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Old habits really do die hard



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So I am about 6 weeks post op. ( I actually had to check the calendar to figure this out...it seems like forever ago!) I feel amazing and have really very little complaints. Im able to be as active as I was before surgery and I am down about 37 lbs since the day of surgery - i am stoked. The only down side to feeling so great is that no foods bother my sleeve. this is great because I am able to eat all the healthy stuff I want, but it also sucks because I can tolerate all the crap that got me into a bad place to start with. I knew that the surgery wouldn't be a quick fix, but that fact is really starting to hit home with me now. I hate to admit it, but I have allowed myself to get off track once or twice and indulge in candy or sweets that I should be avoiding. I hate that I am so weak, but I am trying to stay positive and focus on one day at a time. Has anyone else had these problems? how have you dealt with it?

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OMG, I feel you.... I'm almost 5 months out. I ate a half cup of chocolate chips. (I have done this more than once) and each time I feel like crap. I feel nauseous and I get acid reflux from it. I don't usually have any kind of "bad" food in my house but I did have these stupid chocolate chips because I was baking something for my mother in law and needed 3 TBSP of mini chocolate chips. If I do this again, I'm throwing the rest away! But why have I ate them more than once? I have no idea, except, I feel the damn chocolate chips are calling my name and drawing me in with a magnet. I feel weak during these times and have to find a different way of dealing with it.

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I will be 100 % honest about this, I slip - a lot. I will say I eat per plan about 80 % of the time, but that really isn't very good. Yes, compared to the old me it is awesome. But for a person who had major surgery to finally get ahold of herself and put her weight into check, it is a personal disappointment. Each day I get up and say " today is a new day, I will do better". If I go to bed that night and feel good about what I have consumed then it is a victory. I have had zero issues with my sleeve. I tolerate everything. My only problems have come when I have consumed too much. ( I have a bad habit of eating too fast, therefore over eating) Besides that no food has actually bothered my new stomach. I was very good for the first few months avoiding things I shouldn't have. ( carbs, sugars etc) But then I tried one, and that was all it took. The battle has been back on since to stay away from these things. Some days I am winning the battle and some days I am beat up by it. I have managed to continue to lose weight ( although slowly) even with this behavior, which is probably bad because it sort of makes me feel what I am doing isn't that bad. To date I have lost 84lbs, 51lbs since surgery 10/21. Had I stuck to plan better I am sure I would be further down than that. But it is what it is. I am not giving up. I will continue to do what I can to battle my demons and win the war on fat. I refuse to be a failure in this. ( I have already won some freedom with my slowly shrinking body. I am in less pain and much more mobile than I was before the loss.) This is for life. I want to live that life. I will continue to try to do my best, but I also need to try not to beat myself up so much when I don't. Depression can be even more dangerous if you are any kind of food addict. So just know you aren't alone. We all struggle. But try to focus on the positive and do all you can for success.

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I wouldn't beat myself up over it, I'm sure there have been plenty on here that get side tracked, and don't addmit to it. I give you guys kudos for telling it like it is. We've been used to a way of life for such a long time, and everything,and every where you look, screams food, or smells food, we're bound to stumble. The old saying " Rome wasn't built in a day" The main thing is you recognize it, and getting back on track. I'm almost 3 weeks post-op, and I would be a liar if I said I was NEVER going to eat crap food again, I have no idea what's going to happen in my future, but I now have the tool to work it. Good luck everyone!

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You're human, life is short. Enjoy a bite of less-healthy food, then get back to a majority healthy diet. Don't allow yourself to get into the guilt/punishment/soothing trap. Focus on your goals and enjoy life ????

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I agree with don't beat yourself up over it. I fall off the horse too often. Sometimes it's less of a fall and more of a jump : (

BUT I was eating badly for DECADES. You cannot change that overnight--if I could have done so, I wouldn't have had to have 80% of my stomach removed.

Kathleen

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How about tracking it on MFP or some other website? Sugar and carbs are the enemy, I guess, but you're not a robot--you need to indulge every once in a while. Is there a way that you could make room in your calorie goals to have something once a week?

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I slip up like occasionally especially around that time of the month, I've found it helpful to throw out the rest of whatever I've snacked on. I try not to bring it into the house but with young kids, it's impossible not to have snack food in the house. I won't dig through the trash so if it's thrown out, it's no longer an option and makes it easier.

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We are all human, and it's a constant battle. The early post op days are where we can learn a lot, and paying attention to what you are doing, when, and why is important. I find tracking every bite on my fitness pal is helpful. I force myself to do that because when I see how quickly something is adding up, I can usually regroup before it's out of hand for the day. Sometimes I don't want to do that, but it's the one thing I've found that works for me. It's a reality check that I can't ignore. I'm not one of the lucky ones who can "listen to their body" because my body always tells me to eat more. I can eat more than I wish I could, and I am a grazer, and I can tolerate all foods quite well.

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I am about 2.5 months post op. My biggest problem is that I sometime eat TOO fast and up throwing everything up. I have gotten very good at throwing up vey discretely.

It's very hard to eat right after eating like a pig all my life. ????

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admittedly I do the same I truly enjoyed my eating experience and the restriction of my sleeve this week my surgeon said if I want carbs have a little and move on. and just hearing that set me free and I know I am a winner at losing.

just knowing that food funerals are not necessary and that moderation

with the restriction of the sleeve now put so many things in perspective.

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I can sooo relate. I was 5 weeks last Thursday and so far, nothing really "bothers" me. I do get full quickly so I'm not getting high calories but I had my first days of feeling like a failure on Friday. After a late night Thursday, didn't plan my meals for work Friday, I found myself "trying pizza". It's a trigger food. I didn't hurt at all. I do feel tight restriction with most solids but that pizza chewed up mighty soft and a bit too tasty. I didn't eat much, just a fraction of my preop life, but it felt "reckless". Old feelings crept in. My total calories for the day ended up at 800 but it was my first carb free for all day. This was. My first post op fall off the wagon day. Back on track today. Just reality setting in that this is only a tool, not a fix. And here I read all these comments on Facebook today about how Rosie ODonnell took the "easy" way out. I'm about sick of hearing "easy". While it helps, it's not easy. I'm happier than I have been in ages, but this is hard work - mentally and physically,

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      · 0 replies
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