Every since I first started researching WLS I started reading tons and tons of boards and websites and groups on the subject. Watching Youtube video's and reading articles etc. Ive probably touched on every topic of information there is on the subject at one time or another in the last year or so. I have been a bit obsessed.

There are some things I see that bothers me. and that is how there are people that will try to do thier own thing and not follow the rules. Id say almost every day when I go to read my ussual websites and forums and groups, there is always a post from someone doing something that they shouldnt be doing.

"I ate crackers 4 days after surgery"

"Im eating boiled eggs 3 days after surgery"

"I got to have my alchohol so Im not giving that up"

"I pureed a cupcake...I'm in the pureed stage"

I don't do water" (which really annoys me...water has no taste, this is usually stubbornness)

I don't understand it. why would you spend all that money, spend all that time, the recovery, the pain, the uncomfortable moments, nausea, inconvenience to not follow the rules and try to make it work for you the best it can. Sometimes people just don't know better I get it. not everyone does the research and not everyone has good options as far as their nutritionist to help. But some do. they know better and but they want to do what they want to do anyway. I actually saw a post from someone on another forum...

"I didn't spend all this money to have to watch what I eat...if I wanted to do that I would've just lost weight the regular way"

I read stuff like that and wish there was a way to revoke that persons surgery and give it to someone else.

The bad thing about this thinking, as soon as a person say something silly, there are others that fall right in line. one persons bad behavior feeds that behavior to others. "Oh its alright to eat crackers 4 days after surgery? I'm gonna go buy some crackers now"

A lot of people say "talk to your NUT" which is good, but I don't believe there are a million different rules. I believe there is 1 set of rules, there is a right answer. if your NUT is telling you that fried chicken is OK 4 weeks out, YOUR NUT IS WRONG.

That was a long intro but here is what I wanted to share.

This is a article I saw earlier today that I thought was interesting.

http://www.bariatriceating.com/2015/03/top-10-bariatric-post-op-mistakes/​

Sometimes after we have had our surgery, we still get absent minded and need reminders. this is a good kick in the but

Especially number 10.

I don't know where you got the idea that Water is "tasteless".

Water did taste funny and the texture was weird after surgery. I am five months out and water is just now tasting normal to me.

Plus, if you ever travel and taste water from a variety of sources and municipalities, you would know that water isn't tasteless. There are some places, like my grandmother's hometown, where I only drink bottled water because the tap water tastes so bad.

Everyone walks a different road when it comes to why they gained weight, why they have kept it on and why they are choosing to loose it.

I didn't understand why I kept putting it back on before surgery. Everyone was frustrated. I was frustraged. It was serving a purpose though. food served a purpose. I hid from the world successfully.

I'm not saying everyone wants to hide from the world. It was just my reason. When I understood why I kept the weight and the pain of keeping it was MORE than the pain of letting it go (getting back into the world).... I had the surgery. Beat decision ever.

Am I perfect at food and Water? Far from it. I've had small cheats and days I don't get enough of the good stuff.

BUT IT'S A PROCESS. I know that. I'm leaning as I go about why I eat, why I cheat, why I sabotage and why I strive to do better. The emotional roller coaster that comes with surgery really isn't talked about enough

What I know for sure personally is that I cannot judge anyone for their choices. I spent too many years unhealthy and am still learning. I do great things now and really strive to do my best, but I couldn't do that until I was ready. Those people you point out... obviously aren't ready. They may think they are... but clearly not. It's not for us to judge, but to support healthier choices and be there for them when they are really ready to try.

Sorry this is long. I think that we often forget these things

I have hated the "taste" of Water my whole life -- long before bariatric surgery. I've therefore spent decades being nauseous when drinking plain water. If it's room temperature especially, well, it makes me think of trying to drink a cup of spit. However, there are zillions of ways to flavor water -- Mio drops, Torani sugar free, citrus wedges, herbal tea -- so I am able to drink water with flavoring. However, I refuse to take crap for not liking the taste of water -- I simply find it disgusting and always have, since I was a child.

A lot of people say "talk to your NUT" which is good, but I don't believe there are a million different rules. I believe there is 1 set of rules, there is a right answer.

