2008-05-14T19:11:32Z urn:uuid:60a76c80-d399-11d9-b93C-0003939e0af6 CoalEngine CoalSpeak urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-05-14T19:11:32Z

PLASTIC SURGERY (Do you need it?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly For 100 pound plus losers, slack skin can be not only a physical obstacle, but it can be an emotional roadblock to maintaining weight loss. About six years ago, I met some of the most wonderful women I’ve ever known. I believe we will remain friends throughout our lives. Four of the six of us had plastic surgery after massive weight loss. I envied the new body shapes, the flat bellies, the perky breasts. While they were having their bodies sculpted, I was preoccupied with fighting breast cancer. It is no small matter that my diagnosis was made after the thickness of my breasts would have prevented detection of the cancers. At my previous level of morbid obesity, treatment by mastectomy may not have been an option in quelling the movement of the aggressive form of cancer that was eating me. So, make note, I’m not complaining. I’m asking a question. My dear friends who at the first year of their journeys had full body lifts, tummy tucks, and other procedures seem to have been able to change their mental images of themselves and appear to have had easier times keeping their weight down, fitting into new sizes, and picturing themselves as thin persons. For five plus years, I have tucked my apron into my jeans, felt like a fat girl, and felt like I was not as successful as my other friends. Do I need to have plastic surgery to feel more successful? Do you? Please leave your comments here. And, let me remind you of ONE THING—-I AM SO GLAD TO BE ALIVE! Jennifer has a private practice, Ballantyne Counseling, in Charlotte, NC. You can check out her website at www.jentalk.com. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-04-18T20:12:30Z

Can You See Things My Way? (Emotional Eating is the Enemy) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly I met a man today who made things clear to me. Changing behavior is not easy. And I am my own worst enemy. I love to tell the stats from the NIH only 5 to 10% can lose weight and keep it off when they are morbidly obese. But I don’t like to face another reality. I am a robot. And I have programmed me. All these years I’ve allowed myself to give in to food. Happy times required food. Sad times made it mandatory. Food has been the answer for every good and bad moment in my life. I am programmed to turn to food. Guess what I learned today. I CAN change, and IT WON’T BE EASY. Every synapse of my neurology knows that whatever happens, food is the answer. Can that be changed? It can, but we are kidding ourselves if we think that surgery or a new figure or a new relationship is going to fix things without some serious work… Remember the story of the man who walked down the street and fell in a hole? The next day he walked down the street and saw the hole and fell in the hole. When our neural pathways cry out for completion by the insertion of food in our mouths and we give in, we are seeing the hole and falling in. The next day, he walked down the street and walked way around the hole. Ah, consciousness! The lightbulb came on! He didn’t have to fall in the hole. He had choices! The next day, he took another street. Taking another street on enough days will change the programming of the robot (me, you) and before long, we will not have such a fight with the beckonings of food. But don’t kid yourself. It won’t be all that easy. To overcome the flesh requires a toughness that is beyond our learned helplessness. But it can be done. And you and I can do it. Thank you, Psychologist Anthony Pedone, at Lilac Springs, for sharing what every veteran of weight loss surgery needs to know. You’ll be hearing more about my visit with Tony in days to come… Jennifer Ross Sawyer is in private practice at Ballantyne Counseling in Charlotte, NC. You may reach her through jen@jentalk.com or at 704-200-3540. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-03-25T07:06:02Z

