I am almost 8 weeks post-op and I am surprised that I can eat everything with no exception. Is that normal? I keep reading here that people can't tolerate certain foods, and that it takes up to 3 to 6 months to be able to tolerate certain things. I have been eating everything for almost 2 weeks now. I started progressively of course, and did have one instance where I threw up pork, but now I can even eat that!

Will eating normal food (in small quantities of course) harm me?

My doctor does not want a low carb, low calorie diet. He insists on having 1200 calories per day and a balanced diet, to avoid that my body go into starvation mode. Also he believes that loosing the weight slowly (about 8-10 lb a month) will make it easier to maintain. I can even eat sweets as long as I stick to the required number of calories.

My starting weight was 216 and I have lost 28 lb since my surgery on the 6th of July.

Please guys, tell me what you think! Has anyone done that? A balanced diet, and still lost a lot of weight?

It sounds practical to me! And that's what your doctor advises. I will be right there with you tolerating everything at 8 weeks. I'm way ahead at 3 weeks and have lost quite a but. Keep up the good work!

I am almost 8 weeks post-op and I am surprised that I can eat everything with no exception. Is that normal? I keep reading here that people can't tolerate certain foods, and that it takes up to 3 to 6 months to be able to tolerate certain things. I have been eating everything for almost 2 weeks now. I started progressively of course, and did have one instance where I threw up pork, but now I can even eat that!

Will eating normal food (in small quantities of course) harm me?

My doctor does not want a low carb, low calorie diet. He insists on having 1200 calories per day and a balanced diet, to avoid that my body go into starvation mode. Also he believes that loosing the weight slowly (about 8-10 lb a month) will make it easier to maintain. I can even eat sweets as long as I stick to the required number of calories.

My starting weight was 216 and I have lost 28 lb since my surgery on the 6th of July.

Please guys, tell me what you think! Has anyone done that? A balanced diet, and still lost a lot of weight?

Hi,

I think you need to do what is BEST for you. For me I knew I got into trouble eating carbs, so a low carb diet made a WHOLE lot of sense to me. When I was losing weight I ate 800 calories per day and no more than 20 carbs per day. Now if you exercise during the day that burns up some calories so yes you can eat a little more calories--no matter what it was always at 800 calories for me. But if you do NO exercising then I always kept it at 800 calories. I walk about 6 days a week still 3 years later and keep my calories about about 1000. I am 66 years old and know for a fact that I would really have a problem with 1200 calories UNLESS I was burning some of them up with exercise.

What do you want to do and what feels right for you? I know that most people after surgery at least with Dr. Aceves do 800 calories and no more than 20 carbs a day. It took me 14 months to lose 105 pounds. I never felt bad, I alway felt good.

It is pretty normal at 8 weeks to be able to eat almost anything. Not everyone has the problems that you talked about. The one thing I notices was if something was really sweet. You just might be one of the lucky one.

Take care,

Suzanne

Yes, I am almost 3 monthss out; have tried pretty much all the things the dr. said I might not be able to tolerate and have felt fine. Have not thrown up once. Even though my guidebook says to eat up to 1200 calories a day, my NUT advised to stay between 1000 to 1100 and not to eat more than 2 to 3 servings of grains/bread a day. So I usually keep my carbs at about <60 a day and stay at 1000 cals. I have had a few stalls, but have lost 50 lbs so far which I am happy with. I agree w/Suzanne, you have to find what works right for you. If I did extreme low carb I think I'd be miserable, like I was on all the diets I've tried in the past...but again, that's just me!

At 8 weeks, my Nutritionist said I was welcome to try anything. If it didn't sit right, to wait a week and then re-introduce it. I have not thrown up anything, but I have had what is called "foamies" a few times. The hardest foods for me are eggs and chicken. Who would have thought? I still eat them though since they are good sources of Protein. I just have to eat them real slow and chew them a lot before swallowing.

My Nutritionist recommends eating 1000 calories per day including 70-80 grams of protein. Once the protein is in, I can add vegetables or fruit as desired (and as what will fit!). Snacks are almonds, cheese, frozen yogurt bars. Only complex carbs meaning no bread, rice, Pasta unless it is in very small quantities. No sweets.

Wishing you continued success!

