what do you say???

[Rubyslippers1]

your stomach is literally 80% smaller and there is no absolute way i can eat what i ate before.

[jane_vsg_ayla]

I personally failed at every previous diet/exercise I tried due to hunger, pure and simple. I could never get enough food to feel like I could go about my day without worrying about it. I could literally eat myself to death - I swear I drank a tequila worm (or 4 or 5) or something because it was like a black hole in there! So why did I think this particular surgery would help me after failing so many times? Because it gave me a chance to succeed! All the others were doomed because it didnt get rid of that knawing constant hunger - no amount of behavior modification or will power could make that go away. I could hold out for awhile but eventually I just caved in pure frustration and starvation mode. As soon as I read about the sleeve I knew it was what I needed - make my stomach smaller so I CANT eat so much (or at least close that damn hole! or cut out those worms!) and cut out that hormone that makes you feel hungry. Wow, that is all I needed. I can follow any diet or exercise plan as far as what to eat and when and what kinds and what not to eat... I just could never stick to the proper portions. So now, I have an actual chance to prove that I CAN follow a diet and exercise. This is not a case of "just another fad diet to try". THis was an actual honest-to-god tool that in the right hands (MINE) can get me over that hump and where I wanted to go anyway! Of course, if I choose to not use it as an opportunity to modify my bahavior for good, the tool's effectiveness (just like diet pills or caffeine or any other drug or technique) will dimish and it will be possible for me to sabotage it. I made my first best decision by having the sleeve done. I made my second best decision by choosing to take advantage of it to its fullest.

[eyeofthetiger]

I personally have found this tool to be too powerful to ever think that I could mess it up. If I eat anything wrong I throw up so all I eat is protein. I may never be 115 pounds but I really don't think I will ever have to worry about being plus size again. I'm in a stall right now but I think it's just from such a dramatic weight loss in the beginning. I think my body is just trying to figure things out but as far as gaining, I can't even imagine that's possible. I eat less then a toddler. I have had some mourning over losing the ability to eat like before but I can't imagine that I could ever stretch this sleeve out to get to that point again. the pain of taking one bite too many is so bad, I can't imagine doing that to myself on any regular basis so I can't imagine my stomach will stretch.

[Sunflower]

I'm not telling anyone about the surgery. Only my husband and mother know. I really don't feel the need to justify my decision to others.

[jane_vsg_ayla]

For the record, I dont really tell anyone either - very few people know about it. But it is a question I asked of myself as well... So I am never going to give my "defense" to anyone, but it was important to me to understand why this IS different from everything else I have tried (and failed)... If I didnt believe it would overcome the reasons I failed before, it would not have been worth it.

[lavendargirl1]

I am only 6 weeks and so this is all new for me, but what I am finding is that I really don't want anything. I eat till satisfied, then stop. The only thing I have eaten that perhaps I should have was one piece of dried bread ( one small round) with hummus. It was good and one was enough.

[sbmowery]

I agree the sleeve is a tool but for me it is a powerful tool. I get full so quickly, sometime after just a few bites. I agree with not eating empty calories, but I also feel we should not deny ourselves on OCCASION. Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies and I wanted one so I split a cookie with my hubby and I was satisfied with that. The rest went into the freezer for Thanksgiving. I will occasionaly have a glass of wine. I want to be successful at this for the rest of my life and I don't believe I will if I feel like I am denying myself. Gaining weight is a possibility later so it is ALL ABOUT learning to eat smaller portions...retraining the way I think. Before I had the surg I took a picture of my dinner plate with the amount of food I would normally eat. Now I just look at that pic and think it was a ridiculously huge amount of food. Keeping that in mind, I pay close attention to when I am satisfied vs stuffed. Good luck on this wonderful new way of life.

I agree completely with your outlook. I want to be healthy, I want to feel good, I want to look smokin hot LOL, but I don't want to live miserably and never have anything "good". My physician told me that ONE time a month I can have 2 bites of ANYTHING I wanted. I guess knowing that I can have it if I want it makes it a little easier to work with... Do your physicians have specific rules or suggestions?

[mommyducky]

I agree the sleeve is a tool but for me it is a powerful tool. I get full so quickly, sometime after just a few bites. I agree with not eating empty calories, but I also feel we should not deny ourselves on OCCASION. Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies and I wanted one so I split a cookie with my hubby and I was satisfied with that. The rest went into the freezer for Thanksgiving. I will occasionaly have a glass of wine. I want to be successful at this for the rest of my life and I don't believe I will if I feel like I am denying myself. Gaining weight is a possibility later so it is ALL ABOUT learning to eat smaller portions...retraining the way I think. Before I had the surg I took a picture of my dinner plate with the amount of food I would normally eat. Now I just look at that pic and think it was a ridiculously huge amount of food. Keeping that in mind, I pay close attention to when I am satisfied vs stuffed. Good luck on this wonderful new way of life.

You have the right attitude! I have two different examples to share. My mother and her sister were both sleeved, mom two years ago and aunt three years ago. My mom reached her goal weight in the first year and has maintained a healthy weight since. She looks amazing and feels amazing. Even people not as close to her as I am can tell how this has increased her self esteem and made her a much happier person. Not to mention the fact that she had suffered diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and other ailments before and now suffers from none and no longer has to take the plethora of pills she had to take when she was obese. She is a shining example of using this wls as a tool. She, like most of us, had done every diet she could find and had lost and gained weight multiple times but this has changed her life by changing her attitude towards food and health. She is my inspiration and the reason I chose the sleeve for myself. She says, like you, that she never denies herself food she loves. She basically allows herself to indulge in anything but with restraint. If she craves chocolate, she'll take a small piece or find a satisfying alternative. This way she doesn't ever feel like she's unsatisfied and end up eating large quantities of unhealthy foods like her sister does. She also keeps track of what she eats so she can maintain a balanced diet. She is doing very well.

Her sister, my aunt, lost a fair amount of weight after being sleeved. However, since then she has gained back almost all of it. Why did she fail? Because she didn't change her way of thinking, she didn't follow directions and she wasn't prepared mentally before surgery. She does and eats whatever she wants. She ignores the signals her body gives her and eats foods and quantities that make her sick. Even now she is constantly making herself ill by overeating and throwing up. In short, she didn't use the surgery as the tool it was supposed to be; she thought she could carry on her bad eating behaviors and the surgery would work miracles. We all know it does not work that way.

If we listen to our doctors, nutritionists and especially to our own bodies, we will be successful. Good luck!

[Lea]

it has taken me 15 years to be ready for this wls.....I am more than ready to embrace this tool and lose the weight once and for all!