Post Op September Sleevers, Roll Call

[delta_girl 931]

You know, Ladies, I think we need to come up with a new version of NORMAL.... Most of us are just a few weeks out from surgery....Give ourselves time to heal. I honestly think that to some degree all of us will have to go through the stages of grief because we did go and completely change a huge thing in our life.... This is a MAJOR change.

One of the challenges that we face that really hits home is "stages of grief" because we are all experiencing losses. There is a 5 Stage and a 7 Stage model, but they deal with basically the same emotions. At different times we will be scared, sad, regretful, feel guilty, and other times elated, excited, confident.

I have told very few people about my surgery, but some comments from nurses or family are along the lines of, "Aren't you excited!?" No...no I am not excited. I am terrified. I have self-sabotaged through dozens and dozens of diets. I am incredibly well educated on nutrition and exercise and have failed miserably with applying my knowledge to my lifestyle since it sure is self-gratifying to eat chocolate and read or have beer and barbque with friends on the weekends plus indulge myself beyond what is apparently reasonable on most every day. I am terrified that I have made a life-altering decision that cannot be undone and the only thing between success and failure is myself. My weak willed self.

But I am taking one step after the other and hope that I internalize a lot of wisdom along the way and actively apply it in my daily life. There is no guarantee, but I will do it.

[Hopeful loser 22]

Probably because you are NOT getting in your liquid is why you aren't seeing any weight loss. That's what my doc pushed as even more important than the Protein for the first month. If you don't get fluids in, your body will try to retain all it can, and hence, you will hold on to weight. Start getting in that liquid, preferrably nice cold Water, and go from there. Also, probably why you are so tired. Get those fluids in. You will feel better. You can do this.

This is a major change and to think that we should be back to some version of "normal" in a couple of weeks or even a month is just not NORMAL. Really. Let's be real. We have altered our digestive tract and our body's ability to take in and process all food. We have to heal. We have to change habits. We have to re-learn how to eat, what to eat, how to deal with what we can't eat, and what constitutes "full" now. I'm 1 month out tomorrow. Every week brings new things. Some are good, some are weird. I've discovered the batteries on my freaking scale are cooked, that's one problem that's been frustrating me that will be resolved tonight. My body evidently doesn't like milk now, but cheese is fine. Go figure. That may change in a week or two.

I now have these odd "spells" for lack of a better term. I'll be fine, then completely lose all energy and lay down and sleep for 3 hours. I've slept more this month and I guess that's good, because my body needs to heal, so I just sleep away. I took 2 three hour naps this weekend. I still can't walk every day because I'm either at work or at home or it's raining, but I'll get there. It's 4 weeks out. 4 weeks. Don't regret what you haven't given yourself time to even heal from yet. If you could stand in the mirror after eating yourself silly with Chinese, or chocolate, or pizza and beer, or whatever you used to stuff your face with, and then hate yourself for, right now, you wouldn't be any happier. Be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Like yourself. You are worth every single minute it takes to rebuild yourself from the inside out. If it takes a month, a year, 5, whatever it takes. No one here made this decision lightly. This is NOT the easy way out.

[takroom 192]

Remember, 1 step at a time, 1 foot in front of the other. There are going to be many changes that we will go thru. I am 4 weeks out tomorrow. In the last 4 weeks, I have sometimes taken 1 step forward & 2 steps back. Our bodies need time to heal. I am currently battling head hunger. I'm not stomach hungry but my head tells me I want that baked potato, piece if bread, slice of pizza. I have really had to work hard at refocusing. I have stopped weighing myself daily because I was getting frustrated & depressed when I wouldn't lose weight for days on end. We need to be there for each other in these times of need. We are all going to struggle from time to time. Think of your surgery as a gift. A gift for a second chance at a healthier, happier life. We have been given a guide, not a quick fix, that we need to work on, in order to eat right. It's up to each of us whether or not to follow it. I wish all of you the best of luck & will keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

[delta_girl 931]

Remember, 1 step at a time, 1 foot in front of the other. There are going to be many changes that we will go thru. I am 4 weeks out tomorrow. In the last 4 weeks, I have sometimes taken 1 step forward & 2 steps back. Our bodies need time to heal. I am currently battling head hunger. I'm not stomach hungry but my head tells me I want that baked potato, piece if bread, slice of pizza. I have really had to work hard at refocusing. I have stopped weighing myself daily because I was getting frustrated & depressed when I wouldn't lose weight for days on end. We need to be there for each other in these times of need. We are all going to struggle from time to time. Think of your surgery as a gift. A gift for a second chance at a healthier, happier life. We have been given a guide, not a quick fix, that we need to work on, in order to eat right. It's up to each of us whether or not to follow it. I wish all of you the best of luck & will keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

I had to laugh at myself last night for wanting to lick things...not eat ...just lick! I knew it was head hunger for crunchy, sweet, salty, carby things. Thank goodness my inner parent got a grip on the inner teenager.

