This is a question for those that are at least a year or two postop. Well into the new lifestyle, done with the learning curve, your new habits are "normal" and all that newbie stuff is behind you....

what is the #1 thing you miss the most from preop? And what is the #1 single thing you do not miss?

for me, I miss being able to chug a big glass of cold Water or a whole bottle of Vitamin water, etc. Down the whole thing in less than a minute. I can take big, normal gulps, but only 1-2 before I have to make myself stop.

the #1 thing I don't miss is being in pain....foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain....all day, every day.

Miss: champagne on special occasions

Don't miss: having to buy two airplane seats (and sometimes not being able to afford that, so missing important family gatherings, travel opportunities, etc.).

Miss: The occasional pig-out. Like eating a giant porterhouse or a whole sub or a huge platter of chicken wings.

Don't miss: The feelings of guilt and the gastrointestinal issues that went along with eating the way I used to.

Mostly I miss the big meals when I am in social situations where everyone else is eating. But I wouldn't go back. Truly having control over food is a far more satisfying feeling than being able to eat a few dozen chicken wings.

Miss: eating to excess. There's a container of leftover spaghetti and sauce in my fridge right now that is calling my name. I need the boyfriend to eat it for lunch today so I can toss whatever is left over. I have grilled salmon, veggies, and a small piece of baked potato for my lunch.

Don't miss: being obese and all it entails. hating to buy clothes..hating to go to parties and such because I hate the clothes I have to wear. Hating the feeling of invisibility but grateful for that rather than being stared at or made fun of. Hating being the biggest person in the room, hating being immobile... shall I go on? It's why I can leave the cold spaghetti where it is even though I want to eat it.

I, too, miss the occasional pig out. We went to dinner last night for New Years, and I had the best giant scallops and risotto I've ever had in my life. It was so good, it's one of those times you're actually sad you have to stop eating. I got as far as 2 scallops and a bite of spinach and rositto. I also miss having a glass of wine with my meals.

On the other hand, I DON'T miss the pig outs. There is NOTHING like the feeling of actually being in control of what you're eating and the lack of guilt that comes with it.

Double edged sword, I suppose.

I miss Pepsi and Coke. I don't miss hiding from the camera in family photos.

I miss the mental and emotional "click" I got from overeating (and from alcohol and from pain meds) that put me (oh so temporarily) into my mellow happy place.

I don't miss hating myself.

Life is a million times better clean, sober and abstinent from overeating.

I miss my thick full hair.

I don't miss being out of breathe, unable to walk stairs, wearing "fat lady" clothes.

Veterans....#1 thing you miss / don't miss

the list would be too long

what OP said in their posts above are great

i 2nd them

i will not miss my bad health issues

plus sized clothes

living like a hermit

being a couch potato

emotional bad/sad feelings

basically............

there is mainly nothing about my "other" life that i miss

to all of us - i wish a healthier, happier, longer life

we all deserve it

happy new year!!!

kathy

I miss my ass! I went to Disneyland at thanksgiving and my boney butt was getting slammed all over the rides. That padding is all,gone and even sitting on chairs and benches ends up a pain in my ass so to speak.

I don't miss soda. The first 6 months I wanted it so so so bad. About 6 weeks ago I took a sip of my husbands Dr. Pepper and I almost spit it out. It was so gross. Like pure syrup. Bleh!!

I had to really think about that question. At three years out, I can't think of anything I miss. I thought about the ability to eat a lot at once, but I can eat quite a bit (and more than I want to). So even though it's way less than before, I don't miss it.

The list of things I don't miss is long, and as raw as it was in the beginning. I never get over the thrill of being a normal, smallish sized woman. I appreciate it every day. But, If I had to pick one thing....I suppose I don't miss wondering if I will fit in seats/chairs/places and being mortified at the inevitable tight or non-fitting chairs and places.

One thing I miss is being able to drink a lot of plain Water. Even at over a year and half post op I still can only drink about four swallows at a time. Also, sometimes plain water can trigger my heartburn and I have to add flavor drops which I don't care for. Oh to guzzle a big bottle of water again.

What I don't miss is the fact that looking back at my obese self I was trapped in my cage of obesity and didn't even know it. It kept me from experiencing so much of life. Now I am FREE!!! I have such a zest for life now and everyday is an opportunity for me. Walking without being short of breath. Enjoying trying new things and finding new hobbies!! Love hiking, kayaking,zip lining, camping and can't wait to discover other things!!

Great post @Kindle- really makes us stop and smell the roses about our progress!!

