fitforlife

okay, let me start my confession

1. I confess I wish I would have lost more weight to show myself off at my brother-in-law's wedding, I want to look better then the bride and I don't care

2. I confess I have carbs alot more than I should, including chocolate

3. I confess I still love sugar and feel guilty for eating it

4. I am afraid that I should have lost more weight and I feel guilty

5. I don't get my Vitamins or fluids in

6. haven't been to the gym in 3 months, and I don't exercise very often

one more question: do you eat fruit at all?

that's a low cal count, do you not get hungry? I'm so amazed with your loss. that's great!

amazing! can you share with us your secrets? exercise? typical foods you eat?

I am to have the sleeve procedure done on August 13....sugar addiction is one of my major concerns, and another concern is the carbs. Someone said it best on here, they were a carb junkie....that is exactly what I am! It will be a struggle but I'm hoping to keep focused and try my best to keep those cravings to a minimum! I'm glad you posted this....makes me feel like I'm not alone in this fight!

You are not alone, actually I think we are in the majority and I think the obesity epidemic is related to our sugar/carb consumption which has skyrocketed over the last 3 decades (along with the size of our waist lines). There is alot of research and talk about sugar in science recently. I recommend watching Dr. Lustig's video on youtube: "Sugar: the bitter truth" I really think that he is on to something big.... I'm a sugar addict and always will struggle with this, even after my sleeve. But have support, advice from others is so helpful...

If I can get my net carbs under 40 grams (ideally under 30) per day, resisting temptation gets a lot easier after the first 3-4 days. Those first days I just have to power through, using everything I can - chewing gum, lots of Water, tea, you name it. I think of it as detoxing. It's hard, but once I get through it I feel so much better, and the sweets calling my name get a lot quieter.

I've eliminated dairy milk (sub almond milk), Pasta, rice, and potatoes from my diet. I found a low-carb bread that I can have half of slice of for an open faced sandwich at lunch for only 2 net carbs. I've found a soy Protein chip I like to replace potato chips. I've discovered roasted seaweed is yummy and salty and helps when i crave popcorn. I almost never eat fruit - I know that approach isn't for everyone, but for me, a big part of this really is biochemical, and to my body, fruit IS sugar.

Once I've detoxed, it's a combination of strategies. One is getting the temptations out of the house or at least out of sight and less convenient. Another is eating regularly throughout the day, high Protein - letting myself get too hungry can lower my resistance. Another is paying attention to triggers, and trying to avoid them. I deal with stress directly, with deep breathing, a little walk around the office, and a soothing cup of tea. I avoid reading food blogs (I've become a big fan of low-carb, sugar-free blogs!) if I'm having a challenging day.

And, I'm working on finding substitutes like the ones listed above that make me happy so I don't feel deprived of treats. sugar free chocolate pb protein pudding is a regular treat for me (made with almond milk - regular milk is too many carbs!). I make a sugar free protein mocha frappuccino often in the afternoons. I made a low carb sugar free microwave molten chocolate hazelnut cake earlier this week that was AWESOME. Not exactly low cal, but not terrible, and with my workouts I have room for a couple of indulgences as long as they don't become daily habits. But the key for me seems to be watching the carbs so an indulgence doesn't send me into a binge cycle that goes on for days.

This has worked for me. I'm below my surgeon's goal, and I never stalled until I started messing around with carbs again.

I've read blogs by people who've managed to train themselves to enjoy anything in moderation. Maybe that would be possible for me, but right now having a stable weight and not binging is more important to me, and I'm willing to give up the sugar for alternatives, at least until I feel like I have more control.

thank you so much for your advice. I just ordered some protein chips from Amazon today. where do you get the protein pudding and roasted seaweed? I have had a hard time stopping the fruit, I have 3 servings a day, I have loved fruit my whole life and it's hard to have just a little, fruit happens to go down very easily and I can have large quantities with no restriction, unfortunately, so it's about self control with fruit.

thank you everyone for you suggestions. I definately eat alot less sweets than before, but I haven't eliminated like many successful people on this site. For those strict low carbers can you give me some pointers on how you do it?

