Food Funeral

[Leslie 14]

Ok, I know that I WILL eventually be able to eat semi-normally. That hasn't stopped my food funeral this week though. I start the pre-op diet on Monday and I have been going kinda nuts this week. I am totally ashamed of myself. I have eaten a whole jar of Nutella since Sunday and my friends are taking my out to The Melting Pot for a "last meal" tomorrow. Is this normal?? Ugh......

[Jax 2]

I think its more normal than not but still not good. I am having my surgery on Friday and have refused to go down that path. I did it a year ago before I was banded and it wasn't worth it. I gained a few lbs that I than had to lose.

Good luck with your surgery and I'll let you know how it goes with mine!

Ok, I know that I WILL eventually be able to eat semi-normally. That hasn't stopped my food funeral this week though. I start the pre-op diet on Monday and I have been going kinda nuts this week. I am totally ashamed of myself. I have eaten a whole jar of Nutella since Sunday and my friends are taking my out to The Melting Pot for a "last meal" tomorrow. Is this normal?? Ugh......

[Justalfe 0]

your only making this harder on ur self, whats the point of stuffing ur face, To get bigger? lol but tell me why i did the same thing before my surgery =)

[MissBliss 29]

I am pre op also and was thinking about this same subject....I was thinking about making an entire Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. And going to Olive Garden for one more round of breadsticks, and then to Cold Stone for my "gotta have it" size of chocolate ice cream with almonds and white chocolate chips and then.....and then I stopped. I took a deep breath and realized that the reason I want a food funeral , or in my case a raucous wake, was because of all the feelings I was going to grapple with when I was sleeved. Food is food, it is not a celebration, or a friend or a companion. It is just food. I have a lot of emotional things to work through after I am sleeved and I don't need a food funeral to make me feel more out of control. My mantra during this journey will be..."it's just food, it has no power!"

[medmgr 4]

Leslie,

I would think that is pretty normal. The scary part for me is not just the relationship we have with food but with other people & food (your friends taking you out for a "last meal"). My wife asked me the other day what meals and foods I wanted since she thought I would never be able to have them again and she seemed quite disappointed that I really did not want anything in particular. Food for her is comfort and love - she shows love by cooking and preparing food for others - and in a way, my getting sleeved will be harder on her than me (and I am a little scared about that - but more scared not to lose the weight).

I have read quite a few of the success stories here, and I can tell you - those are the things I am concentrating on to get me thru my surgery at the end of this month and all diet stages after...

So enjoy your time with your friends at the melting pot. Sample the food you want - eat slow, matter of fact - get a small plate and steal a little of everyone elses meal and be there with your friends because it really is not a funeral dinner - it is a celebration that your are taking a step on journey to a new you.

Good Luck - and see you on the other side of surgery.

[Leslie 14]

Yikes! I guess my will power is not quite as good as the rest of you!

Thankfully dinner tomorrow will be light. I am CHOOSING to do an extra two weeks of the pre-op diet cause my doc only requires 1 week.I wanted extra time to change my lifestyle beforehand. I think teh reality is hitting me and it's scary to confront my issues with food. My husband and friends are super supportive so I am lucky that way

[NJMOMof2 17]

That is the exact kind of thinking that put all of us into the place to needing surgery. My opinion is that a food funeral is self-destructive behavior. You are haivng this surgery to show love for yourself and your health. Skip the food funeral and do something positive, like write in a journal or join a gym. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

[Becca 108]

I went crazy before my surgery because I thought I wouldn't be able to eat my favorite foods again. I was wrong! You can eat things you love after surgery, just in small amounts. Most of the "bad" foods I used to love though don't taste good anymore. You will be amazed at how your relationship with food changes after VSG. I would enjoy your "last" meal with your friends. Your new life will start soon enough!

[becca2297 0]

I had many funerals....olive garden, texas roadhouse, and then the night before my liquid diet I went to Babes ( best chicken fried steak anywhere). I chose to go places that I would not be able to eat for a long, long time or ever....like Pasta and fried food. So, to answer your question, I think its normal. This is a lifestyle that we have grown VERY accustomed to and your about to leave that behind. I feel like I will miss food right now, but I know that when the weight starts coming off, I wont miss it that much. I would much rather feel thin and be healthy than to eat chicken fried steak I started my liquid diet yesterday. So far, so good. I am hungry though, but I will make it.

Keep us informed....

Good luck!!!

[Penpen 28]

I think this behavior is pretty normal. I did the same thing. And felt sad that I didn't get more in before pre-op started. I had already read a lot here on this forum and realized that one day I would get to enjoy food again just in much smaller amounts and with a mindset of eating way more healthy foods and very little not so healthy foods. So, my mourning was not about never getting to enjoy food again but it was more about the fact that I was about to go through 3-4 weeks of torture with this very restrictive and not so pleasureable diet. I've got one week left of preop and have continued to long for food but not even for gorging or for junk food but just to feel satisfied and full. It's been really hard but from what I understand, after surgery, my appetite, my tastebuds, and etc. will change and food will not be a huge interest for a while. And when it becomes of interest again, my world will not revolve around food!

Don't feel bad just follow your preop to a "T" and don't give in to your emotions and cravings even if you start earlier than expected. Keep going! I also started a week and a half earlier than I was expected to because I wanted to lose as much as I could before surgery to hopefully have a safer and faster procedure. You'll be okay and we are here to cheer you on. Go enjoy your last few crazy meals and then get real serious when preop starts....don't cheat after that...at all! You will be much better off and you will feel so proud of yourself for notting giving in and not jeopardizing your health and safety during surgery. By the way, it's okay to have as many meltdowns , breakdowns , whatever it takes to get through your preop. Believe me, I've had my share many times already and I'm sure I haven't seen the last of them. I've even had to go take a nap or two just to get through until I could have my next Protein shake. You'll be okay!

[Texasmom65 23]

I think what your feeling is normal. I even told my husband last night the two places I wanted to eat before surgery.

I've been doing Weight Watchers since March, so there are many places I avoid, such as Italian and fried foods. So I want Italian and seafood. I've done very well controling my intake of food and being on WW has helped me to eat the right foods. It's ok to have that bread or Pasta, just not that often. So I think having it once in the past 3 months will be ok. Once that is done, I will have the 2 week preop diet and it starts when we are on vacation. But I'm ok with that. I'm going to be sitting ont he beach soaking up the sun and spending time with my family. I'm not gonna be there for the food.< /p>

Good luck with our outings. Just don't over do it if possible. But I think your smart doing the preop for 3 weeks to better prepare yourself.

[wendy1974 3]

Hey there! I'm starting my pre-op on Tuesday & my daughter's 9th birthday party is on Saturday... you bet your sweet soon-to-be sleeved butt that I'm going to enjoy the hell outta that birthday cake! I'm going to savor every bite of chocolate cake filled with bevarian cream & fresh strawberries w/ the best butter cream frosting you've ever tasted!!! Then Sunday we're celebrating Father's day at Outback steakhouse with my family (and also a pre-birthday celebration for me! since I'll still be on a mushy diet on 7/23). I think I just might indulge myself w/ Olive Garden on Monday, and then..... Tuesday I start my 3 Protein shakes a day.... I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm not ashamed of it... and I plan to give myself 110% after I get my sleeve...

Good Luck & don't let anyone make you feel bad. Whether it's a food funeral, or a food celebration, we all have to say goodbye to our 'old' way of life in our own way!

Wendy

[Leslie 14]

Thanks for the replies!