Ok, I am going to be really honest here, and l am petrified to give up food! food has been my friend, my enemy, my boyfriend, my lover my everything... in times when i didn't have all of the other things, or i wasn't getting my needs met! I am on my journey and I am ready to have a new life I know i don't want to be this weight for my health, but in the years I have dieted and lost a ton of weight, I have come to the conclusion that i am afraid of failing, and i am also afraid of SUCCEEDING!

I have had my appt with my surgeon, and nutritionist, I know that i want to do this. I am sure that this is the right decision, but is there anyone out there that is dealing with the FEAR?!?!?!?

Ohh I love those small cupcakes. We have a place here called Craves, and they make the best cupcakes, they have the regular size and the small.

I made a BIG dinner for all my girlfriends this Christmas, we had lobster, beef tenderloin, rice (with egg, chicken, celery, onions and butter), spaghetti squash, and for dessert we had the cupcakes. Well, after two glasses of a champagne cocktail (I love champagne with mandrine oranges at the bottom of the glass to smoosh), we sat down to eat. I could only at that point after cooking everything (and sampling) muster a bite of each item (and WOW it was good), but after sitting and talking for an hour, we broke into the mini cupcakes. I had two, one pepermint pattie (chocolate with mint icing) and a red velvet (yumm). So really, I enjoyed absolutely everything everyone else had, didn;t deprive myself of anything and didn;t feel sick cause I ate too much. I just eat a whole pile less than everyone else. It was a great night, with great friends and great food.

I was sleeved September 14, 2014. I had 75 pounds to lose and I have 30 to go (I lost 5 pounds during Christmas). I do not eat like this everyday, but I LOVE food, and I enjoy food, but am so happy I no longer can eat everyone under the table, or embarress myself with the quatity that was me before, but can continue to enjoy the things I loved. Now I taste and enjoy, I don't inhale and feel sick! I was a foodie before, I love, lived and drempt about food, now I love live and dream about the things I can do and will do. Eat to live, not live to eat, and nothing tastes as good as thin feels!!!!

Good luck to everyone going into this journey, it's a fantastic tool to help get you where you want to go!!!

Feeling the fear is normal but you will see that you do not give up food. You give up the urge to overeat. Additonally you start to want different things. What you had cravings for changes and you will want the food that is better for you. Once you are cleared for regular food, you can have a bite here and there. You will see that is all you need if you even want it anymore. Best of luck to you, you will do great at succeeding.

Food was my everything too. But as I have learned I was using food as a filler to fill voids and gaps in my life where I felt things was missing. I think a lot of us had or have that problem. That is the reason we are overweight. Giving up the love of food to live a healthier prolonged life is much more satisfying at the end of the day. WLS saved my life and I would not turn back the hands of time. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. The only thing I can't do is share my story with people outside this website because they don't under especially if they are not overweight or have been overweight. After WLS success is the only option and you will learn to love and accept eating smaller portions.

Ill admit it...I'm scared. For me traveling is a HUGE part of my life. I love to explore new countries and part of that is discovering new food in those countires. I am scared that I will never be able to do another food walking tour, never be able to try the Best of... I'm scared travling is going to SUCK for me now

But outside of that I'm afraid that Ill never be able to eat pizza, or in n out...

I taste all kinds of things. Difference is, I'm done after a few tastes. Kind of like normal skinny people. It's very empowering.

I'm so excited for this. How long did it take for you to feel happy with just a taste? Right now, "just a taste" is such a foreign concept to me, I'm having a hard time imagining it!

I LOVE to travel. It's one of the reasons why I wanted this surgery. I was tired of having so many challenges with planes and buses. I am at the point now where just a taste of something is enough to satisfy. Even better you truly savoir that taste and in my opinion appreciate it even more.

I see a lot of people above (who haven't had surgery yet) assume that they can't eat food they like in the future or that they won't enjoy eating food in the future.

Neither of those assumptions is true.

I really do wonder where pre-op patients GET these ideas.

I would caution everyone who's pre-op to consider this: If you want to eat food exactly like you're eating it now -- in volume, in proportion, etc. -- don't have the surgery. You can't lose weight and you can't maintain your weight loss if you don't eat less food and, most of the time, the proportions of food types that you're now eating.

Sweets, high carbs are NOT something you can or should eat every meal every day, or even every week going forward.

But you should decide now if and how much you want to change. It is your choice.

Edited January 9, 201511 yr by VSGAnn2014

I'm very happy that you are getting ready for your surgery and getting the help that we ALL need at some point, I struggle a lot the first month after surgery about how I ate, if it was enough for me, for my body, etc. all crazy ideas, in some point I learned that after surgery I START eating better even in portion, I'm more selective of what I eat, and eat a lot haha, your just afraid about the change! and that's normal as a human we are afraid of what we don't know, but believe me that emotion its going to come off ass soon as you lost the first pound!

Xoxo - best of luck

I eat out at restaurants a lot, and something I've started doing is journaling the names of my favorite restaurants and then writing down things I could eat there. It made me realize that not a ton will change in terms of choices, just being a little healthier and eating a lot less.

One thing I will definitely miss is fancy restaurant tasting menus (I live in NYC, there are a lot of those), but I eat those so rarely that it's like, I'd give those up. :-)

I'm also heading to Japan two months after surgery, which is kind of nerve-wracking because they sometimes serve large set meals (and omakase sushi!), BUT my brother is a walking garbage disposal and he offered to eat most of my food if I get overly tempted. How kind of him! :-)

I think it's really insightful that you recognize that fear. I knew I had an unhealthy relationship with food but it's stunning how uncomfortable emotionally I am dealing with issues with out food. I started therapy and had to look at how long food had been used to stuff emotions. All I know is after one therapy session I was uncomfortable not being able to eat poorly... Just as I was told I may!!!

I am sooo glad a lot of you can relate to me! And it is so awesome getting such great advice and encouragement! This is an unfamiliar road for me,

So I am not sure what to expect, but I love that you are all here to chat with! Thank you guys! Xo

Surprisingly I'm not afraid of giving up food. I can't wait to give up the foods that put me in this situation in the first place.

I think that's a great question. For me, once I made up my mind to have surgery, I wasn't afraid. However, I made it my business to eat everything I wanted in the two months I waited for surgery. Then I was ready to move on, and I never looked back. Very rarely I find myself wishing (for a second) that I could eat more, but in reality I'm so glad I can't. I'm free from the misery of constant overeating. I feel liberated from that and my fat body that was so self-limiting.

For a food addict as I am it was terrifying! Until I realized it was not about giving up anything. It was about simplifying everything. Taking a few steps back from food has allowed me prospective on many other things in my life. How I view my own life and how I view others. I thought for many years if I was able to "control" my eating ie not overeat to the point of being sick, I was doing just fine. I now know that is another belief that had to be smashed.

I understand! I kind of think of it as taking my lover and making us just friends.

Im getting surgery tomorrow and had my last real big meal last night, and am on all Clear liquids for today. I can tell you mentally I dont know if Im ready for this..Physically I know I need it, mentally it will be hard for a while, till I see results and realize it was worth it. I am terrified of what the future holds and what foods I will and will not be able to tolerate, but my future not doing anything about it terrifies me even more. Another thing you don't realize is how many darn food commercials there are on TV until you cant eat solids.. Oh well, no turning back now!!!