Hi there,

I'm 10 days out and am getting excited and nervous. I am marinating on the permanent implications of what I'm about to do. I am also choosing to focus on the gains - that being my health - over the losses that I feel I am going to grieve.

If you've had the surgery, what is your best piece of advice or thought?

Thanks,

Red

Enjoy/appreciate every aspect of your life. Eventually weightloss will not be your #1 focus anymore and you will have to figure out who you want to be identified as apart from the weight journey

Good Luck ?

Don't rush things. At the time I think it is easy to want to see how much food you can get in post-op. But this is the start of the rest of your life, so don't push things. Always try to make the best choices possible, don't fall back in to the bad habits that got you here. Real and healthy food can taste amazing too and if we batch cook and freeze small meals then we will always have quick healthy options available on the days we just can't be bothered cooking.

It always amazes me when I see how many people go back to eating regular desserts etc Just an example is that a small handful of nuts are nutrient-dense (calories/fat/vitamins/minerals) BUT protect our heart from cardiac issues, compared to a nutrient-dense (high calorie/fat/sugar) dessert that adds to cardiac issues you know? There are always better choices, of course not saying don't ever do dessert again but be aware it can be a slippery slope to weight gain again.

Fluffy chix always says sip sip sip your daily fluids and always get your protein in first and she is 100% right.

Good luck you can do this!

This is a tool and you have to know how to use the tool! - Make sure the whole work shop is set up. Get educated, mentally tough, and ready for a great Journey.

Take advantage of your “honeymoon” period. It gets much harder to lose or set healthy eating habits once it ends.

22 minutes ago, Losingit2018 said:

Take advantage of your “honeymoon” period. It gets much harder to lose or set healthy eating habits once it ends.

YEP.

This is an individual sport. Don't worry about how much other people are losing or at what rate. Stick to your plan as much as you can and forgive yourself if you make an error. If you do make an error, go right back on your plan.

• You may need to track or tracking may make things harder
• You may want to weigh yourself daily or you may find it frustrating
• You may hate working out or find out you actually love something you have never tried before
• People will probably treat you differently and some of your relationships may change
• You may want to keep your surgery a secret or you may want to start a blog about it

You did this for yourself, and you're in charge. Reading about other people's experiences is helpful, but ultimately your experience will be your own. Enjoy the fun things along the journey like fitting into smaller sizes. There really is no final goal, this is a lifelong journey with ups and downs.

You WILL feel better. Might not seem like it not, but as the weeks go by, you will.

1) Work on addictions BEFORE surgery - get rid of the caffeine, alcohol, carbs, and sugar so you don't go through withdrawal while you are recovering.

2) Develop some mantras to get you through challenging times. "I AM NOT GOING BACK!" "I can't have this now, but I will have it again -later." "It's just not worth it."

3) Listen to your body to tell you if you need to go slower with your diet advancement. The surgeon can give you guidelines, but your body may not be ready yet for certain foods. Don't be afraid to take it real slow and easy.

4) Don't compare your progress to anyone else and think your journey has to be the same as theirs.

5) Start exercising right away - walking, walking , walking. Start building this into your new lifestyle from the start. Advance to other exercise forms as you heal.

6) ABOVE ALL - keep a positive mindset. This is hard, but it is the start of a whole new life for you. Use each challenge to reframe your thinking from a negative to a positive. The early weeks are hard, but they really will pass and you get to chose if it is a positive experience or a negative one. It sounds like you are going to do great!

It will in some ways be worse than you imagined and in some ways be easier. Be patient with yourself.

Follow your surgeon's recovery diet. Mine put the fear of God in me about rupturing my pouch by eating too much and the wrong kind of foods to soon.

Don't expect to be able to drink all the water at first they recommend. Drink enough to be hydrated and wait to drink the camel size volume when you can handle it. See #1 Be patient with yourself.

Good luck!

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful words and advice. I will re-read them and draw from them. Thank you!