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Keep busy, find a new hobby like kayaking. Good luck!

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Running/exercise. I am not going to lie... figuring out how to cope with emotions post-op was probably the hardest part for me once I was healed up and used to my restriction. I would say it took me a good 4 to 4.5 months for my brain to catch on that bingeing was no longer an option. Up to that point, if I was miserable, I wanted to eat. And the fact I couldn't eat just made me more miserable! But I did eventually get there.

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When I got home from the hospital, and the pain was still a big part of my day, I looked at my situation and realized that my life needed to be different. I was initially embarrassed that I couldn't do it on my own and needed the surgery, and this embarrassment was motivation to not squander this opportunity to hit the "Reset Button" on my habits.

I never have looked to be able to re-introduce bad foods, but instead I have looked for replacement foods, and activities. post-301478-14767155587147_thumb.jpg

This is the new Football Sunday spread. Lol.

Once I started losing the weight, I fell in love with the new "superpower" of a small stomach! I never wanted to have the craving monster come back in my life, so I have convinced myself that my addiction to crap needed to be treated as the disease it is. So I have sworn off of all trigger foods, and basically anything non-healthy. No breads, candy, Pasta, etc.

I have never heard of an alcoholic program that has a goal of reintroducing social drinking.. lol. So why does our program have the final goal of being able to eat some of the foods that put us in trouble in the first place?

Once you can find your "feel good" foods, things get much easier. For me it was home made Soups, yogurts, Fish, pickles, and almonds. Once you decide to eat to live and not live to eat, it just gets easier.

One day at a time, the future is so bright! post-301478-14767161017227_thumb.jpg

post-301478-14767161709369_thumb.jpg

Surgery was Feb23rd this year... I was 381 and now 214 as of this morning. Down 167lbs :)

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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BObScott, so proud for you. You are young and have changed your life forever. Best wishes for a long healthy life! Great pictures and story!

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@@marissahealthiernewme it is great you are already planning about this! you got some good suggestions above (I made a list of things I can do, everything from painting nails to art to organizing etc).

For me though, the most helpful process was figuring out what was behind the emotional eating and trying to heal the root cause in addition to coping skills now - that is been the most successful for me.

All of us have different feelings that may trigger us to eat (mine are fear, shame, anger) and as many say on here, the surgery is physical but we need to do the surgery on our brains (re-train ourselves).

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Running/exercise. I am not going to lie... figuring out how to cope with emotions post-op was probably the hardest part for me once I was healed up and used to my restriction. I would say it took me a good 4 to 4.5 months for my brain to catch on that bingeing was no longer an option. Up to that point, if I was miserable, I wanted to eat. And the fact I couldn't eat just made me more miserable! But I did eventually get there.

Yep. This.

HW 341 lbs

07/19/16 - 298 lbs

08/09/16 DOS - 286 lbs

CW 256 lbs

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I use exercise, art, crafts...but I also use a counselor. Letting go of the emotional food eating is the hardest part for me. I felt lost with out it. But it is better. I am getting stronger and healthier in so many ways. I'm 2.5 months out and my journey is still in the beginning, can't wait to see what life will be like in 6 months!

Sent from my XT1650 using the BariatricPal App

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When I got home from the hospital, and the pain was still a big part of my day, I looked at my situation and realized that my life needed to be different. I was initially embarrassed that I couldn't do it on my own and needed the surgery, and this embarrassment was motivation to not squander this opportunity to hit the "Reset Button" on my habits.

I never have looked to be able to re-introduce bad foods, but instead I have looked for replacement foods, and activities. attachicon.gif ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1476715557.543659.jpg

This is the new Football Sunday spread. Lol.

Once I started losing the weight, I fell in love with the new "superpower" of a small stomach! I never wanted to have the craving monster come back in my life, so I have convinced myself that my addiction to crap needed to be treated as the disease it is. So I have sworn off of all trigger foods, and basically anything non-healthy. No breads, candy, Pasta, etc.

I have never heard of an alcoholic program that has a goal of reintroducing social drinking.. lol. So why does our program have the final goal of being able to eat some of the foods that put us in trouble in the first place?

Once you can find your "feel good" foods, things get much easier. For me it was home made Soups, yogurts, Fish, pickles, and almonds. Once you decide to eat to live and not live to eat, it just gets easier.

One day at a time, the future is so bright! attachicon.gif ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1476716100.467988.jpg

attachicon.gif ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1476716170.254567.jpg

Surgery was Feb23rd this year... I was 381 and now 214 as of this morning. Down 167lbs :)

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That is great you look awesome I'm gonna ask did you have to lose a little weight by yourself before the surgery you look great

Sent from my LGLS660 using the BariatricPal App

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For me? It's deal with the emotions. I'm forced to feel them. I cry, get angry, feel sad or rejected. I put myself in private and feel. I often then have to address the issue. I've found that the only way to deal with emotional eating is to feel the emotions instead. Which sucks but I feel like it's part of my journey. To do the emotional maturing that eating and addiction allowed me to avoid when life was really hard.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 1 reply
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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