2/24/08

People asking me for nutrition advice. What to eat, when to eat, how much.....I never know what to say because I can't eat everything most people can. Gets somewhat annoying. CHEERS! Katy

Hello Lea the most surprising thing about post op life is that friends and family members always come to me if they need advice on nutrition and how to build a workout routine for them. they also ask me about what kind of vitamins to take. which is very flattering. i really enjoy helping them I am also surprised how people treat me after post op ... they open doors for me, they look at me in the eyes it is very different now , its like they notice me more. i kind a like it also i don't feel the need to live to eat anymore. i simple eat to live. i don't struggle anymore with eating now. That is a biggy for me, because i really loved to eat in the pass. i lived for every minute of the day to eat. and now ... its wonderful not to struggle with foods anymore. i am so satisfied and comfy with my diet plan. those 3 are the most surprising things in my post op life hugss Lizzy

One of the biggest surprises for me is that I did not turn into a different person like I truely thought I would. I really believed that I would develope a love for exercise and that I would have this endless amount of energy after surgery and I have not had either one. It has been a huge disappointment for me. When pre op and new out of surgery I would read all the posts on OH about how members just feel in love with exercise and how they had more energy then they knew what to do with. For some how they never craved another carb or wanted to eat the wrong thing. I thought that would be how it would be for me too. Well not the case. Sally

I'd go along with many other posters - it's the way people treat me now... I try to tell myself that it's because I feel better about myself and am comfortable with myself, but I think we all have suspicions that it's because the obese are not "worthy" of common courtesy. I love post-op life - I'm on cloud nine today!

1. My recovery was extremely easy, not even the most minor problem, & my weight came off pretty consistently. Since I was 54 at the time of my wls, I anticipated I might have a little harder time and might not lose so well. 2. Maintenance is w-a-y harder than I anticipated. I thought I had read & heard a lot about it and thought I "knew" the reality of wls NOT being a miracle solution. I did SO well for the first 1 1/2 to 2 yrs. But until faced w/ the struggles of maintaining after that first 18 mo. or so, I really didn't realize how hard it would be for me personally. And because I don't dump, I just plain have to be disciplined about the food choices and amounts. And that certainly doesn't always happen. 3. I'm shocked that I have been as good about exercising. (So is everyone else who knows me.) I detested--and still do--every form of exercise, so the fact that I have gone to the gym for 3 yrs. now (with a couple relatively brief "lapses" in commitment!) is just unbelievable to me. And when it's nice out, I also walk regularly for about an hr. and ride bikes fairly frequently.

Even though I'm only about halfway to my goal weight, I feel closer to "normal" than I ever have in my life. When I am out in public, I don't feel like people are staring at me because of my size.

How quickly people forgot that I have always been the same person, just larger....

The most surprising thing so far has got to be that I dont care for food the same way I used to anymore. I eat for fuel, because I know its time, etc. LB P.S. I like it this way!

How quickly my weight is coming off and how my body is changing. One big thing I notice is the difference in my face when I look back to when I was younger and smaller I had a more rounder face but now it's long...kinda odd. Kellie

I think the most surprising thing for me is how peopel react to me now. Before I would just sit in the corner and not be noticed and now I'm out there and everyone talks to me and invites me to do things; it's awesome!!!! Also, I think what's surprising to me is how well I've managed to keep up my willpower since having my weight loss surgery. Will power has never been anything I've been good at before. Michele