My mind is playing tricks on me!!! I am having my surgery on may 15th. My mind is wanting to eat everything I see in fear of never being able to eat it again! I keep thinking that if I try to diet one more time that I won't have to cut my stomach out. I know it is just my addiction trying to sabotage me. Has anyone else dealt with this?

I believe my mind is playing the same trick on me too. I am reserving my right to cancel the surgery if I lose substantial weight on my own. Yet, I'm 61 and inactive right now so fat chance (excuse the pun). We were told our stomach would be equivalent to the size of a yellow highlight marker pen. If I can eat nibbles of my favorite foods after the surgery, on the other hand, I ask myself, "Why not then?"

HAve faith!! How many times have we all tried to lose????

This is a VERY helpful tool that will help you lose...

Don't doubt...

Julie

Yep those are head games. I always want to eat out with my family. But when we go, I can only eat a few bites and I watch everyone else hughe amounts of food. Now I'm rethinking my strategy. I secretly want to eat more. Blah!

Nothing is a forbidden food once you're healed. That can be good and bad, depending on your particular food issues. Yes, there's a rough patch once you're sleeved where you're on liquids and desperately want to chew food, even though you're not really hungry. But really, in just a few short months the way you look at food will change a lot.

Some of those foods might still be a temptation after surgery and some might be no problem for you. I was a french fry addict prior to surgery but I can take 'em or leave 'em now. I never cared all that much for popcorn prior to surgery and it's my favorite snack now. Our tastes change.

For me a big part of moving past the head issues that I had with food was realizing that I can eat whatever I want. I eat like a normal person. Some foods don't agree with me as much (tortillas, pasta) but I can still choose to eat them in very small portions. That has really helped me out mentally - knowing that I can eat what I want and that I'm not giving up a normal life just to lose weight.

It's easier to walk away from a food when you know it's you making the choice because you want to, not because of a diet or a doctor's order.

So for now, just hang in there. Pre-op diets seem to be difficult. Many of us do a food funeral before surgery, but try to keep it under control and don't build a habit you'll just have to break once you're sleeved. And definitely follow your doctor's orders as best you can.

You'll get through this. Once you're sleeved you'll start to slowly change the way you look at and think about food. You'll have to! With such a limited capacity you're forced to consider what and when to eat so that you can not just lose weight but continue to be healthy.

~Cheri

Thank you! I have to remember that in a year I will feel more normal.