Just out of curiosity, can I have your comments on bread, diet coke and cookies?

My surgeon said no soda ever! Caffeine is an appetite enhancer and the carbonation can stretch your stomach. I was told after I reach goal weight I can have anything I want in limited quantities. Even caffeine.

I am 5 months out from surgery, down 115 pounds, and 30 pounds from goal weight. I don't eat sweets very much at all because they give me a headache now.

I do not really eat bread either. I may have a single bite everyone now and again but not often. It fills me up and I NEED to get that Protein in!

I've talked to a few post op bariatric patients that have gained some or all their weight back. All of them confessed that despite having great restriction, their weight started to pile back on when they added in unhealthy Snacks and soda back in their diet.

I don't think unhealthy snacks (Cookies, chips, soda) have any place in your diet during the weight loss phase. Its been shown that many processed snack foods contain chemicals that make them addictive. If you go completely without, then you don't have to deal with daily cravings.

Once you hit maintenance, it all depends on what works for you. Personally, I'm striving to hit a 95-98 daily percentage of healthy eating (Protein first, low carbs, low sugar). The other 2-5% may be a few pieces of hard candy (tootsie roll pops) or some marshmallows because my blood sugar feels low. This seems to be working right now since I've stayed below goal the paste few months. If I find myself craving sugary snacks more often, then I will change it up.

My sister had bypass approximately 5 years ago. She still wears plus sizes and never got to her goal weight. Soon after surgery she started drinking McDonald's milk shakes. I visited her over the summer and she eats just like the old days with chocolate candy and regular soda being her favorite foods. She has practically no hair on her head and protein is on the bottom of her list. The message here is that surgery is only a tool and the rest is up to you. Many who don't know better think the surgery will be some sort of miracle cure and don't realize how much effort it takes to completely change the way you eat forever. One day at a time.

My sister had bypass approximately 5 years ago. She still wears plus sizes and never got to her goal weight. Soon after surgery she started drinking McDonald's milk shakes. I visited her over the summer and she eats just like the old days with chocolate candy and regular soda being her favorite foods. She has practically no hair on her head and protein is on the bottom of her list. The message here is that surgery is only a tool and the rest is up to you. Many who don't know better think the surgery will be some sort of miracle cure and don't realize how much effort it takes to completely change the way you eat forever. One day at a time.

How very sad. Unfortunately, I see this happen all too often.

People really need to pay attention to their doctors and nutritionists.

I say everything in moderation

if you want some soda, have a few sips, if you want a cookie have one but make sure you're staying within your calorie goal

A nutritionist once told me that if you have a strong craving for something like lets say a cookie, you try to substitute with something else, you're probably going to eventually have that cookie anyway but now you've eaten that cookie and the substitute and had more calories than if you had just had the cookie to begin with and satisfied your craving.

Unfortunately, full on food addicts can't do anything in moderation. The 'everything in moderation' thinking can sometimes get people into trouble. What happens when the restriction wanes and hunger returns (because down the road it does happen) and then there is nothing to help moderate things? People gain weight, that's what happens.

Sometimes it's just best to abstain from certain trigger foods. Sad, but true.

I say everything in moderation

if you want some soda, have a few sips, if you want a cookie have one but make sure you're staying within your calorie goal

A nutritionist once told me that if you have a strong craving for something like lets say a cookie, you try to substitute with something else, you're probably going to eventually have that cookie anyway but now you've eaten that cookie and the substitute and had more calories than if you had just had the cookie to begin with and satisfied your craving.

Unfortunately, full on food addicts can't do anything in moderation. The 'everything in moderation' thinking can sometimes get people into trouble. What happens when the restriction wanes and hunger returns (because down the road it does happen) and then there is nothing to help moderate things? People gain weight, that's what happens.

Sometimes it's just best to abstain from certain trigger foods. Sad, but true.

I don't t think that full on food addicts should have the surgery then

People have probably already listed this but I think some good Snacks would be a few pieces of lunch meat, maybe a boiled egg. A cheese stick, some frozen Greek yogurt or frozen berries covered in Greek yogurt. A piece of beef Jerky, a small handful of nuts (ones high in protein) just some ideas I'm pre bag, can't wait to officially start my journey.

