What does "Normal" mean to you...

I have read so many postings of "I can't wait until I am normal",  I was just wondering what that means to you.  I also would like to know from the vets who have reached their goal what normal is actually like for them.

Tess

Tess, i am only a month out so I am surely not a vet. but to me, once I can eat more of a variety of foods (still no meats) that will be normal for me. and once I can start doing weights again--next week. But I would have to think, that even then, it will be a "new normal" I mean, normal before was eating everything in creation with no regard to quantities. and we all know that will never happen again!! Or at least it shouldn't. so, I don;t want to be my "old normal" I want to be my "new normal" where I eat healthy food in healthy quantities. and splurge on "no nos" on rare occasions!!

does that make sense?

Well, first of all, I think there is a wide range of "normal."  What's normal for me might not be what's normal for you.

I am wondering if, when people post here about when they will be able to eat "normally" or something like that, if they mean normal like they used to eat before surgery, if they  mean normal like the way most people in th US eat or if they mean reasonably healthy but not with so many strictu rules they can hardly eat anything.  Because those are all different things.   

I sure don't think the way I ate before surgery was normal.  Although, with obesity becoming more and more common, I guess there are probably a lot of people out there that eat the way I used to.  But I really don't think eating half a large pizza followed by a whole pint of ice cream is "normal."

But the way many people in the US eat is not healthy.  As a country, we eat tons of fast food, tons of sugar, not nearly enough fresh veggies, etc.  That might seem normal since so many people do it and it's how many of us were raised.  But it's not normal in terms of health and it's really not normal in terms of what our bodies are designed for.  Our bodies are designed to need food for fuel.  They are designed to need certain nutrients in order to function properly.  All the junk so many people eat these days isn't normal if you look at what people have eaten in the past, all the way back to the caveman days.

Normal for me is eating small portions of healthy stuff with an occassional treat like the half a brownie I ate last night.

For me, I became more "normal" when I was comfortable with myself in my own skin.

 I had a lot of trouble the first few months after surgery. I could only eat about 5 different things and I was sick all the time. I had no energy and couldn't get in more than 300 calories a day. I ended up back in the hospital A LOT for stenosis dilations and because of dehydration.. All I wanted was to feel normal again.

Now I feel like I am. I can eat a variety of things now and eating isn't a chore. I enjoy chicken dishes or salads or ground meat. I can eat fruits and vegetables and occasional starchy things like crackers and bread. I feel good after I eat not sick anymore. I can go to a restaurant and find SOMETHING I can order. I am eating at least 800 calories a day and don't have a problem with protein. 

I think for me normal means I can do this happily for the rest of my life. For the first few months sometimes I just wanted to curl up and die. Or I wanted a reversal. But now this is what I thought RNY would be like and I'm happy with it. It is going to be a lifestyle I can sustain. 

I think when people say they want a normal life they just mean not unbearable. Sometimes for the first few weeks or months or however long it takes you just can't feel normal. No one can feel normal eating pureed mush and nauseous all the time.

what ktharp89 said..this is exactly what I mean when I ask when will I be normal again. I get so frustrated when even small pieces of fish or tuna make me sick. I just want to be able to eat a small meal and be able to keep it down and have some energy. Someone told me the first 3 months are hell, then it gets better from there.

it'll get better!!!  my energy didn't start to come back til i was about 5 weeks post op.....and...things will still occasionally make me sick.....but it's always been my own fault for not chewing properly or putting too much in the ole pouchy!

best wishes to you in your journey!!

i've never been normal a day in my life!!

but....i've been maintaining for a few months now.....i must admit....i am one that has to weigh every day to keep myself accountable!  the new "normal" for me is having my protein shake every day for breakfast (unless hubby and i go out for breakfast when i usually order an omelet)....today i had barbeque sandwich for lunch (ate it with a fork and only had the bottom of the bun)....i had canteloupe for a snack this afternoon....1 oz of mixed nuts was my morning snack.....and not sure about dinner just yet....

when we dine out i'll usually order a salad, grilled steak or chicken with steamed veggies....but after the salad....i can usually only get in a couple bites of the protein and wind up taking the rest home with me......

when i have a sweet tooth attack....i'll eat a "zone" protein bar of some kind

i've not had carbonated drinks since 3 months prior to my RNY...don't miss em!

occasionally i'll have a bite of cake or cookie or a piece of candy but don't make it a habit....

if the scale tells me i'm up a couple of pounds....i go right back to the protein, protein, protein and am back to my new "normal" in a couple of days......

i'm really practicing this because maintaining is something i've never been able to do!!!  i could either lose the weight or pack it on....didn't seem to have any middle ground!

and i exercise now.....i try to run a 5k at least once a month (knowing i have a run coming up keeps me from just sitting on the sofa!)

hope this helps!

I guess when I had my surgery, normal to me was losing all my excess weight and being able to eat a normal amount of food but I guess without the restrictions.  I have learned that to keep my excess weight off and maintain it, I had to rethink about everything that I put in my mouth and how eating this will effect my outcome.  I think physically I was prepared to get the weight off but mentally I did not realize that my food sources would change.  It has taken me awhile to reach this conclusion.  While I know you can take the weight off without exercise, it is really hard to maintain it without it.  I learn that the hard way too. 

normal FOR ME was around 190 pounds when I was thick but still healthy...