How do you stay low on carbs, what do you do to stop your self from eating that piece of chocolate or whatever your sin is?

thanks for your comments everyone. I wonder too about the sugar substitutes. I think they make me crave sugar. I have read some studies that show that these do cause sugar cravings: i.e. your brain thinks it got sugar that it didn't get and it will look for the calories that were suppose to come with that sugar taste---but they are not there and then it will try to make you consume those calories later.....

I do feel fake sugars do not help me and only feed this strong addiction I have. But thank you for sharing and making me feel that I have company in my struggle. There are so many success stories and I love to hear about them, but it also helps to know that there are others who struggle and there are some for whom the sleeve did not kill their brain's cravings for certain things. I lost my cravings for the first 2 weeks---I felt ill mostly, but they have been back since week three and are in full swing. I wish I was one of those sleevers that didn't think about food so much...

I know exactly how you feel. I feel so helpless when it comes to this and I almost feel worse since being sleeved. I don't wanna "fail" with the sleeve yet I have a compulsion to eat carbs and sugar. I keep saying I'm going to see a therapist but just can't bring myself to do it. My urge to eat is slightly worse with the sleeve than before. I'm starting to wonder how many others feel this way because I've posted about this before but didn't get many responses.

Pre-op 260

SW 251- 3/13/12

CW 209

I am so with you, I think to my self: I had my stomach cut out and I'm stilling failing! The studies show that the effect sugar has on our brain reward system is the same as herion/cocaine etc... so you are not alone and you are probably in the majority actually

Okay, I have been totally obsessing and reading /watching everything I can find about sugar and carbs.

I have realized that I am a sugar addict and the sleeve has not changed it. No matter how much I read about how bad it is for me, I still go for that cookie, or seek out that pastry. And let me tell you: they go down fantastically well.

Any tips from my fellow sugar addicts on how to kick this habit?

I know it's why my weight loss has been so slow..... I know better, so much better, but seems like sweets have power over me! Crazy that an object controls my behavior.

The sleeve has only limited the quantity I can have at one sitting, nothing else.

preop wt 240

surgery date wt 220

surg date 1/23/12

current wt 173

goal wt 120

I am 5'3 and weighed 220lbs on surgery date (1/23/12), I currently weight 174lbs, so down 46lbs in 5.5months, not alot, but I don't exercise. sounds like others have had more success?

wow! amazing, 50lbs in 10 weeks? 5 lbs a week! that's so good. Can you give us some tips. what are you eating, anything that could help us slow losers? I'm 5.5 months out and down 45lbs

no, I don't go to a support group. I moved to Tracy two weeks ago and I don't know if there is a support group nearby here.

I share your feelings and definetly grieve food and my old eating habits. I've notice with time that I can eat more and the carbs are now sliding, which also means my loss has slowed. We have similar stats.

you will hopefully start to feel better soon, I think therapy is a great way to help you through this, but I also think that alot of what you are feeling is common, I share much of it.

I'm no expert, but I suspect your calories are too high for your height. How is your diet? Are you eating mainly Protein?

I have been talking to my husband and realized I maybe eating too much cheese, I was told it's a reliable easy source of protien, which is why I have been eating it, but the calories are super high. I eat alot of fruit also for snacks---I'm wondering if this is causing my cravings. I do eat bread with meals, that's been something very difficult to stop, but I must. I'll eat some chocolate once a week at work, chocolate is a major weakness for me and always has been. I don't know what to do about this addiction, even sabotage my sleeve (I'll have a piece, then wait an hour and have another etc....)----I know, I know, I should know better. I started slacking the last 8 weeks and I hate myself for it.... then that causes more emotional eating. food is such a roller coaster of emotions for me.

thank you everyone! so many great and concrete ideas. I will cut it down to 3 meals and 2 Snacks (I get really irritable if I don't have something between lunch and dinner). I do notice more cravings when I eat carbs, so gotta trim those down. I haven't consistently exercise---never any convenient time, but I need to make it happen.

