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How to deal with food addiction??

mxpxchik11

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mxpxchik11    48

mxpxchik11
Posted

Hi all. I am 10 weeks post op and am really trying to work hard at dealing with my issues that brought me here. I would love to hear some stories about how people are dealing with their desires to eat?

I am in counseling and I am understanding the causes of my over eating but I am scared that I am not making life long changes. I have followed everything and I plan to continue to do so for a long time. I am trying exercise for stress but I have a great deal of stress and food had always been the answer. I miss eating in volumes and I'm not sure what to do about that?

I don't want this just to be another vicious cycle where I slowly slip back. I want to know what else I should be doing to deal with my issues and setting myself up for long term success.

Any advice would be welcomed! Thank you for reading

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Davidl    7

Davidl
Posted

Hi there! I am in the same boat as you are. I knew I had an addiction, but I didn't know how bad it was until after my surgery. My first week post op, I literally cried because of the regret of having the surgery. I missed eating food, the volume and not really caring. It has been rough. What I do to help me is yoga and meditation. I also remind myself why I had the surgery and my health is number one.

How is the counseling coming along? I have been thinking that I should consult a professional regarding my addiction.


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LisaKay    77

LisaKay
Posted

Hi,

Great job for taking these first steps in doing the surgery. You are right in this surgery is only a tool and now all the work begins for a life style of healthy eating and exercise. I also am a stress/ emotional eater and have a very stressful job. I hit this battle like you are. I even hit a point where i would stuff food in my mouth and chow it and spit it out so i can indulge in that comfort. BUT i knew afterwords that was wrong and i was scared of what i did. I did talk to a friend who teaches about eating disorders and confessed to her. As it turns out i did it because i was stressed. I didn't even know i was stressed because it is a habit to turn to food. I can say i never have done that again!!!! I had to recognize the emotion and find other ways to cope. Yes exercise does help but i still needed something else. Life had to slow down and i had to learn how to pick and eat healthy food so i can be satisfied. Truly there is much frustration i endured but keep pressing through and it does get easer as time moves on. I started researching food, spending more time in preparing it and trying new things. Take it day to day knowing that this hard work now will pay off. One of the advices i have gotten is to find a hobby that is active. It will let you meet new people, keep you active in fitness beside the normal gym stuff and is something that brings joy and fun into your life. With high stress we NEED FUN even more then normal people! it is really helping me a lot. I am doing a trek to the base camp of Mount Everest in October. That goal helps my focus. Know that this is a Big year with a lot of change. Be kind to yourself and know this year you need to slow everything down to set good health goal. You are worth it. And on the bad day, it ok to have them too! they become fewer and fewer as life opens up with the new you! Blessing on your journey.

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mxpxchik11    48

mxpxchik11
Posted

Hi there! I am in the same boat as you are. I knew I had an addiction, but I didn't know how bad it was until after my surgery. My first week post op, I literally cried because of the regret of having the surgery. I missed eating food, the volume and not really caring. It has been rough. What I do to help me is yoga and meditation. I also remind myself why I had the surgery and my health is number one.

How is the counseling coming along? I have been thinking that I should consult a professional regarding my addiction.






Thank you for your response. It is so hard, I miss the volume and food is what I looked forward too. I was in an abusive marriage a few years back and coparenting with my ex is a huge source of stress for me. Counseling works a lot on dealing with that. My counselor has helped me recognize a lot of the why's but I haven't got to the what to do about it. I would love to find a group or activity but don't really know where to start. My weight has always held me back from being social like that. If you are looking to discover the "whys" behind your eating I really suggest counseling it's amazing what you can discover through just talking.
I just never realized how much of my joy came from food.


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Go To Topic Listing Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums

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      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!
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    • Doughgurl

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      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!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        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. 💗

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        Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      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

        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

      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

        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

      CaseyP1011

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

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