Afraid to Give Up My Favorite Foods

[jvslaw 0]

My surgery is scheduled for September and I'm getting cold feet. I want to be healthy, but I also REALLY like food! I'm overweight now and haven't been able to lose it because I can't give up favorite foods long term. Sure, for a short while, but my unhealthy cravings always come back with a vengeance. I'm afraid after awhile after surgery this will happen again and I won't be able to say no again. Anyone else struggle with this?

[Loristi 14]

Yep, I'm right there with you I think it's because we've failed at everything else (weight wise) and we don't know what success is - at least I dont. But, I do know that I cant do it by myself, that I have tried a million times. So, the Sleeve is what I'm gonna do. What I'm hoping for is that eventually I will be able to have a bite or 2 of my favorite things, but the restriction from surgery will keep me from binging - which is really what caused me to get where I am now. My surgery is on Friday and Im sooo looking forward to this new chapter!

[JerzyTomato74 91]

You sound just like me! I love food and no matter how many diets I've tried, I always have a weak moment and feel defeated. For far too long I gave up the idea of losing weight because I resigned myself to being this way. I changed my mind when a friend of mine had the surgery last summer. Now I tell myself that as good as my favorite foods are, they are the reason I am fat, miserable, unhealthy and hate leaving my house! Do you want to feel that way again after you put yourself through something as drastic as surgery? I know I don't! Your stomach will not be able to handle the amount of food you can currently eat so think of it as a fresh start to only put healthy foods back into your body! You can do it!

[ChristyAZ 87]

I had the same concerns however after chatting with others that have had both the bypass and the sleeve, I was ok. They reminded me that I will not have to give up those favorite foods .... just practice moderation which wont be that hard with the size of our new tummy's. Unless the issue is dumping, you can still have a bite or two of enchiladas once in awhile or a bite of your favorite cheesecake at holiday time. If you always deprive yourself, it won't be a good way to live in my opinion. I also think that our tastes will change as we begin to lose. What once was a favorite my be something e can't even imagine eating down the road. So don't give up on yourself. You can do this in a way that will work for YOU .... good luck!

[Cupcake 801]

Mv slaw you got this having cold feet is normal , fear of the unknown is normal but let me tell you the surgery is sooooooo worth the wait when you see how much energy you have, you bring taken off medications, your weight begin to drop down then you will see how truly beautiful and healthy you can be . You will begin smiling more, have a better positive look on life, you will get out more and try things you never thought you could do. Your food buds will changed and you will see things you use to love to eat you no longer want and you will be fine with that because you are eating healthier . Good luck my friend .

[BrendaGelber 7]

I'm pre-surgery but I do know you don't have to give up your favorite foods we just have to moderate it. If you don't allow yourself to have what your craving in small amounts when you finally give over you will binge on it. Best of luck.

[alwaysvegas 702]

Look at it this way. You can be satisfied with 1/2 slice of pizza in one sitting rather than half the pizza or the whole pizza.

You can still come back and eat the other half later. And enjoying food in smaller portions actually makes the food MUCH more enjoyable for me.

Some people are actually turned off by food they used to love. I wouldn't worry about that. If you don't like it, you don't like it. There are a bajillion varieties of foods left.

As you become healthier, you will naturally gravitate towards healthier foods. Your "head hunger" will likely still be there and that's something we all have to deal with.

Don't think of the post-surgery life as "giving up" food. You're still making a choice about what you eat. No one can force you to eat or not eat something post-surgery. Your doctor and nutritionist have probably given you guidelines however. Some guidelines are very restrictive in the beginning for the safety of your stomach as it heals. You have the choice to follow them or not. I chose to follow them to avoid potential complications.

Yes, if you continue to eat that pizza every day, even in smaller portions across the day, you could still gain back a significant amount of weight. But that's the same battle we all fight. The surgery allows you stop eating after a smaller amount and ask yourself, "Am I still physically hungry?" From there on out, it's still your choice.

