Serious Debate On Post-Op Dieting

[Cobrargc 25]

I’ve noticed a lot of emphasis on post-op diets. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not a dietician and I am not telling anyone what they should and should not be eating. Instead I am offering my take on sleeve dieting.

Would most agree that we did not become overweight simply because of the type of food we ate, but rather the amount of foods we ate? I was nearly 140lbs overweight when I had my surgery. My problem was quantity. When I ate out I would eat 3 or 4 of everything. Seriously, when I ate out I would eat 10 tacos at Taco Bell, or an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut, or two Whoppers at Burger King or two 12” Subway sandwiches. If my wife made steaks for dinner I would have 3 of them.

I rarely ate Breakfast during the work week, but on weekends I would stuff myself with pastries. I would also tend to eat and watch TV until bedtime.

These are the things that got me, and I would suspect most people, into trouble. My new sleeve has changed all that. I physically CAN NOT eat foods in the same quantity as before. Thank the LORD! My meals are much, much smaller. This has required me to learn that breakfast and lunch are just as important as dinner.

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have no foods that are off limits. I eat mostly the same kind of foods I enjoyed before surgery. I just have to be smarter about it. The Proteins are eaten first in my meals, followed by other nutritionally dense foods. The carb rich stuff like breads is eaten last if my sleeve isn’t already full.

This was my Easter holiday meals:

For breakfast I had a Protein Shake.< /span>

After church my wife wanted to stop at McDonalds on the way home. I didn’t want to overindulge so I opted for a kids “Happy Meal”. It was 4 chicken nuggets, a kid fry and sugar free lemonade. It was less than 300 calories and I still got 10 grams of Protein out of this treat.

For dinner I used a rotisserie on my grill and smoked a whole chicken for the holiday. I had a drumstick and a small portion of a breast, about a ¼ cup of mashed potatoes with some gravy, 3 tablespoons of steamed broccoli, and a freshly made wheat roll. The chicken was eaten first followed by the broccoli and potatoes. I only had a nibble off the roll because I was full. This was not my typical meal, but it was a holiday so I intended to enjoy myself while having dinner with my family.

For desert I had a Cadbury egg.

The point I’m trying to make is that moderation is the key. I had a few things yesterday that are not typical for me, but a reward for 30 days post-op and a holiday. This morning I am back to my regular routine. I had a single serving of oatmeal with honey for breakfast and a “Lean Cuisine” 290 calorie entrée for lunch. My wife is making tacos for dinner. I will likely have a taco and ¼ cup of Spanish rice with salsa.

Don’t beat yourselves up by thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet because you ate something that perhaps is contrary to dieting guidelines. You can simply make up for it with a later meal. We are all eating less because of our wonderful new sleeves and hopefully we’re a lot more active than we used to be. These two things alone will encourage weight loss. Don’t get hung up on what you eat. Pay far more attention to how much you’re eating. Try to make the smartest food choices when choosing your main entrée. I’m down nearly 40lbs in the 30 days since my surgery and I eat what I want.

Let the flaming begin.

[betterthanbefore 19]

Thans for sharing. This is good to know.

[kimmy*custis 276]

I agree with you 100% , thanks for sharing, no flaming from me!

[ShouldBlittler 89]

This is what I believed MUST be true! For me, the sleeve (I am scheduled for June 20th) will be a tool to change my relationship with food, not so much to limit my food CHOICES.

[SweetP 18]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who can eat pretty much anything I want to after surgery. Of course I aim to make good healthy choices and eat only a fraction of what I used to eat but I can eat sugar, fried food, popcorn, bread, Pasta or rice if I want to. I'm 8 weeks post op and I haven't found any food that my sleeve will not tolerate. I read so much about people with a sleeve who can barely eat anything. I was starting to feel like something was wrong with me.

[favoredone 590]

Why do you automatically assume this post will be flamed??? I agree w/ you... I'm just interested in why you added "let the flaming begin"....

I believe each of us has our own journey and we have to decide what's best for us (taking into consideration the opinions and information given by the professionals we trusted to cut on us)....

[Dooter 1,457]

That sounds like a very reasonable attitude. I get hung up on every ingredient. I do need to relax about it.

