Were your eating/dieting habits like mine?

That's just it....... you were DIETING! Diets don't work. RNY is a change in lifestyle. Which is what most of us needed. It keeps us from over eating and eating the wrong foods. It does require commitment, though. You must follow the rules to make this tool work for you. It's not easy in any matter. There are days I want a hot fudge sundae. But I know how sick I'll get if I do eat one. There are days I graze on food......... then I kick my butt and get back on track. BUT it's not a diet!!! It was the best thing I have ever done for myself.  Welcome to the MN OH site. If it weren't for this site I would not have gotten as far as I have.  You will get lots of good advice here. Good luck with making your decision. It's not an easy decision to make. But we are all here for you.  Lori

Hey dear!  I was on a "diet" since the 6th grade.  I had some success but was all short term.  THere were only 2 that I lost a good amount.  But everytime I gained it was the weight I lost PLUS MORE!!!  I don't think you are alone!!  Yes, I believe that couseling is good to do.....doing myself still!!  The decision to do RNY was a Godsent for me!!  Maybe not for all, but for me!  I am only 1 year out, but I see that I need to keep this a life long thing and the RNY has helped me keep on track.  I pondered if this was the right choice for me, I doubted if it would really work but I was at peace for the decision and still am.  No one can tell you what to do but when you have peace about your decision you know it is the right thing for YOU!!!  HUGS!

Thank you again each and everyone of you!  I could just bawl you are all so amazing and sweetly wonderful!   OMGosh!
Sandie, You are having a hard day and you still find it in yourself to be wonderful to others.  Sometimes I think you have to relize that we wish others would/could be more like you!  Ya Know! 
I love the mix of humor and seriousness in OH'ers responses to you!   :O)  Life really good! 

You know Lisajoy, even on the bad days it is the best thing to come here to give and get support!  The people here are amazing and I am doing just my part to return the blessing it is to have such a great network of friends here!  Without these fabulous people I would not be where I am today!

WOW--- I did what Lisa B. did, I smoked up until 3 months prior to surgery (havent had one since) and I ate...when I went in for my first appt. I was 225lbs.....5 1/2 months later, the day I started my LD I was 231lbs! I had gained 6 dang pounds! I ate all my favorites..the week before surgery I had pizza from my fav. pizza place 2 times! These are the bad habits I left BEHIND. I had so many mixed emotions the whole time I was going thru every step of this....BUT I continued with each step know in my heart of hearts that...sure I would miss foods, sure I would still crave and know it would be tough...but I needed to do this, I WAS GOING to do this. As I ate each meal prior to my LD I mourned and kind of said "Good Bye" in a weird way. Now....now I'm ok. Yepper, I crave just like I thought....my old self would have said "what the heck...you're overweight anyhow just eat it...you know you want to" My new self says..."yeah right...take a bite...you'll feel it, you'll regret it"  now that's on the high sugar, high fat greasy things. Other things...I do take a very small bite and 1 is all I really need. It's so funny and strange on how you are so aware now. I use to think food "brain washed" me. That when I saw food or craved something...I was out of my mind...I would eat and it would be gone in like 5 min., I'd feel terrible and I'd be like in a trance...I couldn't even remember the meal, just that it was there then it was gone!! Now I'm very aware...I enjoy my food, I am aware of how I feel with each bite...I still need to slow down a bit, but now 1/4 cup takes me 15 min.  Food had run and controlled my life for 42 years....now I control my food and life....IT FEELS WONDERFUL!!! Keep reading and learning....KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, ARM YOURSELF WITH AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!! Sherry-

