Veteran's please explain

I am going to be brutally honest. I have a lot of friends from other points and places in my world who have had WLS. The two that hit home for me both involve a lot of regain and both had RNY. It really made it hard for me to ever consider WLS in the past. It is scary to see someone able to consume that amount if you know it shouldn't be possible. It is equally scary to know someone who grazed their way though 3-4 cups of turkey over night.

Don't get me wrong... There are way more success stories in the mix and I am glad there are so many of them. They changed my opinion of it. Especially when I found out that VSG was an option (because of my own medical requirements i.e. allergies).

Look... I am going to say it like this:

We make the choices as to how we want to live. You clearly do not want to make those negative choices so don't. It might not be easy but clearly you work on it.

We have always been faced with decisions. It is how we deal with them that changes... I VERY RECENTLY commented that I had never tried a little Debbie cup cake thing when a conversation was going on about them, and how I had only tried a twinkie when I was 26 years old. I got a look of disbelief and was told "we all got this way because of how we ate..." and I replied that my weakness was Kielbasa, and Cheese (which we are allowed to have in moderation)... But 250g of Kielbasa, and a portion of a brick of cheese, with a box of triscuts... In an afternoon... Is not moderation.

I guess I am saying this because it is not just "what" but "how much" and sometimes both.

I chose to stop doing that... I CHOSE to commit to portion control pre-op. Am I perfect? No. Am I doing it... yep. I stopped doing it, and there is no way I could eat that much in a sitting now. Why could I before? Because I constantly pushed the limit to be able to.

Just like someone would be able to if they pushed it hard post-op. Maybe not a double big mac meal, with large fries, a large pop, a snack wrap, mcdouble, and a mcflurry (I've seen this ordered and consumed)... But clearly it is possible to wash ones food down with pop and eat a big mac, and fries with it.

It is in your hands... But I think being a bit scared of the idea is a good thing. It keeps your head on the goal.

Agreed. All about choices.

And you are one of those who inspires me to make the better choices... just a FYI,

I could put quite a bit of that away especially if I drank with it.  Drinking helps flush things out faster.   Hence you can fit in more.  I've always been able to eat quite a bit of food - nothing ever stuck or not tolerated.   Sometimes too easy.  

The bigger component here is food and head issues.  After a few years many people struggle with eating as a coping

mechanism and as pleasure. 

I can't imagine eating a big mac and fries and soft drink ... yikes, my pouch hurts just thinking about it ;)

I'm 18 mos out of surgery, I"m definitely eating more than I used to be able to, but it's portion control and good choices.  Lately my choices have been lousy, sometimes I'll indulged in a cheeseburger fr McDonald's with a little big mac sauce, or fries and I do occasionally have a small can of diet Pepsi, but the glass has to be half filled with ice to water it down some.   

I'm still only 18 mos out, but I've been able to maintain my weight loss of 120 pds and I'm hoping that I can change some of theses food choices that I have been making lately.  I've developed a chocolate addiction that I didn't have pre-op and am trying to get into see the behaviorist and psychologist at my center to help with that.  It really is about being conscious of the choices you make and how you want to deal with them.  We all new it was going be a challenge after, but you're aware of what you're doing and putting your foot down!  :)

I'm hoping at the 2 yr mark (March 2013) that I can still say I've maintained my current weight and hopefully down another 5 would be great :)

Amy

Go Amy!