Sure some rules are pretty standard (crackers 4 days after surgery) but MANY vary by doctor and nutritionist simply because there are no controlled studies to back a lot of it up. It's what that doctor has seen provide their patients with the most success.

Some plans advance faster than others. Some allow alcohol at a certain point. Some allow flavorings in the Water. THATS why we refer people back to the doctor and nutritionist that they chose, hopefully because they trusted that doctor enough to have surgery with them so hopefully they are motivated to follow the advice/plan of the doctor they trust.

I completely agree with @jess9395. There is more than one way to "skin a cat". Your food plan should be catered to you individual makeup and lifestyle. I know some people who can eat soft boiled eggs on day 3. Why not? It's Protein and healthy fat. I am a vegetarian with severe food allergies. My eating plan is very different than most of the folks on these forums. Because my diet is plant based my carb intake is higher than most. Guess what? I have been able to lose steadily with no problems. In short cookie cutter treatments don't work because we are individuals, not clones. You should be having ongoing conversations with the medical team you chose to care for your unique needs.

This is a good post. I followed most rules from the beginning and others I have gotten better at over time. The only one I actively break is drinking diet soda. I never drink during my meals or for a while after. But I will get sick if I do so that's an easy rule for me to follow. I will admit that I had a problem with grazing. I was a snacker before surgery and my bad habit carried over. More recently I started working to give it up and stick to 3 meals and 1 snack per day. Let me tell you, the weight started dropping like crazy. My habits have completely changed from a year ago but it all didn't happen overnight. Maybe I'm just a slow learner.

Mistakes I've made (none of them happen with any kind of frequency):

-was so thirsty after spicy, dehydrating food that I gulped Water during the meal. I didn't lose any satiety and stopped eating right when I otherwise would have. No harm, no foul, although I've heard from at least one source that water and food in the sleeve together can cause damage

-had some diet soda on an Amtrak train because I was very hot and needed something very cold and full of ice. It was a heavenly sensation, and I didn't notice any problems with bloating. I had about half of a can.

-have skipped the Multivitamin on certain mornings because it is really nauseating to take without food. I literally feel like I'm about to hurl for the next 30 minutes after taking it, so I have definitely missed some mornings, especially when in a rush.

-relying too much on the no-carb rule to eat anything else I want (starting 6 weeks out). The other day I hit up a Chipotle right outside my apartment (I know, sucks that it has to be right there, but so is a pizza place, and I would never even think of walking in there) and ordered a salad with no tortilla, rice, or Beans, but barbacoa, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and guacamole. I am still losing pretty rapidly, and playing in recreational sports leagues, so I didn't feel awful about it, but I assume there will be a point at which that stuff has to take a hike if the scale is to keep moving. Luckily, I could eat no more than half.

...."I pureed a cupcake...I'm in the pureed stage"...

I really hope you made this up, then it will be funny. But I wouldn't doubt it if someone did this.

It kind of reminds me when my children were little and they tried to convince me they ate some fruit (in the form of strawberry ice cream) when I asked them "did you eat your fruit and veggies today".

Edited September 21, 201510 yr by 4MRB4PHOTO

THE ONLY "RULES" I HAVE BROKEN, ABSOLUTELY HONESTLY, WOULD BE I STILL EAT TOO FAST. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M JUST GEARED TO DO IT BUT I JUST CAN'T SPEND 30 MINUTES EATING LIKE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO. I DON'T CAUSE MYSELF ANY PAIN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT I KNOW I EAT WAY FASTER THAN DIRECTED. AND THE OTHER RULE WOULD BE MY OWN, I HAVE EATEN THINGS THAT WERE BREADED HERE AND THERE LIKE CHICKEN TENDER OR A CHEDDER PEPPER, I HAVE DONE THAT A FEW TIMES BUT HONESTLY THAT'S ALL I HAVE DONE. I LOOK AT IT THE SAME WAY AS YOU WHY DO ALL THIS IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES????? I THINK IF I ATE SOMETHING SWEET OR BREAD OR SOMETHING I KNOW I SHOULDN'T I WOULD ABSOLUTELY HATE MYSELF. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE MY EATING HABITS OVER THE NIGHT OF SURGERY, I ACTUALLY DOUBTED THAT I WOULD BUT IT CHANGED ME! THANK THE LORD!

Great information in this thread!