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Optifast Blues

Laurieann

Laurieann

Member
Hey Guys! I've got my surgery date, March 20th, and I am estatic! I began the Optifast diet today where I drink the 5 protein shakes and have 1 meal. I am in major sugar and food withdrawal right now and hope that it will be over in a couple of days. This diet is so different than anything I've ever done in the past and I am literally starving emotionally, although my stomach hasn't growled a single time, lol. I am about to have a serious Southern Girl fit right here in my bedroom. I have tried to be conscientious of where I am feeling the hunger and it appears to be in my throat and not my stomach. This is a new idea for me to try and register my actual physiological hunger and it is just crazy because I know I CAN'T BE HUNGRY! I am trying to take it easy on myself and try to relax these first few days while my brain adjust to this new diet. My addiction is coming full force to the surface and I am trying to cope minute by minute. God bless all of you who have survived this part of the process. I will check in again soon and let you know about how I am doing. I am so happy to have this opportunity to "try-out" my liquid diet before I actually have the surgery in four weeks. This is an amazing tool to use to mentally prepare oneself for what is to come. If anyone has any coping skills that they would like to share, I would love to read them! I hope all of you guys are having a great weekend!
 
Laurieann,

I can't be of much help. My orders were so different from everyone else. Every surgeon's requirements are different and every Center is somewhat different. Wishing you the best on this journey. Others have had to do it and may be of more help. Joy
 
hey there Laurie,
I only have to do the liquid diet for 2 weeks.....i think 4 weeks has to be tough....i started mine this past wed and have already lost 4 lbs.....the thing i miss the most is chewing......my doc allows sugar free jello for sweet and sugar fat free greek yogurt and beef or chicken broth....so therefore i feel like i am getting the sweet and the salt, but no calories....I AM NOT GOING TO LIE.......I am hungry.......I have given up my soda (9 a day), having candy in the house at all times, smoking about 3 months ago......Smoking was not hard for me to quit but it def was a factor in me eating.....If i was hungry i would just go smoke.....ya well now i am just hungry ALL THE TIME.....I only get 3 shakes a day and veggies and i mentioned the snacks above.......I dont have any advice other than......JELLO has replaced my craving for sugar, again not gonna lie when i say i could sit down and eat an entire apple pie without a blink.....or a half a bag of the huge bag of peanut m and m's.......you are not alone and hope you never feel that way....i posted in another forum before i started my liquid diet i felt like i was at "the last supper" and went around trying things i think i will never get again.....but people reassured me on here that yes i will get to have them again just in a very small amount and longer intervals.....inbox or chat with me if ya need some support cause if i didnt have my hubbys watchful eye i am not so sure i would stay on track CAUSE THIS SH$T IS HARD!!!! I am thinkin about ya!!!

Angela
 
Hey Angela!

Thank you so much for your insight. I started off my day laughing at all you said about eating an entire apple pie! I mean, For Real!" lol! If someone had told me I would be giving up soda, spaghetti, bread, pototoes, chips, fried chicken, potato salad etc. all on one day, I would have called them a bold-faced-liar! My nutritionist had told us that we would not get hungry, that most people cannot get in all 5 shakes so we would be fine. HA! I could drink 12 of those shakes in one day right now! You are AMAZING, Angela, for giving up smoking along with all of these other hoops we have to jump through. Good for you! Thank you so much for all that you said and it makes me feel so comforted know that there is another human on this planet going through the same exact situation that I am. You are so sweet and I put you on my prayer list today! This is day two for me and I will talk to you again soon and let you know how it's going. All the best to you this morning!

- Laurie Ann
 
ha.........you make me giggle too....I have been large for 14 years, and have always said to myself i love food too much to do a surgery like this......but something only a few people know about me is.......that if it is there i will eat it....steal it....hide it......i have waited for my husband to leave the house to eat, i have told others including my husband that my kids must have eaten it.....i have said oh i threw it away and really ate it.....SOO I have made my house liquid diet friendly. I am not proud of these things, but i have gone out to eat and order a salad, get up in the middle of the night and raid EVERYTHING.....my husband knows now cause we have gone to therepy so i feel ok to tell others my story.....so to make a long story short that i WILL NOT puke....if pizza made me puke i would never eat it......I always dreamed of a pill that made food taste so bad i would puke if i ate it.....and i promise you i would never eat it......SO THE MAIN reason I know I will have a great journey is I know if i eat too much i will puke, if i eat wrong i will puke and you dont always dump out the dumper end.....haha.....i dont want to cause myself pain so i wont.......I have eaten a meal to the point that i am uncomfy but never to the point of puking......I have had three kids.....i had unbelievable morn sickness with 2 of them.....i never once puked....you might cringe a lil as you read this but i would rather swallow it back down that put it in the toilet......my mind set on this will never change......SO IF YOU WANNA PRAY haha, pray that i am not one of the sickies that puke all the time even if i do everything RIGHT hahaha......I am soooo excited for surgery, just to get the heck off this diet....I cant imagine that you have to do it for a month.....I only have 9 days left.....and that seems like alot to me......so i will def light a candle for you too hon!!!! hope i didnt gross ya out with the puke talk haha, but i guess being forward and honest about my weight has opened my eyes to a whole new world.....(not to mention the tears in my husbands eyes when i told him my story)! I hope to keep in touch....!!! Hope you have a fantastic day!!!

