Christina..

Well..did you go to the meeting tonight at Clarion? I was going to ask at the meeting if you were there but I forgot! If you didn't come, you missed a great meeting. It was about mindless and emotional eating..a timely topic for me that is for sure!

Did they share any helpful information on the topic?

I thought so! Ruthann talked some about it but also asked people in the audience (it was a large group of people!) what they do. I heard some of the oldie but goodie tips..wise but for some reason we just don't do it..like getting your "arsena"l prepared stock up on helathy choices so you won't go crazy on junk food..or make bad choices. Stuff like the TVP..texturized vegetable protein ..in nugget form..crunchy..VERY crunchy..but tastes like NOTHING..but that's okay..it's full of protein and it's tasteless..could be very good for the cruncholic (ME!)

Writing out your feelings was another suggestion...one kind of touched on a little but worth bringing up again is getting physical..walk..get away if you can...jump on the treadmill..work up a sweat..doesn't have to be a real ong time..just enough to break a sweat and release endorphins..make yourself feel better..more calm..exercise does that..releases seratonin (feel good chemical in body)

Drink water..that will hopefully fill you up. Also don't ever buy those 100 calorie snack packs says Ruthann..just setting yourself up for failure..kind of like..you can't ever eat just one potato chip. She also talked about avoiding foods that list sugar alcohol on the food labels..sugar alcohol..is deadly to me..feels like it anyway! I dump like crazy on sugar alcohols.

Ruthann talked about how a person seems to  "suddenly" being able to tolerate sugar. It is not sudden..she says..it starts first of all with that part of the intestine that has been rerouted..that intestine has never been exposed to sugar..doesn't know how to handle it..it is what makes a person dump..as long as you follow the program..doing what you're supposed to do.

The way it happens when a person discovers they don't dump.is that the person maybe unknowingly maybe not..exposed that part of the intestine to tiny bits of sugar over time..it could be weeks , months even...but what they are doing is conditioning that part of the intestine to tolerate sugar..building that tolerance. That was fasinating to me. I honestly do not recall ANYONE every saying that before..but it makes sense. I wish and myabe they do now..that  you want to avoid doing that at all costs especially as you start out after having had the surgery.

I think that was pretty much the jist of the meeting..it was productive and I went away happy that I learned a few new things. A very productive and positive meeting all the way round. I'm glad I went.

Great Information, Thanks shanna

Thank you for that info. I have been wanting to come to a meeting, never been before, but just can't seem to get my schedule to work out. I hope I get to go to one soon!

Kathleen, It was really great to meet you last night.  I'm sorry I didn't talk to you more, but I'd had a ferocious headache all afternoon and evening.  I almost didn't go to the meeting, but I hadn't been able to make any of last month's meetings, so I really wanted to go. You did a great job on the synopsis.  I think you covered all the important points.  I look forward to getting to talk to you again soon. BTW, there is an easy way to step up the flavor of the TVP chunks:  Spray them with cooking spray & sprinkle them with seasoning (i.e. seasoning salt, italian seasoning mix, garlic & onion powder, etc.).   Bake at 325 degrees for 6 minutes and let cool.  They make excellent croutons for salads & soups or just tasty crunchy munchies.