For the Newbie who are just about to have surgery

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

You have just had surgery and for a lot of you, you have read all the things

everyone has posted on Dr. Aceves Web Site. They are helpful and encouraging. I

spent some time with a lovely lady yesterday on the phone because she was sure I

would have some of the answers for her. I hope I did and I think these are

things that all of you can hear and use if you have just had weight loss

surgery. So I will post this from time to time for all the NEWBIES.

I am sure you have heard me and others say MANY times over " the 1st month is the

most difficult month you will do. " You have also heard me say that your brain

will work extremely hard at play tricks on you. You read it and think oh sure,

I can deal with that—and some of you are sure that this will never happen to

you. It will happen to so many of us and we aren't even aware it is happening.

This person was absolutely positive that she was just starving and was really

hungry. She told me what she had been eating. She also said she was weak. I

asked if she had been drinking her water and her answer was just like mine was

that 1st month. " Well, I can't begin to drink all that water " —remember your new

stomach will only hold about 2 oz when you are trying to drink all this water.

And like me she was having a difficult time getting in the amount of protein she

should be having 70 grams—no wonder she was feeling weak. After your stomach has

healed most new stomachs will hold 6 to 8 oz of food or water. That is what we

wanted a permanent restrictions so we can lose weight.

So I will say this again, you MUST SIP on your water all day long when you are

awake and the same goes for the protein that you are using—drink what you can

and then sip the rest until you get it down. You need the protein to help your

body recover. Your new stomach has experienced surgery and is swollen and will

only hold liquids about the size of your thumb. This is our relearning time,

and for most of us we have developed some extremely bad eating habits. Our OLD

thinking brain tells us that we need to be eating more food, and we are not used

to clear liquids for 10 day and creamy liquids for 10 days and then mushy foods

the last 10 days. I want you to tell yourself this is only for 30 days and you

can do anything for 30 days. It gets better as time goes one, I promise you.

If you think you are hungry and you are positive that you are having physical

symptoms of hunger this is YOUR OLD thinking brain playing those tricks we have

talked about. You now have to start learning to educate this OLD brain into

being your NEW thinking brain. Ask yourself do you just " want to eat " or do you

really " need to eat " because it has been 3 or 4 hours since you have eaten

anything. It is amazing what our brains can and will do to sabotage our old

eating habits. You may be challenged by this OLD brains way of thinking for

many years. For me I just have to have some self talks with myself. We have an

addiction and our happens to be food. There is no way around avoiding food, so

we need to find the set of skills that will allow us to change our lifestyle. I

eat to live, I NO LONGER live to eat! Food is not my main focus in life.

It does take some time to retain yourself in eating and I know that first month

it is such a process just trying to get all the food in that you need to get in

because of your new restrictions. In time it does get a lot easier. Some

people morn the loss of food, because you will NEVER EAT the quantity of food

that we used to eat---YEAH that is how we are going to lose the fat and maintain

that goal weight that we want to have for the rest of our lives.

These are the things that you will deal with in that FIRST MONTH and I am trying

to be fair and honest about them.

I will tell you that I NEVER feel deprived when it comes to what I eat. I eat

healthy ( I always make sure you get my protein first & then some veggies & some

fresh fruit if I have room) and I have everything I want in small portions. I

will be honest and say I have desert, BUT not every night. I may have it 1 or 2

times a month and in such small amounts. So things are doable. I never

consider myself on a diet, but that I have made a permanent lifestyle change

that I can live with for the rest of my life.

I personally used to HATE to exercise, and I could find every reason in the

world not to do it. But the VSG is only your " tool " to start you in the right

directions. You have to take this tool and use it to your advantage. So I feel

that everyone needs some form of exercise. For me walking has been what works

for me. I hear many of you talking about going to the gym, and if that works

for you PLEASE by all means continue to do it. I am walking 3 days a week and I

do some other forms of exercise –yard work, swimming, or use my Wii for the

other two days a week. I honestly can say now that I enjoy exercise. I NEVER

thought I would say that. I know how hard it is to exercise when you are

overweight. Your body hurts, everyone else can do it and they are thin and look

good. But, you just don't think you can. I want you to put your walking shoes

on and walk half way down the block & back, or park out further when you go to

the grocery store and start walking a little. Try to walk a little further each

day and pick up the pace to where you are comfortable. You may surprise

yourself! It doesn't cost any money to walk! When it is bad weather we walk

inside our local Mall. I know some of you have said you have never done any

exercise and if that worked for you that is; OK too. But, for me it does help

speed up the weight loss.

Take care of YOU FIRST and then take care of the other people in your life. YOU

are the most essential person you have, and you are going to look fabulous soon.

I know that it is hard to believe or feel right now, but it is going to happen.

You are on a life changing journey that is going to change your entire life and

you will be a new healthier and happier person.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Sleeved 10/21/2008

225 120 125

Start Now Goal weight

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for posting this. I really appreciate your insight and support – you are always such a help to those of us following you on this path.

I am at a new place on my journey, mentally.

I am enjoying my weight loss; I feel so much better. But I am afraid to get rid of my fat clothes! I keep thinking “what if I need them again?†Is this something that will go away with time?

I am also fighting with my head about quantities. I keep thinking “I need to be eating more†I do quit when I’m full, but I keep my plate around so I can “try to get some more down†in an hour or two. What is UP with this? It’s like I’m convinced I’m going to be malnourished or something! My subconscious is telling me that I MUST have more than 3 or 4 ounces of meat/chicken/fish, so I keep trying.

My weight loss has slowed but not stalled. I can be perfectly happy slowly losing a pound or two each week so it’s not discouraging me. But I’m sure that my grazing isn’t helping things.

Any insight on how to reset my brain???

Cheryl*