Food Funeral Before WLS? Changing Your Outlook On Food!
March 23, 2018There are so many things to say about having a food funeral before WLS. I hope with this article, we can move away from that term and ideology, and look at food differently.
A Food Funeral is a Negative Outlook
The term “food funeral” puts a negative outlook on the future you have with your weight loss surgery tool. Bariatric surgery is an amazing life changing opportunity, and your outlook and attitude make a huge difference in how successful it can be. Looking at something as a “food funeral” and trying to overindulge yourself with guilty pleasures because you feel like you will never be able to have it again will have multiple consequences.
- It does not prepare you for the pre-op diet.
- It will make you sick and regret it the following day.
- It puts a negative outlook on your future with your new tool.
- It is the start of a chain of negative reactions that become detrimental to your long-term success.
So, let’s talk about the first point, the pre-op diet is there for a reason. Some people are on it longer than others, but that usually depends on your BMI, and previous health history or family history. The pre-op diet is for your benefit, first to shrink your liver and second to help you prepare for your weight loss journey. It is the first step towards success with your new tool, so it should be taken seriously.
Most people that have a “food funeral” are sick the following day or few days because they overindulge in food that is not very healthy and it makes them sick. Next, then it creates a chain reaction of emotions, guilt, regret, panic that this surgery is the right decision, and you start to get in your head, while you recover. It can derail you from a smooth transition to the pre-op diet, which in itself has a list of consequences.
It's About Moderation
We have all heard the saying “It is all in your head” and to an extent it is. We need to get it out of our head that after the surgery we have to completely say goodbye to something forever, that just is not the case. It is all about moderation.
Too many times people have worried about this and let it fester paranoia and become a roadblock in the decision to move forward with the surgery, and it does not have to be that way.
There should be no worry about future social interactions, things can be like the used to be, just smaller sizes, smaller amounts, instead of chugging something you sip it slowly. And often people worry about what to say to friends as not everyone is comfortable sharing that they had surgery, and that is okay, there is nothing to be ashamed about, if you want to say you are trying a new diet, that is perfectly fine, never feel ashamed about taking your life back, fighting obesity, and being able to enjoy things again, it is brave and courageous.
If you and your friends like to go out to eat occasionally and order appetizers, entrées, maybe drinks, just remember moderation. Have 1 mozzarella stick instead of 4 or 5, or skip them and have buffalo wings have 1 and some of the celery which is a much better option. Order off the kid’s menu or share with a friend. If you want to have a Cosmo with the girls, have one but make sure it is 30 minutes after you finish eating and sip it slowly over the evening.
The thought that we will never be able to have something again puts us in a panic and it makes it harder to follow anything. If we keep telling ourselves we CAN’T have it, we start obsessing and that becomes all we think about and clouds our judgment. We need to start thinking that we CAN but in moderation.
Keeping a Positive Outlook
It is important to have a positive outlook on your journey with your tool. A positive outlook on food and your relationship with it. A positive outlook on your willpower. A positive outlook on your success. Keep this mindset and you will reap the rewards. It all starts with your pre-op and getting yourself ready.
Food journal your pre-operatively
It may not be exciting, but it starts getting you used to it. Document your water, everything. Most smartphones have applications that track everything for you and they can even scan the barcodes on items to look up all the nutritional information. It also helps to make goals. Once a week review your journals and see if you’ve met those goals.
Food is your fuel
Food is what keeps us going. The quality of the food you eat has an effect on how your body operates. Good healthy food is premium fuel for your body. You will feel great and your body will operate efficiently. Unhealthy foods will cause you to feel sluggish. You will move slower and it can have negative effects on your health, it will be noticeable.
Moderation
Every now and then it’s okay to have a guilty pleasure, but don’t overindulge, don’t overdo it and don’t make it a habit. After you get used to your new outlook on food your cravings will change. What you once craved and thought was a guilty pleasure may no longer be. You may have craved a greasy burger but in time you may crave things like quinoa and chia. These provide more energy and have a positive result instead of settling for a sluggish couch-lock that drains your energy.
Having a Successful Journey
The journey you are about to take will change how you see food and how you use food. Your palate changes, your body changes, so many things change. It’s one of the most fascinating and rewarding journeys you will go on. Don’t eat to reward yourself. Don’t eat to escape. Don’t eat to hide. Instead, fuel your body with healthy choices. Eat to live.
As you progress through your pre-op diet you will start to understand your relationship with food and notice the changes. It will become more apparent after your surgery. As you finish each step of the post-op diet you will learn something. Pay attention to how your body reacts and how your body processes food. What foods give you energy and what takes it away. Just like a machine, your body needs quality fuel to keep everything running well. If you use low-quality fuel, your machine will run poorly. Your body deserves better, and you deserve better.
Your successful journey begins with that healthy first step. Not a funeral. It’s important to make it count.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Zach Johnston is the General Manager of A Lighter Me Mexico Weight Loss Surgery. He became General Manager in 2014. He has been involved in the Medical Tourism industry for over 12 years working alongside Sandy Johnston. During that time he has developed a complete understanding of Medical Tourism in Mexico and strives to provide the best experience possible for those traveling to Mexico for surgery.Read more articles by Zach! |
