Years ago, my old buddy Ruby-the-dog found herself suddenly unleashed while we were out walking. Many dogs would run away if their leash fell off. But not Ruby. She completed her walk, then ran to our front door where she anxiously waited for me to catch up so I could let her inside.
Ruby reminded me of an important WLS truth:
Consistency will save your butt :o).
If you consistently walk a certain route, it becomes automatic. You prefer it, even when you have a world of choices. When unexpected things happen, your inclination is to stick to your normal plan.
What I have noticed over the years, is that consistency has helped me manage my weight and keep my lab work looking good.
Consistency is beneficial because:
- People know what to expect of me. They’ve gotten used to my “no, thank you” and don’t question it. They don’t offer me food I am trying to avoid. They don’t try to get me to skip my routines. (Whereas before they might say something a bit annoying like, “What diet are you on this week?” Or “Do you have to walk this morning?” Or “It’s Thanksgiving, let’s eat until we’re stuffed!”)
- I know how to handle most situations and state my needs, consistently. I don’t hesitate to do that now. I also have contingency plans in case what I need isn’t available. My life is much more relaxed now that I know I’ll consistently stick up for myself and meet my own needs.
- Keeping it simple works. Even for people like me who love variety and adventure, a routine works. I still have plenty of room in my life to be spontaneous and fun loving, but regarding food, I am spontaneous in a routine way. By that I mean I eat a variety of vegetables prepared a variety of ways, but I always eat vegetables. It’s not optional or a struggle, because it’s my habit.
The consistency tool can work well for exercise, too. Consistent exercise, even if it’s light, offers great health rewards. Strolling is surprisingly good for us.
What’s cool is consistent, light exercise made me stronger and more fit, so I naturally increased my intensity and length of time exercising, without noticing. It happened naturally.
So, thank you to Ruby, who demonstrated how consistency helped her stay on track, and thank you to all of you for taking the time to read this little article!
If you’ve got a tip to share about how you stay consistent, please write and tell me about it.
Make it a great WLS day!
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From Katie Jay’s Small Bites newsletter. Subscribe and get your complimentary report: The 21 Most Common Mistakes People Make after Bariatric Surgery at www.BariSupport.com. © 2022, Katie Jay. All rights reserved.