Coping Mechanisms

OK, so now that I've bothered everyone with piddly stuff, I have a serious question. I know from personal experience that I use food as a coping mechanism for my emotions.  Being a life-long WW, it's the old HALT: hungry, angry, lonley, tired... Since you have been sleeved, what do you now do to cope with the stressors of life?  I would like some ideas before I progress to surgery... 

Rach welcome girl!  and congratulations on your decision!!   i just came in here to say this is an entire hour long oprah show (the transferrence of addiction from food to something else now that food has been removed as the temptation)  dang, that's a long _ _ _ sentence.   you are going to hafta transfer the outlet and before dealing with the physical and emotional ramifications i wish i'd talked about this some more on the boards but since you've got the benefit of all us big mouths :))) my 2 cents:  start now, when you can choose where to transfer, make exercise the thing you do when you're angry, lonely, tired, etc.  (i didn't include hunger cuz when you're hungry you'll still eat, you're just gonna stop at 4 oz of stuff whether you wanna or not)  my personal coping mechanism is screaming like a damn banshee at the top of my lungs, i'm south african so somma those sounds actually get pretty interesting <--- this works well in any setting and you only need to muffle if you're in public. i'm not kidding but the idea is if you didn't do it before, you're not any more likely to turn to it now.   wait, i'm amending:  i shop more now, i sashay more now, i get more hateration kinda looks now - and the weirdamundo part would be that i always look behind me to see who's inspiring that mess.  you'll get used to the food adjustments, but whatever you decide to do instead (and it is a decision) choose it now.

I have not been sleeved yet, but I plan to go on the "rant and rave" forum to vent when I need another outlet for my frustration instead of food. I plan to be the biggest pain in the ass, offering unsolicited advice about topics I know nothing about, and generally making a big pest out of myself. I assume, sooner or later I will be banned from the boards due to complaints from other members, but it won't bother me, I will just change my ID, and come back to annoy others. Feel free to use this coping mechanism, or with your own modifications, if it will help. Good luck, Khepera, Fred

Is there really a rant and rave forum??? If so I think we should all visit it at least once a week just for good measure! BTW... I loved your reply Fred. You sound like my kinda guy. Mary

Yep, there really is a "rant and rave" forum, and I go there every once in a while just to read the posts and their replies. It's a real hoot, and some of the posts lift my spirits by making my problems seem very petty.  Other posts make me think, for a change, instead of just assuming. And some of the posts tickle the hell out of me.  Some posters are very clever in their choice of words, cynical, tactful, or just let it all hang out. I suggest you give it a lookover, if you don't like it you don't have to go back. Fred

This is definitely something you should think about!  This is why I was not sorry to be delayed for 9 months by Kaiser, because they insist you take an 8 week class to go over some of this stuff.  I don't know how soon you expect to have your surgery, but use the intervening time to log your eating habits, figure out what your triggers are, and then identify options to counter those triggers when they hit you after surgery (and try to put some of them into play NOW, so you can fine-tune them).  If you eat when you're angry, maybe you could work off the stress by taking a brisk walk, or beating up a punching bag?  If you eat when you're lonely, find ways to occupy yourself, like writing a journal or calling a friend.   If you eat when you're sad, maybe go see a funny movie.  What will you say to yourself when you want to eat and shouldn't?  How will you talk yourself out of it?  Can you remind yourself why you had the surgery, and that the food "solution" to your problem was killing you?  Can you picture the benefits of staying away from food at this time, like envision yourself wearing that size 8 dress again, or going on a roller coaster with your kids again?    Have scripts and motivators prepared for yourself for these times. It's good you're preparing yourself mentally for the journey and that you know it's not always going to be easy even after surgery.   According to the teachers in my class, those who start with these things tend to have better success than those who just reckon the surgery will magically solve all their problems. 

I write in a journal and I exercise.  I chase my kids, play on the computer and most important, I nap whenever possible. Bethany

I'm an RN and soon (hopefully) will be an NP - psychiatric, that is - in August.  So stress has been my constant companion for the past 7 years!  I also fell off my bicycle in November, fracturing my right lower leg in four places.  I was flat on the couch until February, when I was allowed to learn to walk again.  I'm still hobbling, 30lbs heavier than when I started, and have terrific pain and swelling in my ankle (the site of 2 of the fractures).  It's from my education that I know I need to find new coping mechanisms.  Thank you for helping me identify alternatives!

When I feel stressed I take a looong hot bath, and bring a magazine in there with me lol. I also put headphones on and exercise, exercise, exercise..