I have thought about this one a lot. The only thing I truly miss is being able to eat a delicious incredible cheeseburger. I just cannot do it, I have had a bite and they don't taste the same, they also hurt when I do. I miss a good cheeseburger and I do not like them without the bun. There is a burger to bun ratio and I was very picky about them before. LOL

I also miss my ass! I have none and I truly mean none. It hurts to sit anywhere for even a few minutes. I have coccyx pillows at home in my car. I take it to movies but everywhere else I am in very severe pain when sitting. I don't miss having a fat ass but I do miss some of my padding.

I definitely don't miss so many things it is hard to list. I don't miss shopping for clothes in plus size stores and the way that I felt while trying them on. I despised clothes shopping and would avoid it like the plague. I now absolutely love clothes shopping! I wish we could win the lottery so I could buy a ginormous closet and fill it with clothes and shoes and handbags for me! I never thought these things would ever matter for me but they do and I love it!

I don't miss trying to cram my fat chubby body into a booth and feeling the embarrassment when I don't fit. Now there is so much room between me and the table it is crazy! I secretly will find the tightest spaces and sit in them just to see if I fit and I have yet to find one that I don't fit in. It's like a big test for me! LOL!

I don't miss having to ask for a darn seat extender and getting that crappy look from the flight attendant who was stick thin. It was embarrassing and I felt like everyone was staring at me when they handed it to me. I also felt like post of them never tried to be discreet about it.

I don't miss watching football and realizing I was heavier than most of those guys. Now I am proud to say I am too skinny to make a good football player. (Isn't this silly!)

I don't miss getting sick with severe reflux every time I ate and walking the floors in the middle of the night with severe distress.

I don't miss having to take my blood sugar multiple times a day and the medications that go along with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and severe Gerd.

This list truly could go on and on!

The only thing I miss is a good deli style sandwich !! ( do not and cannot tolerate breads)

And since I don't, (cannot) eat meat, I do miss a sandwich made from pastrami, corned beef, etc.

Go to a good delicatessen or diner and have one of these sandwiches with french fries (something else I no longer eat) cole slaw and a pickle.

Maybe a triple decker club sandwich!

But all in all I do not miss being fat, unhealthy, and a pig! Not to mention what others thought of me.

I'll take this healthy, fit life any day!

Also, unlike others, I do still enjoy things like soda, beer, alcohol, ice cream, etc, etc....I am NOT on a diet!!!

This is different than a diet.

Miss: Eating a whole cheeseburger, really eating a whole anything, the ability to eat a lot of BBQ, enjoying carbonated beverages, tequila, skin that isn't loose and squishy.

Don't miss: The person I was before gastric sleeve. I always thought I was ok. After a couple years of having to adjust my entire mental state I learned that I was not as emotionally stable as I thought I was. I learned that I had used food as a crutch, that I was somewhat angry and terribly insecure, and that (newsflash) I was NOT ok. Oh and I'm not big boned either. I was just fat. These were terrible lessons to learn and lessons that should have been learned long ago. It took having most of my stomach removed for me to simply begin figuring out who I am.

Just ridiculous isn't it? It's been nearly 3 yrs now and I'm glad I finally started getting the point.

I've been wondering if any of you experience this problem: Before surgery I always thought that I would enjoy not being invisible. That I'd enjoy attention from the opposite sex and that I would love to be considered one of the desirable women. Come to find out, I don't want the attention after all. I do not want any extra attention from the opposite sex and I find that I am very uncomfortable with too many compliments. I'd kind of like to just be invisible. Go figure.

For a lot of people the weight loss journey is focused on health and food/exercise choices and habits. It's not that at all for me. The benefits have been on an emotional/psychological level. And I'm glad I went on this journey. I'm pretty much at peace with myself. All because I had the bright idea to have most of my stomach removed. Who knew.

I still would like a cheeseburger.

food wise, I don't really miss anything. I feel like I can eat whatever I want and for the m ost part I eat much better quality, high value food. What I sometimes miss is being numb...I don't seem to be able to evade and avoid the world like I used to. This is less about food and more about the fatsuit - I didn't realize the many hidden purposes it served until it was gone gone gone.

What I DON'T miss - pretty much summed up as "sitting on the sidelines of life". I go shopping with th trim pretty girls, I take on new hobbies without fear of being foolish and too fat (kayaking, snowshoeing, hiking), i look no more ridiculous than anyone else on the dance floor, I can "run up the stairs" without fear of heart attack, I can walk across a crowded room and not wonder how people are looking me/judging my size ..Haha. I can go on and on....but being at maintenance for a few years now I realize this whole slice of life that I only partially participated in before.

I guess I told myself I didnt care about such superficial fluff, but now that I have it, I realize what a liar I was. Honestly I would have told you (and people told me this!!) That I didnt let the excess weight keep me from living a full life. I call shenanigans!! I DON'T miss being in denial about what living a full life means.