Reality Check

I have been reading the posts lately about different foods some in our group have tried. I must admit I am disturbed by some. I am not pointing fingers or anything but felt it was time for us to have a reality check. Each person on here has a different program they are following. Some have little or no restriction. Some are able to eat just about anything and others can barely get a few spoonfuls down. Here are the facts! WE ARE FOOD ADDICTS! Eating high fat, high carb or calorie dense foods is what made us FAT in the first place. We got heavy enough that we began to have health problems and felt surgery was our only permanent solution. Why would you eat these foods again? Why chance it? Especially only a couple months out from surgery? Eating these foods can bring back the old addictions and while you might still continue to lose weight now, what is going to happen in the future? Our pouch is a tool. Even if you can get some of these foods to stay put it doesn't mean it's okay to eat them. I know many of these foods are triggers for me. What I am trying to do as I get further out from surgery is come up with healthy replacements. We are such a tight bunch that genuinely care about each other. I am only writing because I care about everyone and want them to be successful. I think the trend I see is that when some are wavering about whether or not to try something, they see a post about others that are already eating the food and then think it is okay. Without the peer acceptance, they might not have tried that food or at least not for a very long time. Please, I am asking everyone to stop and think about where we are in this journey. I know many times when I had reached this amount of weight loss I would start to "cheat" and that is when the weight would come back with some friends. This is a pattern many of us have had in the past. This is our chance to break these patterns. Please think long and hard about where you were 2 months ago bodywise, mindwise and healthwise. I hope you all take this message in the spirit in which I wrote it. I only want our success-lifetime long!

This was a good "kick in the pants" for me, although I had this discussion with myself on the way home from work tonight. I think for me because I dieted for 6 months trying to get my 10% off for kaiser and then having the surgery, plus some stress added in, when rushed today at lunch I made a poor choice, I guess I felt I hadn't had anything "bad" in soooo long that one time wouldn't kill me. Wrong thinking on my part, I realize this and tonight had about 2 oz of chicken and a protein shake for dinner. I am going to do my best to never fall into that "trap" again, this is not why I had surgery, so that I could eat poorly and get fat again. Stupid move on my part and I appreciate this post! Onward and upward everyone!

I know what you're saying - we've got to make sure we're continually focused on what we need to eat, rather than on what we CAN eat since surgery. By no means do I suggest eating pizza, chips, ice cream etc. on a daily basis after having gone through this potentially life threatening surgery. As recovering food addicts we need to make good choices, rather than just eating less of the same stuff that got us in this boat in the first place. While eating a piece of pizza now and then may not be a problem for some folks, for others it may be a trigger for other bad choices from the past. The key is to limit not only the portion size of what we're eating, but we also need to keep focused on "protein first" and keeping the fats and carbs in balance. Perhaps my previous post about was more about "hey I can eat pizza", and should've been about "what good is eating pizza". I will have to discuss this with the nutritionist when I see her next Wednesday.

Well said!!!! You said it much better then I could have. I'm glad that I had this surgery and I don't want to be able to eat the things that got me there in the first place. Let's keep all of the A-teamers united in this battle.

Great post, and one we should probably all read every once in awhile just to help us remember, and stay focused. lol jen

I totally agree - however - there is a reason we are all talking about fast food and eating out and thats because it is something we all have in common. It is something that we all know - a chicken taco is the same in chicago, and in california. I know my boyfriends lasagne is different from whatever you are eating so I would never post a question for you about it but if you go to Taco Bell then I KNOW we are getting the same thing. I STILL have no idea what 4oz looks like but I know what a chicken taco looks like. So I guess what I am trying to say is that we are sharing these experience about fast food, pizza etc. because its something that we all have in common thats all the same. I would HATE for someone to not post about something because they felt like they would be judged, regardless of your (collective) good intentions. Just my 2 cents. And one more thing - there seems to be an anti-fast food theme in this thread and while I agree that Fast Food isn't a great choice - it is something that we ALL have to deal with and making good choices about it is something that we are all going to have to do. I applaud the honesty on this board and wish everyone success, I just don't want a board of fakers who are scared to post about real things because that is what is 'expected'.

I have to thank you for your post. Sometimes we have to eat out, we are human, and yes, fast food is bad, but when it's all you can do, it's all you can do! Thank you!

Very good post Sharra I was reading some posts on the main board and was kinda shocked at what people were eating, because a lot of the stuff people are eating is what made me fat in the first place and is why I needed the surgery. This is just My Opinion. Something to think about I guess. Thanks for the post. Good luck to all G-d Bless Sherri

I really needed this. I had a bad weekend with a wedding and a party two days in a row, and I ate stuff I know I shouldn't have. Trust me, I'm kicking myself in the pants right now, and am working out even more to get rid of it. But my main problem right now is I don't eat enough of anything, good, bad or otherwise. I just have no appetite and have to remind myself to eat.

I am glad this has touched something inside of all of us. We will make mistakes, we are human. We have each other for support and this includes a reality check when it's needed. I hope everyone knows we are here to help each other. We all have issues with food. Fast food is one of the reasons that millions of americans, including a number of us, became obese in the first place. Remember the documentary "Supersize Me"? On average, our group is only two months out from surgery. To already be reaching for these types of food is worrisome. A lot of us are still packing coolers so we get our protein and proper meals in. The pouch is a tool-it is not a cure all. While we recover from surgery, we are supposed to be learning the healthy way to eat.There are places to eat on the go that offer more healthy choices. A broiled Chicken breast is the same no matter where you are. Another problem for us has always been portion sizes. If you are unsure as to portion size, get a food scale or some other measuring cup so you learn the proper size. Lets take the time to re-commit to this process and do everything possible to make ourselves healthy and thin.