I got thru week 1 of the liquid diet and didnt kill my nieces!

Happy Friday, Hope everyone is doing well.

I have had a busy week entertaining my 13 and 15 year old nieces.

It was a lot of fun but definitely tried my patience a bit.

To start with, my air conditioner broke the first day they came, which is not fun in South Florida in April when our temperature is about 80 degrees in the day time and 75 at night.  I am used to this climate as I have lived here for 20 years but they came from up north and were not used to these balmy temps.

It took a day and a half to get it fixed and we were all happy when it was back.

On Wed, my 15 year old niece threw a tampon down my toilet and clogged it really bad. I wont get to graphic but it was really disgusting as it sat for 2 days until today and the bathroom was still being used by 3 of us when we really had to go. Thank god the landlord finally resolved it today as I was ready to go to a hotel.  It was really awful but the girls and I had some really good laughs about this and the look on the plumbers face was priceless when he saw what a job this was going to be. I have a very warped sense of humor.

The good news is I didnt stray from my liquid diet during any of this. I went out to eat every night with the girls and just had crystal light and one night i had chicken broth. We went to the movies twice,  (I love popcorn and I had none while they did) we went to my favorite restaurants and we celebrated my nieces 16th birthday with several of my friends and I ate nothing and it was ok.

Of course this makes me wonder whether i can just lose the weight myself since i had such willpower but I have always started well on a diet and gotten bored with it in a few weeks max. If I could have lost it on my own, i would have by now and I know this.

I actually realized last week I gained almost 23 lbs since the day I decided to go for this surgery. Whats up with that? Has anyone else gained in that period?

I am having some second thoughts about this but I know this is normal and i really appreciate everyones support and kind words these last few weeks. My mom comes next weekend and my ex is going to spend the night in the hospital with me the first night so I know I will be ok.

Ok, enough rambling from me. I guess I had a lot to say after being cooped up with 2 teenages for a week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Kevin

Kevin,

What an interesting week! Kudos to being able to stay on the liquid diet with all those trails you went through. Actually I gained 3 pounds during my 3 month supervised diet. I was doing OK until I went on a 1 week business trip where a vendor took us out every night. I did not fair well with the offer of free food and drink at 4 star restaurants.

I think people may gain during this time because all of their life they have turned to food for comfort in times of stress and uncertainty. That may be your case. Sure, most people start questioning their decision, especially during a time when they are on a restrictive diet losing weight. Just remember you have most likely tried this before and only had short term success.

The surgery is really a  step in making your life so much better. It isn't a total solution. It is a tool that will help you succeed. Looking back after 6 months, I think you will most likely feel the same.

Keep up the good work. Your surgery date will be here before you know it!

Tom

Thanks Tom!

Ohhhh, the dead air conditioner must have been very trying on the Northern teens . . . .  I lived in Gainesville for 7 years and it was horrible to live without air (post Hurricane Frances and Jeanne).  Of course, now, I might like it because I am freezing all the time.  Did the clog occur during the lack of air?  That could have been scary?

Glad to hear the liquid diet is going well.  Have you found any favorite proteins or Crystal Light?  I still find it a bit odd that my old favorites (like orange juice) are not appealing and I am obsessed with new treats (whipped cottage cheese).  Variety, I keep telling myself.  My surgeon/nutritionist really emphasized it for long term success.  After making the decision, I gained weight like you.  I think part of the reason for my weight gain prior to surgery had to do with trying to fulfill these obsessions.  I definitely gained about 15 lbs after making the decision; I never really successfully lost during the supervised period prior to surgery.  I was so afraid of the deprivation - which has not been a problem at all.  I do worry that my lack of variety may become a problem.  But, I keep telling myself the tasty cottage cheese with salsa can be had anytime . . . I don't need more now!

You know Kevin, I had to lose 60 pounds before my surgery and I hit that goal right before surgery.  Everyone was asking me that if I can do that on my own then why have surgery.  The big question is how LONG can you keep that mentality up before you give up, get tired of it and go back to old habits?  The goal of having surgery was like a carrot dangling in front of me and something that I needed to get to.  I'm the type of person that I needed something to FORCE me to change my habits and the combination of the regiment I was on for a year before surgery and after surgery was the key to my success with the surgery.  You have to reprogram your brain in order to cope with the changes that is going to happen and to be honest, i think two weeks is too short of a time period to give your brain a chance to re-wire itself.  this is totally a behavior change, your views on food have to change in order to be successful.  your willpower can only do so much and then you will need to have something in place to keep that momentum going.....your surgery will help you with that.

You're doing wonderfully and I'm sure that you are going to be very successful with your surgery!

Thanks Aaron, I am glad you are back!

Thing is after surgery, I can pu**** but not much - tummy's too tiny. So I keep eating 6 bites or less and loosing weight. We are coming up on 5 months and it's still working. Never could keep up the regime to loose weight long term before I had surgery. Willpower gives out, motivations get shaky, things get stressful - and the tiny tummy just keeps traveling through it all with me.

And I don't think I could have met the presurgical weight loss requirements if I didn't have a gallbladder flair up right at the beginning of the prequalifying period.