Cheating

 I'm on my 3rd week post surgery, and I've cheated on my diet. I ate a forkful of mac n' cheese, carrot n' daikon kimchee, and stove top stuffing. I don't feel physically sick, but now I feel like I'm cheating myself. These last 2 weeks I've lost 22lbs, and I felt good, but after I had a bout of depression, and decided that I wanted real food not eggs, yogurt, or cottage cheese. 

My question is has anyone ever cheated on their diet post surgery?

Liz, don't do it my friend.  Having depression and then feeding the depression is one habit that has to stop asap.  You will make yourself physically sick.  Yes, we all cheat at one time or another, but your surgery is so fresh, you don't want to stress your incision lines.  I didn't have my first carbs until several months out from surgery, too afraid to try them, and now in hindsight (which is always 20/20) I wish I still hadn't tried them.  The carbs are so hard to give up. 

There is an article here at bariatric buddy that talks of emotions and wls, link is... http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/bariatricbuddy/blog/2009/08 /23/did-you-ever-wonder-why-after-/ this is in the blog area, lots of other interesting articles in the blog to read as well.

I wish I was located nearby, I would invite you to our live support group, good to share with others.  Do go to your local support group, the insight from others, who have been there is wonderful.

Focus on proteins first, then veggies and fruits.  Please be kind to your new pouch, it will be kind to you.  For  chew needs when I was at your stage, and even now from time to time, I use sugar free popsicles. 

Now that I have had my say, do not kick yourself to much, just get back on track with the plan set out by your surgical team.  Let us know how you are managing on controlling the carb monster.  Here for your support.  Hugs

I'm sure everyone cheats from time-to-time, but you should get back on track immediately and don't feel too badly that it happened.  When you make the very next good choice for yourself, you will begin to feel better and put it in perspective.  22 pounds in 2 weeks is amazing!!!  Keep going!!  HUGS!!

Liz... (((HUGS TO YOU)))  This is not an easy journey. The changes we must make run deeper than on a physical level. We have years of poor food choices and uses to deconstruct, as we build our new and healthy ways.

I might say here...is there anyone who hasn't cheated? We all have a time or 2. But I do have to get into my "total honesty" mode with you. Not to criticise or condemn, but to help you understand the importance and significance of the situation. Know the following words are coming to you out of love and concern..ok?

I was almost a year out from my RNY before ANY carby food hit my lips, aside from a 1/4 flour tortilla that my nut said I could have with refried beans and cheese on top..and even then I had that 2 times and cut it out for a very long time. Grantd, I may have been much more strict on myself than many are...BUT I knew darned well where my weaknesses were and avoided them like the plague!

You must understand, that it is way too early for you to be pushing the limits already. This throws up red flags all over the place fo me, and scares me for your long term outcome and your health. Usually people are several months out before they start testing the limits. If you are going to see true long term success, you must get on plan and stay there honey. Don't beat yourself up.. and don't feel I am, as I do not ever believe in that. I am just being honest because i want to see you make it in this!

Part of getting through thisi knowing that any food you eat is a "real food". We now must learn that we don't eat for pleasure, we eat to survive. that is the only role food has in our lives. Healthy foods can be very tasty and pleasuable too, but you have to get out of the mindset that it isn't.

It is quite likely that those "real" foods you refer to are a big culprit in getting you to where you were when you decided to have this surgery. You have to use this early time to get those bad choices out of your life and your diet, and replace them with new healthy choices. This sets you up to succeed in the long term. If you keep eating these not so good things, you will be back to eatng as you did pre-op and within 2 to 3 years, regain will rear its ugly head at you.

Now don't get me wrong...there is a time and a place to begin to reintroduce some of the carb foods, but that time is not this early out. Also those carb foods need to be good choices, such as whole grains, and they also need to be eaten in strict moderation. And if there is a food that was a weak point for you before surgery...avoid it with everything in you, as it will surely be a trigger food after wls too.

Try very  very hard to resolve yourself to eating within the guidelines set out by your surgeon / nutritionist. Especially this early out. As Kathy said, it is too early to stress your pouch with these things. It needs to heal with easy to manage foods. Also please work on changing your emotional relationship with food. Eat to live.. not live to eat.

You can do this... You need to do this. You did not go through all you have to backslide and have to fight obesity your whole life. Lean on us to help you through. I want to see you succeed and I know you can do it girl!

22 lbs gone... and much more will be going.. lets get you preapred to KEEP it off forever!
YEAYYYYYYYYYY!!!

you can do this!  When you want something other than what your supposted to have, think about why you had surgery to begin with, and brought you to needing surgery.

Get the "cheat foods" out of the house!  do it now!! Food is not worth it.

Have I cheated in my 6 months.. Sure I have, but only enough to stop my craving and only if the craving would not go away after several attempts to get it off my mind.

Instead of mac n cheese, melt a little bit of cheese in the microwave with a touch of milk, a dash of pepper and a very small pinch of salt.. This worked for me. Stove top stuffing? Can't eat it.. I'm actually surprised that you can.  Anything doughy and I have major issues.

There are ways to get the taste of your favorites without all the junk that comes with them.

Le Ann