Question for veterans - hardest part for you?

[WitchySar 244]

I'm wondering what everyone thought was the hardest thing for them after their surgery. I haven't had mine yet but I expect not drinking while eating is going to be the hardest for me. I hate eating without first taking a sip of Water before my meal. I don't like eating without refreshing my mouth first.

[Kindle 8,667]

Not having the emotional crutch of food and alcohol. Learning how to deal with life's stresses without my old standby's. Having to feel the full effects of my emotions without being able to dull the pain. I eventually had to find a good therapist and start taking antidepressants after my best friend committed suicide.

As for drinking with meals, I do it all the time and have since about 6 months out.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Pre-op, I was so freakin' READY for WLS (I was sleeved 22 months ago), so my post-op experience was pretty much: "Thank God, finally!"

My surgery was perfect. Recovery was easy and fast. I was able to sip-sip-sip my Water (protip: you sip, then sip again, then sip again ). I walked a lot to get rid of surgical gas. I never threw up (22 months later I still haven't). By Day Five I was getting in my required 60 grams of Protein (shakes). In other words, my recovery was typical.

BTW, when I added pureed and soft foods I had NO difficulty drinking with meals, since I'd been practicing that for two months prior to surgery. Likewise, I had no problem taking small bites and chewing, even over-chewing, my small portions.

Post-op I did experience the new reality that my sleeve was much smaller than it had once been, so I really did have to make changes in my lifestyle. Pre-op, it seems a little theoretical; post-op, it is REAL.

I sincerely urge pre-ops not to imagine this is going to be more difficult than it actually will be. My personal opinion is that the more difficult you imagine it will be, the more difficult it will be.

As you anticipate your life post-op, focus on the idea that you CAN make many changes post-op in your lifestyle, even ones you think might be difficult. If you resent the changes you are dreading, you risk winding up where you always were.

My two cents' worth.

[gowalking 10,790]

What Kindle and Ann said! I agree completely that as a pre-op, you are worried about everything because this is truly a new way of life for you. Relax...follow your doctor's instructions to the letter, and enjoy and reap the benefits of your surgery.

As a veteran of WLS, I can't say enough how much better the quality of my life is now and how that takes precedence over anything I put in my mouth. Now it's true...like Kindle, I went into therapy to work on my food issues...the band was not enough to deal with the root of my issues as overeating is/was a symptom. I can't stress enough how the emotional part of the journey is just as important as the physical.

Every time I see my reflection in the mirror, or take a step without pain, or squat down to play with my grandson, or make love, or plan a vacation, or buckle the seatbelt on a plane, I say a prayer of thanks for the gift of this wonderful tool I have that lets me lead the kind of life I was desperate for when I was obese and immobile.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery. Don't sweat it...don't worry about every little thing, and enjoy the ride!

[Kindle 8,667]

What they said. Like Ann, I was SO ready for this. I even started my preop diet early cause I was so excited. Going into this new life with a good attitude, ready to embrace all that comes with it, not getting bogged down in the little stuff, and enjoying the ride will translate into a much easier recovery, transition and long term success.

For me, I simply underestimated the role that food played in my emotional wellbeing until I was put to the test. Just be ready to roll with the punches and know you may need a Plan B.

[AvaFern 3,516]

If it makes you feel better, you don't actually have to spend the rest of your life eating with a dry mouth. I knew from the start that I wasn't willing to not have a drink with meals and so I chose to ignore that rule. It's in place so that you don't wash food through your stomach any more quickly and thus you eat less. If you can moderate your intake there's no reason you can't drink with meals. I'm almost 3 years out, I've been at goal for over a year, and I've always had a drink with my meals.

Past that, I think losing was hard for me because I felt like it took forever. You stall sometimes which is annoying. I got stuck around 166-170 for two months. I spent the 18 months it took me to hit goal, working out at least an hour, usually closer to 3 everyday and almost always eating well (I had a few off the wagon days around the holidays). When I had my first plastics procedure I couldn't work out a much for awhile and I slowly finally got to a point where now I don't really have to do much in the way of working out, I eat mostly the same foods everyday which I'm fine with, and I float right around my goal within 1-3 pounds. Doing what you need to do to get to goal is hard....everything after that point isn't easy, but it's a whole lot easier being vigilant everyday about not gaining weight than it is spending everyday working out and counting calories in the hopes that you can lose a little.

