Need some experienced weight losers

[Flaxseed 15]

I am new to this great site that I recently found and I am in need of some guidance. I am in Canada and the process takes approx. 1 1/2 -2 years from the time you enter into the bariatric program until you have surgery. You have to go to your nurse, dietician, psychologist, bariatric program Doctor etc. many many times before you are even sent to see a surgeon. Once you get referred to the surgeon you are looking at another 9-12 months before surgery. Here is my issue...... I want this surgery so bad but my obvious gross eating habits are going to get in the way of continuing in the program. I have to lose weight each time I see someone in the clinic (or at least maintain) and I feel like I am self sabatoging the process. I can't stop this binge eating and yet on the other hand I know I HAVE to or I will NEVER get the surgery. I have spoke to the Psychologist and she tells me that I just have to think before I eat but as we know it is not just that easy. Please Please Please reply to me and tell me how you succeeded in getting your eating under control before your surgery?

[swimbikerun 1,045]

Can you find another psychologist? They are not helpful.

Second, what about substitutes? Water or 0 calorie items or veggies. Walking?

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I don't know if the psychiatrists use the DSM V Manual. In the most recent one, there is a diagnostic category for binge eating. There is a medicine that helps with that.

I kept myself in check by remembering what it was I was striving for.. "keep your eye on the prize." I didn't want a weight gain to mess this up. For a snack, I ate a small bag of puffed rice cakes. Pre-op, I found that the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein shakes really helped. They were good tasting, and the flavor could be changed with sugar free syrups (Torani or DaVinci). The flavorings can also be used in sugar free puddings.

I suggest you operate from a position of being satisfied with healthy food. Have a Protein shake 20 minutes before eating a meal. Then eat normally, stopping when you feel somewhat satisfied, rather than full. In between meals, you might use recipes from the blog, The World According to Eggface.

Best wishes! Be successful!!!

[AvaFern 3,516]

Have you considered surgery in Mexico? The cost is very reasonable and you don't have to jump through any hoops. I paid for my surgery out of pocket and went to a doctor in the city where I live because I didn't want to have to wait for my insurance to possibly deny me. If you only have to lose a pound at each weigh in, maybe read some of the forums on weight cutting. If you aren't gaining weight and you're mostly maintaining, you can easily drop a few pounds the day before a doctor's visit to meet the requirements of losing weight by using some of the techniques that wrestlers use. It isn't pleasant, but if it gets you what you want, it's worth it.

Good luck!

[Flaxseed 15]

I am afraid that if I do not jump these hoops in Canada that I will fail if I go to Mexico and pay for it. It seems I am not ready to give up the food addiction. I am at the age where I do it now or never and I feel in my heart this is something I want so bad but my brain will not give up the "bad food binges"!!

[James Marusek 5,244]

Drink one or more Protein shakes each day. These must be low in sugar content. Walk each day about 20-30 minutes. If you haven't cut out caffeine and carbonated beverages from you diet, do it now. I was on a 6 diet coke a day habit. I went cold turkey and lost 20 pounds pre-surgery, just based on that change alone.

Before surgery, I paid more attention to the calorie content at restaurants. I changed my eating habits as a result. I found chili at Wendy's worked well and crunchy taco at Taco Bell were good tasting yet low in calories.

[finediva 979]

Well do you think you might still binge eat after the surgery. The surgery won't prevent you from doing that. Something to think about. I wish you success on your journey.

[finediva 979]

I am afraid that if I do not jump these hoops in Canada that I will fail if I go to Mexico and pay for it. It seems I am not ready to give up the food addiction. I am at the age where I do it now or never and I feel in my heart this is something I want so bad but my brain will not give up the "bad food binges"!!

Again, how will jumping through the hoops aid in you giving up your food addiction? This issue has to be dealt with or you wil find a way to eat around your sleeve.

[*Lexie* 1,486]

I think you could be being too hard on yourself. I had to lose weight pre-op but like 2 months. If I had been faced with a year or two of this, I don't know if i would have succeeded either. I mean, the whole reason anyone gets weight loss surgery is that they have been unsuccessful with traditional dieting. Expecting someone to lose and maintain for that long of period of time seems unrealistic.

And we all have our food demons that we have to deal with. I took a pre-op class but that doesn't mean I'm cured. I'm a work in progress and am still going to meetings/support groups. If I waited until I had myself all figured out, surgery many have never happened.

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I am afraid that if I do not jump these hoops in Canada that I will fail if I go to Mexico and pay for it. It seems I am not ready to give up the food addiction. I am at the age where I do it now or never and I feel in my heart this is something I want so bad but my brain will not give up the "bad food binges"!!

