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I'd like to know what motivates/encourages you

Mixman

Mixman

New Member
Just trying to work out the best way of approach when attending a meeting for people in the initial stages of wanting weight loss surgery. What motivates/encourages you? Or gives you hope for the future!

Is it pictures of people before and after? Is it the actual ammount of weight people have lost? Is it the things that people can do now that they couldn't do before?

Just to give me an idea what makes people have the courage and gives them hope for the future.
 
I think the things that you are able to do afterwards is a definate motivator for me.

The thought of having more energy & actually wanting to get up & do something rather than being happy to sit on the sofa all day everyday!

The choice of clothes... being able to buy what I like not just what fits!

Just blending in, in a room full of people rather than being the one everyone stares at!

And not having strangers come up to you in the middle of the street feeling they have rights to comment on yr size!
 
i think for most people it wont be just 1 thing its a multiple of things.
For me i have been overweight all my adult life and its the feeling of unwell with high BP etc.
Always worrying if their will be room for you at a restaurant table or will the seatbelt go round you on the plane etc? i bought my own extender as i found it embarrassing to ask.
my children are a big factor too and my lovely husband i dont want my obesity to take me away from them all.

jayne x
 
Hi Mixy,
All the benefits of future weght loss inspire & motivate me-
after all I have (as have many others) lost a lot of weight myself previously

But for what motivates & keeps me going on the tortuous/emotional pre-op journey its this forum & others but most of all it's the "live" meets that keep me going-

the hospital support meetings are great - in the last year I have been to over a dozen but the icing on the cake has been the informal/social meets I have attended
at the first ones I went to I met -
Salski
Karlos
20Mark09
Hopelesscase
Phatgirl
Shelbel
Glenville
-to name but a few of the legends of WLS and that has been the best motivation/inspiration & source of information for me
 
Oh Mixxy what motivates me is a long list. All the usual but the uppermost important to me is my kids. Them not having a fat mom and me being there (and healthy) for them into old age.
 
All of the above lol. Mainly health for me as the last few years I have had strokes diabetes High blood prerssure you name it Ive got it lol. But I think the main thing for me is I want to go un-noticed, I hate people looking at me when I enter a room etc. I always get stared at and I hate it! I want to blend in,dare I say it? Be "Normal" x
 
Looking at your success Mixie is a great start for anyone! There is a long list here too but i love being able to do anything i want to without thinking if my weight would cause a problem or embarasment and we all know the kind of things i mean there. I love the positive attention i get now. The support i get listening to people who have "been there" and seeing their before and after pictures definatly contributed to motivating me to succeed xx
 
Right, you are wondering what points to emphasise to the people that you will be doing the talk to? Ok, seeing your before and afters will help them lots, hearing how you can control your food intake and food types will help them and hearing about how you can now do miles and miles and miles on a bike will definately help them.
I was never sent to any support meetings before or after the surgery, so I never got to meet any post-op folks, so I used this forum as my meetings and I used to love (still do actually) seeing peoples before and after pictures and hearing about their control over the food and all of the new things that they could do, it gave me hope that one day I could have all of that control and all of those good things for myself.
Maybe take along a pair of trousers or a shirt from before to show them.
Basically just tell them what it has done for you and what YOU love about your life post-op...they will all take whatever motivation from the different bits of it depending on what they need.
How could they help but to be inspired by you!? I know that Im inspired by you pretty much daily!
Steph xx
 
Hi Mixxy

I think everyone has pretty much covered what would motivate most people. As always Im different and you may find some other people fit into this category.

I had only been overweight recently so until 4 years ago I was a skinny mini but was pre disposed to obestity (syndrome x - metabolic syndrome) as it was prevalent in my mums side of the family. You may know that I lost my mum earlier this year to obesity related illnesses. My reason for getting the op - in the next ten years I could of been just like my poor mum so prevention. I was fortunate as I nowhere near met my PCT's funding criteria to go private which my mum helped me to pay for.

