoing behavioral therapy and nutritional counseling. This is also true for some post-gastric bypass patients.

There are always side effects associated with major changes in diet, and patients on a very low calorie diet may experience fatigue, constipation, nausea or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually temporary. The fast weight loss can also trigger one of the major complications associated with gastric bypass surgery ? gallstones or gallbladder infection. Medication is available to reduce this risk, but it is important to become aware of the symptoms of gallstones and seek immediate treatment if the symptoms appear.

It is possible that a low-calorie diet of 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day may be just as effective for long-term weight loss as a VLCD. The weight will drop more slowly, but the diet is easier for most people to accept as a long-term lifestyle.

Behavioral changes are the most important aspect of any obesity treatment, either surgical or dietary. The weight will only stay off as long as new, healthier diets are maintained. Regular exercise is equally important.

Behavioral modification and nutritional counseling can help, and your physician or the obesity center at a local hospital should be able to give you a referral to a qualified counselor. The obesity center should also be able to assist you in finding a physician who can provide the necessary medical supervision if you decide to try a very low calorie diet as an alternative to gastric bypass.

About the Author:

To learn more about alternatives to gastric bypass surgery, the complications of gastric bypass, and post-gastric bypass diet visit http://www.1gastricbypass.com

Tags: bariatric surgery, lap band surgery, Laparoscopic

What Does A Gastric Bypass Cost?

October 12, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

A gastric bypass cost varies from around $20,000 to $35,000. That is the bad news. The good news is that sometimes the gastric bypass cost is covered by your insurance company.

Your insurance company may have a couple of prerequisites, though, before it will cover the gastric bypass cost. These prerequisites may include such things as a complete medical physical before the surgery. They many require documented proof that you have tried to loose weight by other recommended diets, i.e. Weight Watchers, Optifast, etc. The insurance company may also require proof that you have failed to loose weight on a medically supervised diet and examination of your mental capacities showing that you are mentally stable.

This may sound complicated but specialized medical centers, e.g. medical centers that specialize in weight loss programs and plans usually have patient representatives available to assist you in understanding your insurance companies plans and requirements. These patient representatives can walk you through the legal maze of your insurance coverage and help you determine if your insurance company will cover the gastric bypass cost. They can also help you determine if you have a co-pay or a deductible to meet before the insurance company pays the gastric bypass cost.

Although initially the gastric bypass cost may seem high when you consider the cost of obesity in terms of long-term health care problems the cost does not seem as high. For example, gastric bypass surgery and the long term weight loss that is the result of such surgery usually results in the elimination of such medical problems as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes and high cholesterol. When the costs of medicating and treating such health problems over the lifetime of the patient are calculated the gastric bypass cost no longer seems excessive.

For the obese patient who has tried everything and failed to loss weight, the gastric bypass cost is a small price to pay for a lifetime free from obesity and its related healthcare problems.

Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of obesitytopics.com. Visit Jeanette’s site to learn more about cost of gastric bypass surgeries.

Tags: Weight Loss Surgery, weight loss, obesity

What Is A Realistic Gastric Bypass Surgery Price?

October 11, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

Establishing a realistic gastric bypass surgery price is extremely difficult and will vary widely from one individual to the next. Nevertheless, it is possible to establish a starting point and to give some general pointers to assist in getting a rough estimate of what you might be looking at.

Prices for minimally invasive restrictive surgery, such as gastric banding, will start at around about $15,000 while mixed surgeries, such as a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, will come in at about $25,000. In both cases these figures will cover the costs of surgery and hospitalization in a standard medical facility and assume that there are no complications. If you decide to engage the services of a world renown surgical team in a leading facility the costs could of course be considerably higher.

Now, at this point, we run into the first problem and that is that a substantial number of weight loss surgeries will run into some form of complication which requires additional treatment and possibly further hospitalization. Such complications need not necessarily be major or serious but will, nonetheless, increase the cost of undergoing surgery. In the case of minor complications which do not require further hospitalization statistics show that the average additional costs are $11,000. Where further hospitalization is required for more serious complications this figure rises to around $40,000. These of course are average figures and so reflect some lucky patients whose costs will rise by only $2,000 or $3,000 and less fortunate patients whose additional costs will top $100,000.