If you accept that the rest of your life is going to be somewhat oriented toward a healthy lifestyle, then you'll be fine. This isn't a quick fix, I ended up with a sleeve that can't eat certain foods or I barf, and if I want to stay thin I must weigh every day and pay attention to what I'm eating every single day. Maybe the hardest part is knowing that even when you're a normal size, if you want to stay that way, you don't ever get to be the normal skinny person who eats whatever they want and doesn't gain weight. If you remember that in the end it's entirely worth every bit of misery, then maybe that will be helpful during the journey.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I'm not a year out so I am not really a vet I don't think but the hardest for me was not being able to chug Water. I used to wake up and drink 18 ounces of Water without taking a breath. and I used to do it all the time, all day. I can make a decent dent in water now, but I can't chug like I used to. It really isn't lady like at all, even though it is only something I did in private it was a bad habit, so while I miss it, it is for the best I don't do it. I don't care about not eating and drinking at the same time, I grew up with a Dad that made that a rule with kids so they would eat all their food, so I was used to it. Like @@AvaFern said, you don't have to do it forever. I did it in the beginning so I wouldn't take a chance on getting too full. If I am out some place eating dry meat, I will have a few sips because that is better than something getting stuck and feeling like you can't breathe. As long as you aren't using drinking to push food through your sleeve so you can pig out, I don't see an issue with it.

Being patient about my weight loss in the beginning was really hard. I thought because I started over 300 pounds the weight would just fall off, but it didn't work like that. I was over 300 pounds for almost 16 years, my body wasn't willing to just let it go that easy. Even now I am low key pissed that I am not closer to 200 pounds even though my macros are almost perfect every day and I am active. It seems slow, but in reality, I would have never ever lost this amount of weight on my own. Also I am really close to my clothing size goal, without even being close to my weight loss goal, which makes me think I am going to be a lot smaller than I thought (hello Dior).

[catwoman7 10,845]

I thought the drinking/eating thing would be the hardest, but it really hasn't been very hard post-op. I guess for me it's wanting to do things like going to buffets or eating some decadent dessert with my family or friends, but then remembering I can't.

[Djmohr 6,965]

I can honestly say I thought the drinking and eating thing would be the hardest to deal with but the truth is, it is the easiest for me.

I drink tons and tons of Water all day long so I am well hydrated. When I eat it does not bother me at all.

I can say for me maintenance has been the hardest for me. I simply cannot find a place where I am neither gaining or losing. This is complicated by the fact that I have been on a lot of medications that caused me to gain some weight. I have been weaning off of them now and the weight is flying off and I seriously don't want it to at this point. I am comfortable where I am and like the way I look and I definately do not want to have to purge my clothing yet again. I have finally built up enough of a wardrobe to feel decent about it.

Lately I have been losing weight rapidly again for me having lost nearly 10lbs in the last 3 weeks. That was following a gain of 4lbs about 8 weeks ago.

I have even added some good carbs back in and my carb count is now higher than my Protein count and yet I am losing weight.

Yesterday I ate more than I ever have and I hopped on the scale and lost 1/2 pound again yesterday. I had about 1700 calories which is really hard for me to do.

For me, this has been the hardest part.

[erp 2,016]

Hardest is putting the fork down after being a life long clean plate eater. Second hardest recommitting to this life style every day and staying on track 1, 2, 3, 4...years out.

[Julie norton 2,850]

Yes erp! As hard as learning to lose with WLS, this maintenance program is difficult also. Most days go according to plan. And I do plan mostly.... Some days I'm just hungrier!!! Does anyone else have hungrier days??

It might be :yogurt and a Protein Bar along with my meatball and string cheese

Or dense Protein and extra protein milk. Or a premier protein.... (I still use those 9+ years out as old standbys) and good old chicken thighs and a sweet potato w/ a small vege.

A salad with salmon or chicken is a favorite, if I can stop with the creamy dressing. YUM. Yes. Eating slowly, and not drinking, except for a wayward sip took some getting used to.

We all have our challenges. And I wouldn't trade back for them for my 250 + life for money or fame[emoji93][emoji93]

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

@@Djmohr -- FYI, my carbs are always over 150 at this point. Don't worry about it.

I'm a lot shorter than you, 5'5", and holding steady at 135 pounds while also eating 1700 cals/day. I usually hit 100 grams of Protein a day.

EDIT: Most days I eat very close to 1,700 cals. But some days it's 2,000 and some days it's 1,200. And yes, my appetite varies. But the steady principle is: Eat very healthy -- as healthy as I can.

I never thought I'd get this slim. My clothing sizes range from 2 - 8, but mostly 4s and 6s. I over-invested a little in size 8s.

[erp 2,016]

^^ What Ann said. Appetite varies just like activity level and everything else in day to day life. Totally normal even for naturally slim folks.

Djmohr I added fats too like Peanut Butter which made upping calories easier when I decided to stop losing.

[BestDayEver 418]

I'm 14 months out but I remember stressing about changing everything about how I ate. In the end, this new way of eating feels comfortable now and i can't imagine going back to my old habits.

My biggest struggle is going to the gym because it's not my favorite thing to do but I committed to exercising at least 3 days a week for 1 hour and I've been sticking to it. I'll slip in a little NSV here and say that after losing over 100 pounds I'm coping so much better with the 110+ weather we're having. I used to really suffer and now I bop around and think "this isn't so bad!" Yippee.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

What @@erp said. I really had a hard time learning to just throw food away.