What did you replace food with post-surgery?

How do you deal with stress, boredom, loneliness, etc?

I am 1.5 years out and still struggling with this, every chance I have I turn to food for comfort.

So I'm looking to know what our new and older members do in real life to replace foods place in our heart...

I replaced food with life. And it tastes amazing!!

More sex!

I think this is my main struggle too. food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it

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Yes I agree with that, food addiction is very tough. It would be so much easier to be able to cast food away forever. To never eat another morsel of food. But we must play this balancing act.

Yes, maybe I should just take a minute to recognize what I am feeling, stress at work, etc and channel it elsewhere.

I think this is my main struggle too. Food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it


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What did you replace food with post-surgery?

How do you deal with stress, boredom, loneliness, etc?

I am 1.5 years out and still struggling with this, every chance I have I turn to food for comfort.

So I'm looking to know what our new and older members do in real life to replace foods place in our heart...

Excellent question...

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Yes I agree with that, food addiction is very tough. It would be so much easier to be able to cast food away forever. To never eat another morsel of food. But we must play this balancing act.

Yes, maybe I should just take a minute to recognize what I am feeling, stress at work, etc and channel it elsewhere.

I think this is my main struggle too. Food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it

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When I started this journey back in March with my six-month pre-op diet, my first goal (even above losing weight) was to re-establish my relationship with food. Specifically, I didn't want food to be the focal point of everything in my life anymore. And that was a tall order and took some time, but it eventually happened. When I say that I replaced food with life, I meant that instead of obsessing over where and when (and what and how often) to eat, we think about what activities we are going to do on an outing. My partner and I leave Monday for a 3.5 week tour of Southeast Asia. Our planning has been much more about excursions (some even very physically active) rather than what kind of food we're going to eat. We get out and walk; we go to the movies; we go see the Christmas light displays. And more importantly, we see people; we don't avoid pictures, and we re-connect with old friends that we have been too embarrassed to face for years.

I have gotten food to the point of being fuel for me and nothing else. Sure, I want what I eat to be good. If not, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get all of my Protein from food so I could dump those heinous shakes once and for all. But every day, I remind myself that food is just food -- not a friend, not a companion, not a coping device, not a support, not a destination, not an event, not the centerpiece of life. I let food and my out-of-control obesity control my life for far too long. That is over.

Exercise for me. Two birds, one stone so to speak

Yes I agree with that, food addiction is very tough. It would be so much easier to be able to cast food away forever. To never eat another morsel of food. But we must play this balancing act.

Yes, maybe I should just take a minute to recognize what I am feeling, stress at work, etc and channel it elsewhere.

I think this is my main struggle too. Food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I started this journey back in March with my six-month pre-op diet, my first goal (even above losing weight) was to re-establish my relationship with food. Specifically, I didn't want food to be the focal point of everything in my life anymore. And that was a tall order and took some time, but it eventually happened. When I say that I replaced food with life, I meant that instead of obsessing over where and when (and what and how often) to eat, we think about what activities we are going to do on an outing. My partner and I leave Monday for a 3.5 week tour of Southeast Asia. Our planning has been much more about excursions (some even very physically active) rather than what kind of food we're going to eat. We get out and walk; we go to the movies; we go see the Christmas light displays. And more importantly, we see people; we don't avoid pictures, and we re-connect with old friends that we have been too embarrassed to face for years.

I have gotten food to the point of being fuel for me and nothing else. Sure, I want what I eat to be good. If not, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get all of my Protein from food so I could dump those heinous shakes once and for all. But every day, I remind myself that food is just food -- not a friend, not a companion, not a coping device, not a support, not a destination, not an event, not the centerpiece of life. I let food and my out-of-control obesity control my life for far too long. That is over.

Thank you for this post. You're so right. I only have 6 days till surgery. I am a food addict. Love the taste, feel, cooking.....etc.

I'm looking forward to the new me.

One day at a time.

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Santa is bringing me adult coloring books and colored pencils. A friend said whenever she is stressed or craving food she gets out her coloring book and it stops the stress and cravings.

Had lapband surgery 10/12/16

I really admire that

I had that as my original goal too, but a few months post-op I took a very stressful job and 1 sugar free reeses cup turned into the beginning of the end for me. I want to get back to that place you speak of... the freedom to say... food is not my everything, it is just fuel for my body. Maybe I can harness some of your good vibes and start fresh tomorrow.

