BigUtahMan

Wow- Surprised someone with 8000 posts who is a "bariatric legend" would be so forthcoming with personal attacking and questioning one's integrity? Is that ok if they don't match your own philosophy or personal plan?
For your information, many therapists use intuitive eating for all types of eating disorders including compulsive eating and food addictions. While it may be easy for you to make ignorant claims of "unethical," it only represents your own limited knowledge about the subject than actual truth. (Are you a therapist? Have you read the book?) I don't mind people countering with facts, but personal insults and actual mistruths don't benefit anyone.
Are you claiming she didn't lose the weight? Are you claiming, she isn't enjoying a new relationship with food and that others can't enjoy it either? Why is this approach to food such a threat to you or your psyche? I appreciate we all fear failure and returning to our unhealthy selves that needed surgery to become healthy, but I hope we can support each other in their processes rather than insult and make even more difficult to accomplish our collective goals in our individual journeys.
I don't know you, and I assume you are a great person, but I hope we can all share our experiences, successes, and failures without being personally attacked for sharing.

I am surprised reading the many comments in direct conflict with this post. It is my experience it is what we should all be working towards. Eating "what your want, when you want" does not mean binge without consequence, rather it means listening to your body and trust it to tell you what you need or want when and how much. Our bodies have amazing and complex feedback loops, but all of us spent years ignoring them and eating for emotional reasons, not physical ones. Relearning to listen and to trust your feedback loops is the ideal state of being. A constant diet mentality with or without surgery is not healthy or ideal, and statistically speaking won't work. I also realize learning to listen to your feedback loops and not your emotions is a difficult transition that should not be attempted when in the weight loss phase, but to maintain that phase I think it is essential.

But that was my point. It's all about the audience. My entire point was that posts like this are dangerous sometimes because of how people read it, misapply the information to their own life, and end up worse off than they were before.
I'm turning off notifications for this thread. Like I said, to each his or her own on this one. Hopefully it will work out for those of you that choose to go that route.

Wow- Surprised someone with 8000 posts who is a "bariatric legend" would be so forthcoming with personal attacking and questioning one's integrity? Is that ok if they don't match your own philosophy or personal plan?
For your information, many therapists use intuitive eating for all types of eating disorders including compulsive eating and food addictions. While it may be easy for you to make ignorant claims of "unethical," it only represents your own limited knowledge about the subject than actual truth. (Are you a therapist? Have you read the book?) I don't mind people countering with facts, but personal insults and actual mistruths don't benefit anyone.
Are you claiming she didn't lose the weight? Are you claiming, she isn't enjoying a new relationship with food and that others can't enjoy it either? Why is this approach to food such a threat to you or your psyche? I appreciate we all fear failure and returning to our unhealthy selves that needed surgery to become healthy, but I hope we can support each other in their processes rather than insult and make even more difficult to accomplish our collective goals in our individual journeys.
I don't know you, and I assume you are a great person, but I hope we can all share our experiences, successes, and failures without being personally attacked for sharing.

The point isn't to ignorantly assume everyone is ready for intuitive eating, or the transformation is an easy one to make for anyone with food issues. But to me, it provides hope that people with my same issues have found a path to get to a more complete and healthy relationship with food beyond what surgery provides. No one is asking anyone to stop what they are doing if it is working, but many people cannot sustain the "eternal diet" mentality for several years post op, and still enjoy life or success. (I also recognize. others can and do find freedom in it.) So I Celebrate any approach that success and happiness can be reached for those who seek it.

I am surprised reading the many comments in direct conflict with this post. It is my experience it is what we should all be working towards. Eating "what your want, when you want" does not mean binge without consequence, rather it means listening to your body and trust it to tell you what you need or want when and how much. Our bodies have amazing and complex feedback loops, but all of us spent years ignoring them and eating for emotional reasons, not physical ones. Relearning to listen and to trust your feedback loops is the ideal state of being. A constant diet mentality with or without surgery is not healthy or ideal, and statistically speaking won't work. I also realize learning to listen to your feedback loops and not your emotions is a difficult transition that should not be attempted when in the weight loss phase, but to maintain that phase I think it is essential.

Wow- Surprised someone with 8000 posts who is a "bariatric legend" would be so forthcoming with personal attacking and questioning one's integrity? Is that ok if they don't match your own philosophy or personal plan?
For your information, many therapists use intuitive eating for all types of eating disorders including compulsive eating and food addictions. While it may be easy for you to make ignorant claims of "unethical," it only represents your own limited knowledge about the subject than actual truth. (Are you a therapist? Have you read the book?) I don't mind people countering with facts, but personal insults and actual mistruths don't benefit anyone.
Are you claiming she didn't lose the weight? Are you claiming, she isn't enjoying a new relationship with food and that others can't enjoy it either? Why is this approach to food such a threat to you or your psyche? I appreciate we all fear failure and returning to our unhealthy selves that needed surgery to become healthy, but I hope we can support each other in their processes rather than insult and make even more difficult to accomplish our collective goals in our individual journeys.
I don't know you, and I assume you are a great person, but I hope we can all share our experiences, successes, and failures without being personally attacked for sharing.

