Hello

I had my surgery on July 11th 2012 and I haven't made it to goal weight yet because somewhere along the line it was more comfortable scoffing down carbs than actual protein. I now want to get my butt back into gear. Has anyone done the 5dpt? I hear that it does wonders to get your pouch back to immediately post surgery status. Is this true??

Thanks in advance

I cannot speak from experience, but my friend did it to help get back on track...and it worked for her...she needed to "purge" her system again But I do not believe it takes your pouch back to "immediate post surgery status" ...but it helps you regain control again...

Good luck!

Disclaimer - I haven't tried the 5 day pouch test. But it seems to me that drinking a lot of protein shakes = lots of carbs, possibly lots of calories, not much engagement of restriction. The "back on track" plan that I have seen a lot of people use successfully:

1. For three days, eat nothing but lean meat that you prepare yourself, green veggies, and small amounts of healthy fat. Drink at least 80 oz. of water every day and don't drink any calories! Don't count calories or carbs.

2. For the next three days, set calorie, carb, and protein goals that you feel comfortable with -- a point that is challenging, but you know you can do it. Aim for as low carb as you can do. For those three days, again, nothing but lean meat, green veggies, and small amounts of healthy fat. Weigh, measure, and count everything! No estimating!

3. After those three days, slowly expand the types of food you eat, but stick with the same calorie and carb restrictions.

It definitely brings back restriction.

The rationale behind the pouch test is not necessarily to jump start the weight loss again. It's not about caloric restriction. As you thought, reverting back to a liquid followed by pureed diet helps to tighten up the stomach a bit again, closer to the size it was immediately post-op. When you eat less (or less bulk) your stomach shrinks. When you eat more, it expands. This is what you want to try to mitigate and manage long term. There have been times in this past year when I started eating more than I should at one time or snacking too often or falling victim to the carb monster, so I started doing the pouch test to boost my restriction.

Some people use the 5:2 plan to get back on track, some use the pouch test, some do both or neither. Everyone is different. Whatever plan works for keeping you at goal weight and keeps you accountable in the long run is what you should do.

Edited June 20, 201412 yr by BKLYNgal87

What i want to say is that you don't actually have to do the 5 day pouch test to regain that feeling of restriction. The key is to eat small portions, without grazing. for me, it is also key to eat low carb. If I go back to "clean eating" my appetite decreases.

I had a recent experience of the pendulum swinging too far and basically losing my desire to eat at all. I recognize what triggered that event, but it took me awhile to figure out how to get back on track. Bottom line, eating small makes you want less... eating large (or grazing or whatever your demon is) makes you hungry. It is like you get on a pattern and establish a "normal" - either over or under eating. The way to fix it is to start eating the right way and creating that new pattern. I know it sounds like I am trivilizing it, but I am not, I have been through this and know what worked for me.