Here's what stinks...before surgery I could only hold maybe 2 pieces of pizza and part of a small salad. I managed to slide all the evil down my throat in small but dense quantities. That scares me a little.

[coops 1,790]

No flaming from me either... we all have to do what is right for us - as an individual.

You have basically echoed what my surgeon told me over two years ago... the sleeve is a tool for quantity control; it stops over eating and you have to make good food choices. Once I was post op he said, 3 meals a day, eat Protein first then veggies.

The reason that I wanted the sleeve is because it allows me to be 'normal' in so much as that if I WANT a treat, then I will have it, but I am very aware of what, how and when I eat now. That has made a huge difference. And because at 20+mths out, I still have good restriction I am also aware of good foods and how important they are.

[kyllfalcon 768]

Nope. I got overweight based on WHAT I ate, not how MUCH I ate. Sweets, sweets and more sweets. Nevertheless, end result was the same!

Thankfully, sweets have no appeal anymore!

[exoticheart 5]

My girlfriend had the sleeve done too and unfortunately she didnt learn to eat better. Even though she eats less she eats the same food that put her weight on in the first place and unfortunately has begun to put weight back on after 1year & 2 months with the sleeve...I think its in our genetics as well and everyone is different in how we loose and keep it off....good luck to all on there journey

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

I totally agree with you! I work out with a bunch of crazy people and a lot of them are doing that Paleo stuff where you can't have any grains or dairy - and of course, no sugar or processed foods at all. Not a week goes by where a Facebook post of theirs about how "incredibly delicious" their meal of a hunk of pork, lettuce leaf and 5 raisins was is NOT followed by another post about how they "ugh ate an entire carton of ice cream, feeling awful about myself." Then they all ask how come I'm so much leaner than them when I post pictures of chocolate cake I ate. I just say that I only eat 1/4 of a slice - which is true! That "all or nothing" trap is the worst one to fall into, honestly. And trust me, I've been there!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,280]

As I am at goal and have been here for about 10 months I'd like to push the point that there are far more reasons *I* was overweight than I thought. Quantity? Absolutely. However, WHAT I ate also had a lot to do with me being obese too. Perhaps I didn't think so before, but the sad fact is, it does.

I cannot eat a lot, but based on WHAT I'm eating it certainly can fluctuate on the scale on a daily basis. When I'm eating super clean, I can drop weight quick. When I'm not (perhaps a Taco Bell Taco for example) I can see that pound pick right back up where it left off.

I'd hate for anyone to get any misconceptions here, as the sad fact is junk food can and absolutely will slow down your weight loss, and perhaps even stall someone more than they'd like. It will always be my suggestion to eat as clean and healthy as one can during weight loss mode. Protein, Protein, protein, and lots of Water. A little exercise never hurts either.

Good luck to all, and with that - no one is here anyone else's food police! I'm just sharing my personal experiences, anyone can either accept it or deny it. Tis' up to anyone individually.

[fluffylibra30 323]

I totally agree as well! I do Protein first then veg then if there is room I'll have a starch or a sweet on occasion. I am not on a diet, if I want a snack I'll have a snack. I can't fit much in there I refuse to feel guilty considering what I used to eat compared to what I eat now. Everyone does it different, who are we to say what works for someone else. As long as we make it to the finish line healthy and fit that's all that matters.

[Catracks 865]

I can eat just about anything. For me the weight gain was quantity, but I do eat healthier now too. I've cut out refined sugar for the most part, refined flour and overly processed foods. I eat small amounts of potatoes, whole wheat Pasta and quinoa for starches. I also eat a ton of lean meat, cheese dairy products, fish, nuts, fruit and vegetables in portions that thin people do.

For Easter I had a float made from diet Orange Crush and skim vanilla ice cream. I also eat dark chocolate (a tiny piece every day).

I'm with Cobragc. Eat smart, but live a little. The people who have been most successful a WLS seem to be those who can find ways to have a treat once in a while while not sabotaging their weight loss.

[ShouldBlittler 89]

Here's what stinks...before surgery I could only hold maybe 2 pieces of pizza and part of a small salad. I managed to slide all the evil down my throat in small but dense quantities. That scares me a little.

I don't understand this. Can you explain?