Josey Quinn

Food cravings can derail your weight loss efforts. The next time a craving hits, try thinking about your smaller stomach as a set of training wheels instead of a set of restrictive rules.


In the forum, I've seen a lot of concern about cheating on the pre-op diet and eating certain foods too soon after surgery. I understand these temptations. (Oh, boy, do I understand.) It is natural to crave what we can't have. Foods like pizza and Pasta suddenly seem preternaturally delicious. If we give in and eat something that's not on our diet plan, we react with guilt and shame--and we usually realize that pizza is not as awesome as we remembered.
Unfortunately, cravings come back again and again, promising a taste explosion. If we don't learn to resist most of these cravings, we can derail our weight loss efforts.
The next time a craving hits, try thinking about your smaller stomach as a set of training wheels instead of a set of restrictive rules. Your current body--your bicycle--is functional, but you have your heart set on that sleek racing model or muscular mountain bike. You yearn to zip down the street or take that rugged path through the forest. Before you can master the better bicycle, though, you have to learn to balance on the one you have--under all road and trail conditions. You have to be ready for the challenges ahead.
Training wheels are boring, but they help us avoid the worst of the bumps and bruises that can happen when we lose our balance and fall off the bike. We can still slip up and take a spill, but it's likely to be much less painful than if we were careening down a street unchecked, with no extra wheels to keep us upright.
Our smaller stomach does the same thing for us: it helps us maintain our balance while we're learning to nourish our bodies again. Before surgery, most of us had the freedom to eat a large variety and amount of food. We lost our balance repeatedly, and we paid for it with increased weight and medical problems. We injured our body--and mind--over and over.
We've already invested a lot of resources in our weight loss surgery, and we have a limited amount of time to make use of these training wheels. If we take the extra time and effort to learn the fine art of balance, we will be better prepared to handle the freedom that comes with the new, better models of our bodies. The excitement and adventures waiting for us down the road are worth a little boredom with the training wheels now.

Food cravings can derail your weight loss efforts. The next time a craving hits, try thinking about your smaller stomach as a set of training wheels instead of a set of restrictive rules.


In the forum, I've seen a lot of concern about cheating on the pre-op diet and eating certain foods too soon after surgery. I understand these temptations. (Oh, boy, do I understand.) It is natural to crave what we can't have. Foods like pizza and Pasta suddenly seem preternaturally delicious. If we give in and eat something that's not on our diet plan, we react with guilt and shame--and we usually realize that pizza is not as awesome as we remembered.
Unfortunately, cravings come back again and again, promising a taste explosion. If we don't learn to resist most of these cravings, we can derail our weight loss efforts.
The next time a craving hits, try thinking about your smaller stomach as a set of training wheels instead of a set of restrictive rules. Your current body--your bicycle--is functional, but you have your heart set on that sleek racing model or muscular mountain bike. You yearn to zip down the street or take that rugged path through the forest. Before you can master the better bicycle, though, you have to learn to balance on the one you have--under all road and trail conditions. You have to be ready for the challenges ahead.
Training wheels are boring, but they help us avoid the worst of the bumps and bruises that can happen when we lose our balance and fall off the bike. We can still slip up and take a spill, but it's likely to be much less painful than if we were careening down a street unchecked, with no extra wheels to keep us upright.
Our smaller stomach does the same thing for us: it helps us maintain our balance while we're learning to nourish our bodies again. Before surgery, most of us had the freedom to eat a large variety and amount of food. We lost our balance repeatedly, and we paid for it with increased weight and medical problems. We injured our body--and mind--over and over.
We've already invested a lot of resources in our weight loss surgery, and we have a limited amount of time to make use of these training wheels. If we take the extra time and effort to learn the fine art of balance, we will be better prepared to handle the freedom that comes with the new, better models of our bodies. The excitement and adventures waiting for us down the road are worth a little boredom with the training wheels now.

It's completely normal to have doubts. This is not a magic bullet. You are making trade-offs for the significant weight loss. But as long as you are going into it with your eyes open, you can feel good about your decision.
I had my sleeve surgery in December 2015. I experienced some complications, and I will have to take pancreatic enzymes indefinitely, but I would have the surgery again. Even the loose skin doesn't bother me enough to regret my decision. Now, I can eat almost any kind of food I want, as long as I stick to the portion size my stomach can comfortably handle.
Keep educating yourself and reviewing your pros/cons list.

We all deal with "head hunger," that insistent little voice that tells us we really need a bacon double cheeseburger, even though we had a full lunch two hours ago. Coping with head hunger is a fact of life, even for those of us who have had weight loss surgery.


