I was sleeved on 7/27 and have zero regrets about the surgery. However, I have to admit I have already fallen off the band wagon a few times with my choice of foods-already. I know I can do this and have been rooting myself on even through the tough times, but I have myself wondering if I haven't already ruined my tool. Is anyone familiar with VSG enough to know if you can actually "stretch" it? I know that it naturally will stretch, never to the size it was, but over time it will stretch normally. However, my question is more for the --- I have made bad food choices, is it ruined --- category. I just wanted to see what others say out there, hopefully without the "you have a great tool now, you need to watch what you eat" - because, I know this already. I am only human.

I appreciate any feedback or stories from others who may have experienced something similar.

Thank you so much! And good luck to you all!

Not encouraging it ... but I eat off plan pretty frequently and I still have tons of restriction.

After a nearly two week vacation eating anything I wanted, I came back and was only able to eat 1 oz of meat, and even that was one bite too much.

2 hours ago, sillykitty said:

Not encouraging it ... but I eat off plan pretty frequently and I still have tons of restriction.

After a nearly two week vacation eating anything I wanted, I came back and was only able to eat 1 oz of meat, and even that was one bite too much.

@sillykitty you are the exception, not the rule... Most people are not as disciplined as you are even when you say you are cheating. (-:

10 hours ago, deftonephila said:

I was sleeved on 7/27 and have zero regrets about the surgery. However, I have to admit I have already fallen off the band wagon a few times with my choice of foods-already. I know I can do this and have been rooting myself on even through the tough times, but I have myself wondering if I haven't already ruined my tool. Is anyone familiar with VSG enough to know if you can actually "stretch" it? I know that it naturally will stretch, never to the size it was, but over time it will stretch normally. However, my question is more for the --- I have made bad food choices, is it ruined --- category. I just wanted to see what others say out there, hopefully without the "you have a great tool now, you need to watch what you eat" - because, I know this already. I am only human.

I appreciate any feedback or stories from others who may have experienced something similar.

Thank you so much! And good luck to you all!

No, you haven't ruined it. It takes quite a while to stretch the pouch out and that is with overstretching it every day. However, you really want to focus on success now. Right now is as easy as it will ever get. Once the honeymoon period is over, it will be much harder to lose, so don't waste this time period.

No, you haven't ruined it. It takes quite a while to stretch the pouch out and that is with overstretching it every day. However, you really want to focus on success now. Right now is as easy as it will ever get. Once the honeymoon period is over, it will be much harder to lose, so don't waste this time period.

Thank you! I guess I worry too much over things. But I am the kind of person who screws things up super quick. Any advice for staying on track? I'm going to whip out the ole post surgery paper and follow it to a T.

Not encouraging it ... but I eat off plan pretty frequently and I still have tons of restriction.
After a nearly two week vacation eating anything I wanted, I came back and was only able to eat 1 oz of [mention=333899]sillykitty[/mention] you are the exception, not the rule... Most people are not as disciplined as you are even when you say you are cheating. (-:

I think what she was getting at is the under tone question - did I ruin it? But I totally get where you're coming from. Although my binging is no where near what it was before, I still need to work on it. I've found, though, that therapy doesn't really help.

Have you experienced binging at all? It would be unique to get a male perspective.

6 minutes ago, deftonephila said:

Thank you! I guess I worry too much over things. But I am the kind of person who screws things up super quick. Any advice for staying on track? I'm going to whip out the ole post surgery paper and follow it to a T.

I think this really depends on your personality. Some people are great planners. They figure out what they are going to eat and when and then stick to the script.

I'm more about tracking. I use a notebook, but you can use any of the tracking apps like MyFitnessPal, etc. Once I've met my protein goals for the day (water is easy for me), I'm done eating except for non-starchy veggies. I don't count those. But some way or another, you have to keep track. And even when you cheat, write it down.

One thing that helps me is cooking. I have so much more control over protein an calories in food that I make myself.

Good luck!

12 minutes ago, deftonephila said:

I think what she was getting at is the under tone question - did I ruin it? But I totally get where you're coming from. Although my binging is no where near what it was before, I still need to work on it. I've found, though, that therapy doesn't really help.

Have you experienced binging at all? It would be unique to get a male perspective.

Binging pre-op - yes, I have. My surgery is tomorrow, so I'll have to get back to you about binging after surgery. At this point, I sure hope not.

Binging pre-op - yes, I have. My surgery is tomorrow, so I'll have to get back to you about binging after surgery. At this point, I sure hope not.

I did well for the first month but I feel it coming back. I wish you the best. It's comforting to know that we are not alone.

4 hours ago, deftonephila said:

Although my binging is no where near what it was before, I still need to work on it. I've found, though, that therapy doesn't really help.

I might be telling you something you already know, and if so, I apologize. But there are therapists who specialize in this. It's probably more accurate to say that a particular therapist/approach doesn't really help, rather than writing off therapy as a whole.

What about support groups? My hospital has a support group (it only meets twice a year?!) for bariatric patients. And while I, personally, am uncomfortable with the religious overtones in the ___ Anonymous approach to dealing with addictive behavior, Overeaters Anonymous does work really well for some people.

