My advice to the newbies (or anyone for that matter) - long
Since we have a lot of new people here, I thought I'd just share some things I've learned or have worked for me along the way.
I started losing weight in July 2010. One day I sat at home, and I thought to myself that I'm dying. I googled WLS and finally decided it was time to go down that route (never ever considered it before). From that day on, I set my ultimate goal to be healthy - I never really had a "goal" to get WLS. I started making a lot of changes from the day forward, and over the next 11 months, I managed to lose 85 lbs through diet/exercise alone. It was not easy, i had some bad days/weeks/months, but overall made forward progress.
To the pre-ops:
- take advantage of this time to make the changes you will have to make post op. I don't mean eating 2 oz, practicing drinking 1oz sips, or chewing your food a million times or some other crazy things like that. Clean up your diet, get away from fast food, cut back/down on soda, alcohol and junk food. Think about your relationship with food and WHY you got to this point (why might be more important than how)
- lose as much weight as you can - its really important to be healthy for surgery. Statistics show that people with BMIs over 50 are at an increased risk for complications. This was a big motivation for me to lose as much weight as I could. But, you will feel great mentally and physically going into surgery. Much of this journey is mental - if you set some goals now, and accomplish them, you will have the confidence and mental strength to survive the rough times post op.
- set up your support network - Im not an advocate of hiding the surgery from people. There WILL be nay-sayers, but overall, you will be surprised at the support that comes pouring in. You will need support. You will be in a much better space if the people closest to you know and understand what you are doing and what you will need post-op. I am glad that I seperated from my DH before surgery because it gave me the space to do my own thing and not have to worry about his crap eating habits, but for those that have to deal with that, try and get your partners on board. If thats not possible, just prepare yourself to have the additional challenege of resisting temptations.
Post - op
- Prepare yourself to be uncomfortable. For so long, many of us ate to cover up a lot of emotions. Anger, sadness, happiness, stress, anxiety etc. This surgery will put you on the emotional roller coaster of your life. You will have some pain, discomfort, protein shakes will be nasty, you will get tired of eating the same things, but as long as your prepared to deal with those things immediately post op, you'll be okay. Each day gets better, and its only temporary. My life is pretty normal at almost 9 months out.
- I recommend 1/2 cup dishes for your meals and baby spoons. You will have to create a new "normal" in terms of portion sizes for meals.
- Get a food scale and measuring cups. I opted to spend more (rather than less) on these since I have to use them every day, several times a day.
- USE the food scale and measuring cups :) Its very important to weight/measure your food (and I still do religiously at 8-9 mo out). You don't want to eat too much - you'll notice some trends on OH about people whining because they are scared they stretched their stomach. Well, follow the rules and you wont have to become one of those people. Some advice from the VSG board - under eat your stomach's capacity. Dont worry about pushing the limits to see if you can "feel restriction". Just measure your food and go about your day. Your nerves will be cut and you may not feel anything for months, but don't let that put your health at risk by overeating.
- Follow your Drs plan (or find a reputable one online) for eating progression and a post-op diet. And use common sense - just because we are eating "protein first" doesnt mean that you need to eat pork rinds or some other werid stuff ive seen people choose to eat. Dont eat food full of sugar or fat just because it has protein in it.
Once you survive the first few weeks, you really need a PLAN to be succesful. You need to set goals for yourself. You can't wing this one.
This is not a diet - you need to make lasting changes, but it takes time. Be patient with yourself, dont expect perfection.
My #1 piece of advice and honestly the biggest part of my success (both pre and post op) is TRACKING your food. It's very easy after the first 6 weeks to start grazing or eating foods high in calories/carbs/fat, etc without knowing it. I have tracked every bite I have eaten since I started on puree stage. The one thing I have told myself is that no matter what I eat, I'm tracking it. My will power might die and I might cave in and eat a cookie (or 10) but it's going in my log. One, it keeps me accountable. It's painful to enter that, and sometimes will deter me. Two, I can go back and see why I gained/WL slowed down or whatever. I can see trends, if I need to make changes. But this process makes me 100% responsible for my weight loss- I can't hide in denial, I cant blame any one or anything.
It is a tiring process but I make it easier by packing all my food for the day and entering it before I leave the house. That way I dont have to think about it before I leave the house.
I cook all my food and freeze it on Sunday so I have no excuse not to pack a lunch. I eat out maybe 2-3 a month unless I take a weekend trip or have a lot going on. Eating out usually leads to me over eating, so I save it for special occassions - not because i'm too lazy to cook.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. I believe that 100%.
One of the hardest parts of this journey is surviving stalls and slow downs. It has been for me. The scale unfortunately has had more control over me emotionally than I'd like but I am at a point where I do not let it completely de-rail me. I do notice my eating gets a little worse when Im frustrated, but I work hard to stay on track. You really just need to know that stalls are part of the process, and as long as you are following your plan, it will break, and it will all work out in the end.
