What Scares you about WLS??

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for having the courage to say this. It is NOT corny if it works for you. I have talks with myself all the time.  We have choices ALL the time in our life.  Once you have the restriction food will NO longer control you.  You will now control food.  That is the best way I know to put it.  I NEVER have the feeling of hunger.  I have to remind myself to eat and if I am busy I forget all about eating. 

Remember I am always here when you have a bad time or want to talk about any of your fears or have any questions.

Hugs,
Suzanne

Girl,

You are the reason this forum works.

Thanks for your kindness.

Sharon

Hi Sharon,

Awww thanks.  I try to post at least 4 or 5 times a week and I always try to read my E-mails everyday.  I want people to know that they can be just as successful.  I am a regular person just like the rest of you.

Keep doing all the right things.  Be kind to yourself, you deserve it.

Hugs,
Suzanne

Thank you for posting this! The first half of your post could have been written by me except for the age...I too have always thought that WW has a healthy overall plan, but I just can't seem to stick with it beyond about 15-20 pounds. (And I, too, have restarted it numerous times...probably at least 15.) I am planning for VSG in June when school gets out, and I appreciate your positive reflections!

Hi,

Yeah for you for doing something that is going to change your entire life forever.  You will never have one regret, well maybe that you did have this done sooner.  I am so happy for you.  It takes a lot of courage to do this.  I know I wished I would have had it done sooner.  I love my new life!

Hugs,
Suzanne

Your words are so encouraging, Suzanne. I love how you feel like you're not on a diet. That's what I'm afraid of--that vsg will be something else that I will fail at.  I'm also afraid that I will feel like i"m on a diet and get frustrated. I want to understand how people's  thinking changes once they have surgery. Is there a feeling of deprivation or does your new normal just feel natural because your stomach capacity is significantly reduced?

Thank you so much for your encouraging words.

Pam :)

Hi Pam,

Let's see if I can explain this.  It is the restriction for one thing.  I NO longer ever feel hungry like I used to with a diet--they remove that part of your stomach that makes you feel hungry.  So what I eat really does make be feel full and satisfies my needs--because the stomach is so small now.  I never feel deprived at all.  I can have small amounts of almost anything I want to eat.  And as you start losing weight, exercise is something that is a lot easier for you to do and you will find you enjoy doing it.  The more exercise you do the more you can have to eat. When I was losing weight I ate about 800 calories a day and no more than 20 to 30 carbs per day.  But, I never crave large amounts of food anymore.  It is like all of a sudden my brain is working with my stomach--and honestly I am not sure why. It is the best feeling to have, and you will have it too. 

I think it is because food NO longer controls me, and that I control the food now.  I try to eat healthy 98% of the time and make protein the main thing, then some veggies and some fresh fruit too.  I watch the amount of carbs and what kind of carbs I eat.  After a long period of time I know just about what I can eat without keeping track of it.  The first 4 or 5 months I kept track of everything I put in my mouth.  There are some great sites on the Internet that you can use for free.  If you want to know what I used just let me know. 

It is a lifestyle change and NOT a diet that you will live for the rest of your life.  The 1st month after the surgery will be the hardest month that you will ever have to do--it is only 30 days not a life time and you can do it.

I am always here if you have questions or just want to talk.

Hugs,
Suzanne

Thank you, Suzanne! That makes me feel so much better and that really makes sense. Part of the pain of dieting right now is that I feel hungry. And when I'm doing a program like W Watchers-I feel like I'm always thinking about food. I'm always having to think about how many points I have and you have to really plan your meals. While that's a good thing (planning your meals), it seems like the dieting has sort of created an unhealthy focus on food for me. I just don't want my thoughts to be consumed with food. I want it to be like when I was a kid--I simply ate to live. Eating was a chore for me back then-lol! Oh to feel that way again! I like how you said that your brain is working with your stomach--that's exactly what I want!

And I can see how exercising would be so much more enjoyable once the weight starts to come off.

Thank you again!!!

Hi,

You are so welcome.  I was like you as a kid.  They had to remind me to eat.  I have a saying now and this is how it goes. "I eat to live, I NO longer live to eat."  We do tend to focus so many things and events in our life around food.  Holiday's parties, family events, meeting, meeting with you friends for lunch or dinner, football games and sports. We eat when we are happy and we eat when we are sad too. 

You will still be able to do all those things, only you will NEVER require the amount of food that you used to now.  We went to breakfast this morning with some friends, and I almost got sick watching how much food these two men ate.  They sever too large of portions when you go out and eat.  For me I share a meal with my husband or I order a cup of soup--it is amazing how little food we really require to maintain our bodies in a healthy state.

I am always here if you have questions or you just want to talk anytime.  If you ever want to call me with your questions let me know and I will send you my phone number in a private E-mail

Hugs,
Suzanne