cheated on day 9 of pre-op

[ValleyGirl]

I'm already beating myself up enough so please don't go there, but I guess I just felt I needed to "confess". I had stayed the course for eight days and then yesterday I decided to make cookies with my two kids (I don't really like sweets so I thought this would be do-able) but it all went downhill from there. Try telling your three and five-year old that "No, mommy can't have that" without putting my dieting issues on them. I try very hard not to say the word diet in front of them. I was a normal kid who my mom thought was fat cause she is petite and she put me on diets from 8-years old. I think all that dieting ended up making me fat...but that's another post.

I suppose somewhere in the back of my mind I keep telling myself I don't really need to do the pre-op diet due to info I heard at my WLS meetings in the past...like you only need to go on one if you're BMI is over such and such (which mine isn't), or that some doctors don't even make you do one and that those patients turned out fine. Most people I know went to a doctor in Washington State that doesn't believe in them. I kept doing this self-talk all day, convincing myself I didn't really need to be on a pre-op diet. Add to that I keep freaking out that I'm never going to be able to eat X, Y, Z again so I thought I better have one last hoorah.

Anyway, I am so dissapointed in myself this morning. I'm feeling like if I can't stick to 14 days on a pre-op diet that is actually easier than a lot of the crazy diets I've done in the past, how will I ever be able to do the 21-day post-op diet and, following that, stick to all the new rules that come with having the band?! I've already paid so changing my mind is not an option; however, maybe I need some serious psychiatric help. When I get in sabotage mode, I can't snap out of it and am so good at telling myself what myself wants to hear....that little devil on the one shoulder always wins. Is this normal? Do many of you struggle with this? It's the same reason every other diet has always failed. Why can't I just do what I'm supposed to do?

[nothereanymore]

You cheated, all you have to do now is learn from it, brush yourself off, get back on the "Band" wagon and go on.

And I'm glad you're really beating yourself up, that's not our job, its yours and no one can do it better than you. And now all you need to do is re commit yourself to making sure you understand that if you do this during the post op faze you can really hurt yourself. (If you cheat then I might yap at you)!

Here's what I want you to do. We all have weak moments, those times when we cheat on our diets. I want you to write each one down, and get to know them personally. Really look at them and think about why you cheat during those times. You can't stop making cookies with your kids, but you can put a big stop sign up or a picture of a dress that you want to get into to see if that helps you keep your commitment. Find ways to help yourself stay strong.

I think you're going to do fine, we have to learn from our mistakes, and now’s the right time to do it!

Now go buy yourself a goal dress and start working at getting into it!

Best,

Lisa

[jhawkchick75]

Definitely don't beat yourself up - we all do it, so just move on like it's day 1. I've done it too, heck did it on post op as well. I get really mad at myself, but remind myself this is going to be a journey and a struggle and can't beat myself up over it. If weight loss were that easy we'd all be skinny!

Just remember what a fantastic thing you are doing for yourself! I'm sure even months down the road people slip from time to time. Weight loss is such a mental thing and it's really tough! So get back on that horse and keep going!

[MrsParris]

That is the main reason I started my pre-op diet way earlier than I had too. You will be fine. As long as you lose the recommended amount of weight everything will be ok.

I thought the same exact thing about not being able to stick to the pre-op how can I possibly stick to the 21 day post-op. I was banded a week ago and so far I have done really well on the post-op diet. I cheated on my pre-op diet, but I know my health, the $8,000 + that I have spent, and the life of my band depend on me following the post-op diet strictly. It is just a different mind-set for me. It is a no-brainer. I will not cheat on this. You don't have to count calories, you can have as much chicken broth, popsicles, etc. that you want as long as you only consume 1/2 cup at a time. This first week has flown by. I have tried to stay very busy to not focus on the food. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I already have a plan worked out on what I can eat. It is going to be tough, but I don't have any other choice but to adhere to my diet.

Good luck on your pre-op.

Kimberly

[Amanda2008]

Don't beat yourself up. It was a moment of weakness. The pre-op diet was really really hard for me too, and I'm sure for other people. I felt like I was starving, and the hunger brought back so many bad memories of past diet failures. If I had made cookies on day nine I probably would have eaten half of them!

I think you can just tell your children, "Oh mommy's not hungry for sweets, because she already had her dessert today" or something to explain why you don't want cookies or whatever in the future. That's a great way to teach them about moderation - there's no "bad" foods, but mommy eats a balanced diet to be healthy!

I'm on day six of the post-op, but I'm so excited about the band and so motivated about losing weight that it's helping me not cheat. It will be hard with all the talk of Thanksgiving food and pie, but I'm planning to spend tomorrow organizing all my clothes in order of size, so I can look forward to wearing all of them again!

[ckiki]

That is also why I am starting my pre-op diet early, because I do plan on cheating on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and I also plan on having my favorite restaurant for dinner 2 days before my surgery. I am not being banded until Jan 14th, but I am starting Dec 1st.

So it's one day that you cheated, that doesn't mean your going to necessarily gain back the weight you have lost already, just put it behind you and keep moving forward. You will be fine!

[tnm75]

Don't beat yourself up. Just pick yourself up and move forward. It's not a "deal breaker" for the surgery. Look towards the goal and you will persevere.

Kristy

[salena]

Hello, I cheated once and wanted to cry!! I ate pizza and not just one piece. I felt the same way... if I can't do it now how can I expect to succeed once banded. Now I'm on the postop liquid diet and haven't cheated once. I just wanted to share that it happens but keep on truckin.

Hang in there!!! You can dooo it!!!

[ValleyGirl]

Thanks everyone! I think I just needed to fess up. For some reason, being honest here helps me get honest with myself. Yesterday was a breeze and I'm feeling confident going in to today. Being on here really helps. Now I'm just trying to find a good counsellor to go through this with me. I know there will be many changes ahead and I feel I will need to learn some new coping mechanisms now that I won't have food as a vice. In the past I've been everything from a serial dater to a shopoholic, did some bad binge drinking in my college days, I'm a recovered smoker. I have no vices left!!!I guess I could try gambling and drugs- JUST KIDDING! If only I could become addicted to exercise,lol!

[ValleyGirl]

Oh yeah, one more thing...even with the cheat, I still dropped a couple pounds and just noticed my BMI is now under 40! When I started looking in to this, my BMI was only 33 and by the time I had the means to make it happen, it was over 40. Do all the research you can, but don't put it off people!!!