Need Help Staying in Control of my Diet

Everyone *****plied wants to help you to succeed. Please let us do that.

Hello Crystal!

As you can see from the replies so far, this is a very complicated issue. I had RNY surgery 10 + years ago and have learned a thing or two along the way. Let me just break out a few main thoughts:

• Eating once or twice a day is part of the problem. We are human and our bodies need to be fueled regularly (example: I can't say I only put gas in my car once a month and effectively drive everywhere I need to go). I suggest eating a small meal every 3 waking hours. This will even out your metabolism and prepare you for the type of eating plan you will do if you move forward with WLS.
• Log your food. The free version of My Fitness Pal will do fine. Be honest and log every single thing you eat. Log your water intake. Even if it's not a pretty picture, you will be able to establish a really good baseline of your food intake. I dare say most of us discovered we were eating a lot more than we realized.
• Step away from the processed foods. You know they're not the best choices. Even if you eat a lot, eating a lot of fruit or whole grains or eggs or fish will be better fuel for your body than eating a lot of cereal, cookies, or quick meals out of a box.
• Yes, see a bariatric specialist as soon as you can. Run, don't walk. If you are directed to lose 100-200 lbs prior to surgery, the practice should be prepared to help you with that through their nutritionist staff. Your insurance may require you to have a medically supervised weight loss program documented prior to surgery, and this would fulfill that requirement.
• The bariatric specialist will likely order a full workup on other factors such as the thyroid issue, blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, liver function, and much more. Your own assessment of what's going on may not be the full picture. The doc will want and need the full picture.
• Even if you have WLS - wow, it's not fast and easy every step, every day. You see the dramatic stories of weight loss....but look carefully and you will see stories of stalls and regain and frustration. WLS is a tool, but not a magic wand.
• There is a huge psychological factor in our eating disorder. And yes, it is an eating disorder that takes us through the door of a surgeon. You will have to have a psychological evaluation prior to surgery and in fact may benefit from doing that as soon as you can (again, via the bariatric practice). This will save some time in the approval process because insurance may require it, and will also get your head into the space that can be prepared for life changing surgery.
• It's not essential to "like" your doctor, but it is essential to trust your doctor. Your doctor may tell you some things you don't want to hear. Your doctor may serve up some hard truths. The point is not whether you like hearing these things. The point is whether you would trust this doctor's training, experience, and guidance in making decisions that will quite honestly save your life.

I could go on....but I hope that's helpful food for thought.

Apps like myfitnesspal are a great way to make sure we know exactly how much we are eating. You just have to type in the name of the food and measure your portion size and the app tracks the calories and nutritional info. It is pretty easy to do.

You have gotten some really good information here. Please follow through. I want everyone to take care of his/her health. We all deserve to be healthy!!

Hi Cyrstal - I've skimmed through this post and the responses. Please accept my reply from just other previous fat person who was helped by WLS. Obviously I don't know your situation so some of my suggestions may not work for you and if it's already been said, I apologize for the repetition.

I doubt you're seeing people post about losing 100's of pounds in 6 months without surgery. That's impossible so don't expect that to happen to you. Yes, once you have WLS that is definitely possible - it happened to me. Also we're all different, we've all had different types of surgeries so everyone will have a different outcome.

One of the first things I learned when I decided that WLS was what I needed was learn and understand WHY I was in the situation to begin with. You need to take ownership of your 655 pounds - it doesn't matter WHY but it's important to learn WHY so you can change that behavior. If you have the ability and opportunity I highly recommend professional therapy (most insurance requires a psych evaluation anyway so you might as well get started now - it will only help you in the long run).

You need to learn about the food your putting in your mouth (both now and in the future). Read labels. Understand what carbohydrates do to your body. What protein does. Which fruits and veggies are good to eat and which ones are not good.

You might want to start with something like Jenny Craig or Nutrasystems. Something that controls portion size and content (my sister had a lot of success with Jenny Craig).

I don't know if you live in a small town or a big city. Seek out a bariatric clinic - maybe support meetings are available. If not, check out OA and see if is an option for you.

There are solutions for your situation. It's just finding the right one. You've come to a good place.

This is something I struggled with for years - you really, really have to want to do this. That's why I'm a firm believer in therapy -- because it forces you to look at your life from a different perspective. You may not like what you see but you have a professional guiding you along the way.

One last thing - losing weight will not change your life. I expected my life to completely change when I went from 320 pounds to 150 pounds. The only thing that changes was my health. I'm still the same exact person I was before - only thinner and healthier (and happier because I'm not carrying an additional 175 pounds around with me all day).

Thank you for your post I have already contacted the South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center today. I was told I had to watch a video seminar or do one in person before I can get actual appointment.

So I did the video seminar and someone will contact me with appointment date. Truly I don't know why I overeat; I don't remember experiencing anything bad happening in my life beside losing my brother and father. I have a loving family so maybe it's just me choosing to eat. But I know I have to make a change and I have already started. I know it won't be easy.

It absolutely won't be easy but you've taken the first step.

Do me a favor and go back and read your original post on this thread and then reread the last paragraph you replied back to you. Therapy isn't because you had a bad experience. Therapy is to help guide you when you're troubled, or depressed, or searching for something new. It can be about understanding why you feel guilty about something you really shouldn't feel guilty about (that was my reason) and how to change your thinking. It's about knowing it's OK to say no to someone. Obviously it's about many things because we're all different and each and every one of us sometimes needs help from others - whether it's a friend, or a therapist, or a co-worker, or a family member.

You're taken the first step.

I didn't know that is what it is for; to help me in thoses ways. Thank you for letting me know.

Crystal,

You have been given very good suggestions and advice. It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to support each other in weight loss and maintenance. Sadly, what may work for one may not work for another-or even you.

It was mentioned and I think kind of got lost in all the physical things you need to do. It is not only "what you are eating", it's is also and perhaps even more so "What is eating you?" Again, it's not only "what you are eating", but even more so "what is eating you?"

Please, go to therapy. Over eating, drinking, drugs, sex, etc are just symptoms, things that are the result of, or just mask what ever is at the root. Our bodies do not just crave thousands of calories from youth on!? There must of been a moment, a situation, or an action to pinpoint? And no, I do not want you to nor expect you to open up your life to a forum. But please consider therapy.

On 600 lb life, which I know is sensationalized, fat-shaming, and as someone mentioned, actually "abusing", but, the point I get is that once the participants go to therapy they began to shed weight-physically, as well as emotionally and psychologically. I'm not a Dr, nor an expert in anything other than 'Weight-loss failure', and my opinion is just that "my opinion", but please at least think about therapy, preferably with a therapist who have dealt with those who are health-challenged. You can do this Crystal! In a couple of years you'll be giving advice and suggestions on this very forum!

Thank you for your advice and I know first hand what works for others doesn't work for me. I have tried other people diet plans and diet pills they say work and none of them work.

Crystal, I wanted to follow up and see how you're doing, and where you are in your thinking about all of this. I know that many *****plied here are concerned about you and rooting for you!