Hello!

[strangebird]

Hi, everyone! My name’s Chloe and I’m new around here. I haven’t actually gotten bariatric surgery yet; but, I’m currently finishing up the prerequisites needed in order to get a Sleeve Gastrectomy. The tentative time line for my surgery is sometime between the end of August and the beginning of September. I’m both excited about it and terrified. Food has always been my comfort thing & I’m scared to lose that relationship with it. Like, what if I hate eating afterwards? What if I can’t do this? How am I even going to learn to like vegetables? I don’t even like any of the protein shakes that I’ve tried so how am I gonna manage this? It’s been a lot of “what if’s” and “can I really’s” bouncing around in my head; but, I’m tryin’ to take it all one step at a time because I’m sick of being overweight. I don’t want to struggle with food my entire life like my mom has. I hate being out of breath walking up the stairs. I hate having to shop for plus-sized clothes and buy special bigger-bras when I want to be fashionable and get into makeup and be girly for once. & I’m really really sick of hating how I look. I’m at the highest weight that I’ve ever been at, 311 lbs, and I’m pre-diabetic. Something has to give, and I figure that it’s better if I do and change my habits than allow my body to give out. I’ve tried so many different diets and medications for weight loss over the years, and I think I’d kind of given up hope before I learned about this surgery. For the first time in a long time, I’ve got some hope, and it’s nice. So I’m scared & nervous & unsure of my decision but also hopeful & excited too.

I look forward to supporting everyone here through their weight loss journeys and I hope y’all will support me in mine as well. Nice to meet you guys! )

 

[dianeseattle]

I’m pre-diabetic. Something has to give, and I figure that it’s better if I do and change my habits than allow my body to give out. I’ve tried so many different diets and medications for weight loss over the years, and I think I’d kind of given up hope before I learned about this surgery. For the first time in a long time, I’ve got some hope, and it’s nice. So I’m scared & nervous & unsure of my decision but also hopeful & excited too.

I look forward to supporting everyone here through their weight loss journeys and I hope y’all will support me in mine as well. Nice to meet you guys! )

Welcome, Chloe! You may be new, but believe me, this is YOUR group. Jump right in, like you already did, and share, share, share. We will share back. We go through occasional lulls as members come and go, or seasons change, but I've been here 16 years, so it's fair to assume I rely upon this group for continued support and education, and I enjoy supporting others in their journeys.

Your fears are the same as the fears others have expressed. I remember especially a huge fear of not recognizing myself, even though I'd been skinny before I got fat. And of course, I couldn't even think about never eating a certain food or other food. Food IS so comforting and so seductive. I'd rather eat a favorite food than hold a baby or be smothered in kisses and hugs. Food does replace love for many people and that makes it necessary to our lives, not just for simple sustenance.

So many people reach the pre-diabetic stage and take action at that point, because they finally found something worse than not being able to be pretty or hating themselves for being fat. This is a great thing to do, and it will work. You can change your health and your life expectancy, just by changing your diet. I know diabetes and stroke factored into my decision. My father, one sister and one brother all came up with stroke and diabetes and were hospitalized with permanent disabilities because of their health. They all died too, directly from health problems, far too early.

I know you're scared but just hang out here with us, read the years and years of postings, take in other stories, and start making changes by saying affirmations and changing your diet in small ways, then bigger ways. The USDA FOOD VALUES chart will help you.