I am surprised reading the many comments in direct conflict with this post. It is my experience it is what we should all be working towards. Eating "what your want, when you want" does not mean binge without consequence, rather it means listening to your body and trust it to tell you what you need or want when and how much. Our bodies have amazing and complex feedback loops, but all of us spent years ignoring them and eating for emotional reasons, not physical ones. Relearning to listen and to trust your feedback loops is the ideal state of being. A constant diet mentality with or without surgery is not healthy or ideal, and statistically speaking won't work. I also realize learning to listen to your feedback loops and not your emotions is a difficult transition that should not be attempted when in the weight loss phase, but to maintain that phase I think it is essential.

I am surprised reading the many comments in direct conflict with this post. It is my experience it is what we should all be working towards. Eating "what your want, when you want" does not mean binge without consequence, rather it means listening to your body and trust it to tell you what you need or want when and how much. Our bodies have amazing and complex feedback loops, but all of us spent years ignoring them and eating for emotional reasons, not physical ones. Relearning to listen and to trust your feedback loops is the ideal state of being. A constant diet mentality with or without surgery is not healthy or ideal, and statistically speaking won't work. I also realize learning to listen to your feedback loops and not your emotions is a difficult transition that should not be attempted when in the weight loss phase, but to maintain that phase I think it is essential.

It works for her and for what she's gone through and how she maintains, I'm happy for her. Doesn't mean it'll work for everyone, like so many others have said and I do agree with that. I do believe it'll work for me as well. Thus I choose my words carefully and insert "for me" many times over in all of my posts, when I know many of my beliefs are going against the flow. I don't have a food addiction, never have (I didn't eat enough and ate the wrong things), and this is why I am with her on how she has found to maintain herself. Maybe there's more to the intuitive eating, but from what I read, it's basically what I'm doing as well. Not having to count. It's a personal preference. I'll educate myself on it though and see if there's anything other than what I understood from her post. I'm all for knowledge.

I think if someone has found a way that helps them, they should share. It's up to each of us individuals to monitor ourselves and how we would do with or without it. It's not up to us to contradict what is working for her, the OP. We should be congratulating her that she's found a way that helps her and each other, for whatever way we go.

Intuitive eating IS mindful eating. Geneen Roth is a proponent of this style and she has workshops for disordered eating. She conquered disordered eating herself.
The OP is trying to eat normal. Normal people don't endlessly think about food. They eat when hungry, stop when full, and go on about their day forgetting about food. It's when you give up the anxiety about food because you no longer USE food the same way that you did, when you used it to fulfill an unmet need, quell anxiety/grief rejection, worthiness love hate fear etc. It just becomes food, you learn to trust yourself.
I am working on this prior to surgery.

Many of us veterans still work on balance of food and exercise in proportion to where we are and want to be on the scale!!
DAILY
it can not be lackadaisical for me. Even after 10 successful years.
Best luck to us all going thru life

My post wasn't that people shouldn't aim to eat this way; it was that many people can't eat this way. But I do appreciate the fact that you said that in shouldn't be attempted in the weight loss phase. That's why I posted to begin with. People who are already posting about making reckless decisions regarding what they eat and drink in the days and weeks post-op are going to read this "listen to my body" stuff, and go out, listen to their body, eat a bunch of crap, and come back on here whining about why they haven't lost any weight.
If people are going to conquer their food demons and get their head right, yea, this could work. But what percentage of posters on here are doing that based on the things that they write every day?

Be encouraged! Keep going!

I'm about 4.5 yrs out and have gained 40lbs, which I have gotten 15lbs off by working out like a crazy person. I wish I would of stuck to the road map I was given 4.5 yrs ago. It's a lot of work to start over, I'm 47, menopausal and it just flat out stinks. I was doing good, until 2 years ago, I had my appendix removed, then my gallbladder removed 2 weeks later and then I had to have hernia surgery and then I got an infection... then depressed & Made the worst decision, I did Not contact my weightlost surgeon & nutritionist & keep up on my bloodwork. Big mistake! Huge! Mistake! Slowly weight gain.... Got depressed & gave up.... until this past March just casually mention to my doctor, have you checked all my labs? Yes, I have checked all your levels. Well have you checked my B12? Yes Have you checked my Vitamin D? Yes, are you sure? Let me check. Oh I have Not! DingDing!!!! (I can't blame the doctor, she isn't a weightlost doctor, she is just a general practioner) my fault! Vitamin D levels were so low, almost had to have an infusion... bad very bad! I could go on and on!! Kicking myself so bad, but all I can do is pick myself up and start over... which I have and now I'm finally in Onederland again. But the skin sagging is horrible, but I'll take it over the health problems and I won't stop again. But it's a day by day struggle. Also very expensive lesson. Other than that, I don't regret the surgery, I regret abusing my Tool.... and not following the rules!

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Today I had an awesome NSV!!!

I work for the State Patrol and they are supporters of the Special Olympics. They were looking for people to run our leg of torch run. So I participated. It wasn't pretty but I got it done. From Olympic Drive in Gig Harbor to the war memorial SR16/Jackson. It was a good 4 miles. Doesn't sound like much but considering this time last year the only way I would have completed it would have been in the back of an ambulance... this was a major win for me. Not only was it a win for me but it was for an awesome cause.

