Question:
I need a good talking to! Has anyone done this ???
I am almost 8 months out. Lately I have been sooo hungry but I have read that it's normal. I know I am not drinking enough water. My problem is this: I will eat something and I like the taste of it so much that I WANT to eat more than I should. I literally "stuff" myself because I like the taste of it but I feel like I'm stretching my pouch. I thought that if I ate too much I would throw up but I haven't so I'm wondering if I am overeating or what. To give you an example, I can eat 2 slices of pizza or a 1/2 sandwich. For lunch today I got a greek salad with grilled chicken on it. I ate all the chicken and some of the salad and 1/4 slice of pita bread. I am totally stuffed to the point that I am uncomfortable but I "wish" I could eat more becuase it was sooo good. I know I must be doint myself harm but I can't seem to stop it. Things like candy and chips, etc. don't seem to make me sick so I can pretty much eat whatever I want. I need someone to snap me out of this by giving me a good "talking to". But who? There aren't any support groups near enough to me so I'm turning to you. I'm sure someone out there has done this too. — Peggy D. (posted on November 26, 2002)
November 26, 2002
"Food is not the problem - it is you" was discussed at my last
group meeting. It helped with this situation. We talked about the
"grieving process" - having to move on etc. Self talk helps
sometimes - but I have a close wls friend and that helps greatly - we
exercise and discuss our progress etc several times a week. I would
probably be seeing a therapist or going to lots of groups otherwise. Maybe
it would be worth the drive to go to a few meetings - I feel so fortunate
to have had wls - clicking off about 10 lbs a month - and it is tough now
(11 months - 113lbs off) Water - execise - mostly protein - take your
pills.
— charlene M.
November 26, 2002
I am ashamed to admit this but I am not quite 4 months post and I eat junk
food like candy/chips/popcorn.I know I am sabotaging myself...and am a
complete idiot...I have lost about 75 pounds so far...but could have lost
more obviously if I did not eat junk. You are 8 months out...at least you
have been "good" for that long....I fear there is no hope for a
sinner such as I.
— chealsea L.
November 26, 2002
Peggy ... let me just say this... stop now... set aside half of what is on
your plate and put it away... or better yet.. throw it out.. and cover it
with garbage... eat what's left.. and see how you feel. I know it tastes
good.. food does.. and in WLS land.. we tend to finally make really good
choices. I know I don't eat it anymore unless its REALLY good... so I'm
sure it tastes good. The point is NOT to eat till stuffed... but eat till
satisfied... it may not help.. but I keep trying to tell myself that...
good luck.
— Lisa C.
November 26, 2002
I'm reading words like "bad", "sin" and
"naughty". My opinion is that food is not bad and even
overeating is not a sin. Especially eating a half a sandwich is less than
half the amount that a "normal" person would eat. Two slices of
pizza (while not the best food choice) is not terrible.
If it were me I would actually account for the actual food that I was
eating and figure out how much calories and fat were contained in it.
This wouldn't be true however if facts do indicate that you are overeating
or gaining weight. Make sure you deal with actual facts when considering
this. Facts being actual calories, fat content or what you see on the
scale when you weigh.
Maybe the issue is more the perception or mental link between eating issues
and issues of being less than a "good" person. If not food, well
it would be something else that would be considered "bad" or a
"sin". Many of us do struggle with these kind of issues in all
facets of society. I don't pretend to have answers on esteem issues.
— Scott L.
November 26, 2002
Excellent post Scot. Thank you for brining up that subject.
— Amber L.
November 26, 2002
I read an interesting tip for dealing with this. If you are out to eat, for
example, and you really are satisfied but your eyes are still hungry and
tempting you, get it to go for another meal. If you can't do that for
whatever reason, make the food look not so good!! Dump a lot of pepper or
salt on it, or mush stuff up together so that it does not look appetizing.
I personally won't have to worry, I have a 16yo and almost 13yo boy and
will have no trouble finding someone to eat the extra!
— Susan A.
November 26, 2002
Hi Peggy,
I can relate to what you are saying completely. Just as others have said,
weight loss surgery is a tool. Kind of a quick fix for those of us with no
self control. I had surgery March 27, 2001 and have lost 121 pounds. I know
I could have lost more but like you I have made poor choices in my eating,
just as I made poor choice prior to surgery.
My goal is to get to 165 pounds and I am at 210 now. I would like to get
below 200 by the end of the year but I dont know if it will happen or not.
I couldnt afford the gym any longer so I froze my membership so I know I am
not getting enough exercise at all. I definitely dont drink enough water
and many times I eat the wrong things. One thing you have to remember is
food is not your friend. It is what brought you to the point of needing
surgery to begin with. Dont deprive yourself of sweets or pizza but just
remember to stay in moderation. If there is candy at work, I allow myself a
piece or two, I eat a donut or bagel from time to time and I eat pizza at
least once a week. Sometimes I want more too but as soon as I have served
teh food, teh food gets put away so i dont have to look at it. If I get
hungry later, I usually eat a small bowl of cereal or crackers. Just
remember you have come to far. You dont want to go back to where you were
neither do you want to mess up your body. I am here for you if you need
someone to talk to.
