In need of some advice

[Rubygirl 32]

Hi all, I am scheduled for VSG Jan 12, 2015. I have been doing a lot of thinking......not always a good thing. Anyway here's the issue.....

I have a story much like many of you.......struggled with weight loss and gain for most of my adult life, have been on every diet and program known to man. I am successful for a few weeks then fall off gain all my weight back plus more. I realize that the sleeve is not magic. I know I will need to follow the program.......I have never been successful at following the program. What makes me think it will be different this time? Can't be the cost because I probably have spent twice that in diet and exercise programs. Please share your thoughts with me on this subject.....I am really scared that I will not be successful..

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

@@Rubygirl

Like you and most of us here. I have failed at every diet. You're sleeve is an amazing tool. The change is not just a surgical procedure. A lot of it is mental/behavior change.

Following the program:

For me I could never maintain all the diet plans that I have tried. My sleeve has made a big difference. This is NOT another diet.

Being scared of failing is not necessarily a bad thing. Use it to keep your mind on task. Only you can make the changes to get the results you want out of this. I hope you find what inspires and motivates you to success.

The pain is temporary...the results are amazing!

Jenn

[Elode 8,093]

The difference is especially in the beginning you won't be able to "Fall off" because you will (should) have such a restriction that you CANT over eat. Also, in "most" cases you will lose your appetite. Using myself as an example: I use to eat all the time...I mean all the time and way to much. My whole world revolved around eating, what I was going to eat later while eating lol! Now I have to remind myself to eat. I don't feel hungry ever (which is amazing) and when I do eat it's Maybe 2-3 oz of food if I can fit it and more often than not I can't. So instead of worrying about what I'm going to eat all the time I place importance on eating period, and Just trying to get at least 600 calories in in a day which can be a struggle when you don't have a Hunger sensation. I like the taste of food I just get full really easily. Granted I am only 1 1/2 months out and with time my stomach should relax and I will be able to eat more but I'm forced to eat light which in return has helped me lose weight (30lbs in 5 Weeks and counting!) That is the difference between this surgery and all the other weight loss plans I've tried and believe me when I say, I've tried a lot!

Edited December 12, 2014 by Elode

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

@@Elode is so right. I second that

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

The loss of appetite thing is actually nice. You now eat because you have to, not out of boredom. There are those who push it and stretch their pouches but most people simply can't. I get full off a scrambled egg.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

The sleeve will give you time hopefully to change your thinking. Retraining your brain to see food as nutrition and nothing more. We have used food like an alcoholic uses alcohol. To fill a void in our lives to Celebrate to calm to comfort and to even get back at those that have hurt us. It is a way to deal with our problems. And the sleeve will give you the time you need to retrain that brain of yours and realize that it was a ruse. As we never felt good after the fact. That using food was a mirage that only put a band-aid on an open cut that really needed stitches. It never works and so we try to fix it and keep falling back to the old ways.

It is more then eating that got us here. It is everything in our lives that society and big food companies and even the diet companies have pressured us to do. The more we diet the more weight we gain back and the more we wreck our metabolism. And the whole thing goes round and round.....

Think of the reasons you are doing this. Think of the changes you want to make and think about whether it will be worth it. All of it. It will help you make your decision. And when you do..Stand by it! It will change your life.....mentally, emotionally and physically as well.

You got this!

[DFWTIME 7]

I struggled with this too. Hard to believe this procedure will help give guidance when I have failed my entire life at trying to lose weight.

I just got out of surgery on Wednesday, but I can already tell my appetite has changed - am just not hungry. I've been able to keep Water down and can tell my capacity has greatly reduced.

There are so many people that have had success with this procedure. Try to have faith in yourself and realize that you are no different and that you too deserve to feel better.

[JerseyCityGal 231]

I'm six months out. I too tried every diet, medication, etc. I just got fatter. Lose 15, gain back 20, etc.

The sleeve makes you very mindful of how much you are eating. You have to stay on top of what you are eating, preferably with an app. I use MyFitnessPal. That only takes a few minutes a day. Before I eat, I log it in to see the effect it will have on my daily totals. I can see if I need to make a different choice BEFORE I eat. It takes about a week to get in the habit, then it becomes second nature.

The reduced capacity is great. You get full fast. I use 4 oz ramekins to put my food in, and I measure everything. Before I used to pour or scoop as much as I wanted. You will get in the habit of self-control and measuring after you end up throwing food away because you took too much. Your stomach will be like a gas tank. It fits x ounces, and that's it. Overfilling won't do you any good. You don't need to keep going after you are full. You've had enough.

I have experienced hunger all along, and not just in my head. From all the people telling me I would never be hungry again, I figured that was how it was, but I had a different experience. I keep things like cherry tomatoes in a baggie in my purse and I have 2 or 3 when I get hungry. It's very low calorie (I think 50 calories for a whole cup - about 20 of them), so it's under control. I'm not suffering.

You do have to put in effort, but the sleeve is seriously like the difference between taking off a lug nut with your bare hands or using a key wrench. It makes it doable.

[Rubygirl 32]

Thanks to all of you for your comments......I certainly feel better about everything. I'm just going for it and doing the best I can do. I love this forum and have learned so much.........thanks for the support

[mrs kaje 347]

I feel the same way, Rubygirl - I just can't understand how I will be able to change my habits when I haven't been able to previously.

Thanks for all the responses so far - it's great to know there are so many people who used to be the way I am now, and it has been a success for them - gives me more confidence that it'll work.

[Debbieduck4 399]

I'm new too and felt exactly like you before my surgery on Dec 3rd. I now understand already what people are talking about! My appetite is just not there anymore which feels like such a blessing and that is how I am able to be on an all liquid diet for the last 10 days without cheating or any cravings. It is actually amazing! Before surgery I was on the pre-op diet for 10 days where I had 3-4 Protein shakes and a small meal. That was so much more than I'm eating now and I was starving. I too, was never able to stick to any diet plan in the past but with the grehlin greatly reduced, my appetite is now completely manageable. Yours will be too and that, my friend is how you will be successful!

[Rubygirl 32]

It's so encouraging to know others have felt this same way..........I feel so much better now. Going in with my eyes open and and computer opened to this site. Thanks for the help.