Lets face it, I LOVE food. I love cooking it, looking at it, smelling it and mostly eating it! I'm not really a junk food girl, but I AM a foodie - love my farmers markets, experimental cooking, wine and food pairing.... you get the drift. :-)

I felt like I was in a panic last night. Is my relationship with food dead or is it being redefined??? Will I ever enjoy food again?? I'm on day 6 of pre-op diet and feeling "head hungry". It made me think about the many lusciously long and incredibly indulgent meals I have enjoyed over a bottle or two of red with friends during the past 20 years.

Having said all that, I KNOW what I want, and I want to be healthy and set a good example for my rapidly evolving 3 year old son, so in 8 days I will let my surgeon screw with my anatomy for the greater good. :-)

My question to you all is............ DESPITE knowing you are doing this to be healthy and live longer, do you fear that you will "miss" your intimate relationship with food or never be able to enjoy it again?!?!?

Yes I do!! My surgery is on monday, and besides the (i suppose normal) fear of the surgery itself, i wonder if i will ever enjoy the food i do enjoy right now, but my husbsnd already had the rny and he eats almost anything, he is very supportive and reminds me that I will be more than fine...I am sure we all be redefining our relationship with food... ☺

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Oh absolutely. Like you I know what I want and I know I will be happy in the end. However since I started my liquid diet on March 23, I have been very emotional about the whole thing. I find myself thinking of my favourite foods and being very sad, almost like you said, going through a break up with them. At this point I feel like I have been on the liquid diet forever, and that I will continue to be on it forever. It's hard to remember that we will get to eat again some day. In my weak moments I have also wondered to myself if food is actually more important to me than this surgery, and the chance at a new life. Wondering if surgery is right for me or if I'm destined to fail. I'm always wondering in the back of my mind if I can really do this. But heck yes I can! When I feel that way I like to read through the success stories on these boards, knowing that most of these people have had the exact feelings I have had and are thriving today. That being said I am incredibly nervous for my surgery on Wednesday. Even now those thoughts creep up. But we will crush this.

I am now 19 months post op. I have been cooking since I was 3, literally! My granddaughter calls me the family chef. LOL!

I met my weight goal after a lot of hard work in March.

I love food. My relationship has changed dramatically in the last 19 months and I have had a ball figuring out new recipes for my family. I am also Italian and used to cook Pasta 2 to 3 times a week. Spaghetti has been my favorite food since I was a little girl.

Daily I cook fabulous Proteins, vegetables and fruit. Maybe once or twice per week I will add a starch dish.

Honestly there is really nothing I cannot eat, but I choose to eat the dishes that are good for me.

My tastes have changed dramatically and I seriously no longer care for pasta at all. I used to love the texture of al dente pasta, now the only time I eat pasta and like it is in a Soup.

My love of food has not changed, It simply transformed.

I wish you all the best in your upcoming surgery.

I think I'm worried about missing my old favorite foods, but the way I've been trying to think about it is I'm going to gain new favorite foods and things to enjoy. It won't be in the large amounts but I'll learn to appreciate/savor it more. And I also won't feel like I NEEEED to eat all the time either, because my stomach won't be the size of Mexico. Also a thing to remember is the way you're eating right now won't be forever. Eventually you'll be able to make meals (albeit very small) and you'll learn to enjoy those too. Also I've heard from a lot of people that their cravings change after the surgery and their favorite foods just aren't appealing to them anymore. But even if this isn't the case for you I'm 100% sure you'll do amazing on it.

In life there are trade offs. I traded my love of food for good health. I am 35 months post-op RNY. After surgery food lost its taste. You can't enjoy food without any flavor. I did find out that mixing food groups did restore some of the flavor. But never like before surgery. So I relied on chili and Soups which does give some enjoyment.

I am about 4 months post op and really enjoy food. I think I am a bariatric foodie. But my relationship with food has changed drastically. Small portions obviously. Crap is out. No chips, sweets or any other type of junk food.! But real cooking and real food is a big yes! That seems to be your question right? So yes to cooking and farmers markets and trying new recipes ( follow your doctors/NUTs recommendation on wine... They all seem to be different). I love the complex flavors that 'foodie' type recipes provide. Your choices should be protein based and carbs mainly vegetables. I avoid rice, pasta and bread. Try plain bread, rice, and pasta...... It has no flavor. Your body is not craving them because they test great.....your body is just craving carbs. Post surgery diet will end your carb addiction and you will not miss them as much and you will realize food has more flavor when your tastebuds are not dulled by white flour carbs. I think food tastes better now and I don't associate eating with guilt!

Mine is certainly being redefined. I am learning to cook, make smaller portions, and appreciate good clean foods.

I actually a bought and ate ramps and pea shoots for the first time ever in the last week and they were delicious!

I'm six months post-RNY and I still enjoy food, just in a different way. I find there are plenty of on-plan foods, textures, spices and tastes to enjoy. I felt very restricted shortly after surgery, especially during the liquid and pureed stages. Now I can eat more and it's easier to go out to eat on occasion. Most places have salads with Protein or a protein and veggie sides. I just eat what I can and bring the rest home for leftovers.

I have also come to enjoy new things besides food, like day-long hikes that are physically challenging and allow me soak up beautiful scenery. I'm happy to eat turkey Jerky and nuts on the trail and find enjoyment somewhere besides with food.

Hi this is a fear for me too, I love smokies and almost anything in sausage form, Am I done with this. I love cheese, old, medium, gouda, swiss, I love it all. pizza the thicker the better. I have been transitioning to thin crust with less toping in an attempt to prepare for this reality.

But the bottom line, if the foods I love now are going to make me dump, I don't care about giving them up, I would rather be healthy and dump free.

I worry about this. It seems like so many of my activities revolve around food. Going out on a date with my husband....out to eat! Celebrating any occasion... Out to eat! Special treat for the kids...out for ice cream! I need to find new activities that don't revolve around food. It makes me sad to give up those things and memories, but I know in the end it will be worth it. I know I will be teaching my kids that they shouldn't rely on food as a reward.

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I'm not going to give them all up. I plan on going out to eat and just order healthy options from the menu. Most every restaurant has nutritional information available to make sure you select the best option and take 1/2 home or give to someone with me. It make take some time to be able to handle the temptations but I'm already starting to change what I order a few months before surgery.