I have certain red lines that I won't cross in my life - they might be unique to me because they were big contributors to my morbid obesity, but for me -
- I will always track, no matter what.
- I will not get my food from a drive through (i make certain exception for taco bell beans and wendy's chili but even then, 90% of the time, I make myself go inside for those two things)
- I will not buy candy/chips/pizza -I might have some OUT but it will not enter my house
- I will not drink soda.
- I will not stop exercising- its not about weight loss, it's about health.
This is a tough process. Just have a plan, make goals, and stay positive.
I started losing weight in July 2010. One day I sat at home, and I thought to myself that I'm dying. I googled WLS and finally decided it was time to go down that route (never ever considered it before). From that day on, I set my ultimate goal to be healthy - I never really had a "goal" to get WLS. I started making a lot of changes from the day forward, and over the next 11 months, I managed to lose 85 lbs through diet/exercise alone. It was not easy, i had some bad days/weeks/months, but overall made forward progress.
To the pre-ops:
- take advantage of this time to make the changes you will have to make post op. I don't mean eating 2 oz, practicing drinking 1oz sips, or chewing your food a million times or some other crazy things like that. Clean up your diet, get away from fast food, cut back/down on soda, alcohol and junk food. Think about your relationship with food and WHY you got to this point (why might be more important than how)
- lose as much weight as you can - its really important to be healthy for surgery. Statistics show that people with BMIs over 50 are at an increased risk for complications. This was a big motivation for me to lose as much weight as I could. But, you will feel great mentally and physically going into surgery. Much of this journey is mental - if you set some goals now, and accomplish them, you will have the confidence and mental strength to survive the rough times post op.
- set up your support network - Im not an advocate of hiding the surgery from people. There WILL be nay-sayers, but overall, you will be surprised at the support that comes pouring in. You will need support. You will be in a much better space if the people closest to you know and understand what you are doing and what you will need post-op. I am glad that I seperated from my DH before surgery because it gave me the space to do my own thing and not have to worry about his crap eating habits, but for those that have to deal with that, try and get your partners on board. If thats not possible, just prepare yourself to have the additional challenege of resisting temptations.
Post - op
- Prepare yourself to be uncomfortable. For so long, many of us ate to cover up a lot of emotions. Anger, sadness, happiness, stress, anxiety etc. This surgery will put you on the emotional roller coaster of your life. You will have some pain, discomfort, protein shakes will be nasty, you will get tired of eating the same things, but as long as your prepared to deal with those things immediately post op, you'll be okay. Each day gets better, and its only temporary. My life is pretty normal at almost 9 months out.
- I recommend 1/2 cup dishes for your meals and baby spoons. You will have to create a new "normal" in terms of portion sizes for meals.
- Get a food scale and measuring cups. I opted to spend more (rather than less) on these since I have to use them every day, several times a day.
- USE the food scale and measuring cups :) Its very important to weight/measure your food (and I still do religiously at 8-9 mo out). You don't want to eat too much - you'll notice some trends on OH about people whining because they are scared they stretched their stomach. Well, follow the rules and you wont have to become one of those people. Some advice from the VSG board - under eat your stomach's capacity. Dont worry about pushing the limits to see if you can "feel restriction". Just measure your food and go about your day. Your nerves will be cut and you may not feel anything for months, but don't let that put your health at risk by overeating.
- Follow your Drs plan (or find a reputable one online) for eating progression and a post-op diet. And use common sense - just because we are eating "protein first" doesnt mean that you need to eat pork rinds or some other werid stuff ive seen people choose to eat. Dont eat food full of sugar or fat just because it has protein in it.
Once you survive the first few weeks, you really need a PLAN to be succesful. You need to set goals for yourself. You can't wing this one.
This is not a diet - you need to make lasting changes, but it takes time. Be patient with yourself, dont expect perfection.
My #1 piece of advice and honestly the biggest part of my success (both pre and post op) is TRACKING your food. It's very easy after the first 6 weeks to start grazing or eating foods high in calories/carbs/fat, etc without knowing it. I have tracked every bite I have eaten since I started on puree stage. The one thing I have told myself is that no matter what I eat, I'm tracking it. My will power might die and I might cave in and eat a cookie (or 10) but it's going in my log. One, it keeps me accountable. It's painful to enter that, and sometimes will deter me. Two, I can go back and see why I gained/WL slowed down or whatever. I can see trends, if I need to make changes. But this process makes me 100% responsible for my weight loss- I can't hide in denial, I cant blame any one or anything.
It is a tiring process but I make it easier by packing all my food for the day and entering it before I leave the house. That way I dont have to think about it before I leave the house.
I cook all my food and freeze it on Sunday so I have no excuse not to pack a lunch. I eat out maybe 2-3 a month unless I take a weekend trip or have a lot going on. Eating out usually leads to me over eating, so I save it for special occassions - not because i'm too lazy to cook.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. I believe that 100%.
