Atlanta WLS Support
Giving up food for WLS?
What do you do if you are struggling with food addictions and are considering WLS? Do you love to eat and worry about giving up the foods you love? Many of us did. I'll share with you a few sayings I heard when I first started out on this journey that really seemed to "click" with me. The first was:
Nothing TASTES as good as skinny FEELS.
This really hit home for me. Food is a momentary pleasure but real weight loss and improved health lasts so much longer and the results are noticeable by many more people too.
The surgeon operates on your stomach not your brain.
Just because you have weight loss surgery, your brain isn't just going to change over night. I know that I had real challenges with my relationship with food-- why I reached for it, how much I ate, when I ate, etc. Why do we give a THING so much control over our lives? I found that seeing a therapist was very helpful for me. Just limiting portions wasn't enough. Learning what made a healthy meal didn't change decades of bad eating behaviors either. One of the most important things I had to do was to admit that what I had been doing the previous 35 years wasn't working and surrender my will to other people like my nutritionist and my surgeon. I followed my nutritionist's advice and went back and told her the things I was struggling with like cooking with vegetables & feeling hungry. She often said, "Show me what you're eating and I'll tell you what's happening." She has helped me so much with my diet now. But, she can't begin to understand how heavyset people mingle boredom, loneliness, depression, sadness and even celebration into their relationships with food. For this, I needed to see a therapist and do a lot of soul searching.
If food is more important than being healthy or possibly living another 20 years, then remember nobody is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to have surgery. It's completely optional. If you think there is another diet in you, you should absolutely try it. When I attended the WLS Seminar, they shared statistics that were my life's story-- most people who've carried weight most of their life and diet, lose a chunk of weight while dieting and then regain the weight they lost plus a few pounds within a year or two after the diet ends (that was me). However, a large percentage (sorry I don't remember the exact #-- think it was 80%) of WLS patients lose a majority of their excess body weight and keep it off for 5+ years. I wanted that!
The #1 issue that all WLS patients face in years 3+ post op is weight regain regardless of surgery type. This is primarily due to not making permanent lifestyle changes- measuring portions, not learning to eat healthier foods and not incorporating physical activity into their lives as the weight comes off. I had a boss who used to say: If we always do what we always did, we'll always get what we always got. So why are we supprised when that happens on this journey? We have to make real changes in order to to take our lives in a completely different direction. You can't just donate your body to a surgeon and hope that the rest will happen on it's own. It's a lot of hard work but totally worth it in the end.
Life is so much sweeter when you're able to do the things you want to do and have energy to spare, wear the clothes you want to wear, buy them off the rack or feel good about yourself. For me, no love of food is worth what I've given myself back in terms of self-esteem and ability to participate in the game of life. You can too.
Everyone embarks on this endeavor for different reasons. We all have our own goals. I found writing mine down and keeping a Wellness Journal was a very helpful thing. Thinking about what I wanted to accomplish phsyically by having surgery and also the things I wanted to be able to do that I couldn't before like travel comfortably, fit in an airplane seat, play with my nephews without being winded or look down and see my toes. Sometimes, it's the smallest of joys that are the most lasting too.
Whatever your reasons are for starting this process and taking control of your health and wellbeing, write them down. Hang them up and remind yourself of them. There will be times when you are frustrated. Many of us avoided photos because we don't like how we look at our heaviest. For me, I attended a cousin's wedding right before my surgery. I was 324 lbs. I never looked in the mirror and thought I was that big but seeing myself in photos always seemed to shock me. I took a photo of myself from that wedding and put it on my computer's desktop background. I taped it to my fridge. I wrote "never again" and made it my inspiration to keep moving forward on my journey. Sometimes, looking at what we don't want to see is what we need to do.
That was me at 324 lbs
Today, 3/16/10, at 224 lbs. Exactly 100 lbs lower than that day. Those were 54" pants compared with 38" ones - 16" off my abdomen. Not to mention thighs, arms, face and everywhere else.
Sure, there are foods that TASTE wonderful, but, skinny sure does FEEL great!
Nothing TASTES as good as skinny FEELS.
This really hit home for me. Food is a momentary pleasure but real weight loss and improved health lasts so much longer and the results are noticeable by many more people too.
The surgeon operates on your stomach not your brain.
Just because you have weight loss surgery, your brain isn't just going to change over night. I know that I had real challenges with my relationship with food-- why I reached for it, how much I ate, when I ate, etc. Why do we give a THING so much control over our lives? I found that seeing a therapist was very helpful for me. Just limiting portions wasn't enough. Learning what made a healthy meal didn't change decades of bad eating behaviors either. One of the most important things I had to do was to admit that what I had been doing the previous 35 years wasn't working and surrender my will to other people like my nutritionist and my surgeon. I followed my nutritionist's advice and went back and told her the things I was struggling with like cooking with vegetables & feeling hungry. She often said, "Show me what you're eating and I'll tell you what's happening." She has helped me so much with my diet now. But, she can't begin to understand how heavyset people mingle boredom, loneliness, depression, sadness and even celebration into their relationships with food. For this, I needed to see a therapist and do a lot of soul searching.
