You Can Do It!
Making Your Resolutions Stick

It’s that time of year again when you vow to finally end those bad habits and become a better person. Many of us set New Year’s resolutions with strong determination and good intentions, knowing that “next year will be THE year” to do whatever goal we have in mind. However, once the first few weeks of January go by, that motivation somehow slips away and we find ourselves back in our old habits.

Why is that? We tend to abandon our goals if we do not witness positive results fast enough, if we are not ready to commit, or if there is discomfort associated with changing. Here are some tips to help you follow through with your New Year’s resolutions.

• Examine your level of motivation. Are you willing to make changes now? What do you have to gain or lose? Are you expecting to fail?
• Set realistic goals, and write them down. What is going to be realistic for you to accomplish? Do you need to gradually work up to the goal? Do you need to give yourself some leeway? What might get in the way of you meeting your goals?
• Make a concrete plan. In addition to listing your goals, write down what it is going to take for you to reach them. You might have to break up a goal into smaller steps. You can set timeframes for yourself to accomplish these steps. Make it as concrete as possible.
• Keep the end reward in sight. What are you hoping to accomplish with your resolutions? Make a visual reminder of your goal and place it somewhere visible for yourself.
• Recognize your progress along the way. It’s sometimes easy to overlook our little accomplishments. At the end of the day, ask yourself if you stuck with your plan that day. If you did, great! You are one step closer to meeting your goals.
• Do not negotiate with yourself. You’re bound to lie to yourself. Why not have one extra cookie, you promise you’ll exercise more tomorrow, right? As soon as you know it, you bend the rules a little more and more until you realize that you have abandoned your original goal. Stick to your plan (which should be realistic and doable). No excuses.

Notes from Natalie

As one of the team members at the Center for Treatment for Obesity, I get a lot of questions about how the process of scheduling gastric surgery works. Here’s the step-by-step process:

1. Attend the educational seminar to learn more about gastric banding and other surgical options. Register for an upcoming seminar or call (800)926-UCSD to register.
2. Check with your medical insurance carrier to find out whether bariatric surgery is covered, if there are any exclusions or requirements, and whether you are eligible to come to UCSD Medical Center for the surgery. (If you cannot use insurance, we accept self-payment from patients. Feel free to ask about this option at the seminar.)
3. After attending a seminar, make your initial consultation appointment.

• Please arrive on time and bring your completed paperwork from the seminar you attended.
• Invite a friend or family member for company and support.
• During the appointment, you will see numerous medical specialists who will be asking you some of the same questions again and again. This is important because each of our specialists will be evaluating your answers as they relate to a particular aspect of your health and treatment.
• By the end of your appointment, you will know whether the team has approved you to move forward with the surgery, or if there are some things we need you to work on in preparation for surgery.

Here’s to a happy and healthful 2009!

Natalie Cook Akhavain
Banded on 3/17/03, achieved 100 lb. weight loss

Recipes from Chef Willie

Maple Roasted Asparagus

Makes 4 servings
1 pound raw asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss trimmed asparagus spears with olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle the maple syrup over the asparagus and toss with your hands to make sure the spears are evenly coated.

Spread the asparagus out in an even layer on a sturdy baking sheet or a cast iron roasting pan.

Roast the asparagus for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn asparagus over. Roast for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Smoothies

Makes 3 servings
4 whole wheat graham crackers, crushed
1 banana
1/2 cup ice
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (unsweetened)
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Put all ingredients in a Vita Mix or regular blender in order listed and blend until smooth. Garnish with additional graham cracker crumbs if desired.

Recipes from Willie DePascale
Banded on 7/25/07, achieved 115+ lb. weight loss

New Options in Weight Loss Surgery

Even if you’ve attended a seminar in the past, you’re welcome to attend another. We’ve updated the format and added information about the gastric sleeve and other bariatric surgeries.

• January 7 ,  6 p.m.  
• January 21,  6 p.m.  
• February 4,  6 p.m.  
• More dates