ElyQuint

I can relate to you both. I am medicated bipolar and there are days now where I wake up poverty-minded & know that the day will be a loss. Antidepressants only manage chemicals that are unmanaged so they won't eliminate normal moments of funk. I am learning to sit in the feelings, rather than sedate with food, knowing they are only temporary. They are my signal for radical self care! I pull up a bucket of hot bubbly lavender Water for my feet, make a nutritional shake, put a face mask on and watch an old Jimmy Stewart film. I call these saturation days. I have a list of self love activities specifically for these days. Funk happens.

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

Im ecstatic. I am officially in onederland weighing in at 198.6! i am so proud of myself. its been 10+ years since i stepped on the scale and the number didnt start with a 2.....WOO HOO!

Oh my goodness! So many emotions. I am on a rollercoaster of different emotions! One minute I'm so excited and determined and the next I'm questioning myself and scared to death! I'm wondering if I've done enough research and if I know for the most part what I'm getting myself into. Does this sound familiar to anyone or am I alone on this ride?

It's probably a dehydration symptom. Getting enough Water is nearly impossible in the early post-op phase cuz you can't drink it fast like before. Always have a bottle of water with you and keep sipping all day. Also the surgery is a shock to your body so yes, talk to you Dr but give your body some time to recover too.

I still miss food sometimes. I have developed a whole slew of coping mechanisms that don't involve food.< /p>
1. If I can confront the issue, I do. Sometimes saying no to someone, telling them they hurt me, etc. It's a work in progress because I prefer avoidance. I'm a runner not a fighter.
2. If I need a lift, I call a friend, play a game, apply lotion and lipgloss (it's the scent and smooth feel), or go outdoors.
3. I do more reading and game playing. Watching TV for hours leaves my hands free. Not good for me.
4. When I feel I deserve a treat, I try to pick something healthy like a yummy low cal drink, fresh fruit, or I buy myself something, even something small like a new pen or cute notepad.
Lynda

I am almost two weeks out and today I found myself in deep emotional trouble however I didn't want to do anything but eat. I never thought I was an emotional eater until all I wanted to do was eat when I felt sad and angry. I always thought I just ate because I wanted to but I guess if that was true I wouldn't have needed wls.

Onederland! Finally! Yay, I got here on my 46th birthday, also have lost over 100lbs now!

Yay gods! Clawingly sweet was my fear!

It is also still illegal in my state. That is the only problem I have with it. If it were legal I would equate it w/having a beer or a glass of wine. If I needed it for medical reasons I would have no problems using it w/a prescription. It's medical use is increasing in popularity and acceptance. We have several locations in our area where you can get it and business is booming.
As far as munchies go (I'm very familiar w/this, being a child of the 70's) keeping snack-type foods around that also have high Protein is a great idea, as someone suggested. Nutrition stores stock high Protein Snacks that satisfy crunchy-salty cravings while meeting protein needs. I like CrunchO's w/12gr of protein (also available on Amazon). Nuts, while higher in fat, have protein and healthy oils, and Protein Bars are satisfying too. MJ isn't the only thing that causes munchies - I tend to want Snacks when I have my wine. Alcohol lowers my will power and relaxes my judgment a bit so having protein snacks available helps me to stay on track during weak moments. :-)

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

I went with the sleeve because it has the lowest rate of re-surgery and I'm under 40 so the chances of complications from having a piece of plastic inside my body for the next (god willing) 40 plus years were pretty high. Also I don't want reversible, ever. If I need to bulk up for disease fighting purposes in the future, I'm going to become a vegan/juicing/coffee enema performing maniac, not a dorito munching, french fry-o-holic! Pinpoint your weaknesses and figure which surgery will aid self sabotage, then choose against it.

I can't even imagine what you are going through and I am very sorry for your loss. I tend to lose my way when life gets chaotic emotionally, physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone will say to bring it back to sticks and mortar. Go back to shakes and logging your foods and all that jazz and I agree. Its the foundation of your health. My suggestion is to sprinkle your life with radical self love. Nurturing, relaxing, rewarding experiences that make you feel good. Bubble baths, good books, kittens, wine, candles that smell like gardenias... whatever feeds your sense of personal well being. Its the foundation of your healing.

Bandmom, nobody really adequately describes head hunger. When I had to drop coffee, alcohol and food it suddenly struck me that I was an emotional wreck over wrought with unaddressed anxiety. There was a lot of crying, a lot of agnst, a lot of resistance and I had nothing left to comfort it with, in fact I was pretty much stuck in my anger for lack of relief. I obsessed about food, dreamt about jamie oliver and even bought chefs knives. Five months or so out and food still doesn't provide the satiety or sedation that it used too. I have to use yoga, journalling, art & meditation. Daily. Had I known, I would have broken up with food long before surgery, so I could concentrate on healing without the pangs of withdrawal to contend with.

1. I wish I had broken up with food before surgery so that I didn't have to add it to the first month's difficult adjustments. Emotional basket case and food will NOT comfort.
2. I wish I knew that the 1st month would be a physical and mental challenge. I was tired, stupid and emotional. I had previously believed I was the special snowflake who would recover like a rock star. I am not a special snowflake.
3. I wish I knew that planning was ludicrous. My stomach is no longer a familiar beast. The shakes I liked would be gross on the flip side and my guts relentlessly reject my insistence that it behave as I expect it to.
4. Post first week Constipation nearly killed me. I was entirely unprepared for this.
That said, best decision I ever made.