People on antacids---how long before you noticed they helped with hunger?

I know alot of people write about slow weight loss and stalls and people reassure them to keep up the hard work, but I really think I'm doing something wrong and I need some veteran advice to help me. here are my stats

preop weight 230lbs height 5'3"

Surgery day weight 220lbs

Surgery date: 1/23/12

Current weight 180lbs

I've been 180lbs for the last 7 weeks. My problem is I never lost my hunger, I am hungry all the time and want to eat all the time. I don't think it's acid because treatment didn't help. I graze through out the day and have no restriction when it comes to carbs. I crave sweets just like before my surgery and the cravings are overwhelming. I feel like I went through this surgery and I am sabotaging myself because of cravings and hunger. I get my Protein in with supplements, I calculate my calories at 1400+, that's alot for 4 months out?

I appreciate some advice from the successful losers out there. any of you struggle with hunger/cravings?

I have some questions being earlier in my journey and a somewhat "lightweight":

1. when was your surgery?

2. How long did it take you to get to goal?

3. When did you start exercising on your journey and what exercise do you do?

4. how did your weight loss occur? like did you lose more initially or was it gradual?

5. Any tips for us or things you wish you knew before?

thanks in advance

I don't exercise, I walk sometimes, but not really consistently. I work 70+hrs / week, so I don't have time, but I'm still trying. I would have lost more if I exercised, but I still lost and I feel great. I started the surgery process and then under pressure from family, I stopped for 6 months to "try one last time on my own" then I realized I just wasted 6 months that I could have been losing weight. it's ultimately something you have to come to grips with. just go through the Kaiser process ---they make you lose weight to qualify anyway and then you can always change your mind, but if you don't then you'll have a date waiting for you when you are ready

I'm 32 years old. the drink part is annoying, but it's still worth it. I have a pathological relationship with food and have been fat since childhood, I will never regret this surgery, It's given me a second lease on living as close to a normal life as possible. so even though I can never "eat normally" and I have to wait 30minutes after meals to drink, I'm much closer to feeling normal then ever before. do you know what I mean?

alot of people discouraged me too, but I'm glad I persisted. I've been struggling too long, diets, losing wt then gaining it back. I know the value of the sleeve because when I have something that triggers my binges, I just can't binge, I PHYSICALLY CANNOT OVEREAT!! it's amazing that I have a tool to prevent me from harming my body like I used to. So that's when I'm so glad I did this and ignoring everyone's remarks and discouragement. when people tell me : you have done it on your own, I say yes I could, I have, but I choose this for me and for the rest of my life I'll have this. It just makes it less of a struggle for me. I don't know about the leak rate with Dutta, I know that the Kaiser Fremont docs are not the most experienced with sleeves, but they are doing them more often now and getting more experienced.

I sometimes think it may have been better for me to have had the bipass. The reason is because I can am still hungry and I can tolerate sweets---actually they are my sliders. with the bipass I wouldn't have been able to eat sweets, they make you sick. so I still have to work on self control with the sleeve....

I had my surgery at KP Fremont by Dr. Dutta on 1/23/12. His bedside manner is not the best, but as a surgeon he's great. I'm made a great recovery, have lost 40lbs since the day of surgery. a little slow compared to others, but my starting BMI was 40 exactly

they expect you to lose 10% of your body weight before they will schedule you, even then it takes forever.... the process was 9 months total (from PCP to day of surgery)

It was worth it for me, I would do it again in a heart beat.

I'm bad at this too, I was good initially, but now I can't stand the idea of taking them. they still make me nauseated and I dread them....

congrats, welcome to onederland!!!!. btw we are surgery date buddies. I had mine on 1/23/12 also!!! preop I was 237, down to 220 on my surgery date. I am currently 190lbs. that's down 30lbs from my surgery date. a little dissappointed when I see others losing alot faster, but I don't have time to exercise and I eat a little carb with eat meal, any advice to me from you great losers

I'd love to hear from the vets out there!