You have a good tool, which is not ruined, and now is the best possible time to retrain yourself away from food-as-emotional-support and into food-as-fuel.

I believe in you!

i'm only 2 weeks post op, so I'm a bit confused on this thread.... when someone says they fell off the bandwagon or eat whatever they want, Is it possible the first year? Wouldn't you only be able to take a couple of bites of something and be done? I know everyone is different, and I'm sorry if this question is dumb, but I guess I never imagined 5 months out and it's free for all??? I read other peoples threads and being only 5 months they complain they still are restricted?

3 minutes ago, fluffy562 said:

i'm only 2 weeks post op, so I'm a bit confused on this thread.... when someone says they fell off the bandwagon or eat whatever they want, Is it possible the first year? Wouldn't you only be able to take a couple of bites of something and be done? I know everyone is different, and I'm sorry if this question is dumb, but I guess I never imagined 5 months out and it's free for all??? I read other peoples threads and being only 5 months they complain they still are restricted?

I have a HUGE amount of restriction. But you can definitely gain with that restriction. For instance I went on a 12 day vacation, and gained 4.5 lbs.

Slider foods, alcohol, eating frequently, eating high calorie foods, all can and do lead to gain, no matter how little or how much restriction you have.

It's cliche, but this surgery is a tool. You have to still make good food choices.

3 minutes ago, fluffy562 said:

i'm only 2 weeks post op, so I'm a bit confused on this thread.... when someone says they fell off the bandwagon or eat whatever they want, Is it possible the first year? Wouldn't you only be able to take a couple of bites of something and be done? I know everyone is different, and I'm sorry if this question is dumb, but I guess I never imagined 5 months out and it's free for all??? I read other peoples threads and being only 5 months they complain they still are restricted?

There are many ways to eat "around" your restriction. One of the most common is slider foods - something like chips or pretzels that usually make you thirsty so that you drink while eating them. This turns them to mush, which slides right past your restriction, enabling you to eat far more than normal. Other sliders are ice cream, soft fruit, bread, crackers, etc. You can pack in a lot of non-nutritive calories in a relatively short period of time. Another major way to fall of the wagon is liquid calories: alcohol, juice, energy drinks, soda, etc. You won't get any restriction from these either and they sure do add up.

@sillykitty @Orchids&Dragons wow, i did not know this. thank you. This is why I'm on here to learn more.

On 9/4/2018 at 11:35 PM, deftonephila said:

I was sleeved on 7/27 and have zero regrets about the surgery. However, I have to admit I have already fallen off the band wagon a few times with my choice of foods-already. I know I can do this and have been rooting myself on even through the tough times, but I have myself wondering if I haven't already ruined my tool. Is anyone familiar with VSG enough to know if you can actually "stretch" it? I know that it naturally will stretch, never to the size it was, but over time it will stretch normally. However, my question is more for the --- I have made bad food choices, is it ruined --- category. I just wanted to see what others say out there, hopefully without the "you have a great tool now, you need to watch what you eat" - because, I know this already. I am only human.

I appreciate any feedback or stories from others who may have experienced something similar.

Thank you so much! And good luck to you all!

IT IS NEVER RUINED!!!! a bad week couple of days we are all human...

The surgery as you already know restricts us from partaking in our favorite pastime activity EATING! but it doesn't do anything else if you made a bad choice or choices turn around and make good choices for a while hit the gym harder drink more water reset your diet habits ( Like fasting, liquid stage diet again, etc...)

I went to Disney world last weekend for food and wine festival and drank beer instead of water pretty much all weekend, got a great buzz and enjoyed myself kept the food calories down but did eat a little as well (Not Drinking and Eating together) I gained 7lbs over the weekend and came back at 267lbs. On Monday I fasted for 16hours (No food after 7pm - Lunch at 11am) and ate minimal calories for my meals and drank a ton of water, on Tuesday I did the same weighed in a 263, on Wednesday I did the same (ate wendys lol 4 piece nuggets and a $1.39 cent doublestack patty meat Only no bread) weighed in at 259.9 new low, and yesterday I did it again but hit the gym for 90mins and weighed in at 256.7 New Low for me.

So my point is don't let a few bad choices make you give up mentally, this journey is 100000% mental make the right choices and if you slip get back up and come back stronger.

Good luck Stay focused

Edited September 7, 20188 yr by AASosa

Know your Triggers!!! AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

For me its

PIZZA!!!!!!

Coca COLA!!!!

Sweets of any kind

So I avoid them daily, Doesn't mean I won't eat or drink them but make conscious decisions like ordering a pizza having my slice and tossing the leftovers in the Garbage don't let it sit on the counter or you will return and finish it off at the worst hours of the night (GUILTY). I crave a Soda every now and then so I have a Coke Zero or Perrier to kill the want before making a worse choice.

Here is some info that has helped me the last couple of weeks

(Excess intake of high-glycemic carbohydrates sets you up for a vicious cycle in which your blood sugar and, consequently, your insulin levels spike, leading to a blood sugar crash soon after a meal. ... If your food cravings are due to unstable blood sugar, a low-glycemic diet can help reduce them drastically.)