Do you miss the "ahhhh"? What do you miss most?

Let me explain. As an emotional eater I miss so much that feeling of relief, comfort, and ahhhh from eating an amazing meal. I realize now that I am eating for nutrition and as a way of taking care of my body (which eating was designed for) but I can no longer find that comfort and bliss in eating a well made meal. Of course I am only two weeks out and I know things progressively change but for now this is the number one change that I can say is substantial and what I miss most.

I am a little more than three weeks out, and my first solid (chicken), was at the home of a friend who had made coq au vin.  I found loads of bliss and comfort in that!  I love food.  Love to cook it, read about it and eat it.  I think I can continue, but it will be different.  

I told my friend that I am now much pickier.  I can eat so little, that I want the things I eat to be "worth it".  Of course, not every meal will be fab -- there are plenty of shakes, etc, but with just a little effort, I can make sure my food is fun and interesting.  I still eat out -- I just make very different selections, but frankly if a restaurant doesn't have something really good, I'll suggest to hubby that we just not go.  I started taking a critical look at our favorite restaurants before surgery, determining who had good I could eat post-op.

My first week, on full liquids, we were traveling, so I had many restaurant soups then.  I enjoyed the heck out of them, and was surprised that I could find options everywhere we went (lots of vegan/vegetarian restaurants) and I found wonderful soups that I discreetly poured unflavored protein powder into!

I knew that I loved cooking and food too much to ever be successful in weight loss if I gave it up -- I felt I'd resent what I had given up, and that could lead me down a bad path.

The World According to Eggface, the Bariatric Foodie, and other low carb web sites convinced me that I can continue to cook and enjoy good food!  So far, I haven't "settled".  I don't think I can ever be a "food is fuel" person.  I just have to be very selective about what I cook and eat!

Check out some of the food blogs by bariatric patients and see what you think!  You may not have to give up as much as you think!

I am about one year out and yes, I still miss the relief - the mental and emotional break - that food gives us.  But early out from surgery, I decided that was going to find ways to relax that did not involve food.  I discovered that exercise, baths and walks gave me minimal relief at first, but as I did those three things more consistently, their effects got better and better.  So the more I did them, the more relief I got.   

Down the line, your new tummy's capacity for food will increase, and you'll be able to eat more.  You could opt to once again use food for stress relief, but you could also opt to find a new and different way to relax.  At two weeks out, you're about to enter a phase of WL wherein the cravings for food will be less pronounced.  I invite you to take full advantage of the moment and re-think how you handle stress relief.  Maybe it doesn't have to be food...?

Just my $0.02.  Best to you!

Fiona

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree that I need to find new ways to relax, ironically I am a substance abuse counselor and I spend every day working with clients in trying to help them find new ways of coping, relaxing, and enjoying life without using their drug of choice or transferring their addiction. I am constantly thinking about how closely this matches up with drug addiction. I dont think food addiction gets enough credit. Thanks!

You are sooo right!  I NEVER thought I had a food addiction until I lost about 75 pound on Atkins (couldnt' keep it off though!) -- and one of the many things I learned during that experience, was that I firmly believe now that I had some type of food addiction.  I never binged or purged, but I did hide the fact that I'd eaten things.  I did turn to food for comfort. I dreamed about foods that I could not have.  Then, after I started introducing more carbs and baking again -- I very quickly realized the cravings that carbs triggered sounded very much like what addicts say about their drug of choice.  Foods "called to me".  I craved them.  It was a huge eye-opening experience!

So this time around, with the VSG added to the arsenal, I think I can combine what I learned from that experience and this tool and be successful.  

We face a unique problem in that we can never give up our "drug".  We must still eat and we must still go into grocery stores.  I even told my husband that there may be some days when I just can't go grocery shopping.  He just looked at me funny and said OK.  

I'm so glad to that there are people here with so many varied experiences who are willing to support each other as we try to figure out how to have a healthy relationship with food!

 

It takes about 6 months to really get used to new normals across the board........ (speaking for myself)

I enjoy food more now than ever..... it's about quality over quantity from here on out...... very satisfying.....

We, as Americans have the biggest portions than any other country......quite often by double......and we wonder why were fat.....

I think you will find that probably over 90% of us were at least emotional eaters.....heck... I'd get hungry if the wind blew.....

This meal is about 150cals

I'm thinking....at 2 weeks out your thinking that this looks like an appetizer......I'm seeing it as a full meal deal.....

frisco

 

Looks amazing...what is it? Ravioli? Looks like a two meal deal to me!

It's a salad plate..... and baby broccoli florets......It's all in the scale......

Those are a frozen Won Ton from Costco 100cals. for a few more even...... over a Pomodoro sauce.....

frisco

Hi Frisco,

I was trying to go to your blog or site for I heard you had amazing recipes and so forth. When I went there I found no blog?

Can you pls send me a link? Thanks in advance.

Hugs,

Rita