I made the decision to have the sleeve done just 2 days ago and don't even meet with the surgeon until the 18th, but I took my first step today. I typically will stop at McD's each weekday morning and get a large diet coke to get me through the morning (yeah, it takes me 6+ hours to drink a large from McD's). Today, I did NOT get the large diet. In fact, I skipped getting a drink at all (I did get their oatmeal though as I needed to have something for breakfast and didn't have time to fix it at home first). So, for me, it's day one without my crutch. I figure if I can do this one step now, it will help me out in the long run. So far so good today - but it's only the first day. I don't usually drink it on the weekends, so I know that I can go a couple of days without it without any "withdrawls". Which means this weekend I might not be too pleasant to be around... LOL

I'm doing the same thing with the baby steps. My surgery just got set for July 1 but I've already started "practicing" my new lifestyle. Like cutting back on caffeine and replacing a few meals with Atkins shakes. The hardest part is going to be learning how to take tiny bites and chew, chew, chew. I've been catching myself mindlessly ripping off huge chunks of flesh like a starving hyena and practically swallowing them whole. That's definitely not going to work anymore! I'm looking forward to eating like a dainty little bird instead of a big ol' starving hyena.

Way to go!!! That's a great first step and will definitely help you once sleeved. It is so hard to break a habit but so rewarding for your health. Keep up the great work!

That is great!! Baby steps, you will be taking leaps and bounds very soon. I might suggest starting to keep some things for you at work, it will help you in a pinch so you won't have to make poor food choices. Having Hi Fiber or regular oatmeal packets at work has worked wonderfully for me.

Good luck in your journey!!

good for you! another great stand-by for when you need something is to get a small container and keep almonds handy. They're great for a pick-me-up.

I made the decision to have the sleeve done just 2 days ago and don't even meet with the surgeon until the 18th, but I took my first step today. I typically will stop at McD's each weekday morning and get a large diet coke to get me through the morning (yeah, it takes me 6+ hours to drink a large from McD's). Today, I did NOT get the large diet. In fact, I skipped getting a drink at all (I did get their oatmeal though as I needed to have something for breakfast and didn't have time to fix it at home first). So, for me, it's day one without my crutch. I figure if I can do this one step now, it will help me out in the long run. So far so good today - but it's only the first day. I don't usually drink it on the weekends, so I know that I can go a couple of days without it without any "withdrawls". Which means this weekend I might not be too pleasant to be around... LOL

I'm now 3 days without a diet coke. I had a headache yesterday, but today was feeling fine again. I am getting tired earlier - which is not necessarily a good thing as I work 12 hour days, but it's probably just my body adjusting to the no caffeine now. I have replaced the diet coke with water - something I know I don't get enough of, so I guess I'm killing two birds with one stone as it were. So far, though it's not been as bad as I thought it would be...

Good for you! Soda and coffee was a hard one for me, it was such a 'go to' for so long! It's been 2 months since either, and after about the first week, I haven't missed it!

Keep it up the great work!!

Wow, 3 days, that's wonderful. You can do it!

Good job! You CAN do this! I just realized I haven't had a diet soda since last August!

Thanks everyone. Still haven't had a soda, although yesterday I had 2 people offer to buy me one. Hmmm... hopefully it was just them trying to be nice because they were getting one and not because I was cranky.... LOL Yesterday was tough - way too much happening.

Today will also be a challenge in more ways than one. The location that I am currently teaching at has an open house/family fun day scheduled today and I need to be there for the company I work for. We're trying to drum up business again as our class sizes have started to shrink again. I'm hearing there will be all kinds of activities - petting zoos, bands, acrobatics, and of course food. I will have a stamina challenge as I will be more physically active today than in the last 3 years. Plus the challenge of not drinking caffeinated beverages. But I am looking forward to the fun. Hopefully the rain holds off....