Sugar crash - LONG

It's a bit like that melancholy feeling you get after you eat a lot of sugar.....that  crash that makes you tired and a little depressed :(

My son's a model and doing fairly well. He had his big Annual Showcase Gala Event on the weekend. It was basically months of preparation; photo sessions, fittings, workouts, auditions, casting calls, fittings, rehearsals, more fittings, hair appointments, more photos....you get the idea.

I spent about 5 months preparing for the event and then spent most of Saturday night running back and forth between the main hall and backstage with his garment bags, making sure *HE* ate and wondering where some of the girls' internal organs could possibly be hiding and trying not to get caught by the camera- and there were millions of cameras!!!

I didn't end up eating at all but had a glass of white wine - which went STRAIGHT to my head!!! I could feel my lips go numb and my cheeks flush about 2 minutes after started drinking it....I had to go outside for some air.
On Sunday he had "Go See" sessions with agencies from Japan, L.A., and New York....interview after interview...my face hurts from smiling. I am naturally an introvert so I just can't imagine how he does it!!!

Needless to say....today is kind of a blah day. I hoped that getting a really good workout in this morning would bring up my spirits a bit, but not really. I didn't even go outside on my lunch. I had no desire to talk to anyone....just sat here and googled stuff :p

So...a couple fo things. The whole night on Saturday, amidst the limos, gowns, glitter and camera flashes,  I just kept thinking...this is the last year I am going to be afraid of the camera. Next year I wont be afraid to stand next to a model....or my own son!!  Next year, I wont embarass my son by being....fat. (he has NEVER EVER said anything of the sort btw...just my own internal monologue)

And the behaviourist at the hospital told me that some people get depressed after surgery and I thought...WHAT??? Waited so long for it how could they possibly be depressed afterwards???
But today I think I could totally understand how someone could get a bit down-the endorphin rush for the last few months of prep and now that its over its kind of like...well, what do I do now?

Anyone else feel that-either for surgery or something else?
And how did you/do you deal with it?

Maybe its just the exhaustion talking!! ;)

While i haven't been depressed (post surgery, i found that my mood is awesome!!!) i can see how some people can get depressed.

There are some people who have unrealistic expectations. "When i'm thin, my life will be perfect". They kind of forget to think about all the things that won't change.

Yes, you'll have more energy, feel better physically, and you'll look better, but there are so many things that will not change.

Your husband will still be an idiot (and you may end your relationship, putting you into a depression) 

You'll still have your bills to pay, you'll still have to deal with that ***** in the office who uses your paperclips, your sister will still say things about the way you're raising your children, etc.

You may not reach your goal, or reach it as quickly as you had hoped.

So, yes, there are so many wonderful things that will happen, but there's also a lot of room for disappointment.

I think that a lot of us have had unrealistic expectations during past weight loss attempts, which cause us to fail. "I had a piece of chocolate, there goes that diet, may as well quit". Kind of "all or nothing thinking". That same thing applies here. You see it in those "omg i cheated on my optifast" posts. We've got to get rid of that thinking, and realize that we're human, and we need to do really well most of the time, and not beat ourselves up if we don't reach those unrealistic expectations we have of ourselves.

My suggestion is to make your expectations realistic. Realize that your life will still not be perfect, no matter what size of jeans is covering your butt.

hahahaha - Monica, my husband is still an idiot!

sigh.. i was just hoping that maybe that was one part of the "magical thinking" that would actually become true. So, no hope, eh?

 omg...the ***** in the office!!!!! Thanks I needed that!

Hi Jennifer.  My daughter was also a model, and I was always self-conscious and embarrassed in that world. 

I'm still in the honeymoon stage after surgery where I'm blissfully happy.  But I know the crash will come (I'm bipolar, so it WILL come - just a matter of when - lol). 

I've already had some moments where my progress seems like nothing.  Standing beside my size 0 daughter I still feel enormous.  And there have been other moments where I think "so I've had the surgery and feel great, but X still sucks, and Y bites - what gives?"

How do I deal with it?  rational self-talk.  focus on the good.  put my energies into something else (I'm super busy with lots of hobbies and projects on the go, so no possibility of getting bored).

When my daughter was modelling I put a lot of my own time and effort into it.  These days my kids are older and more self-reliant and I concentrate way more on myself.  I know your kids are still younger, but you might want to spend more time nurturing yourself at least during the first few months after surgery.

 

Thanks Lisa,
I plan on doing exactly that...but as you said, my kids are still younger but I am really trying to get into the "take care of myself first" way of thinking prior to surgery.

That is a very hard habit to break. Nothing makes you feel quite as miserable as mom guilt ;)

Try being a Mom AND Catholic!!  LOL

Jennifer,

It's always good to be aware of all the possibilities (well said by the way, Monica).  That being said, I'm probably a happier person overall now and hope you will be too!

Depression is very common after surgery, especially for those of us who have a history of depressive illness.  I'm going through it right now (7 weeks out).  It is not necessarily the result of unrealistic expectations or anything like that; I'm actually very happy with the results so far and have very realistic expectations.  It has to do with the rapid burning of fat and the associated change in hormonal balance (especially for women) and, possibly, with the decreased absorption of anti-depressant medication.  I hope things balance out for you soon.  Good luck!