Question:
Help! I'm obsessed!
I'm 11 months out (Lap RNY) and have lost between 125 and 130 lbs. I'm comfortable at my present weight and am not trying to lose anymore. However, I'm obsessed with food. I got a little cocky and was making bad food choices. I would eat honey mustard pretzels and Baked Lays potato chips by the handfulls. I'd be so full from those I wouldn't want to eat my meals. I realize I need to stop that behavior. That kind of frenzied eating got me to 309 lbs in the first place. I want to eat healthy, but what is healthy? Is it no carbs? Is it low fat? Is it low carbs? Is it moderation? I'm so confused. Food is all I seem to think about all the time. My husband asked me the other day did I realize that all my conversation lately have been centered around food or the lack thereof. Have others had this problem. What kinds of food and what amounts do others eat? — Karen H. (posted on May 6, 2003)
May 5, 2003
Sounds like it's time for a visit to your nutritionist.
— Kimberly L.
May 6, 2003
Since it has been almost a year, I would set up an appointment with your
nutritionist (or ask for one if you don't have one). It will not only be
educational - to remind you of the specifics - but I find it motivating to
talk with these people, they WANT me to succeed.
As for being obsessed, did you have a psych eval before the surgery? Did
you identify any emotional history or triggers for your eating? Maybe your
"EAT" buttons are being pushed because of something in your life
- if you can identify something, that seems to really knock out its power.
If not, you really need to consider that you (and I!) got to 300+ pounds
and it will happen again if you let this slide.
Take action, renew your committment, you've done this for a year now - YOU
CAN DO THIS!
— bethybb
May 6, 2003
You are not alone. I am 13 months post-op and I am doing the same thing.
I munch so much that I don't eat regular meals. The nutritionist won't
help cuz I already know what I SHOULD be eating, etc. I need help getting
myself motivated again. I wish potato chips made me dump.
— Peggy D.
May 6, 2003
Karen, I can relate to that temptation. And that frenzied eating is also
known as grazing, or at least teeters on the brink of it. I am 10 months
post-op and down 123lbs. So far I'm still losing 2 or 3 pounds a month. But
I KNOW that if I bring home a box of sugar free Snackwells Shortbread
Cookies or some Quaker Quakes Caramel Corn Rice Cakes or any other trigger
foods, I will go on a frenzy. Definitely nothing like it was pre-op! But
like you pointed out, it takes away from your focus on protein. So I have
made a promise to myself. I now start my day with a protein shake instead
of the old small glass of OJ or Crystal Light. I do allow myself 2 cups of
decaf coffee. Then for breakfast I will have an ounce of cheese and an
ounce of nuts. Or a Blue Bunny Lite 85 yogurt, with or without 1/4 cup of
Grape Nuts for the fiber. For lunch I may have deli sliced meat (ham or
turkey) and cheese. Or a grilled chicken breast, a salad or some Wendy's
chili. Another protein shake at 3pm when I get the blahs and tend to munch
from needing to perk up. Supper is usually a good solid protein - last
night we had Swedish Meatballs (no noodles for me) and a small dinner salad
w/ cheese for extra protein. Nighttime snack may be popcorn or an apple w/
or w/o peanut butter. Or a yogurt or cottage cheese. I tried the cottage
cheese w/ a packet of Splenda and some cinnamon that someone on AMOS
suggested...quite yummy. Be willing to search out suggestions and recipes.
As far as portions go, I'm up to about 3 or 4 oz. of the more solid foods.
Limit the treats to a couple times a week but don't let them be your real
trigger foods. I made my husband and I some sugar free banana cream pies
(mini ones) and he loved them...and he's not a post-op! Keeps my portions
in check and makes me not feel so deprived. As for the cookies or the
Quakes, I'm only allowed those and my favorite sugar free caramels during
PMS week! You may want to either get to counseling or more support groups.
The support groups really are important. Sometimes when we hit a certain
post-op "stride" we think we can do it alone. But we don't need
to do it alone and we shouldn't kid ourselves that we can do it alone
forever. We couldn't do it alone before could we? Join the Yahoo! OSSG
Graduates group, a good one for post-ops. Good Luck to you - Anna LAP RNY
7/3/02 -126lbs.
— Anna L.
May 6, 2003
I agree with the poster eho said you may want to look at the issues of why
you are eating. This is an opinion. Sounds like your bored. DO a little
exploring of different food plans. Try low carbs. Low fats. Look for
variety. Develop a hobby to get you away from the house. Take you and the
hubby out for a night on the town and show off that body. Join a club and
go somewhere. Youre restless and it sounds like you may not have an outlet
so you could be turning to the old bad habits to sublimate it.
— snicklefritz
May 6, 2003
As Suzy said, go over to the Grad list & observe for a few days, then
either finish out your year or ask one of the regulr posters to ask your
quesion for you. We've ALLLL been through it. Our obesity is a fatal,
mechanical disease. We are in remission, only as long as we play by rules
we dont' even know. There may be a mental component, but maybe not. It'd
be good to check & see what nutritional & behavioral others are
doing to get past this stage.http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
— vitalady
May 6, 2003
Michelle, I do go to the grad site and read the questions and answers.
Would you ask my question for me?
Thanks all for your responses!
— Karen H.
May 6, 2003
Karen, we had our surgery about the same time- so I can totally relate. I'm
almost a year post-op and am at my goal weight (and actually still losing
slowly) I am obsessed with food as well- so much so that I watch the food
network 24hours a day! lol I think more about food now than I ever did
pre-op, it's weird. BUT I still remain in control for the most part and
healthy. I think the key to success remains in moderation. Moderate food
amounts and moderate exercise, as well as alot of protein (Protein ALWAYS
comes first) and alot of water. I have my treats daily- it could be a small
piece of candy or some fruit. SOme people cannot eat any junk or they will
go overboard, but for me, if i don't have any for a week, I will go
overboard for the rest of the month and just binge- so I do what works for
me personally. I stay with small meals, usually about 4oz at a time, I
still eat a protein drink and bar everyday in addition to those 3-5 other
meals. I stay away from high-fat, but that doesn't mean I eat low-fat- I
just try to stay away from fried foods and greasy things. You can look at
my profile for what I usually eat. You're not alone in this obsesion! But
you can be in control. Just make sure you eat your meals first and then
have a snack later on. Although our tool has worked wonders for most of us,
it isn't a miracle, so we have to work with it! Goodluck to you!
— Lezlie Y.
May 6, 2003
Karen, you "sound" stressed, and perhaps the stress is causing
you to be obsessed with food and graze? Do you weigh yourself to see if
this grazing is causing any damage? If it is not, then perhaps you are not
as obsessed as you think, or eating as much as you think. It may just be
that old guilt creeping in when you eat a potato chip a no-no food from
pre-op days. I'm 14 months post-op, and like Lezlie, I build snacks into
my day and they could very well include things like WOW chips or pretzels.
But a single portion size and not handfuls. And I weigh myself daily to be
sure I am not causing any damage and am determined that if the scale starts
moving the other way, they will be the first foods to go. I think I do eat
healthy-protein first at every meal, veggies, fruits, no heavy fat foods.
I don't watch carbs but don't go overboard either-some really watch their
carb intakes, but my nutritionist said that we need carbs and should strive
for at least 100 a day. For me, this is normal eating. You may want to
visit a nutritionist experienced with gastric bypass to get some ideas. Go
to my profile at the bottom to see a typical menu for me at 1 year post-op.
— Cindy R.
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