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Will I ever eat a reular meal again?



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Thanks everyone - you are all so supportive and full of good advice. And Seaview I know just what you mean about not having any energy. I feel like such a slug - drag myself home from work and its all I can do to stay awake till bedtime. I have a friend who had good results with the lapband and she says that she was amazed at how much energy she had when the weight started coming off - I am really looking forward to that. I don't know if this is true or not, but I was talking with a nurse practitioner about obesity one time and she told me that for every 1 pound of weight you lose, it takes 4 pounds of pressure off your body - so if you lose 50lbs, that takes 200lbs of stress off your body - if it is true, no wonder everyone feels so tired all the time when they are overweight.

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I'll tell you something. I lost 30 pounds so far and have lost half a shoe size.

This is due to less weight bearing down on my arches and therefore my foot isn't as long so the thing about pressure on your joints is true.Good luck with everything.Seaview

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I returned from my 25th anniversary "dream trip" to Italy a few weeks ago. Since food is such a big part of Italian culture, I was worried that I would feel like I was missing out on not being able to eat a whole lot while I was there. I was almost regretting going on the trip just thinking about it. Luckily, Italians take forever (compared with the way Americans eat) with their meals and are never in a hurry. I was able to eat plenty at a nice slow pace, enjoyed wine, and enjoyed my husband's company. We had several 2-3 hr dinners, and one even lasted 4 hrs. This gave me time to digest one course before the next was served.

Now at home, I find that I still like to eat even more slowly than I did before. If you do that, you will find that you finish your meal at about the same time the people that can eat a lot of food do. And since you'll be full, you won't miss all that extra food you won't eat. As Tiffy said, the farther you are out, the more you'll be able to eat. But it takes time, so be patient and enjoy the ride to Skinnyville - ha!

We were in Florida a month or so ago and the speed with which the waiting staff whisk your plate away and immediately produce the next course actually began to really annoy us. We tried asking for a pause with our waiter but then his colleague seeing a lapse brought the food anyway!! This really doesn't work for me as I need time to eat and enjoy.

Italian eating is lovely, really leisurely and laid back.

Edited by Jane_J
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Jane, I see that you had your VSG in Brno, before your surgery did you have a StaroBrno tumno (dark)? I once crossed country borders just for that beer. The museum there also has some lovely works including a Reubens, did you go?

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Jane, I see that you had your VSG in Brno, before your surgery did you have a StaroBrno tumno (dark)? I once crossed country borders just for that beer. The museum there also has some lovely works including a Reubens, did you go?

Sadly I did not have time. Had Sunday dinner at the hotel after I arrived in the afternoon, nice wine but no beer, and then was at the clinic the next day having tests and staying in for the op on Tuesday morning. Flew back Friday 5.00pm, so no sightseeing at all.

Have been to Prague though, nice place but now overrun by chavvy British stag & hen parties. :thumbup:

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I can definitely understand your concern. All I can say is here I am at 3 weeks, not even on full solid foods yet and I already feel more normal than I expected to. Yes I'm eating differently, but I'm pretty darn satisfied, and I haven't touched a simple carb yet. I know on solid food when all options are open to me I'll feel even more normal.

I have an album on flickr for my surgery and I have been posting food pictures any time I eat something new. Again I'm only at 3 weeks so I'm sure the look of that will change, too. But if you are interested you can bookmark my photo set and see whenever I add new foods:

WLS Stuff - a set on Flickr

I also have a blog and I plan to do regular "Things I've Been Eating" posts. Only done one so far and haven't caught up which is why I also linked you to the photos since those ARE caught up. But here is my blog if you want to follow along there too:

Health and Happiness

Also there is a fantastic blog called The World According to Eggface. She does regular posts called "A Day in my Pouch" where she shows everything she eats all day, and she shared TONS of her own recipes. She is a bypass patient so many things are sugar free, and it's up to you if you chose to go that route or not, but I find many of her recipes to be super appealing. Looking at her blog really made ME feel like hey, I can eat normal things. Hopefully it will help you feel that way too.

theworldaccordingtoeggface

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Oh and as far as the energy for your job... my energy is pretty good at 3 weeks. I need naps, but I always did before. I would say I have the same energy as I did before. I get all my Protein, Water, and Vitamins, and I walk almost every day 3 miles and I think all of those things help. Also eating 5-6 times a day at 2-3 hour intervals and having your protein spread throughout the day helps maintain your metabolism and energy. When you go back to work, you must not neglect YOU. Set timers on your phone or watch and make sure you are drinking water all day long and eating when you are supposed to and that should really help the energy.

