Long.....

[Guest guest]

All of this sounds like good advise but I am curious as to how easy it will

be to plan meals in advance if you don't know what your body will take or

what you will like etc....

Does this change often or once the surgery is over, you know what you do and

don't like and what your body will and will not accept?

I know that the first weeks and such are clear liquid and then liquids and

then soft foods but after that I would think that it would be harder to know

what you will want to make for meals.

I know for a fact that (if) when my husband and I have the surgery, there

won't be an option for the bad foods such as potato chips, cookies, cakes,

etc..... we just won't need them at all so why bother torturing ourselves

over it....... just let them go.

Also trigger foods... those foods that once you start, you can't stop...

those will not be bought either.

I am not afraid of foods that I like now if I don't like them after the

surgery... I just won't bother with them. If I don't like them, I won't

miss them.... Like, I have never liked brussel sprouts and I don't crave

them and I have never missed them LOL.....

I hope I won't like Oreo cookies when it is all said and done LOL

My daughter said, " How are y'all gonna make it without french fries from

Burger King? "

I said, I simply will not eat them and eventually the craving will go away

because I will not be craving the fats and the sugars. My body will get

over that " addiction " eventually and since I will have to be making food

choices based on protein first, then that will just have to come first.

I have never had any trouble with the " drinks " .... the protein shakes and

such.. I have liked most that I have tried so I am thinking that this will

not be a problem. I hope that I will still like most of them when the

surgery has been done. If not, then I will find one or two that I do like

and stick to that.. But mostly I am leaning toward the protein powder that

has no taste so I can add it to other things. That seems most versatile.

My husband will eat whatever I make so I am not too worried about him..

The thing that worries me about him is that I think he will try and push the

fast food joints when I am not around simply because it is such a way of

life for him. I am ready to let that go but I don't believe he is.

BUT... that will have to be a decision HE makes, not me.... and if he dumps,

then maybe it will make him come around some. If not, then again, those are

decisions he has to make for himself.

I am SO READY to make some changes in my life by using this tool..... the

way I have been " living " (and I use the term lightly) is just not doing it!

So I am ready to make some radical changes in my own life.

I loved to work out when I was thinner and I miss it terribly. I miss yoga

because I can't get back up off the floor.... oh to have that back again!

~longing look to the future~

I remember being able to deal with stress better when I could work out.

I come up empty when I ask myself why I ever stopped and how I let myself go

so badly.

Granted, staying in shape was harder than sitting on the couch pigging out

or making good choices was a bit more time consuming than blindly driving

through the local drive through and mindlessly ordering something quick and

tasty..... but the prior was not a bad thing where as the latter was. Funny

how some things become habit faster than others.

Give me the tool and let me use it to its fullest extent! I am so so so

ready!

Thanks for letting me babble on. I guess this little email was more for me

to get it out than anything. I have asked myself why I want this surgery so

badly and this is part of the answer.

ICE

-- Portion Control - The Dangers of Grazing

A moderator in another list I'm in sent this, I thought someone might be

intrested in it....

Portion Control - The Dangers of Grazing

We encourage you to plan your meals in advance, to shop for the things you

need to ensure that you have good quality, well-balanced meals. And then you

should eat three meals each day and avoid eating between meals.

Our Success HabitsT study shows that grazing is a common behavior of those

who regain weight following weight loss surgery. We have used the term

grazing' for many years but recognize that some may not know what we are

talking about without some explanation. " Grazing " is the term commonly used

to describe mindless or unplanned eating. Cows out in the pasture graze all

day long.

By grazing, little by little, snack-by-snack, bite-by-bite, unwanted pounds

easily sneak up on us.

Many faltering patients report not eating regularly scheduled, well

thought-out meals, but instead, they eat haphazardly off and on throughout

the day. Rather than eating 3 planned meals each day, they eat a little here

and a little there and, consequently, never feel hungry and never feel full.

And as we discussed earlier, satiety (or feeling full) is essential to our

well-being and has a direct correlation to our success in using the tool we

have to help us eat less.

We weight loss surgery patients cannot eat much at one time, but we can eat

the wrong foods all day long. And that may result in consuming more calories

than we need in a given day. A simple mathematical formula determines the

changes that will occur in our weight: calories in - calories out! If we eat

more than we expend in energy, we gain weight. By grazing, little by little,

snack-by-snack, bite-by-bite, unwanted pounds easily sneak up on us.

But knowing what we should do is only half of the battle. With such a small

stomach capacity, grazing remains a constant temptation for many patients.

And often our hurried lifestyles make it difficult to plan and prepare well

thought-out meals. It's not easy to take the time to sit down, relax and

enjoy a peaceful meal. So, we know what we should and shouldn't do; we know

the dangers, but how do we break the grazing habit? Here are some questions

for you to consider and some tips from patients who have learned to

successfully avoid grazing and have adopted good eating habits.

What time of day am I most likely to graze?

It is likely that the temptation to graze comes at the same time each day.

By identifying when these tempting times are, you can anticipate them and

redirect your activities as needed to arrange for different circumstances,

surroundings, activities, etc.

What activities might be encouraging me to graze?

When the temptation to graze hits, observe what is going on around you. Are

you watching TV? Are you at the movies? Driving in your car? Identify those

activities and make changes or prepare for them in advance by making better

food choices or alternative activities readily available when the urge hits.

What am I grazing on? And, how did it get here?

Have you ever wanted a particular food simply because it was there? If

certain foods are difficult for you to pass up, don't buy them! Making this

decision one time at the grocery store will prevent you from having to

decide again every time you walk past the kitchen. It's important to prepare

for times when you need a little pick-me-up. Plan for them in advance by

buying snacks that are good for you such as cheese sticks, jerky, vegetables

nuts, etc.

What type of food am I craving (i.e. salty, sweet, chewy, cold, crunchy)?

Learn to listen to your body. It's one of the most important skills you can

develop for a healthy lifestyle. Knowing what your body is craving will give

you clues as to what your body needs. For example, your body may need more

salt or perhaps you have expended the refined sugar in your body and so now

you're craving it.

How do I feel when I'm tempted to graze?

Often our cravings are to satisfy emotional needs. Notice how you feel when

you're tempted to graze. Are you tired? Stressed? Bored? Anxious, or

nervous? Be aware of these emotions, then identify and practice alternative

ways to soothe them, or alternative activities you can do to take your mind

off food between meals.

*Copied from BSC Intl. Newsletter

Hugs,

" It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop. "

~ Confucius ~

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