Long term VSG Diet

[Can'tweight 41]

Found this info online and thought I would pass it on. I myself do not have this info in my paperwork from surgeon. They may give it to me at my 2 week follow-up appointment this Thursday.

Guidelines for Diet and Nutrition

Your bariatric surgeon will provide you with instructions for a pre-op diet, post-op diet, and the gastric sleeve diet for weight loss and weight maintenance. The diet guidelines are designed to promote weight loss and provide the body with the nutrients it needs to function properly and remain healthy.

The pre-op diet will help prepare your body for surgery and the post-op diet will help your body recover from surgery. During recovery your diet will slowly progress from liquids to soft foods to solid foods. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks after surgery before most patients are ready to start eating a regular, solid food diet. Specific diet plans will vary, but your meals will focus on low calorie, low sugar, and low fat foods.

The following guidelines are general recommendations for gastric sleeve patients:

Calories:

• 600 - 800 calories a day, during weight loss period (1 to 2 years)
• 1000 - 1200 calories a day after weight loss period, for weight maintenance (for life)

Dietary energy (Protein, carbohydrates, and fat):

• Eat protein-rich foods - aim for 70 gm of Protein per day; healthy protein sources include fish, chicken, turkey, soy, legumes, low-fat cheese, eggs
• Plan a low-carbohydrate diet - limit carbohydrates to 40 gm per day; the best sources are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes
• Choose low-fat foods and beverages - limit dietary fat to 30 gm per day; dietary fat sources limited to small amounts of margarine, olive oil, cooking spray, low-fat Mayonnaise, low-fat salad dressing

Eating habits:

• Eat five small, healthy meals each day
• Drink 6 - 8 cups of Water or other low-calorie liquids (less than 5-10 calories per serving) each day

Do not:

• Skip meals
• Snack between meals
• Overeat
• Drink 30 minutes before or after a meal
• Eat high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar foods
• Drink high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar beverages

Vitamins and supplements

The gastric sleeve procedure rarely causes nutritional deficiencies as it does not involve any intestinal bypass, however, supplementation is recommended by most bariatric surgeons since the procedure is very restrictive. After surgery, gastric sleeve patients are usually advised to take a multi-Vitamin supplement, Calcium, and possibly Vitamin B12 due to ensure proper nutrition.

[juliarh 35]

This pretty much sums up what most successful VSGers do that I've been reading here on the forum or on YouTube -- I've been trying to do it myself and while I'm not losing at rocket speed, it's been pretty steady. I highly recommend it

[Tiffykins 672]

The losing stage diet is pretty much dead on to what I did to lose my weight with the exception of low fat guideline.

Maintenance, yeah that's a big fat NO. I continued to drop weight on 1000-1200 calories, limited carbs. My body needed a minimum of 1500 calories, and preferably 1800 calories a day to stop losing. Even at almost 22 months, if I slip below 1500 calories, cut my carb intake, I drop weight. I'm not talking 1-2lbs a week, I'll talking like 5-7lbs a week. Maintenance is tricky for a lot of people, and it really takes a lot of tweaking to figure out what works for each individual. And, I'm fairly sure that I consume more fat grams than this recommends. Going low fat/fat free introduces tons more carbs, sodium, and sugar.

I think it's a great guideline, but it's definitely not a "one size fits all" plan. I'm just sharing my experience so others are not discouraged if they have to adhere to a different guideline.

[coops 1,790]

Good guild lines but I am a little confused re cal intake...

I've read here that you shouldn't go below 1000- 1200 in the loosing phase?

I ma eating between 800 - 1200 depending on the day and exercise I do and I haven't lost anything since the endof Jan... am I eating too much or too little... God this is sooooo bloody confusing. I wish my body was a simple machine that did what my head wanted it to do ...lol =]

[Roseib 13]

Coops, doctors vary some on the calorie thing. My doctor says 800 to 1000 now that I'm months out. Kept it 600-800 until 6 months. But I've found I lose best at right around 800. It is still hard to get in 800 calories many days with just 3 meals no snacking as he requires.

[Tiffykins 672]

Good guild lines but I am a little confused re cal intake...

I've read here that you shouldn't go below 1000- 1200 in the loosing phase?

I ma eating between 800 - 1200 depending on the day and exercise I do and I haven't lost anything since the endof Jan... am I eating too much or too little... God this is sooooo bloody confusing. I wish my body was a simple machine that did what my head wanted it to do ...lol =]

Coops- I never ate over 800 calories in my losing. NEVER. Even when I started lifting weights, and doing one hard day of cardio and ab/core workouts, I did not ever go over 800 calories a day. Starvation mode is a complete myth and has been debunked by several hundred dieticians, medical professionals, fitness experts. Now, if you're burning 3000 calories a day by working out, yes you need more calories for energy, but if if you're only 100-300 calorie deficient by burning 1500 calories, you aren't going to lose as much fat.

It's just what worked for me.

[coops 1,790]

Coops- I never ate over 800 calories in my losing. NEVER. Even when I started lifting weights, and doing one hard day of cardio and ab/core workouts, I did not ever go over 800 calories a day. Starvation mode is a complete myth and has been debunked by several hundred dieticians, medical professionals, fitness experts. Now, if you're burning 3000 calories a day by working out, yes you need more calories for energy, but if if you're only 100-300 calorie deficient by burning 1500 calories, you aren't going to lose as much fat.

It's just what worked for me.