We all deal with "head hunger," that insistent little voice in our mind that tells us we really need a bacon double cheeseburger, even though we had a full lunch two hours ago. Sometimes, it tells us it's all right to keep eating after we've reached our fill line because the cookie bag is not yet empty. Other times, it tells us that mint chocolate chip ice cream really will relieve our emotional pain.
Anyone hungry now?
Head hunger happens all the time, often with the slightest provocation. It has little to do with our body's immediate need for fuel. It has everything to do with our sense of smell and the abundance of savory and sweet foods in our environment. It's a habit we've reinforced over the years. For some of us, it contributes to obesity and other health issues. For others, it complicates mental health conditions. Head hunger promises to make us feel better, but it often delivers misery instead.
Coping with head hunger is a fact of life, even for those of us who have had weight loss surgery. Our surgery has given us a physical tool for our weight loss journey, but we need to supplement it with mental tools. I didn't fully understand this need before my vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Yes, I believed my head hunger would magically disappear with the majority of my stomach. It didn't. The voice still comes and goes, usually reaching top volume on stressful days. It lies to me, insisting that I want food I could not possibly digest at this point in my journey.
How do I cope with my head hunger? How do I keep it from derailing my weight loss or jeopardizing my health?
I'm going to answer with a cliche: I take it one day at a time. This is not intuitive for me because I am not a "one day at a time" kind of girl. I've learned, though, that the harder I fight head hunger, the harder it fights back. Brute force won't stop the intrusive thoughts of food. This is why I must take it one day at a time, with compassionate self-care.
When head hunger hits, I have many options for taking care of myself without reaching into the refrigerator. I can exercise for half an hour to see if the cravings pass. I can spend time with my kids. I can lose myself in a good book or movie. I can learn a new crochet stitch. I can start a new art or writing project. The actual activity isn't important, though. The important thing is to understand when hunger is mental hunger and not a physical need for food.
Understanding what head hunger means to you and what triggers it is the first step in coping with it. After you know this, you can create a personal plan for the day-to-day activities that will help you avoid overeating or eating when your body doesn't need fuel.
Keeping a journal can help you sort out the different physical and emotional feelings associated with head hunger. Talking to other people who understand these feelings can help, too. Giving yourself time and space to deal with the feelings instead of beating yourself up for them is crucial. Above all, showing yourself kindness every day is the most effective way to minimize the influence head hunger has over you.

I'm struggling a bit with my true goal weight. My original goal was 165, and I'm now a hair over 162. I would be happy staying at this weight (and not having to buy more clothes for a while), but my body seems to have other ideas. I'm eating as much as I can each day, but I'm still losing. So, I don't know if I should let my body decide my ultimate goal for me or try harder to stop the weight loss.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm struggling a bit with my true goal weight. My original goal was 165, and I'm now a hair over 162. I would be happy staying at this weight (and not having to buy more clothes for a while), but my body seems to have other ideas. I'm eating as much as I can each day, but I'm still losing. So, I don't know if I should let my body decide my ultimate goal for me or try harder to stop the weight loss.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm struggling a bit with my true goal weight. My original goal was 165, and I'm now a hair over 162. I would be happy staying at this weight (and not having to buy more clothes for a while), but my body seems to have other ideas. I'm eating as much as I can each day, but I'm still losing. So, I don't know if I should let my body decide my ultimate goal for me or try harder to stop the weight loss.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm struggling a bit with my true goal weight. My original goal was 165, and I'm now a hair over 162. I would be happy staying at this weight (and not having to buy more clothes for a while), but my body seems to have other ideas. I'm eating as much as I can each day, but I'm still losing. So, I don't know if I should let my body decide my ultimate goal for me or try harder to stop the weight loss.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My surgeon told me to stay away from Ensure and similar drinks. I've used Unjury since my surgery in December, and it has worked well for me.

When I'm getting full, my stomach makes more noise and I feel like I want to stand up to relieve pressure.

When I'm getting full, my stomach makes more noise and I feel like I want to stand up to relieve pressure.

When I'm getting full, my stomach makes more noise and I feel like I want to stand up to relieve pressure.

Nine months out from VSG, I still eat too fast. Lately, I've been focusing on chewing my food much more because this naturally slows me down.

Nine months out from VSG, I still eat too fast. Lately, I've been focusing on chewing my food much more because this naturally slows me down.

I had my gastric sleeve surgery 8 months ago. As of today, I've lost 111 pounds, which puts me 10 pounds away from goal.
What I really wanted to know before surgery was:
How would surgery change my everyday life with food? How would I react emotionally to a radically different way of eating and fast weight loss? Would I feel tired and rundown? Would I really be able to exercise? How would my friends, family, and coworkers react to my new eating regimen and weight loss?

I'm glad to see that you went for a walk. That sounds like a healthy response to the situation! (((hugs)))

Your body is recovering. Let your doctor know you're having trouble. He might need to switch you to a different nausea medication. If you're still taking pain medication, that could also be contributing to nausea. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor or his nurse. Don't suffer in silence.

