Ok, as I posted yesterday… I’m looking in to bariatric surgery, or as folks around the net seem to refer to it as “weight loss surgery” or WLS. The pros of doing something like this are pretty much self-evident. What about the cons? What about the risks? I haven’t been blowing sunshine up my own skirt on this, I’ve been trying to find out about the downside to doing this as well.
First off, even the minimally invasive procedures are still … well… invasive. It’s still major surgery. There are inherant risks any time you get put under for a surgery. But those, well, there is little you can do to avoid them other than not having the surgery. So I guess I put that stuff in the category of “not gonna sweat it”.
After surgery, this turns into a HUGE life-style changing deal that is going to (if it’s gonna work) change how I eat for the rest of my life. That’s something I’ve been trying to do in little steps anyways, because I recognize that I need to do that to keep from dying before I hit fifty… or if I don’t die, at least be able to walk up a flight of stairs without passing out or falling from a joint giving out. WLS, in that regard is a major kick start.
Maybe the difference between doing this via WLS and not is some of the things that, from what I’ve been reading, become not just things that I “should not have” but rather things that I “can not have”. It’s still early in my learning on this, but a few things that I think are going to end up on that list that I am really going to miss would be Coca-Cola, fruit juice, popcorn at the movies. I’m trying to find out more on a post WLS diet, cause I’m also going to miss cooking I think.
I love to cook, almost as much as I love to eat maybe? I don’t get real exotic, but I enjoy trying new things. I read cook books for entertainment. I hate cooking for just myself. Cooking for two is bad enough, there are tons of cookbooks out there on it. Cooking for one is probably worse… tho maybe I didn’t see much difference cause lots of times I was probably eating enough for two anyways. But the point is, going through the effort of cooking a single burger, or a single chicken breast and a side dish and other stuff - that was enough of a pain when they were “regular” portions. What about when the majority of a meal consists of a single egg?
Will that make things easier? or harder? Will the impulse to not want to have to mess up the kitchen for something so minor increase the odds of just hitting a fast food place on the way home from work? Granted, post WLS I’d likely not be able to handle much more than just the patty from a dollar-menu burger rather than a couple of them with fries and a pop, but still… that can’t be a good thing, it’s just on a smaller scale. In some ways, I am sort of approaching this as a challenge though. I have a freezer, I have a food-saver. Ok, so I cook once a week and I’m good for a month now? I recently started a recipe site that I haven’t touched in a few weeks now, maybe I’ll have to give it a new direction. We’ll see.
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[...] Original post by UpMyKilt! [...]
My husband’s father, Shawn, has WLS several years ago.
It has effected him and his self-image so much that any image of himself during his weight loss, or that time, he loathes. He won’t let anyone hang any images of himself during that time.
Admittedly, in the few photos I’ve managed to peek at he does in fact, look pale and haggard. I am not sure if he had issues where the skin was unable to regain elasticity due to the fast weight loss or not–but he regaled me tales of being able to eat a boiled egg and feeling so full he thought he’d be sick, and nightmares with puree.
Keeping in mind, of course, this was several years ago. Pretty sure the technology has changed and evolved.
I don’t know if it’s as much a technological thing as maybe things are getting better in addressing the psychological aspects?
My aunt is taking me out for a (very) belated birthday dinner tonight, she had WLS just under five months ago and has lost over 70 pounds, which from what I read is rather quick for a woman.
Anyways, she’s at the point where she’s eating “normal” food again, so I’m sure I will have some more insight and thoughts on this after tonight.
Ah, that’s very good. Shawn’s father doesn’t really want to talk about it so I just don’t ask.
Hi there. I found your website a few weeks back while looking for a recipe and have been lurking since. I have known a couple of women who had the WLS and absolutely loved it. Not much in the way of ill effects and are doing pretty great here now 3 and 4 years later.
What I wanted to mention though was about the food. I did a stint as a single working mom in my mid-twenties. Besides being below the poverty level poor, I was really strapped for time trying to do it all. I did as you suggested. I used to spend my Sundays making a couple of full meals, portioning them out and then freezing them.
After a month of this you end up with a good rounded selection of foods and aren’t eating the same two or three meals day after day. Then its easy - you come home and on the days you don’t feel like the mess of cooking for one is worth it you look in the freezer and decide what you want to eat and pop it in the microwave.
Mostly though, you do what you have to do. It will leave a lot of room for experimenting!
i know you can do it Rob, if i can do it. i was more addicted to diet coke than you have ever been to coke. it has been a learning experience for me. i had the WLS 5 months ago now and i am at 82 lbs down…… feeling better day by day… it will always be weird to look back at the pictures of me before i lost the weight, but the picutues have so many memories in them that to not look is a sin. the weddings and the babies and the fun times. life has not really changed that much, just not eating as much and not needing as much to feel full and fuelled….
you can do it and you know i support you 110%
Andi
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