Don’t be down on yourself! Millions of people eat loaded mashed potatoes without becoming obese. Hell, if we all stuck to just 4 tablespoons of “bad” food we would all be fine. There are many approaches to weight loss post wls. Some have a long list of nevers that cause anxiety and steal joy. I would never have done the surgery if I thought that I couldn’t have 3 tablespoons of our families traditional potato gratin ever again. In the past it would have piled high on my enormous plate and I would have eaten it over and over that way until it was all gone. Every Christmas I did this! There’s a big difference! I knew that I would fail if I went into this surgery thinking that I would never get to enjoy food again. I have this tool and education to keep me healthy. I can’t eat a ton even if I want to. That’s a win. I will only enjoy after protein goals are met. Won’t be much room for that indulgence but I will have it here and there. I will no longer stress eat boxes of little Debbie’s in my car, I will now enjoy every small 3 to 4 bites of my children’s birthday cakes on their special days. I was already enjoying the 1200 calorie diet I was on preop minus the hunger, as I focused 95 percent on healthy proteins, beautiful vegetables, gourmet cheeses and nuts in super small portions, the deliciousness of a tart apple., all of the right foods while spending maybe 5 percent having a bite of the cupcake my daughter baked, etc. I myself will have long lasting success focusing on good quality real food with the help of a restriction to remind me when I am overindulging in even the right foods with occasional treats of very small proportions. I wouldn’t have done this any other way.
