How Do You Feel Now?

This is a very early morning ramble - I've been up since 5am (on a Saturday, too!) so bare with me. I was just thinking that most of us are right around the 5 month mark now, and am wondering how you guys feel. The newness has worn off, many of us are starting to see the weightloss slow a little bit, and some are beginning to struggle with old eating habits again. Anymore, I don't feel like my eating is "weird" to me anymore. I don't measure my food, but I "eye-ball" it and immediately put away whatever I know I won't eat. I don't think twice anymore abou****ching sugar, carb and fat intake. I know what my body can handle and I don't have to analyze it like I did early out. I don't think much about protien, water, vitamins, etc. It's just part of my normal routine. I still log my food on Fitday, and on occasion, if I'm frustrated with the slow down in weight loss, I go back and analyse what I've been eating and see if I need to make any adjustments. The difference is, it's become a normal part of my life, unlike all the diet's I've ever done before. If I was even luck enough to MAKE it 5 months on a single diet, successfully, it was by tooth and nail the whole time. My life was consumed with what I could and couldn't eat. Every step was a battle. This is different, I don't think about it anymore. I feel like for the first time in probably 15 years, my life is not consumed by food. It's a great feeling, but when I really delve into it, kind of weird, too... Foreign, I guess. Anyway, like I said, it's early and I'm rambling. I should be cleaning while it's quiet and Livvie's sleeping, but I haven't made it that far yet, so I thought I would come say "hi" to all ya'll first. Have a great weekend everyone! Becky

Good morning Becky! I too have been up for quite a while, which surprises me because I worked last night! I have noticed also that I don't think about food all the time, or what I can and can't have. I basically just eat when I know its time for something. I get satisfied very quickly. I don't think much about my vitamins and protein either. I do occasionally forget my vitamins and calcium, iron, etc. and then I realize that I am not feeling up to par and start taking them again. I have always been very very forgetful about pills of any kind. I get some form of exercise everyday. The one thing that I do notice is that I don't circle the parking lot at stores looking for a close spot. I intentionally park as far out as I can so I can get that extra walk in. I defenetely have more energy these days. I get up and immediately start doing something around the house and usually have my shower and Im dressed before 10:00 a.m., which is a big change for me. I also find myself wanting to just get out more. I take Jacob to the park, the Library, whereever and love being around other people more than ever. So, basically, I feel down right good!

I'm interested in hearing other's response to this question too. I know we're not supposed to compare, but ... Overall, I have to say I feel pretty good. I am fascinated by my changing body ... even the deflated skin. I am constantly surprised ... by my husbands' observances, the compliments, clothes shopping, "fitting" into places I had a hard time with before (i.e. restaurant booths, chairs, the bathtub). My joints are feeling better. I move around a lot easier. I can cross my legs. BUT ... I DO have to be mindful of food and liquid (I still don't get enough). I have raging hormones around my period (my poor husband). Sometimes food and/or liquid doesn't "sit" well in my stomach/intestinal area. I struggle with depression now and again. My hair continues to fall out. Do I regret having WLS? Absolutely not! Life is taking the good with the bad, and I have so much more good happening! I am very blessed and having this surgery was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I am very hopeful for the future! Diane

In 2003, I started my first (well, I did low-carb when I was approx 12 years old - I found the carb counter book with a notation of my weight at over 150) low-carb diet in March. From March through Christmas eve, I ate NO bread, rice, pasta, potatoes or sugar. That's 9 months! I did give low-carb bread a try a time or two but found it seemed to start carb cravings up so I did without. I went from 279 lbs (all time high) to 215.5 lbs. I went from using over 100 units of insulin a day to 10. I was just hovering from being medication free. The first couple of weeks eating that way was hard but then it became "routine" for me. I didn't feel deprived either. I took a very positive attitude. I think getting rid of the carb cravings made it so much easier. Christmas I decided to allow myself some carbs afterall it was the holidays, right? That ended up starting an ugly carb craving snowball. I easily regained all but 3 lbs of that and probably quicker than it took me to lose it. That being said...I can stick with any "diet" for a good long time. It is sticking to it in the long run that has been an issue. My history has been one often of "all-or-nothing". This applies in other aspects of my life and not just my eating. Here I am now...just over 5 months post-op. And the 3 months prior to that were my pre-op diet which was low-carb so I'm 8 months into my revamped lifestyle and now my post-op way of eating. I don't use any food monitoring program. Figured that I don't eat enough to worry about caloric intake. I know that I get about 350 cals worth of protein supplements a day alone so I know my intake isn't too low with that plus 3 small meals. And based on the side of my meals (few ounces of dense protein and vegies, etc) I know I'm not intaking a ton of cals there either. I do closely watch my carb intake. I'm quite insulin resistant so it is important to me to watch that. I don't count carbs. No need to. I get whatever carbs come from miscellaneous items (salad dressings, gravies, etc) and non-starchy vegies (cali, broc, green beans, salad green, etc). I have some melon or berries once in a while but rarely. I do have a couple of crackers once in a while for something different but they aren't a regular part of my diet. Today we went out for breakfast and I had part of an omelette Rich had and I did have a few crispy wisps of hash browns and a bite of the edge of his rye bread. This again is rare. Given what I know about my body and carbs...I think it is going to be easy for me to slow/stop my weight loss when that time comes. I think that all I'll need to do is incorporate some whole grains into the mix and maintenance here I am. Am I concerned about the upcoming holidays? Sure. Given my past performance on a holiday and how it sent me off on a binge - you bet I have some trepidation. I believe I dump on sugar (had some liquid B vitamins that unfortunately were sweetened with apple juice concentrate and had 8 grams of sugar) so that will help me avoid any temptations for sweets. Rich and I plan on doing some SF cooking low-carb baking and will bring some stuff with us so that we can "indulge" without indulging. I have general ideas of what will be served for the holidays and I can certainly eat the types of things that I need to eat. Now being able to eat regularly will be another story that I'll address separately. I am very comfortable in my eating routine as a post-op. I don't think about food all the time. No obsession. I eat by the clock rather than by hunger and that seems to keep my body nourished, fueled and strong. Interesting topic, Becky! Kathy