But now we run into the second problem. It is easy to forget that gastric bypass surgery will not only result in weight loss but will also have a profound psychological effect on patients and lead to a dramatic change in lifestyle. This change in the way in which a patient leads his or her life will also often mean a considerable change in the cost of living.

Apart from the obvious expenses of a new wardrobe as the weight literally falls off, many patients often feel the need to redecorate and change the furniture, buy a new car and take up an activity such as golf. All of which can add up to a tidy sum. Then of course comes the question of additional surgery.

Unfortunately for many patients as the weight fall off the skin doesn’t adjust to fit and, although they are extremely happy to have regained their health, energy and vitality, they are not so happy with the way they look and feel uncomfortable facing the world with their new body. This often results in a desire for cosmetic surgery and this is certainly not cheap.

The list of course goes on but you probably have the picture by now. It’s a bit like spending a day at a theme park. The gastric bypass surgery price is simply the entrance fee and, once you’re in the park, how much you spend is very much up to you. And, just like any day out in an amusement park, you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s going to be expensive.

Please visit GastricBypassFacts.info for more details of a gastric bypass surgery price and other information about all aspects of gastric bypass surgery.

Tags: bariatric surgery, gastric bypass, weight loss

Gastric Bypass Surgery - How It Works

October 10, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

Gastric bypass surgery makes your stomach smaller. This causes you to feel full with less food so you consume fewer calories. The procedure also bypasses part of your small intestine, so fewer calories are actually absorbed into your system. Fewer calories will ultimately lead to weight loss. When you eat food, it passes through the esophagus and enters into the stomach, where gastric acids soften the food and begin to dissolve it. Next, this semi-liquid mixture enters into the small intestine, where most of the calories and essential nutrients are absorbed by your body. Finally, whatever is left passes into the large intestine and eventually through the colon as it is expelled from the body. Gastric bypass surgery restructures the stomach and intestinal system, resulting in intentional malabsorption and limiting the patient’s ability to eat large quantities of food.

Common Gastric Bypass Procedures

The most common gastric bypass surgery is a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The surgeon will create a small pouch at the top of the stomach using surgical staples. Next, he will connect this smaller pouch directly to the middle of the small intestine (called the jejunum). This causes the food to bypass the lower part of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine (called the duodenum).

Historically, the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was does as an open procedure, which means the surgeon makes a large incision in the outer stomach wall to access the abdominal cavity. Today, the laparoscopic procedure is more common for those who qualify. This method is performed by making up to five small incisions in the outer stomach wall and using extremely small instruments and a tiny camera to guide them.

Risks and Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Typically, the surgery requires a two to six day hospital stay, depending on which procedure you have done. Usually, you can return to normal activities within three to five weeks. The type of work you do may require a longer convalescence period.

Some of the benefits of gastric bypass surgery are: ? Most people lose between 60% and 80% of their excess weight over a two to three year period. ? The majority of patients manage to keep at least 50% of their excess weight off permanently. ? Other obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are often minimized or eliminated.

There are also several serious risks with gastric bypass surgery, such as: ? Peritonitis, a severe infection caused by a leak from the stomach into the abdominal cavity from a ruptured staple or stitch. ? The possibility of a blood clot breaking away from the surgical area and getting caught in the lung (called a pulmonary embolism).

However, recent studies indicate that only about 2% to 3% of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients die within 90 days of the procedure. (Source: “Gastric Bypass - Let the Morbidly Obese Beware”, by Neil Osterweil, Senior Associate Editor, MedPage Today.) Common Side Effects of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Gastric bypass surgery can also cause several less serious short- and long-term side effects, such as: ? Dumping syndrome, which can occur when food moves too quickly through the small intestine. This disorder causes nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and possibly diarrhea soon after eating and is generally caused by eating highly refined foods, like sugars. ? Developing gallstones or a nutritional deficiency, such as anemia or osteoporosis. ? The connection between the stomach and the intestines can narrow, causing nausea and vomiting after eating. ? Patients can develop stomach ulcers or a hernia. ? The bypassed part of the stomach can enlarge, causing bloating and hiccups.