Forgot to mention, one particular book helped me, The Emotional First + Aid Kit. It made me more aware of how I was setting up my environment for failure. I got to a point in my 6 months before surgery in which I was steadily losing a little weight without trying (a first for me!).

http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical/dp/0976852659/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412901760&sr=1-1&keywords=cynthia+alexander

If a nearby hospital has regular support groups, you may go there to help yourself stay on the program.

Edited October 10, 2014 by BeagleLover

[JamieLogical 8,708]

I am afraid that if I do not jump these hoops in Canada that I will fail if I go to Mexico and pay for it. It seems I am not ready to give up the food addiction. I am at the age where I do it now or never and I feel in my heart this is something I want so bad but my brain will not give up the "bad food binges"!!

I was a total emotional eater/binge eater too. Any time I felt like I HAD to loose weight, it seemed like I just ate more out of resentment. I went to Mexico for surgery and here's the thing. Once you have the surgery, you really have no choice but to change your relationship with food. Can you still fail? Probably.But, the restriction and recovery in the beginning make eating too much food or the wrong food physically impossible. So far I haven't even been tempted to try to eat things I shouldn't eat yet. Even when I take one extra bite of the foods I'm allowed to be eating, I end up immediately regretting it. I am hopeful that by the time I am recovered enough to be able to handle eating more than I should or eating the wrong types of foods, this time without binging and indulging will have broken me of the habit. They say it only takes 21 days to break a habit or for new ones and I am now almost 6 wees post-op.

Will I face demons down the road? Probably. But I know I will never ever again be able to eat an entire large pizza in one sitting, so that's already a huge improvement over my old behavior.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

I am new to this great site that I recently found and I am in need of some guidance. I am in Canada and the process takes approx. 1 1/2 -2 years from the time you enter into the bariatric program until you have surgery. You have to go to your nurse, dietician, psychologist, bariatric program Doctor etc. many many times before you are even sent to see a surgeon. Once you get referred to the surgeon you are looking at another 9-12 months before surgery. Here is my issue...... I want this surgery so bad but my obvious gross eating habits are going to get in the way of continuing in the program. I have to lose weight each time I see someone in the clinic (or at least maintain) and I feel like I am self sabatoging the process. I can't stop this binge eating and yet on the other hand I know I HAVE to or I will NEVER get the surgery. I have spoke to the Psychologist and she tells me that I just have to think before I eat but as we know it is not just that easy. Please Please Please reply to me and tell me how you succeeded in getting your eating under control before your surgery?

my WLS of choice helps me feel eat less

my mind thinks i can eat 2 pizza's but i cannot

surgery will only help one eat (less)..it is up to the person

to make better food choices (and you will) and to exercise

i started out at a BMI of 62...super morbid obese.all 5'1 of me...

i did not get that way by eating only lettuce. i ate a LOT..

i was a volume eater as well as a binger (like you).

..before my surgery, i continued to eat the way i always did..

A LOT..it wasnt until my 2 1/2 all liquid diet before surgery did i realize

some things

i would NOT die by not eating

i learned the difference between being really hungry and head hunger (vile thing that is)

i learned i am stronger mentally than i ever gave myself credit for

and the best part that YES i could do this if i wanted too

you can make yourself well/healthy if you want..

i say find a support group if you can, find some friends who will

suppport you, read up on WLS and dig deep inside and look

at the person in the mirror...that person staring back at you

is the ONLY one who can make you well....the WLS will help.

you can do it..

[swimbikerun 1,045]

Woot woot Carolina girl!

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

@@Flaxseed It's different after surgery for a lot of people, me included. I don't have any feelings of bingeing like I did before. I don't have the same cravings (or any really). I couldn't give up a lot of the bad stuff pre-surgery and now I find I'm not even interested in it (except for those garlic knots they put on the table at the restaurant the other night).

That's why people are successful after the surgery -- this tool changes things. So don't beat yourself up or think that you won't be successful after surgery just because you can't successfully lose weight now. That's pretty much the situation for all of us!

[swimbikerun 1,045]

Yes and no, they do have somewhat of a point, as there is a fair amount of those who gain the weight back. I believe the range is 20%. She does have a right to be concerned.

I think the issue for me is more that we have someone who is asking for help which is the biggest step. She's looking for answers. I want to see she gets support in finding those but the way she is describing it is I think past us and maybe on to other help.

First of all getting kudos for being concerned, asking for help, says a lot for someone. I'd rather see them do that now then just give up.