I am stressing, and guess what? I'm eating like crazy. I have 6 months until surgery and I want to take this time to get my eating in order. I'm gaining weight and feel constantly hungry. Not sure what to do. Need some support.

You know, I think the mental part is just as important than the physical part of this process. I even think that with some of us, it's more important.

For myself, I know that the mental aspects were going to be really difficult for me. I had sought counseling a few years ago with a really great lady and so I decided to contact her again. I wanted to sit down with her and figure out how and why I do what I do. Why do I choose fast food instead of healthier options? Why do I get anxiety attacks if I actually do pass a fast food restaurant? How can I move forward?

Together we worked on my childhood (what a mess that was! haha) and we figured out the root causes of what made me gain weight. Then we started on strategies that would help me out.

Hopefully, your insurance will cover counseling in some forms. If it doesn't, try attending an Overeaters Anonymous meeting in your area. It will help you get your head in the game. It's so important to be mentally prepared so that when we finally get to have the surgery, we're ready to go and we won't sabatoge ourselves anymore.

I'm currently in counseling, and basically right now we just talk about immediate stressors. We haven't really touched on why I overeat and what's making me overeat. I just get so frustrated sometimes.

Have you thought about Over Eaters Anonymous?

Oh good, I'm glad you're in counseling. It will help but it does take time.

Not only do you have to identify your stressors but you have to develop strategies in how to deal with them. Don't eat and be on the computer or watch tv (for example). Or when you're craving something that you shouldn't have, picture in your mind eating something healthy...only make it so that in your head, those carrots are the tastiest effing carrots you're ever going to have. Really start to crave carrots...focus on carrots. lol. That's what I started doing when I wanted something from Burger King. I would think of healthier leftovers in my fridge and just think to myself how wonderful the leftovers were going to be.

I know for me I have to play mind games for myself. I seriously can rationalize the hell out of anything...but who suffers for it? Me! That's not cool! lol. So, we have to find things that work.

Keep your head up, keep trying, don't give in because of a mistake. Just keep swimming.

Thanks AmyL. I am the same way with rationalization. I'm going to try that.

Have you thought about Over Eaters Anonymous?

I went there once. I may consider going back.

I hope things work out, I know how rough it is. Cheer up we have all felt this way at one time or another. Stay positive and goal oriented, and try not to beat yourself up!

Thanks. It's daunting at times.

This is a great book to read, It's called "no more overeating," by David Kesseler MD. It will give you a clear picture of why we eat a lot of the fast foods and restaurant foods. They're loaded with sugar, fats, and salt and it's totally addicting. I am a food addict and I have to work very hard to not get pulled back into this funnel of hell. I don't eat fast foods anymore and am cutting way back on eating out in restaurants. I just get really lazy and don't want to cook. It's frustrating to cook and not know who's going to eat it and plus, my DH see's food and will totally over eat. I'm trying to help him get his diabetes under control. It is getting much better by the way...

The biggest thing that will help you - and this applies before or after surgery - is discovering WHY you're an overeater and dealing with whatever issues were at the start of the behavior.

Life after surgery will make this a little easier, but it will not fix the issue for you. It will still have to be confronted and resolved for long term success.

You are not alone in this struggle. Everyone here has some measure of disordered eating and all of us have poor habits. The idea is to confront them and deal with them.

If counseling is not helping to address the actual cause of the problem, perhaps OA will help if you try again. If not, there area number of books that will share personal stories of people that have dealt with these issues. There is also a thread here: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/63618-if-you-were-a-binge-eater-before/ with people both pre and post op discussing disordered eating and how to cope.

Many people transition from overeating or binge eating into out of control, mindless grazing. You can definitely achieve great success with the sleeve, but the easiest way to sabotage yourself would be allowing that transition happen and set you up with new bad habits.

Good luck,

~Cheri

Thank you guys. That's why I want to use this time to get myself together before surgery. It's a huge step to take not to be successful. I have 6mths to work on it.