I had relations with a piece of shoo fly pie

I had to, it was really coming on to me and I couldn't avoid its evil stair anymore.  The truth is,  my 19 year old daughter and I were out somewhere on Monday night and out of nowhere  I said that I was going to miss shoo fly pie after surgery. Granted, I haven't had any in over a year,  but for some reason, that just came to me. She went to the country market on Tuesday and got a small one and came home with it. She said that she didn't want to sabotage me, but if I wanted a small piece that she would cut it for me and then take the rest of it to her car and take it to work for her coworkers in the morning. I had her cut me a 1 inch wide piece and then as promised, she took the rest from the house after the rest of the family got a piece. I didn't feel guilty and I am not going to.

My wife and I have had a tradition for years of going to Red Lobster for our anniversary which is early February. Since that isn't going to happen in 2010.....Red Lobster that is, not our anniversary, my  kids are taking my wife and I there to celebrate it early and as a Christmas present. I have tried hard not to have the "big feast" one last time before surgery, and truthfully it is hard not to. I guess what it really comes down to is, if you are going to do it, are you going to do it in such a way that you feel good about the experience in a physcological way vs. a guilt and regret way.

I have come to terms with what food has meant in my life. The good, the bad and the ugly of it. I am ready to accept the tool that is going to be bestowed upon me and I am looking forward to using to its full potential. But really though,  a guy has to live :) !

Congratulations! You're PRE surgery, but have already incorporated one of the biggest lessons for WLS folks:  PLANNING and being conscious in your eating!

I know that pre-surg, that pie would have called to me and a 1" slice wouldn't have done it. The sugar addiction just had too much power over me!  So big kudos for you for consciously thinking about it, planning it, and arranging it in a way that helped you control it.  Major skills for successing right there!

Conscious eating (rather than allowing our subconscious to drive eating behaviors) is, I think, the major key to long-term success.  It lets you take a step back and divorce emotion from food, and to make rational choices based on nutritional and life needs, rather than "self-medicating" with the food.

Good work!
Karen

P.S. - Sorry - I don't know your name!

You are doing a great job!!!!  I am PA Dutch, and I guess I never really thought about the shoo fly pie.  I am sure there are so many other things we can have that we really won't miss it.  You can work around just about any recipe.  You are really getting to the root of things, and doing a good job.  Keep up the good work.

Shoo fly pie??!!!  I love it!  I have to tell you that I had my surgery in September 2008.  Before the surgery I ate everything that I thought I would never have again....... cheese fries, apie cake, pancakes, fried chicken,  ice cream....you name it, I ate it.  The truth is, I can eat all of those things now.  However, I've lost 110lbs and those things could NEVER taste as good as being thinner and healthier feels now.    You are about to become a new you and with that you will make better food choices.  Good luck to you and a big round of applause to you for taking charge of your life and having this surgery.

:)
Amy

Great post.  I've been having a last fling or two with some foods that I know won't be in my plan for a long time.  I've incorporated them into the daily plan, had 1 serving (no binging) and am feeling pretty good about it.  I haven't gained any weight, so I think I'm doing all right with it.  And I've eaten plenty of food in my life, let's face it, I've already had more than my share of scrapple, cheesecake, pie, etc. I'm ready to live without it for a long long time.

I'm beginning to believe that I will do better after surgery just doing without certain foods, rather than trying to find substitutes.  The flirtations I've had this week with SF pudding and a few other SF items have not been successful - I think the sugar substitutes just don't work in my body for some reason.  My ankles are puffy, I have some pretty interesting digestive anomalies going on, and I just don't feel that great, and since nothing else has changed, I'm attributing it to the SF desserts.

Soooooo, back to regular flan for dessert until surgery, then none.   Whomever said that being conscious is key was right - I'm eating at the table (not in front of the computer or TV) and paying attention instead of scarfing without thinking. 

Elizabeth

Thanks for all your kind words. It feels good to be able to set food boundaries. I wish I could have done that 25 years ago.