Oh My! (Did you see the celebrity news?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly I’m not criticizing Carnie. I love her! I’ve read her books, listened to her music, celebrated her successes, taken her advice…but I am so sad that she is struggling so. Worse than feeling sad for her, her news terrifies me. Could I go back, too? Could that 200 mark find me there also? Well, Colleen, I’d better get your Success Habits book out and review how to stay healthy! I think I need a number on the scale that I will not allow myself to go beyond. Maybe Carnie had one, too, but for me, I have to be committed and serious about getting “back on track” when I see the numbers creeping up… You know, that scale scares me. Sometimes I avoid it. And sometimes it is not bad news! When I finally get the courage to weigh, I might find that I have not gained weight, or that I have lost weight! That’s why a scientific approach is necessary—weigh regularly! If old habits are causing the scale to creep up, we know what to do! Make sure there is no soda in the house, stop eating those white carbs, take those vitamins religiously, give yourself some positive self-talk, and get to the gym or the pool or out on the walking trail! Carnie admits that she has addiction problems. So many of us do. If you do, GET HELP! Addiction requires counseling, group therapy, self-help, and accountability. Take yourself seriously. Open your eyes and get the help you need! Carnie, we love you. We want to hear some good news from you. We are rooting for you, and we are in your corner! Jennifer Sawyer is in private practice at Ballantyne Counseling in Charlotte, NC. You may reach her through www.jentalk.com. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-03-20T05:28:51Z

BRAVERY (Are you a bully? A doormat?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly Individuals under stress often react in extremes. Obese people sometimes feel “different” from others. They may feel “self conscious” instead of “self confident.” These extreme feelings manifest expression in behavior. Some people become bullies, and some people become victims. Some people become “bossy;” others become overly compliant. I must have been being bossy the day I learned that I was “fat.” I was only 6 years old. My cousin from town had come to visit. When we were playing, he said, “Just because you’re fat doesn’t mean you can always have your way.” Some people demand their way. You must be brave to stand up for yourself. My cousin was. Demanding your own way is not very attractive, but some people just like to be the boss, no matter who they hurt. An equally unattractive attribute is being willing to lie down and become somebody’s doormat. Do you do one or the other? If you have been the doormat, after weight loss you may try to break those old habits of allowing others to take advantage of you. You must be brave enough to stand up to the bully and say, “I’m not going to take it anymore.” Developing assertiveness takes guts. An essentially overlooked fact is that if there is one area of your life in which you are allowing yourself to be victimized, that area of your life will be permeated everything you do will be tainted by your unconscious attitude. You cannot have full integrity in your life if you allow victimization in your life at all. When you allow yourself to be a victim, you are not open to experiencing the whole of life. It is hard to think when someone is “on your back.” Creativity is stifled. Your joy is stolen. Are you brave enough to speak up for yourself? When someone “talks down”: to you, do you just swallow and absorb their negativity into your soul? Of do you refuse to be treated poorly and speak up for yourself? You must be brave. Your life depends on it. If you are having trouble with a bully in your life, maybe we should talk. Visit me at www.jentalk.com. Jennifer is in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-03-04T17:12:30Z

A Poem (Bariatric patients are unique.) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly REMEMBER WHO THEY ARE They come by the hundreds, seeking, Not knowing how their lives will change. They come because they hope. Some smile, some cry. They demand a date— The date they expect to awake or die. Their feelings have been in their bellies so long That a demon has formed, demanding food. When their bellies are rearranged And the demon cries to quench their pain, they cannot. They look in the mirror and say, “Who is that gorgeous creature?” And get caught up in a strange high. Some are propelled into new addictions, Some are plunged to new depths. They see themselves for the first time And demand better treatment. They stand in their place. The world opens up. They need each other. This journey is too treacherous for one alone. We alone can do this. But we cannot do it alone. —Jennifer Ross Sawyer Jennifer is in private practice in Charlotte, NC. You may read more at www.jentalk.com. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-02-15T10:36:52Z

Live! (Don’t wait for good things to happen!) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly He sat in my office, a new man. He pre-op weight was over 400, and now, he was feeling great, as the gastric bypass weight loss was occurring like magic. I’ll never forget what he said, and I want you to hear it too. He said, “I don’t believe God put me in this position so that I could continue to sit on the couch with a remote in my hand.” He went on to tell me that he believed that his higher power was calling him to do something significant with his life. He never felt worthy to do somehthing significant before. Now his ideas were boundless—go back to school, learn to play tennis, volunteer, help with support group, write a book, share his story with others, get involved in his church, and on and on. Don’t pass up the opportunity to really live. A poem: I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosening my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance, to live so that which came to me as a seed goes to the next blossom, and that which came to me as a blossom, goes on as fruit. -Dawna Markova- Now. Go, live! Jen Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-02-12T14:31:59Z