Yes I agree with that, food addiction is very tough. It would be so much easier to be able to cast food away forever. To never eat another morsel of food. But we must play this balancing act.

Yes, maybe I should just take a minute to recognize what I am feeling, stress at work, etc and channel it elsewhere.

I think this is my main struggle too. Food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it


Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I started this journey back in March with my six-month pre-op diet, my first goal (even above losing weight) was to re-establish my relationship with food. Specifically, I didn't want food to be the focal point of everything in my life anymore. And that was a tall order and took some time, but it eventually happened. When I say that I replaced food with life, I meant that instead of obsessing over where and when (and what and how often) to eat, we think about what activities we are going to do on an outing. My partner and I leave Monday for a 3.5 week tour of Southeast Asia. Our planning has been much more about excursions (some even very physically active) rather than what kind of food we're going to eat. We get out and walk; we go to the movies; we go see the Christmas light displays. And more importantly, we see people; we don't avoid pictures, and we re-connect with old friends that we have been too embarrassed to face for years.

I have gotten food to the point of being fuel for me and nothing else. Sure, I want what I eat to be good. If not, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get all of my Protein from food so I could dump those heinous shakes once and for all. But every day, I remind myself that food is just food -- not a friend, not a companion, not a coping device, not a support, not a destination, not an event, not the centerpiece of life. I let food and my out-of-control obesity control my life for far too long. That is over.

@@SlimJill

I kind of got to a place food wasn't a comfort for me before surgery.

I would say I found a new love for the outdoors and I do so many different activities that they fill a lot of voids for me.

I mean I also play video games so if I get bored, there is always a game.

Seek a therapist to help you with this.

Going for a walk gets my mind off food. I took up another hobby that keeps my hands and mind busy as well. If you sit around and dwell on it, it will eat you up. Find something constructive to do that requires your mind to exercise itself. That should help.

My house is REALLY clean lately.

Sleeve date: 21 Nov 2016

Height: 4'10"

SW:190

GW: 125

Yes definitely a hands on hobby. Coloring, drawing, knitting, woodworking, a rubiks cube, whatever.

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Yes I agree with that, food addiction is very tough. It would be so much easier to be able to cast food away forever. To never eat another morsel of food. But we must play this balancing act.

Yes, maybe I should just take a minute to recognize what I am feeling, stress at work, etc and channel it elsewhere.

I think this is my main struggle too. Food addiction is hard to deal with bc it's like an alcoholic being told to have one drink a day. But I think exercise, writing, journaling, art, talking to friends. I think the main thing is recognizing your emotion when you're stressed or upset and want to eat and choosing to channel it. Just take a second when you're feeling the urge to eat and think about how ur body is feeling and how ur mind is feeling and parse out what the emotion is. If it's not actually hunger, think of alternative actions that u can take that aren't food. It takes a looong time to be able to do this consistently but keep at it

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I started this journey back in March with my six-month pre-op diet, my first goal (even above losing weight) was to re-establish my relationship with food. Specifically, I didn't want food to be the focal point of everything in my life anymore. And that was a tall order and took some time, but it eventually happened. When I say that I replaced food with life, I meant that instead of obsessing over where and when (and what and how often) to eat, we think about what activities we are going to do on an outing. My partner and I leave Monday for a 3.5 week tour of Southeast Asia. Our planning has been much more about excursions (some even very physically active) rather than what kind of food we're going to eat. We get out and walk; we go to the movies; we go see the Christmas light displays. And more importantly, we see people; we don't avoid pictures, and we re-connect with old friends that we have been too embarrassed to face for years.

I have gotten food to the point of being fuel for me and nothing else. Sure, I want what I eat to be good. If not, I wouldn't have worked so hard to get all of my Protein from food so I could dump those heinous shakes once and for all. But every day, I remind myself that food is just food -- not a friend, not a companion, not a coping device, not a support, not a destination, not an event, not the centerpiece of life. I let food and my out-of-control obesity control my life for far too long. That is over.

Wow. You have such an amazing attitude.

Sometimes I feel like my relationship with food is like a bad romance, as I have truly loved food in the past, but now we just have to go our separate ways for awhile, because the pleasure just isn't worth all the pain.

Thanks for sharing your awesome insights and wisdom.

Don't look back, turn the page, and let your next chapter begin!