Pre-Op Boot Camp/Basic Training 101 - ThinnerTimes

HapBird · 08-01-2004, 06:16 PM

Went to the Nutrition Support Group last week and got Kelly's stern lecture about what to expect and how to behave. Yessir!!! (er,Ma'am)!

Sooooooo..... here's my planned regimen for myself from now until surgery:

Start the sipping/no gulping liquids now. Get used to it so that after surgery I'll be going BACK to what I was already doing, not trying something altogether foreign to my sipping style.

Quit drinking carbonated beverages. Iced tea, here we come. Oh, yeah, water too.

Get used to 'eraser-sized bites' now, and chew the hell out of 'em. I'm finding my jaw hurts a little with all this chewing. [Does this count as EXERCISE?

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Avoid processed foods. I always enjoy fresh food more, so this just takes some planning. I guess PLANNING is going to be the way of the future anyhow, might as well get used to it early on.

Eat better, not more! Fresh food, reasonable quantities, no pigouts. For now, I'm doing this just fine. Hope the surgery gets scheduled before my resolve flags.....

Separate drinking time from eating time. I'm trying to put an hour between food and drink, sometimes can hold out only half an hour. This is weird! I didn't ever think about how much volume I can ingest from liquids along with all the food I've always eaten. No wonder I always got stuffed. Seems like a good idea to avoid salty foods unless you're willing to suffer thirst for an hour and not be able to gulp water later...

Success story #1: had to go to a reception Friday evening. I had to decide whether I was going to EAT, or DRINK... can't do both now - so decided to drink iced tea, water. Sipped them VERY slowly, made them last. Concentrated on having a good time talking, schmoozing, etc., ignored the food table. Felt good! This separating liquids from solids is not only a logistics concern for the size of the pouch, it's a behavior modification technique - you get to decide whether to eat or drink. Drinking water etc. seems to be the best choice in these situations.

Success story #2: was invited to share a birthday dinner for a friend at the Brigantine in La Mesa. Had never been there before - it's nice, if a bit over the top in the nautical decoration theme. Anyhow, I was terrified I'd fall into the old behaviors of eating everything in sight, but the realization that in a month or two I'll have a pouch, not a stomach, helped me avoid overeating. I was amazed - I ate ONE medium slice of bread with butter and managed to stretch it out well enough to keep up with others who ordered appetizers, which I didn't; ate approximately two-fifths of my steak, in TINY bites, well chewed; ate three carrot slices, one pea pod, and about a quarter cup of mashed potatoes (these were unbelievably yummy: mixed with cheese and mildly spicy green chilies); two small bites of a shared ice cream pie dessert; and half a cup of black coffee. Now this is NOT what or how much I'll be able to eat post-op, but it's revolutionary for me right now. And I did NOT feel deprived, depressed, or full of self-pity. I felt in CONTROL! THAT felt pretty darned good - so this is my goal now, to be in control! Oh yeah - I was the LAST of four people to finish eating, and the only one to leave food on my plate. I think this is the first time that's happened except a time or two when I was sick.....

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I'd appreciate any and all feedback on this idea of prepping this way before surgery. Am I on the right track? How did others manage this time? Are there other suggestions you post-ops have for me to do now, to make things easier later?

watergirl · 08-01-2004, 06:45 PM

Congratulations Phil on your success. It sounds right to me. Saturday night was my husbands birthday, we all went out for dinner at Outback steak house. I can relate to your experience. I didn't have any bread, but did have about five slices of the blooming onion, unlike before, my husband and I would have finished it off. Half was sent back to the kitchen. Salad, didn't finish it - like in the past. Steak- ate half of it, would have finished it before. Ordered steamed veggies, ate most of them. A huge chocolate cake was delivered, I had only two bites. This was a new eating experience for me. I was not stuffed - it felt good not to feel bad after eating at Outback. I am having a hard time with not drinking water with meals though. I love water, can't get enough water. This will be my challenge this next week.

bridgetgirl · 08-02-2004, 09:32 AM

Right on buddy! I think the fact that you didnt eat everything on your plate was a milestone for you... it was for me I tell ya. Sounds like you are right on track! The feeling of having control is a powerful emotion.. I like having it, and it sounds like you do too! High five to you Phil, Keep on keepin' on ...

Christina · 08-02-2004, 11:06 AM

Phil,

You are so ready for this surgery. You are changing your behaviors early, which is great because then you hopefully won't feel as bad afterwards. This surgery is just a tool, our behaviors and eating habits are what make or break our success with the surgery. That is so wonderful that you have the behavior modification in place early. You will do so much better for it. What an inspiration you are. Thanks for sharing.

Daisymom97 · 08-02-2004, 11:26 AM

I have to give you a HUGE pat on the back! Every step counts no matter how big or small!

chrissie · 08-02-2004, 01:43 PM

Way to go, the "stinking thinking" is hard to get rid of. But then it was hard to not fall back into old habits. But you are soooooooooo ready for the RYN. great job.

Bigbaldbuddie · 08-02-2004, 07:44 PM

Way to go!

If you know yourself, which you should, do what you think will be best..practicing now even though you can eat.

