Post-surgery

I am so lucky I was able to have WLS. I know it is not a cure for my eating. My head work is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

A lot of doctors do the surgery on us leave us with a food plan. When I read mine it had grilled cheese on the menu at four weeks out from surgery.

Luckily I had this website for help. I changed my eating habits. Did I have mishaps? Yes I did.

I wish I would have used my honeymoon period to my advantage. I did lose a lot of weight. I do feel better. I did stall my weight loss. By starting to drink alcohol and think I was okay to half of this and that.

Listening to the vets on how to make sure you are learning to eat right after surgery. I didn't realize how crucial that was. I am still losing weight. It is a lot harder at three years out than it was at three months. My weight can go up and down with salt and retaining water.

I have a food addiction. It is just as bad or worse than my alcoholism. I would hide my food and eat. I would eat late at night when no one was around to see me.

Sometimes those feelings of wanting to hide and eat come back. I do get scared. I should be scared. I do not want to become the person I was before. I am not saying I am a horrible person. The dark places that our heads can go sometimes can be not a great place to be.

Working with a therapist has helped many ways with weight loss. It has helped me also out with dealing with issues in life that can be hard sometimes. Life can throw some crap at us and it can be hard to not go to food or other things for comfort.

Seeking professional help is not something to feel shame about. I know for me it validates how I feel. Sometimes I feel crazy.

Trying to figure out if I am really hungry or am I just in a funk at times. Drinking something before eating has helped me. I know I am getting in my liquids if I do this daily.

Coming here and posting and reading has helped me also. Everyone here wants us to do well. Sometimes advice may seem har**** is not most of the time.

Focusing on healthy eating after weight loss does help later on. We are all different and have totally different issues. But we all want to lose weight and get healthy.

Eating right will help out down the road. Not saying we can have certain things again. For me I can not have any crap in the house. Just like I don't have any wine in the house.

The vets here can help us. Just reach out if you feel you are having a hard time. Even the newbies can help on giving encouragement.

Excellent, excellent post!!!! I wi**** had a more detailed title, to lead people in. Can you enhance it? EVERYONE needs to read this...no matter what juncture, of their journey, they are in!!!

There were a FEW peeps around, right here on OH, when I was a newbie, but very few, and most were only a year or two out. These people helped me more than they will ever know. There were times I was sure I was dying....but it was a trapped gas bubble...but a really BIG one!!!!

I try to be sweet, and patient, with the drama mamas, and the attention hoes....Sometimes you just have to pass by the parade...You can't fix stupid, but you can pray...

I didn't always LIKE, what experienced people had to say, but I listened...and I learned. I didn't always do everything correctly...and I SUFFERED, for it....

I consider myself somewhat blessed, to not have dual addictions. Mine is still "just" food...

But...that is plenty

Thank you Gina. I am embarrasses to say I threw away my toaster. I can have bread in the house. But with the toaster. And real butter. Can't do it.

Thank you for this post.