POWERLESSNESS (Take the power back.) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly Before gastric bypass surgery, I felt powerless to change my life. I knew that in order to be the person I wished to be, I had to lose weight. But I had tried time and again. In fact, I had lost weight time and again—40 to 60 pounds at a time, only to gain back that weight plus more in very little time. After my gastric bypass surgery, I was amazed at how the weight came off. As the new me was revealed, I felt power that I had never felt before. I was becoming free of the awful weight, and I felt like the external locus of control which had driven my life was becoming internal, and I could take my place in the world. After a couple of years, I began to realize that I was gaining weight back. I stayed in an anxious state about it, but I didn’t seem to be able to stop it. I was feeling powerless again. Even when I stopped gaining, I felt panicked. I’d believe that I had gained most of my weight back and I would avoid the scale and grieve…But then I would have the courage to step on the scale again, and I would find that I had settled at a certain number. I stayed at that number for one and a half years. When I thought I had gained, I had not. But, I couldn’t get myself moving to exercise and eat right. The reason I couldn’t is because I was afraid I would fail. I had fallen into powerlessness again. I did not believe that the tool I was given would work for me. I thought I would have to be shoved around by the universe again. I am feeling more powerful. I am exercising. I will make the ADVICE of the experts work for me. I can do it. So can you. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-02-05T21:32:28Z

THE BUZZ (If you know what I’m talking about, read on.) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly “I never drank before my weight loss surgery,” she told me. “Now I’m drinking a bottle of wine every night.” Absurd? Not really. It’s surprising how many times this story is repeated in the WLS population. Sometimes a patient tries to make up for “the lost days”—the days when he or she had no social life—the days of the isolation of obesity. After the quick weight loss of RNY or DS, before the sense of self has gained equilibrium, the decision is made to take “just one drink.” Drinking would be dangerous for the weight loss surgery patient if only for the added empty calories. Alcohol seems more addictive in the early stages of recovery. One patient told me that after just one drink, she was hooked on wine. Before she knew it, she was drinking a bottle a night. Maybe alcohol gets into the bloodstream faster because of the new configuration of the stomach and intestines. I’ve heard that the “buzz” comes immediately and leaves quickly, so one has to drink more and more to keep the buzz. I am no M.D., but it makes sense to me that drinking more and more could cause damage to the new configuration of those precious insides that we formerly were concerned about preserving! Relatively raw alcohol hits the liver hard. One WLS patient told me that she almost ruined her bladder by drinking. The bladder wasn’t intended to process that much straight alcohol. It is risky to take that first drink. It feels so good. It’s euphoric. It’s dangerous! Even if you are finally enjoying going out with friends, you’d be wise to be cautious about your behavior. Give yourself time to “grow up” as you adjust to your new body. Personally, I just wanted to hold one of those pretty glasses. Water with lemon in a plain glass just wouldn’t do it. So, when I go out, I do splurge. I order a Virgin Cosmopolitan. That way, I get to hold that pretty Martini glass and get a serving of fruit juice. And I can act silly most anytime! A virgin drink can solve so many issues for you, and keep you safe from the journey of addiction. Don’t get on the addiction train. Keep your body healthy. Don’t risk the effects of alcohol on your brain. If you are having problems with alcohol, please get help immediately. You deserve a better life. jrsawyer@southeastbariatrics.com Jennifer is Support Group Coordinator for Southeast Bariatrics, Charlotte, NC., practice of Dr. David C. Voellinger. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-30T16:41:53Z