— Christine J.
November 26, 2002
Peggy, you are sooooo awesome for posting this question. I am eight weeks
out and have lost 41 lbs, but I am having the same problem. Yesterday a
co-worker and I went to Wendy's. I had the .99 salad, the .99 chicken
nuggets and the .99 chili. I put the chicken on my salad and ate the
regular ranch dressing (low in carbs, low in sugar, but high in fat) and
ate most of the salad and ate half of the chili. I was stuffed. This is
the first time that I have been stuffed like this and I will probably not
do it again. I did not like the feeling I got afterwards. I am also a
person that can eat anything. I have never dumped. I don't prefer the
sweets, but I can eat cheddar popcorn like it is going out of style. The
popcorn is my weakness and I am really having a hard time not eating it. I
can eat probably two big handfuls of popcorn. I believe that everything is
going to be okay though. My major concern is that I don't get enough
exercise and instead of worrying so much about the food, I am going to try
and focus on the exercise. Since I am fortunate enough to be able to eat
anything I want (I love protein ... I am a meat eater ... thank the lord) I
am going to concentrate on exercising. I have to direct my extra energy
somewhere. This is definitely going to be a challenge, but I am going to
try to put my mind to it, like I use to put my mind to finding my next meal
... I was relentless. Hopefully I can become that way about exercise.
Thanks again for this post.
— Angela B.
November 26, 2002
I say go ahead and stuff yourself! The "stuffed" feeling you get
will help to make you stop. I am 18 mos postop. I lost down to 123 lbs.
When the summer came, I just pigged out on that new sweet popcorn. I loved
it. However it made my sugar level bottom out like a diabetic. I began
hating the feeling so my body started saying "NO MORE!" If
anything this surgery has helped me to control my bad habits, that
otherwise, I wouldn't control! I gained back about 5-10 lbs, from the
abuse. Then I got pregnant. I am now almost 5 mos prego. I started
noticing my body changing (ugly) back to the out of shape mass it once was.
I hadn't gained any weight with the baby, but being with child reshapes
your body and takes some of that fat and puts it in places that I tried so
hard to lose! My body is telling me to not snack and graze. I thank God
for that because otherwise I would eat myself into misery! Last night we
had a churchwide Thanksgiving fellowship and I overate. I was miserable!
I know tomorrow, I will not do that. Don't be so hard on yourself. You
are probably now hitting the slow down time which you would call a plateau.
I don't call it that any more. It is natural for us to begin slowing down
but my mind was playing tricks on me. I thought is was because of my
eating, but it wasn't. I was getting down on myself and criticizing myself
again. We have got to learn to stop doing that to ourselves and start
loving ourselves for the imperfect people that we are. I hope I have
helped you. I just started typing and couldn't stop. God blessed you with
a healthy surgery, enjoy the benefits and love yourself.
— Stephanie N.
November 27, 2002
Hi Peggy:
I think you are doing wonderfully, and just being honest with yourself. I
have a friend who is having WLS in two weeks, and honestly does not
understand how you cannot be hungry, but want to eat the food so bad. So
many times I will see something and not be hungry for it at all, but it
looks so good. Old habits are hard to break, surgery or not. It seems as
if the things that you are eating that are stuffing you, are not excessive.
Before surgery I never ate 1/2 of a sandwich or 2 pieces of pizza, more
like 2 sandwiches or a large hoagie and 4 slices of pizza. So truthfully,
although you feel stuffed, you are eating much, much less. If you are not
gaining weight, and want to feel that satisfied sometimes, I think you are
entitled to do that. I can totally relate that some things just call your
name. There is no getting around that, whether you have had surgery or
not. Best of luck. It sounds to me as if you are completely normal and
doing everything right. Remember, even naturally thin people submit to
cravings sometimes and they don't beat themselves up. I am sorry you do
not have a support group. If you want to email me privately, I would love
to hear from you.
Love Grace
— Grace H.
November 27, 2002
HI all I am almost 2 years out and I had the same problem for awhile.. and
actually gained back about 10 lbs.. and i felt like it was 50lbs... i was
getting depressed... and having those failure thoughts again... then i had
to grab ahold of myself.. I found this book called "Seven Secrets of
Slim People" it is a great easy to read book and it tells you about
all these feelings and how to control them it even has a workbook to fill
out.. the surgery helped our bodies.. now we have to help our minds... i
bought it on www.half.com it is pretty cheap.. I also found some great
herbs.. Herbalife just came out with them.. they are called Total Control
no ephidrea in them at all.. they help curve your appetite, speed
metabolism, increase energy... you take 2 a day...if you are interested
email me i will tell you more... MOST OF ALL GIVE YOURSELF A HUG... WE ARE
ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE... EVERYONE KNOWS THIS BUT US!!!!
— Janell B.
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