NEWBIES/PRE-OPs - This is NOT EASY!

Unfortunately I think you are on an impossible quest. You can only go based on what people have gone through and be ready for the worst. Everyone is different. As you can see from some of these responses some found it very easy and others from posts you read on here have a tough time with the easy stuff. So take it all for what it is worth. Your body can do much more than your brain can handle, just keep that in mind when thing get tough.

Hi Keith , Thanks for this! As a preop still I can say that while I have a great first class surgeon set up in my area he seems to be open to questions but doesn't do a lot of "soft talk" or educating. He talked about the surgery itself, about test results, etc but not about life. That seems to be left up to my Nut (3 visits) and my one time therapist visit. I quickly found that I would need much more. Have planned to see my Nut after and continue with therapist as well. I subscribe to many WLS realists on youtube and OH has been great!

OH how I love this Forum. I don't know why I ever slip away. Thanks for the post Keith. I don't have a local support group so ObesityHelp is mine and has been since my surgery. I sometimes feel like "I have this thing on my own" but realize there's nothing like support from people going through the same issues. I'm currently on re weight loss- your post and the responses are great motivation.

This is one of those times that I like to quote JFK.  "We do things not because they are easy, but because they are haaard." (Got to get his accent in there to make it sound best.)  

Great post. :)

Great post! I remember you from when I was on here with the horrible band! 

Problem here, very poor follow up and support, so good thing there are people like you giving info and advice. 

Its a day surgery,  being a mom of 5 it won't be easy! 

Right now first day of 6 week liquid, already craving :(

i really hope the sleeve will help me help myself this time! 

val 

The sleeve is very different from the band. I am sure you will find it to be much easier once you get past the healing. 

Keith I just met you and this is crazy. But you are awesome. THANK YOU FOR BEING AWESOME!

Thank you for this. I have felt lately like I need to get my head in the game. Up until the week of surgery, I ate perfectly. And then mentally I just got crazy about this decision.  That resolved with surgery but now I think I can have a little bite of this or that..because I haven't been able to eat "normally. In my opinion I need to suck it up. I'm not going to be able to eat "normally". Ever. I have a disease and will have to do without big meals and treats and pizza. And that's ok. Everyone has something in life to struggle with. It's my choice that I have to take care of my body. I have to focus on that. Yes, it means I have to deprive myself of some things-but we need to not be so afraid of depriving ourselves. 

I am not a big fan of deprivation, it leads to stronger cravings. I am also not a big fan of giving in either. So the trick is to find alternatives. There are a ton for pizza that are very satisfying, there are a ton for "treats" that in some cases are more satisfying. You have to find what works for you but yes it is critically important to get your head in the game. What is normal anyway, what used to be normal for you is not normal now what is normal for you now may not be normal for anyone else. 

I still eat the foods i like, I just make them fit into my macros. I do not eat carbs for the most part but I can't say I haven't had a bite of bread or cake or pizza since my surgery, but I haven't eaten a whole pizza or even a whole slice of pizza. But I have taken a bite of pizza to satisfy myself and then eaten the top off the rest of the piece and then the top off another. The trick is to get your protein, nothing else matters. If that is your strategy you will get the rest.

I can tell you that educating myself on nutrition and not just the USRDA or the VSG protocol or any single NUT, but looking at nutrition in general and then how many different people apply their knowledge has helped me a lot to understand nutrition more holistically. There is a reason bodybuilders eat high protein, low fat and high carb. There is a reason that low carb high fat diets work. There is a time and place for certain but not all carbohydrates.

Great post, for me hard & easy is a state of mind, being educated & having realistic expectations is a must. I'm a newbie and a pre-op. I'm having vsg surgery on April 25 and I never thought of what I have to do as being hard or easy, just as something that I have to do., like now I'm doing the liquid pre-op b4 surgery, I don't see it as hard or easy just doing what I have to do, probably people should get terms of easy or hard out of their head and just know this is a change for life, no going back to their old ways not unless they want their old body too., and some protein shakes leave a lot to be desired but some really aren't all that bad. I think having a good bariatric program to deal with everything pre and post op are keys to making wls a success but sadly not everyone gets those kinds of programs, that's probably why there are so many "cheeseburger" kind of posts. Thanks for the info!