TRANSFER ADDICTION (Reckless abandon?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly After Weight Loss Surgery, some people get in trouble. The people who are most at risk are those who have food addiction. What causes addiction, anyway? I’ve heard it said that people who become alcoholic or addicts of any sort are people who are wounded. They have metaphorical holes in their hearts. Nothing will stop the pain except cramming something into that hole. For some of us, that something is food. For others, it is alcohol, drugs, sex, smoking, shopping, exercising, scrap booking, crocheting, surfing the web, or engaging in some activity which is harmless in moderation but steals life from the person involved when overdone. Make note that some of the activities I mentioned are “good.” And, surely, if you have to switch addictions, it would be better for you to switch to a “good” activity. There is a characteristic that an addict has that is rather interesting. This characteristic is reckless abandon of his or her own well-being and the well-being of others. Sometimes after WLS, particularly during the honeymoon period, patients are most susceptible to this feeling that they are invincible. This feeling sometimes leads to risk-taking that is harmful. After losing weight, possibly being thin for the first time, feeling good about one’s body, looking great in clothing, taking care of one’s personal appearance , being treated differently by others, having more opportunity socially, in relationships, or in career, the feeling that one is above reproach, that one can climb a tall building in a single bound, that one is hot, hot, hot can mislead the patient into believing that nothing bad could happen if he or she were to get involved in sexual, substance, or other risky behaviors. If what causes us to latch onto addiction is a hole in our hearts, why not make our next project to find the cause behind that hole and figure out how to heal from the inside out? Use your personal resources. Help yourself overcome the pain without stuffing a mindless activity into the hole. You alone can do this. But, you cannot do it alone. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-25T11:57:14Z

BUTT BE BACK SYNDROME (Urban Legend or Scientific Fact?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly After my weight loss surgery, I noticed that my bottom had practically fallen off! One thing I didn’t like about my new figure was this—Where did my hips go? JLo would be appalled at how flat my rear was. Our nurse said, “Don’t worry. It will be back.” “Sure…ah, and when might that be?” I asked. “Oh, around two years out. There is a syndrome called ‘Butt Be Back Syndrome.’ Look,” she said, “Mine is back!” “Butt Be Back Syndrome? You’ve got to be kidding.” “I can’t guarantee that it will happen for you, but I know that lots of us experience it. When we first lose weight, we seem to lose our butts. Then, one day around the second year, we notice that it’s back. Just wait. You’ll see.” “Yeah, right.” P.S. Mine’s back! Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-23T14:02:50Z

It’s All or Nothing (A Cognitive-Behavioral Study) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly My Life Has Been All or Nothing I’ve always heard that everything in moderation is a good rule to follow. However, my life has been all or nothing—at least where food is concerned. I wonder if anyone else has felt this way… If I were dieting, I was strict. I remember going on Weight Watchers one time (of many), and I was invited to a dinner at a friend’s home. I had communicated to her what I was allowed to have and what I was not allowed to have. One thing I was not allowed to have on the program at that time was corn. When the vegetable bowl came around the table, I was horrified that the vegetable, which was mixed vegetables, had corn in it. I tried to pick the corn out, but my friend poo-pooed my fear of eating the corn. And, so, reluctantly, I ate the mixed vegetables with the corn. Or course, by then, I had ruined my diet. There was no way that I could check off on the chart on my refrigerator that I had executed a perfect day on the program. And so, when I returned home that night, I ate a big bowl of ice cream, some crackers, and anything else I could find in the house…After all, either I was doing Weight Watchers perfectly, or I wasn’t. The same has been true in many other circumstances. I have failed by taking a wrong bite, and ended up eating myself into oblivion for the following week. Everything in moderation is a good rule to follow. The all or nothing rule is one that determined my willingness to be mindful about my food intake. Until I reached the point that I absolutely could not stand myself, until I thought of myself as a disgusting failure, I could not come up with the courage to structure my food intake. For months, I would go along in complete denial that the scale was going up, up, up— “pretending” to be a “normal” person, like the other girls who never gave food a thought. When I lost weight, I felt great. I’d keep that good feeling but live without intention until I hated myself so much that I’d have to do something to end the self-hatred. A patient told me yesterday, I lose weight, feel great, gain weight, hate myself, and this goes on and on. It’s all on nothing. One of the most helpful things I have learned is this: It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down. What is important is how long it takes you to get up. You are worth it. You are not perfect. You are not despicable. You are human. Love yourself. Let others love you, too. I am thankful for weight loss surgery because through this surgical intervention, I have learned to live in moderation, to love myself, and to allow others to love me. You, too? Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-16T11:43:54Z

