ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass and Lap Band® Forum - View Single Post - 4 years post op, but haven't reached my goal

Vim&Vigour · 01-06-2008, 03:54 PM

I would add start with what is visible for yourself. If you cannot afford a babysitter, offer to swap hours with a friend. My friends and I used to "catch up" when we babysat for each other. We started off with "10 credit points", one point being equivalent to half an hour with child/ren awake and a whole hour with child/ren asleep. Our husbands would look after our own children at home. So, when I babysat at a friend's house, I would bring my ironing to do at her house, thus catching up, or paint my nails or write some letters, whatever. Then, I would be able to go out, free of charge, with my husband, for something cheaper, such as out for a coffee and chat or to the cinema... I was skint as a church mouse but managed to "get a life" in that way away from my 3 tiny ones aged under 4 years. When it was my turn to go out, I would make a point of making myself look as nice for myself and for my husband as I could... My babysitting friend would arrive 15 minutes before I left so that I could dress in peace and quiet. (very helpful in keeping a strong marriage!).

By "improving" your looks, you receive instant gratification. You know you are not "spending" much of the non-existent money and that your husband need not worry about the "expense" of an evening out...

By "feeling good" from the evening before outing, my spirits were uplifted for the day ahead. One of the "rules" my husband and I made were not to talk about either children or his work after the first half hour so that we actually had some "quality" time...

You have 4 children who will benefit from your revised eating pattern. Make their meals work around what you can and should eat - the same rules apply pretty much for their stomach sizes portion wise! Sit down to eat with your children, make a meal with it, talk about nice things and get them to take a nap after lunch... During their "quiet" time you are able to catch up with a little housework, laundry, responsibilities, whatever... You'll feel good about your image, your time with your husband, your relationship with your children and your eating pattern will soon fall back into place. Take the family out for a run, swim, bike ride or whatever exercise you feel comfortable with. Your tool will soon feel in a routine again and a lot happier.

Best wishes for a continued weight loss and finding your comfortable place in the scale of things! Let us know how you are getting on and welcome back!

Cheers!
Vim in London, UK