2 months out

So just over 2 months out - haven't been on here very much so I have come on for an update and a little support.

I feel like I never had the surgery - I can more or less eat anything (still haven't tried sweets because I don't want to know that I can).  But the only difference in eating is that I eat smaller portions.

I am worried that because I am not a dumper I am going to keep my habits and never lose the weight!  I know it is not meant to be easy but geez I didn't think it'd be so hard to change my whole way of living.

Keep telling myself that when I am settled in my new home I will be able to take the time to focus on me and my eating (our family just got a military posting so trying to gt the house ready to sell/move/etc.)

I would love to hear how you get through the busy patches in your life when you only have 10 minutes for yourself a week.  How do you remind yourself to make the best choices not the easiest ones even when you are exhausted?

I'm going to be straight with you here.  This is the way it is going to be for MOST OF US for life.  This is the long term reality of this surgery....and if you are pushing the envelope now, it will only get worse long term and it will become easier to slip the further out you are.  Kind of like the way a diet is so easy to stick to the first few weeks -- then long term, it is easy to let it all go to hell in a handbag.  (I'm not making a judgement in any way and not saying you are doing anything wrong...but I'm just saying it gets HARDER, not easier).

Here's the thing:

Resolve yourself NOW to get to goal.  There's no magic to surgery. No new "feeling" other than restriction "I eat smaller portions".  That's it.  THAT is the tool that you got.  Dumping wasn't promised.  Ever.

It's going to absolutely be about the habits that you establish now.  It's all about the choices that you make now. All about what you choose to put in your mouth.  There's no magic.  It is what it is -- and that's why the centre has pushed so much about "making changes" before surgery. 

This is FRICKIN hard for many of us long term. 

The great news?

Damn... it's early and you have lots of restriction. USE IT WELL.  You have malabsorption.  This is your chance now.  If you don't feel terribly hungry, focus on the nutritious foods. Don't open pandora's box and touch all the sweets.  Once you get it, there's no turning back for so many. Keep it out.  Focus on a new relationship with food. Focus on LOVING veggies and fruits and whatever....Use this powerful time.  Keep the carbs low (lose faster).  Exercise (start a healthy habit now).  This is what is going to make and break you --- what habits you work on and establish NOW.  Habits are a powerful thing.  (There's a great book on the best seller list right now that I'm reading).  You totally have the tools right now --- you choose to build the house with your tools or you can leave the tools and let them collect dust).  It's all about choices and damn the world is your oyster right now :)

You've gotta start today.  You can't put it off and say, "I'll focus on me later".  There will ALWAYS be something that gets in the way. You have to start now. THIS IS YOUR TIME!   You have to make time for you.  There's always time in there somewhere to play with.  Sometimes you have to ask others for help too :)

I wish you all the best!!!  You have a great opportunity. Don't let it slip by. No regrets! You're a rock star!!!

Dawn

Thanks for the honesty dawn. 

I sometimes just need to hear it from someone else- it is what it is and it only gets harder.

I am trying my very best to make the best choices and I don't keep any junk in the house because it is just one more thing I would have to worry about being tempted by.

Sometines I jus feel like I am failing because others are losing faster than I am. And I am not tracking my intake like I was in the beginning.

Oh Hun.  Comparisons steal our joy.  Try not to judge.  I was one of the worlds slowest losers myself.  

You did hit a key point though. You really gotta track if you want to have the best results.  You have to know what you are doing.   That means looking at your totals.  You could be eating too much. You could be eating not enough. 

Myfitnesspal is awesome.  I really cannot stress how powerful a tool it is -especially when it comes to calories and your food percentage breakdown.  Early out for some, believe it or not, you can be eating too much or too little.  Measuring and recording is key 

try tomorrow.  Then use the little pie chart graph.  I wouldn't have any more than 30% of your diet from from carbs.  I'd have at least 40% protein. No more than 800-1000 calories. 

Try it for a day and see how you are doing.  

Thanks the 1st month I tracked religiously and I haven't been since my 1 month follow up because they wouldn't give me any values to go by - what was the point of tracking if i don't know what my goal is?!

This is one beef that I have with the Ontario centre.  Much like my centre, they say "protein first" but don't give guidelines.  My centre did not either and without realizing it, I'm pretty sure that I was eating/drinking too many carbs.  Some of my counterparts of the time, got guidelines spelled out from their centre on this and they lost way faster than me.  It seemed I had to do a lot more to lose a lot more.  

Some Dieticians are more new age than others and some have been given guidelines.  I'm starting to think too that there is just room for other ways of eating than the old food pyramid or rainbow that it is now known as.   But don't get me started on that either. Lol

Dawn ...... Do you have some "better" guidelines for us post ops that we could perhaps use? I really do appreciate your honesty and advice. I also don't have guidelines regarding daily carb totals etc. I have been like many of us been told to focus on getting my protein in but not much in the way of maximum carb intake for the day. As I am able to eat a little more....this will be important for my success.

Thanks, Tara

My friends in the states were told less than 30 per meal.  Around 100 a day. 

Ive see. Low carbers aim for 50 or less a day.  A more reasonable number tends to be 50-70 a day.  The thing is find what works for you. 

Awareness of carbs is key.  When you aren't moving on the scale, take a look. Watch for crackers and 100 calorie packs and the like getting in the way of lose. Make sure that you are really focusing on protein. 

Wow, information is all over the board. I was told by RD today that I should aim for 50-70g of carbs for myself as I am PCOS and I normally should consume about a 1/10 of regular carb intake of around 200-250, so like 20-25. So I actually would be consuming more carbs post-op than is suggested pre-op for my case (huh ?) and for majority she said it should be around a 100g

 to what Dawn said.....I would also like to invite you to take 5-10 minutes every morning and post your food plan for the day on the What are you doing/eating Today....daily thread......we will all be honest with you if you honestly put your food choices and amounts in a list

Grab those first 6 months and try to put yourself first....or at least near the top of your list as a priority......there are no "do-overs" with surgery and no re-chance for those first 6 months

We all want you to succeed......really really try and make yourself a priority

All the best....