Why do you think people go through all of this surgery and everything just to gain back all the weight in a few years.. I'm so hoping the sleeve keeps me from doing that! I have several coworkers who have had the bypass and are almost all gaining the weight back.. I know food is an addiction for me so I will have to be very careful once I hit goal..

What are your thoughts?

The main point is whatever caused you to gain weight in the first place is still going to be there after the sleeve, and if you don't work through that first, or find some deep inner strength you never though you had before, you can slide back into old habits.

Yes. I say this all the time. I am astounded at the number of people that really seem to believe that genetics and overeating are the only reasons they are fat. I say that because I was one of those people totally in denial about my food issues.

People that approach the sleeve like a diet are the ones that have trouble later. I cannot say this enough times: THIS IS NOT A DIET. This is FOREVER. We cannot live on Atkins forever. We cannot tell ourselves that there is only one proper way to eat and be healthy. We cannot tell ourselves that this is *the* diet that will work and if we just deny ourselves for a few months we'll be thin and healthy for life.

It simply does not work that way.

This tool helps us take the time to learn about ourselves and why we're fat. It gives us a help getting past emotional eating or overeating addictions. It helps us lose the weight but if we do not work on our heads while we're losing, we get to goal as unhappy and still unhealthy people, albeit skinnier ones.

This is not a magic button. You are not going to wake up the day after surgery loving exercise and hating ice cream. It takes WORK. Yes, the sleeve makes the journey a million times easier, but you still have to work at it.

If you don't, you could be one of those people that hits goal and backslides into being overweight again. Because the sleeve will get you to goal, sure, but YOU have to keep yourself there. And if all you learned along the journey was to cut your carbs and not eat more than 500 calories a day you're going to be in a sad, sorry position to help yourself.

Best of luck to everyone. There is one major theme to every regain post I've seen (and I've honestly only seen a few in the three years I've been here) and that is that people just stop being diligent and fall into denial about their habits.

~Cheri

Yes. I say this all the time. I am astounded at the number of people that really seem to believe that genetics and overeating are the only reasons they are fat. I say that because I was one of those people totally in denial about my food issues.

People that approach the sleeve like a diet are the ones that have trouble later. I cannot say this enough times: THIS IS NOT A DIET. This is FOREVER. We cannot live on Atkins forever. We cannot tell ourselves that there is only one proper way to eat and be healthy. We cannot tell ourselves that this is *the* diet that will work and if we just deny ourselves for a few months we'll be thin and healthy for life.

It simply does not work that way.

This tool helps us take the time to learn about ourselves and why we're fat. It gives us a help getting past emotional eating or overeating addictions. It helps us lose the weight but if we do not work on our heads while we're losing' date=' we get to goal as unhappy and still unhealthy people, albeit skinnier ones.

This is not a magic button. You are not going to wake up the day after surgery loving exercise and hating ice cream. It takes WORK. Yes, the sleeve makes the journey a million times easier, but you still have to work at it.

If you don't, you could be one of those people that hits goal and backslides into being overweight again. Because the sleeve will get you to goal, sure, but YOU have to keep yourself there. And if all you learned along the journey was to cut your carbs and not eat more than 500 calories a day you're going to be in a sad, sorry position to help yourself.

Best of luck to everyone. There is one major theme to every regain post I've seen (and I've honestly only seen a few in the three years I've been here) and that is that people just stop being diligent and fall into denial about their habits.

~Cheri[/quote']

Oh man this post scares me. Since I started this journey I've been thinking a lot about what food means to me. I'm definitely addicted to it, I love it and crave it especially carbs. I find it harder to believe I'm an emotional eater though. I've been overweight since childhood. I think moving to the states, eating too much, eating too much bad stuff and being completely sedentary are the biggest factors to my weight gain. I can't remember ever binge eating. I can't remember ever turning for food for comfort during times of loneliness or depression. However I like to eat something unhealthy when I've had a hard day to unwind or on Friday to Celebrate the weekend.

Im not denying there might be more to this but I don't see it right now. It looks like you have a great handle on your issues now and are really inspiring. What I guess I'm saying is if there is something deeper I hope I too learn it while on my weight loss journey.

... I'm definitely addicted to it, I love it and crave it especially carbs. I find it harder to believe I'm an emotional eater though. I've been overweight since childhood. I think moving to the states, eating too much, eating too much bad stuff and being completely sedentary are the biggest factors to my weight gain...