Of course, any surgery has some risks associated with it. That is why it is essential that you consider all of the benefits and risks associated with gastric bypass surgery and talk them over with your doctor and perhaps even a mental health professional.

About the Author

Craig Thompson, better known as “Big T,” a former sumo wrestler who used to tip the scales at 400 pounds has since reinvented himself as a singer and bandleader. As one of the earliest to have Gastric Bypass Surgery, in 1997.

Tags: morbid obesity, obesity, bariatric surgery

The Gaining Popularity Of Weight-loss Surgery

October 9, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

Weight-loss surgery was almost unknown over a decade ago. Today, it is becoming popular among those who are considered morbid obesity. There are several statistics and measurements that show the popularity of weight-loss surgery and the changes that are made in society from weight gain.

Morbid obesity has become a growing problem in the United States. It is known that over thirty percent of the population is considered morbidly obese, which qualifies them for weight-loss surgery. In relation to this, sixty-four percent of the population are considered to be overweight. In terms of numbers, this is nine million who are morbidly obese, sixty million who are obese, and 127 million who are overweight. Some people are contributing these changes to fast food options, changes in eating habits, and not having the ability to exercise as frequently because of work.

Teens and children are also having problems with obesity. About fifteen percent of the population of children and teens is considered to be either overweight or obese. This causes them to be at risk for several different health problems. While weight-loss surgery does not indicate surgery for those under eighteen, having overweight children often causes parents to begin making changes. When they do, the children then have the option of eating better. They can also follow their parents? example of living a healthier lifestyle.

Because of the growing numbers of those that are considered to be obese or morbidly obese, weight-loss surgery is also becoming an important option among those who are deciding to move to a healthier lifestyle. With the changes in technology as well as the options available for surgery, those that are severely obese are turning to the idea of surgery. Where other diets and weight-loss considerations have failed, the surgery has proven to have a higher success rate.

There are certain trends that are becoming popular among those considering weight-loss surgery. Those who are middle-aged are looking into weight-loss surgery as a preventative to health problems in relation to weight as well as way to live a longer and fuller life. There is also media attention given to those public figures who champion the surgery, making it more popular.

Obesity in this nation has been growing since the 1980s. Changes in lifestyle as well as in diet are causing a larger population to be overweight and obese. Because of this, weight-loss surgery, although the most drastic measure that can be taken for weight loss, is becoming more popular. The use of new technology during the surgery, as well as the shown success rates from the surgery, are both becoming well known because of the media. Because of this, many people are turning to weight-loss surgery as their best option for losing weight.

About the Author:

William Brown is an author for several well-known online magazines, on healthy living and health tips subjects.

Tags: morbid obesity, weight loss, bariatric surgery

Environmental Factors Fuelling The Growth Of The Gastric Bypass

October 8, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

While it is often easy to see why one particular individual is putting on weight it is often less easy to understand why the average weight of the population of a country should be rising, especially when that rise is both rapid and sustained, as in the case of the United States and the United Kingdom.

There are of course numerous theories being put forward for the increase in the rate of obesity in the US and the UK over the past twenty-five years but, whatever the reason, most observers agree that the following factors all play a part:

Insufficient activity. Both in terms of employment and recreation people are far less active than they once were with far fewer people engaged in manual work and an increasing number of people choosing to pursue relatively sedentary recreational activities. It is also interesting to note that obese people tend to be less active but that this does not stem directly from their obesity. In general weight gain (or loss) does not affect an individual?s level of activity but a change in activity does produce a gain (or loss) in weight.

A reduction in the cost of food. The relative cost of food today is lower in the US and much of Europe than at any time in history and the majority of people in both the US and the UK are able to eat more or less as much food as they want.

The low cost of motoring. Two and even three car families are commonplace today and more and more people are taking to their cars even for the shortest of journeys in preference to using public transport or walking.

