HumanMerelyBeing

The Superbowl has become a national holiday of sorts, hasn't it? I don't know how or why this has occurred, but the amount of shopping, planning, cooking and eating that occurs in this country rivals Thanksgiving, I think.
My husband made a bunch of delicious smelling items that filled the house and overwhelmed me on my 10TH DAY OF PRE-OP DIET. Seriously??? I mean, I haven't had more than 650 calories a day for the last 10 days. Man, was I fighting the head hunger and the physical response of the nearness of the food and for a few seconds I had a good old Pity Party and then....
I remembered! I remembered reading on one of the many wise posts on here, that sometimes you just have to get yourself outta there. And that's what I did - I took my Water and myself upstairs and closed the bedroom door and absorbed myself in other things and yes...it passed. And I got through it.
I have had to do this a few times during the pre-op and I hope I will be able to apply some of these skillful behaviors once I've post-op.

Happy for you! All my best!

I was shopping at a local boutique this morning and decided to try a few dresses for some upcoming parties & showers.
I pointed to one "that's cute."
The woman grabbed me a small.
"Um, size what?? For who?? Me??"
"I'll get you a medium, but you are definitely a small."
....Yeah lady, you're on crack ..... And I fit and bought the size small dress. Holy s#*t!

Have a big swig of Water before you go to bed tonight! It's silly, but I miss chugging Water.

Yes, the sleeve definitely helps. But the cheating urges don't disappear--this is as much about your head as your stomach. I once saw someone post on here that they could still eat a large pizza all by themselves, but it would now take them 12 hours instead of one. In addition to learning and loving a new and healthier lifestyle, we all need to prepare ourselves for why we eat the way we do. It is an addiction, and even with the sleeve, I have to be very mindful of everything I do and every emotion I feel. I am definitely a food addict. So I watch for my triggers to keep myself on track.
Good luck to you!

So, I still do not have a date yet, still going through the doctor's appts and such, but as I was reading through all these posts, and after having a full on grazing day yesterday (after being good all week - damn that superbowl), I had a deep thought this morning:
Why am I freaking out about not being able to eat certain foods again, or having problems with certain foods??? Aren't those the foods that helped me get to the 280 I'm at right now??? I need to wrap my head around the fact that this is LIFE CHANGING - the life I am currently living is NOT HEALTHY, and this surgery will be the kick in the behind to MAKE me make the move to a healthier life - without the option to fall back on my cheating ways a week into it. Hopefully, down the line, after I've LEARNED a healthier lifestyle by forcing this onto my body, I won't have the cheating urges I have now.
I can be hopeful, right? Because I want to be the healthy slim fit person I see in my head, not the tired, painful, overweight person I see in the mirror.

CAN'T believe it is here... I feel like I have been waiting for ever.. Hope I can do this.. I did have a Band back in 2007 and had it removed in Oct 2013.. I had lost a total of 60lbs with it. I'm hoping for 100lbs with this, and keeping it off. So tired of being the "OB" WORD...I hate when people say it.. I am a care taker for my husband in early Alzheimer's so I have to stay fit for me and him. I want to thank everyone on this board for their SUPPORT and great Ideas...I WILL SEE YOU ALL ON THE OTHER SIDE...as they say.. I do have a small cold, but i'm going anyway. It is the kind of cold that if I went to the doctor he would tell me to go home and deal with it. So i'm on Clear liquids.. and I'm forcing them down hoping to clear everything out... till 12 midnight when I stop drinking. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU ALL THIS WEEK....... Jewelj

Good morning everyone! I will be praying for you guys. So excited for u all.

I'm scheduled for February 5th. Good luck to all me fellow sleevers this month!

Argh!! I just got asked the exact same thing. My surgery is in 5 days and I'm too smart to fall for that crock. Been there, done that. Losing weight is not the problem, is it? Keeping it off is, of course.

My "friend" says "If it was me I'd just stop eating"... really? What a Bleotch!

Somebody asked me that same question today. I told her I have a shake for Breakfast and one for lunch and then a 300 - 400 calorie frozen dinner for supper with all the Water I can drink all day. I can't sustain this diet indefinitely and even though I am losing weight.... I can't keep it off. I've been up and down with my weight for the last 35 years....I'm worn out and I need something more permanent as my body can no longer handle all of the weight variations. Besides who wants to exist on Protein shakes the rest of their lives? People are so judgmental and that is why I have chosen to limit who I have told about this surgery. My husband and daughter will support me, no questions asked.