If food is more important than being healthy or possibly living another 20 years, then remember nobody is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to have surgery. It's completely optional. If you think there is another diet in you, you should absolutely try it. When I attended the WLS Seminar, they shared statistics that were my life's story-- most people who've carried weight most of their life and diet, lose a chunk of weight while dieting and then regain the weight they lost plus a few pounds within a year or two after the diet ends (that was me). However, a large percentage (sorry I don't remember the exact #-- think it was 80%) of WLS patients lose a majority of their excess body weight and keep it off for 5+ years. I wanted that!
The #1 issue that all WLS patients face in years 3+ post op is weight regain regardless of surgery type. This is primarily due to not making permanent lifestyle changes- measuring portions, not learning to eat healthier foods and not incorporating physical activity into their lives as the weight comes off. I had a boss who used to say: If we always do what we always did, we'll always get what we always got. So why are we supprised when that happens on this journey? We have to make real changes in order to to take our lives in a completely different direction. You can't just donate your body to a surgeon and hope that the rest will happen on it's own. It's a lot of hard work but totally worth it in the end.
Life is so much sweeter when you're able to do the things you want to do and have energy to spare, wear the clothes you want to wear, buy them off the rack or feel good about yourself. For me, no love of food is worth what I've given myself back in terms of self-esteem and ability to participate in the game of life. You can too.
Everyone embarks on this endeavor for different reasons. We all have our own goals. I found writing mine down and keeping a Wellness Journal was a very helpful thing. Thinking about what I wanted to accomplish phsyically by having surgery and also the things I wanted to be able to do that I couldn't before like travel comfortably, fit in an airplane seat, play with my nephews without being winded or look down and see my toes. Sometimes, it's the smallest of joys that are the most lasting too.
Whatever your reasons are for starting this process and taking control of your health and wellbeing, write them down. Hang them up and remind yourself of them. There will be times when you are frustrated. Many of us avoided photos because we don't like how we look at our heaviest. For me, I attended a cousin's wedding right before my surgery. I was 324 lbs. I never looked in the mirror and thought I was that big but seeing myself in photos always seemed to shock me. I took a photo of myself from that wedding and put it on my computer's desktop background. I taped it to my fridge. I wrote "never again" and made it my inspiration to keep moving forward on my journey. Sometimes, looking at what we don't want to see is what we need to do.
That was me at 324 lbs
Today, 3/16/10, at 224 lbs. Exactly 100 lbs lower than that day. Those were 54" pants compared with 38" ones - 16" off my abdomen. Not to mention thighs, arms, face and everywhere else.
Sure, there are foods that TASTE wonderful, but, skinny sure does FEEL great!
Mick in Atlanta, GA
Banded 6-18-07
sw 324 & 56"w / cw 214 & 38"w
Banded 6-18-07
sw 324 & 56"w / cw 214 & 38"w
Your post is excellent and exactly what I needed to hear today. I plan on having surgery this summer and I am so excited. My friends and family don't understand and keep saying, "I have and I have regained all the weight plus more." I am tired of the up and down and the constant failure. Your post really hit home as to why I am going to do this.
I'm just learning the truth about food addictions. I am so blessed not to have any.
Its more than a craving or compulsion. The body cannot get enough once a food is introduced. Its like alcoholism or a crack addition. It is physical, not just a head hunger need.
I finally understand why true addicts must give up flour, sugar, carbs, artificial sweetners etc entirely. There is no other option. Like an alcoholic, just one taste is disaster. No procedure can help a true addict unless the addict is in recovery.
I'm not a true food addict but i've given up food after afterr food over decades in an effort to control my weight. At this point, there is not a food I will not say good bye to forever if I must. Do far I can eat anything in moderration. I just choose to omitt some foods entirely.
They are not worth the calorie count to me. I'd rather have a desert over a sandwhich on good bakery bread. Why waste calories on sugar when zero calorie sweetners taste just as good. Why choose high fat meats when I can save half the calories by trimming all fats before cooking.
None of these are post op discoveries for me. I'vee made changes over decades. More changes will come. I call this my diet for life. I weigh and measure portions. Record my food and exercise. Manage my daily calorie deficit. This is my post op way of living and it is so worth the effort.
Its more than a craving or compulsion. The body cannot get enough once a food is introduced. Its like alcoholism or a crack addition. It is physical, not just a head hunger need.
I finally understand why true addicts must give up flour, sugar, carbs, artificial sweetners etc entirely. There is no other option. Like an alcoholic, just one taste is disaster. No procedure can help a true addict unless the addict is in recovery.
I'm not a true food addict but i've given up food after afterr food over decades in an effort to control my weight. At this point, there is not a food I will not say good bye to forever if I must. Do far I can eat anything in moderration. I just choose to omitt some foods entirely.
They are not worth the calorie count to me. I'd rather have a desert over a sandwhich on good bakery bread. Why waste calories on sugar when zero calorie sweetners taste just as good. Why choose high fat meats when I can save half the calories by trimming all fats before cooking.
None of these are post op discoveries for me. I'vee made changes over decades. More changes will come. I call this my diet for life. I weigh and measure portions. Record my food and exercise. Manage my daily calorie deficit. This is my post op way of living and it is so worth the effort.
MSW Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: Eat sensibly & enjoy moderation
Links: Are you a compulsive eater? for help OA meets on-line Keep Coming Back, One Day At a Time Overeaters Anonymous
L
V'N MY RNY. WORKING FOR ME BECAUSE I WORK FOR IT.