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My energy does plummet, depending on if I'm having good food days or bad food days. Bad is when I missed some Protein...so I've started some B-12 Shots, twice a week. Just passed the 6 month mark and this is what I eat...up until Supper time, but days are almost ALWAYS the same, it is easier at work to plan them.

Breakfast: 3/4 cup high Protein kashi crunch, with 1/2 cup skim milk

Snack: 1 small banana

Snack: 1 cheese stick

Lunch: 5 oz tyson oven roasted dice chicken breast

Snack: another cheese stick--only way I'm able to curve my love of cheese!

Snack: mini popcorn bag

Supper: 5-6 oz of whatever is for supper (casserole, fish, etc)

Snack: mini choc bar (here lately anyway)

I only drink Water these days, but I get in 48-60 oz regularly...sometimes I drink about 3-4 oz of Dr. Pepper and I get really excited, lol.

I had a family reunion this past weekend and the line was soooo long that I just ate off my families plates. They are use to it by now...bite of this, bite of that...I was happy. I still have 100 lbs or more to lose, but I'm not nearly has depressed about missing food as I was before...it does get better!

Hope this helps and good luck!

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Thanks for all the input - funny how in the time leading up to your surgery you are an emotional yo-yo......excited, scared, happy, worried, hopeful, obsessing...but never doubting. I love reading all the posts and seeing the pics from everyone, it is so inspiring. Christy thanks, I am going to check out your "stuff." lol

Kathy

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Wow Christie! You can eat all of those different things at 3 weeks out? I was figuring I would still be eating cream Soups then. There is hope....

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I'll tell you something. I lost 30 pounds so far and have lost half a shoe size.

This is due to less weight bearing down on my arches and therefore my foot isn't as long so the thing about pressure on your joints is true.Good luck with everything.Seaview

I lost 85lbs 10 years ago (with the help of OA) and went down 1 1/2 shoe sizes due to my feet being less pudgy! I can't wait for that again.

Thanks for everyone's comments- the ability to enjoy a regular meal (and restaurants) was a concern for me too! You guys are very reassuring for us newbies...

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We were in Florida a month or so ago and the speed with which the waiting staff whisk your plate away and immediately produce the next course actually began to really annoy us. We tried asking for a pause with our waiter but then his colleague seeing a lapse brought the food anyway!! This really doesn't work for me as I need time to eat and enjoy.

Italian eating is lovely, really leisurely and laid back.

LOL! My husband is european and his parents just visited us. It drives us CRAZY that the waitstaff do that here in the US! They pull your plate away here while you're still chewing and ask you if you want something more, or just the check. It's an awful american thing. In Europe, they also don't bring the check until you ask for it; you don't feel like you're being rushed out the door.

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thanks KathyM for directing me to this thread. it has answered alot of my fears and thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post here too. best of luck to you all!

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I don't understand it Tiffany. Before surgery, if I didn't eat, I would get the shakes and/or develop a headache, but now....no hunger, no shakes, headache, nothing. How can that be??

I never and still do not experience any hunger. I just eat because I know I have to. I rarely got shaky, or totally weak. Especially once I got to mushies and was hitting my Protein goals almost every day. I survived on 600-800 calories very easily.

I drink sometimes once a week, 4oz of Riesling or a German called Eisswein wine. I did refrain for several months because alcohol is just wasted calories.

When we go out to a bar, or I go out with my girlfriends, I do rum/cokes, occasionally white russians, and various shots. I have zero issues with alcohol.

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I don't understand it Tiffany. Before surgery, if I didn't eat, I would get the shakes and/or develop a headache, but now....no hunger, no shakes, headache, nothing. How can that be??

I don't understand it either. Maybe something switches when we shed the pounds, and our bodies/metabolism levels out. I'm not sure at all, but I'm not complaining LOL ! ! !:thumbup:

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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