[DocSanae]

Here's a thought that may help some of you out there having a hard time getting used to the limited eating you must do post-op, especially, immediately post-op.

Though just about all post ops who've been on the losing side for a while will say, they'd do it again in a heartbeat, they all still had it hard, and for you pre ops out there, you'll find yourself in this spot. Takes a while to be able to say, hooray.

Many of you will have a hard time, especially the first month out, when you are put on very limited diet, liquids then on to pureed, and real food just a little bit out of reach. You may be feeling miserable,and don't have any appetite, even have a hard time downing the liquids you need, or you may be feeling hungry, and angry that you can't eat. Your family around you being able to eat anything/everything could make you miserable, too, as well as all the TV CMs and all, expounding one food after another--and why, when you can't take it all, does it seem that everything on TV just seems to expound food, and only food?!

OK, so I've made you miserable...I'm sorry, but....
Look at it this way.
You've been abusing yourself with the unlimited amount of food you've eaten up to now, as well as with all the pops and sodas that have no nutritional values, so to speak, but assults your taste buds none-the-less.
You've given yourself the chance to pick up on good eating habits, but it doesn't come easy. The surgeon's knife will not cut out that desire for all the bad food you've been consuming up to now, and of course, you do know it. But, as they say, easier said than done.

Well, your taste buds have been badly assulted for a long time, badly misused, and overdosed with "bad" taste. So, while you are on liquids only, you are detoxing your taste buds of all the bad tastes that you've overdosed on. Cleaning up your taste buds, so they can register more delicate and finer taste than you have bombarded them with, up till now. With the next pureed stage, you are slowly training your taste buds to register the actual taste of the individual food. Train your taste buds to appreciate the natural taste of what you eat. Don't search for the taste that you were used to, doused with fat, doused with sugar, doused with everything bad. Seek the taste of the food that it was endowed with by nature, before we humans meddled with it. When you learn to taste, really taste the food you eat, it will be easier for you to keep on track with eating food good for you when you move on to real foods.

Of course, you'll get that craving--don't beat yourself up for it, your brains are still remembering them, be happy that you have a good memory-- but you will have to learn to be satisfied with a bite or two--at most three. As you learn to appreciate the fine taste of good food, you'll find only a bite or two will be enough to sate your memory.

I hope my speech will help you get through that tough first month.

May everyone's journey go well!
(((((((((HUGS)))))))))))

[xsmith95]

Well said doc. I wish I could have had you as part of my cheering section durning my first months. This is so true. But as you said, I would do it all over again if I had to.

Shelley

[LittleLisaMarie]

It so funny, for me it was pretty easy in the beginning months. The first 2 months or so i had to be reminded to eat. I had very little appetite. Starting around the 3rd month or so i began feeling hungry again. I find it harder now in my 5th month to figure out if its true hunger or just head hunger. I have more of an appetite and i am able to take in a little bit more. I guess we are all different. Have a great day!

[Pillows]

one of my friends has told me that in order to wrap her head around the changes she would be making, that when she ate pre-op she would put food in a shot glass first, dump it out on a plate and eat only that at first. Reflect on it and then eat the rest of her meal. I hope that may be of some help to someone.
Janae

[LittleLisaMarie]

Pillows that is a very good idea.

[Treasured]

That IS a good idea! I'm still pre-op and I've been trying out different kinds of protein drinks, teas, juices, etc. Even trying out a few strained baby foods (yech!) I love soups and boullions so that shouldn't be a problem. I've already weaned myself off of carbonated drinks & all sugar, and down to 1 cup of coffee a day. I'm trying to psyche my head up for what's coming. Hubby is a BIG help ... 10 times a day I hear .."Well you won't be able to eat THAT again!" Sheesh!! He's such a dear!

[Robbin]

Thankyou for this entry. Just last evening I was finding something to do during the commercials because of the food commercials. I also was realizing how much eating time I was putting into my evenings. Wow.....
But...I did realize that those commercials are really the first sorce of my finding out how I allowed myself and my family to get so overweight.
I liked the comment of cleaning up your taste buds to a new way of tasting our foods. The new and better tastes!!!!! I think I will share this with my husband who started his diet weeks before my surgery. He said he didn't want me to get ahead of him!!!! Funny guy, but loyal enough to want to do this with me.

Thankyou......

Robbin

[Pillows]

Oh Robbin, it sounds like you have yourself quite the catch there. That is very sweet of him. It is good that you have such a good support system in place.
Janae

[marfran]

Hi Everyone,
I am still working on getting my clearances done and have several tests scheduled for the next 3 weeks. My insurance came thru so fast and now it seems as though the last leg of the journey to surgery is taking forever. Reading all your comments really helped give me renewed hope today. Thanks to all of you for your inspirations.