DAIRY QUEEN

Not everyone dumps.  The surgery is intended to make our pouches smaller--everything else is just a bonus if it occurs and makes us think twice or refrain from trying somthing.  But the bonuses are not guaranteed.  That's not to say you can never eat a treat again, but choosing wisely is important.  Once every 3 weeks we take my grandson to DQ.  I get a "child" size plain cone from DQ but pledged long ago not to eat more than half of that--so probably about 2 ounces.  It works for me because it's a plan that I've made and not an impulse decision. But this journey is like every other "diet" you've ever been on. If you think you've fallen off, your choices are to stay on the ground and get trampled by the horses, or stand up, mount up and continue on. Stay strong. Ann

I just read this whole thread and it reminds me of one of the great negatives of WLS, it may change your anatomy, but it doesn't change how your mind works.... From people who are "glad that they dump" to others suggesting that they are triggering bad behavior in others by even bringing up the subject of eating ice cream, we are all speaking to disorder thinking about food.   We all have had this surgery in order to make ourselves more healthy....I can't say it enough, its not enough to just have WLS, we all have to continue to get treatment for what got most of us here in the first place....compulsive eating....

People who do not have eating issues just eat the ice cream and forget it...If they blessed with good metabolism then they do nothing out of the ordinary to "make up" for eating it.  Those who worry about their weight make better choices the next time.....People who have eating issues beat themselves up about it....they post of their sin and wait for all the self righttous folks to beat them too.... I am three years out...I have lost and maintained a 250 loss...But I have to work at this every day.  I have to be on top of and constantly aware of my negative food issues or I will find myself on my way back to 480 lbs...My suggestion to all of us is to keep working with dietitians and therapists forever, it is truly one of the most important ways to assure our success...

If I asked my family to do that they laugh there heads off, and it would never happen! No one wants me to go back to my old ways. Since surgery I have a new rule, if I ask for food, don't you dare give it to me. If I can't get off my butt to get it myself then guess what? I don't need it! We have no junk in the house, and as a sugar addict I refuse to eat anything with more than 8 grams of sugar per serving! I still don't have a clue if sugar makes me dump, I haven't tested the waters, but I do dump from too much fats. It happened once and it was so bad that I don't ever want it to happen again!!! Sorry to say, but shame on your husband for buying that for you.

i think you've made some very good points here.  I can totally understand how people develop eating disorders post op. It is scary. My initial thought was that by hoping for the "dump" that being sick would take care of the ice cream is bordering on eating disorder mentality too.

Good luck to all of us. The whole mental aspect of this is much harder than I thought it would be.

judi

On September 10, 2007 at 8:24 PM Pacific Time, Judi J. wrote:

i think you've made some very good points here.  I can totally understand how people develop eating disorders post op. It is scary. My initial thought was that by hoping for the "dump" that being sick would take care of the ice cream is bordering on eating disorder mentality too.

Good luck to all of us. The whole mental aspect of this is much harder than I thought it would be.

judi

Sometimes people use the dumping as a deterrent instead of a getting rid of mechanism. I know I dumped on something that was recommended by my NUT. She said that the corn syrup amount was tiny, and I shouldn't have a problem with it. Well, I did. I did NOT like the feeling, and was not thankful to have dumped. However, I was thankful that I found out early. I know I have to stay away from sugar, and be extremely careful about the corn syrup in the foods I eat. I was thankful that I had such a strong feeling to associate with sugar. I treat sugar like an allergy. I can't have it. It will make me sick, even if I don't ever dump again. See, it will make me gain weight, and become diabetic (strong family history). Treating it like an allergy does make it easier for me to stay away from the sugar, which I have never really been able to control once I start eating it.

I can eat a fair amount of sugar with no ill effects--except one....  When I eat sugar, I want more sugar.  It's that old carb craving trap.  In my opinion, every time you eat sugar, it becomes harder and harder to get back on track because your body starts to crave it.  I noticed myself spiraling down and looking for the next sugar fix.  I don't eat more than 10 or so grams of sugar per serving.  It keeps me honest.

I am almost two years out ( 28th) I have yet tried ice cream ( the sugar kind) there are other alternatives out there that I have found . Bryers Carb Smart Ice cream w/splenda for one thing. I had my surgery and two weeks later was my birthday. The family had the birthday cake.....I had my family ! I was happy with that. And every birthday is the same . They have cake and ice cream and I have the family and maybe some carb smart( usually a spoonful will satisfy me ) . I have not had anything over 9 gm sugar and am afraid if I do. At three months I personally was concentrating on getting in my protein and water. Think of it this way..."ok, I messed up, time to straighten out and not do it again  !" I personally didn't go thru this surgery so I could gain it back again. If I gain I can only blame myself for not changing my eating habits...And not using my "tool" Good Luck  Sandy

Do not beat yourself up over this--what is done is done.
You've discovered that you didnt dump this one time...... BUT not everyone does have the "dumping syndrome"
I can eat sugar one time--and be fine, the next time---I am queasy and VERY sleepy to the point that I must take a nap. I know better. So I watch what I eat. I don't get an entire "ice cream treat" I ask for a bit or two of what someone is having.
In my family, we quite often split a dessert. You get a taste and satisfy that craving---but don't go whole hog on it.
EVERYTHING in moderation. This journey is more of a head battle than a food battle.
But I'd say--avoid DQ--unless they have a NO Sugar added treat.
Good Luck

i only eat no sugar added or sugar free ice cream i sooooooooo dont want to let regular ice cream back into my life, ever. by the way, my son used to work at a dairy queen many years ago, and i think they offered a sugar free or low sugar treat of some kind. maybe they still do. good luck, keep up the good work, jacki

There was a post I read yesterday about chocolate chip cookies........where the poster said that they had eaten just a couple of cookies instead of the whole sleeve.  Other posters to that post said how great it was that they had the control to eat just 2 cookies.........well, I only had the plain ice cream and in a child's size.  A child size cone at DQ has 140 calories.  (I didn't eat a cone with it).  And, as far as the birthday cake.....I had two tiny bites.  Just enough to taste it.  I had this surgery to make a change in my life........I think it has already proven to make a change.  Instead of the large blizzard.......I had a plain child's cup.  I am aware that it is not something that can be done on a regular basis.  I know there are risks to engaging in bad behaviours again.  I fully intend to continue making this work for me.  I appreciate everyone's concerns.  I will keep the expressed thoughts in mind.   Sincerely, Cheryl