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[Rainae 22]

Hi guys, I am new and excited to join a forum that has an android app I started my journey with the decision for surgery in January 2013. I have taken my time to get here. My surgeon required 3 months of not smoking prior to a consultation visit, but allowed me to get started on the rest of the insurance requirements. It has been a battle. My original weight starting out was 309, between quitting smoking and the "funeral" of foods, I gained 11 pounds. I will start my pre-surgery diet on 10/8/13. I had a list of foods I had to have prior to this diet, and have had tummy issues, and been unable to eat them. I like many others am scared for surgery. My fears are more along the lines of, what if I fail this too, rather than what if I die, or what if I hate my new body even more than the current one. I have a few supportive people in my life and others who have no clue. I am kinda too open for my own good, and have told everyone and their brother. Having been an open book forever, I am used to good and bad comments, so I brush off the ones that are negative. My two favorite are.....gonna take the easy way out huh? and Why don't you just follow the post surgical diet now, instead of having surgery?

[Justinh125 472]

If this helps, when people ask me that silly "why don't you just follow the post-surgical diet now" question, I tell them I couldn't, which is the truth. To be fair, I could, at times, restrict my eating and get lots of exercise and all the other things our doctors want us to do. And in the short term, those things would help me slim down a bit. Diet and exercise do in fact work, no doubt about it.

But what always happened for me, is that I would be extremely hungry the whole time I was on a program like that. I would think about food all the time. I would dream about eating at a buffet. So for me, that situation was not realistic as a long-term solution. I can't imagine living the rest of my life feeling like I am deprived of food. This surgery has helped me resolve that problem. If someone doesn't like it, too bad. I can finally enjoy food like normal people and not have to feel hungry all the time.

[Rainae 22]

Yes, that is what I say. I can't follow a diet of only 2-4 oz at a time because my stomach is not only 2-4 oz big.....duh! I really am just ok with some people not getting it. I am worried about support after surgery. If I am miserable and whiny, I don't want to get the.....well you wanted this line. But, if that happens, I will deal with it then. Glad to have a place to share success and frustration

[Justinh125 472]

I imagine some people won't get it. They won't understand why you did what you did. Many of my friends don't understand it at all.

But they DO understand that I'm smaller than I've been in years, and they like that.

To be completely honest, if I over-do it and get sick after lunch, I just secretly sneak off and get sick and come back because I don't want to deal with the crap I'd get from my co-workers.

[jbrown 5]

To Rainae and Justin, keep the faith. To Rainae, I think everyone has these feelings, I also had a bunch of naysayers but I keep going. I am so happy now, able to move, function and, most of all, LIVE. I was told by someone close to me the old adage, "to thine own self be true" and don't worry what others say. Works for me!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

My two favorite are.....gonna take the easy way out huh? and Why don't you just follow the post surgical diet now, instead of having surgery?

Going to take the easy way out eh.....Man people are so ignorant of what it takes to do this.....It is a life long commitment and not for the faint of heart...You like most of us worry that it will be another failed diet.....You have good support and a good attitude about comments...

Learning to deal with the issues that brought you here are in your head and that part has to change as your body changes....Life long commitment is not the easy way out for sure.....

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!!!!!!!!!