Breaking pre op diet

It took more willpower than was pretty, but I did not break diet.  I am able to eat real food instead of shakes, but regardless I have been starving all day will a killer headache. Less than 30g carbs a day is not easy.  I thought the worst of the carb cravings went away after 3 days, but I have not had nearly as hard a time since the first day.  Luke wanted to take us out to lunch today but I told him that if we did, then I would almost definitely break diet.  We did not go out to eat. I did not binge before diet or have any food funerals.  Lets make this 3 for 3 and not cheat on my diet.  I am very glad that we dont have any junk food or bread in the house because I may not be able to resist.  Does this fact make me weak?

No, it makes you human.  The hardest part of this whole process for me was the pre-op diet.  You are strong, you can do this, you are doing it right now.  I hope that you experience intense pride in your ability to do this very difficult thing.  I am proud of you.

No, it does not make you weak.  The pre-op diet has been the toughest part of this process for me so far.  My surgery is a week from Monday and every time I want to run out and get something to eat, I keep telling myself, this will all be worth it in the end.  I know that it will be a long time before I can have the things I want (and I'm craving things like ribeye and barbecue!), but I will still be able to have them, just in much, much smaller quantities.  In the meantime, I'm choking down my shakes and bars and looking forward to when I can have soup post-op!

Hang in there...you got this!

not at all weak!  it takes at least 3 days to break the carb cravings, for me it was more like 5.  If you are having trouble and it's allowed, do not shy away from eating some low carb veg to help.  brocoli was a big help to me.  so was homemade coleslaw with artifical sweetener and no oil.  carrots and tomato slice in moderation.  I also liked to have cucumber and radish in vinegar/water with some salt and pepper.

Learning about yourself and your triggers is a HUGE part of this whole thing.

You know what you need to do right now and you're doing it. That's what matters.

I know that at certain times of the month, there can NOT be certain foods in the house (and some are banned forever). I also know that if I'm craving a certain thing (dark chocolate in particular) that if I try to eat something else instead to get past it, it doesn't work, so I keep a bag of small dove dark chocolates hidden in my husband's office.

Know yourself. That's huge. It gets easier and harder as time goes by. HUGS, you're doing great.

I'm going to give you the short course...

Strength of will, will power, discipline are all myths and people who espouse them as the keys to success are full of ****  Yep, I said it.  The whole "Biggest loser" muscle bound *****es on reality TV can kiss my skinny, lily white back side.

That doesn't man that those things don't have a role to play, they do.  They are tools in our arsenal just like the sleeve will be after your surgery.  They aren't the only thing you need though.  They are good for short bursts of support, but you can't rely on them full time.  Thy just don't work that well.

The first lesson is to let go of guilt and shame.  Those two emotions set you up for more failure than McDonalds and Pizza Hut ever will.  (I am not advertising those two, just being hyperbolic).  Most of us are emotional eaters on some level.  The negative emotions start a process in us that makes us want to eat to feel better.  Guilt, Shame, Loneliness, Despair, and Deprivation are the worst.  Right now you are probably feeling some combination of all of those.

The key to your weight loss will be developing a healthy relationship with yourself, and then a healthy relationship with food.  This journey is as much emotional as it is physical.  What the surgery really did with me is to take off the biological pressures to eat so I could work on the emotional ones.  I tell people often that I did not lose weight because I had bariatric surgery.  The surgery was a tool - an important one, but just a tool.

So no, you are not weak.  You will not be perfect before surgery or after.  None of us behave perfectly.  The secret is to recognize that a bad choice is just that - a bad choice.  It does not doom you to failure.  It does not mean that you will regain.  It means you made on ebad choice.  You will learn from each bad choice and develop tools to make better choices the next time.  In the end thats all a bad choice really is, a chance to make a better choice the next time.

Good luck, I'm still at least a month and a half away. My medical approval will hopefully be submitted this week. So I've jumped through all the hoops.

You are definitely not weak!  You are strong to know where to draw the line and shoot for 3 for 3....We're proud of you.  Keep up the great work girlie...it will all be worth it!  (((Hugs!)))

Deb

Not weak at all!  My surgery is the same day as yours and I haven't even started my pre-op diet yet.  I am starting mine on Wed.  and have already planned my meals from here to then.  Nothing extremely bad, just some restaurants that I won't be able to enjoy as much for awhile.  If you were going to my doctor, today would be just another day.  Great for you for sticking to your guns and doing what you're supposed to.  I hope I am that strong when I start mine.

No that was the hardest part.. Just remember it will not be long and then you will be able to eat again. :).. i am 5weeks after surgery doing better everyday.