Here’s My Story (And I’m sticking to it!) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly I had yo-yoed all my conscious life, from the grapefruit diet when I was 12 to the Metracal I drank in college to Weight Watchers at various spells after my children were born to Atkins (loved that butter on that steak—-wished for a biscuit or a banana) to being a vegetarian and walking 4 miles a day for two years…. I had grown weary of the up’s and down’s. Somebody said we should love ourselves as we are. So, I tried. I really tried. But, I grew weary of wearing black stretch pants with seams sewn down the front with an over blouse, socks, and sandals. I didn’t like the way I felt. I felt embarrassed, less than other women in their cutesy outfits. So, I made up for it by being funny. And smart. And nice. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t try to excel in. I smiled at everyone. I never complained. I think I hid my feelings well. Who knew that I was hurting inside? The doctor said, “You are depressed.” I said, “That can’t be! I’m a positive thinker! I’m religious! I have a wonderful husband (at that time, I did not know that he was cheating on me)! “ The doctor said, “OK,” and sent me home. I came back the next week and said, “I’m depressed.” He said, “I know.” But what I didn’t know is that there was a way out of life-as-I knew-it. I didn’t know that surgery could transform me and give me mobility and self-respect, and hope that was long lost. Ironically, my sister told me about the surgery. My sister, the skinny one, had met some women who had lost 100 pounds or more by having gastric bypass surgery. Dare I hope to do the same? I found a surgeon. I wrote my letter, filled out my packet, submitted it, saw the doctor, got approved by insurance, and voila’! Before I knew it, I was on that gurney down to the operating room. I remember thinking, “I could die from this.” And I remember answering myself, “Yes, but I don’t want to live like this.” And so, my life began again. Before you can say “Do you want fries with that?” I had lost 110 pounds. There was nothing in my closet that fit! I was giddy with myself. To be quite honest, I made some mistakes. But, as sure as the pendulum swings, my life came back to balance. Now I help others discover the hope that they can wear cutesy outfits and have self respect and, yes, even make a few mistakes along the way. This is my story. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. “Reprinted from Barbara Thompson’s free e-newsletter featuring helpful information and research material to help patients succeed following weight loss surgery. Subscribe at http://www.wlscenter.com/E-Newsletter.htm ” Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-15T13:45:36Z

PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY (What do you want?) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly Last night at our support group, we discussed one of the success habits of weight loss surgery patients…PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. No longer can we blame others for our plight in life. We have made decisions—big and small—which have led us to this place. No longer are we children—we are adults. We cannot blame our parents. We cannot blame our teachers. We must finally, once and for all, accept personal accountability! Have you seen the movie or read the book The Secret? It’s not this simple, but the secret is being able to define what you want and want it enough that you can almost taste it…a perfect analogy for those of us who love food! To know how you would feel if you had what you say you want and to revel in those feelings until you are compelled to put your life in order to achieve the thing you desire more than any other. First, define it. What is it that you really want? What is it that brings you joy? Take some time to consider this. We are not good to ourselves. We ask ourselves for bread and give ourselves a stone! We have not considered an unfettered conclusions for the questions “What do I want?” and “What brings me joy?” If I had a magic wand I’d remove certain things from your thinking processes. I’d take away the “shoulds, coulds and oughts.” I’d take away, “What will my friends think? What will my parents think? What will my neighbors think? What will my co-workers think?” Removing those ideas from your decision-making process leaves the freedom to really choose. I love weight loss surgery patients because they have made a hard decision…to take the risks necessary to change their lives! They have had to discard the ideas of those who say it’s the easy way, who say it’s too risky; who say it’s too extreme. They have seen a glimpse of what their bodies can be, and they take the steps to achieve that goal. This is possible in other areas of our lives, too. I ask you: What do you want? What brings you joy? You can reach me with your comments at jrsawyer@southeastbariatrics.com. Our website is www.southeastbariatrics.com. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-07T11:45:54Z

