Gastric bypass is a tool to aid the patient in learning to manage his or her body – the food we put into it and the physical demands we make of it – all oriented toward the goal of successfully managing our weight, and our health and happiness. I believe my success with weight loss and ongoing weight management is directly tied to the concept of learning to become the manager of myself – of putting my body in the exact positions it needs to gain the nutrition it demands to run my body and brain.
One resource that I have found very useful and would highly recommend is the study of tai chi. Often described as meditation in motion, tai chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that today is practiced as a non-competitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. Tai chi utilizes gentle, flowing movements performed in a slow, focused way, accompanied by deep breathing. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. 1
Tai chi is low impact and puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, making it generally safe for all ages and fitness levels. It is an ideal form of exercise for those of us who haven’t ever exercised or who, because of their weight and physical condition, cannot now take part in other forms of exercise.
In addition to the physical benefits derived from the movement of Tai Chi, I have found that the discipline of learning to put my body into exact and specific positions of Tai Chi has provided me with a skill set that I easily translate to managing my diet and nutritional needs.
I think the lesson is this: When you learn to master one aspect of yourself, such as placing yourself in Tai Chi positions, you learn a lot about managing other aspects of your life as well – all to your greater good.