Tell me again that it's get easier

 I read it here all of the time that it's going to get easier but right now I really miss my old friend food. I miss eating dinner as a family and going out for ice cream on the weekends. The fourth was really hard with all of the barbequeing and today my family went out to eat for the first time without me. I didn't realize how strong these food issues were for me until after this surgery. I set up an appointment with a therapist and start on Thursday but for now I just want to sit and cry.

Good idea to talk with a therapist.  You may want to cry as a substitute for eating....since you can't push the emotions down with food.  Just mulling the idea...  At least the emotion is getting out and not festering.  Good luck with the appointment.

 I still feel like that sometimes but I'm finding ways around it. I made a nice crockpot pork roast that I'll have lots of leftovers and I even had a tiny bit of pizza today. You will also be able to go out for italian ice or sugar free frozen yogurt. I still have the hardest time with big family dinners and shopping in the supermarket. I miss so many foods but it is getting better everyday.

I totally get what you are saying and I am only 4 days post op. Before surgery I never watched any of those cooking shows on the TV, now it's all I watch (and I HATE TV). I actually feel mad when my family is eating their meals right now. My husband has two slices of pizza for lunch yesterday and I just fumed!! Lol.

My future plan is to participate in the ice cream eating and the bbqing but in a healthy manner...to strike a balance. The thing is is that I need to learn that balance from the ground up. So I attend bariatric support groups and I see a counselor to help me transition. This is going to take a lot of work or else we will revert to our old ways in no time. I sincerely believe that we will get over this bump. It's kind of like mourning a loss but we will be gaining SO much! Good luck to you!

I so know what you mean! I too have been watching cooking shows on tv like crazy and researching online bariatric recipes preparing for the end of my liquid phase on Tuesday. I am worried I am far too excited about eating again. I need to learn how to strike that balance as well. I know there has got to be a reason I have put myself in this situation to have had to have surgery but I just don't know what it is. I have seen a therapist for over three years to deal with other issues in my life and while we have discussed my weight and decision to have surgery, I don't think the discussion is anywhere near done.

I promise it gets easier.

Here is a good idea for you to try. Whatever stage you are on you can ALWAYS talk to the restaraunt you are at to get a small serving of cottage cheese or mashed potatoes. Carry a small ziplock bag with protein powder in it to mix in mashed potatoes or a scrambled egg or even a glass of water. This way you are out with them and staying with your new eating habits!

I have also asked for a piece of grilled or baked chicken and eat a small bit of that. Eat it until its MUSH!!!! Chew chew chew!!!! You can also ask whoever is cooking to leave all sauces off!! Theya re sugar packed. THis works in restaraunts and back yard get togethers.

I never feel left out when my family is out. I can keep up with conversations and not worry about what I am shoving in my face.

As for the ice cream, why not have them go get their ice cream and bring it home to eat with you? This way you are all having family time having ice cream inthe backyard or at a local park!!You can make some wonderful protein packed ice creams!!! They also make sugar free ice cream you can buy but it wont have all the protein you can put into a home made batch. Eggface and Nik both have a ton of recipes! so let your fingers do the walking on the net.

When all else fails have some water and eat when you get back home. But I promise the protein powder helps!!!

 Hello.  It WILL get easier.  Some days in the beginning are good days and some are filled with....
maybe I should not have done this?, Why did I?, etc........ But soon you are going to experience more happiness by not having the same eating patterns and feeling stuffed and miserable.  You will start to feel alive and light and happier and there will be no food that will feel better than that feeling.

It makes us feel left out and wondering if changing things (going out with family to a restaurant and enjoying a BBQ with friends) was the wrong thing to do.  But you did a good thing for yourself...you did the right thing.  It's normal for us to be sad and feel sorry for ourselves and in a way it's good for us to grieve and get it out of the way.  It won't last long and as I say, you are going to start seeing and feeling the benefits of your surgery........very soon.

Try to get involved with things you love to do and have wanted to do if you were thinner.  If you love fashion start concentrating on your new look (soon to arrive :)

I had the lapband for only a year and didn't get to lose all of my excess weight before I had a slip and had to have emergency surgery to remove it.  I had lost enough weight to start to remember how good it felt then after removal I started gaining again and became extremely sad and depressed.  I am about to have another surgery (RNY or the sleeve) and I am excited, although I know I have to go through exactly what you're talking about (being pulled away from my friend....food)  I look so forward to it though.  Strange but true.  It WILL get easier and life will get much better for you.

Good thoughts are sent your way.  Stay strong!

Yes... it get's easier. It really does. When you start dropping those pounds (and inches) you will feel so much better. You can eat healthy with your family and instead of wishing you were eating what they were eating, you will be seeing what they eat and you will be trying to talk them in to eating healthy and shaking your head about all the carbs and sugars they are putting into their body. Hang in their and enjoy the family, stay on your plan and you will feel great and be soooo much happier.

 You're not far off from me.  I have been out 2 times since surgery.  The first time was week and a half after.  I had 1/2 cup of soup, most restaurants have them.  I have a doc with a very liberal eating plan so I have been on soft foods since day 5.  Friday, my hubby and I had date night.  We went to olive garden.  I skipped the salad and bread sticks (it was hard, but I didn't have this surgery to get back to my old ways).  I could have just shared my hubby's dinner.  I ordered chicken and raviolis.  I ate 1/2 ravioli and 1/2 piece of chicken.  I asked for a box right away and packed the rest that I wasn't going to eat.  I ended up eating that on Saturday for a couple of meals and gave the ravioli's to my son.  For bbq's and picnics, bring something that you can eat.  So I encourage you to go out and spend the time with your family.  Try to focus on the conversation and company instead of the food.  

For home dinners, I make healthy meals that we all eat.  I just eat a very small portion.  My husband and son are overweight (no morbid), but eating healthy is going to benefit them in the long run too.  

And for ice cream, I find a sugar free popsicle cuts out the craving for ice cream.  

Also, it's normal that we go thru these moods.  I have found myself crying in the shower wondering why did I do this.  Now going into my 3rd week, I don't regret it at all. 

Hope things get better.  (((hugs)))

 It absolutely does get better!! I thought I'd never be able to eat food again!! Today I made a pot roast with onions, carrots, potatoes in a wonderful au jus!! Cooked rice, corn, cornbread and cranberry sauce for the family, while I had 2oz of thinly sliced roast beef with a little au jus, some carrots, and a piece of a small potatoe. Yes, I craved that cornbread and cranberry sauce but guess what?? My pouch wouldn't allow me to have it anyway! After cleaning up, I washed fresh strawberries and had one nice juicy one that I couldn't even finish, and gave the rest to my hubby! I'm completely satisfied! I do miss things like pizza, chips and dip, red wine, my husbands two main features, baked mac & cheese (everyone who knows us, requests his mac & cheese, even for the PTA's) and his hot, seasoned fried chicken! So yes, your pouch will not let you eat many things for quite sometime, but eventually maybe we can incorporate it in our diets in extreme moderation. Hang in there! I cried many times after I had it done and regretted it deeply, and sometimes still do! You can have some good protein things though, meats, cheese, etc. focus on protein first!   Bless you!