Husband having VSG on the 20th!

Hi everyone :)  I used to be on these boards a lot.  I have migrated to doing a lot of crossfit and just need a lot more fuel to support my gainz -- positive gym based gains ;)  I'm the strongest that I have ever been in my life.  

I'm back to get any advice from others on how best to support him through this process.  We are going to Tijuana to have the surgery with Dr Ramos Kelly.  I have planned to have my surgery with him until my parents freaked out and convinced me to have the surgery in the states.  I had my plastics in Mexico and had a great experience, so I am comfortable with the medical tourism.  

He is currently going through the pre-op diet.  It is hard - we all remember it.  I'm trying to be as supportive as I can.  If you have any recommendations for things I can do now, while we are in Mexico or after we return that could help him, I am all ears!  

Any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks

Hi Stacy,

Its nice to see you back again.  There aren't too many of us old timers still posting regularly. 

Its great that your husband is planning the surgery and the weight loss process. 

I'm not sure what is the best way to support him, other than expressing your full confidence that he will succeed and stressing that it is hard, but it is worth it.

How has your experience of maintenance been?  I hope you are well.

best wishes,

Carol

Carol,

I think that is great advice.  My husband wants to keep it very secret.  I know he is nervous and is worried about what people will think -- I think we were all there at some point.  

We went out to dinner with some friends tonight.  He is on the beginning of the pre-op diet (for him this allows lean meats and nonstarchy veggies).  He ended up telling our friends about it and I think he was a bit surprised at the level of support they had.  I know a lot of the anxiety is self inflicted. 

Maintenance is a rollercoaster.  I am becoming better and better at intuitive eating.  I still track on and off, but do a lot of tracking at the end of the day to see how things ended up.  I've also been doing better with meal planning over the weekend to make things easy during the week.  I know that I will always have to pay attention to my diet as there is a sugar addict in me that will never go away.  I started crossfit last February and have been working to incorporate more carbs into my diet since then.  It is hard to find the right balance, but impressive the way it affect my ability to build strength.  

How have you been?  How is maintenance treating you?

I'm hanging in there.  I still post here regularly, as I find it a good support, and I get a lot of strength from encouraging others.

Maintenance is a challenge.  Whoever said that WLS is the easy way out hasn't done it!  I've stayed within 10 pounds of goal weight,  and I'm almost always within 3 to 5 pounds of goal. 

My system of maintenance is to eat 4 small meals per day - same size as weight loss mode, and then allow a little room for cheating.  Then if my weight goes over 165, I cut back to 3 meals per day and no cheating until Its back around 162.  But I don't always have the discipline to do this, hence, the higher weights...

I still fight the carb battle daily.  whenever I get back to 162, I'm tempted to give in to carbs - just a little - and a little becomes a lot and a lot becomes an obsession.  And then I've got to cold-turkey it again.  But I do miss the sweets and bread, so I give in occasionally, but at a cost.

Other than weight-wise, life has been a challenge.  I retired about 15 months ago, and I'm working to find fulfilling volunteer work and activities.  I never like transitions, but I know I'll get to a new comfortable place. 

I'm going to Seville, Spain for an immersion program in Spanish this March and April.  So that's a delightful distraction.  About 6 months ago, I decided to study Spanish.  I've never been good at languages and I had free time, and I figured I'd make the effort to finally do it.  I've been studying and practicing hours per day, and I'm making great progress.  I just recently decided to take the plunge and do an immersion program.  It should be an adventure - something I never had the courage to do when I was younger. 

Please keep in touch. I miss the old gang, as people come and go from the forum.  It iis a great help to the newbies to hear from people who have succeeded and moved on

best wishes,

Carol

The immersion program sounds amazing!  I hope you enjoy the heck  out of it :) 

I studied Spanish in school and will get to flex it a bit when we are in tijuana.  my husband doesn't speak any Spanish so he is a bit nervous about that.  

Good job on keeping so tight to maintenance.  I really do think it takes life long vigilance to not go backwards, but it is so worth it.  

Oh yay!!  I'm glad you're doing the immersion program!  I remember that you had mentioned it, but I thought it wasn't going to work out or something.  But that's super exciting.  :D

"It should be an adventure - something I never had the courage to do when I was younger."  -- I feel like this sums up my post-op life.  :D

Hoo-ray for both of us.  Let's take it on and make the most of it.  Life is amazing. 

Carol

I remember when you had started dating, but had no idea you were married. Congratulations!

Thank you :)  I guess it has been a whirlwind couple of years. 

I guess so!

There aren't a lot of men around, so if he has questions from a male perspective, I'd be glad to help him.