Watching others eat. Revulsion.

[Emilie.Lancaster 189]

I'm 10 days post op, i went to the christmas Breakfast this morning. Watching people eat giant plates of food was interesting. I know that I will never be able to do that again, nor want to, but I was repulsed by the gluttony of it. Very repulsed. Weirdly repulsed.

I am not sure why I feel this. Anyone have à clue or a similar experience?

[HopeandAgony 566]

I am in that boat. I feel so judgemental. I don't mean to, and I hate thinking it, but I am constantly watching others eat. There is so much time at the table now. I eat slower, and much less of course. I am not sitting down starving and shoveling it in, but others are. And I was one of them. Very recently. I am only a month out and I am always amazed when I see how fast others eat and realize I use to be one of the first people done and on my way to seconds. Very eye opening.

Edited December 17, 2015 by HopeandAgony

[MzB 297]

If your are still close to your surgery date, I think the repulsion response is probably pretty typical. Your body is still adjusting to the new smaller stomach and your hormones are adjusting too. I remember that sensation of watching others load a plate and thinking "wow! how on earth?". But then I recall that when I had the same response when I had the flu or a cold, the thought of eating anything major was sort of sickening. this thought reminded me that we just did major surgery and our body is healing. Our bodies natural signals to our brain will be "don't you dare feed me!" This can translate to how we view all food, even that which is consumed by others. I liked @@HopeandAgony 's response as well. When watching others it is good to remember that this was us only a short time ago.

Something I noticed about myself was that I was a little too self-righteous about my ability to turn down food those first few months. Something I had always struggled to do now became soooo easy. "No, I am fine and don't want a cookie", "Thank you, but I am going to pass on the chips", "No alcohol for me, thanks anyway...." Mentally, I was saying to myself. "You go girl, you are rocking this!" Just be aware that the further out you get the more that turning food offers down and sitting there while everyone has cake and ice cream gets much harder. I have to remind myself that they don't mean to sabotage me, they are just being nice. Such a different perspective now. I think it was at about 4 months head hunger really kicked in for me. Thankfully I had read things on these forums that helped me be somewhat prepared, but my self-righteous attitude went out the door and now I find that I have to work at setting myself up for the tough moments when someone offers me something. I also learned not to beat myself up too badly when I give in and say yes. I just remind myself to be careful or only take a small portion. But that is my journey, each person can be different.

[PayItForward 207]

I had the same problem. I wasn't judging the people. It just physically made me feel sick to see that much food on a plate. I'm about 10 weeks post-op and it only bothers me a little bit now.

[tmcx28 297]

I've had the same feelings, but it wasn't because of how much food others were eating it was simply seeing the food itself. My stomach is pretty sensitive and even the sight of food is pretty off putting right now! I've been eating the same things every day.

[LetItGo 73]

I work in a hospital and I eat in the doctor's lounge daily. Early in the week we had a baked potato bar. I took 1/2 of a potato and added a little butter and sour cream and some sprinkle cheese. I ate 4 bites and was full. I looked over at another table and one of the physicians had a GIANT potato stuffed with butter, sour cream, cheese BBQ and chili. It must have weighed 5 pounds and was easily 4 cups of food. I was just astonished. And sad at the same time...because that is exactly the way I would have eaten it. I was so unhealthy 5 weeks ago! Definite reality check...thank you Lord for my sleeve!!!

[jhclikesshopping@gmail.com 285]

I remember my first visit to a restaurant. I had the same recollection in the same overwhelming feeling of judging to everyone around me. It actually has gotten so much better lately. I think the hormones make us extra sensitive to everything and because we can't eat we miss it. It will go away and you don't notice it as much later.

Another piece of advice. When I went out my overwhelming feelings made me very sad. And my poor husband sat there and i did not tell him. Make sure your support system know. This way you can talk it out and let your feelings out rather than hold the man and get extra sad or emotional.

[agreen67 47]

Count me in too. I was at a diner with my husband last week for brunch and we got eggs & toast. The ladies at the table next to us got burgers, Reuben sandwiches and fries. But, yes, I was disgusted by watching them shovel all that food in their mouths and came to realization that I looked like that too at one time. And I also caught myself staring a few times at the huge plates of fries and remembering that at one time I could demolish all that food. Now I can barely get two eggs down and a couple bites of toast.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

What it really is ... is that these types and amounts of food years ago became the "normal" way of eating in the good ole U.S. of A.

It's truly appalling.

It ain't how people in other countries eat -- either at home or in restaurants.

Ugh.

[Lexigurl82 160]

nope, doesn't bother me because before my sleeve, I could eat just as much as anyone else, possibly more...I didn't know how to show restraint, which is why I decided to have weight loss surgery...previously I didn't consider myself a glutton...I just thought that I enjoyed food...but as I continued in my weight loss journey, I realized that the amount I ate was out of pure greed and gluttony...I am 2 weeks out and I am so thankful for my sleeve. I feel blessed to have another chance to get my mind and body back in good shape.