OK, I decided to get lap band surgery because I was sick of gaining weight and ready to make a change. So my surgery is scheduled for 06/13/08 and I want to know what I can do now to get myself in the right state of mind. I just feel like i'd be doing myself a disservice by eating like crazy thinking i'll just get skinny later after i get my surgery. Lately I've been feeling really gross and hideous and I have actually gained 3 pounds since putting my deposit down. My "fat" clothes don't even fit!! I have never had success with diets and i'm actually pretty active already (I workout 3-5 times a week), so what else can I do to start my journey now?

Sorry, i'm being self indulgent and whiny... June 13th just seems too far off.

--dita?

I missed the whiny, self-indulgent part of your post, Dita.

Here's what I have been doing to get my head in the right place before surgery....

* keeping a food journal...even when I slip

* keeping a journal of my feelings...even if I only write a sentence or two, it helps me put things in perspective

* reading and posting here

* attending local support groups

Months ago, I stopped buying new clothes.

I also did other things to take care of myself....took care of all of those periodic appointments (dentist, gyno, etc.).

I think it's important to figure out what is going to fill you up if (when!) it's not food.

It depends on your approval. Are you a self-pay or insurance coverage? Once you obtain your insurance approval (if that's your method of payment) I would say, start eating better, and prepare yourself for the life change about to commence. If you're a self-pa, no need to worry about it. Good luck.

Start to adapt to your new way of eating! Chew, Chew, Chew! You can start to imagine your new portion sizes, and get rid of everything you can't have! Just my $0.02

What does being a self-pay or insurance covered have to do with preparing for surgery? I don't get it. Shouldn't you prepare either way?

What I've done is get rid of everything I can't have after the surgery. Might as well start now. I had to tell myself why would I want to indulge myself now when in just a few short months I won't be able to. And why put on additional weight now when you'll just have to take it off? That's only making life harder.

Also, I stopped by new clothes as well. I told myself that the last few shirts I bought for work were my last 26/28 and it was such a great feeling!

I'm very concerned about shrinking my liver before surgery so I've been on my pre-surgery diet for two weeks now - basically six weeks early (I'm supposed to start it three weeks prior). I've lost 15 pounds and I feel great!

The desire is still there sometimes to raid the kitchen (like last night), but I just kept drinking my Crystal Light iced tea and kept telling myself that I can do this!!

You can do this too! You're having MAJOR surgery to help yourself. Don't sabotage yourself at the starting gate!

We can do this together!

You really need to get there mentally. A few weeks before my banding I had a few of those "last meals", then realized I had to stop thinking that way. To embrace this completely, you have to think of it as a lifestyle change.

Remind yourself of why you want to do this. We all have down days. Lord knows I've had mine and thrown quite a few pity parties. Try making a list - reasons why you want to do this, reasons of why you are tired of being fat, things you want to do when you lose the weight. If you find yourself offtrack - remember your list. This forum is also a great place to vent - everyone here has at one point been in your shoes. Take care and chin up!

Edited April 18, 200818 yr by Leslie2Lose

Lol... whe I had my surgery date, I went to In n Out, steak (and I don't eat red meat)... pretty much anything I wanted. I was in the state of mind knowing that I was goign to have the operation.

If you're going to deprive yourself for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE... why not indulge a little now?

My brother would always as me if I wanted Del Taco and when I said, "no," he was like, "Why not? You're getting the band?!?"

Edited April 18, 200818 yr by Pinkiegirl

Lol... whe I had my surgery date, I went to In n Out, and ate whatever I wanted! Steak (and I don't eat red meat) knowing that I was oign to have an operation. If you're going to deprive yourself for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE... why not indulge a little now?

I too had last meal mentality - gained 6 lbs between original visit and pre-op (6 wks)

But don't be under the impression that you are going to DEPRIVE yourself for the REST OF YOUR LIFE - That's an untrue statement.

This is a lifetime lifestyle change in your eating - It's about eating healthier (low fats - low sugar) but it's not about depriving yourself

If I want steak I eat 4 ozs of steak not 16 ozs of steak - If I want a piece of cake I have 1/2 piece of cake not the whole darn thing - I eat anything and everything I want in MODERATION.

What has changed is now I eat 1/4 of what I ate before - I follow a Weight Watcher type eating plan - Protein - Carbs - Veggies - I eat anywhere between 900 to 1200 calories a day - I exercise 4 days a week I keep a food/exercise diary - I log all my food & exercise (as a learning tool)

The band is a great tool to help with our portion control but that's all it is. It's not the cure all to our issues with food. There is a lot of mental work to do with the band.

