When Your Mouth Sez: YES!! But Your Tummy Sez: Nuh Uh!!
Ho-Kay ... I am 4 weeks post op. (YAY! I survived a hard 5 weeks!)
First let me say that I am down 46 lbs as of this morning! (WOOT!) I have also lost just shy of 25 inches off my whole body... over 4.5 inches off my waist and a whopping 6.25 off my hips ... whoa! I actually put on a pair of jeans on Saturday that are a size 20 ... I had been squeezing my parts into a 24 wide pant when I left work just before my surgery ... that felt amazing! I didn't even have to fight with the zipper to get it up ... unreal. This part feels so amazing - like a new lease on life.
Now ... on to the (only slightly) less positive remarks ... so, I am FINALLY allowed to eat something that resembles food. (Yes, I missed it ... very much - although I have continued cooking for the family ... and I am a good cook, so it was a little on the masochistic side, really, with all the yummy smells, textures and colors.) Anyhoo - I started out with eggs. I made myself an omelet - just with a little milk in it - two bites in, I knew there was no way I'd be eating any more. Then I tried a poached egg (hours later) which I mashed up with a little milk - no dice. Then I thought I'd try some chopped up crab meat - it's pretty soft and somewhat different than eggs - that went down pretty good, albeit there was a very small amount actually consumed ... perhaps a half ounce or so.
Last night, we had no power (hadn't had any all day and the night before). I had some cooked sweet potato and ground chicken in the fridge. I was able to heat that up in a pan on the BBQ and I ate it last night for dinner. It tasted like heaven ... and I had to really watch how fast I was eating ( it was about an ounce and a half of chicken - of which I ate a little more than half and about a tablespoon of sweet potato) ... Now, I didn't get sick or anything, but my poor poor tummy was NOT HAPPY! A cup of decaf mint green tea sipped by the teaspoon did help clear it up, but I suffered for about an hour and a half.
So - I have noticed that since Monday, my tolerance is slightly better - but I am curious if everyone else experienced fairly substantial discomfort when introducing solids again and if there are any tricks or suggestions ( that don't involve my continuing to 'drink' meals - 'cause if I see another bowl of cream of mushroom soup, I WILL commit a murder with it!! You don't want that on your conscience now - do you?)
Otherwise, life is good! I miss food - in an almost spiritual way. I didn't really expect that to be so profound. Food is such a big part of who I am, how I show love for my family, how I create Christmas, celebrate birthdays, deal with stress, get myself outta bed some mornings, reward myself for not giving my children away to a stranger passing by my driveway some days... you know - it's been something I have lived for ... for most of my adult life. I'm not really talking about 'junky food' (although ... I'd sell a body part for a Swiss Chalet Club Wrap with Chalet sauce about now - not that I could physically eat the darned thing ... but I want one) ... no, I'm even talking about salads and fruit and eggs and BBQ chicken or lean pork ... I know it is coming and I have gotten through the hardest part, but it BLOWS MY MIND how much food is in the forefront of my consciousness.
But THEN ... I get on that scale and another 2 lbs are gone since a day ago ... and nothing else in the world matters. It's quite a roller coaster - and I see more clearly now than EVER before why dieting would NEVER have worked for me ... NOT EVER. I am so glad that I had this surgery ... so grateful for this tool and so completely in awe of the psychological journey I have started - it simply.blows.my.mind.
For those of you who have done/are doing this - did/are you experience(ing) any of this? And - for those of you just starting out ... keep at it, try to prepare yourself for some of this - BUT ... don't be scared. It's like learning to ride a bike, but there are huge training wheels attached to catch you if you should fall.
Hope you are all enjoying the lead up to the holidays!
Take good care.
D
First let me say that I am down 46 lbs as of this morning! (WOOT!) I have also lost just shy of 25 inches off my whole body... over 4.5 inches off my waist and a whopping 6.25 off my hips ... whoa! I actually put on a pair of jeans on Saturday that are a size 20 ... I had been squeezing my parts into a 24 wide pant when I left work just before my surgery ... that felt amazing! I didn't even have to fight with the zipper to get it up ... unreal. This part feels so amazing - like a new lease on life.
Now ... on to the (only slightly) less positive remarks ... so, I am FINALLY allowed to eat something that resembles food. (Yes, I missed it ... very much - although I have continued cooking for the family ... and I am a good cook, so it was a little on the masochistic side, really, with all the yummy smells, textures and colors.) Anyhoo - I started out with eggs. I made myself an omelet - just with a little milk in it - two bites in, I knew there was no way I'd be eating any more. Then I tried a poached egg (hours later) which I mashed up with a little milk - no dice. Then I thought I'd try some chopped up crab meat - it's pretty soft and somewhat different than eggs - that went down pretty good, albeit there was a very small amount actually consumed ... perhaps a half ounce or so.
Last night, we had no power (hadn't had any all day and the night before). I had some cooked sweet potato and ground chicken in the fridge. I was able to heat that up in a pan on the BBQ and I ate it last night for dinner. It tasted like heaven ... and I had to really watch how fast I was eating ( it was about an ounce and a half of chicken - of which I ate a little more than half and about a tablespoon of sweet potato) ... Now, I didn't get sick or anything, but my poor poor tummy was NOT HAPPY! A cup of decaf mint green tea sipped by the teaspoon did help clear it up, but I suffered for about an hour and a half.