I ment vsg lol

Edited September 29, 201510 yr by ZombieQueen

Knowing your trigger foods is the key. I can have salty snacks in my house all day everyday and don't even think about it or touch it, no problem. Sweets are my downfall. Candy or baked goods. I bought a package of pumpkin spice biscotti at Trader Joes yesterday for "the family" and just took a whiff from the opened package and thought " oh hell no". My husband took it to his office this morning haha!

I say everything in moderation

if you want some soda, have a few sips, if you want a cookie have one but make sure you're staying within your calorie goal

A nutritionist once told me that if you have a strong craving for something like lets say a cookie, you try to substitute with something else, you're probably going to eventually have that cookie anyway but now you've eaten that cookie and the substitute and had more calories than if you had just had the cookie to begin with and satisfied your craving.

Unfortunately, full on food addicts can't do anything in moderation. The 'everything in moderation' thinking can sometimes get people into trouble. What happens when the restriction wanes and hunger returns (because down the road it does happen) and then there is nothing to help moderate things? People gain weight, that's what happens.

Sometimes it's just best to abstain from certain trigger foods. Sad, but true.

I don't t think that full on food addicts should have the surgery then

Sooo with that logic full on heroin addicts shouldn't have suboxone or methadone? It's a tool as well. Not a miracle. It's hard work. Just like WLS.

As Kurt Vonegut said and this posted on my wall in my office where I work as a social worker in a drug rehab facility: You were sick, but now you are well and there is work to be done.

Edited September 30, 201510 yr by Tssiemer1

@@Sophie74656 - I disagree. Addiction is fully treatable if a person wants to treat it. I have been seeing a therapist to treat this and will continue to do so for at least 2 years post-op constantly dealing with this. The problem is people think WLS "fixes" everything and you have to remember that it is just a tool to help you lose while you are getting healthy in other ways by seeing nutritionist and therapist.

@@Sophie74656 - I disagree. Addiction is fully treatable if a person wants to treat it. I have been seeing a therapist to treat this and will continue to do so for at least 2 years post-op constantly dealing with this. The problem is people think WLS "fixes" everything and you have to remember that it is just a tool to help you lose while you are getting healthy in other ways by seeing nutritionist and therapist.

I completely agree, I had a food addiction before my surgery but that has changed for me. Once your food addiction is resolved then yes, have the surgery. But while you currently have a food addiction surgery would not be a good thing

People have probably already listed this but I think some good Snacks would be a few pieces of lunch meat, maybe a boiled egg. A cheese stick, some frozen Greek yogurt or frozen berries covered in Greek yogurt. A piece of beef jerky, a small handful of nuts (ones high in protein) just some ideas I'm pre bag, can't wait to officially start my journey.

I ment vsg lol

My new obsession is wasabi almonds.

I say everything in moderation

if you want some soda, have a few sips, if you want a cookie have one but make sure you're staying within your calorie goal

A nutritionist once told me that if you have a strong craving for something like lets say a cookie, you try to substitute with something else, you're probably going to eventually have that cookie anyway but now you've eaten that cookie and the substitute and had more calories than if you had just had the cookie to begin with and satisfied your craving.

Unfortunately, full on food addicts can't do anything in moderation. The 'everything in moderation' thinking can sometimes get people into trouble. What happens when the restriction wanes and hunger returns (because down the road it does happen) and then there is nothing to help moderate things? People gain weight, that's what happens.

Sometimes it's just best to abstain from certain trigger foods. Sad, but true.

I don't t think that full on food addicts should have the surgery then

Sooo with that logic full on heroin addicts shouldn't have suboxone or methadone? It's a tool as well. Not a miracle. It's hard work. Just like WLS.

As Kurt Vonegut said and this posted on my wall in my office where I work as a social worker in a drug rehab facility: You were sick, but now you are well and there is work to be done.

those would be tools to help deal with the addiction. Just like therapy would be a tool to help with food addiction. But these are different things. I had a food addiction before my surgery but I dealt with it through various methods and now my attitude towards food is different. I think while someone has a food addiction and are not treating it, surgery would not be successful for them

@@Sophie74656

You've got a good point.

But I still FIRMLY believe that the 'everything in moderation' thing is a crock. If you're going to have the surgery, you COMPLETELY change your eating habits by eating a clean, non processed, very low carb, low sugar diet 95% of the time to be successful. I'm not saying to never have a cookie, but over time, 1 cookie turns into the whole box. If that wasn't the case with most of us, then why the hell did we have to have surgery?

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Figuratively speaking.