Ashley2023

I went to the movies recently with my family and didn’t want to feel left out. I understand the habit of mindlessly consuming is what needs to change, but I also believe the grief we feel at no longer participating in these social activities can derail us. The ultimate goal is to realize that not participating does not mean being left out, but this comes with time for many of us. So how do we deal along the way?
I decided to get a bottle of Water while at the theater and took some sugar free cinnamon discs to suck on while watching. I felt like I was included, but still responsible. By the end of the movie, I only had two pieces. As we were walking out, I realized I am capable of changing the narrative of “going o the movies” while not cheapening the experience. I’m not promoting mindless eating. I’m promoting healing and learning how to kick old habits. If you’re one of those people who has to quit cold turkey, then this might not work for you.
Other ideas: sugar free suckers, bring packets of SF flavoring for your water, mini packs of peanuts or a pack of Protein Snacks like cheese cubes, ham, etc. Good luck! 🍀

Hi OP, I also had a VSG on Monday. Lots of gas in my new tummy, so gurgling and hiccups are frequent. I found warm liquids worked best to reduce the crampy feeling - chicken Soup broth, Pho broth, etc. I strained first and use medicine cups (1oz each) to track intake and remember my small sips. I started mixing in a scoop of Protein Powder yesterday. Between these, I drink Gatorade Zero at room temp for electrolytes and Vitamin waters from costco. I’m not dealing with runny stool, it’s the other way around for me so I can’t help much in that department. Good luck and I hope you feel better.

I had a hard time with this too. What helped was getting it to a texture I could manage like @summerseeker mentioned. I added taco meat made with turkey (very finely minced while cooking) to refried Beans with some cheese. If it was too thick or dry, I added a little sour cream.
The other winner was pot roast and veggies. I ran it through the food processor with the carrots, onions, celery and broth. The meat was fine enough to add texture but not so fine as to be paste. I made sure there was more meat per serving than veggies, but the veggies and broth helped keep it soft enough to be easy on my tummy. Since each of these made me a few days of meals, I was out of the purée stage before I knew it.
I had yogurts and cottage cheese as Snacks. Some people like hummus. I just couldn’t eat hummus by the spoonful. I need pretzels or something lol
Hang in there! 😊🤞

Hi Ashley and welcome! 👋 congrats on meeting your surgery goal weight! The psych eval was very straightforward for me. I was open and honest about why I wanted the surgery, my history of weight gain, loss and regain. Yo-yo dieting and all the self esteem issues that go along with a weight-focused society. You’ll have a pre-op diet before surgery, so it’s easiest to start making small changes now. I started swapping a Protein Shake for a meal once per day about a month before my pre-op diet started. I also weaned myself off of caffeine. It really helped!
I also have a therapist, which I highly recommend if you can. She has helped me realize so many pitfalls of my unhealthy relationship with food. If I didn’t have her to lean on, I’m not sure I would be as successful as I am today. These are my best pieces of advice. Good luck!! Let us know when you get a surgery date set! 😊