Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group
Gastric bypass (GBP) is any of a group of similar operative procedures used to treat morbid obesity, a condition which arises from severe accumulation of excess weight in the form of fatty tissue, and the health problems ("co-morbidities") which result. If you are considering gastric bypass or have had it, join the community where we share our experiences and find support.
The A-word.
Yes, THAT word. Addiction.
Call it what you will--transfer addiction or head hunger, it all boils down to addiction. Is that correct? I have been learning so much about myself recently by going through my food logs and finding patterns in my eating. Addiction of various forms runs through my family and that is why I rarely touch alcohol and have never done any type of drugs. However, I eat. After looking through my food logs, I can see that I've slipped now and have let carbs back into my diet. They've snuck in when I wasn't aware and have invaded my space, and if I'm not careful they'll take over and completely sabotage my weight loss efforts. To me, carbs feel as addictive as I'd imagine meth or crack must feel--all I can think of most days is when I can get my next fix or hit, or in this case, taste of a yeasty, starchy, fresh-baked, carb.
Being mostly self-employed (I'm a musician; guess which instrument?), my work schedule has always been in my control. It didn't dawn on me until just last month that I could actually rearrange my teaching schedule so I could attend the local monthly bariatric support group meetings in person! (I'm a slow learner, I guess.)
Besides the support groups, I'd imagine there must be a 12-step group devoted to food addiction. All I know of is Overeaters Anonymous. Anyone know of others?
So far, though, today has been a good day. After getting up and getting my kids off to school, I got on the treadmill for about 35 minutes--enough to walk just over a mile and a half. It felt really good. Breakfast was cottage cheese and mixed berries, and I had a protein bar as a snack. If my nutrition counts can stand it, I'm thinking of making lowfat tuna salad and stuffing it into some mini peppers for lunch, and having some SF chocolate protein pudding (Jello instant pudding into which I stir in a scoop of unflavored protein powder). May the rest of the day continue to go well, and thank you all for reading this far. :-)
Glad you feel like you're getting back on track - It's a lifelong process. You've probably heard me caution people about artificial sweeteners before... but in case you missed it... artificial sweeteners trigger carb cravings for most people. This is because, when we taste something sweet our bodies prepare to metabolize energy (calories)... but when the sweet taste comes from artificial sweeteners, we aren't delivering the promised energy. Therefore, our bodies demand/crave carbs for the next 24 hours. It can become a vicious cycle.
I haven't gone to any 12 step groups for addiction, but Geneen Roth's books really helped me change my mindset towards eating. Coming here to DS also helps me keep doin' my end of the deal.
((hugs))
JJ