I can relate to you both. I am medicated bipolar and there are days now where I wake up poverty-minded & know that the day will be a loss. Antidepressants only manage chemicals that are unmanaged so they won't eliminate normal moments of funk. I am learning to sit in the feelings, rather than sedate with food, knowing they are only temporary. They are my signal for radical self care! I pull up a bucket of hot bubbly lavender Water for my feet, make a nutritional shake, put a face mask on and watch an old Jimmy Stewart film. I call these saturation days. I have a list of self love activities specifically for these days. Funk happens.

The latest research is estimating that 75% of over eating comes from emotional eating. Identifying the trap of emotional eating and having the specific steps to escape are essential in learning how to maintain your weight loss.


The Emotional Eating Trap:
Many of us focus our weight loss plans on diet and exercise only; we have no awareness, plan, or tools to work through our emotions which may be contributing to Snacks, binges, or over-sized portions. We get excited. We have our new bariatric plan and exercise routine in place and we are feeling great about it. Then BAM, out of nowhere we get an intense urge or impulse to eat a variety of foods that are not on our new meal plan. At the drop of a dime your feelings have instantly changed. In this very moment you are being seduced by a “thought-feeling” state. At this very moment your automatic reaction is to escape the “perceived bad feeling” which many of us are unaware of at the moment it is happening.
Escaping the Trap:
1. Identify the impulse to emotionally eat by asking the question: “Am I physically Hungry?” You will realize you are not physically hungry most of the time.
2. Change your emotional state by doing a quick meditation
Meditation:
1. Close your eyes and begin to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
2. Think of something you appreciate or you are grateful for. As you think of this person or thing focus your breathing through your heart; breathing in and out. Focus all of your thoughts to this feeling of being grateful for three to five breaths.
3. Now think of something you love about yourself. It can be a physical body part or it can be a personality trait. Continue to focus all your thoughts on something you love about yourself for three to five breaths, focusing on breathing that feeling in and out through your heart.
4. Now think of one kind act someone has done for you. Again as you focus on this thought for three to five breaths, breathe the feelings in and out through your heart.
This meditation only takes a few minutes but will instantly change your feelings or at least neutralize them. This is a plan of self-empowerment that will allow you to escape the “bad feelings” by redirecting your feelings instead of avoiding them by over eating.
If you are interested in not getting caught in the overeating trap again, set up a schedule to do this meditation a few times throughout the day. The more you do this meditation the more you will strengthen your ability to self-regulate. The most important factor in learning how to maintain your weight loss after surgery is being consistent with identifying the impulse to over eat and following through with the meditation.

Surgery date was July 23rd and while my goal was 185, my nutritionist and others thought it was aggressive.
I am 5'11
Surgery Weight 287
Original Goal 185 pounds
Weight as of today 180 pounds
New Goal - Maintain essentially current weight. Lost 100% of excess body weight plus a few pounds more
My picture up here is now 33 pounds ago! And up to that point it was the only picture I was comforttable with in years.

I had the rny. Best decision ever!! My surgeon only does rny or band. My orthopedic surgeon said no to the band because of my history of mersa and I am facing a knee replacement down the road. Regardless of the surgery you have to follow the diet and exercise plan they give you. I don't know anyone who didn't experience ups and downs prior to surgery. There were ups and downs post surgery also. I'd I had it to do again...The only thing I would change would be waiting so long to have it done. I am just shy of 2 years post surgery. 4 yrs. From my top weight...at my son's wedding. I am down 135 from that day. I have lost a whole woman! My quality of life has improved immeasurably. I can slide down slides with my grandson. I can dance for hours. I am comfortable on the back of a motorcycle! For the first time ever I know I am a sexy vibrant woman. You will always be able to find people who have struggled post surgery...my experience with them is that it is their inability to follow direction. Stick with those that are having success. That's what I am doing.

Hey all.
Sharing a small milestone on my WLS journey - hit one hundred pounds down today in a bit over 3 months since surgery. Have dropped in pant sizes from 58's to 46's over that period.
Sadly, still have quite a long way to go and a bit uncertain I'll make it since I have hit a couple stalls over the last 20 pounds or so.
But still felt it was a worthy moment to share.
Thanks for listening.

I have to exercise or I suffer from depression. It's a sad state of affairs because I hate exercise, but that's the way it is for me. I walk 3 times per week for about an hour and feel even better if I throw in a couple of 45 minute strength training classes.
I took an antidepressant for several years but after I began exercising, I was able to stop them and I felt better than I did with the meds.
Mine started pre-menopause. I do think there is also emotional work to be done since I no longer eat my feelings. I found Cognitive Behavior Therapy the most helpful for that.
Lynda

I can relate to you both. I am medicated bipolar and there are days now where I wake up poverty-minded & know that the day will be a loss. Antidepressants only manage chemicals that are unmanaged so they won't eliminate normal moments of funk. I am learning to sit in the feelings, rather than sedate with food, knowing they are only temporary. They are my signal for radical self care! I pull up a bucket of hot bubbly lavender Water for my feet, make a nutritional shake, put a face mask on and watch an old Jimmy Stewart film. I call these saturation days. I have a list of self love activities specifically for these days. Funk happens.

As of this morning, my BMI is officially in the "normal" range. I can't believe I am finally there. In the beginning I thought I was a slow loser, but things added up and I am here. I want to lose 8 more lbs and I know I'll get there!