Grrrrrrrrrrrr..... Frustrated

The suspense in waiting for surgery (not until Janaury 8th), and all the research and worrying is making me gain weight!!!  I'm up 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks.  I'm gonna cry!!  I need to get back on track!!  I am still down 11 pounds and need to stay down... I had to lose 10 pounds before surgery and now going into the holidays I need to keep it off... and lose a little more would be nice... HELP!!!

Try concentrating on those portion sizes. When you go out to eat, have them box up half of it before they even bring it to you. When you're using sauces or dressings dip your fork in the sauce or dressing then grab your food. Light dressings and use sparingly. Are you getting all of your water in? Are you writing down what you eat? I found once I was 5 months into my structured weight loss that writing down what I was eating helped a lot. Focus on protein first, it will fill you up and make you feel full longer. I'm sure you already know everything I just said, but sometimes it helps to hear it again. You can do this. Also, are you exercising? Besides work Maybe walk the halls when you're on break if you don't have time to at home? Hang in there, your time will come before you know it. You can do this!

I am finding myself grazing mindlessly... even when I'm not hungry... It's as if I wake up and there is a cookie in my hand and some in my mouth!!!  Can I really be that nervous that I am trying to sabotage myself?  I don't want that.  I want this - scared or not!  Grrrr....  I should put myself on a liquid diet before surgery - maybe I would be more conscious of what I am doing then. 

You're going to be just fine Debbie.   Part of what is going on is probably you having food funerals.  These are more than likely things you won't be able to eat after surgery.  Example (cookie).  It may be better if you get all of the 'bad' stuff out of your house.  Replace it with healthy snacks.  I've heard of people doing the liquid diet for longer than they needed to, but you have over almost 2 months before surgery.  I think that may be too much for your body.  Get some of the foods in the house that you'll be eating after surgery, practice eating slowly like you'll have to do afterwards.  Get in all your fluids, if you feel like grazing, pick up your water bottle and start drinking, that will help fill you so you won't graze. 

Take Care of you!

Keep in mind that your surgery could possibly be postponed if you gain!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Congrats on recognizing the emotional eating habit and working on dealing with it.  Along with the tool of the smaller pouch, you will be able to do this.   That being said, buy some skim milk and get the bad stuff out of the house.  If it is a trigger right now, get rid of the gun.  Instead of reaching for a snack, drink 8 ounces of skim milk and then go for a walk.  It will help with the craving and work out the fustration or stress you are dealing with.  You could put yourself on a liquid diet right after Christmas and this would give you two weeks before surgery to lose more and shrink your liver a little (so there is more room for the surgeon to do the surgery).   Remember this is your practice period (that is why the doctor wants you to lose weight -- see if you can stick with good eating habits) and recognition and correction are part of the process.  This is an emotional roller coaster and sometimes the drops in the ride are really bad ~~ but dealing with it once you recognize it is hard work.  Keep your chin up!!!!

It's hard, I know, I've been struggling the last few weeks to keep losing, and I'm not sure that I have, I know I haven't gained, so that's a good thing.  I just did something I should have done weeks ago.  I took semi-clothed pictures of myself, and looking at them takes away all desire to eat.  don't know if that would work for you, or for very long, thankfully my wait is almost over. You can do this, it will be tough at times, but you can do it!

KEEP BUSY!!!!!!!!!!  Time will go by and before you know it the day will be here!!!!  Cut your portions in half and if snacking, don't!!!!!!!! Make sure you are drinking a lot of water or fluids too!!!  Hang in there!!!

I agree - get the cookies (and any and all other "bad" stuff) OUT of your home!  If you don't have it, it can't sneak itself into your hands/mouth/belly!!!  Take that "before" picture of yourself and post it on your refrigerator!   Figure out a way to remind yourself of what you do and don't want to do - for me, it's my infamous butterfly tattoo, right on my hand where I see it every time my hand goes near my mouth.  It reminds me of what I should be doing, so I can evaluate if the thing in my hand heading towards my mouth really ought to be there!  Oh, I've managed to ignore my butterfly a time or seven, and there have been a few times my butterfly was sleeping, but more often than not, having that visual has really helped me to make positive choices. 

I love WLS...

... and I love my butterfly. 

I feel your pain.  My surgery is Dec16th and I too have gained 5 pounds.  I think part of my mind says its ok to over eat because soon I won't have that option.  That is completely the wrong state of mind and I am trying hard to prevent that from happening.  I have started to write down what I eat just so I am conscious of it.  Good luck to you!