Thanks for your input Tiff, I do exercise, but I don't burn a whole days cal allowance doing it...lol... if the machines I am on are reliable it is usually between 250 and 350 perr gym session... perhaps I should try and lower my intake again? I suppose it is all about testing different ideas out to see what works for us and that is why this group is so useful as I haven't really had much input from my surgeon or NUT! I am due to go and see him soon though.

I am still wondering if my hormones are having some sort of influence as blood results suggest that I am going throught an early menopause... I have an appointment to discuss this with the specialist on Thurs... wish me luck (on both accounts) =]

[Tiffykins 672]

Thanks for your input Tiff, I do exercise, but I don't burn a whole days cal allowance doing it...lol... if the machines I am on are reliable it is usually between 250 and 350 perr gym session... perhaps I should try and lower my intake again? I suppose it is all about testing different ideas out to see what works for us and that is why this group is so useful as I haven't really had much input from my surgeon or NUT! I am due to go and see him soon though.

I am still wondering if my hormones are having some sort of influence as blood results suggest that I am going throught an early menopause... I have an appointment to discuss this with the specialist on Thurs... wish me luck (on both accounts) =]

I'll keep ya in my thoughts chickee ! ! ! Hormones definitely have metabolic effects on weight loss.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Good guild lines but I am a little confused re cal intake...

I've read here that you shouldn't go below 1000- 1200 in the loosing phase?

I ma eating between 800 - 1200 depending on the day and exercise I do and I haven't lost anything since the endof Jan... am I eating too much or too little... God this is sooooo bloody confusing. I wish my body was a simple machine that did what my head wanted it to do ...lol =]

Coops, My nut sais 6-800 a day during the middle part of losing, then up to 1000 later on.... she allows 3 meals and two Snacks. I'm not sure whats best... I'm just going along and seeing how it goes. I was eating between 350-500 and was on a loooong stall, upped it a little and started losing, but I don't really know why.

[MINI-Me 196]

Coops - it is confusing and bodies are definitely not one plan fits all ...

I ate 1200 calories in the 2nd half of my losing phase. Anything less than 1000 & I would stall. I seemed to lose faster if I was closer to 1200 than 1000. Erg!!!!!

[chilo1 62]

Thanks for your input Tiff, I do exercise, but I don't burn a whole days cal allowance doing it...lol... if the machines I am on are reliable it is usually between 250 and 350 perr gym session... perhaps I should try and lower my intake again? I suppose it is all about testing different ideas out to see what works for us and that is why this group is so useful as I haven't really had much input from my surgeon or NUT! I am due to go and see him soon though.

I am still wondering if my hormones are having some sort of influence as blood results suggest that I am going throught an early menopause... I have an appointment to discuss this with the specialist on Thurs... wish me luck (on both accounts) =]

I think I'm gonna try to go under 1000 cal again, I desperatly want to start losing again. Do you want to join me Coops?? All my knowledge of nutrition and how the human body works has proved of no use at all after I've had my surgery, but what I did learn is that we are all different and there is no 1 rule that suits everbody!

[coops 1,790]

I think I'm gonna try to go under 1000 cal again, I desperatly want to start losing again. Do you want to join me Coops?? All my knowledge of nutrition and how the human body works has proved of no use at all after I've had my surgery, but what I did learn is that we are all different and there is no 1 rule that suits everbody!

Hey Chilo,

consider it done... I am defo uner 1000 for a while to see how I get on! I am gonna aim for 800 but we will see how it pans out. I have to do something to start losing again!

At this stage, nearly 9mths out, I really don't want to stop whilst in the 'honeymoon' period! I think I am at the stage now, 2mths into a stall, that I will try anything once...lol!

Thanks for the input ladies... I really think I would have gone daft without this site xx

[2bslimkim 11]

Thanks for your input Tiff, I do exercise, but I don't burn a whole days cal allowance doing it...lol... if the machines I am on are reliable it is usually between 250 and 350 perr gym session... perhaps I should try and lower my intake again? I suppose it is all about testing different ideas out to see what works for us and that is why this group is so useful as I haven't really had much input from my surgeon or NUT! I am due to go and see him soon though.

I am still wondering if my hormones are having some sort of influence as blood results suggest that I am going throught an early menopause... I have an appointment to discuss this with the specialist on Thurs... wish me luck (on both accounts) =]

I'm new to the game but when I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid and started gaining weight for no reason at all, my OB office tested my metabolic rate. My bodies daily with regular activity only burns 980 cals per day.

I saw my Dr. friday and asked him why my weight loss was slower than others... 1) you have less to lose. 2) you have a slower metabolic rate than some. And he said I may never be able to eat more than 800-1000 calories per day even on maintenance.

At 4 weeks post op i'm probably only eating about 400-600 calories per day. I'm averaging 4.5 lbs lost per week. I did have a 3rd week stall but included that in the overall calculation.

Basically we are all different and you will have to see what works for you. Good Luck!

[swizzly 901]

I am also hypothyroid, but seems well-controlled by synthroid for these many years -- and I have never noticed any weight gain as a result of the hypothyroidism (seems to have a different effect in my family, where many of the women have had to take it, but few of them are overweight). My resting metabolic rate is a relatively respectable 1880 per day, which is likely how I plateau'ed at my starting weight for over a decade. Now, I'm shooting for 800-1000 during the losing phase and mostly hitting in that zone every day. Working well for me so far, as I'm very sensitive to hypoglycemia. Mind you, my plan calls for three meals and three Snacks per day, so I feel like I'm always eating something and trying to push the drinks in between. Should be interesting to integrate work into this...