Me I am A-typical. even the Doctors tell me this. I am a light switch, I can turn on and off, but I am also a procastenator, I usually wait til the last minute.

I quit smoking cold turkey the day after my initial consultation with Kelly. The day after I decided I was going to do this. I immediately lost 50 lbs over 4 months from JUST not smoking....A-typical.

When I went back into the hosp two days after being discharged..because of a staple line leak, agian the ER Dr. told me I was A-typical due to my extremely low Hematricate (sp) #'s (14 when normal male #'s are 35-50) they said it was amazing i could walk talk and all that good stuff.

I really did'nt do any pre-exercising or walking, but when I had to walk every two hours, I did. And on the beginning of my 3rd week post-op (last Monday) I got up in the morn and walked 1 mile and have every day since. (light-switch).

But everyone is diff and you should know what you need to do..start now or be baptised in fire.

HapBird · 08-04-2004, 05:56 PM

You guys are great! I really appreciate the positive feedback - was just hoping I wasn't living in some kind of fantasy land leading up to the surgery.

Now, then - how do you respond to those (medical/counseling types) whose line is well, if you don't deal with the emotional reasons for overeating, you run the risk of either defeating the surgery, or at least making yourself completely miserable - and likely to adopt other destructive behaviors - so why not just learn to deal with the emotional problems and skip the surgery? Did any of you get this kind of comment? Maybe I'm dwelling on it too much - only two people have said this, and everyone else I've told have been enormously supportive (about 6 people).

Seems to me the 'deal with the emotional problems' line is on target - just not so convinced that it's a reason to not have the surgery. I KNOW I have to deal with the underlying reasons for overeating - and am starting to do that - and I KNOW there will be days of regret for losing the ability to stuff myself - but I think the surgery will make me physically more likely to be able to cope and become a tool along the way to full self-discovery.

Am I on target? Comments?

Christina · 08-05-2004, 08:53 AM

Phil,

Perhaps Bridget would be the best to answer this question for you but I will try and step in her place while she is on vacation and help you out here.

First of all, there are emotional issues that we all have prior to surgery.. we're all emotional eaters even if we don't like to admit it we are. We do have to work on those issues, however, that is not a reason to not have surgery. I feel for me at least that this tool has helped me to gain a new perspective on a lot of things.. starting with but not limited to food. Food now for me is a way of survival.. it is not something I crave and/or feel I need to feel better about myself or mask any problems. I eat to survive, thats it. I did not have surgery on my head, but I just feel as if the "tool" I had been given has helped me to realize that I can't stuff my face or my sorrows anymore. I have to deal with them now.. and that, my friend, is scary but exciting all at once. You will have to deal with your food issues, and try and not substitute one addiction with another. That is where the support comes in. I have this wonderful circle of friends that I never had prior to surgery. They all look after me and keep me honest, as I do them. We are there for each other and I feel so much stronger because of them. You also have us and we have you so that is one major thing that you have going for you.. something on your side. Now of course I am only 4 1/2 months out.. my honeymoon is coming to a fast end and I can't tell you that doesn't scare the crap out of me either. However, I have developed really good habits and feel that as long as I am open and honest with myself that I will do fine and reach my goal. You will too. There is nothing wrong with going to counseling for your "issues" and I support that 110% before and after surgery. As far as just dealing with the issues and not having the surgery.. I'm sorry but I don't think that would work. Don't get me wrong, you should deal with the issues.. however you have to deal with them... but after you reach a certain weight, it is very difficult to get the weight back off and keep it off.. that is why we are offered this "tool" and for the most part it will keep you honest. Just make sure that when you can, you don't snack your way through it... because it could happen. You can eat your way through the surgery and be miserable again. That is why it is so important to have the support you have here and within the support groups and really be honest with yourself and your peers and if you are having a problem, speak up, don't sit there and wish you had said something after the meeting is over. We're all here for each other. This is not an easy road. There are a lot of new issues that arise after surgery that you never knew would be there or existed before hand. Like Bridget was saying, you can't hide behind your "fat" after surgery, because it isn't there. You are no longer invisible. People notice you and it is scary. You can't deal with things by eating anymore and that is a very harsh reality. I am sorry this is so long and I hope I didn't bore you with details but I can't stress enough how important the support is, so please always stay in touch with us because we need you as much as you need us.

Hope this answered your question.

HapBird · 08-05-2004, 08:53 PM

I appreciate your thorough and thoughtful answer! I guess I kind of know all the stuff you said - but it's good to hear (read!) it from someone else, in their words.

For my psych exam, I was referred to a counsellor who specializes in food disorders, and we had a pretty good first session (she wants me to go back at least once more) but toward the end of it, she left me with this question. I feel like I need some clear-headed arguments in favor of using the surgery as a tool - I gather she's not highly excited about gastric bypass as a method to lose weight. But then, her job is working with people on the issues, and for her, success is a patient who can work through the issues and get the weight off (and I suppose keep it off) through counseling, attendance at Overeaters Anonymous, etc.

I see her again on Monday and am hoping she'll dispense with the long term thing and write me a positive evaluation based on my motivation and commitment to use the surgery as a substantial tool in my recovery from overeating. I agree it is not the total solution, but I don't plan on being talked out of it.

Thanks for your help!!