Changing work patterns. In addition to the lower activity in many forms of employment as more of us sit behind a desk or at a computer, it is also increasingly common for both partners to work rather than for one partner to look after the home and take care of cooking the meals. This, in turn, results in a rise in the number of people eating out at restaurants or buying take-out meals on the way home.

The rise in the popularity of fast food restaurants. The increasing popularity of fast food restaurants has given rise to intense competition which has, in turn, led to increased portion sizes. A regular order of fries at McDonalds used to be around 200 calories but today is up around 600 calories.

Increased food production. Although perhaps not quite such an obvious cause the fact that US now produces about three times as much food as the country needs also adds to the problem of obesity, principally by further reducing the cost of many staple food items to the food producers.

An ageing population. As we age our metabolism slows and we require fewer calories to meet our daily needs. Eating habits however do not generally recognize this fact and so obesity tends to become an increasing problem with age for an individual. However, where a population as whole is ageing, as is the case in the US and the UK, obesity also increases across that population.

One interesting and apparent anomaly in the environmental factors aiding the growth of obesity would seem to be the craze for dieting and exercise which has swept across both the US and the UK. In fact this is in itself also adding to the problem as studies have clearly shown that the vast majority of diets do not work and invariably people actually gain weight once they come off a diet. Dieting however becomes something of an obsession for many people and they diet almost as frequently as they change their underwear, creating a pattern of falling and rising weight which, over time, results in a gradual rise in weight.

The net result of the rise in obesity on both sides of the pond is a corresponding increase in the number of people abandoning the diet and exercise routine and opting for the gastric bypass as the solution to their problem. While this is not an easy option it is certainly an effective one.

For more information on gastric bypass please visit GastricBypassFacts.info today.

Tags: gastric bypass, Laparoscopic, bariatric surgery

Classical Gastric Bypass Surgery - The Roux-en-Y

October 7, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

Although The Roux-en-Y form of gastric bypass surgery has been around since the 1960s it was not in fact the first form of weight loss surgery.

During the 1950s an operation, designed solely for the purpose of weight loss, was developed at the University of Minnesota. This operation, known as the Jejunoileal bypass, was designed to bypass much of the small intestine and thus prevent the absorption of calories. Unfortunately, although good weight loss was observed, the majority of patients suffered sever complications and the majority of these early operations had to be reversed.

In the 1960s Dr Mason and Dr Ito together developed what has become know as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass operation after observing weight loss in patients who were suffering from ulcers and for whom treatment involved the partial removal of the stomach.

Today Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is the most widely performed weight loss operation in the United States and, although other forms of surgery are rapidly gaining in popularity, the fact that so many surgeons and familiar with, and skilled in, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery means that it remains the top choice for many patients. In 2005 approximately 140,000 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgeries were performed in the United States.

The Roux-en-Y is a form of combination surgery which is designed to both physically reduce the amount of food that can be eaten and then to reduce the number of calories which the body can absorb from food as it passes through the body.

In essence gastric bypass surgery starts with the creation of a small pouch at the top of the stomach which restricts the amount of food that can be eaten. Then the gastrointestinal tract is reconstructed to enable food to pass out of both the newly created pouch and the remaining bulk of the stomach. The manner in which reconstruction is affected varies and gives rise to two main forms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

The most commonly used technique is known as a Proximal Roux-en-Y. In this form of the operation the small bowel is divided about 18 inches below the main stomach outlet and about 30 to 60 inches of small intestine is used to connect the new stomach pouch to the small intestine. In this form of gastric bypass surgery much of the small intestine remains intact and, while this still allows for reasonable absorption of calories, it lessens the risk of nutritional problems resulting from a low uptake of various essential vitamins and minerals.

A less common, but still widely used, form of gastric bypass surgery is the Distal Roux-en-Y. This is essentially the same as the proximal form of the operation except that connection from the small pouch is moved further down the gastrointestinal tract effectively bypassing a greater length of the small intestine. The benefit here is that the body is not able to absorb as many calories from food as it passes through the intestine which leads to greater, or faster, weight loss. The trade-off however is that there is also a reduction in the adsorption of essential vitamins and minerals which, although manageable post-operatively, can lead to additional complications.