I am feeling good, but that is the problem! I can finally eat like a normal human being again but now I find myself eating things I shouldnt. I know that I am not eating them in the quantities I use to but it scares me that I can. My weight loss has slowed to pretty much a stand still and I am now feeling like the ride is over and I am done, this makes me depressed because I did not have surgery to stay obese. Everyone tells me how great I am looking but I feel like I dont deserve it because I am not losing. This morning I heated up leftover egg drop soup from last night, not a bad choice. Then I munched on dorito's, ughhh. I have also not been very motivated to excercise. I think I need someone to slap me! I dont see my do****il Nov. 7 but boy do I feel like I need a check in. I guess I am just scared I am reverting back to the "old" me which is scary! Cary

Cary, I, too, am struggling with being able to eat anything I want and sometimes making poor choices or eating too much. It scares me too. I've continued to lose, but, I know it is because I exercise for an hour 5 to 6 days a week. If we lived close by I'd say, come with me to the gym! But, since we don't and if you want a pal to check in with to report on your exercise progress, feel free to email me. Sometimes that helps to have someone to feel somewhat accountable to, because most of us obese folks don't feel accountable enough to ourselves! Anyway, the struggle continues. WLS is a tool, not a cure. Get moving honey! Lori 384/282/170

Thanks Lori! Sad thing is I do have a friend close to me who had surgery in June that I go to the YMCA with, I think she gave up on me cause she hasnt been calling me and I know she has gone by herself! I hereby commit to getting up early each morning to do a walk around my block (its a big block since the street next to me does not go all the way through so I have to go to the second street). Every morning this week I was "going to do it" and then slept instead. But this week its gonna change! I will also go to the YMCA at least twice, so feel free to call me out next weekend! Thanks! Cary

Cary You've been slapped with a kiss. I know it is hard and we tend to be extra hard on ourselves, but remember that from which you came!!! In my "previous" lifestyle I would have eatten the entire bag of Doritos. So a couple really isn't that bad in the grand sceme of thing. I too fear that i'm going to be done losing. I have more I feel I need to lose. But I know that the rest is only going to come off with hard work!!! I too need to watch more carefully my snacks. Today I made sf hot choc. with protein powder... but there must have been too much protein cuz it DIDN"T disolve.... it was a thick goopey mess and I dumped it out and had a 1/2 bowl of cereal instead. Should have gotten out the cottage cheese, but I didn't. It's over, can't change it..... just got to try to do better tomorrow!!!!! Love ya!!!!! Laurie

Thanks Laurie! I needed that! Your right I would have eaten the entire bag in one sitting in my previous life, but I know I shouldnt be eating them at all and I wonder why the heck did I buy them at all! (actually I know why, the taco kind are hard to find so just like in the past I was like wow they have taco and just picked it up). I personally am not a cottage cheese fan and I imagine you are quite tired of it by now, we have to find somthing more exciting for you to eat for a while, take a cottage cheese break! Love ya too! Cary

Cary, I'm in the same boat as you. After not being able to eat for 4 months due to the stricture and severe food intolerance...it's scary to me that I can now eat...and eat. I have to reel in those feelings of anxiety and give myself a break. I'm trying to remember that most people here have had several months to work out the kinks of how they eat, and I've really only had a few weeks. I'll get there. I'll figure it out. So will you. You and I have been in this together since day one...literally. Don't you give up on me now. I'll commit to you that I'm going to exercise tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. I was going to go and eat some trail mix (a new found love), but it would be a snack. So, I'll commit to you that I won't eat it tonight. I'll up my fluid intake instead. How about you? Wanna let anything go? Jules