I hate to break it to you, but those ARE emotional issues. I was never a binge eater either, but if I enjoyed the taste of something I had no problem going back for seconds. I also learned to use food as a reward in childhood, and continued that into adulthood. There are times when food can be a PART of a celebration, but I do not NEED a tasty snack after every small victory, or at the end of every week. I do think genetics plays *A* role, but it is not all. This is why the sleeve can only HELP, it cannot CURE.

I'm going to plug Eggface again. She posts her bypass and sleeve friendly recipes AND THEY ARE GREAT!!!

You don't have to dump ice cream altogether when you can turn your well made Protein shake into ice cream. She has recipes for lasagna that use zucchini instead of white Pasta and kinds of other Desserts, snack foods and main dishes.

I made pistachio ice cream last night and you would not miss the sugar. It tasted like soft serve pistachio. I even added the nuts in.

You can eat smart and well once you learn the tricks.

I hate to break it to you, but those ARE emotional issues. I was never a binge eater either, but if I enjoyed the taste of something I had no problem going back for seconds. I also learned to use food as a reward in childhood, and continued that into adulthood. There are times when food can be a PART of a celebration, but I do not NEED a tasty snack after every small victory, or at the end of every week. I do think genetics plays *A* role, but it is not all. This is why the sleeve can only HELP, it cannot CURE.

Good to know... I never associated my eating problems as 'emotional' because I never ate when I was. Reading the forums for a few weeks now, I started to realize maybe everyone does have a problem with food in some way. So again I hope over the next few weeks and month I find out more about myself and have the strength to realize and change it . I already feel a small change that food isn't as important just being on this pre-op diet.

I spent most of my life thin. I was a thin and active kid, thin through my 20s and early 30s and then BAM! my metabolism slowed to a virtual standstill and I gained weight effortlessly. I had it tested several times - if I ate > 800 cal a day I'd gain weight. I had test upon test to see why and nothing came back abnormal.

I never ate much, rarely cleaned my plate. Not a big fan of sweets (only on special occasions), not a snacker - I could walk by the office candy bowl and not even think about it. Don't like Cheetoes. If I ate fast food, it was maybe once a month and then it would be a Happy Meal. People would assume I was a closet eater, but I wasn't. Didn't drink sugary soda or beverages. My SO and I could eat the exact same thing, I'd eat less and STILL gain weight. I ate only because I had to, no to fill some emotional void. I've frequently gone all day without eating just because I wasn't hungry.

My point is genetics play a huge role in weight gain. My mother was overweight and didn't eat poorly either. There is nothing that I can look at in my eating habits and say "that's it! That's the problem!l" except eating out, an unfortunate byproduct of my career and lifestyle. With the sleeve that will change (and I'll save a ton of money!). But seriously, genetics do play a huge part in weight - don't discount that.

Oh man this post scares me.

Any time we eat when we aren't hungry, there's something else triggering it. Any time we "feel" hungry because we're doing a specific activity where we usually eat, there's another tie that we need to examine. There is nothing wrong with not seeing what the causes are prior to surgery. But it should be every sleever's goal to be healthier, not just thinner - and that includes mental health and dealing with any emotional or habitual ties to food. It's easier to see your behaviors once you're sleeved, I promise. And if you don't simply deny them and if you try to understand them and overcome them, you'll find yourself in a great place to maintain once you're at goal.

You don't have to dump ice cream altogether when you can turn your well made Protein shake into ice cream. She has recipes for lasagna that use zucchini instead of white Pasta and kinds of other desserts, snack foods and main dishes. You can eat smart and well once you learn the tricks.

I know you're right! And if anyone actually reads what I post (no telling, I kinda ramble on a bit!) they know that I don't even think "real" ice cream, in moderation, is a problem. I eat whatever the heck I want, with the exception of things my lactose intolerance won't allow. But Eggface is freakin' awesome, and her blog will help newly sleeved people or folks still trying to lose not feel so restricted. I still make those bites!

But seriously, genetics do play a huge part in weight - don't discount that.

You are absolutely right. I should have qualified my statement and I usually do. I was a fat girl from a long line of fat women, so genetics has some role. But I was also a girl that learned how to binge, emotionally eat and how to hide my feelings in my food from my family. I do think that genetics plays a role, but I also think that here on VST the vast majority of people are also experiencing disordered eating that needs to be worked on for long term health and success.

~Cheri