saying goodbye to my old friend...FOOD

[readyanxiousscared 57]

Though I am not sure when I'll have the procedure, I am mourning the loss of food, my trusted friend. In good or bad and normally indifferent times it has been go-to. How did yall let it go and what does a normal relationship with food look like?

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

First of all you have to start seeing food for what it is. NOT a friend! It is a fuel we use for of bodies to build on and keep moving and living..you know the drill..

Some friend who allows you to get sick, over weight, have to take strong organ affecting medications to counteract its effects on your body. Then you go to the go to comfort, and it is only a temporary fix. After you feel worse then before. This action is followed by guilt, judgement, fear, betrayal and a whole host of other emotions that are negative.....

When you realize that it is an addiction like any other. You start to see food differently. Your mindset changes and you start to fix what is going on in your head. What drove you here. Why you have to take such a drastic step to save yourself from this so called friend.

It is not a red light moment. It is work. Real work to change a habit you started a long, long time ago...

But it will be worth it when you put food in its proper place and it no longer has a hold over you. You control it....You learn to eat to live, not live to eat!

Hope this helps hun.

[sunshine_sandii 1]

It feels so good to know that I am not the only person who saw food as my "freind". I am 5 weeks post and struggling horribly with adjusting to my new lifestyle. Sometimes I feel like Im going through a form of with drawal because a familiar part of me is missing. My family can never understand where Im coming from or why I get soo upset when they order out or sit directly in front of me and stuff pizza in their mouths while I sip 1% milk and Protein. It gets so bad that I have to leave the room and spray lysol through out my home so that the tempting smells dont drive me absolutely crazy! I mourn my old friend all the time and I have difficulties eating and finding foods that work for me because deep down its not what Im used to.Then when I do find a healthy alternative I enjoy ,I cant enjoy it. I take 3 or 4 bites and Im completely full. any more and im on the verge of sickness. food has gone from my best friend to that bully I avoid and am now afraid of. I have no clue how to get over this fear or where it even starts to get better. On top of that my fiance is taking to me vegas for our 6th anniversay at the end of this month and I am completely terrified I wont be able to enjoy my trip. I am technically now out of my 15-30 days puree stage but still not sure what foods I am allowed to eat or try or even if Im allowed a glass of wine on my anniversary. It all just scares me.

[Andrew0929 1,101]

I certainly fell into the category of making food a top priority in my life, pre-op. My life was revolved around food and I was always planning my next meal. Any time we went anywhere (store, day trip), there was always a feast as part of the trip.

I'm now 10 weeks post-op and without even trying, food has become a necessity rather than a form of entertainment. So far, I've not experienced any of the "loss of a friend" or other similar sensations. I still can't consume more than 2 oz of food in one meal, so when my wife asks what we're having for dinner, I find myself not really caring what we're having. Eating 2 oz of anything is over so quickly it really doesn't matter to me.

I am very happy to say that I don't miss food. I don't miss the large quantities I was consuming. I don't miss the terribly unhealthy choices I used to make. I don't miss my former obsession with food.

I'm very happy eating my 2 oz meals and losing weight ....

[readyanxiousscared 57]

I certainly fell into the category of making food a top priority in my life, pre-op. My life was revolved around food and I was always planning my next meal. Any time we went anywhere (store, day trip), there was always a feast as part of the trip.

I'm now 10 weeks post-op and without even trying, food has become a necessity rather than a form of entertainment. So far, I've not experienced any of the "loss of a friend" or other similar sensations. I still can't consume more than 2 oz of food in one meal, so when my wife asks what we're having for dinner, I find myself not really caring what we're having. Eating 2 oz of anything is over so quickly it really doesn't matter to me.

I am very happy to say that I don't miss food. I don't miss the large quantities I was consuming. I don't miss the terribly unhealthy choices I used to make. I don't miss my former obsession with food.

I'm very happy eating my 2 oz meals and losing weight ....

Thanks Andrew! That was very comforting to know these feelings about food will go away.

[aNewTanya 109]

I certainly fell into the category of making food a top priority in my life, pre-op. My life was revolved around food and I was always planning my next meal. Any time we went anywhere (store, day trip), there was always a feast as part of the trip.

I'm now 10 weeks post-op and without even trying, food has become a necessity rather than a form of entertainment. So far, I've not experienced any of the "loss of a friend" or other similar sensations. I still can't consume more than 2 oz of food in one meal, so when my wife asks what we're having for dinner, I find myself not really caring what we're having. Eating 2 oz of anything is over so quickly it really doesn't matter to me.

I am very happy to say that I don't miss food. I don't miss the large quantities I was consuming. I don't miss the terribly unhealthy choices I used to make. I don't miss my former obsession with food.

