Moderation

You're a good guy Michael, you are!

 I of course agree.

I agree that "moderation" can mean so much to so many people. There have been many heated discussions about this issue in the last few days, and something I keep reading from one side of the argument is the implication that moderation instantly means returning to old habits, old ways of eating, and old concepts of volume of eating.

The old ways weren't "in moderation." They were anything but moderation. That's why we needed surgery.

Moderation, with clear limits set as warning signals/boundary lines can comprise a successful plan. Moderation doesn't - and SHOULDN'T - mean eating without boundaries/limitations. That would violate the very concept of moderation. For many of us, "moderation" can mean a slippery slope to failure, but I firmly believe the reason is that their concept of "moderation" doesn't include a flexible and forgiving eating plan within healthy boundaries/guidelines/limitations, but rather the idea of unrestricted, unaltered, unchecked eating at will to capacity. Does that sound like moderation? Not really.

My idea of moderation is a general structure in which my eating can be flexible and adaptable to situation, physical craving, real life challenges, etc, without promoting unrestrained, unhealthy overeating.

What that means to me in concrete, real life terms is this: No more than 1/4 cup of solid food at each meal, with 3 hours between solid food meals. That’s it. I'm a binge eater, so I am very susceptible to severely restrictive eating followed by severely unrestricted binging, so this is the plan that I came up with in conjunction with my NUT & my Psychologist (who I see at least once a week, at the moment 2x a week). 1/4 cup is the recommended volume for my upcoming sleeve, and that's what I'm going to stick with. If, after I've fully healed 3 months post-op, I choose to make that 1/4 cup be a Subway meal-salad or (heaven forbid!) a bit of pizza, for me, that is OK. I realize this is going to set off some serious alarms in some people’s minds, and that is OK, too! It's right for me, but not right for them. It is within the boundaries/limitations I have set as my plan based on my triggers and mental health. Will I have pizza daily? Nope. It makes me feel like crap. Even pre-op, I don't/didn't have pizza daily (as long as I wasn’t in a restrictive-><-binge cycle). When I steer clear from the restrictive eating trigger I tend to eat pretty healthy foods - just WAY TOO MUCH of them - so my primary foci are volume and not letting my brain trap itself in its old restrictive habits. For me, this is moderation.

This is only one variation of what kind of boundaries/limits can be set for a plan of moderation. But it is entirely specific to me. Everyone's triggers and issues are slightly different. I believe if you intend to follow a plan of moderation, you have to go into it with honesty and deliberation, so you can set the correct boundaries to address your specific triggers. And don’t go into it alone. Go into it with the help of professionals who can give you an objective perspective to help you identify your triggers objectively. That will help bypass the stinkin’ thinkin’ of our brains.

Just my two cents,
Somayeh

 
First off...... You have put a lot of thought into that.....Very well laid out with the proper input from your hired professionals !!!

More people would benefit (myself included) from working on known issues before surgery.... I/we have literally seen people stopped in their tracks like a Deer in the headlights after surgery with carry over struggles.

I don't want to mess with your definition of Moderation..... cause I'm with you.... but the common interpretation and use of the word generally has a more liberal connotation.

What I see is a plan...... a plan specific to you and a plan that has room for adjustment as you grow into this process.

My only suggestion to you is to be ready to adjust. Some people experience some sensory changes. Some (including myself) experienced a change in smell for a few months after surgery, smell can be connected to taste. Some people have said their favorite foods pre-op are not the same post-op.

Here is a Low Carb Pizza based on Lavash Flatbread.

frisco


   

This is my treat for NEXT week, I am on Elina's middle eatern soup this week....but look out Imma have me alittle o dat, come next Monday!

Thanks for all you do & thanks for helping me see the big picture.

Frisco,

Thanks for the excellent advice! I'm trying my hardest not to let my brain back itself into a corner, and it ain't always easy, as my struggles only last week proved!!

That pizza looks incredible.... a healthy alternative to meet a pizza craving head-on. I am going to have to scour your blog for recipes, methinks! (In like....3 months =D)

Somayeh

P.S. I agree with you regarding the words "plan" vs. "moderation." The word has come to mean too many different things and has lost all sense of the boundaries it used to imply. And that can be a powerful tool for the disordered thinking parts of the brain to wield. Kudos to you for bringing it up in this thread.