Well, it's been one week since I started on this post surgery diet, and all I can say is that hunger seems to be a way of life now within 2 hours after eating, which makes it hard to stick with the program. To complicate it all, we are supposed to be learning how to eat only 3 meals a day with only one snack allowed, so that means you go hungry in between meals, and I absolutely hate it. I am going to have to have an extra snack along the way when I go to the pool, otherwise my blood sugar will get too low from swimming, and I wouldn't want that to happen in the pool and drown myself.

There is a small consolation to a growling stomach--and that is to know that after surgery this would be plenty of food, and that the hunger hormone should be tamed if not eliminated. After all this hunger, I only lost 2.8# in a week, so I'm not impressed. I used my weight watchers point tracker and discovered that I'm only eating about 14 points a day, so that is pretty low. WW would say it's not enough food..and I have to agree. Some people I 've talked with on an online WLS website say that their surgeons do not put them on a specific diet before surgery..more like sticking with a 1200 calorie diet, then maybe protein shakes for the 2 weeks before surgery, but these guys put us on the post surgery diet now, and it's more like 800 calories which explains why I'm always so hungry.

The only reason I have not quit this completely and decide the surgery is not for me is because I want to wait to see the psychologist next week, and see what he has to say, and see if he can offer me any words of wisdom to help me get into the right mind set for the surgery because I am still having my struggles in making a decision about having the WLS.

The more research I do, the more turned off I get. I made a 'pros' and 'cons' list and the 'cons' list is longer, however, the only reason I have not completely eliminated the possibility of having the surgery is because the carrot being dangled in front of my nose is the possibility of permanently keeping the weight off. However, through all the research. soul searching and praying that I have been doing, I have learned a lot about myself and realized that no matter what means I use to loose weight, there is going to have to be permanent changes made in my life to maintain weight loss, and though I knew this right along, it's come to me again to make me realize my problems through the years of yo-yo dieting has always been ME and my choice to stick with or fall off the dieting wagon. The finger always keeps pointing back to me..and as everyone has said who's involved in WLS, the surgery itself is only a tool, the rest of the hard work still comes from ourselves, and make no mistake about it..this is the hardest decision I have ever been faced with in my life, and I'm still driving my family nuts with my indecision. Thank God that my hubby puts up with me!

At our informational seminar, one of the surgeons has said that most people take 2 years to come to a decision. I can see how that happens because there are so many factors that come into play, and it's such an individual thing that for some people the decision comes easy, and for others, it 's not so cut and dried and there are valid reasons to have, or not have the surgery.

I'm being as honest and open as I can be here for those of you who may be considering the surgery. My friend Kathie told me long ago to do your research, and know what you are getting into and I'll pass that same advice on to everyone else. She also says on her blog that this surgery is not for everyone..and I have to agree with that too, but most of all, as you do your research and soul searching, figure out what is right for you.

Stay tuned, I go back and forth so much trying to make a decision here, it's worse then the yo-yo dieting I've done for years. LOL....maybe the pshychologist will have some words of wisdom for me next week to help me make a decision. I just want to come to a point where I've made my decision, and I'm comfortable with it.