I have fallen off the band wagon and read a lot of posts talking about the 5 day pouch test. Can someone give me the details of this? I need to get the sweets out of my system and back to not snacking all the time. Thank you!

I have fallen off the band wagon and read a lot of posts talking about the 5 day pouch test. Can someone give me the details of this? I need to get the sweets out of my system and back to not snacking all the time. Thank you!

Here's the text from a recent post here about it:

Day 1 & 2-The first two days are all liquids. You can have as many low-carb Protein shakes as you like to satisfy hunger or cravings. In addition drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of Water each day. The purpose of all liquids is to break any snacking, grazing or processed carbohydrate habits. In addition the liquids will work to cleanse your system and prepare you for the following three days. Try to reduce your caffeine intake as well, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey or you will feel sick and frustrated potentially losing the desire to continue with the pouch test. It is very important to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. This will prevent dehydration, will help curb cravings and will flush your body of toxins and fat. Sufficient water intake improves kidney function and cell processes.

Day 3: Soft proteins- The next three days you get to eat as much as you want as often as you want! But there's a catch: it has to be solid protein and you only get 15 minutes each time you sit down to eat. No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals and no drinking with your food. A dry pouch will hold your soft protein longer helping you to feel full and fed longer. Protein Recommendations: canned fish ( tuna or salmon) mixed with lemon and seasoned with salt and pepper, eggs cooked as desired seasoned with salt pepper and/or salsa, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy), baked or grilled, and lightly seasoned. This starts your program with "soft" protein. Measure your portion (1 cup volume or 4-6 ounces weight) and eat only until you feel full, not overfull. Remember, no water for 30 minutes before or after your meal, and no fluids with your meal. We are going back to the beginning and fluids will prevent you from feeling the pouch. If you need to add a moist condiment (Miracle Whip or mayonnaise) to the canned fish I understand, but keep it to a minimum so the meat is not too moist. One reason we lose the sense of tightness in our pouch is that we eat "slider foods" -foods that are too moist and do not stay in the pouch very long, they slide right through the stoma. Cottage cheese is a good protein and you can include it on Day 3. To firm it up a bit you could add a chopped hard cooked egg to your cottage cheese. And yes, during the liquid phase chicken boullion with added protein is great.

Day 4 Firm Protein- Protein Recommendations: ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb) cooked dry and lightly seasoned, shellfish, scallops, lobster steamed and seasoned only with lemon, salmon or halibut steaks, grilled and lightly seasoned. By now you should be experiencing that familiar tightness that will reassure you that your pouch is working. Remember to drink plenty of water between meals. Take some time to meditate and rediscover the wonder of your pouch. Often we don't like that uncomfortable tightness of the pouch, which is why we gradually move toward slider foods that don't make us uncomfortable. It is always my preference to eat moist protein so I don't get uncomfortable, but doing so allows me to consume more than I should. Rediscovering the pouch with this 5-day plan reminds me of how the tool really works. I hope by now you are rediscovering your tool and enjoying the hope and excitement because your pouch still works.

Day 5 Solid Protein- Remember to chew chew chew. Measure your portion (4-6 ounces) and eat only until you feel your pouch tighten. Remember, only 15 minutes per meal, so you'll have to work fast to chew your food completely. By now you should be out of any carb cycle you were in and perhaps you have lost a pound or two. You will have new confidence in your pouch and your ability to work the tool for your health and emotional well being. Don't go hungry! Remember, you can eat as often as you want as long as it is solid protein, consumed without liquids and measured in 4-6 ounce portions.

I did this a week ago, and it definitely helped me get back in touch with my pouch. I'd recommend it.

Good luck!

Dave

Just curious, why is it called a pouch "test". Besides kicking starting your weight loss, does it let you see if your stomach needs a fill or something?

Just curious, why is it called a pouch "test". Besides kicking starting your weight loss, does it let you see if your stomach needs a fill or something?

Some people use it to see if their band and pouch are working right. It will tighten up your pouch some, if you've been eating more than you should. Search the threads here - there's been a fair amount written about it.

Dave

Day 4 on the pouch test and feel like sh#t today. Have woken up with a terrible stomach ache and now have a headache. Having a warm drink and taking it slowly.Got full quite quickly on my soft proteins yesturday which is good and i have dropped 2 kilos in 4 days.

I am just starting the plan today. I had to build up the will power to do this. I am looking forward to losing a few ponds during this 5 days but that is not my goal here. I have been yo yoing for about a year. I get a slight fill and I can barely drink. I lose like 20lbs in a couple of weeks. Then I get a slight unfill and I can eat huge plate fulls. I gain like 20lbs in a couple of weeks. My fills and unfills are usually only about .5cc's. That should not be enough to make me go so far in each direction. I am hoping that maybe my pouch is just stretched and this plan will shrink it back to its original golf ball size. If so, then I plan to do this every few months to keep it from stretching. Wish me luck!

Good luck. I stuck out the entire 5 days of the test and it was worth it. I feel as though i am getting full quicker and am not hungry in between. The bonus was i lost about 3 kilo in that 5 days - although 1 of that has gone back on overnight so i assume that was fluid. I am so hoping doing this has helped. I am good during the day but at night i eat too much and then graze all evening which is bad, bad, bad. So fingers crossed this test has me back on track.

Wow. We sound so similar! I can follow the rules all day and just seem to throw it all away about 7pm till 11pm. I am finishing up the first day of my 5 days. So far so good. Is there much of a difference in your restriction? Im hoping that lowering my intake of carbs and cutting down on my snacking will make a big difference.

Good luck. I stuck out the entire 5 days of the test and it was worth it. I feel as though i am getting full quicker and am not hungry in between. The bonus was i lost about 3 kilo in that 5 days - although 1 of that has gone back on overnight so i assume that was Fluid. I am so hoping doing this has helped. I am good during the day but at night i eat too much and then graze all evening which is bad, bad, bad. So fingers crossed this test has me back on track.

Today i am hungry. I think i am feeling fuller sooner but i am craving carbs today. It is the week end so hopefully i will be OK when i am back at work tomorrow. I think my worst habit is drinking straight after i eat but i cant seem to help it, but i have noticed i need to sip very slowly now. When i stay away from carbs i feel so much better and my weight drops but some days the cravings are so bad. I have to just be as strong as i can be. I really think the pouch test is worth doing though. I think i might need a slight fill but i am going to Hawaii on holiday in about 9 weeks and i dont want to get a fill until after i get back. I also want to loose another 2.5 kilo before we go so i have to stay on track with my eating. Need to find something to keep my mind and body away from food at night. It really is head hunger though, because when was doing the pouch test i was fine and didnt snack. Good luck, day 2 is the toughest, breakfast on day 3 is like heaven after 2 days of liquids.