Been there done that!  About 5 or 6 times.  I have lost about 450 pounds in my lifetime and gained every darn pound back again and finally hit my highest weight this last summer.  I just didn't care anymore.  Why would I fool myself into thinking I could do this by myself and keep it off this time.  I was content (I thought) to be who I was and not even bother to try again.  I had researched the surgery and thought yah maybe that would work for some folks but not for me.  I went to 3 different seminars (to prove them wrong) and got my questions answered about GBS and thought just maybe  this could work for me.  I've always been a good eater (mom's favorite saying) love veggies and fruits and meat more than the snacky sweet things but portion control was always an issue for me.  An extra helping of this and just a little bit more of this and probably ate another 500-600 calories without even being conscience of it.  Oh well, I've already had too much what's a little more.  I'll start again tomorrow.  I think we have all been through this scenario.  I'm just about 2 weeks out (Dec 18th) and feel I now have the tool that can make me successful.  I started this journey at 258 and today when I went to the Dr. I weighed 216.  Down 42 pounds and 26 of those were pre-surgery.  My goal for Feb 4th is to be in the 190's.   I would like to lose 20 pounds a month but don't feel that's realistic for me but I know every pound that's gone now I will never see again.  You will suffer from food envy, as I do sometimes, when DH is eating one of my favorites but I know eventually I will be able to eat something similar to what he is eating but sometimes I need to leave the room or even the house.  I'm waiting for the day I can eat a pickle, cheese and pepper turkey roll-up and all of you will know what day that is.   These are words I live by daily:: Whether I think I can or think I can't,  I'm probably right! You can do it!  I'm going to my first support group meeting next week at Abbott and think this will really be a help for me long term along with this website.  Who can lose(LOL) with all of these folks standing by to help you!!!!! Bonnie

Your story could be my story.  I had such good intentions.  Well the path to hell is paved with good intentions.  I just think of some of the dumb stuff I would think "I am just going to finish these last three Little Debbies and then they will be gone and out of the house." What has helped me is that the part of my stomach that creates the hormone for hunger was removed.  I do not get hungry all that often.  I have to be concious of that other wise I start feeling kinda blechy (think it's a blood sugar thing) and I won't be able to get my protein in. I don't find this like any "diet" in the past.  It truly is a life style and one that I have not had a hard time adjusting to.

I think this is common in most people. I remember many times when I was going to start a diet. This was it the diet that was going to end it all. One little thing would distract me and I would be right back to where I started. Or I would play a mind game okay did not work that is okay I will start again tomorrow. Everything that happen there I go hitting another road block!! It is a vicious little cycle. Before I knew it was heavier than I started.  When I decided to have this surgery that was it I had it in my mind and I was ready to do anything. My goal was to lose 20lbs before they would let me have the surgery. First month I lost 16lbs I was determined. But, I knew in my head that I was so close and had two months to go. I was not perfect in those that two months. I remember having cake at a birthday party. Cupcakes at another party. I did my best to make right choices but they weren't all the right ones.  Now that I have had the surgery I'm super careful as I'm nervous about getting sick. So far for me I would say that the choices after surgery are not much and you have not much of a choice. Your new pouch does most of the decision making for you.  I believe Lisa that you will do great. You are already looking at so many perspectives that I think will only help you on your journey.  Best wishes

Thank you from the bottom of my toes!   I just love reading what you all have written!!!!  I have printed all of your responses out and am reading them to my hubby.......I can' figure out what DH stands for but I'm gussing hubby.   This has been great!   

I can totally relate to how your diets go I was on a diet since 4th grade and never once did I loose more than 30 pounds.  I always did really good for about the first 3 or 4 weeks and then it all went down hill and those old thoughts that it doesn't matter since I am so fat already what will another pizza hurt.  Last summer I made the decision that I really, really needed to do something for real and I found that RNY would help me to make a life change rather than just a diet.  RNY has been just what I need because even though I am only 1 month out I have already had my pouch put my mind back in line....I've gotten sick once or twice and have realized it is not something I care to repeat.  I hope you are able to look inside yourself and figure out if this is your time to make a life change or if it may be down the road a bit.  Oh, and I have been through behavior therapy so I had the background to help me with my thinking going into this whole big journey as well, I think that has been a big help.