livvsmum

I didn't know where to start either. I'm working with a therapist who recommended the book "When food Is Love". Just reading the title I didn't think it would apply to me, but just after reading the first few sentences of the book I knew it would be pivotal in my journey. I definitely HIGHLY recommend it.

Just keep sticking to the plan and all of the sudden the scale will start moving again!

See my post directly above about a couple of things that have helped me. And hang in there! Any step forward is a step in the right direction!

Thank you! The surgery will work, there is no doubt about that. But the extent to which it works and the long-term success is really dependent on the amount of emotional and physical work that you are willing to do. I'm sure that you will have great success as well! As far as what has helped me, I would say two things...first, sticking to my numbers. I try to eat no more than 40g carbs per day, at least 65g Protein and at least 80 oz of Water. When I do this, things seem to go well. And also to find some kind of exercise you love. For me it was running. Other than that, I would say be prepared to do the hard emotional work of trying to figure out why you ate the way you ate before surgery. Overeating to excess is seldom, just about liking food. For me, I was stuck for a good month in my old mindset and habits around 7 months post op. I started seeing a therapist and started to address the issues that contributed to my compulsive, destructive eating habits. That was WAY harder than any of the nutritional changes I've made. I would just say be as prepared as you can to do the work.

Hi all - Just thought I would share my 9 month post op pics. I've lost 126 pounds so far with about 8 to go until goal. While the weight is still coming off, one of the most significant things I've started to do this month is begin to work through the emotional and compulsive eating issues that got me to nearly 300 pounds to begin with. It's been a really emotional month, but I am feeling really good about keeping the weight off long term because I am starting to deal with the core issues rather than the symptoms. Anyway, here are my most recent pics.

Awesome! Congrats! I can't wait to finally be able to post that I reached my goal (which is the same as yours). I'm 8 pounds away and these last 12 pounds have been tough.

Great job! You look amazing!

Yep. I guess some people can have them in moderation and be fine, but I have learned I am NOT one of those people. I have to completely stay away from breads, rice, pasta, fried foods, etc. I'm just not one who can have a little and then walk away. It is a definite trigger and can lead to weeks of struggle. It is not worth it to me. I have worked with my nutritionist to identify "safe carbs" to work into my diet like fruit carbs rather than empty "trigger" carbs.

How exciting to get your date! I hope everything goes smoothly for you and welcome to the group! I agree, this is a pretty great group of people, so definitely don't hesitate to ask for the support you need! :-)

Perhaps go back to basics for a week or so to try and "reset" your body. But honestly, old habits don't just passively come back, we let them in. Not trying to sound harsh, I am in the same place and that's why I feel like I can say that. I have noticed in the past month that I have allowed myself to revert to some of my unhealthy thinking and behaviors. I've actually started going to a therapist that works specifically with bariatric patients to try get at some of the underlying issues with food that I have.

Congratulations on taking the first step! I also have BCBS and had to do the 6 month pre-op program. I hated it at the time, but thank goodness for it! In those, what turned out to be, 9 months I learned SO much and I feel like I was as prepared as I possibly could be. I'm sure you will find some on here who are at a similar starting point as you. I think there are also boards broken down by surgery month. One thing I might also suggest is to start a blog or something similar to mark your journey. I started a blog right before my very first doctor's visit in January of 2013. It's linked in my signature - you are welcomed to check it out. I am SO glad I did. I still post in it now a couple of times a week. It has been an awesome way to keep track of my journey and go back and remind myself of the things I've learned and AM LEARNING NOW along the way! So I guess my point is to use the time that you are required to take anyway and try to make it as productive as possible :-)

It is tough, but trust me it's way better to do it the way you are doing it then to wait until you have the surgery then all of the sudden be going through caffeine withdraw, carb withdraw, sugar withdraw all at the same time.

I agree. I would sample some and figure out what you like and don't like. You don't want to get to the point where you have to use them and realize you don't have anything there that you like. It took me a while to find 2 kinds that I actually liked. :-)

153.6 it's sloooooow going this month

my myfitnesspal name is livvsmum. I will add you.

Make it part of your routine daily (or every other day or whatever). Make it not optional. I also set goals and that motivates me. I love to run (after I complete a run...lol) so I will sign up for an upcoming 5k or similar race and it motivates me to train for that. I am very goal-oriented so that works for me. As you do more, you will find that you love the way it makes you feel and you will fall into an ease of routine.

I definitely felt that way in the first couple of weeks post-op. I didn't have a ton of pain or complications or anything, but drinking Water in and of itself was a chore. It really is about surviving those first couple of weeks. Since that i have not one time regretted my decision. Hang in there and stick with the plan. I promise it gets better!

Could not have said it better! It seems the closer I get to goal (only 9 pounds away!!!!) the more I am struggling with the internal part of it and dealing with the reasons behind my poor eating behaviors in the first place. Surgery is awesome and helped me lose over 125 pounds, but fixing what was wrong on the inside is what will keep it off for good.

I chose my goal weight first by making sure it was within the "normal" BMI range, and from there just kind of thought of the lowest weight I've been in my adult life where I felt healthy and fit and pushed it 5 pounds less than that. :-) It's pretty arbitrary actually.

The surgery will work. But you have to work too. It does not fix everything, including the unhealthy eating behaviors/emotions that got you where you are in the first place. That has been one of the biggest things I have learned. I think I now (9 mos post op) am just starting to fully understand what is meant when it is said that surgery is a "tool" and will work when you work with it. I'm not just talking about working in the sense of making good food choices, exercising, etc. For me, I have to work even harder at the underlying emotional reasons I ate to excess and carried the weight I carried before surgery. For me it was not just because I liked food and the way it tasted. It was very complex and I need to unravel that to be truly successful and keep off the 125 pounds that I have lost.

DO take the time to work on the reasons you had an unhealthy relationship with food before surgery. Surgery is awesome and amazing and will help you lose weight, BUT you also have to work on what goes on on the inside as well. That is what will keep the weight off in the long-run.

Yes, a resounding yes. Every day I feel like I am still obese "faking" being thin and one day I will wake up and be 30 or 40 or 100 pounds heavier and say "See!! I knew I was faking it"..... Total imposter syndrome. I have actually started to work with a therapist to figure out my eating and body image issues because I want to not only fix the way I look on the outside (which is pretty much accomplished) but also have a healthy perception of food and myself on the inside. So far I can't tell you enough how incredibly insightful and helpful the therapy has been.

That is amazing! Welcome back and congratulations!!!

Interesting post! I definitely feel like my surgery and weight loss has kind of overcome my identity in the past 1-2 years as it is the focus of a lot of my thoughts a lot of the day. There is kind of a "now what" feeling once you get a little further out from surgery. Now who am I? Now what is the new "normal"? Now how do I keep the "new me"? I also had that thought as we hired a new person at work a couple of weeks ago. I don't know what made me think of it but I realized she will never have known I was obese before, just by looking at me. That is so weird to me because I feel like everyone just "knows" that the real me is fat. I still kind of feel like I'm faking "thin"...... There's a lot to be said of identity issues through this journey for sure.

You look amazing! congratulations on your success thus far! I am also 9 months post op and in this past month I have only lost 5 pounds. That is getting kind of discouraging to me as well, but it is my own fault I think. I've let some of my old habits creep back in and I think it's my exercise that has kept me losing at all. I agree with the others, get back to basics. That is what I have done the past week or so and the scale started moving again.