Sorry for the rambling but in a nutshell I did to save my life and I dont regret a thing about it, I just wish my mum could of had the surgery before she became to ill.

I agree with Steph you will be and have been an inspiration to so many x
 
Mixman said:
Just trying to work out the best way of approach when attending a meeting for people in the initial stages of wanting weight loss surgery. What motivates/encourages you? Or gives you hope for the future!

Is it pictures of people before and after? Is it the actual ammount of weight people have lost? Is it the things that people can do now that they couldn't do before?

Just to give me an idea what makes people have the courage and gives them hope for the future.
Click to expand...

It is all of them but if you would like me to put in an order of priority.

Feeling healthier was the main thing, like sleeping well having more energy, being able to reach the places I couldnt.

Then when I got used to that, being able to wear smaller clothes, people commenting on how good I look.

The amount of weight I lost isnt really high on the agenda, but going down sizes in clothing really gives me a buzz, hope that helps.:)
 
Mixman said:
Thank you so much Maryann xx

Personally, it was the fact that I had settled with my fiancé and that her 3 children become so precious to me that I know I wanted to grow old with them.
Click to expand...

Ah bless yea ;) x
 
A lot for me is my kids, I have 3 boy they are 7, 6 and 18months, I want to run around with them and chase them.
Also what I will be able to do afterwards, go out, wear clothes I want, sit on things without worrying it will break and other than the kids my next biggest hope is that people will be able to look at me and see ME not the fat. I dont feel like a person when I met new people I can see the looks they give me Im just a giant lump of useless fat to people only those that know me understand me and see me. I want everyone to see me in the future.
 
hi mixxy.
I just want to add I am at the start of my journey, I have only just got funding,and awaiting my first appointment.
I have been hanging around here most days collecting as much info as I can (from real people lol)

I have been told by every Dr(from G.P endocrinologist,and fertility gynaecologist) that all of my health problems are purely weight related.
My endocrinologist suggested WLS to me as I have struggled with blood sugars for years..
I am now locked in a spiral of, the more insulin goes in the more weight goes on..I am gaining on average a stone a year!!!!!
I was told by him that there was an 86% chance of my type 2 diabeties going into remission. that was my hook.:cool:

I first of all thought.."no way to intense... and frankly thought,no way am i going get my plumbing rewired"

Then I look at my mum who is type 1 and all her diabetic problems and think...that could be me in 20 years..
I have since researched to the point where I think I could do the operation myself..lol and feel confident in my decision to have this op.


Before and after picture blow me away....
Maybe you could get a full size picture of yourself pre op and jump out from behind....
I would love to see their faces.... as a pre op its hard to comprehend that kind of weight loss is achievable.
I am glad they have asked you to speak ..your a legend..and a true inspiration...good luck x x x x
 
i think the thing that encourages me the most is my little boy, wanting to be able to do things like take him ice skating or horse riding when hes a bit older, which i wouldnt dream of doing unless i lost a fair bit of weight.
i want to feel comfortable & confident to go out with friends more, instead of making last minute excuses.
i want to be able to go on holiday & wear shorts & things without feeling awful, or worry about the plane seatbelts.
i also love looking at the before & afters
i want to have more children, but i dont want to be fat & pregnant again.
i want to be a podiatrist & ive got zero chance of getting on any course with being so over weight.

gah, ive got millions of things to encourage me, i dont know why i didnt do this AGES ago

xx
 
Mixman said:
Such lovely words Lisa. Thank You xx

I never think of what I've done as a big deal, until I see the pics. But then a lot of that is because I still think I am a big bloke mentally.
Click to expand...

I cant shift a stone without going into hypos lol so
losing 16.5 stone is quite an achievement in my book!!
As a pre op I can never imagine myself thinner,and
I am trying to not to look at this surgery as a size thing,but as health thing with purks.lol....(i will never be kate moss..lol)
I wish I lived closer I would love to hear what you have to say...

..:)

xxxxxxxxxxx
 
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