Ok Gang! I am getting ready for this surgery soon and I am getting a lot of advice telling me to "Make Peace With Food". Lord knows I'm ready for the change and I am beginning those changes now, but does anyone have any advice on how to do this?

I think that only you can decide that. I found myself mourning the loss of food as my comforter and friend after surgery. I had to severe the chains that kept me in bondage to food. If you do that before surgery, you're doing good. How do you do it? Identify what it is that holds you captive to food. For me it was wanting to hide behind my wall of fat to keep guys from hitting on me. I am dealing with a lot of being hit on again and I deal with it different now. I don't run to food to hide my feelings. Food doesn't comfort me, it feeds me. I don't live to eat, I eat to live.  It may be difficult to make many changes pre-op because you can still eat a lot. When food is literally taken from you as your source of comfort post-op, you do some serious soul-searching. You work on your mind and your way of thinking because that's what's going to get you through the extremely difficult first several weeks. You do, however, get through it. Does your surgery program have a built-in (for lack of a better word) social worker/psychologist? Mine does. Every chance you get, talk to them about your relationship with food, pre- and post-op! Go to support group. Ask questions. You need to get stuff OUT! A lot of times pre-op, I would not want people to discuss my being fat and I would hide my "problem" of being fat. I would eat in secret or pop a bag of popcorn and down it with a liter of soda and chase that with cookies. My advice is when you have triggers happen (little moments that you don't know why but you just want to eat or graze) talk it out or write about it. Writing or talking about it is amazingly helpful. Well, good luck. We're always here for you at OH, if you want to keep asking those questions! Enjoy the journey, PoeticOne! Jen 

WOW JEN! That is so true!! You really said some things to make me think. I appreciate the feedback! (Pardon my word choice there) LOL! Thanks again and God Bless! Eric

 Well first advice...don't hide under a chair...ha ha..Honestly..food will be more in your face than you every realized once you have the surgery..subliminally and otherwise..Gosh I discovered just in TV commercials alone that several of my favorite eating places has new dishes that I didn't get to try before surgery..I am being very honest with you..food can no longer be a first in your life..you may laugh and say  "it's not true..my family, my job etc always came first before food." But look inside yourself and see where food has played a part of your life..most of us "foodies" used food not for nourishment but for some other need. I surrounded myself with food..but I didn't eat every waking minute as many people who are not overweight seem to think we do. But my choices and amounts were off the wall...So I have found that I watch less of the "Food Channel." I busy myself with other activiities that don't surround food. Plan trips, shopping, movies..food to me is what I need to loose the weight and my surgery is the tool to help me. Find things right off the bat that satisfy what goes in your mouth..I'll explain..Like fruit..get sugarfree popcycles..they have tropical ones..like soups..find soups that are savory and have good flavors..eat slow...savor the food in your mouth..you can't gulp..we FOODIES eat way too fast..train others that you had surgery but you still have a mind and feelings..don't shun them embrace those that support you and continue going to outtings but bring your food with you or eat before..choices..go out and order soup...even if it's the first 8 weeks..don't hide at home because it will bore you and boredum will lead to cheating then your off the wagon..this is a life long disease with a commitment..our sabotage is our own..Good luck..God Bless...Linda

You're right Linda! I know me and If I stay in the house, I will eat everything in it just because I am home and miserable. My fiance does help with that a lot though. She keeps me going now, So I know she won't let me sit in the house too long. Thanks again for the support! Eric

I just had a realization regarding this very same subject...go to my profile and read the last entry if you'd like. Maybe if you see what I've been dealing with, it will help you. I'm a preop BTW...

You're right!! Reading your entry did help! I have done the same thing over the years and I find myself having to shy away from those "food" friends. They will kill you! hahaha Thank you so much! Eric