Hard time losing weight pre-op

[toasty 371]

Obviously, the whole reason I am having this surgery is because for decades I have been trying to lose weight on my own unsuccessfully. However, I am 3-months into my 6-month pre-op medical supervised weight-loss program, and I am losing basically nothing (about 5 lbs total).

The main problem I am having is my environment. My wife and 8-year-old daughter eat lots of things I shouldn't, such as chips, lots of bread, Bagels, Cookies, dried fruits, etc. They always want to eat out for hamburgers, mexican food, panda express, etc. I feel like such a loser because I have a hard time saying "no" to these things when they are all around me. And my wife and daughter don't really want to give up these things themselves.

That said, after surgery all of these things are going to be no-nos for me. How will I cope!?

On the positive side, I have completely stopped all carbonated beverages, but that seems to be the only thing I have accomplished. I am very nervous.

What I'd really like to do now is start going on a low-carb diet, which sounds like what I will be doing post-op.

Any suggestions?

[Djmohr 6,965]

Is your family supportive of your surgery? I know this is really hard but you can do it and will certainly have to to be successful.

My husband is very supportive and in the beginning would not eat around me at all. Now of course 7 months later he eats so much crap and then asks for me help to stop him. I then become the nag and that is not fair to me. Instead I simply say, you will stop when you have another episode that takes you to the ER. That usually gets him to quit.

I have had to learn how to say no for myself and insist we go somewhere to eat where I can eat as well. And have Protein Snacks in the house for me like cheese, jerkey, nuts and of course fruit. That means no fast food garbage. I know that it bothers him sometimes but he realizes it is the best thing for him too. If we end up at a fast food place, about the only thing I will touch is a salad with Protein on it.

Sorry but there is no magical solution, you have to help them understand this is about your life.

Just say no!

[BrittneyMarie 47]

I started out with similar issues. I had excellent success by eating smaller portions. I used a very small bowl that fit about a cup of food and ate that over 20mins. I told myself I could go back for seconds if I felt hungry. I was never starving after my small bowl and that was all I ate at that meal. Also, I took that bowl with me everywhere!

Hope this helps and good luck!

[toasty 371]

I sure wish my wife were more supportive. She is lukewarm about it, neither really supportive or obstructive. Same with my Mom. They both worry that I won't be able to eat "normally" after surgery, and that will affect their lives and that it will depress me.

I don't know what to say to them. Obviously it will change my life, and obviously I will be eating differently, and obviously it will be difficult for me at first. But everything I have read here and heard from other people is that it gets easier and that six months out I will be very happy about it.

Willpower has always been difficult for me. I have it for a short time, but I can't keep it up for long. That is the whole reason why previous weight loss mechanisms have not worked.

Anyway, I guess no more whining. I just have to deal with it.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I hear you. My metabolism was so messed up before surgery that losing weight was nearly impossible. Fortunately, I wasn't required to lose weight before surgery but I definitely didn't want to gain.

Pre-op I weaned myself off of caffeine and PPP, increased my Water intake, reduced carbs, practiced focusing on Protein, and started sampling Protein shakes.

Even if you are going out to eat with family you can work on choosing higher Protein, lower carb options and loading up on non-starchy vegetables.

In my experience (I was sleeved April 20), pre- and post-op conditions are so different you can't really compare them. Pre-op you are trying to fill up a large stomach that is begging to be filled while minimizing calories. Post-op you are trying to maximize nutrition in a stomach that is tiny. Willpower is useless in both cases.

[SusanDavenporr2015 20]

I live with my daughter who is the same way. I put my foot down and told her all meals are to be eaten at the table and no snacking in the living room. I enjoy eating out some but it's expensive. Try sitting your wife down and showing her just how much money is spent eating out. Then make an agreement to eat out once or twice a month as a treat. Also show her a list of foods that are not a good idea for you to eat. Explain that some of them can actually make you sick after the surgery. Try to find alternatives. In fact, this months newsletter for this sight has some grilling alternatives in it. You can google recipes for after WLS as well.

[sparksrn 65]

I'm having the opposite problem, my husband won't eat because I am on liquids only pre op. He is diabetic and really needs to be eating something!

[SusanDavenporr2015 20]

Sounds like you need to have a long talk with hubby too. Explain to him that his not eating worries you. When we worry. We often eat. When we eat. We feel guilty. When we feel guilty, we often eat, etc