missing foods

HI sometimes I miss some of the foods I used to eat. especially when we go to McDonalds and I eat a part of a grilled chicken salad, and my family is sitting there eating a big fat juicy big mac and fries. I just remind myself why I cant eat em but it still doesnt change how i feel. some days this whole thing is really hard, but other days its allot easier. I had my surgery on august 31st and it seems my mind would be used to eaverything by now, but not all the time!! does any one ever feel this way??

Isn't is strange to think we would miss food still at this point, but it does happen. I am a sweet -was a sweet junkie and that is what I miss somedays is a nice big piece of cake, but then I think that is what made me fat in the first place. I think about the Jared-subway commercials with the Big Mac having 30 or 40 grams a fat and thinking to myself, I don't want to put that in my body when I am working so hard to make it healthy. But we are normal, I always try remember the motto: Nothing tastes as good as thin feels... Nothing can taste as good as fitting into skinny jeans. Keep the faith- Cheri

Well, I have a different point of view from most people. My new mantra is moderation, not exclusion. I discovered through therapy a few years ago that I have a black-and-white, all-or-nothing personality. If I try to completely deny myself something that I want for too long--specifically in the food category--I go a little nuts. It used to lead to binge eating and blown diets. Now I can't do that, but I can certainly make myself sick with bad choices and too much of them. My point is that I don't deny myself anything. I just have a lot less than I used to and I don't beat myself up about having treats every now and then. When I go to McDonald's with my family, I order a small cheeseburger and eat about half of it. Yes, it has a lot of fat, and bread, and stuff like that. But I don't feel left out, and I don't feel like I have to eat stuff that I really don't want to eat--I feel like a normal person eating normal food. And I don't do it every day. I knew when I had surgery that I could not/would not realistically go without eating anything "bad" ever again. So I just made a deal with myself that I would have "bad" stuff every once in awhile (depending on what I can tolerate) and not beat myself up about it. I'm trying not to let eating be the big emotional rollercoaster it has always been in my life. So far, it's working for me. I've lost 88 lbs and I feel totally normal. My health has fully returned, my blood work is great, my weight loss is excellent, I'm active, I feel mentally well-balanced, etc. I had pumkin pie during the holidays and worried about it at the time. But now I feel great about it. I had one tiny slice and was totally satisfied. I savored every bite. I was the only one at the family gathering who can honestly say that I appreciated and enjoyed every bite I took. Pre-op, I would have mindlessly wolfed down a large slice plus seconds, hardly even tasting it as it went down. Not so anymore, and I'm very happy about that. I just can't think of myself as being on a "diet" at this point. I have to think of myself as someone who eats in moderation. Mostly healthy food, but little bits of things that make me happy as well. It helps to keep me content with my world. That's my take on it. But you should do what works with your personality and lifestyle and food tolerances. I never miss food because I let myself have some of the things I want and I let myself feel good about it afterwards. 99% of the time, I'm following my surgeon's instructions to the letter. But every once in awhile, I let myself stray and that's okay. We'll see how it's still working for me when I'm a long-term postie. I'll probably have to modify my approach when I get into a maintenance phase, but I think I'll still be able to have occasional small treats. I'm willing to pay for them with more exercise if need be. I'd rather add another evening at the gym and get to eat something truly yummy now and then than to go through the emotional yuckiness I get when I totally deny myself occasional indulgence. ---- Leslie 282/194/135

Hey Leslie, just wanted to say that you think a lot like I do! I don't deprive myself, otherwise I feel I'm on a diet...diets never worked long term for me before, why should I expect it to now? Moderation is definately key! Cori 245-168-150-ish

BTW, I should clarify that I'm not encouraging you or anyone else to go against your surgeon's advice or make poor food choices. I was just explaining what works for *me,* given my particular mindset and behavioral patterns. I would feel bad if my words encouraged someone to follow a path that isn't right for them. I just wanted you to know that, for at least one person, allowing myself occasional treats has been an effective way of keeping me from missing foods and eating out. ---- Leslie

Hi Sheila, I am sorry you have been feeling that way. Did your doctor tell you to stay away from those fast foods? The medical practice I go to encourages us to eat a regular diet, what any other normal human being would eat, and if it is fast food, then so be it. The key is to eat in moderation. (Which is easy to do with the tool we have). You will find that when you deprive yourself of certain foods, you will eat everything in sight to satisfy that craving. I feel we are better off satisfying that craving with what we crave....can save alot of calories doing it this way. I have had a Whopper junior, and fries....but I am satisfied with less than 1/2 the sandwich, and a small handfull of fries. And to be honest with you, since food still doesn't taste like it use to....that craving is satisified for a long time. I have also had a McDonalds cheesburger, and an Arby's wrap and curly cues, pizza and a grilled hot dog....not to mention a donut. I am 5 months out, and I had these cravings once, and satisfied them....that is a small amount of junk food in 5 months, where as I would eat it many times a week, and for each item I craved I probably got 2-3 meals out of it. Talk to you doctor, and ask if he feels depriving yourself is a healthier way to go, or if to fullfill that craving and be done with it. This surgery is suppose to be a tool to help us control our weigh with moderation and exercise, not live a "poor me" lifestyle the rest of our life. Take Care, and God Bless, Susan