One of the hardest parts of this journey is surviving stalls and slow downs. It has been for me. The scale unfortunately has had more control over me emotionally than I'd like but I am at a point where I do not let it completely de-rail me. I do notice my eating gets a little worse when Im frustrated, but I work hard to stay on track. You really just need to know that stalls are part of the process, and as long as you are following your plan, it will break, and it will all work out in the end.
I have certain red lines that I won't cross in my life - they might be unique to me because they were big contributors to my morbid obesity, but for me -
- I will always track, no matter what.
- I will not get my food from a drive through (i make certain exception for taco bell beans and wendy's chili but even then, 90% of the time, I make myself go inside for those two things)
- I will not buy candy/chips/pizza -I might have some OUT but it will not enter my house
- I will not drink soda.
- I will not stop exercising- its not about weight loss, it's about health.
This is a tough process. Just have a plan, make goals, and stay positive.
www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status
11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.
HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200 
85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
~~~~Alison~~~~~
AMEN!!!!!! I agree 1000% with the food tracking. Even if I have a bad day, I track it. If I have alcohol, I track it. (tracking my alcohol made me super aware of how many USELESS calories I could consume in one very small drink!!!)
Exercise, exercise, exercise.....If I dont lose another pound its about being healthy. I am amazed at how much energy I have. This is not just compared to my past but to people who are the same size I am now that dont exercise.
Thanks so much for the post. It really re-enforces my plan!!!!!
Exercise, exercise, exercise.....If I dont lose another pound its about being healthy. I am amazed at how much energy I have. This is not just compared to my past but to people who are the same size I am now that dont exercise.
Thanks so much for the post. It really re-enforces my plan!!!!!
Lots of 5K's, 10K's., 4 1/2 Marathons, 3 Sprint Triathlon done. 2 Olympics and my First IRONMAN 70.3 September 2013 and First Full Marathon Dec 2013 !!!!!
My blog- www.NPRunner.blogspot.com
Thanks - that's very practical advice.
I've been recording and measuring for a while now - used to do it quite well, then travel for work screwed me up and I stopped...but I got back on track about 45 days ago and have logged everything I've eaten, even when I didn't want to! It's true that it keeps you honest - if you know you're going to have to record those chocolates or chips, you think 2 or 3 times before eating...and I usually don't end up eating them.
I AM practicing some habits that I think are good ones we should all follow, like thoroughly chewing food to slow down the speed at which I eat. Bringing my lunch and snacks to work, cooking more. I'm doing a mild calorie restriction too to ease into things. Watching my macronutrient balance and my micronutrients.
After my carpal tunnel surgery (10 days from now, eek!) and recovery I'm going to contact the dietician my surgeon's office uses and start their weight loss program...so even if the surgeon ultimately turns me down because of non-weight related medical issues, I'll be on the right track again...I'm looking forward to losing enough weight to start exercising again!
I've been recording and measuring for a while now - used to do it quite well, then travel for work screwed me up and I stopped...but I got back on track about 45 days ago and have logged everything I've eaten, even when I didn't want to! It's true that it keeps you honest - if you know you're going to have to record those chocolates or chips, you think 2 or 3 times before eating...and I usually don't end up eating them.
I AM practicing some habits that I think are good ones we should all follow, like thoroughly chewing food to slow down the speed at which I eat. Bringing my lunch and snacks to work, cooking more. I'm doing a mild calorie restriction too to ease into things. Watching my macronutrient balance and my micronutrients.
After my carpal tunnel surgery (10 days from now, eek!) and recovery I'm going to contact the dietician my surgeon's office uses and start their weight loss program...so even if the surgeon ultimately turns me down because of non-weight related medical issues, I'll be on the right track again...I'm looking forward to losing enough weight to start exercising again!
Alison----
Great post---100% on target and your success proves it!!!! 
I'm another one----almost 2 years out and I don't think I've missed tracking a day. Even if you take one of those "no computer" vacations and don't have an app on your phone, you can still write down your foods and enter them later. It's the accountability that helps keep you on track!
That's awesome! I hope I can say the same thing in another year or so :)
You are definitely a model for success!!
You are definitely a model for success!!
www.sexyskinnybitch.wordpress.com - my journey to sexy skinny bitch status
11/16/12 - Got my Body by Sauceda - arms, Bl/BA, LBL, thigh lift.
HW 420/ SW 335 /CW 200 85 lbs lost pre-op / 135 post op
~~~~Alison~~~~~
Excellent advice! I tracked for the first 18months, and then I needed a break! I'm going to pick it back up after the Death Ride.
:Danni
:Danni
:Danni >>>AIDS/LifeCycle 10 & 11 Finisher: 545miles on the bike in 7 days <<<
HW390/SW340/CW 208/GW170
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