So - I have noticed that since Monday, my tolerance is slightly better - but I am curious if everyone else experienced fairly substantial discomfort when introducing solids again and if there are any tricks or suggestions ( that don't involve my continuing to 'drink' meals - 'cause if I see another bowl of cream of mushroom soup, I WILL commit a murder with it!! You don't want that on your conscience now - do you?)
Otherwise, life is good! I miss food - in an almost spiritual way. I didn't really expect that to be so profound. Food is such a big part of who I am, how I show love for my family, how I create Christmas, celebrate birthdays, deal with stress, get myself outta bed some mornings, reward myself for not giving my children away to a stranger passing by my driveway some days... you know - it's been something I have lived for ... for most of my adult life. I'm not really talking about 'junky food' (although ... I'd sell a body part for a Swiss Chalet Club Wrap with Chalet sauce about now - not that I could physically eat the darned thing ... but I want one) ... no, I'm even talking about salads and fruit and eggs and BBQ chicken or lean pork ... I know it is coming and I have gotten through the hardest part, but it BLOWS MY MIND how much food is in the forefront of my consciousness.
But THEN ... I get on that scale and another 2 lbs are gone since a day ago ... and nothing else in the world matters. It's quite a roller coaster - and I see more clearly now than EVER before why dieting would NEVER have worked for me ... NOT EVER. I am so glad that I had this surgery ... so grateful for this tool and so completely in awe of the psychological journey I have started - it simply.blows.my.mind.
For those of you who have done/are doing this - did/are you experience(ing) any of this? And - for those of you just starting out ... keep at it, try to prepare yourself for some of this - BUT ... don't be scared. It's like learning to ride a bike, but there are huge training wheels attached to catch you if you should fall.
Hope you are all enjoying the lead up to the holidays!
Take good care.
D
First of all - 46lbs!! HOLEY MOLEY!!! :))))) Congrats!! Don't get too attached to those size 20 pants, 'cause they won't fit you for long!!
I could eat about the same amount that you can that far out and then I would get a pain under my breastbone which I soon realized was my full signal (and or hiccups) - it can be so sudden that it's a little startling! I had a pain every time I was full for the first month or two (don't be worried if you haven't been sleeved yet, it's not really a big deal after you realize what it is & it's not that bad - and that feeling changed around the 3rd month!) anyway, I could only eat a spoonful or two & that was it - it did actually help me to use the little silverware - I still do, actually. Anyway, I can eat 2 - 4 oz of dense protein at a meal now (depending on the day - sometimes I'm hungry, sometimes not so much) and I would love to have that major restriction back - boy oh boy the weight fell off - just breathing made it melt away - so try to enjoy this magical time!! lol Don't get me wrong, it still comes of pretty fast over all, but nothing like those first couple of months :)) Sooo, my advice is to just go slow and keep in mind that the discomfort and the major restriction you are feeling now and the new 'full' feeling will all change in a couple of months, so just try to take it day by day & hang in there. Jeff had the same issues - I think most of us do!
The mental part has changed for me too - don't get me wrong, I still LOVE food, but now my perception of what 'a lot' is has changed drastically - as has my idea of 'cheating'! Sometimes I think I have been eating all day (because I do still have hungry days) and when I look at my food log I am at around 800 calories - and I'm thinking WTH I haven't stopped eating!! lol
Keep talking about what's bothering/concerning you - for me this forum was a life saver! Congrats on your success so far!!
I could eat about the same amount that you can that far out and then I would get a pain under my breastbone which I soon realized was my full signal (and or hiccups) - it can be so sudden that it's a little startling! I had a pain every time I was full for the first month or two (don't be worried if you haven't been sleeved yet, it's not really a big deal after you realize what it is & it's not that bad - and that feeling changed around the 3rd month!) anyway, I could only eat a spoonful or two & that was it - it did actually help me to use the little silverware - I still do, actually. Anyway, I can eat 2 - 4 oz of dense protein at a meal now (depending on the day - sometimes I'm hungry, sometimes not so much) and I would love to have that major restriction back - boy oh boy the weight fell off - just breathing made it melt away - so try to enjoy this magical time!! lol Don't get me wrong, it still comes of pretty fast over all, but nothing like those first couple of months :)) Sooo, my advice is to just go slow and keep in mind that the discomfort and the major restriction you are feeling now and the new 'full' feeling will all change in a couple of months, so just try to take it day by day & hang in there. Jeff had the same issues - I think most of us do!
The mental part has changed for me too - don't get me wrong, I still LOVE food, but now my perception of what 'a lot' is has changed drastically - as has my idea of 'cheating'! Sometimes I think I have been eating all day (because I do still have hungry days) and when I look at my food log I am at around 800 calories - and I'm thinking WTH I haven't stopped eating!! lol
Keep talking about what's bothering/concerning you - for me this forum was a life saver! Congrats on your success so far!!
Congratulations on the surgery and the weight loss!!!! Way to go
I find it very interesting to read your comments....very informative for someone who is looking forward to having the surgery. It is hard to imagine that I will ever feel full with a couple of spoonfuls of anything. It's also nice to hear that everyone seems to have the same experience.
Keep up the good work!
Sus
I find it very interesting to read your comments....very informative for someone who is looking forward to having the surgery. It is hard to imagine that I will ever feel full with a couple of spoonfuls of anything. It's also nice to hear that everyone seems to have the same experience.
Keep up the good work!
Sus