I was pretty boring now that I look back. I never ate like a crazy person, just could never lose weight by eating normally with an occaisional treat here and there. I wasn't required to lose weight prior to surgery and didn't really have a pre-surgery meal blow out. We did spend Thanksgiving in Savannah and I didn't worry about what I ate so that was nice (my surgery was Dec. 10th.) Honestly, I'm 4 months out and have not felt deprived. I love shrimp and can eat shrimp, love garlic and can eat that, when others have pasta when eating out, I can order a meatball, (and never finish it.) I have no craving for fried chicken, french fries etc. I have had baked sweet potato fries as a carb but not often. I am not hungry so don't have cravings. I loved chocolate, specifically M and M's etc and have survived nicely without them. I think you will be surprised at how satisfied you will be. Kathy

I did have all my favorite meals... I spread them out over a couple of weeks.... I had exceeded my pre-surgery loss so I wasn't concerned.... I did not have a pre-liquid diet to follow, or a clean out so the night before surgery I had one of my favs: hots dogs wrapped in crescent rolls....
I am not normally hungry.... I eat shrimp almost daily.... I have NOT craved fried foods except for french fries, and I am managing without them.... I miss pasta occasionally but not enough to worry about it.... At 8 weeks, I can dream about food all I want, but it doesn't do me any good as I can still only eat about 2 oz of food at a time.... The one thing I crave consistently is pizza... And I curb that by simply eating the cheese and sauce off the top of a slice....
Hope this helps...

Kathy- I found a great way to make our pizza. Take a flatbread (they have 9 proteins). I brush a tiny bit of olive oil on it, put on sauce, add Morningstar soy sausage and lite mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 12 minutes. Awesome, I can only eat 1/2 of the flat bread. Try it. kd

I went to our fancy cupcake place with my hubby and a friend and her husband. It was fun, delicious, and too much sugar, but it was my farewell to excess.

After surgery at first you won't care because you only eat because you have to; then before a year is out you might want to start in on carbs and such again and then you have to let your mind decide instead of your taste buds. I allow myslef a little taste of things I crave every now and then. I couldn't do more than that anyways since sugar makes me REALLY sick, so I have a built-in control factor! But I don't feel deprived, and as long as I make sure I get my protein and water in, the cravings are not a big deal. If I lapse and put off my morning protein shake, for example, then the craving monster is HUGE. So...pre-emptive strike. Be in charge of it before it takes charge of you and GET THAT PROTEIN IN! LOL

Hi Becca

After my seminar I really got with the program and ate very carefully. Then about 3 months into the 6 month supervised diet I got really bored and ate a lot of stuff I shouldn't have.

Then when I realized my surgery was closing in fast, I got serious and dropped 15 lbs. I did say goodbye to foods like chicken wings and potato skins. My surgery was right after the New Year so I undulged in some of my favs on New Years Eve. Like Kathi, I had no liquid diet, just clear liquids the day before surgery.

I don't crave anything fried anymore except french fries. If my husband orders them with a meal I ask him to share exactly two fries with me and then tell him to slap my hand if I go back for more :) Just a small taste does it. Ironically I crave eggs - used to eat them every day and now my pouch doesn't tolerate them at all. I'd also love a big slab of chewy Italian bread with real butter on it, but I only dream of that:) Like Kathi, I love pizza and have made my own with a wafer thin crust (you can almost see through it) and lower fat toppings. I only eat a small slice but it is a great occassional treat.

My long term plan does allow some carbs, so I usually include some at dinner. But it is always a really small amount.

You're going to rock this Becca, in part becasue you are smart enough to ask all the right questions beforehand!!

Hugs

Diana

YES! I had the last supper fling! Had my last beer and so on.

I can still have a couple a pieces of pizza once in a while. Just strted that recently at my 4th month post op. I had some diet pepsi but only a few sips. Don't reccomend that.it isn't worth it.

Still can't handle a lot of foods or any volume to speak of. Might be best to stay that way. I ate a few eggs, they don't sit real well. I can handle refried beans with habenareo though, figger that?
Ain't tried a deer steak yet. That is a little to dense and stringy. I did have a pork chop cooked slow and tender. It was ok. It was very small and I only ate half of it. I don't fry chick, I love fried chicken. Kinda miss that. Baked is good but not like fried.
Pre surgery I went from "Full Feed" to Liquid in a day. I doono as it was such a problem. I never was real hungry, I was working all the time. I sure felt deprived at Thanksgiving and Christmas! On liquid and no big holiday meal that the rest of the herd was devouring! Had to cook it too!

I didn't really. I had read that it was best to avoid the "Last Supper" thing so I did. However, the night before my two-week prep began was Christmas Eve and the party was at my house. Of course I had foods I loved and was also planning to make fettucini alfredo with crab. But once I made up everything else in advance (knowing the alfredo needed to be made just before serving), I knew that I shouldn't make it. It would have been too much food. And I didn't.

Two days later, I was regretting that! ;-) I wished I'd had it.

But you know, I am now 3 months post-op. I'm really finding there is very little that I cannot eat, albeit in small portions. So I do not feel deprived at all.

Prior to surgery I was a diabetic on insulin I learned over the years to stay away from sugars and simple carbs, and to make healthy choices. So when it came time for the surgery I didn't need a last meal. I knew that my favorite foods would still be there if I wanted a taste and that I may need to find subsitutes for some of them. Which I have done, and I now have some new favorites.
Shelley :o)

Before surgery I wasn't a big craver. I was just a "foodie" that saw interesting things and ate them. lol

I find now that I crave a variety of different proteins (meats) and "chips...cruchy things." But, my love of cooking saves me, I think. It is fun for me to adjust the things I used to cook to my new lifestyle. I have become more dependent on spices and actually find that more people than just me enjoy my food.

My boyfriend just recently told me that I made him the best Mac n cheese he had ever eaten...and he makes an awesome mac n cheese himself. I don't eat many processed carbs myself, but, that compliment made me glow!