I am the same, I'm 9 weeks and can eat anything with no problems. My doctor is the same with foods too, he says under 1000 cal and balanced diet with protein first for the first few months. I've lost 45 lbs so far and have 45 to go. I also don't feel deprived when I can have anything. Some people on here seem almost militant about low carb but I think whatever your doctor tells you to do is what to do and if that doesn't work you can aways try something else. Good luck.

I've been able to eat nearly anything since I left the hospital. I've never thrown up since day three post-op, and I've never got any food stuck or anything like that. No foamies or sliming or chest pain, except once the latter when I drank cold Water too fast. I got up to 1000 cals/day as quickly as I could (personal choice, my plan doesn't have a calorie guideline whatsoever), and I'm required to have a balanced diet including carbs. I am now usually between 1000-1200 cals per day, 50-70 g carbs, and I only walk a lot, no other working out. I've lost 64 lb since surgery, six months ago. Not the fastest ever, but fast enough for me.

Keep up the good work!

Thank you all for the replies. It feels great to know you're not alone and to have all this support!

My one problem is that I can't seem to find a way to get the Protein in! I cannot stand the taste of Protein shakes or drinks (I throw up no matter which brand). I try to eat meat and fish and eggs and yoghurt but I really don't like them a lot, and anyway they do not add up to 60 or 70g of protein no matter what I do.

Do you think that would be a problem in my weight loss?

At 8 weeks, I could eat anything too. Some things sat a little heavy and didn't feel so good, but I could eat it without being sick.

I am 4 months out today and have not been sick or had food issues at all.

If the dr. says you can do it and you can, You are fine!!

Kelly

It doesn't seem to be particularly harmful - your body will tell you if it objects. My doc has us on mushies from the hospital, moving into more real foods as tolerated, but avoiding the simple carbs and empty calories (and his practice has been doing sleeves for around 20 years, so I figure they know about the care and feeding of this type of altered stomach - I still can't quite understand the extensive liquids that some docs impose upon their patients - maybe it's a holdover from RNY practice?) I tried some restaurant chicken parmesan and soft tacos from Chipotle (less the tortilla) at around the two week mark and they did fine. I was told to start adding veg at my 10 day follow up since I was getting in more than the requisite Protein at the time. I was making small southwest style salads with a couple ounces of leftover meat in them in the 3-4 week range and was adding some raspberry and almonds to my greek yogurt Snacks at around the same time. I haven't tossed anything back up yet, though a couple things didn't quite feel right at the time.

Your doc seems to have a fairly sane program. I can't quite fathom the ultra low carb mania that some docs are on - it's a useful thing temporarily for some conditions, but long term seems to be substituting whatever bad nutritional habits we may have had pre-op with another one post -op. Still, it works for some, (and some have a lot more weight to lose than we do, so need to lose at a faster rate to lose enough during the prime losing phase) though long term they're likely to have problems from nutritional deficiencies if they continue to be obsessive about it..

I'm not having as much fruit and veg as I was having pre-op, but am usually getting in a couple of servings of them a day. That will increase in time as I get into maintenance mode. I try to keep a lid of 1200 calories on my daily intake, and am usually in the 1000-1100 range (though I will probably break thru that today - we're going to Outback for dinner tonight and I'm sitting at about 750 this afternoon. I was 2/3 to goal weight at around the 3 month mark, so that seems to be working for me.

Suzannesh- just curious because I am almost 10 months out but you said it took you 14 months to lose a 105 pounds (which is amazing) but did you continue to lose after a year. I'm nervous i won't finish losing. Also I barely eat 800 calories mostly because I always feel too full but I think I would lose more if I could eat more. How do you all get up to 1000 calories. I too was able to eat most foods by 6 weeks, I think its a good thing.

Hi,

I think you need to do what is BEST for you. For me I knew I got into trouble eating carbs, so a low carb diet made a WHOLE lot of sense to me. When I was losing weight I ate 800 calories per day and no more than 20 carbs per day. Now if you exercise during the day that burns up some calories so yes you can eat a little more calories--no matter what it was always at 800 calories for me. But if you do NO exercising then I always kept it at 800 calories. I walk about 6 days a week still 3 years later and keep my calories about about 1000. I am 66 years old and know for a fact that I would really have a problem with 1200 calories UNLESS I was burning some of them up with exercise.

What do you want to do and what feels right for you? I know that most people after surgery at least with Dr. Aceves do 800 calories and no more than 20 carbs a day. It took me 14 months to lose 105 pounds. I never felt bad, I alway felt good.

