Finding the discipline.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4522143/Finding-the-discipline/#37450162

This is a thread someone started on www.obesityhelp.com, a website I've used a lot over the past year-year 1/2.. I joined it before I ever even mentioned surgery to my parents for the first time.

The question was "How do you find the discipline to do what you need to do when I never had the discipline to do it in the first place ??? You know losing weight, exercising, etc.....how do you find it AFTER surgery???"

You can read my response to it on that thread. Everyone should be able to view it, with or without an account.

But-- I wanted to talk about this for a minute.

How do YOU specifically find the motivation/determination to keep going? To make lifestyle changes? With or without changes? If you have already, what helped you make those changes? If you haven't, what are you waiting for? What do you think it will take? Do you not know?

Personally, I've dealt with this my whole life.. But I don't think I really started to take it seriously, until I started having serious issues.. I couldn't bathe without feeling like my heart was going to beat through my chest and I was going to pass out.. i would have to stop my shower and sit down on the side of the bath tub or the toilet seat for a few minutes to cool off and rest before I continued.. No one really saw that side of it.. I hid it pretty well.. But I would get claustrophobic really easily.. I would have to leave concerts early.. I had no control over my body.. I wasn't on the right medications and I didn't have the right doctors on my side for the longest time...

My mom is an RN (Registered Nurse.) ... She was basically out of my life for about 3 months, in 2010. From the end of August to the end of October I didn't see her once.. When she came back and saw how much my body had changed in just that short amount of time she spoke to a doctor friend of hers.. Who gave her a list of things to research.. She gave the list to me and I researched.. On that list was "Polycysitic Ovarian Syndrome" "Hypothyroidism" and "Cushings Disease/Syndrome." .... I looked them all up.. and I had never been to an Endocrinologist. It's always been GI doctors that worked with me.. 

Well I saw a Gynecologist who diagnosed me with PCOS and put me on the pill.. And it was in this time I started researching weight loss surgery..

Then I saw a Endocrinologist.. He tested me for Cushings and Hypothyroidism.. Sure enough, Hypothyroidism. No cushings. That is extremely rare, especially in children/adolescents.. But I was tested. and I still had Insulin Resistance. Well I went to a different Endocrine.. And found out I was full blown Type 2 diabetic... And basically the health I was at.. I was told I'd be lucky to make it to 35.. part of my heart was already enlarged and clearly I was never able to lose weight before.. Only maintain, and gain.. What was going to change this time?

It was right then and there I knew surgery needed to be discussed.. I had brought it up with a family doctor once.. Who didn't support the idea. but the endocrinologist even brought it up without me saying anything, and sent a referral that day to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

I knew this was my last shot. And I was going to make it work. I finally had the right doctors, the right diagnosis', the right medications... and I was having WLS. a tool to help me lose and keep the weight off... I don't want to die before I'm 35. And I don't want to die the same way i watched my grandmother die, when I was 12 years old. Heart Disease, Cardiomyopothy, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Hypertension, PCOS, already had a kidney removed, on dialysis, etc.... The list never ended. And i was already headed down that road at 15...

A death sentence was the reality check I needed to get my life in order... and it worked.

I'm still in the losing phase. But I'm healthier than I've been in a long time. I'm at a lower weight than I was 2 1/2-3 years ago..  And I'm feeling so much better... I can shower no problem. I jogged a mile the other day.. Something I haven't done (even just walking..) since I was 13...It's insane,.. and I know I made the right decision. (Again, you can read more on the thread I posted above.)

But my question is.. Even without surgery, why does it take people (myself included) so long to make lifestyle changes? even people who don't have the genetic component.. people who may not even have any medical problem... Eating healthy and exercise is good for everyone. Why are people so.. stuck in their ways? Why is everyone so afraid of change?

Why do things have to be this way? Why cant an entire family make changes to better themselves, instead of just one person? I know the answer to this. In my opinion anyway. I have my thoughts on all of these questions. But I'm keeping them to myself. These are just a few of my thoughts, to get your mind going.. It's really something to think about and consider before looking into WLS.. or even starting a new diet, or seeing a new doctor.. Nothing will work if you don't have enough motivation/determination.

I could go into the whole food can be a real addiction discussion.. or people are raised a certain way.. you can't teach an old dog new tricks, whatever.... But really.. with enough determination, I'd like to think anything can be done..

Now people just need to find the discipline/determination/motivation/inspiration to accomplish what they want/need to accomplish. What will it take to do that or get to that point?



Have a great day. <3
-Ashley
www.facebook.com/justashley1637
ashleyellen1637@aol.com