Edited August 17, 2014 by AlwaysVegas

[jvslaw 0]

Wow, thank you all for the positive words. This is exactly what I needed to hear!

[FairySleeve 297]

Completely agree with AlwaysVegas, the first time I heard about Sleeve, I did the hell lots of research before going to talk with my surgeon in the end of April, then I knew since then that if I want to go for this I will have to change completely my eating habit and choice of food (I never was a big sweet tooth or addicted to junk food but probably carbs and portion of food that ballooned me up).

My surgeon didn't asked me to lose weight pre-op but I just wanted to tried out or trained myself if I was up to the post-op life.

So I started eating very less carb for only Breakfast or lunch, a pound of vegetable per day. drinking 2 litres of Water during 2 months between the first consultation with the surgeon (28 April)to the date of surgery (7 July), The amazing thing happened, my taste and attitude towards food has changed, I prefer fruits than dessert and clean food than processed food then I knew I was ready for the sleeve.

I lost total 13 lbs in 2 months which I think it's not bad, even had the second thought to cancel the surgery and did it on my own but then I knew that I couldn't underestimate one powerful thing that could screw me up very easily--the emotional eating habit!! I knew I need a tool to help me fighting it, I needed the sleeve.

Regarding the favourite food, I'm very early out and now no food (even my favourites) pleases me anymore. Now I'm eating for energy and picking the best choice to feed my tiny pouch to lose weight. I think the appetite will come back later on, I just hope not too soon before I reach my goal lol.

Maybe you can try changing the eating habit or choice of food for a week or so, low carb, high in Protein, fruits & vegetable to see if it's okay for you. It will also help you to smoothly follow the new way of eating post-op.

Bon courage!!

[1dennis3 4]

You dont have to give up your favorite foods. You can eat anything you want, you just wont be able to eat very much of anything. I havent found anything yet that I cant eat,

[jessiquoi 623]

I know exactly what you mean. The thought of giving up anything that we love is always hard to bear. And we do love our food! We depend on it for comfort probably more than just nutrition, which is how we ended up this way.

You know how there are people in your life that, no matter how important they are to you, are toxic? How those relationships just make you feel less, feel bad?

These favorite foods of ours, the ones that offer comfort but really steal our health, are toxic friends. If we can't learn to modify our relationship and keep ourselves strong and healthy while staying in the relationship, we have to cut them out.

The sleeve is the tool that we will use to modify our relationship with these foods. If we find that we can learn to live with them in a way that's healthy to us, we can keep them in our lives. If we can't, maybe we will have to say goodbye to them for our own good. I'm trusting in the sleeve, and letting go of the worries about mourning food for now. I believe that the sleeve, combined as needed with group support and individual therapy, will help me conquer these toxic relationships once and for all. Be confident, look forward with anticipation to freeing yourself from toxic friends!

[FairySleeve 297]

You will find new favourite food lol Now I love spinach so much!!

[OCSlim 63]

<p>Yep, I'm right there with you I think it's because we've failed at everything else (weight wise) and we don't know what success is - at least I dont. But, I do know that I cant do it by myself, that I have tried a million times. So, the Sleeve is what I'm gonna do. What I'm hoping for is that eventually I will be able to have a bite or 2 of my favorite things, but the restriction from surgery will keep me from binging - which is really what caused me to get where I am now. My surgery is on Friday and Im sooo looking forward to this new chapter!</p>

I so relate to everything you're saying. I feel exactly as you do. I've tried everything and feel entirely comfortable that this is a necessary option for me.

[Rovobay 920]

great answers here! couple of things I have heard that are keeping me motivated are:

nothing tastes as good as skinny feels (okay.... not skinny, but healthy!)

you see a lot of old people, you see a lot of fat people, but you don't see too many old fat people

This tool that we get can help us achieve our goals. my program at my clinic does not want us to be deprived of those finer/favorite things, the key is moderation. all the stories and info on here will be your guiding light.