Hi everyone,

I'm sure I'm not unique in sharing all of this. I'm 29 years old and I live in the Austin, Texas area. I've recently started the process to get bariatric surgery. I have chosen the gastric sleeve as my surgery choice and I have my first appointments to begin my required 6-month pre-surgery stuff.

I grew up thin and have only struggled with my weight in the past 7 years (give or take). I gained 120 lbs in that time and there seems to be no going back. After marrying my husband, I tried to gain control and even participated in my first half-marathon, but things were not getting better no matter what I tried. I'm married with no children (just a crazy and wild dog).

My mom had gastric bypass surgery and it changed her life. I was looking for answers to help me with my journey, but I didn't find exactly what I was looking for so I decided to start a blog. I'm hoping to help people like me and find support along the way.

If you're interested, the website is www.bigtexasgirl.com. I have only shared this with one other person. I hope you'll come connect with me.

Mandy

I'm glad to see that you went for a walk. That sounds like a healthy response to the situation! (((hugs)))

I sweat far less now than I did before surgery. I can't remember how long after surgery it took the sweating to decrease, though, because I had surgery in the winter. I'm down 111 pounds.

What I'd like to have known the most.....the very most.....is something that I didn't have the vision to see back then.
What I'd loved for someone to do was to lean in and whisper in my ear, "Dude....you are struggling mightily just to get through each day. You are hurting all the time. You body is betraying your fat lifestyle. You are a ticking time bomb. You are taxing those who love you very heavily. Guess what ?.....Every bit of that will be hugely improved in months. Every single bit of that."
This knowledge would have made the delays leading up to surgery much more tolerable. It would have made me laugh all the way through the short and simple 14 day liver shrink diet. It would have made me laugh at any fear or discomfort. I would have pushed my way to the front of the line and popped in my own IV needle and wheeled myself to the operating room.
Life is so much better now.
In Every Single Way.
That's what I wish I could've known.................

I had my gastric sleeve surgery 8 months ago. As of today, I've lost 111 pounds, which puts me 10 pounds away from goal.
What I really wanted to know before surgery was:
How would surgery change my everyday life with food? How would I react emotionally to a radically different way of eating and fast weight loss? Would I feel tired and rundown? Would I really be able to exercise? How would my friends, family, and coworkers react to my new eating regimen and weight loss?

I had my gastric sleeve surgery 8 months ago. As of today, I've lost 111 pounds, which puts me 10 pounds away from goal.
What I really wanted to know before surgery was:
How would surgery change my everyday life with food? How would I react emotionally to a radically different way of eating and fast weight loss? Would I feel tired and rundown? Would I really be able to exercise? How would my friends, family, and coworkers react to my new eating regimen and weight loss?

I've had some medical issues over the past two months (not surgery/sleeve complications), so I've been preoccupied and not paying close attention to my weight loss. I realized a few days ago that my clothes are falling off. I decided to get a few things at Target, which led to today's NSV: I bought my first non-plus size shirts and dresses!
My shopping experience was surreal. I started in Target's extremely inadequate plus-size department, but then I decided to try on the largest misses size (XXL). I started with a striped maxi dress. I couldn't believe it when it actually went over my body. I really couldn't believe it when I didn't want to break the mirror. Sure, I'm still "fluffy," but for the first time in years, I felt like my curves were attractive. This is a EPIC accomplishment for me.
Outside of the dressing room, I felt like a fraud, though. I'd already confirmed for myself that I could fit into misses XXL, but I felt like people were judging me for straying outside the plus-size section. I actually felt paranoid that someone was going to walk up to me and suggest I stop looking in the misses section. For years, shopping for clothes has been demoralizing and painful for me. I guess it's going to take some time to get over that history. It seems silly to get so emotional over shopping, but I couldn't help my feelings.
How do you feel as you shop for smaller clothes?

I've had some medical issues over the past two months (not surgery/sleeve complications), so I've been preoccupied and not paying close attention to my weight loss. I realized a few days ago that my clothes are falling off. I decided to get a few things at Target, which led to today's NSV: I bought my first non-plus size shirts and dresses!
My shopping experience was surreal. I started in Target's extremely inadequate plus-size department, but then I decided to try on the largest misses size (XXL). I started with a striped maxi dress. I couldn't believe it when it actually went over my body. I really couldn't believe it when I didn't want to break the mirror. Sure, I'm still "fluffy," but for the first time in years, I felt like my curves were attractive. This is a EPIC accomplishment for me.
Outside of the dressing room, I felt like a fraud, though. I'd already confirmed for myself that I could fit into misses XXL, but I felt like people were judging me for straying outside the plus-size section. I actually felt paranoid that someone was going to walk up to me and suggest I stop looking in the misses section. For years, shopping for clothes has been demoralizing and painful for me. I guess it's going to take some time to get over that history. It seems silly to get so emotional over shopping, but I couldn't help my feelings.
How do you feel as you shop for smaller clothes?