khath0620

THank you, Brandi!
I did have 2 drains, spoiltmom. They came out 5 days post op and the other 12 days post op. I saw my PS for my 1 month checkup and she is very pleased with the results. I see see imperfections but, well pointed out, no one is perfect but I am a LOT better than I ever was. My husband has even noticed a new found confidence and LOVES it! It was the best thing I ever did for myself!

Please be sensitive ... I have been on threads where people have made negative comments about any number of things. It took a lot of courage for me to put these pics up here. I had my TT done 13 days ago and still swollen a bit. I am feeling pretty well, just tired mostly. I have added the pre-op pics .... I will warn you, they are NOT pretty! I am not perfect but I am on my journey.....
Thanks, Katie

Please be sensitive ... I have been on threads where people have made negative comments about any number of things. It took a lot of courage for me to put these pics up here. I had my TT done 13 days ago and still swollen a bit. I am feeling pretty well, just tired mostly. I have added the pre-op pics .... I will warn you, they are NOT pretty! I am not perfect but I am on my journey.....
Thanks, Katie

None of us got to being overweight because we were "normal eaters". We all have some sort of food addiction. For me, anything with flour or sugar is a huge problem so I have to avoid things that have it in it like it was poison because if I start I CAN'T stop. The holidays have been really hard this year. The voices in my head say I am down like 93 or 94 pounds I can have a little of that pie or a piece of dessert. The truth is that I CAN'T, I am just letting down my defenses again. This food addiction never leaves us, we just find a way to be in better control of it.
You already know what to do. You need to do Protein first and then veggies and, only if there is room, a small bit of complex carb. Also, do you need to go in for an adjustment? re-visit the nutritionist? Do you have a food scale and measuring cups?
You CAN do this! You have the strength and the knowledge! You just need to start with 1 day or 1 meal or even 1 hour. Keep it simple and build your confidence back up. You are not a failure, you are human.
Good luck and happy holidays,
Katie

Yay, NYDad!!! That is so great! You will do awesome! Your kids will be so impressed! Congratulations on your success!

Hi Patyann,
A few things come to mind....
First, think about the order of your food when you are sitting down to a meal. It should be protein 1st, veggies 2nd and, only if you have the room, carbs last. I can sometimes not even finish my veggies much less get to the carbs. I find, for me, when I eat a lot carbs I want more of the sweet things so it makes sense to me to reduce the amount of the carbs and thus the cravings are less.
Second, the quality of the carbs you are eating. I have found my cravings are a lot less with whole grains and whole wheat. Any kinds of white flour, rice, pasta, bread, etc just stirs the beast inside me and I want to overeat. I tend to avoid flour and sugar because I can't handle it.
Third, when you are craving something, is it a "real" hunger or an "emotional" hunger? I always ask myself "Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired/bored?" (the HALT rule). If it is an emotional hunger, food is going to do nothing to fix it (or the problem) and does nothing for you physically/nutritionally.
Hope that helps,
Take care,
Katie

Hi there,
I have been where you are....I am what I would like to call myself "a professional dieter". I have done it all....weight watchers, Jenny Craig, Southbeach, or whatever fad diet there was at the time. I went to extremes...starvation, purging, overexercising...you name it! The problem was that I ALWAYS came back to the food. It medicated me when I had any sort of emotion that I couldn't handle....stress, boredom, sadness, happiness, etc. The food was always there for me and comforted me. I was a closet eater too....drive through windows, eating in my car, etc. I hid wrappers so get rid of the "evidence", I ate off my kids plates, I (embarrassingly enough) ate out of the trash. I was and am powerless over food. I can't stop eating something that is not healthy for me if I start.
In saying that, I became a member of Overeaters Anonymous in June 2009 because I was in a deep depression because my world revolved around my food, my weight, my dress size, etc. I was on TWO antidepressants which only helped marginally. Through the process of being OA, I have found peace and some semblance of control around my food. I am accepting now that I am a compulsive overeater. I am addicted to carbs (flour, sugar) just as an alcoholic is to liquor. I have found out WHY I overeat and how to manage it. OA has given me the coping skills to deal with those emotions that are unsettling and how to handle situations that come up without using my drug of choice.
If any of this rings true for you, you may really like OA. There are meetings you can go to or even phone meetings so you don't have to travel anywhere, just sit in the comfort of your own home and just listen to what others' experiences are. I do not want you to think I am pushing this on you or anyone, it is just I have found so much peace over the last couple of years. I am off my antidepressants, I am calmer, I don't cry anymore......and I can see that I am meaningful and that life is worth living!
Good luck. If I can help at all, let me know.
Thanks,
Katie