i see that the longer term eating plan calls for high Protein (around 70g per day) and low carb and low fat. I really get the low carb part.

However, for the past few years I have done a lot of reading about the importance of high quality fats in the diet and while not following Atkins, have generally felt better on a diet of grass fed beef and higher fat meats, coconut oil and milk, avocado etc. I worry that the very low fat diet will cause me to have problems with my memory (which has improved with higher quality fats), and with absorption of nutrients, Vitamins, minerals etc.

So, is it possible to be successful while still having moderate amounts of high quality fats?

Also, I currently have LOTS of veggies every day. If we are limited with volume of food, I assume blending veggies and drinking them would be OK as long as no sugary fruit added? Otherwise, how do you get the 5-7 servings of fruit and veggies needed each day for optimal health?

Thanks for any input and opinions

Also, I currently have LOTS of veggies every day. If we are limited with volume of food, I assume blending veggies and drinking them would be OK as long as no sugary fruit added? Otherwise, how do you get the 5-7 servings of fruit and veggies needed each day for optimal health?

Thanks for any input and opinions

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You don't get the 5 - 7 servings of veggies a day. That is why you take a multi-Vitamin. My doctor told me that I would probably not have salad again. The reason is that if I can only hold about 4 - 6 ounces of food, and given that Protein is the most important, if I'm deciding between a 4 ounce filet mignon or a big bowl of salad, what am I going to choose? The meat, of course, for the protein. His advice was, in order of importance, to eat the meat first, then fruits, then vegetables, then carbs only if you have room. Take Calcium every day, and take a multi vitamin that has lots of the B Complex in it since we won't be getting that from foods. And oh yes, also take a D vitamin every day.

I know it's difficult, since it's a whole new way of thinking about what you should eat. No salad?!? I was shocked too. AS for the high quality fats, my doc also said that the only fats I should be eating are the good ones, and he mentioned olives and olive oil, and coconut oil, and avocado as things I should try to use. So don't worry about your good fats, you are already choosing the right ones anyway. Hope this helps.

Edited August 26, 201510 yr by Dawn306

I am 10 months post-op and I just finished eating half of a grilled chicken salad. As the previous poster mentioned, it will be hard to get in a lot of veggies given the size of our belly, hence the vitamins.

To answer your first question, I do not pay attention to the amount of fat in my diet. However, I periodically enter what I eat on my fitnesspal.com. I noticed that I do have quite a bit of fat, in my diet-but good fat. I eat chicken, steak or fish. Also avocado, nuts & cheese.

Blending your veggies is acceptable but you may find it hard to juice and get in the recommended amount of protein in a day, I guess you can add some unflavored protein powder to your juice?

Edited August 26, 201510 yr by Kathy812

I have never payed attention to fat. I eat:

Full fat cheese

Real butter

Full fat dressings

I try to limit beef, but eat a lot of chicken, fish and pork. But when I do have beef, it's a nice cut of steak

Just like on Atkins, I eat real food. No processed crap, VERY low sugar and real meat, veggies, low sugar fruit and dairy. The Protein and fat helps keep me satiated longer. And I am now a pound to goal, so it's obviously working for me. I may have to tweak a few things on maintenance, but we will see

And I eat salad all the time?? I can't believe that surgeon said you won't eat salads?!

Awesome - THANKS for all the insight. I think today I made my decision to just do it and go for the surgery .... it's taken a long time and a lot of soul searching but finally decided :-)

Awesome - THANKS for all the insight. I think today I made my decision to just do it and go for the surgery .... it's taken a long time and a lot of soul searching but finally decided :-)

Yay! You won't regret it! Well, you may at first, lol. But after that you won't!

Yep, go for it! You won't be sorry!

You might also google Dr. Matthew Weiner- he's a bariatric surgeon and has a lot of helpful videos on his website. He takes a different approach re: veggies and actually advocates that after three months, bariatric patients should eat their veggies FIRST- focus on veggies, Beans, legumes, and view meat as a condiment. He advocates eating fresh, unprocessed foods. It's an interesting approach and one worth taking a look at, particularly if you are a big veggie eater.

This is awesome!!!! I am worried about not getting enough veggies because there seems to be so much focus on Protein following surgery. I will definitely look at his stuff THANKS !!!

You might also google Dr. Matthew Weiner- he's a bariatric surgeon and has a lot of helpful videos on his website. He takes a different approach re: veggies and actually advocates that after three months, bariatric patients should eat their veggies FIRST- focus on veggies, Beans, legumes, and view meat as a condiment. He advocates eating fresh, unprocessed foods. It's an interesting approach and one worth taking a look at, particularly if you are a big veggie eater.