It is pretty normal at 8 weeks to be able to eat almost anything. Not everyone has the problems that you talked about. The one thing I notices was if something was really sweet. You just might be one of the lucky one.

Take care,

Suzanne

Hi Jay9mal,

I kept losing after 1 year. That is why it took me 14 months. But the last 10 pounds were the hardest to get off. I had to bump up my exercise more and that seemed to help me. I also made sure I got at least 70 grams of Protein in each day and STAYED AWAY from WHITE carbs. They are my downfall. So when I got to my goal, I exercise less and eat about 900 calories a day. I just feel full and satisfied. I would never make it on 1,000 calories a day. I know me and I would have to exercise more if I ate 1,000 calories a day. I am happy with the way I eat now, I get everything I want and it works for me.

I know that some same they eat more calories to burn off the fat. Here is how I look at it calories in calories out. I found my magic spot and so I can maintain it. You will become more confident the longer you do this and you will know what feels right and good for you.

I am always here if you have questions you want to ask. For me what works is lower carbs and some "good" fat in my body and that is how I stay at my goal weight.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Thanks Suzann, I don't have white carbs or even any breads or Pasta it makes me feel sick. But I just wish I would lose faster and being 10 months with 43 pounds to go I hope I get there.

Hi Jay9mal,

I kept losing after 1 year. That is why it took me 14 months. But the last 10 pounds were the hardest to get off. I had to bump up my exercise more and that seemed to help me. I also made sure I got at least 70 grams of Protein in each day and STAYED AWAY from WHITE carbs. They are my downfall. So when I got to my goal, I exercise less and eat about 900 calories a day. I just feel full and satisfied. I would never make it on 1,000 calories a day. I know me and I would have to exercise more if I ate 1,000 calories a day. I am happy with the way I eat now, I get everything I want and it works for me.

I know that some same they eat more calories to burn off the fat. Here is how I look at it calories in calories out. I found my magic spot and so I can maintain it. You will become more confident the longer you do this and you will know what feels right and good for you.

I am always here if you have questions you want to ask. For me what works is lower carbs and some "good" fat in my body and that is how I stay at my goal weight.

Hugs,

Suzanne

I"m 7 weeks out and can eat anything also without problems. Now I have not tried lettuce or steak yet.

I'm not losing fast at all. I am averaging about 1 lb per week since Aug. 1 st when I started solid foods. I'm getting in anywhere from 650 to 800 cal a day.

I think that is great everyone can eat whatever they want and not get sick. I am 4 weeks out and was told I can eat anything now, as long as it is small bits and eat slow. However, no matter how small or how slow I get a pain in my chest and then vomit. The doctor said he would do an upper endoscopy to see if the sleeve is healing correctly and not causing restriction. I feel like I'm never going to be able to eat again.

That's pretty much what my nutritionist advocates, but I'll admit - it scares me! I'm 9 weeks out, have lost 27 pounds since surgery (in addition to 22 pre-op), which seems comparatively slow, but my BMI is already under obese and just in the "overweight" range, and I figure those of use with less excess weight will lose slower (and I'm in my 40s). I've tried to find a compromise. My calorie intake is probably around 900 most days, but I burn 250 - 300 with workouts. Carbs scare me - I know I have issues with them, so I'm nowhere near the 100 grams my nutritionist advises. If I'm counting net carbs, I'm probably closer to 30 - 40. Honestly, aside from the milk I'm blending into my Protein shakes, I just don't have room for many carbs these days.

At this point, I'm working hard to remember that this is not a diet!! I'm planning to eat the way I intend to for the rest of my life. Right now, that's not quite achievable, because I'm so early out, but as I come closer to what will become "normal" volume for me, I want to be building good habits with protein, but also balance - fruits and vegetables, less in the way of artificial foods, minimizing simple carbs (because they're trigger foods for me). If I never permit myself the occasional treat, do I intend to keep that up for the rest of my life? I don't think so. I need to learn to handle them responsibly. I'll have to readjust as my weight drops, to find the balance of calories and exercise that get me where I want to be. So, I try not to build in new habits that would be hard to give up if I find I have to be stricter down the road.

That said, I realize my circumstances are a bit different because I'm fairly comfortable I can get to my goal weight within the 12 - 18 months of prime weight loss time.