Question:
Any tips on teaching my brain and stomach to work together?

   — traybaby (posted on June 14, 2010)

June 15, 2010
Good morning Dora. Man that's an age old question huh? If we could have learned to teach our brains to work with our stomachs long ago we wouldn't have needed weight loss surgery! The answer of course is that we need to teach our BRAINS. Weight loss surgery changes the size and function of our stomach but it does NOTHING for our BRAINS. That my friend, is OUR challenge! The weight loss surgery is a tool that sets us off on our journey and now the quest is that we must reprogram the way we think and feel about food. We spent years letting food control us and consume our thoughts. Now, it's time for us to get in control of our minds, our bodies and the way we think about food. EVERY day is a battle. EVERY day it is our choice as to what we put into our mouths. Surgery doesn't change that fact! I had VSG surgery 2 years ago. I still battle with the carbs. I eat a few and when I realize that I am overdoing it with the carbs I have to tell myself NO!!!! And I refuse to gain the weight back again. I am proud of what I have accomplished, my health is better than it has been since I can remember and I love the way I look and feel. And there is NO FOOD in the world that is worth giving that up for! I'm sure you have found that the hunger most of us experience is in our head and not that we are actually hungry or starving as we sometimes say. Most Americans go so overboard at mealtime. Just look at the restaurants and the smorgasboards. I go with family or friends, I look at their plates and I'm thinking to my self, OMG....I used to eat like that! It's sad really. For me, the way I retrained myself was right after surgery just following the nutrition plan exactly and not allowing myself to cheat or vary from what I knew was healthy. Those first couple of months broke my old carb habits. And then when some of my old cravings tried to creep back in I put post it notes on my bathroom mirror and on my refrigerator door. Just quick little sentences to remind myself that I could do this. Like on my fridge was "Think About it First" That's all I had to see to make myself actually "Think About It" before I put something into my mouth that I was going to regret later. I never told myself that this surgery was for just weight loss. It was a choice to be the healthiest that I could be. I only weighed myself once a month for that reason too. If I made it ONLY about the pounds....then it's overwhelming to think of it as a lifelong choice. To tell yourself that you are going to be on a DIET for the rest of your life? The first few letters in that word are DIE!!!! How many of us WLS patients have tried every diet that came down the pike before we resorted to surgery? The point I am making is....IF YOU MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES FOR YOUR HEALTHS' SAKE THEN THE EXCESS WEIGHT HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO COME OFF. So, every day....one day at a time....is my purpose to make HEALTHY food choices. I am determining my future health, my future weight, and the way I look. One day at a time!!! And I AM IN CONTROL!!!! I think each person has to find what works for them in teaching and controlling your brain. Whether it be self help books, talking to yourself in the mirror or just posting positive reinforcement statements on your fridge and on your mirror where you get dressed in the mornings. Find what works for you and work it EVERY day!!! I learned quickly to find substitute healthy versions of the foods that I enjoy or crave. If there is a food that you crave most often, find a healthy alternative. If you crave desserts then go for fat free pudding or fruit or satisfy your sweet tooth with a Weight Watcher's frozen dessert. The Strawberry Shortcake is awesome!!! and you will find that satisfying that craving with a healthier alternative will quiet the craving AND you will feel good about the choice you made. I subscribe to the "Cooking Light" magazine and they have so many healthy recipes in there that are a lighter version of the foods that most families love. They have a website also and if you register with them they will email you healthy recipes every day. And best of all, "it's free". I've tried several of the recipes and they have all been really good! Teaching our brains just involves making different choices. We are creatures of habit. And it's a fact that what we put into our bodies is what our bodies are going to crave. So, the answer is to break the chain of BAD CHOICES and replace them with GOOD CHOICES so that you will crave the healthier foods! It really does work...I promise you!!! God bless you on your journey. I hope some of this helped!
   — Jodi L.

June 17, 2010
love your answer jodi.... yes that's the way to go!
   — anoushka

June 18, 2010
As much as I would love to eat the same types and amounts of food I had before begining my WLS journey, I know that if I eat the wrong food or the wrong amount, I'm going to get dumping syndrome and I'll be sorry for overstepping my stomach's new boundaries. It might take once or twice for your stomach to let you know that you've reached your limit, but just keep you're eyes on the prize. Just take everything slow and let you're body and brain adjust to your new life. You can do it!!!!!
   — moore.kats