In the WLS world, there is a lot of talk about transfer addictions. Once the honeymoon stage of WLS is over, what's next? I think the first year is a piece of cake - it was for me at least. You're losing weight at a rapid pace, and that in itself is reward enough to "behave" yourself, eat properly and make sure you're following all the rules. Once you get your goal within your sights, you realize that you have to deal with what made you fat in the first place, so you don't get back to that place again. Food made me fat. It was my best friend and my worst enemy. I wasn't abused, I wasn't treated badly, I just liked food. Sure, I had lots of unhappy moments in my life, but rather than deal with what made me unhappy, I ate.. and ate... and ate! My typical day would be stopping at Chick-fil-a and getting THREE four packs of chicken minis and a large sweet tea.. it'd all be gone by the time I got to work. Now, I still indulge in foods that I shouldn't, but that meal for example - I eat 2 chicken minis and that's it. (for those of you without the pleasure of a chick-fil-a in your area, a chicken mini is basically a chicken nugget on a mini bun.) I know I shouldn't eat this.. and I usually regret it the minute I eat one, but it is what it is.
Am I still addicted to food? Yes and no. I still love food. But I control it now, it does not control me.
In the past, shopping was an addiction for me. MAJORLY. As much as food possibly. Is it still? No.. Purging things is actually more of an addiction that buying things. I actually NEED to buy clothes, but I don't want to. I am actually a little nervous to, because I remember the high I used to get off of swiping a card and bringing home lots of goodies. I'm cash (debit card) only now, and if I can't afford it, I can't buy it. WOW... who am I? LOL
My addictions now? Coffee... trying to save money.. coffee.. lol
What is the point of this post? I have no idea besides the fact that I need to learn how to deal with all of my emotional issues.. I really don't think I have a ton, but I never want to turn to food or shopping or alcohol as a means of dealing with a problem. I'll be two years out in less than a month, and I still haven't gotten to the core of dealing with what got me to this point in the first place.
I hope this post doesn't sound negative.. it really isn't. I'm just venting. I'm actually in a really good place in life right now, but I'm also in a rambling mood.. lol
What are your transfer addictions, if any? Are there any that are danger zones for you?
About Gastric Girl
- Laurie (TheSafestScents.com)
- Tomball, TX, United States
- My name is Laurie. I'm 34 and I live in a suburb of Houston, TX. My life isn't super exciting or ultra dramatic, but I love it! My blogs are just a peek into my life as I know it. I'm quite random and have an opinion on everything, but I love everyone's aspect on things, even if I disagree. The world would be quite boring if not! :-)
13 comments:
I was a smoker until about four months before my RNY and I knew I had to quit to have surgery, so I did. And I stayed quit until about 6 months after surgery and I started again. I have once again quit on August 19th (I don't speak of this on my blog because hubby would not be happy if he knew I'd been smoking again! He's a former smoker too but says he never craves them now. Wish I could be so lucky!) and so far so good. But now I am battling gaining and losing the same three pounds and I am not yet at my goal...about 50lbs out from it! So, it's a huge struggle for me. I nibble more when I'm not smoking, yet felt like a hypocrite going to gym all the time and then lighting one up on the way home!
Thanks for the post and for giving me a chance to go to confession away from hubby's eyes!
I battled a bit with a shopping addiction. Lucking Hubs (aka the DFO - Domestic Financial Officer) caught me after about 3 months. I had spent quite a bit and very quickly. When I saw it in the black and white of our monthly report I could not deny it. It was an eye opener for sure.
I don't know what mine would be... I'd guess that it would be food - but I'm not sure how much of that is cravings from the crazy hormone shots... but where it used to be sugar... it's now salt.
I am almost 15 years out and mine are coffee and cigarettes. I go through periods with the cigarettes. Currently smoking about a pack a day. If I have one, I want the other. I am still bad about buying food and not eating it. Sometimes it drives me nuts. I also like to overfeed other people. For some reason, food is mixed up with love.
I am like you Laurie, food still does it for me and I have not yet gotten to the bpttom of this emotional/boredom eating.......I don't have the funds to shop and I am also a cash only girl now after clawing her way back out of debt and having to move in with the in laws.....and with my liver disease I can't drink........so I have to get my head around the issues or I can see myself eating myself back up to an unhealthy weight. I wonder if WoW counts ???
I use to get Chick Fil A every morning before work. I would get a 4 pack and a chicken breakfast sandwich....now I get sick at the thought of it.
Alcohol!!!!!
I almost never drank before surgery. Maybe once a year at a party...or a couple of beers on a hot summer day.
I had my surgery in August of 07 and in December of 07 I went to my work Christmas party and got HAMMERED on about three glasses of wine.
That was the beginning. A year later and I was drinking a box of Franzia every three days. I'd rather drink than eat. Wine became my warm, fuzzy, make me feel good thing the way food used to be.
I stopped having wine in the house several months ago, but I do still drink when I go out with friends and I have allowed myself a few bottles on weekends here and there. But so far I've stayed away from having the big box on the counter and knocking back six or eight large glasses in an evening. This summer I got into the beer a little and realized how stupid that was...CARBS!..so I nixed that in the bud.
But for me, it's a real struggle. I would like to drink wine from 5pm to 10pm every single night...and if I didn't have two kids who depend on me to be an active, attentive, and loving mother...I think I would.
Very nice post thanks for sharing.
Hello! Just wanted to say that according to photos you really look great now!! Keep going!
Great post. I'm new to your blog. I had RNY almost 6 years ago. Initially, my addiction transferred to shopping, but now it's back to food. Not that I always give in, but it's always on my mind, forever lurking in the shadows. Congrats on your success!
Jeannie
Coffee..... definately. I drink a pot in the morning, iced in the afternoon, and sometimes a cup or two in the evenings.
I know it's bad, and it's out of control.... but, coffee is sort of like an appetite suppressant...
And, I'm afraid of being fat again. I don't know who I am sometimes.....
I really related to this post, thanks for sharing
Basically, if it feels or tastes good, I can get addicted to it. I think my biggest fear is that shopping will become my next big addiction. I have always liked to buy myself things, especially clothes, books, and music. I like to buy other people things too, just not quite as much. :) I guess I am still in the honeymoon WLS period--I'm only six weeks out...but I will definitely pay close attention to my behavior.
This post was very good! I am new to your blog but can tell that it will be a weekly staple for me to read.
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