The Clean Plate Club (It’s a political conspiracy.) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly You may be tired of talking politics after the presidential debates this weekend, but this is information you probably do not know. When the presidential candidates were debating, Charlie Gibson should have asked, “Mr. Senator, Madam Senator, Honorable Mayor (etc.), do you ascribe to the philosophy of the Clean Plate Club, to which many past presidents have ascribed?” You may not know the political origins of this Club. According to the Wikipedia, Clean Plate Clubs were part of a campaign started by U. S. President Harry S. Truman that encouraged school children to pledge to eat everything on their plate at mealtimes, in order to conserve limited post-war resources. These clubs were founded in a large number of elementary schools, and were promoted on several children’s television shows. Truman based the idea on Clean Plate campaigns started by President Woodrow Wilson in the aftermath of World War I, giving us a heritage of political intervention at our dinner tables! We’ve heard our mother’s say, “Clean your plate. There are children who don’t have good food to eat.” Thankfully and obediently, we cleaned our plates. This was a dangerous move for those of us who are set up biologically to become overweight. But it is no wonder that we eat everything on our plates. At my house, throwing food away was a mortal sin. Food for the family did not come easily. We grew our own vegetables, slaughtered our own chickens, picked up the eggs in the chicken house out back. We cleaned and processed and preserved and cooked our own foods. When there were treats, like Grandmama’s pound cake, we received paper thin slices and begged for more. Wasting food or throwing it away was not acceptable. Today, we pay corporations to raise our foods, process, preserve, and, according to the latest stats, a majority of us pay them to cook for us! When we eat out, we are usually served enough food to use up the entire day’s caloric intake. Many of us share our entrees with others or take home half for another meal. But the unspoken message is, here is a meal for you. It is normal that you eat it. I think the Minimalists have it right. They only eat enough to live. They don’t live to eat like so many of us do. They enjoy the small amounts of fuel that run their bodies efficiently and add to their longevity. I read in the most recent Reader’s Digest that most Americans gain a pound a year during the holidays and never lose it. Could it be that they gained that pound by eating the food that was leftover in the refrigerator after the holidays because they didn’t have the heart to throw it away? Our nutritionist at Southeast Bariatrics does pantry raids by request. She identifies poor food choices and eliminates them, making recommendations for healthier choices. Are you ready for a pantry raid? I threw away the last bit of cake and cookies this morning. What a relief! Being a member of the clean plate club, it’s hard to throw away, ignore, or let food go to waste. But I am learning to do it. I’m sure the candidates have much more important things to think about. Later, Jennifer www.southeastbariatrics.com Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2008-01-03T13:53:51Z

The Food Police (I have crossed over!) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly As a little girl, someone always seemed to be taking inventory of my food intake. “Watch what you are putting in your mouth, Jennifer Anne!” “Do you really think you need that piece of pie, Jennifer Anne?” And when I asked my grandmother what I could do to lose weight, she told me, “You will never be able to stop eating. You will probably be big—all your mama’s people are big.” I hated it. Why did everyone have to tell me what to eat and what not to eat? Then, after my surgery, my parents said, “Oh, Jennifer, you need to eat more than that! Two teaspoons is not enough to live on!” So, when I began to be able to eat more, they said, “Jennifer, if you don’t watch out, you’re going to be as big as you used to be—surgery or no surgery!” As much as I hated to have other people take MY inventory, I recently crossed over, became the enemy, and became the self-appointed food police in my household. You see, I was the weight-loss surgery patient in the house until September 2007. That’s when my husband had RNY. It happened suddenly and without warning. All of a sudden one day, I said to him, “Do you really think you should eat that?” “Yes, you are losing now, but when that window of opportunity is past, I hope you don’t put the weight back on…” Well, shut my mouth! What could be more de-motivating than to have your spouse turn into the Food Police? I’m going to be a kinder, gentler wife. I will TRY not to take my husband’s inventory. I will be humble. I will not complain about his choices… But, if he doesn’t watch out….!!!! BTW, I took Colleen Cook’s advice in Success Habits…I weighed. It wasn’t so bad. I also hit the pool last night. Back on track again, Baby! Later. Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2007-12-28T10:33:25Z

