last meal syndrome

[Chynna 13]

Right now I'm struggling a bit because I don't have a surgery date yet and I haven't started my doctors pre-op stuff yet. That all starts next week. And for the first time since I can remember, I'm not on a diet. I left weight watchers in tears a few weeks ago when I had gained more than I had lost since I started and I just didn't see the point of going back. That's when I decided it was time for a major change.

I'm told I could have the surgery as soon as august because my doc and I have documented so many attempts at weight loss. But that's not official yet. So now I'm in limbo. On one hand I'm so ready to start a healthier lifestyle. But on the other hand there's this voice in the back of my head saying that soon I'll be on a liquid diet and so I should allow myself to eat "normal " and guilt free for once. So I go back and forth between fat free everything and pizza. It's this wierd cycle of entitlement (why shouldn't I be able to eat that pizza? It's the last pizza I'll be eating in a LONG time) and guilt (if I'm going to be healthy I should start now) and it's driving me nuts. I'm sure I'll be on some sort of diet next week, but for now I'm just hoping that someone out there knows what I'm talking about and has some words of wisdom because I'm not sure how I should be dealing with this mentally

[WhoKnows 288]

First of all, as you'll learn while getting nutrition help pre- and post-op (hopefully) fat-free food is a load of BS, so don't bother. Anyway, that being said, I personally found having food funerals helpful. I didn't go overboard or binge or anything, but I didn't police myself, I ate certain things "one last time," and enjoyed being a foodie, knowing that the meaning of food in my life would soon change forever. I did gain about 5 pounds, but I lost that within the first four days of the pre-op low carb diet, and I found that having the food funerals gave me closure. Not everyone needs that or finds it helpful. Not everyone is planning to be as strict post-op as I am and hope to continue to be. So it's a personal choice, but whatever you choose, don't feel guilty about it. You've already made amazing progress by deciding to have surgery.

[mi75 1,241]

i had food funerals. i had decided at one point that i wanted to change as much as possible post op and i really intend to not eat many of the foods that got me to my highest weight..

that said, i absolutely had a massive food addiction and couldn't just NOT eat, because in addition to addiction, i had a MASSIVE sized stomach that demanded to be filled.

so i had several food funerals. went out with the family, dates with the hubs. i had all the foods that i really don't know if i'll ever eat again. it was fun, and at the same time very cathartic, because i KNEW going in to each of those restaurants it would be a long time before i ever came back- and i would be eating very differently.

i agree with the fat free stuff, just leave it alone. generally, fat free items have MORE sugar added to them, because if you remove fat, you have to do SOMETHING to give it flavor. generally that something is sugar. your nutritionist will encourage you to avoid fat free stuff post op, and forever. good luck!

[EmmaKathleen 28]

Girl, I hear ya! I have had several "food funerals". If it helps, everyone I have talked to says that their tastes changed dramatically after surgery so that they actually crave the healthy stuff! I certainly hope this is the case for both of us. I find making small changes here and there are adding up to be big changes. Like, switching to low-cal salad dressings, drinking Water instead of sweet tea, doing 10 minutes of cardio and gradually building up the amount of time, etc. I believe trying to make a bunch of huge changes at once can be a recipe for disaster, at least for me. At any rate, I wish you all the best and know you are going to do great. Keep seeking out support. We can't do this alone!

[snowkitten 371]

Right now I'm struggling a bit because I don't have a surgery date yet and I haven't started my doctors pre-op stuff yet. That all starts next week. And for the first time since I can remember, I'm not on a diet. I left weight watchers in tears a few weeks ago when I had gained more than I had lost since I started and I just didn't see the point of going back. That's when I decided it was time for a major change.

I'm told I could have the surgery as soon as august because my doc and I have documented so many attempts at weight loss. But that's not official yet. So now I'm in limbo. On one hand I'm so ready to start a healthier lifestyle. But on the other hand there's this voice in the back of my head saying that soon I'll be on a liquid diet and so I should allow myself to eat "normal " and guilt free for once. So I go back and forth between fat free everything and pizza. It's this wierd cycle of entitlement (why shouldn't I be able to eat that pizza? It's the last pizza I'll be eating in a LONG time) and guilt (if I'm going to be healthy I should start now) and it's driving me nuts. I'm sure I'll be on some sort of diet next week, but for now I'm just hoping that someone out there knows what I'm talking about and has some words of wisdom because I'm not sure how I should be dealing with this mentally

I'm right there with ya. My surgery is "tentativly" scheduled for Aug 5th and I've been going nuts with the food funerals. Mainly soda because I know that's one thing I can never have again. I'm actually glad I'm doing it though because I'm seriously getting tired of the junk and am craving healthier foods. I think (for me) it will make the transition easier. I won't feel like I deprived myself and therefore won't have it constantly on my mind.

BUT having said that, I still feel guilty.

[par1959 470]

Its normal to have the last supper syndrome. I enjoyed all my favorite foods for a couple of months. There are at least two trains of thought on this:Enjoy it while you can (I miss not ebing able to pig out on comfort food) 2) the more weight you put on before surgery equels the more you have to lose after surgey. Personally , I would enjoy it while you can.

[jessiquoi 623]

I just started my three month supervised weight loss program prior to the pre-op liquid diet (4 days) my surgeon requires. The night before, I had my absolute favorite dinner to order in after work, a turkey club sandwich with extra mayo, waffle fries and a pepsi. Said goodbye to that meal that night.

I am planning for the night before my liquid diet to have my second favorite dinner from outside the house, a Wawa large turkey sub with extra mayo, potato chips and pepsi. I will say goodbye to the chips that night. (I already said goodbye to pepsi, but I will allow myself one more that night.)

I am looking forward to great changes. I'm also telling myself that I can have my favorite foods again if I want them post-op, in much smaller quantities. I don't think I'll want them though, because after 2 weeks of following a meal plan, my tastes are already changing a bit.

Just make sure you don't forget the guidelines your surgeon gave you, if any, about how much weight you need to lose to qualify for surgery. Don't lose sight of the prize!

[Chynna 13]

Thank you everyone! I feel much better. I gave myself a week to eat whatever I want without guilt. I am beginning to realize that these foods aren't as important as I thought they were. Unhealthy food gets old quick. I think it was just what I needed to be ready to start my new lifestyle post vsg in August!

[Dallas_P 34]

food funerals are for the weak. No one that is having this surgery is being asked to give up their favorite foods forever. If you feel the need to pig out one last time you haven't changed your mindset and aren't ready for this. Use this time to start learning new healthy eating habits instead of eating the food that made you the way you are today. All these excuses like closure are BS. If you can't go into this the right way you're not ready and won't be successful. Lots of people have had this surgery only to eat themselves back to the weight they were and them some. Get mad at these unhealthy trigger foods and go into the surgery on a roll. It will make life after surgery and making massive lifestyle changes much easier.

[Kfree401 16]

Hallelujah! I'm not the only one thinking hard about food and what is the best approach. I just had a milkshake about a week ago and it was marvelous! I haven't had one in a few years and so I decided to go for it. I didn't feel guilty, but I did feel uncomfortably full, so I think I can call that particular craving done. I have about 4 weeks before I start my 2 week pre op liquid diet, so my plan is to treat myself maybe once a week to something that I know will be gone for a long time, maybe forever. I am planning to use this time to transition to caffeine free and sugar free drinks as well. Any other suggestions or tips you can think of in regards to saying goodbye to the unhealthy relationship to food?