So I'm 5 months out and about 9 pounds from my goal. It's all happened so fast, and I know that mentally I haven't changed - if I'm around a food I never could control myself with, I will eat some of it. A couple crackers, a little cheese, a french fry, etc. I try to stay away from those things. I don't buy them. But I work in an office where people are always bringing food in, there's always a full candy bowl on the file cabinet (that I ate took 2 pieces from this week after not taking any for 6 months), and I had to stay with family for a couple weeks this month (house fire - January was awesome!).

More so than at any time since my surgery, I feel like I'm depriving myself, and in the past that has always led to undoing good eating habits.

And all of that has me afraid that this new body is temporary, and given the "last resort" nature of surgery, that scares me very much. I wonder if I'm alone in that.

You will find its definitely not easy, but it is very doable. You find that you just can't eat as much but you can have bites what everybody else is having just don't go for the sweets. I found that my tastebuds changed as I was losing weight and things that I left before just work appeal. We go to the restaurants and my husband will order a burger and instead of ordering my own because I know I can't finish it I'll have some of his. You just find it's a different way of life and then your food becomes less important because you get tired of the fullness feeling. Right now you're still feeling the old you, but you will see that the new you and the new stomach does allow you to live just in the lot more moderation. You still cook and eat with the family has you might just eat on a smaller plate! You still work really hard at your job! But you carry carrots or whatever your food choices are instead of eating the cookies or whatever somebody else's brought. Is there Temptation absolutely! But you start liking the weight loss and you start liking the new you. Just don't get cocky! Just keep taking the steps that you need to do!