6 weeks out yesterday and I couldn't be happier!!
I don't have any pics yet but thought I would share some of my sleeve adventure for those on the same road or those considering this surgery.
The Wins!
1) 17.1kgs down at 6 weeks out mark (37.7 lbs)
2) My fat feet/cankles have shrunk - down 2 buckles holes on the work shoes!
3) Fat clothes I hated being given away to charity
4) Fitting into clothes I haven't worn in easily 5 years
5) Energy levels are great and sleeping well
6) All this extra time in hand now to do stuff! I'm not eating or thinking about what my next meal will be or thinking about food at all really
7) Snoring reduced significantly
8) Had terrible heartburn prior to surgery - NONE after!
The strange head stuff I wasn't super prepared for:
1) Going from craving breads/carbs/sweets to craving meat and cheese Like never before
2) Regretting going out because buying a meal is just a waste of money. This NEVER EVER was a problem before - there was never anything left on the plate!
3) Looking forward to exercise - umm wtf? This just cannot be right
4) Staying the same number on the scale for 3 weeks but centimetres lost from my body
5) Not being able to stand sweet things. I used to love lollies/candy/cake. Now even the smell makes me feel quite nauseous
6) Forcing myself to eat when really I could skip a meal and not be concerned
7) Taking 30mins to eat something I previously would have scoffed in 2-3 mouthfuls
Overall I just wish I hadn't delayed this surgery at all. I was a lucky person with minimal pain, no reflux and easy recovery.
My only concern right now is the keloid scars I have from the wounds. I'm a very fair caucasian female now with thick red ropey scars. Currently trying CircaCare collagen Patches on them to try and reduce the redness and raised look. Will share my before and after pics if it works well as might help others. I did know this was a risk with my skin before going in, and to be honest, even if they don't go away, I don't really care as everything else is working out well.
Hoping to be under 100kgs, and lost over 20kgs for my birthday at the end of June!

Hey!
So I've left dieting behind. I no longer weigh myself. I don't count my calories or macros or Protein grams. I have no idea what I eat in a day, it's always different and I actually forget.
I exercise for fun and enjoyment but not for weight regulation. If I don't feel like working out, I don't.
Bariatric surgery helped me lose 100 lbs but it also caused a great deal of pain in my life. I struggle to this day with food getting stuck, vomiting, and dumping.
I have rejected dieting because after my weight loss I realized I was just as miserable and unhappy as prior to my weight loss. Living a life centered around food, dieting, weight and body imagine was taking all the joy out of my world. I didn't feel at ease- I felt the same amount of stress and anxiety around food as before weight loss- maybe more So now that I was thin and felt I had more to lose if I regained. Basically I was still stuck in an eating disorder and diet mindset and it was ruining my life.
I now eat by INTUITIVE EATING. It is a book I read and a way of eating that was presented to me when I went through eating disorder therapy. I eat by my hunger.. if I'm hungry I eat and if I'm not, I don't. Well.. sometimes I still do. Basically these days I just don't think about it that much. I just eat.
I can eat normal to large portion sizes now. I eat a wide variety of foods including sweets and fried food. I don't love processed Snacks but sometimes I still eat those too. I'd say I eat a fairly healthy diet nutrition wise- I eat my fair share of veggies and fruit but I definitely don't ponder about it- I just eat what appeals to me. I like salads as much as I like cake and protein.
I initially gained about 10lbs, but I was underweight at a BMI of 17. My weight has remained stable for about a year now, as far as I know.
If anyone wants to know more feel free to get in touch. I'm happy to talk about my experiences.
 

Down a total of 190 pounds, sometimes I still can't believe it!

Thank you for your honesty and wishing you the best of continued success! [emoji177]

In complete transparency-
My "moment" is when I started to do "Olympic gymnastics" just to wipe myself on the toilet. I never admitted that to friends and family, but I didn't want to live my life in the condition or worse because of my weight.
Everything else just added to that. I felt so ashamed this past November when I visited long time family friends feeling and looking huge. I felt like such a failure in so many ways.
I was not comfortable in my skin, in my clothes, in my Dr's office, and more and more in my life. At age 47, the thoughts of life expectancy became a reoccurring thought. Will I love to see my 9 year old get married? Will I love to see my grandkids? Will I be home bound? While I realize I am a food addict, attending addiction recovery meetings weren't enough for me to make lasting change. So while I resisted surgery, trying to just do the same thing surgery would do for me, I failed at it.

So then the dialogue changed to, If not now, then when? How bad does it need to become, before I allow myself the ability to leverage surgery."

I have been in Ketosis for several weeks by keeping my net carbs under 30 grams a day. Seems to work well by eliminating hunger from my day to day life.
Just curious how many others are doing Keto as well?
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Great insight

I love popcorn and so far I have had it several times without consequence. I think it is an ideal food to have a handful of with little consequence. But I can easily see one portion turning to 10 if you are not careful.