Do you ever feel sad? - ThinnerTimes

rachelbknox · 06-05-2006, 08:59 AM

I am considering the surgery and I am doing the research right now....

Just had a quick questions. When I think about my life after surgery, I find myself being sad all the time because I can't enjoy food like I do now! I know that is the point, I am not supposed to enjoy food. But I don't know how I will get past the life that I am living now. Please share.

Rachel

coptergirl · 06-05-2006, 09:05 AM

You can still enjoy food - in moderation, and not as the fix all of your life. Believe me, at just over 3 months out, I have found other things to enjoy...like being outdoors, going out with friends, being active, and loving life

lealphachienne · 06-05-2006, 09:46 AM

There are times I miss the ability to scarf down some really wonderful tasting food. However, I'm much more jazzed to enjoy all foods in moderation and have the ability to really savor food in smaller amounts. Overindulgence of food wasn't all that enjoyable after the inital thought passed and your belly hurt. In reality, it's just the first and last bite that you really enjoy. Post-op, that's all you can initally eat, is the first and last bite...so you get to enjoy the whole thing

Since being released from my dependance on food to soothe my soul, my soul is so much more into the other, better things in life! When you're not stuffing yourself at dinner with friends, you have more ime to talk and enjoy their company. When you're no obsessing about food, you can focus on the other 4 senses you have.

You eat to live, not live to eat.

Gladitsme · 06-05-2006, 09:48 AM

I still enjoy my food, just lots less of it!

I read something recently that stuck with me: Face your stuff, don't stuff your face.

brookscn · 06-05-2006, 11:02 AM

If you are like me, pre-op I used to save the best part of my meals to eat last - the best part of the steak, the best part of the baked potato......after surgery, you can eat the best part of your meal and leave the rest behind (within reason, of course).

Also, after searching my soul, I found out pre-op that once a meal was gone (no matter how gluttonous I was), I immediately forgot about it. I have no memories of "wow, that was a great meal" - I was onto the next conquest. So, I just approach each meal by just focusing on the protein.

About the sadness - if you are not already on antidepressants, you may want to look into that with your doctor. I don't think I'd be as easy going as I am about all of this if I weren't on antidepressants. And you'll find that a lot of us are on some sort of antidepressant.

veroniquetalk · 06-05-2006, 01:13 PM

I enjoy food much more now than I did before surgery. I don't have the love/ hate relationship with it that I did then. I loved food but then would hate it because of what it did to my body.

HeatherT · 06-05-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachelbknox

I am considering the surgery and I am doing the research right now....

Just had a quick questions. When I think about my life after surgery, I find myself being sad all the time because I can't enjoy food like I do now! I know that is the point, I am not supposed to enjoy food. But I don't know how I will get past the life that I am living now. Please share.

Rachel

oh i was so afraid of the same thing but let me tell you being skinny now only 7 months out has been so much better than anyfood i ever ate to much of before - because i can eat anything i want and am satisfied in a few bites instead of needing seconds

Dyann · 06-05-2006, 02:39 PM

You can enjoy and savor your food post op just as much and without the self loathing. You may take some time to get there, but enjoying food won't change. Your dependance on it and your psychological need for it will change. But your enjoyment will be there. There are a few things that I miss, like the crust off of KFC extra crispy chicken, but nothing tastes as good as being thin.

exit88 · 06-05-2006, 04:17 PM

There are two things to keep in mind.

First, things after surgery are different than they are before. Your interest in food, tastes, and other things change.

Second, you have to decide what you want. Do you want to eat lots of food and be fat or do you want to eat much less food and not eat many types of food at all and be thin (or at least much less fat). It is your decision.

Gina in NY · 06-10-2006, 07:43 PM

I was thinking how much I'll miss that gorging thing but I decided this:
Now, I can stuff myself silly, but I miss out on activities and health.
Later, I'll gorge myself in fun and good health and I'm miss the food.

Seem like a reasonable trade off to me. There is no magical solution out there that is any better that this - you have to give up something but you get a lot in return, I think.