---push me forward--

Hi yall...
Surgery NEXT FRIDAY! Woo HOO!

ok, but that's not my problem.. my problem is that i am SUPPOSED to be adhering to 2 protein shakes and a salad every day.. i am doing great for breakfast, at lunch i convince myself that i can have a bite of my kids sandwich (because in my brain I'm saying enjoy this now...because you can never have it again) and by supper... well, i do have my salad.. plus what Ive made for my family! in my defense just a tiny tiny portion.. but still i am supposed to have eliminated it completely!
please tell me this battle with myself is completely normal, and that i will eventually quit obsessing about eating it "now" as opposed to maybe never enjoy it later

Pre op diet is important. If you cheat it makes you crave more. I have been on it for 3 weeks now. Try your best, you can do it.

Never say never. There are post ops here who enjoy a wide variety of foods, even bread. Many of those are in maintenance, so I don't mean to say that you will be eating sandwiches right away.

One of the things that has helped me the most is to change the way I talk about food. Instead of saying " I can't eat this. I can't eat that" I say " I don't eat that. I don't want to pay the freight". 

The last supper mentality makes it much harder, imo, because you are focusing on all the things you 'can't' have instead of the plethora of things you CAN (at least once your doc releases you to solids).

This is pretty normal. You can do this. It's tough now, but after surgery it will be easier.

Yes, it is normal.  I did (and are doing) the same thing.  Be thankful for your pre-op diet.   My was two weeks liquids only and 2 days before surgery clear liquids only.  The pre-op is very important.  It's done to help shrink the liver.  A smaller liver (larger people have larger and fattier livers) carries less risks in surgery.  The surgeon has to move the liver to get to the stomach.  I know quite a few surgeons who will cut you open and if the liver isn't small enough, close you up. 

The enjoy it now cause it'll never happen again itsn't true (BTW I totally get it I'm only 10 days out and feel like crying over what "I'll never have again") but we will have most of it again someday and just in smaller amounts. 

Instead think of the things that you COULD NEVER DO BEFORE, (for me I want to go to an amusment park with my daughter and ride the rides, go canoeing, shop somewhere other than Fashion Bug) and focus on them.  Food is our bodies fuel and when we treat it that way we are one step closer.

Please don't think me preachy.....I tell myself this same thing over and over again all day long. 

 It's hard!!!! I don't now that I could do it again. I certainly don't want to. I just kept telling myself "you've had that before, its not going anywhere, and you can try a taste of it again..... After you've lost the weight" I cheated twice and still feel bad about it. 

 I hope it isn't normal.  You should prepare yourself to be looking forward to new foods.  Out with the old menu and in with the new.  It will benefit your children to have better diets too.  It is a reason to retrain your whole family for their future.  

A lot of us were so tired of knee pain, swollen ankles, insulin shots, ugly photographs,  you name it, that we took the pre diet seriously and an opportunity for help.  

You can do it but you have to focus on why it will be good for you.  
There are good recipes, as good as your old favorites so start experimenting.  

Thanks ladies.. that was a good push... I haven't cheated every day, or every meal or anything extreme.. but my Dr has wanted me on this diet (2 protein shakes and 1 salad-with the exception of 1 day a week i can have meat and veggies for one meal) for 3 months now! I have lost, i do feel good, but i guess reality is just now setting in, and its been loooonnnng and hard!

i KNOW that pigging out on fatty/carby foods is NOT normal, just hoping that the urge to do so is?? 

I have PCOS.. every symptom associated with it.. i have!
I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 
I have 2 year old twins, that i would LOVE to implement an active lifestyle, healthy food choices and just never having to feel out of place at their 5th grade graduation because of their weight.
My husband is significantly over weight--he will benefit from my choices.
My mom is morbidly obese and will have less apprehensions of the surgery and have it herself if I lead a positive path.
With my recent weight gain, I get car sick easily and dizzy if i move too fast.
and i own one style of shirt in 5 different colors, and literally ONE pair of pans from Maurices..

So just like everyone on this journey i have justified reasoning for it, and i feel i have done really well since April...I just needed a different look at it, like yall suggested- stop saying cant, just say dont.. (lol.. reminds me of some of the snooties in my small town that turn their nose up to anything with sugar/carbs/fat in public, but ironically they binge on it at home and run like crazy on the treadmill to burn it off-heard this more than once from people)  anyways, like i have already successfully told myself it doesnt matter what they eat,it matter what I eat.. because I am the one that my family depends on for getting/staying healthy.

Hey Doll, I hear ya as well.  Just remember you have two weeks before you have the surgery.  Enjoy the salads because I am at a month out and craved veggies like there was no tomorrow until I was able to have them again.  Surprisingly my hubby is loosing right along with me and my girls 12 & 9 have turned down going to McDonalds and asked my MIL to take them to subway instead so that they can get salads.  Change their diet to more closely match yours.  You're children will thank you for helping them with their weight when they are older.  They'll also thank you for helping to keep their dad around longer.