I'm very happy eating my 2 oz meals and losing weight ....

Thanks Andrew! That was very comforting to know these feelings about food will go away.

Very comforting indeed. This is one of my biggest fears. Food is my life right now and has been for a very long time. I know I'm ready for it to end, but in all honesty, I feel like it will be so difficult. I hope I have the same experience as Andrew. It certainly won't be for lack of trying.

[belunos 93]

I was dumb and arrogant before the surgery. I had the thought that 'food isn't really that important to me, I just consume mass quantities of it at a sitting'. It wasn't until after surgery and the head hunger began that I came to fully realize how completely wrong I was. I was addicted and in denial about it. Heh, I really thought that with reduced capacity I wouldn't miss food that much

I'll be a month out tomorrow, and while the head hunger hasn't completely gone away, it's quieted way down. I'm hoping that with more time it will just blend into the background.

[readyanxiousscared 57]

I was dumb and arrogant before the surgery. I had the thought that 'food isn't really that important to me, I just consume mass quantities of it at a sitting'. It wasn't until after surgery and the head hunger began that I came to fully realize how completely wrong I was. I was addicted and in denial about it. Heh, I really thought that with reduced capacity I wouldn't miss food that much

I'll be a month out tomorrow, and while the head hunger hasn't completely gone away, it's quieted way down. I'm hoping that with more time it will just blend into the background.

Can you further explain head hunger...sounds like a silly question.

[readyanxiousscared 57]

Very comforting indeed. This is one of my biggest fears. food is my life right now and has been for a very long time. I know I'm ready for it to end, but in all honesty, I feel like it will be so difficult. I hope I have the same experience as Andrew. It certainly won't be for lack of trying.

food is my life...I think about it all the time. I am so f'ing tired of it but it's as if ignoring the thoughts is impossible. Planning what I'm going to eat is a unique feeling and when I have many options (like after grocery shopping) I am consumed. I take chocolate consumption to another level. So after this acknowledgement I am even more ready to not be this person with this overwhelming issue that often times I feel like no one on earth can understand.

[Andrew0929 1,101]

Very comforting indeed. This is one of my biggest fears. food is my life right now and has been for a very long time. I know I'm ready for it to end, but in all honesty, I feel like it will be so difficult. I hope I have the same experience as Andrew. It certainly won't be for lack of trying.

food is my life...I think about it all the time. I am so f'ing tired of it but it's as if ignoring the thoughts is impossible. Planning what I'm going to eat is a unique feeling and when I have many options (like after grocery shopping) I am consumed. I take chocolate consumption to another level. So after this acknowledgement I am even more ready to not be this person with this overwhelming issue that often times I feel like no one on earth can understand.

I was exactly the same way, pre-op. The changes I've experienced after being sleeved have exceeded my expectations. I've had a few bumps in the road, along the way, but the end result has been great.

Best of luck in your journey. You've made the right choice ...

[readyanxiousscared 57]

Andrew thank you soooooo much!

[Aileen-March 2014 Sleeved 45]

Thanks for sharing your food stories.

I am scheduled to have the sleeve on March 11th. I will be starting my pre-op liquid diet 10 days out.

At this time, I have been eating almost everything in sight. As if to get my last hooorah in!

I have been so stressed at the thought of having the surgery that I am turning to food to comfort me, until my liquid diet.

I am wondering what will I do for comfort after the surgery. I have a lovely family and husband, so I am not lonely. I just eat out of boredom and daily stress. If someone p**sses me off, or if something is out of my control, I tend to eat.

I believe that the craving and desire for food will be gone, so perhaps the comfort of food will not be needed. I need to get an outlet to handle this change. I am kind of freaked out not knowing if I can figure it out.

[Andrew0929 1,101]

A few months ago I was asking myself the same questions and questioning my decision to take such a radical step. Also, I went through a few months of food funerals and gained back 15 pounds I'd lost while going through all of my pre-op appointments.

In my appointment with the surgeon to schedule surgery, he was really pissed off at me for gaining and put me on a 3-week pre-op diet. I took that seriously and dropped 31 pounds in 3 weeks, with Thanksgiving in the middle of that. My wife and I cooked for 20 guests and I consumed 450 calories that day.

From a dieting perspective, the pre-op diet was the worst part so far. The shakes made me want to barf (and still do thinking about them). Dieting post-op has been a breeze for me. It's like I don't even have to try to diet ... The restriction takes care of my over-eating and my cravings are pretty much gone. I hope this lasts long-term because I'm loving my new outlook on food.< /p>

Edited February 21, 2014 by Andrew0929