The View from Your Future

Hi all
I stumbled onto OH nearly 3 years ago while researching vsg and weight loss surgery in general. What a great resource! At that time there were only about 15 posts per day on the vsg forum as most insurance didn't cover it and the procedure was just beginning to be recognized for the great advance in wls that it is.

So I "devoured" every bit of information I could find and 10 months later had the procedure, feeling I was as prepared as I could be but still in for many new discoveries.

Nearly two years later I am below the goal set by my surgeon and my own secret goal. This surgery has been life changing for me in so many ways. So as a thank you to OH and those who helped me when I was getting started, I am setting forth the things I think were most important in succeeding. None of these are new ideas: just the ones that helped me most:

1. Be mentally prepared to change your relationship with food for the rest of your life. This sounds like a tall order but is critical for permanant ha*****ange which is the key to long term success. I did this by thinking about this for a long time and reminding myself of all the food I had eating and excellent dining experiences that I had had, but that I had done this at the expense of my health. It was time to trade in the pretty much unlimited eating habits for some more reasonable ones. In exchange, I received much improved health. I keep reminding myself of this deal I made and how it really is a good deal - like getting a Mercedes for a bargain price. Some may need counseling to get to this mental point and thats fine. Just don't rush into surgery before you are mentally prepared. Have a few food funerals if you need to but put those pig out days behind you.

2. Follow your doctors orders exactly. You spent a lot of money and went through a lot to get this surgery. Why on earth would you not follow up by doing exactly what you are told by getting in fluids and protein, not eating things off program or not taking supplements. Some of it is unpleasant and hard to do but just do it. If you are really finding it impossible to follow the program, call the doctor or dietician. Not only are you helping yourself heal but you are preserving your health down the road and changing your habits.

3. Keep the carbs down during weight loss phase. Some doctors are more restrictive on this issue than others. But many of us got into our weight problems by eating excess carbs and sugar and during weight loss phase is a time to sort of mentally detox from this dependancy. During the first 6 months I really had little interest in much of the way of carby foods and because my doctor's program said stay away from them, I did. Now that they are more tempting and I could tolerate them, I have gotten out of the habit of those foods and into the habit of "I don't eat that stuff" just like I dont eat black licorice. Because I developed this habit over a year during weight loss phase, it is now second nature and much easier to follow than had I occasionally stepped away from my doctors program. No, it wasn't always easy but just take it a day at a time and you can stand anything for a day or two.

4.  Don't stuff your sleeve. Early on you will find that one day you can eat a whole egg and the next day you will puke after half. Its normal for capacity to seem to change. Focus on learning the signals when you have had enough and don't keep eating just because its in your measured protion. Do measure your portions but be prepared to stop if you are sated before finished. Before surgery most of us considered ourselves full when we were actually stuffed. Learn to stop before that point.

5. Add exercise. This is something I gotta admit I failed at though I did do curves for awhile. I was a slow loser and think I would have lost faster had I had more exercise. I did become much more active which helped.

6.  Get support from OH, a support group, your family, or any possible source. Studies show those with follow up from physicians and support groups do better long term.

7. Learn to cook and grocery shop. Some people become obese in part because much of their food is take out and restaurant food or convenience foods or because he/she depends on someone else to obtain and prepare food. Every wls patient should know how to make simple high protein nutritious meals for him or herself even if he/she is not the usual family cook. Learning this helps you to understand what goes into a proper meal and how to get one if no one else is available. Frisco has posted so many wonderful examples.

8.  Journal food with calories, protein and carbs. Start this the day after surgery and keep it up through goal and maybe beyond. It can be a simple tiny notebook (I am in volume 6) or a computer app, but do it. Its too easy to forget about items or in my case, to not get enough protein unless I keep track and take steps to adjust if I am short on protein. Even at nearly two years I still have an occasional protein shake if I have a day I am short. As my surgeon says, protein is the engine that runs everything and even after reaching goal you still need 70g. It also keeps you from eating crummy stuff as dense protein is so filling.

Well thats about it. Enjoy your journey.

Diane

Thanks so much. Very informative. I really needed that!

Thanks, Diane, great tips and some food for thought.

I want to back-up what you said about following the program. I have tried to be 100% and have come close because I know if I start bending the rules occasionally I'll soon be breaking them daily!

Instead of looking for reasons to give yourself permission to push the boundaries, just remind yourself what you've been through to get here and why you're doing this. I know the good habits are starting to become just that with me: habits.

Also, watch here for great recipes and bookmark them. There as a simple one for very low carb crab cakes on the VSG board last night, I think.

Great post, Diane!  Thanks for sharing it.

It has taken me some time to learn #4.  Don't stuff your sleeve.  I am not sure why, but I've always felt like I needed to eat until stuffed.  I'm slowly learning that is what got me in trouble, so why keep doing it??  I serve myself small portions and even then, it doesn't mean I have to eat everything in front of me.  Like right now.  I have a grilled chicken salad.  1.5 oz chicken, sprinkle of cheese, a few bits of hard boiled egg, some lettuce.  I have eaten most of it, but just feel... done.  So I'm going to stop.  Not full, not stuffed, just done.

And you know what?  I'm fine!  I don't need to fill some other void with food.  How freeing.

Great points Diane. I have followed most of thoose point throughout my years, first being banded and then after being revised to the sleeve...I believe they have led to my success.

The greater challenge for me now is maintenance. I have gone from 275 pounds and a size 24/26 to 144 pounds and a size 6. I have been maintaining for about 2 months, although I think I am still losing a little bit here and there, but every now and then, I can feel the old self sabotage creep in and I fight it tooth and nail.

Therapy is the best advice you can give, we all need to deal with why we got so overweight in the first place before we can overcome those issues. WLS wont fix them, it will only make it easier to eat smaller portions, and over time we can eat more. So for me, I have to stay away from my trigger foods like sugar as much as possible and not stuff my sleeve to make sure I keep my good habits and stay at goal.

Thanks for this post. It not only helps the newbies but people like me who are over 3 years out.

Thanks, Diane. I am scheduled to get sleeved in 6 weeks and have printed out your post, so I can refer to it in hard copy from time to time once I'm post-op.  Very helpful and candid. 
Kelly

Diane,

This is an awesome post! Thank you does not seem like big enough words to express the gratitude for this post!  We love and respect our "veteran" sleevers.  This is the best advice a "rookie" could ask for. I'm printing it out and putting with my journal I have created of my weight loss experience.   Thanks again and know your post is a blessing to me and I'm sure many, many others.

Kindest Regards,

ETXGrit

Great advice thank you! I come here to read things like this, see the pictures, hear the things that help people get success. It's a process for sure of learning, and every day I have to re-evaluate and remember to stick to it.

Thank you!

Hi Diane!  it's great to see your post.  wonderful list and i strive to follow the guidelines.  right now i find myself lacking.  my guidelines from the NUT were basically 60 g protein and don't worry about much else as long as you eat 1200 calories.  so, easier to get in trouble!

gotta get my sh** together and your post really reminded me.  gonna bookmark it right now!

Thank you, Diane.  The doctors and nuts are smart, but I am way more inspired and responsive to people who have actually *done* the work.  My doctor is a great surgeon but has never been overweight in his life, and so I really appreciate the guidance of folks who have already walked this path.  There is something very powerful about getting help from people who you *know* understand what you're going through.  Thank you for all you do.