waiting for a surgery date...

Hi,
I'm MaryKate and I am waiting for a date for surgery.  I am anxious, nervous, scared.  I hate excercising.  Any ideas??? Does that get better???  Did anyone else find that before surgery you just were eating out of control???  I am nervous eating and eating telling myself  I won't be able to have this or that after surgery..Is this normal???  I am consumed with guilt about it.
Help

Hello MaryKate! 

You are having your food funeral - i think we all probably did it to a certain extent.  And it's ok.  Your life and lifestyle will be changing.  

What i did was make a list of all the foods that I thought i would miss or never eat again - once i ate them "one last time" I was done.  I am over 6 months out - don't miss them - don't even think about them unless head hunger is trying to trip me up.  

The better you can get your head into the game of really making a life change - the better you will be on the  other side. 

Best Wishes on your journey! 

Hi,
Thanks so much for writing back.  I love that term...food funeral.  That is great.  How do you get good at deciphering head hunger from real hunger?  What do you do when head hunger hits???
I eat when I am sad, happy, stressed, bored......
Best of luck to you on your journey.  Keep up the good work you are doing great.
MaryKate

Emotional eating is hard to break - i make sure i am getting my 3 meals in a day and make sure i am getting the protein i need - then if i get "hungry" in between i really try and be present with it and ask myself am i really hungry or am i just bored, mad etc.  or i will try and walk away from the fridge for 10-15 minutes to see if i really need it or does it go away when i redirect myself.  i am not perfect - sometimes head hunger wins - but not nearly what it did before. 

Ask any questions you have - best wishes!  

Hi MaryKate,

All of your feelings are normal.  Take deep breaths.

I hated exercise also.  I started out slow with just walking.  On the treadmill or outside.  As the weight has come off the exercise gets better.  I'm up to 3 miles/day outside with 4 hills and I take a pilates class.  I try to lift weights, too.  I can't say I LOVE it but the biggest thing is that I know I have to do it and it really helps the weight loss.  I feel so much better when I've gotten my walk in in the morning.

I don't think about food like I used to.  I eat to live instead of living to eat.

Good luck with your journey.  It's pretty amazing.

First of all welcome this is a great place for support. Second I personally ate like every day was my last. Whether it is normal or not I'm not sure. But hang in there because your new healthier lifestyle will pay off! Hang in there.

Welcome to the boards, it is a great place to ask questions.

I also had my "food mourning" period and ate anything I wanted prior to surgery. It's normal. I have to say, don't freak out too much or feel bad because after the surgery, you'll laugh at yourself for worrying like this. Some things that you love now, you won't miss and if you decide later on to try a little taste of an "old love", it might not taste the same or taste very good to you anymore and you'll just be done with it.

There are a lot of adjustments to be made in your head with this journey, but it's one that is definatley worth it! 

You are totally normal.  Well, as for the food stuff, anyway... 

Thinking you'll never eat something again is mistaken - you will eventually be able to eat just about anything, with possible exceptions being things high in sugar or fat.  (HOPE that you dump, it'll help you get over missing those things in a BIG hurry!)  Other things, you just won't eat so much of - you'll APPRECIATE them even more!   I apologize to everyone who's already heard this, but my evil snack thing was Fritos.  I used to be able to sit down with a family-size bag and eat HALFof it without even thinking or paying attention!  Now?  I'll take just a handful, put 'em in a bowl, sit down and enjoy every single chip!  They aren't high on the list of acceptable foods post-wls, but by allowing myself a few, I feel like I've had a treat, I've really enjoyed them, and I can avoid going NUTSO and eating a whole bag!  I know they don't operate on our minds, but our minds DO change to a certain extent.

The BEST thing you can do is to get involved in a support group, attend coffee get-togethers and keep this new relationship with food at the front of your mind!  Don't wait until you have surgery, start going NOW.  You'll never regret it!