Angela

Oh hey have you noticed that commercials only talk about food anymore hahaha.......I never noticed before, cause I was never hungry before hahaha!
 
Thank you for your brutal honesty, Angela! I have been the same way and can literally make a lemon pie disappear like magic! I am a bulk eater and I know this is crazy, but I went to bed last night at 7:00 pm. because I was literally exhausted with being hungry. Of course the sugar and caffeine withdrawal doesn't help either, lol! Good for you for having the courage to tell your husband and all of us about how deeply engrained you life is with food. It is very difficult for me to figure out what to do with my weekend without going out to eat. My husband and I always go out to eat on our date-nights, have most of our fondest memories in our favorite restaurants, and now, Friday night, we were at home. Saturday night we were at home. I have got to find something for us to do to replace what we loved to do with something that is comparable to this. I am calling my nutritionist today and tell her how hungry I am and get some suggestions from her. Although I am complaining, I wouldn't trade one day of this journey for where I am going! I am so sick of looking in the mirror and seeing someone that is out of control. And yes, I go to meetings every week at my center and I have never seen so many food billboards in my life! There are thousands of them on my way to Greenville! Have a great Monday, Angela!

- Laurie Ann
 
Laurieann said:
It is very difficult for me to figure out what to do with my weekend without going out to eat. My husband and I always go out to eat on our date-nights, have most of our fondest memories in our favorite restaurants, and now, Friday night, we were at home. Saturday night we were at home. I have got to find something for us to do to replace what we loved to do with something that is comparable to this. . . . Although I am complaining, I wouldn't trade one day of this journey for where I am going! I am so sick of looking in the mirror and seeing someone that is out of control.
Click to expand...

No more Restaurants!

At least, not for now. You'll figure it out. You just need some practice in discovery. Discovering things for you and hubs to do. You still have the most important parts of the equation -- you and him!

Take a look at this article and the comments, if you haven't already. They might give you an idea or two.

http://www.americanbariatrics.org/content.php/86-50-Things-To-Do-Instead-Of-Snacking!

I know you'll find something you both enjoy.

Have a weekly date with friends to play cards or board games.

Go dancing.

Go horseback riding.

Go swimming.

Go gocarting.

Go Geocaching.

Sign up for a class and learn something:
Dance
Tai Chi
Yoga
Fencing
Genealogy
Painting
Singing
Public speaking

Go to:
the movies
a concert
a play
a museum
a theme park
a bar for some good music (you can sip apple or cranberry or some other juice; mix half and half [or more] with water)
a comedy club
the library (choose a mutually agreeable subject to research and learn together; you can teach each other)

Explore your city and/or your state. Contact their departments of tourism for ideas and brochures.

Take a class together at a college or community college or vocational school; there are many venues for classes open to the public:
History
Local History
State History
Painting
Language (Italian, Spanish, etc.; Esperanto provides opportunities to meet people all over the world, either in person or via email!)
Gardening
Woodworking

So many things change with this lifetime commitment to Weight Loss Surgery. You know you won't be able to make all these changes all at once. It just takes a little practice.

In the meantime, enjoy yourself. Have a really good time while you figure it all out!!!
 
I think perhaps the reason you may be feeling the hunger in your throat is significant. Our throat area is our 'voice' ... do you have difficulty speaking your truths for fear of hurting others? It's a common problem among many women. We were raised to 'grin and bear it' rather than to show anger or assertiveness ... anyway, enough of that for now!
Keep up the great work and congratulations on your pending surgery! I released 18 pounds prior to surgery, but was not asked to by my physician. I just felt it was a good idea.
Keep us posted!
:D
 
PS Laurie:

I have found that journaling my feelings and thoughts during the process has been helping me immensely. Just a thought ;)
 
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