I want to eat everything!

[karinbuck 42]

I am really struggling right now. My surgery is march 20th. I start my liver shrinking diet on the tenth. Right now i should be making good food choices, and I'm doing that about 50% of the time. The other 50% I'm acting like I'm never gonna eat again so I am indulging in everything. For example soda, I gave it up about five years ago. My dietician tells me I can't have it after surgery and suddenly I'm drinking it every other day. Any advice? I really want to change these awful mental habits.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

want to change these awful mental habits.

karinbuck

unfortunately its normal for many (me ) to go on food funerals

eating a bunch of stuff that you love in large quantities

figuring you'll never be able to have some pizza for example

at some point - you will be able to eat those favorites again

but.............in very, very small limited portions

as far as you drinking soda now............

knock it off

most NUT's will say no to soda due to the carbonation

old habits do die hard

but you are aware you MUST stop eating too much of anything, and eating the wrong types of food

good for you on making 50% of your choices good

now i know you can master the rest of your eating too

just gotta work hard (easier said than done)

sorry, don't have any "tricks of the trade" to give you

try to work with the following important rules for the next week before surgery

stop drinking 15-30 minutes before you eat

never, ever drink with your meals

do not drink for 45-60 minutes after you eat

drink at least 64 oz. of water/liquids a day

chew your food thorougly to pieces

put your utensil down between bites for a couple of minutes

after surgery you will be on clear liquids/protein shakes (yeach )

then maybe a week later full liquids

then pureed'

then soft foods

then slowly achieving solid foods

your NUT (nutritionalist will give you more specific details)

i can see you are a smart cookie - and you will do well post op with your eating

you wisely gave it up 5 years ago - don't go backwards, please

you will be measuring your food post op

plan on keeping track of what you eat

many people use MFP (my fitness plan) on the computer

good luck with pre-op diet

hmmmm, re-reading my response - i see i said alot you didn't ask about

my mouth "runneth" over sometimes

March 20th is right around the corner

good luck with that

speedy recovery

kathy

Edited March 3, 2014 by proudgrammy

[karinbuck 42]

Thank you. Although my nutritionist advised me about not drinking while eating, I forgot about that. So I will get working on that pronto. And my fitness pal is an excellent idea. I've used it before and I'm sure it will be helpful to my nutritionist if I get into trouble later on down the road.

[jaxhdsn 11]

I have to say I'm having the same problem. My date is march 27. I don't know why I'm self sabotaging myself but then again if I didn't have that issue I wouldn't need surgery! Good luck to you!

[tiredmama 137]

I am struggling with this too- excited for surgery but finding myself wanting to indulge now. I meet with the NUT next week and I am hoping they can recommend a structure I can follow.

[karinbuck 42]

I know a lot of people who have had gastric surgeries and failed. I don't want to go through this and end up the same way. I really need to get these issues under control.

[Pkdvm 175]

I'm having a lot of the same issues. I was looking at the contents of my cart in the grocery store and thinking that it really told the tale- half low carb, high Protein stuff, shakes to try, fruits and veggies and the other half pure junk that was calling my name. I'm glad to hear that it's not just me struggling with this mindset, but I keep telling myself to use this preop time wisely to try and practice healthy new habits. One day at a time, I guess...

[vsg_joanna 67]

Oh god.. me too... I had Krispy Kreme this morning and now I feel like I'm going to vomit.... ... also the guilt is killing me.

My pre-op diet starts in two weeks and I already gave up coffee to get that over with. I am struggling soooo hard with little funeral parties for all my favorites. LOL I feel like a crazy person!!

I REALLY wanted to practice dealing with binge urges and head hunger, but it's actually harder than before I decided to get surgery! WTF!?

[KimDDavis 0]

I had a bunch of food funerals as well. I think it's normal.

[karinbuck 42]

I am definitely having a coffee funeral this weekend.

[JeanZ_RN 378]

food funerals and the "I REALLY wanted to practice ... but it's actually harder than before I decided to get surgery" sentiment are both very common among pre-op WLS patients. I went through the same thing. One difference, though, is that I had been reading on this board a lot by then, so I knew it was normal. Therefore I did not beat myself up about it.

I think the toughest time I've had was the period after surgery when I was on liquids. I was SO ready for solid foods again!

Many WLS patients on this board say their tastes changed after surgery, that they did not like the foods they had craved before. That did not happen to me, but post op I have found it much easier to make good choices. I think that's mostly due to the small amount I can eat at a time now, and knowing I have to get lots of Protein in if I'm going to stay healthy and lose weight. Once I've eaten my Protein I'm just not hungry any more. Sure, I do get tempted sometimes; but I'm motivated by how far I've come and my determination to get to my goal weight.

Here's something I read before surgery that has really stuck with me: After surgery the goal is to make wise food choices (type of food +amount +frequency of intake) 90% of the time.

You can do this! Best wishes.

[Seela 1,187]

I'm an all or nothing kind of girl and before pre op I kinda got pissed off and just went balls out and ate everything I could get my hands on. I drank as much diet Pepsi as I could until midnight before pre op. Then I quit everything cold turkey and haven't looked back. I was miserable but from what I read so was everyone else no matter how they did it. I don't recommend doing it my way but even with my screwed up brain I have been very successful. 68 lbs down in 4 1/2 months.

[Kelsmurf 4]

I am going through same thing, my surgery is scheduled for the 20th also. I start my pre OP diet on Sunday, and I have been having last meals all week (Chinese for lunch today). ,I try not to feel guilty, maybe wrong, but I too know that starting Sunday my life is going to change for the better! I have a plan, a goal and determination, but I also know it won't be easy. So I guess many go through what you/I are experiencing, and to see this helps me a ton!