Dont go back!! This was posted a few days ago

Wanted to share this it was posted by dame on the main message board a few days ago For most of us, WLS was a last-ditch effort to regain (or claim) our lives back. For most of us, we've dieted many MANY times and should readily recognize those trouble signs that things are beginning to cascade or spiral downwards into old trends. Thankfully most see the way they're heading and at least try to turn it around before it gets out of control. But I'm seeing things that make me sad and just felt the need to mutter about it. Ways to fail: When you see you're on a downward spiral - wait until the next Monday to start a diet! Gee, how many times have you done this preop? How many times did it work? Start TODAY! This meal! Pick up that plate full of potato and dump it in the trash. Grab some cheese, meat, a protein bar or shake and fix it THIS meal. Now! Go back to liquids to 'shrink' your pouch. How many of you preop punished yourself one way or the other or deprived yourselves so severely that you felt there was just NO WAY you could make it so why bother trying, and out came the snickers bar. This is a way of life. Your pouch is designed by nature and a surgeon's skill to grow or stretch SOME. Rarely do pouches stretch beyond a reasonable proportion. We are not meant to eat 2 ounce meals for life. A 4 to 8 ounce (or even 10 ounce) pouch is a not unreasonable size to accomodate a HEALTHY diet. The smallness in the beginning is your jumpstart...and aid to help you, it is not a life cycle. Remember that preop your stomach was 30 to 40 ounces in size! But ya know what? Even with a 2 ounce pouch you can still fail. Drink milk shakes, eat candy - even sugar-free which is still a lot of calories - in large amounts, refuse to exercise as you lose, etc...these all set you up for failure REGARDLESS of the size of your pouch! Do it alone! Oh yeah, that has always worked, huh? I know for me that a support group keeps me on target. Whether that is coming to an online support site or going to your in person support and I really recommend getting a good nutritionist. Support is VERY important, even if it's just lurking, listening and learning. Listen to everything your doctor tells you as if it is gospel. Oh yes, I know that's worked for me. NOT! How many times has your doctor put your on a 'diet' that failed you and then of course he/she blames YOU! Or they are just clueless as to how to help you. Most doctors and this includes surgeons have less than 2 classes in nutrition during thier training and careers. Most good doctors either employ or refer to a nutritionist. This doesn't necessarily mean the nut they choose is good, but at least they (the doctor) is smart enough to defer to someone with nutritional training. My surgeon is wonderful with a knife, but even he admits he isn't a nutritionist (not so sure his nut is either though lol). I am not telling you to ignore your doctors. I am telling you to arm yourself with info and not just rely on your doc to know it ALL. They often just don't! Treat WLS like any other diet. Yup - that's the key to success. Not! This isn't a diet. It truly is a way of life. You have to change how you think about food, how you revel in it or glorify it OR fear it. It's just food. An inanimate object that we've empowered. If you can't change how you look at or treat food, there's no shame in getting help. See a councelor. join OA. Do something. Don't just give in to it. I'm sure there are more. But these are the highlights. feel free to add to other sure-fire ways to fail. Hugs and BEST of success to ALL!