Honest Questions, Honest Answers

Hey all, I wanted to ask a few questions, and if you all feel better emailing me directly and not posting, I understand. I still have challenges with my eating. In comparison to before the surgery, my food intake is better by 95%. I make very good choices, I exercise a lot and life is grand. But as a person who does not dump or have any big aversion to most food, I still, once in a while, make bad food choices. I read the diet and exercise log and I think, wow, these people are incredible. They follow the rules, never fall off the wagon so to speak. There are days I don't respond my post to that as I don't want to post that I had a Starbucks Latte or fries. Again, not daily, not even weekly, but I still have my struggles and cravings. Does anyone else go through this? Love, Tammy

Hell yeah! I sometimes feel like I am lucky because I can eat anything I want. Of course it's unlucky because it leaves the choice up to me and sometimes that's not good. I know that I don't as much as I did before which is great and I think I am better about what to eat, but I still feel like I eat junk a lot. For one whole week I think I had a piece of pizza for lunch every day! For some reason I was just CRAVING pizza like mad. Sure it's not haggan daz but it really wasn't the BEST choice to eat. I also drink coffee every day from Dunkin Donuts and I drink diet soda a big no no. I think that as long as we're more conscious about what we eat and what we are putting in our mouths than the surgery has worked. Before I never thought about how much I was eating or how many calories is in that. Now I at least give it a passing thought. Here's my crazy diet for today. Breakfast was and iced latte with no sugar from Dunkin Donuts, then I had half a snack bag of pretzels and about 10 reece's pieces. THen for lunch I had half of a portobello sandwhich from Olio's (awesome, grilled portobello with brie cheese, tomato, field greens and some sort of sauce on foccacia bread) I ate about half the sandwhich with the bread, then ate the rest of the portobello and a few bites of the salad with some diet coke. Feel any better?

Erin, Boy do I hear ya about the pizza. I honestly can't eat it anymore. It's one of those trigger foods. I eat one, and I can't stop. So I HEAR YA!!! Thanks for answering. Love the honestly, none of us are condoning not eating properly, but it does make me feel better knowing that we all continue to struggle. Thanks!!! Tammy

Ah the curse of not constantly dumping! lol I am only 4 months post op but believe me, I could put away some food if I ever want to. Its only the grace of God that I don't, thats all. I love the Food list, its so helpful!!! But I have just assumed that no one is adding the Oreos that they scarfed down at midnight, mostly b/c its a little embarassing and maybe would discourage some. But we are human. Like they always say, we had surgery on our stomachs not our brains. Sometimes we are not always able to make the best decisions but as long as we are able to dust ourselves off and start all over again, its all good. On the 4th of July I ate like it was gonna be outlawed on the 5th! I haven't done so since, but that day I must have had what equals to 2 days worth of food to me on average. Fried foods, drinking with meals, I had a bit of alcohol, the whole bag of naughtiness. I'm not proud of that day, but it happened and I have moved on. So don't feel so bad, besides you are doing great! Congrats on your size 10 jeans!

Hi, Tammy! We weren't perfect before WLS and can't expect to be perfect after. But even when you once in a while make bad food choices, the quantity you're eating is probably much less than it would have been as a pre-op, and you're doing it probably much less often, so it's having a more minor effect on your weight and health. I read something on the main message board months ago that I found very helpful. Someone (sorry I don't remember who) said that our goal as post-ops is to develop a healthy sustainable relationship with food. The key is "sustainable". We've all managed to be "perfect" in the past for some limited length of time...months, weeks, days or minutes (LOL). You have to find a healthy (or mostly healthy) way to live with food for the next (hopefully) 40, 50 or more years. An occasional limited treat is the way "normal" people eat. Hope this helps. Love, Debby

Hi Tammy, Like the "Good Book" says, " Let he who hath not sinned cast the first stone!" I have slipped on occassion. Like you not often, but it happens. My friend owns an Italin Bake shop and I help out on weekends there and even tho they know I'm on a strict diet and love the progress I have made. They are always asking" You Hungry?". My downfall is a blueberry muffin right out of the oven. If they have one thats too small I will accept it. Not often , but it happens. So know you have plenty of company and like you, knowing we "OOPS!" moment, lets us know we still have an eye on the ball. Be Well, Julio

Tammy dear I am with you all the way. My dad was here from Puerto Rico for 5 weeks and did I eat. I ate cinnamon bun from Ikea, I ate rice and beans almost everyday, I ate french fries, I ate pizza and more. And did not go to the gym for four weeks... Once he left I thought about it and said to myself what am I doing. No wonder you have not lost any weight and still are 199 for about two months, right now I am struggling to make the right choices and I continue to try. I am down to 193 and I am stuck and its not because of any one else is because of me. But everyday I wake up and say I am going to do better. And I have been but not fully where I should be. So yes we all make mistakes that we have to learn from. Sometimes I wish I would dump so that I really stay away from the stuff. We were given a tool and we have to work with it. Learn from our mistakes. Good Luck and you look great!!!

As you can see from all these fine folks, you are sooo not alone. Although it is still a struggle for me to eat on a regular basis, I have given in to the occassional craving....Sugar Free Milano Cookies are evil and Tacos should be outlawed...SO absolutely not alone out there! Kristin

Tammy, As you can see, you are not alone. You just had the guts to actually post it! I am almost four months out and very proud of the 61lbs I have lost and 53 inches I have lost. So in saying that, these are my two cents: I too can tolerate almost everything I have tried. I have tried things I have shouldn't have but I don't stress about it too much. I keep my routine with food pretty constant during the week, because it is alot easier to be routine. However, with the heat - when I get home from work, there is no way I am cooking or turning on the oven and I am just too tired and hot to eat. What I try to do is get most of my protein in during my first three meals, so that on those days where I am exhausted and hot and cranky, I will eat simple - couple pieces of cheese and a few crackers or even 1/2 cup of cereal with milk. On the weekends it is a little more challenging - because I can go about my day and realize it is 4:00 in the afternoon and I have only eaten once so far. I will drink more Isopure on the weekends to make sure I get in my protein. On the side of eating "bad things" I do it, but in moderation. I eat pizza once in awhile, but depending on how big the slice is, I usually can't eat the whole slice. I have eaten tried other things too that I may be craving, eat a couple bites and that is that. Craving satsfied. Out of the 28-35 meals a week I am eating, if one or two or even three of those meals are something I probably should not have, its alright. I am okay with it. I do have to say that time of the month week is a little tougher because I am a big salt and crunchy craver during that time, so Terra chips are my best friend that week. But again, I will two or three chips at a sitting and I have had enough. I do stay away from "added" sugar, have not tried a piece of bread not toasted yet and have not eaten steak yet. Those three things still make me nervous. Great post Tammy - thanks for making us do it - I think it is very helpful for both pre-ops and post-ops! Have a good day! Phyllis