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?

How About With The Liquid Diet, I Am Afraid I Am Gonna Do To Much Any Suggestions

How About With The liquid diet, I Am Afraid I Am Gonna Do To Much Any Suggestions

What do you mean "Afraid i'm going to do too much" ??????

:biggrin: Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I think i just get really discouraged unless i feel like i'm actively making changes. I will be putting some of your suggestions to use right away.

Does anyone have that little procrastinator in their head saying "wait until Monday to start a new goal". It's like i'm in this big hurry to start losing (BTW i am self pay, my surgery has already been approved) but then i want to wait 3 days before actively making changes. Ugh it's no wonder I have eating issues.

Thanks again for your responses!:tongue:

--dita?

:biggrin: Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I think i just get really discouraged unless i feel like i'm actively making changes. I will be putting some of your suggestions to use right away.

Does anyone have that little procrastinator in their head saying "wait until Monday to start a new goal". It's like i'm in this big hurry to start losing (BTW i am self pay, my surgery has already been approved) but then i want to wait 3 days before actively making changes. Ugh it's no wonder I have eating issues.

Thanks again for your responses!:tongue:

--dita?

Of course I fight with myself all the time - as I drive home from work I give myself all these excuses as to why I don't have to go exercise - but I chose not to listen to that little devil on my shoulder telling me oh skipping isn't going to hurt - or tomorrow is another day - I don't wait for tomorrow to start over - I start over immediately after I have fallen down - the whole procrastination is part of the reason we are fat in the 1st place - we are so full of excuses as to why we can't do stuff - like eat healthy.

It all goes back to the lifetime lifestyle change for me - You don't beat yourself up after a slip - you recognize it and then move forward - this is a new learning experience - you just keep on pulling up those boot straps and keep moving forward and soon it will become a habit that you will know in your heart that you have to do it order to live your new healthy lifestyle..

Good Luck -

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.

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 -

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.

I always have a problem with the "last meals" thing. I KNOW this is a lifestyle change and I really should be able to eat things in moderation but it's easy to forget.

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. 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.

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!

I'm trying to do the same. Make the things that we like but in better ways. AND not as much of it!

My personal demon is that I need to make exercise part of my routine. :biggrin:

UGH! Exercise. I've always had that problem. It's going to take a lot of work for me to integrate the exercise.

Does anyone have that little procrastinator in their head saying "wait until Monday to start a new goal". It's like i'm in this big hurry to start losing (BTW i am self pay, my surgery has already been approved) but then i want to wait 3 days before actively making changes. Ugh it's no wonder I have eating issues.

My evil twin!! I don't have a lot of options with that one though. I've got to lose 10% of my weight before surgery. I'm in a weight management class and it's standard for all bariatric patients (band and bypass patients all have to go thru the same program) to need to lose the 10% and the surgeons will determine later if you've lost enough or need to lose more.

I HAVE to get my head on straight NOW b/c if I want surgery any time soon, I've got to lose. I CAN'T be gaining at all right now. And right now 23lbs seems monumental!

self -pay or ins has nothing to do with anything but that attirude said it all. You might condider a good nutritionist and a group or therapist. Ask your doc for the type of diet you will have after surgery as well. Fortunately mine us very sppecific and offer some nutrition classes. After this 'mushy' phase basiclyy high quality protien 75% and 25 % carbs eating every 3-4 hours no more then 4ozs. Starting to lose the sugars and cutting back on the carbs will help you feel better and adjust quicker. Head hunger is a very real thing and you need to start to recognize that and when you are just full and not beyond. For a lot of us these are very difficult challenges but being aware of them and having strategies to deal with them will help. The band is only a tool for you to use kit does not controll what you put in your mouth. Only you can do that. I was banded 4/11 and I had made up my mind that I am going to be successful and I had done a lot of work about the emotional factors of why I eat and so forth. It has been a long and painful journey but I am so glad I had already decided things like if I want I candy bar it's ok instead of the 2 lbs of choc I woukd have hidden and eatten. Even now nothing is forbidden but it is how much and how often I eat them. Sorry for going on and on but I hope this helps you in this journey you have chosen to improve your life. Good luck to you and keep posting.

It's really good to hear that you can eat just about anything eventually, just small portions. I had my first appt. and my pre-evals, and I have been doing this "last supper" thing that is just gross! Now I feel like I got that out of my system and I'm ready to focus on how I can change things to put myself in a better place for the surgery and after.

I think it's best not to eat anything and everything before surgery. You will have a harder time adjusting if you do that. My surgeon requires that my weight be the same on the day of surgery that it was on my consult. So gaining any before surgery is not an option for me. He said they have actually had people gain 60 pounds between the consult and the surgery day! He said he refused to do the surgery and sent them home until they lost the extra weight.

I really notice the difference in my appetite when I eat healthy foods ...lately (I'm not banded) that means most foods from Trader Joes. I'm much less hungry when I eat fruit, veg juice, lemon in Water...luke warm...cold just doesn't go down as easily. Start by forgetting about weight for now and focus on what makes our bodies healthy.

Marg

Well in my opinion... and it's just that... That if u are truly ready then u wont have to be primped or primed or wound up in order to get ready to loose weight u will just do it. It is hard as hell to do it.. but this is your body.. your money your time your effort... and u will let no one down but yourself. You have to dig deep inside and evaluate why u are actually getting this done. Are you trying to fit in? Trying to please others? or what. When you decide what u really want to do u will be like Nike and just do it....bottom line..

:tongue_smilie:

I have also decided to get the band and when I did, I started eating everything in sight, because I thought I would never get to have it again. But, when I booked my surgical consult, I changed my eating habits and cut out the sugar, fat and reduce night-time snacking and lost 7 lbs already..I figure if I start reducing portions and chewing my bites and drinking more water, it will be easier when I have to do the pre-op and post-op diet plans. It's going to be difficult regardless, losing weight is not easy, band or no band. But, the rewards are so worth it and I have decided to focus on that. There are so many things to look forward to!! Good luck!! Cathy

I'm pleased to report that i have been keeping a food/feelings log which has helped me cut out "boredom eating". I've been eating like a bandster, Protein first, then veggies and then carbs. I also started to chew my food ALOT to practice and it's helped me eat much slower and less! I only lost 1 lb. but I feel like i'm starting to change my habits and that's really what matters to me.:biggrin2:

I couldn't have done it without you guys!! Thanks for the support :glare:

--dita?

I'm pleased to report that i have been keeping a food/feelings log which has helped me cut out "boredom eating". I've been eating like a bandster, Protein first, then veggies and then carbs. I also started to chew my food ALOT to practice and it's helped me eat much slower and less! I only lost 1 lb. but I feel like i'm starting to change my habits and that's really what matters to me.:biggrin2:

I couldn't have done it without you guys!! Thanks for the support :glare:

--dita?

Good job !!! Practice Practice - I still will try to eat to fast or not chew when I am hungry - but my band is there to remind me - but I don't like the reminders so I do try hard to eat slow - tiny bite and chew the crap of of the food.

We are here for you - Good Luck on your journey.

I would say the first thing to do is stop beating yourself up you are taking the step in the right direction. They tell me a positive self attitude can do wonders for your healing. It will also help you if you should happen to eat something you think you shouldn't....we all make mistakes just live and learn. Remember you are wonderful Bat! You are making a change that will be a positive change. I am sure you are not hideous or gross although I have no clue what a bat's ass looks like. Must remember to look up next time I am in a cave.