[tfarah]

Hey y'all! I've been gone for a while-got bummed. I wanted to try something before I actually did the surgery. I tried to go on the post-op diet without having the surgery. I did really good for a while. I lost 25 pounds in the first 3 weeks! But, then I moved onto the next phase(because the nutrionist told me too) and thats when I lost it. I started eating stuff that tasted good, and had flavor. Then I couldn't stop eating and now its all a distant memory. I have actually only gained back about 10 of those pounds, and keep in mind, I started the diet in the beginning of Feb. and its now almost July. I think my problem is I can either have nothing or I have to have it all! Does anyone have this problem? I did so good on what you would consider "starving" myself in the first stage, then when I got to have solids all the sudden I felt like I was starving! Anyway, now that I have done my one last ditch effort, I want to go into my doctor and have the surgery but I'm worried they will think maybe I shouldn't have it because I tried one last "diet", and backed out, they might think I'm not mentally ready. Maybe I'm not, but I am ready to run with my kids and see my daughter get married. None of which I will get to do if I just set here at this weight. I even have been part of Curves for 5 months, and I've got to tell you, I've been going 3 times a week and I don't see a difference. So, I checked up on the gals that had surgery the same day as me with the same doctor and it seems they are both doing good. Lost time sucks. But I had to be sure that I couldn't diet myself out of it. So does anyone have any insight on my ramblings or advise for me with the doctor? Thanks everyone!!

[Dawnajoy]

What a wonderful post.

I did something similar prior to my surgery. I was never a big meat eater, and wondered if I would be able to stick to a high protein diet, so I tried to eat "as if" I had had surgery to see if I could do it (I also took vitamins daily during this time to be sure I could/would stick with the supplementation required post-surgery). I think it was time well spent. I wouldn't consider it a waste of time at all. I think everyone should think long and hard before committing to surgery.

I am not sure this happens for everyone, with every surgery, but I had a period of time in which I wasn't even tempted to eat things I shouldn't. There simply wasn't room in my tummy for more than a few bites, and they darn well were going to be protein. For me there was maybe a year of what I call the "honeymoon period" in which it was relatively easy to eat properly. After that, the desire for some of the old eating habits slowly (very slowly) returned. After that, we are pretty much like everyone else, maintaining by being watchful of what we eat and how much we exercise. That said, it is so much easier now than it was then. It is so much more do-able to fight with those 10 lb than it was to try to lose 200. It is so much more do-able to exercise at this weight than it was at over 300 lb.

I wouldn't consider what you have done an exercise in futility by any means. I would consider it gaining knowledge and power. This is a serious endeavor and I hate to see people go into it blindly, expecting a magic pill or fix. Knowing yourself, knowing you will do what it takes, is paramount.

Good luck to you.

Dawna

[Leenie]

Originally Posted by tfarah

I think my problem is I can either have nothing or I have to have it all! Does anyone have this problem?

Yes big time !!
I have no control. Some days I do good but most days I stuff and I don't know why.

Your not alone and that you are an amazing person.

HUGS and KISSES

[Juliesday]

It took me a little over 2 years to decide to go through with the surgery. Trying everything first before surgery is a good thing. In fact, my surgeon made sure I HAD tried everything. She feels the surgery should be the last choice for treating Morbid Obesity. You did a good thing. Sure, it may feel like lost time, but I see it more as an investment into making sure you are doing the best thing for you.

I have had many people in my life propose to me that I "could have lost it" without the surgery. That I could have just done the diet like you did. You know, just "pretend" I had the surgery. It just doesn't work that way. If I could have made myself exist on liquids for 3 weeks, then pureed for another 3 weeks, and then controlled my portions to 4-8 oz. per meal for the next 18 months... yeah sure! I would have! But I couldn't. I didn't. I needed the surgery to force the issue.

It is kind of like getting your mouth wired shut (which I've considered more than once in my life, lol). But the surgery is actually much more practical and easier to live with, over the long run.

It is like the ticket to a normal life. It is a costly ticket, but the journey to the destination you've always dreamed of is sooooo worth it!

[MermaidInBlack]

I had my surgery Orientation with Kaiser (South San Francisco) last week where they have us immediately start living life as though we'd already had surgery. This means immediately stopping all sugar, sodas, caffeine, bread, most starch, etc (and I'm a weekly pizza-eating, sandwich-scarfing Diet Coke addict). This means 3 small balanced meals a day, five hours apart, and absolute no snacking. This means 1200 calories a day. I thought it would be hard, it hasn't been at all. I was kinda lucky because I had a chest infection last week and didn't feel like eating much anyway, but it is totally true that if you eat at regular 5 hour intervals, if you sit down and take 30-45 minutes with your small and balanced meals (mainly protein, vegetable, fruit with small amounts of fat and starch), chew every bite slowly (at least 30 times), and appreciate what you're eating, well... I have rarely been hungry. I have "slipped" a few times and taken a bite of something I shouldn't, I admit it, but I'm not finding it a super hardship to do this 1200 cal diet mainly because I know that it's helping me towards getting the weight off for surgery as well as mentally and emotionally preparing me for life afterwards. I season everything I eat with herbs (Salt-Free 17 rocks!), I arrange it nicely on a small plate, I have my placemat at the table, and I often have a notepad by my plate to write down thoughts as I am eating.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is "easy" and I'm no saint patting myself on the back... but I know it's going to get me where I want to go, which is surgery. And after surgery we're not going to be able to eat tons of food. I know we'll still crave certain yummy foods that we always did, but our capacity to eat them will be so diminished that I'm okay with craving some pizza... I'll make sure to eat a yummy salad and when I'm done, that pizza craving will be gone because I'm full. I know that won't always kill all cravings (I have 4 good friends who have all had GP, I hear about the cravings) but it's a damn good start. It's surgery or death for me. I'm ready to go into the operating room.

~ Cat