Bariatric surgery is a fresh start—an opportunity to once again be all that you can be. As you reach weight goals, you reach new milestones on your personal health journey. You’re able to easily do many things that you were unable to do for years—crossing your legs, tying your shoes, riding a rollercoaster, and fitting into an airplane seat. Your weight and health no longer limit you. You may be tempted to become complacent with your newfound freedom, but it’s not time to stop improving your health—instead, use the fresh start of weight loss to take you to the next level of health and fitness.
Every day provides an opportunity for a fresh start–to banish bad habits and replace them with habits that will move you forward to a healthier you. Think about what you’d like to achieve, who you’d like to become and then engage in behaviors that will help you reach your dreams and ambitions. After all, we become what we repeatedly do—it’s all of those small daily habits that get us where we want to go.
What does a fresh start mean to you? We’ve put together some ideas of things you may consider to live more fully and continue to improve your health and well-being.
Fresh Thinking.
Positive thinking is certainly a good place to start, because without it, achieving any goal will be close to impossible. We may think that situations dictate the way we feel and behave, but it is really our thoughts. The good news is that we can learn to control our thoughts and that will lead to changes in our feelings and in our behavior. For example, consider how different people may think about attending a wedding after surgery.
- One person may think about not being able to fully indulge in food, cake, or alcohol. They may select appropriate foods, but grumble through the event not really enjoying it at all.
- Another may think about attending in smaller clothing and sharing in the wonderful celebration. They are happy and content to select small amounts of the healthy foods served.
- Another yet, may think about all of the hard work they have done and that they are entitled to some indulgences. They may end up eating and drinking in excess.
You can easily see how thoughts lead to not only feelings and behaviors, but also to the level of enjoyment we have. Practice fresh, positive thinking and see where it takes you.