Today both forms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery can be performed using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical techniques and, while it still remains a form of major surgery with a number of associated risks and complications, success rates in terms of both weight loss and survival are excellent.

For more information on gastric bypass surgery please visit GastricBypassFacts.info

Tags: obesity, bariatric surgery, Weight Loss Surgery

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life - A Cognitive Guide for Weight Loss Surgery Success

October 6, 2008 | By admin In Uncategorized | Comments(0)

One of the most handed down, often-quoted quotations is that “If you change your thoughts, you change your life.”

It is so true…

It takes a thought to create an emotion, which in turn drives a decision to take an action.

Simple, huh?

All the self-help books, tapes, seminars, etc. show you what to do, but not what to think or how to prioritize in order to do it.

How do you change your thoughts and lifestyle in order to make the right actions?

Nowadays, we live in such a fast-paced world that we don’t take the time to ’stop and smell the roses.’ We are on a fast-paced train that continually runs on a regular track of toxic habits and behaviors. Sound familiar?

Well then, how do we get off this lethal train?

The first step is to recognize how we neglected to take time - the time to become calm within ourselves. By doing this, we acknowledge how reckless our lifestyles have become.

You might be saying to yourself, “Yeah, but the kids need me to drive them to soccer practice,” “I have to make dinner and do the laundry, not to mention the ironing,” “Oh, I am so busy with my business and the PTA. Oh, and I can’t forget my church group.”

Do you see and hear the insanity of it all? If you want to change something in you life, how much of this mayhem do you think you are going to fit in with what you are wanting?

Do you remember that old Calgon commercial? It had the wife/mother frantic, trying to get everything done. With her children screaming and the phone ringing, she finally runs into the bathroom, locks the door, throws up her hands and looks up shouting “Calgon, take me away!”

This advertisement said it all. She just needed a moment of peace. When we are able to take just a few minutes to be with ourselves, we can take what I like to call ‘ME TIME’.

Within those brief but valuable tranquil moments, we can start making conscious, clearer decisions about what we want. And remember, changing your thought patterns can create the change that you desire.

My challenge to you is to take a hard look at how often you seize that sacred moment to be with yourself. Is it once a week? Twice a week? Ultimately, my hope is that you become mindful to do this every single day of your life.

This means escaping from all of the chaos for a few minutes. Slowing down your pace; thinking of no one but you. Self- care is essential for life balance and when we forget about loving ourselves first, we can then tumble helplessly into possible burnout, depression, addiction, etc.

The second step is awareness. To realize the more often you think new thoughts, the more often they cross your mind, the higher your standards will be. More often you will be compelled to take the actions that will make you more and more successful in that area of your life.

Treasure in…treasure out.

Garbage in…(well, you get the idea).

For instance, you can have thoughts of being a thin person, but not think of being a financially stable person.

Simply, this means you can become so focused on your weight loss, that you completely neglect your financial goals. Remembering that your thoughts create standards that oversee your actions and decisions, you can have it all. This principle pertains to every aspect of your life, you just need to be aware and focus on your life’s balance. Therefore, go ahead and think of what it would be like to lose weight but don’t forget to also put thought into how you are going to keep your finances in order.

Once you start reflecting on the past, it is inevitable that your thoughts will create your destiny. I challenge you to set aside some time today to reflect on what is most important to YOU.

You CAN achieve your weight loss goals and enjoy a more balanced life.

“If you change your thoughts, you will change your life.”

About the Author

Jeff Cadwell Weight Loss Surgery Life Coach 714-669-2928 http://www.jeffcadwell.com

“Welcome to the beginning of the New YOU!”

I am a Life Coach who is passionate about empowering people to live more robust lives - physically, emotionally and spiritually. My specialty is people who are considering or have had Weight Loss Surgery.

Tags: morbid obesity, gastric bypass, lap band surgery

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