The months before Opti

Was hopin someone could fill me in on their eating habits before you started Opti.

Honestly, did you start dieting before the surgery. If so, what worked for you?

If you didn't , so you think you should have? Or did you find the transition to opti was okay?

I have some self awareness this week when logging my food ... I am a sugar addict. once I start eating it I can't stop until its all gone. The entire tub of ice cream, then box of vachon cakes, the cookies.. Anything of those sugary treats.

Gonna have to start cutting that crap out now..

I would like this advice also. I have cut out caffeine and pop. But have the same questions as Mandalious

Thanks

Me too! I'm so bad that even if there isn't sugar in the house, I'll go out and get some when I feel the craving. My sugar craving is all in my head I think, I use carbs/sugar to numb out from anything from anxiety to boredom. I asked my doctor what I should be doing now food-wise before surgery and he said basically try and stick to lots of fresh veggies, lean protein, fruit that's in season and try to stay away from carbs that come from wheat - pastas, breads, cookies, pastry, etc. He also said try to cut out dairy aside from healthy yogurt (not the sugar loaded kind) or milk/cream if you take it in your coffee. Also don't go overboard on dips and sauces. It's hard, but I know it's do-able as last year I lost 70lbs just eating green veg and chicken. As soon as I fell off the wagon the weight piled back on like a good thing, but it worked when I had my head in the game. What I was doing wasn't realistic long-term (I ate chicken and spinach and nothing else) but I definitely felt way better. So I guess more than anything the advice is not to "diet" just try and eat proper portions (eat on dessert plates to start, to keep your portions smaller) and get lots of veggies and protein in, and really stick it out when you're kicking the sugar habit. So far I haven't been able to get through the two weeks it takes my body (so it seems) to fully unload all the sugar in my system and stop craving it. Last year when I did it it was like having the flu/the worst pms ever. I was murderous most of the time, haha ;) I couldn't even watch tv because of food commercials. But it's the same with Opti, you just have to look at the long run and the benefits and push through. I think if we can get off sugar before Opti and surgery, we're ahead of the game! 

Hi, Not that I really have the right to comment, since I'm pre-op myself, but I will anyway. I too have been reflecting on change, the fear that comes with it, the loss of food, what I associate that with...fun, happiness, friends, family, and on and on....

I've done every diet known to mankind, including being banded about 10 yrs ago. I always had short term success, but slowly the weight always crept back. So, this time around I have been approaching the whole process from a different angle. I'm thinking about what I"m thinking about instead of what I'm eating. Simple yes, perhaps we've all been working so hard on the food choices, being "bad" that we continually avoid addressing our minds. And the continued "bad" results in poor self esteem which results in negative outcomes.

I recall when I started to prepare to quit smoking cigarettes ( 18 yrs ago) I thought about it for a year prior to actually stopping smoking. In retrospect that year was also a part of my quitting process, so I guess I've quite for 19 years! I thought about it, put myself in others shoes, stopped smoking on my front porch because I didn't want my neighbours to see me smoking, wouldn't take a drag at a stoplight because I didn't want the person beside me to see me smoking...basically I was putting myself into the roll of a non smoker...and it worked, I have no desire to ever be a smoker again.

I am now able to see the parallels between the two and am applying the same principles to my focus on healthy weight, not referring to this as a "diet" but as a lifestyle change that will result in only positive changes for me. Even writing this missive is part of it, being part of this group, reading your stories, tips, successes, lapses is part of it.

Now I'm making little changes such as having tortilla chips with salsa instead of nacho dip....ultimately I realize the chips need to go. Another example Thursday I had to take my son to summer school, didn't get up in time for breakfast, usually this would result in a muffin or a few cookies at timmies, instead I grabbed a protein drink on my way out the door (and I was so proud of myself) still got a coffee but didn't order cookies or muffin to go with it.

Yesterday I bought 4 maxi dresses at penningtons size 1x (I cannot resist a great sale) planning for what I will wear as I shrink in size without having to buy a new wardrobe each step of the way...I can add a sweater, some funky tights/shoes this fall winter and I'm good to go. Hard to imagine that even they will be too big one day...but hey, I'll take it!

I hope I've given the two of you something to ponder. Thank you for sparking another very interesting thread.

Terri

Good advice! Starting small, making small changes that turn in to habit, and getting the emotional/mental side of eating addressed is probably the best place to start. I am always the one to try and change everything in one fell swoop, then I fall off the wagon and beat myself up (and therefore eat more) but a more realistic approach is to take small steps - like having a protein drink for breakfast rather than a muffin. Salsa instead of nacho dip. Then you have a better shot at those changes becoming part of your routine, part of the habit of eating. 

Can't wait until I am in a 1x - I just tried on a pair of capri's I bought last summer that are a 26 and they don't fit. OMG. I'm not beating myself up though, I'm just going for a walk! You can definitely make maxi dresses work throughout the seasons, and as you lose weight. They will be too big one day, just wait! 

Please keep in mind not to purchase too many pieces of clothing.  I bought stuff that I did not even wear. I think every week I went down in size...  (and I know that is not possible - but that is how it felt. lol) 

 

I did not change my eating habits before Opti, but I am the type of person that can do the cold turkey thing. I definitely did the "last supper" thing too. 

I would suggest that if sugar is going to be your enemy, arm yourself and start cutting it out a little bit every day. The only times I really crave sugar right now is when mother nature stops by (yes, I am the stereotypical women when it comes to that time of the month). 

And if your really craving it, the other tip I might suggest is buy a box of the baker's chocolate, and when the craving attacks, cut off a small piece and let it melt in your mouth slowly, I found that worked for me. But of course once you start opti you cannot do that. I hope this helps, and perhaps others will chime in and give you lovely ladies some more tips! 

~Lisa

Thanks for the comments... 

I am gonna start eating cleaner.. 

Mother Nature is visiting this week and I had an emotional week on top of it, so I think the sugar addiction went into over drive.

looks like I need to start looking at kicking simple carbs out of my life and limiting my complex carbs.

Need to start living my life aware that I have an healthy addiction to sugar and simple carbs.. Gulp..

gonna be an interesting comple of weeks of detoxing.

need to

do it know before opti when I have selection of foods to eat. Cold turkey and me have t always been best

I cut out caffeine and soda about 6 months before and started writing down everything I ate. I started making really big changes and began to lose weight. However, as that Opti date approached, I definitely had about a week or so of food funerals and totally pigged out on the things I was saying "good-bye" to and thought I would miss.

I was so glad I'd stuck to the caffeine and soda thing because, man, the first couple of days of Opti were tough. I'm sure it was because I was in withdrawl from sugar addiction!!

Make as many healthy changes as you can before you begin. It'll just make it that much easier for you!

Best of luck,

Anita

Hi, after my orientation i stopped drinking my diet pop, shortly after that i stopped drinking coffee. And 2 weeks before opti i started to cut back on my carbs. I didnt want the headaches and carb withdrawals once i started my opti.. And i had NO headaches and no problems during my 2 weeks of opti..I just started cutting things out a little at a times in the months before surgery, and for me it really helped i think....Good luck Krista..