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Mental and Emotional prep



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As I'm doing the last minute house cleaning before my surgery tomorrow, I'm also thinking about how to continue my mental and emotional prep and support.

Mentally, I know I won't be eating the same, even the same foods. After two weeks of Protein Drinks, I can't imagine ever wanting sweets again! But, to limit temptation, I 've set up my own cupboard in the kitchen. Everything I need is/will be in there. Even bought pretty vintage tea plates to eat on. ($4-10 at antique stores). I like to make "inspiration boards" to have in my bedroom and office. Going to work on these this evening, adding pictures of all the things I want to do with this "new" body.

Emotionally, I've added lots of downtime and quiet time to my schedule in the past few weeks. Want to keep that up! Spending time in my garden and doing my art is also a big help.

What are all of you doing/thinking about?

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Thanks for starting this thread. That's exactly what I'm working on right now.

I gave up Diet Coke (for the third and final time) four weeks ago and my taste for sweets totally changed - and I'm okay with that!

Love the idea of having vintage tea plates! I bought silicone toddler plates! LOL It's making me laugh now - I'm going on a hunt for fancy plates! And it will keep me busy if I go to a few stores.

I'm making myself a list of things to do to stay busy as I prepare to start the liquid diet on Tuesday:

  • Take extra yoga classes
  • Start a much delayed sewing project
  • Sort through old photos in boxes
  • Read the books that have been piling up unread
  • Learn how to take better care of my orchid and re-pot a few succulents (condo living - no garden)
  • Continue working on my vision board
  • Declutter my closets
  • Practice meditating
  • Write in my journal
  • Get a head start on my Christmas list (I have 9 nieces and nephews!) with all the money I'm saving from not eating out :-)
  • Do some travel planning for the holidays (keep searching for the ticket on miles!)
  • Get a massage
  • Enjoy the Big Brother live feeds (Ha!)
  • Re-read my therapist's favorite book - Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole
  • Buy fancy tea cups and plates!

I also got some popsicle molds and froze some Protein Shakes. It's okay, in a pinch!

It's also important to remember that we will eat good food again! Life is long and this period of adjustment will be over in a blink of an eye!

Good luck to us all!

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    • 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💪
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