Newbie needing positive vibes

[Jojo1501 0]

Hi from the uk

Ive had weight issues for my entire adult life (im 34) and am addicted to food. Ive finally decided to stop letting food control me and so here i am three days post op and im struggling to say the least. Not with the food side of the band but with my state of mind. I feel really down and keep thinking about the fact ill never be able to eat normally again, (i didnt feel like this before the op i was super positive and fully researched). I'm starting to wonder if ive done the right thing i know its too late now but is it normal to feel like this? Did anyone here go through the same? Any positive experiences/words/vibes very much welcome:) x

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Good for you for coming on this forum and asking for help !! I didn't have any if the "I'll never be able to eat normally again !" because I knew from talking to others and my research that I WOULD be able to eat normally, but it would be a "-new" type of normal and one I could easily accept. To put it in perspective, think if you were making vegetable Soup and it called for veggies like big carrots, 1 cup of celery, and 2 cups

onions etc. You have baby carrots, 3/4 cup celery, and 1 and 3/4 cups onions. Would you give up on the whole recipe ? Or would you just adjust a bit and substitute a little ? Thats what WLS is for me personally. I did give up most fast food and junk food (slowly), but learned to adjust my meals in a healthier way that I was still satisfied. Almost 4 yrs later, im still VERY happy that I got banded. Healthy, happy and love how I look and feel !!

[Sharpie 3,306]

honey everyone has that feeling of "what did I do" after surgery. I spent about 2 weeks feeling like I had made a huge mistake. After that I realized it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. initially your eating while healing is definitely different from your normal. The new normal starts to give you more choices and you will start seeing the results of your better choices which will give you a good mental attitude and motivation. I was 66 years old when I made the leap to surgery, I was banded in January 2013. When I had my surgery I had diabetes, which was getting increasingly worse with my weight gain and lack of mobility, I was on the verge of starting insulin and my cholesterol and blood pressure were getting higher. Since surgery I am normal and do not take any medications . You will be able to eat normally, but it will be a new normal, you can eat real food and enjoy eating out but your outlook will change. Hang in there and remember to focus on why you had your surgery. We are all here and there are so many here who have had all of the same feelings as you just ask questions and make sure you listen to your body and ask your Dr. for anything medical.

[Sharpie 3,306]

let me add something to this post.. one of the things that helped me to stay motivated was to look in the gallery at before and after photo's.. it's inspiring to see how far some of our fellow weight loss friends have come. also take a picture of yourself for a before and then after a few months take another .. You will see the results of your choices soon.

[bel1995 13]

thanks for sharing. am being banded in under 4 weeks xxx

[amy1986 0]

I went through this exact thing! I got banded 15th December 2015 the second week after my sugery after the weightloss slowed down and everyone was tucking into their Christmas food I obsessed over it, what have I done, this won't work, what a waste of money. Three weeks post op and happy to say I'm over all of that, on almost normal food, eating 1/4 if that of what I used to eat feeling so good ! This forum helped me so much hang in there it gets better and if you are having a bad day, come on here!!

[LATINGODDESS 31]

Jojo would you really want to eat "normal" again? Because our "normal" is what got us all here in the first place. I haven't had my surgery yet, i still have two more nutritionist appointments to go. But I wouldn't want to eat the regular food I've been eating. We need to look at this as a new beginning. Best of luck to you all.

[lisacaron 5,075]

Ah my friend...eating "normally" again is something that will return to you. It will become your new normal. After a while you won't even think of your band much more than you think about breathing. You will eat your meals, and eat your Snacks and enjoy them as you have never before.

You may hear people say that surgery is the easy way out, when the truth is that is so NOT the case. The only thing surgery is going to help you do is keep the weight off once and for all. (do I hear a Woot Woot!!!) The eating habits you have had over the years, those things you are going to have to overcome on your own, and I will tell you that there are days when I wish the band could go around my head and stop those annoying habits but it just doesn't work that way.

Being banded has helped me to lose nearly 80 pounds, and keep it off through all the turmoil I have gone through in last couple of years. Having a band has also helped me by being flexible so that I could open it to heal when I was sick and/or after other necessary surgeries and get right back on track.

All the food funerals we hold, and trust me my hubby and I held them!! Right before surgery we ballooned up to the highest weight we had ever been in our lives!!!

I wish I had someone to tell me that it was OK and I didn't need to do that, that I would eat those favorite foods again and this time enjoy them as the "treats" they were intended to be.

You too will get there, and the foods you love you will enjoy again just from a different perspective.

[bel1995 13]

Thanks for such good insight

[Kev UK 4]

My first post.

Bel1995 I too am from uk and being banded in March. I've spent an hour tonight reading the success stories on these forums and it's pretty inspiring.

I've been a huge yoyo dieter over the years but I'm convinced this offers better stability (and support) which is what has let me down over the years.

I am 231lb and 5 ft 11''. I wish I could be doing this tomorrow, I can't wait to get back into the clothes I used to wear, play with the kids, not hear my knees crack going up stairs, move without feeling my gut. It HAS to be worth it.

Roll on 180lb!

[bel1995 13]

I hear you loud and clear kev thats exactly how i feel too.

You are so right alot of inspiring stories!