Christmas 2007 Is in the Past! (Thank Goodness!) By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Printer Friendly To weigh or not to weigh. This is the question. Today is the day I face the music and stop snacking. I visited my parents (you know, those people who push all my buttons)…and my path to the refrigerator is permananently ingrained in the carpet. I hope you guys had better success than I did at taking care of yourself. I can only remember one healthy meal—the rest was a little bit of this and a little bit of that, leaving me feeling sick most of the time. WHY don’t I take better care of myself? Today I feel like I’ve failed me (ok, enough wallowing in self-pity and back to a good attitude!). Today I am going to eat like I love me. When I love me, I feed me the right foods in the right amounts. Today I go back to the pool and get my heart rate up and enjoy my solitude. Today I practice awareness and live with intention. And if I fail, I can start over tomorrow! But, I know I will not fail. I am in control. No one made me eat that pumpkin pie, and no one can make me eat the wrong foods today. I want to feel good, and I am what I eat! No, I am not a fruit cake. I will not weigh today. I will give my body a chance to normalize after spending 12 hours in the car over the past week. And then, I will bravely and lovingly find out how much I weigh and use that as motivation to love my little girl (me). Take good care of yourself. I plan to! Printer Friendly

urn:uuid:1225c695-cfb8-4ebb-aaaa-80da344efa6a 2007-12-24T16:32:48Z

Lifestyle Management By: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC, Jennifer Ross Sawyer, Counseling and Consultation Category: Jennifer Ross Sawyer, MA, LPC, NCC Printer Friendly Hi. I’m Jennifer Ross Sawyer. I am a licensed professional counselor and nationally certified counselor. I am employed at Southeast Bariatrics in Charlotte, NC, the practice of Dr. David Voellinger. Dr. Voellinger has a true vision for bariatric surgery. He believes in the concept of Lifestyle Management…thus, I am part of a three-member Lifestyle Management Team. My colleagues are Heather Mackie, a registered dietitian, and Annie Lee, an exercise physiologist. Together, we assess applicants for weight loss surgery and develop treatment plans to get them ready for their journeys. We provide a program that will guide a person through the first year and, well, actually, for a lifetime… Annie, Heather, and I , with the help of our staff nurse, have written a manual which is called Journey to Wellness. This manual contains “everything you need to know to be successful with weight loss surgery.” Since our surgeon does at least 5 different procedures, there are versions of the book specific to each procedure. The team, along with our bariatric liaison, who guides applicants from their first calls all the way to the surgical suite, presents a Pre-op Class two weeks prior to surgeries. This two- and-a-half hour class provides information and answers questions of surgical candidates. Our Lifestyle Management package provides individual visits throughout the first year post- surgery. We are proud of our program. We believe in our program and we give it 110% every day. I had RNY 4 years and seven months ago. I have been to my goal weight and I have gained some weight back again. Currently, I am 10 pounds from my ideal weight. Having had the experience of rebound weight gain (WAIT A MINUTE, I THOUGHT THIS WEIGHT LOSS WAS FOREVER!), I have learned some things about using your tool to find and maintain your weight. In the coming weeks, I will be talking about some of these concepts. I will also be telling you about some of the funny moments, the frustrations, and the victories on this roller-coaster ride to better health. If you have questions or comments regarding this blog, you can reach me at jrsawyer@southeastbariatrics.com. I look forward to hearing from you. Printer Friendly