It seems there are 2 trains of thought about life with VSG- Deep Thoughts?

I'm in the "I need to eat to fuel my body not my mind" camp, and know that once I ramp up my activity, carbs will be a part of my life. Other than a week long attempt, I've never done lo-carb but have had successful dieting attempts without it. I lost 85 lbs before surgery eating a well rounded diet with carbs every day - bread, pasta, chocolate, etc.

I hope to learn moderation with junk food - I know I will need to avoid triggers, but I do not plan on making a list of "nevers". Guilt over eating anything is a thing of the past.

Even if I could eat those foods without eating too much and without gaining weight, I wouldn't because they aren't healthy (and that is my educated opinion as a nutritionist reading countless studies about how foods effect our bodies.. but again just my opinion and other people interpret data differently).

I didn't have surgery just so I could be skinny and cute.. I had it because I wanted to be healthy and energetic and extend my life.. those other things are just bonuses. I also had it because I am not "normal" with food.. no matter how much I'd like to be. If I were I wouldn't have needed surgery.

There is a reason why VSG folks call those slider foods and many members come back here with weight regain because of them. There's a reason why you don't (usually) see people binging on broccoli and brussell sprouts.

Although there are some who can eat small amounts without going overboard (and SOME actually still manage to lose weight, perhaps more slowly), not many seem to be able to do that. I overhauled my diet long ago for my health, to deal with my addiction to food, and to avoid gaining even MORE weight.

However I had a huge problem with volume so I could never lose at any reasonable pace because of that, no matter how healthy I ate. I think you'll find that the folks who can eat what ever they want are in the minority, and those that can are usually the ones that had less to lose (not the heavy weights in other words).

Of course there are foods that I would "love" to eat, but I had to change my priorities, for my health, my weight, my goals and all the things I gain with being smaller and healthier. So while there are foods I "love", what I love even more is being able to go hiking, to spend a day in an amusement park without fatigue, to dance, to wear smaller sizes, etc.

Unfortunately for my body type, having all those things and eating cake are mutually exclusive. You may find this is the case for you, you may not. I think the best way to deal with this situation is to eat really strictly until you get to goal.. just get that goal out of the way, then see what you can manage once you get to maintenance.

I also find that I can make low carb versions of treats. So you know once I get to maintenance I full intend to have some of my home-made sugar free cheesecake once in a while, a little full fat cheese, etc. I've been low carb for so long I know how to make a low carb version of just about anything you can list, including, bread, donuts, cake, cookies and pizza! And the low carb versions are GREAT.. so I don't have to compromise my health for a treat or even wake up the sleeping carb monster inside of me.

P.S. Totally DITTO what Brandilynn says.. we are much alike in that respect.

When I started with the shrink shortly after surgery he asked the question, Are you going to continue to eat what you've been eating..just less or are you going to change your life? Changing my entire outlook on food was the most important decision I made.

I have eaten crap all of my adult life except during "dieting" plans. And one problem was that I think I missed the "hunger and full gene" both before surgery and still after. I have never in my life been hungry and, even after surgery, have never felt full as I imagine it to be. That means that I could eat huge amounts...and did. I ate for one reason...I liked the taste. Some foods aren't the trigger...all foods that taste good are a trigger for me.

So I have been Uber--Hyper---Extremely vigilante in eating nothing like the pizza, fast food, ice creams, cake, mac&cheese, pasta, rice, bread, crackers, etc.  With still 100 lbs to go, I can't afford to even give them a try. I'm trying to make food a non event in the day. It's just fuel.
Maybe in maintenance someday??? but I'm not sure about that even...I've never successfully maintained a weight loss. I won't/can't screw it up this time. I'll need allot of advise and help when that time rolls around.

So I guess I'm in camp 1. It's working for me.

Some foods aren't the trigger...all foods that taste good are a trigger for me.

 

This is totally how it is for me.. just about anything that tastes good I will want to overeat on, even healthy foods.  But even more so with slider foods.  I also find it helps me to have the mindset that food is just fuel.  I had to stop having a love affair with food and start having a love affair with my results for doing so.  I'm much happier with where I am with this mindset!

