What surprised you the most after you had your VSG surgery?

It could be. They aren't people I see very often, so it could just be surprising to them...

I was surprised at the super heightened sense of smell I had in the first few weeks after WLS. It subsided, but once in a while it seems to kick in a bit.

I am surprised that I crave fish and coffee now. In the past, I would eat fish periodically (white and mild only or shellfish) and I would drink one cup of coffee a day to wake up. Now I seriously crave both and like a lot of fish I wouldn't eat previously (like salmon).

I was and am surprised that PS became acceptable to me and I was willing to pay for it.

That's so interesting about the sense of smell and cravings. I am amazed by all of the stories of people sharing how different their palettes become after surgery.

Do you think the difference in your thinking on PS is that you now see it as a tool like WLS?

Definitely on the PS!

You have gotten amazing answers and I relate to do many. Gwen's list was awesome.

• Surprised that there are foods I used to crave/love that I don't miss at all. Pizza, bagels, pasta.... I've enjoyed them when I had them, but no obsession.
• Surprised by Exercise! Love hiking, running, lifting weights going to the gym. Who is this woman?
• Surprised I am a normal weight. I really couldn't visualize it. I haven't been this weight since elementary school. I'll be 60 on my next birthday.
• Surprised I had Plastic surgery. It wasn't really a thought starting out.
• Surprised at the awesome friends I've made because of WLS world. Didn't see that coming. Or coming to this forum daily.
• Suprised like DCgirl said that I don't have to think so hard about life. I can spend a day walking around Manhattan with my WLS friends and log in 12 Miles with no worries.
• I was also surprised by - I think it was a Julie who said it- basically my thin privilege... I didn't realize how much I was being discriminated against until I wasn't.

#lovemynewlife

Your list is fantastic! I'm so amazed by the numbers of people that say they love exercising after surgery. Why do you think you like it now more so than before your surgery?

Paige

I think it happens gradually.... I had over 200lbs to lose do I didn't suddenly love exercise.

Part of my 'rules' was 30 minutes activity everyday. So at first I would walk some, I considered a power shopping trip my exercise or I would put my stove timer on and dance in the kitchen.... when I finally lost 100lbs and felt like I could do more it was winter so I used a trampoline I had in the house and just jumped 45 minutes a day while watching TV. When I bought it years before I could never do more than 5 minutes.

In summer set timer so I was doing 30 active minutes in pool... then discovered 21-day-fix not the diet the exercise loved that and changed it up with several other beach body videos.

I like to change it up and I always feel, like with what we eat- it needs to be sustainable long term.

I think when you finally get down to a normal or near normal weight you have this freedom in your body you never experienced before.... it's exciting. I have a gym bucket list :) This was one of them. 50 years in the making from when I couldn't do them in elementary school -

What surprised me was how much I hated sweet things like the protein drinks. Chocolate Truffle was hideous! And how not hungry I was for a very long time.

My experience is detailed in my blog page. I am coming up on 8 years now and have NEVER regretted this. Diane s

It surprised me how easy it was to pass up food that I previously would have killed for. Sweets and high carb stuff was of little interest. But that was nearly 8 years ago and now its harder to pass up that stuff. Wish I could get a dose of those early days again. Even so, its all well worth it and I am glad I did it. Diane S