I got this to. I mean, it's logical from the outside. It's working, right?
The thing they don't understand, although they may be well meaning, is that it simply isn't going to have any longevity unless you are going in for surgery and absolutely know you have to stick to this diet to have a safe surgery.
I truly believe more and more that obese people (myself included) simply have a more ravenous appetite than people who don't struggle to maintain a healthy weight. I'm not saying other factors, like psychological factors, can't play a role, too.
I am just simply amazed at how much *easier* a healthy lifestyle and weight loss (post-surgery) is than it's ever been before. I still think about what I put in my mouth.. each bite. I enjoy eating, and I'm even enjoying eating the healthy foods now. Seeing the numbers decline on the scale is so motivating.
And having that ravenous, out of control hunger and appetite is simply gone. I believe this was my number one defeater of all my best efforts in the past. I'm not very far out, but if this lasts and I continue on this path, I swear I'm going to preach the word of the sleeve like it's my new damn Bible. Amen.

Being nervous is normal.
I almost backed out the day before surgery, then went to the required pre-op seminar and went back to feeling good about my decision. Being around other people that were in the same boat made me feel better. Then, the next morning in admitting, I almost backed out again. I though to myself, "You can walk out of here and only be out $500." I was terrified. Then I looked at my husband and thought about all the reasons why I was going to have the surgery. I chose right then and there to go thru with it.
That was the best decision - I had some buyer's remorse the next couple of days, wondering if this was the right decision, but I attribute that to not feeling good. Once I started feeling better, my outlook was better.
You got this!!!!!!!

Well your destiny seems clear in life and in your dreams. This type of dream is telling you to stay the course and make the right choices and you will find this journey and the path it take you on will be life changing. Thanks for sharing so inspirational!

That's a cool dream!

Oh, I am not into interpreting dreams but I love where you went with that one..Tell me were you thin in the dream?
When I dreamed in my life time I was always thin. Don't know why but it is true!!!!!!!!!!!!

COOOL! Roll on!

That is a great dream. Thank you for sharing!

I have a big problem with folks who feel better about themselves at the expense of the suffering of other people. Love does not do this. Such is not friendship, it is leaching. Count the surgery as getting rid of excess fat and excess bloodsuckers.

I have a guy friend that I have been seeing, and he doesn't want me to have surgery. He told me that if I lose a lot of weight, then he won't like me. I think that's code for "I'm afraid you're going get skinny and leave me for another man." I told him that he could do me a favor and move on now, because I'm having the surgery for ME.

After 3yrs I will be getting off my bp meds Saturday. They had me cut it in half for 2 weeks bc can't quit cold turkey. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm 11weeks out today and down 61 lbs.

Hello All:
It's been a few months since I've been on this forums, but all those who had gone through the VSG before me and gave me such wonderful advise and encouragement--I wanted to say THANK YOU!
I am at my 9 month mark post surg, and I have maneuvered through the maze of adopting a whole new relationship with "eating" and healthy lifestyle and I wanted to put myself out there for anyone who would like some encouragement or anyone who has questions about the procedure (positive and negative). According to my surgeon I am in the <10% who have experienced some unwanted effects of the procedure--BUT given even the (at times) struggle with those negative effects--I would do this all over again to LIVE this wonderful life I have now.
I have lost 76lbs, started at 222 and I am now 146.
From BMI of 39.4 to new BMI 25.2
From size 16 to size 6.
I no longer use a CPAP because I no longer have sleep apnea.
My back pain is (mostly) gone.
I can walk up flights of stairs w/o feeling like I was going to pass out!
If anybody out there has had the sleeve or is considering the sleeve--please use me as support!
I am still losing weight (I would like to lose 12 lbs more) and I am toning my body up.
I've attached a picture from my birthday in 2013 right before my surgery and a picture from Thanksgiving of this year (about 6.5 months post sleeve). I will try to get some more recent pictures taken.
. Before
. In progress

Best of luck. Keep us posted after your surgery!

I am 7 days out to surgery (2/4/2014). I had a vivid dream last night that I was on a long journey on foot. Suddenly I had wheels on my feet (not exactly roller skates, but wheels) and I started picking up speed. I approached a long downhill and easily maneuvered down it, rolling smoothly along. It was a long, winding hill with beautiful trees on both sides of the road, their branches hanging over the pavement. I felt free with the wind flying right through me. Interestingly, during this I was very aware of the need to stay focused, to watch the road, to manage the landscapes and not fly out of control.
When I woke up, all I could think is that the dream was a wonderful metaphor for the new journey I'm about to begin. I'm claiming it.