Fat Free Mind

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July! I sure did. I spent my holiday weekend relaxing and recuperating from two weeks of travel.
I had the great fortune, a few weeks ago, to speak at the national conference for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery on one of my favorite topics, The [...]

I have been practicing being kind to myself recently, because I often put others first in my life — to excess. So, one evening I was feeling down and blah, and felt guilty because I didn’t want to make dinner or help my son with homework.
My husband works hard and commutes a shockingly long distance [...]

“It’s a chocolate martini!” the woman slurred at me with a friendly grin on her face.
She was holding out a chilled martini glass containing a dark brown liquid. I was surprised by the interesting combination — and a little curious.
“She doesn’t drink,” my sister swooped in and took the glass. “I’m sorry, Katie,” she looked [...]

Having attended a number of NAWLS Renewal Retreats, I can honestly say I have learned way more than I thought I would. And, I am only an outsider looking in. I haven’t had weight loss surgery. I work with Katie Jay (in sort of a trained monkey/sidekick capacity;) ), and have nevertheless been charged (I [...]

By Kathy Stream
As a freelance writer for NAWLS, I find myself thrust into the WLS community.
I dove in nearly two years ago, hoping to absorb and learn and grow through osmosis or photosynthesis or something. For me, someone who has not had bariatric surgery, I was (and still am) eager to learn all I can [...]

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Luke Skywalker looked into Darth Vader’s eyes and found the good in his father.Luke said, “The Emperor hasn’t driven the good from you completely.”
Vader denied him, insisting, “You don’t know the power of the dark side.”
This scene reminds me of the many times in my life I [...]

I recently attended my second Renewal Retreat by the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery (NAWLS). I wasn’t a participant per se. Actually, I am a freelance writer/editor who Director Katie Jay sometimes hires for assorted projects. Over the years, our friendship has blossomed, and I guess you could say that if Katie were Oprah, [...]

My family watched the movie Rudy a few weeks ago. In it, a young man who had learning challenges, and an unsupportive family, had a strong desire to play football for Notre Dame.
The things he went through to make that dream a reality are truly amazing. He never gave up. He worked hard, took plenty [...]

My imperfect desktop (and my helpful cat, Lucy).

We can probably all relate to the joy we feel when we clean out our closet. As we begin sorting through the piles of dirty and unfamiliar clothing, we tell ourselves that we will never again let the closet get in such disarray.
 
Maybe you are super organized and [...]

Have you tried the Seafood Diet? Actually, it’s spelled “See-Food.” So many of us have tried it. You know the one. You “see food,” and you eat it.
One of my coaching clients, JoAnn, went on that diet last weekend. She ate anything she saw that looked good to her — at home (white toast with [...]