I just got a surgery date scheduled for the first part of December. I'm very excited to have a path to a new life (or my old life, before I gained all the weight). However, it seems like everyones days are constantly full of worry about, carbs, grams of Protein, can I have this or that, how much Water have I had, etc. While I am willing to do that for my health and life, it just seems exhausting. Is there ever a point that you get to where you just live? Where you've changed your eating and the new way is habit and you just go through your day without constantly thinking about your new stomach? Or is this a lifetime thing?

I'm not expecting this to be easy, but I worry all the time about being fat (and all the things that come with that), am I just replacing one stress with another?

Are there days that you just feel "normal"?

I just got a surgery date scheduled for the first part of December. I'm very excited to have a path to a new life (or my old life' date=' before I gained all the weight). However, it seems like everyones days are constantly full of worry about, carbs, grams of Protein, can I have this or that, how much Water have I had, etc. While I am willing to do that for my health and life, it just seems exhausting. Is there ever a point that you get to where you just live? Where you've changed your eating and the new way is habit and you just go through your day without constantly thinking about your new stomach? Or is this a lifetime thing?

I'm not expecting this to be easy, but I worry all the time about being fat (and all the things that come with that), am I just replacing one stress with another?

Are there days that you just feel "normal"?[/quote']

I feel normal 95% of the time, and I'm only 6 months out. It really become habit. The way you eat, the amount you eat. Of course I have to make conscious efforts sometimes not to eat pie, candy, etc... But for the most part, I know my "range" for protein and water by now, and I make sure I get that in. Then again, I've never been one to log my food. I just keep up with it, and eat things I'm supposed to. I'm 120lbs down in 6 months, so something is working!

I'm almost six months out and have yet to have a day that I wasn't obsessed with the scale/carbs/protein/water. So I can only speak for myself, but for me it looks like this is the "new normal" :-/

Im 9 months out and feel normal a good 95% of the time too. I can pretty much eyeball how much my tummy can hold and drink all day long (except right after eating of course). It really does become a habit. I say 'no' a lot when offered sugary snacks or if I really want it, I eat just the top of the cupcake but my sugar cravings are not what they used to be. Im down 93 pounds in 9 months, 7 pounds from goal so Im losing pretty slow right now just because Im almost to goal but my way works. I dont stress about it. And as a habit, I always keep a 100 calorie pack of almonds or a protein bar in my purse so I dont make a bad decision when Im away from home. Easy peezy lemon squeezy

Feeling normal is a myth. What is normal, anyway? The reality is... we should be worrying about calories and carbs and all that stuff on a daily basis. It will become a "new" normal. It will not consume your every waking moment. You will learn to incorporate it into your every day lifestyle in a way that is not overwhelming. It just take the journey to figure it all out.

Good Luck.

it gets easier everyday. I'm 23 days post surgery (lost 45 pounds) and it hasn't been hard at all. My eating habits have changed and I love that food doesn't run my life anymore. Cheers to becoming healthier and skinnier at the same time!!

I just got a surgery date scheduled for the first part of December. I'm very excited to have a path to a new life (or my old life, before I gained all the weight). However, it seems like everyones days are constantly full of worry about, carbs, grams of Protein, can I have this or that, how much Water have I had, etc. While I am willing to do that for my health and life, it just seems exhausting. Is there ever a point that you get to where you just live? Where you've changed your eating and the new way is habit and you just go through your day without constantly thinking about your new stomach? Or is this a lifetime thing?

I'm not expecting this to be easy, but I worry all the time about being fat (and all the things that come with that), am I just replacing one stress with another?

Are there days that you just feel "normal"?

I'm 9 months out and feel very normal. Granted, it is a new normal.. a better normal for me. Overall I think I focus more on it being a healthier lifestyle overall. I track my food still, I'm not as good at it as I used to be but I want to get back to doing it all the time. I dont' want to get lazy and not plan things out, it would be far too easy to slip into old habits for me.

One huge downfall for me was not planning dinners and coming home and making something easy... which equated to Pasta or carb-laden foods. Now it's protein, protein, protein.

The first few months you really are focused on how often you are eating, what you are eating, are you getting everything in. It is almost a full time job. But sooooooo worth it.

Best of luck!

I think a "new normal" is the best way to look at it. I'm only 3 months out, but I haven't felt normal yet... And I'm okay with that. I TRIED to act a little too normal this past weekend (went to the LSU vs Kent State game and didn't pre plan my eating-- resulted in a hypoglycemic episode on Victory Hill-- not fun!!)

i'm three months post op and there hasn't been a day i;m not thinking about my eating constantly but i've had 50 years of wrong choices, yo-yo dieting and binge eating, isn't it natural that it will take some time to get used to making the right choices? but it looks harder than it really is. without the constant feeling of hunger you can make better choices. i'm sure that once we reach our goals and we level out everything will start to come more naturally.

A friend of mine - 8 years post op - told me she doesn't need to think about her eating but she still needs to watch out for her trigger points - in her case alcohol. I guess there's still no fix for emotional eating (or drinking). Good luck with your surgery and i'm sure you'll do whatever you need to.

I am 7 months out and yes you do eventually feel normal.

I wasn't really obsessed with all the things I "had" to do. I just listened to my body and started to live my new life.

Its pretty easy. The surgery is pretty easy, the lifestyle is pretty easy and you just learn to behave thin. I do not drink Water because my body will not tolerate it, so I drink other fluids, I just kinda look back over my day and say ok I have had tea, coffee, 3 Gatorade's and OJ, and I know I need to add one more drink. I never get obsessed. When I eat I mentally know what has Protein and what does not and try to eat things that have protein over things that have none. As long as I am constantly eating I am good and continue to lose weight. I know almonds and cheese and yogurts are my go to foods, so don;t obsess about getting 60 g of protein. If you like to obsess then go for it but I know if I am eating and drinking right I am happy.

I'm over a year out and I don't feel normal I'm better then normal! Seriously though I think about my surgery and what I'm going to be eating all the time. But it's in a healthy way now. Instead of all day thinking EAT EAT EAT now I think about what will I eat that's healthy and satisfying. It's a much better place mentally to be at then before surgery.

I am 6 months out and I no longer regret having the surgery. You get to where you know that if you take one more bite that you will regret it. You can still enjoy most foods but just in smaller portions. I think my taste has changed too. I use to be a dessert food junkie. Now it just doesn't taste as good as it use to. I eat mostly meat & vegetables. I feel like I can't waste my limited space on things like pasta and rice or bread. I Think the "normal" starts when you are able to eat regular food and not just clears, or soft food.