Mourning food

I'm 6 days post-op and am feeling almost normal again with minimal discomfort. Now that I'm feeling normal, I'm starting to notice that there is food everywhere. Every TV show constantly has folks eating something. Going out of the house, there's a convenience store on every corner advertising some kind of treat and where there isn't a convenience store there's a fast food shop. 

It's amazing how little attention I paid to all this craziness before surgery. Probably just subconsciously took it in and unknowingly fueled my indulgent lifestyle. 

Now, I'm noticing and it's really hard not to pay attention. Craving everything. Can't believe I did this (surgery) to myself. I mourn all the indulgences of my past. 

I'm pretty sure this will get better and I know that I'll be able to eat again but much more wisely and in much smaller portions. Right?

RIGHT! You will get through this patch of feeling deprived and mourning your previous food life.

What you are seeing is the same thing I saw as a fresh post op. There was food everywhere. I didn't realize just how inundated we are with crap food. But, boy oh boy, it's the truth. Crap food is everywhere and so easy to get. It actually takes work and forethought to find good healthy food away from home. Amazing, but totally doable. I promise that if you give it time, you will adjust to your new normal and be okay with it.

You will notice, too, that the longer you participate in this new VSG life the more your tastes, wants and nutritional needs will change. I used to love pasta. I find it utterly useless now. There is no point to it and it's completely off my radar. I will have a bite of someone's pasta every so often. I can't stand it. Honestly. Instead of pasta I will sometimes ask for a small side of sauce to have with my protein. It's really the sauce I want anyway I realized. The pasta was simply the delivery method long ago adopted to get the sauce!

Glad your recovery is going well otherwise! Stay hydrated and I wish you a great journey!

Thanks so much for the encouragement!

It's tough at the beginning since everything about your lifestyle change is so new to you.  I'm sure pre-surgery you didn't pay much attention to all of the food messages around you because you could just put whatever you wanted in your face and forget about it until the next food message.  Now you can't do that and you are realizing how bombarded we all are with messages to stuff our faces!

It's okay to mourn food and to acknowledge that you can no longer eat like you used to, but don't dwell on it.  Focus on what you need to do right in the moment to keep your focus on your health and your ultimate goal.  Practice your new good habits until they become ingrained and second nature.  Soon you will be able to block out all of the "eat me!" messages and go on with your new life.  :D

Jen

Can't wait until this is second nature or at least easier.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. It's helpful to know there are others out there who are going through or have gone through this. 

Oh yes, it gets so much better.  The first couple of weeks were really hard for me too, but it gets better really quickly.  I remember the food mourning period too...and now it's such a distant memory.  Once the weight starts dropping off and you have more energy, things change quickly (for the better)!  Good luck and hang in there...xoxo

There's hope! Thanks

Oh yes, I went thru the food mourning thing too & at times I still have the head hunger. Heck I live across the street from a Dunkin Donuts!, thankfully I don't smell them in the house. Everywhere the crap foods & then I start thinkin oh I haven't had this or that in a long time, go ahead splurge a little. A little sometimes goes a long way!, a way I don't want to go.

All I can say is hang in there, it does get easier. Small portions, yes, but you have to be picky about that too, especially if a small portion leads you to grazing all day, or a big binge later. Eventually you'll figure out what works for you. Good Luck!

There's a mexican restaurant near my house and I can smell the aroma when I'm out in the yard. Glad to hear that I'll be able to deal with it sooner or later. Thanks!

Feels like crap, doesn't it?  I wanted to throw the remote at the TV, but I didn't have the energy.  It took people here, as well as my close friends outside the interwebs, to remind me that I'd just had major surgery.  I was TIRED.  And my nerves had been on edge for WEEKS leading up to all this.  Plus, losing all this weight reeks havoc on your hormones (male and female).  So, you're anxious, tired, weepy, fussy... and how did you deal with that in the past?  I would have a pizza and a bottle of wine.  

I remember the first moment I had that feeling. I was actually driving myself & my mom home from the hospital post-VSG (don't tell - she freaks out in big city traffic and I couldn't handle her having a freak out).  But it was so stressful, I thought "man, when I get home, I want pizza and wine."  It came into my head before I could even stop it.  It was like a punch in the gut!  And I realized - this is SO EMOTIONAL for me.  I wasn't hungry.  I was 24 hours post-op!  It was how I dealt with stress and anxiety.  Slowly, you learn new ways.  As you lose weight, you'll be excited to find new ways.  Now I'm exercising, spending time with friends, walking my dog.  Yes, I still sometimes think "damn, I could go for some french fries right now."  But it's not worth it.  You'll get there.  Lean on us until you do.