Suggestion - in preparing for the band - Think before you put that food in your mouth - why am I eating this - am I hungry or is something bugging me - Eat slowly - Chew - start eating off sandwich plates and child's bowls and use child's utensils. Eat protein first - then veggie - then starches. Don't drink with your meals & up to 1/2 hr after (my doc's order)

I jumped in right away, figuring that the less I had to lose after surgery, the closer I'd be to goal.

How about picking one thing per week to work on between now and surgery, to prepare? i.e.

Week 1: drink at least 64 oz of liquid per day

Week 2: eliminate all caloric beverages (low-cal beverages like Crystal Light are fine), except 16 oz of milk per day

Week 3: decide on a Multivitamin and start taking it every day

Week 4: start journaling what you eat

etc.

Baby steps, to build up to the band guidelines. Indulging in "last big meal" happens to a lot if not most people, but remember -- chances are you will be able to eat practically everything after banding, just in much smaller quantities. (not counting the healing phase, which is very short)

One thing that I did during pre-op that helped me gradually get into the right mindset rather than going cold turkey was to start looking at ways I could prepare the foods I loved in a way that would work with the band later. For instance, I love buffalo chicken, but wings and fried foods are healthy. So I found a good wing sauce and I grill my lean chicken in a mixture of a little amount of sauce and Water, so I still get the flavor and not the fat or carb. I also found 100 calorie snack packs of some of my favorite snack items, so I don't feel deprived. There are some great options out there in 100 calorie servings. I even found a moderately healthy frozen pizza made here in ND. I am able to have 2 square pieces (that's how we cut it--probably equal to 1 medium slice) and fit it in with my daily calories and fat intake, if that's what I want to eat that day. It's about balance and paying attention, not deprivation.

Since I've been banded, I've made healthy decisions, but I still eat regular food. If I feel like I want a hamburger, I find the healthiest one I can (bison or elk or lean beef--usually grilled, at home) and in the right size for me, and I eat it.

You don't have to feel like this is the end of life as you know it. This is the beginning of a new life, but it is what you make it. The days leading up to my surgery, I think I mourned the life I knew--especially the food. That's when it became necessary for me to intergrate my favorite foods into this new life. You can do it. And before you know it, you'll feel better. More free. Good luck!

That was supposed to be "aren't healthy," not are healthy.

What does being a self-pay or insurance covered have to do with preparing for surgery? I don't get it. Shouldn't you prepare either way?

It only matters if she needs insurance approval, and losing weight now reduces the BMI to a point that she no longer qualifies for the surgery per her insurance's qualifications.

Yes, everyone should prepare for surgery. But if losing weight sabotages your insurance coverage of the procedure, wait until you've received the approval.

For me, 20lbs would negate my insurance approval. But now that my approval has arrived, I can prepare for the lifestyle change.

Lots of good advice here. My doc says to start eating as if I am banded - for the best success. My personal demon is that I need to make exercise part of my routine.

The question she posed was what she should do to get in the right state of mind, not what to do to get insurance approval.

It only matters if she needs insurance approval, and losing weight now reduces the BMI to a point that she no longer qualifies for the surgery per her insurance's qualifications.

Yes, everyone should prepare for surgery. But if losing weight sabotages your insurance coverage of the procedure, wait until you've received the approval.

For me, 20lbs would negate my insurance approval. But now that my approval has arrived, I can prepare for the lifestyle change.

Ahhhh I see. I understand. Thanks for clarifying. As for the other posts about depriving ourselves...I agree, to a point. I am literally at the stage in my life/health that if I don't get this weight off, I'm not going to live. HPB, Type II Diabetes, Jacked Up Thyroid, Aching Knees/Back/Hips/Shoulders/Feet are taking their toll. I figure depriving myself of cake, pizza, Cookies, chips, fast food, soft drinks, etc. is the least I can do for myself, my husband, my family.

I KNOW I'll be able to eat what I want in moderation after being banded, but I really try to take the stance that this isn't vanity, this isn't so I can be a hottie (which would be nice) this is about life or death.

I want to be around for a long time (I'm only 37!) and this weight is such a monkey on my back. I get so ticked off when I think of all the wasted years! When I think about all the things I've bowed out of, declined, didn't do, hid from because of this freakin' weight.

I'm sick of it. I want it gone. And if that means I have to stop eating pizza, fried rice and cream cheese (God, I love cheese!) for awhile (or forever - gasp!) then so be it.

I'm so sick of my fat. Geesh! :tt1: This stuff is coming off!!!