Operation no more alcohol (for at least a year) has commenced!

I have to say that the life change (due to WLS), that I get the most comments about is no alcohol for at least 1 year post surgery.  I know I talk about drinking often and I love going to beer and wine festivals, BUT realistically I don't drink very often.  Of course I like have the option!  So, when I made the decision to do WLS, I told myself that September 1st would be the beginning of my alcohol free period.  It will help with the liver reduction diet and prepare me for the year ahead.

I still don't have a surgery date, but I am hoping it will be at the end of October.  I have my final nutritionist appointment on September 9th, with the hopes of scheduling with the surgeon for the beginning of October.  Ideally, I would like to be on soft foods by Thanksgiving.

So I have asked my friends to take some of the wine and alcohol I have on hand out of my house so I am not tempted.  I know, my friends are pretty amazing, they are taking one for the team and gladly accepted the challenge.  Last week, I was able to gift 5 bottles to my friend Brian.  Just need a few more friends to shop in my wine collection and I will be good!  I am keeping a few bottles of my favorites.  Of course, they will end up lasting me a while after surgery.

After surgery, alcohol will be 4 times as potent than before surgery.  That means, I will reach legal intoxication quickly.  Currently, my rule is no driving after 1 drink.  My new rule will be no driving after any drinks.

People say, why a year without alcohol?  I have mentioned before that the first 12-18 months is the honeymoon period.  Your new tummy is doing the heavy lifting for you (you increase the weight loss amount, by eating on program and working out).  Even though alcohol is partly metabolized in our stomach, it continues to be metabolized in our small intestines.  As the food is processed in our stomachs, it is slowly pushed into the small intestines and if you are drinking alcohol, that fills up the voids and follows the food into the small intestines.  So you are getting a steady flow of alcohol because the food is processed slowly over time.  This is why you feel drunk quicker on an empty stomach.  Not to mention, most alcohol is filled with carbohydrates, which is a no no for WLS patients.

I am amazed at the number of posts from people that are drinking 1 month out of surgery.  I don't understand.  Why put your body through major surgery to sabotage yourself.  These are the same people who tend to complain about the psych eval.  I may complain about having to wait over 6 months to have the surgery, but I also know it has provided me with time to get my head right, to get my bad habits under control and get my big ole booty into the gym.  I wish more people would take the time to prepare.  Insurance would be less likely to have WLS as an exclusion in most policies, there would be less need for revisions and WLS wouldn't be perceived as an easy way out.  It is just a tool, not a magic pill.

Morbidly obese people didn't get to be morbidly obese because our relationship with food was healthy.  For the first time in all my years of "dieting" I don't feel like I am on a diet.  I feel like I am choosing a better lifestyle.  I am choosing life over food.