PrimaDonna
Member
I cannot imagine that after this surgery, my desire for, my wishing for, my dreaming about food will greatly diminish. What has the group experienced?
M:y love affair with food
- Thread starter PrimaDonna
- Start date
Your Desire for, wishing for, and dreaming about will NOT greatly diminish maybe right after surgery but as the days, weeks, and months that go by you will be faced with all the temptations, thoughts, cravings etc... it’s all about you. Do you give in or do you dig your feet into the sand and shoo those thoughts, feelings and urges away. This is a tool, it is not magic if you don’t work on it and yourself then you can learn the tricks to cheat so bad that you will end up gaining it all back and then some.
PrimaDonna
Member
I totally get what you said. I like the bottom line of your reply: Shoo Shoo Shoo away thoughts, urges, places, and cravings that will only serve to weaken a person,
3momchaos
Member
I had my surgery right before the holidays, the most tempting time of the year for me. It was honestly the best timing. I told my family I wasn’t baking, but other than that, everything food wise was the Thanksgiving and Christmas norms. I knew if I could make it through the holidays with such restricts, liquid diet, purées, reintroducing foods gradually, then I could do it any time of the year. I definitely have temptations and cravings, but I acknowledge them, figure out if they’re worth the indulgence, and move on. I’d been craving ice cream like crazy recently, so I reached out to my dietician and she suggested halo top ice cream. It’s a little pricey, but I have such a small amount each time it lasts a while. One thing I keep in the front of my mind is whether or not giving into my desires for food are worth the work I’ve put in so far, and how they are going to effect my final goal.
missyinacage
Member
There is a reason they call it a tool. One of the most important parts of it for me, was the weeks of restriction before and after the surgery. It gives you a burst of quick weight loss, which is really self motivational. Also, even if you are craving and wishing for food during those weeks, your pouch just can't handle it. It's not easy to just mindlessly eat after surgery. You have to work at it. Like 3mom said, you THINK about it. "Do I need this? How bad do I want it? Is there a healthier option that might satisfy me?" And there is the REAL difference. That "love affair" becomes about the love and not just whatever is available. I baked homemade chocolate chip cookies for Xmas, with high quality chocolate. My cousin gave me a box of specialty, store bought cookies. Before, I would have eaten all the cookies. This time, I did not eat any store bought cookies. They were just not worth it. However, the homemade cookies, warm out of the oven? Totally worth it. But I ate my dinner, including veggies, first. With just enough room left for my one, warm, gooey cookie. Totally. Worth. It.
PrimaDonna
Member
Thank you so much for your response. Each response I'm getting has worthy thoughts and actions. I feel more empowered than ever before.
WazzuCoug
Member
I think many of us have those thoughts pre surgery. I certainly couldn't imagine not wanting to eat all of the foods I was eating pre-surgery just because I had a procedure that made my stomach smaller! It seems like hocus pocus a little bit.
The surgery doesn't cure food desires, but in my case, it has really helped change my perspective. You get an opportunity during the post-surgery diet for those first several weeks to do a bit of a "re-boot" to your system. You will be on liquids, purees, soft foods, etc. and during that time is a great opportunity to make the decision to completely change your relationship with food. I'm not saying it's easy, but the effects of surgery can be helpful on many levels.
I used to eat lots of fast food, homemade fatty food, carb loaded, cheese dripping goodness, foodie restaurants, and lots of ice cream, deserts, candy...and honestly, it's not all that attractive to me anymore. Although it was hard for me to imagine pre-surgery, I made a very conscious decision that I was going to come out of the six week post surgery diet making different decisions about food. And so far, for seven months, I have, and I don't dream about or have a desire for the unhealthy food I was eating prior to surgery.
In the back of my mind, however, I know I could get on a slippery slope if I let myself make decisions like what I did prior to surgery. I do not eat fast food, at all, and I don't miss it anymore. I did for a little while, but now, no. I'll make myself a small burger at home sometimes, though. No big deal. Basically, the more I continuously make good decisions, the less I desire the other stuff. That's what is working for me, anyway. Everyone has a different background and slightly different relationship with food going into it, so your experience is probably going to be a bit different.
In general though, the surgery will help curb some of the desires, and the more you find ways of turning to healthier foods for nutrition and energy, that becomes the norm after time. It's about building habits over time. We all have food habits prior to surgery, and for most of us, they weren't good food habits. If we create healthy habits long enough, those become our point of reference, insead of the "bad" stuff.
Of course, there are other possible factors...age, sex, addictions, comorbidities, etc. etc., but in general, I'd say post surgery life gives us an incredible opportunity to change, but you still have to kick in some willpower and dedication and learn how to deal with frustrations, etc. It's not all easy, at all, but the tool is extremely helpful.
The surgery doesn't cure food desires, but in my case, it has really helped change my perspective. You get an opportunity during the post-surgery diet for those first several weeks to do a bit of a "re-boot" to your system. You will be on liquids, purees, soft foods, etc. and during that time is a great opportunity to make the decision to completely change your relationship with food. I'm not saying it's easy, but the effects of surgery can be helpful on many levels.
I used to eat lots of fast food, homemade fatty food, carb loaded, cheese dripping goodness, foodie restaurants, and lots of ice cream, deserts, candy...and honestly, it's not all that attractive to me anymore. Although it was hard for me to imagine pre-surgery, I made a very conscious decision that I was going to come out of the six week post surgery diet making different decisions about food. And so far, for seven months, I have, and I don't dream about or have a desire for the unhealthy food I was eating prior to surgery.
In the back of my mind, however, I know I could get on a slippery slope if I let myself make decisions like what I did prior to surgery. I do not eat fast food, at all, and I don't miss it anymore. I did for a little while, but now, no. I'll make myself a small burger at home sometimes, though. No big deal. Basically, the more I continuously make good decisions, the less I desire the other stuff. That's what is working for me, anyway. Everyone has a different background and slightly different relationship with food going into it, so your experience is probably going to be a bit different.
In general though, the surgery will help curb some of the desires, and the more you find ways of turning to healthier foods for nutrition and energy, that becomes the norm after time. It's about building habits over time. We all have food habits prior to surgery, and for most of us, they weren't good food habits. If we create healthy habits long enough, those become our point of reference, insead of the "bad" stuff.
Of course, there are other possible factors...age, sex, addictions, comorbidities, etc. etc., but in general, I'd say post surgery life gives us an incredible opportunity to change, but you still have to kick in some willpower and dedication and learn how to deal with frustrations, etc. It's not all easy, at all, but the tool is extremely helpful.
LovingLifeMore
Member
I still think of foods but instead of thinkkng like i cant have that think about how to change it to fit our diet. I have done this alot
PrimaDonna
Member
Nice response. Truthful response. thank you
PrimaDonna
Member
DIG IN because I know what the other way will bring me. MISERY
PrimaDonna
Member
Thank you so much for your comment! all makes sense. As others do
PrimaDonna
Member
Excellent: think HOW to change it to fit our diet
TraceyT
Member
You made a choice to have WLS - you can make a choice as to what you put in your body after surgery. I've yet to meet a recipe I can't tweak to make it into something that fits in my "new" eating plan. You can do it. It gets better every day! Best of luck to you on this new life altering journey!