How do you feel about food now?

So I saw the True Life episode mentioned in a previous topic the other day and it feaured a guy who (with a bit of family pressure) decided to get his band unfilled so he could eat all he wanted. Right afterward he went to a restaurant and downed I don't even know how many milkshakes... maybe 4?, and some cake and pie as well I couldn't believe how much he ate at that restaurant. A week or so later he went and got it filled again realizing his mistake after gaining a few pounds.
My question is do most people really feel THAT deprived after WLS? I'm expecting to be fine with just having a taste of the stuff that's really bad for me. How much of it do you taste when you wolf it down anyway right? It seems like even after having wls and losing his weight in the back of his mind he was always thinking about the things he couldn't have and how deprived he was instead of what a great opportunity it was to have the tool and not be able to eat the junk he could before. I suppose his family didn't help though....
How many of you feel totally differently about food? Genuinely? If you were somehow able to eat your favorite bad food with no consequences besides calories, would you? How many feel the same way as before about food, and feel deprived? Why is it do you think that you feel the way you do about food now?

For me myself I find that the things I used to eat that were bad for me I dont even care to eat now. After my WLS surgery I found that everything seems to taste the same to me. The way that I think about food has totally changed for me. I find if I do go out to eat that I am searching for the healthiest thing on the menu and the smallest proportion wise. I look at the food on the menus and go OMG I will never be able to eat all that. I sometimes find myself with family watching what they eat and if its bad I am thinking to myself gross how can they eat that greasty stuff!

 For some people it goes beyond just feeling deprived.  Some of us have binge eating problems that don't necessarily go away after surgery.  I, to a lesser degree, have realized that I have this problem.  I use food when I'm happy, sad, depressed, angry, etc.  It's a control thing...when I get into a "binge" mode, the food is in control, not me.  Maybe this guy had the same problem as well, I guess I couldn't tell you.  

But as far as the way I look at food now, I do miss certain things.   I have been bummed out about not getting a dessert here and there but the thought passes after awhile. I'll even admit that I miss the option of getting to overeat sometimes because of the reasons I stated above.  But regardless, I look at myself and how far I've come and know it's for the best.  Nothing good in life comes without some sort of sacrifice or hard work and this is mine and I'm all the better and heathlier for it.  

Great question!  

~Emily~ 

I have to say that I never really ate that much to begin with, it was what I ate, crap.  Thankfully with RNY it has kept me from eating so much crap.  Yes I LOVE sweets, but now instead of eating a piece of cake everyday until its gone I just eat a bite off of someone else's.  I love pizza so I will eat about a piece of thin crust pizza when we order one.  A lot of things however my tastes have changed, fast food makes me sick, i get wraps alot or salads.  I do not feel deprived, I mean they make sugar free ice cream which you get used to.  I love the sugar free pudding cups.  And after a while you will notice that the healthier food makes you feel better! and then when you do try to eat some crap you'll wish you had not of done it.  Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I do not feel deprived and what I can't have is okay because I needed this restriction to be successful.

I definetely felt deprived at first. Every night I would to go to sleep thinking, "Will I ever be able to down an entire plate of nachos or eat a giant steak with all the trimmings ever again?" and it seriously upset me. I think part of it was the kind of food I was eating those first few weeks out. When you're eating chicken broth for every meal, I think it amplifies those feelings.

Once I was able to eat whole foods, however, most of those feelings went away. I don't really have any strong urges for food, although when I do get them, I try to satisfy them in a more healthiful way, i.e I might make a small sugar-free milkshake with some added protein powder. and it turns out that I can have one or two nacho chips or a small serving of steak anyway as long as I'm getting in my protein, so it doesn't bother me much anymore.

I think what you're saying is probably the key. I think maybe having a "taste" of the bad stuff is enough to satisfy an urge. You seem like you'll do fine as most of it is mental, I think :)

I can relate to all who have responded thus far.  I had surgery in August 2007 and didn't like the smell, taste or look of food for about 8 months.  Now that I am about 20 months out, I do miss foods.  I try to replace sweets wtih fruit such as strawberrys and to be honest it doesn't always work.  However, remember that a taste could lead to another taste and that can lead to another taste and then you find out that you can eat more and ....I will admit that I do take a taste of my husbands "bad" food and then I feel instantly guilty.  In addition to guilt, I feel lousy for hours.
Be careful on where your exploring takes you and remember to eat protein first and drink your water during the day.
Terry
 

i dont feel deprived. maybe at the begning when my brother grabbed a cookie and said want one and i had to say no. now if i want something sweet i grab some fruit or a skinny cow ice cream bar. to me alot of it is mental and my taste buds have changed since surgery i loved pasta pre surgery but post surgery i dont enjoy it but now i love salads which back then you couldnt get me to eat one. if i was able to eat anything w/ no consiquences i wouldnt do it i like my new life style and wouldnt change it for the world.

Before surgery I had thoughts of 'Oh my I will never get to eat this or that ever again' Since surgery I haven't really felt deprived, The first few weeks after WLS I didn't really want any kind of foods at all. I did have times where I craved mashed potatoes cause I knew this should go down pretty easy. But ya gotta watch the carbs and starches in the potatoes.
Now that I'm further out. I don't deprive my self of anything. If I want some pizza I have a piece or if I want something sweet I'll have a bite or two of something and I'm finished.
When out at a food place. I look to see what is the smallest and protein packed meal.

 i don't think "i'll never be able to eat ___ again," I think "i'll never be able to eat___again without feeling like crap!" i think that's one of the benefits of the roux-en-y versus the band. i can't go get my plumbing reconnected without a crap load of explaining to do. 

 I saw that episode last night as well. 4 milkshakes and 3 pies/cakes. I almost died watching him, and then proceeded to go into a sugar coma for him. 

No offense to anyone, but I really don't think that most people would do that! I don't know about you guys, but pre surgery, one milk shake would be enough, or one dessert. NOT 7! I really do believe he over did it. 

As far as cravings....I'm about 9 weeks out. Sometimes I think how much I would love one more bite, but you get over it. A lil self control, and one look down at yourself and see the weight you've lost, and you'll be okay. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly hard sometimes, especially at first. But whats the saying....

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AND BEING THIN FEELS 

I have every confidence that we can all do it!