I came to this surgery after I had tried every diet in the known universe.  I had lost, gained and lost again 100's of lbs. in my life.  No matter what I tried I always ended up regaining my weight.  By my late 30's I had given up.  It just took too much energy to try this crazy roller coaster even one more time.  Yes, I was sad and even depressed about it, my knees hurt and I was pre-diabetic but I saw no hope of losing this weight and keeping it off.  When I found out about this surgery and did all of the necessary research and found my doctor I began to believe that maybe, just maybe there was a REAL and permanent solution to my weight and my heartache.  I decided before surgery that I was going to do whatever it took, 100% on board, total compliance in order to give my self a true chance at a better life.  I followed my doctor's directions as fully and completely as possible and I surrendered my judgment for his experience.  My good judgment had not gotten me the results I wanted, hopefully his experience would get me there.  He asked me to follow a very strict program and I did.  I have been successful way above my dreams.  I am daily moved beyond words for what this surgery and my doctor's plan has done for me.  In truth, my life is better on every single level since having this surgery.  Maybe because of this success I don't see myself as depriving myself of anything.  I am ecstatic to have had this opportunity to transform my life.  To me, eating on program is a great gift that I give myself everyday.  It is a way that I show myself that I am worth it, I matter and will not risk my health or my happiness for some piece of pizza or cake. 

Now this does not mean that I never allow myself to have a treat, I do have treats and I have them more often then people think.  However, there is a big difference between having a treat and eating these foods on a regular basis.  I eat on program about 90% of the time and allow the other 10% of treats. 

I know from experience that certain foods trigger me to overeat and to crave more food.  If I chose to eat these foods, it is not just the calories in the food I eat, but the future calories that these foods will trigger me to eat that must be counted.  I have learned to avoid that which causes me to lose my carefully build sense of control and comfort with food. 

Now that I am two years out, I find that I eat intuitively quite well.  I almost always chose the healthier option and really enjoy it.  I now eat more veggies and fats then I did early out and my calories are around 1200-1600 a day.  That is what a normal woman my size would eat.

We all come to the decision to have WLS through different experiences and we all have different bodies, programs and definitions of success.  I am a big believer in doing what works for you and living to your own set of expectations.  If you can eat everything in moderation and meet your goals then that is what you should do.  I can't do that.  I can eat about 1.5 cups of food at a time and I can eat junk without any problem and I can drink my calories and I can graze all day long.  In other words, I am more then capable of totally screwing myself even after the VSG and regaining every single pound. It is only my awareness of this fact that keeps me from doing it.  All I have to do is buy into the myth that I am just like every other person (that never had to lose 100 lbs. and have WLS) and I am well on my way to regain.  That is my truth and that is who I am.

"All I have to do is buy into the myth that I am just like every other person (that never had to lose 100 lbs. and have WLS) and I am well on my way to regain."

THIS!!!
Not speaking for anyone else, even though I think we all share more than one common denominator that got us to this point.. I AM NOT A NORMAL PERSON. I will never be able to just eat a "normal American varied diet" without conscious thought and not suffer the consequences. Sorry. If I was normal, I wouldn't have needed this sort of intervention on my body, my hormones and my head.

 
I'm gonna say this first and foremost. People including myself try to over think this thing.....I'm gonna put it down VERY SIMPLE !!!!

LOSE THE WEIGHT FIRST !!!!!

LEARN WHILE LOSING THE WEIGHT

AFTER YOU LOSE THE WEIGHT IS WHEN YOU CAN TEST TOLERANCES AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR GONNA MAINTAIN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE !!!!

Sorry for the ALL CAPS....I really think people lose site of the situation and priorities.

The first priority is not how your gonna fit cake and Doritos back in your diet..... sorry .....we are so grossly overweight that we needed medical/surgical intervention....if you need to eat nails for a year....that's what ya gotta do....

Yah read all the time about people who thought they knew better and never lost the weight.

Fire away !!!

frisco

Frisco, I am in love....
With the simple truth you put out there.
It took me a full page to say what you said, I should have just waited for your response and wrote"Ditto".  :)

Frisco,

not only do you do great food porn but you are oh so wise

Sometimes the truth hurts...but it's still the truth none the less!

Laura