[Momofthing1thing2thing3 116]

This is a major change and to think that we should be back to some version of "normal" in a couple of weeks or even a month is just not NORMAL. Really. Let's be real. We have altered our digestive tract and our body's ability to take in and process all food. We have to heal. We have to change habits. We have to re-learn how to eat, what to eat, how to deal with what we can't eat, and what constitutes "full" now. I'm 1 month out tomorrow. Every week brings new things. Some are good, some are weird. I've discovered the batteries on my freaking scale are cooked, that's one problem that's been frustrating me that will be resolved tonight. My body evidently doesn't like milk now, but cheese is fine. Go figure. That may change in a week or two.

I now have these odd "spells" for lack of a better term. I'll be fine, then completely lose all energy and lay down and sleep for 3 hours. I've slept more this month and I guess that's good, because my body needs to heal, so I just sleep away. I took 2 three hour naps this weekend. I still can't walk every day because I'm either at work or at home or it's raining, but I'll get there. It's 4 weeks out. 4 weeks. Don't regret what you haven't given yourself time to even heal from yet. If you could stand in the mirror after eating yourself silly with Chinese, or chocolate, or pizza and beer, or whatever you used to stuff your face with, and then hate yourself for, right now, you wouldn't be any happier. Be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Like yourself. You are worth every single minute it takes to rebuild yourself from the inside out. If it takes a month, a year, 5, whatever it takes. No one here made this decision lightly. This is NOT the easy way out.

Hear! Hear! Well said!!!

[Momofthing1thing2thing3 116]

And I thought that I was the only one who was "licking" things!!! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[takroom 192]

Hmmm, didn't think about the licking things!!!! LOL!!!

[newgrandmother 725]

allof you guys are so awesome. thank you for being mysleeve sisters.

what i dont understand is my stomach size i ate 1/2 cup chili and 1/4 cup mashed potatos and i wasnt full. this moringing i at oatemeal and i got so full. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr im trying to get use to this

[ready4change77 88]

allof you guys are so awesome. thank you for being mysleeve sisters.

what i dont understand is my stomach size i ate 1/2 cup chili and 1/4 cup mashed potatos and i wasnt full. this moringing i at oatemeal and i got so full. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr im trying to get use to this

I think it's the consistency of the food, oatmeal is filling even before the sleeve so now it fills you up even quicker... I'm the same way, I don't think I've really been full only one time & that's b/c I wasn't thinking & drank Water after eating some Tomato Soup but other then that I really haven't felt the full feeling - strange but I just stop ahead of time...

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[takroom 192]

I would imagine the foods that are higher in Proteins are going to give you that full feeling. Remember, carbs & sugars will make you crave more carbs & sugars & you won't have that full feeling or you will be hungry more often.

[takroom 192]

Funny, but I know my stomach has hit it's fill button when I get the hiccups.

[Justine13 264]

I had to laugh at myself last night for wanting to lick things...not eat ...just lick! I knew it was head hunger for crunchy' date=' sweet, salty, carby things. Thank goodness my inner parent got a grip on the inner teenager.[/quote']

Omg I was JUST going to post that in here. That is me right now. It's horrible. I WANT popcorn an a candy bar. Drooooolll

[Justine13 264]

allof you guys are so awesome. thank you for being mysleeve sisters.

what i dont understand is my stomach size i ate 1/2 cup chili and 1/4 cup mashed potatos and i wasnt full. this moringing i at oatemeal and i got so full. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr im trying to get use to this

Do u eat regular oatmeal? I ask because I want it but it has sooooo many carbs. Thoughts/suggestions? I looked at the various kinds at the store and really didn't find much differences

[scaredoftheunknown 95]

I wish I could have oatmeal or even cream of wheat but nut said no to them..

I know the question wasn't for me.. but Quaker has one that is for weight loss wonder what's different about that one..sometime.in the low carb section they have a special oatmeal never really looked at the carb count in that.

[Tekara3927 265]

Tried chocolate yesterday, bad news bears. . I know it's early, it was only 2 bites, but boy oh boy was I stuck in the bathroom forever.