What is off limits after post-op diet

[FluffyChix 17,409]

@dreamingsmall Awesome, awesome post! Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to save this to my folder so that I can read it when I need a re-set on my attitude and outlook! Thank you.

Part of what you suggest is exactly the way I have to live each day. I truly wake up and pledge for this 1 day to:

1. be happy

2. don't sweat the small stuff

3. eat according to today's food plan

4. only worry about the current decade of weight loss

If I look too far down the road and make too many plans for the future, things just get really out of kilter for me...even with weight loss goals. I can't think of my end goal. Cuz I can't imagine a time when I will ever reach it. Even after surgery. LOL. How screwed am I, right? LOL.

[dreamingsmall 1,125]

Just now, FluffyChix said:

@dreamingsmall Awesome, awesome post! Thanks so much for sharing. I'm going to save this to my folder so that I can read it when I need a re-set on my attitude and outlook! Thank you.

Part of what you suggest is exactly the way I have to live each day. I truly wake up and pledge for this 1 day to:

1. be happy

2. don't sweat the small stuff

3. eat according to today's food plan

4. only worry about the current decade of weight loss

If I look too far down the road and make too many plans for the future, things just get really out of kilter for me...even with weight loss goals. I can't think of my end goal. Cuz I can't imagine a time when I will ever reach it. Even after surgery. LOL. How screwed am I, right? LOL.

You are for sure better at summarising than me I am exactly the same I had a mental blip that berry might remember lol because i spent so much time planning not wanting to fail i almost had a breakdown. but i have managed to re centre my self. and me too i am no longer focusing on the end goal you already know what works for you so soon so your ahead of the game! You are not screwed up i made the exact post not long ago i still can not imagine being normal weight lol but im just going to keep trying for jokes lol if i get there yipee if i dont i will never be as fat as i started out thats a positive

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

On 9/29/2017 at 10:56 AM, Bary said:

I am 17 days from my Gastric sleeve procedure and I am trying a little mental prep work, after the pre/post-op dieting is behind me, what can I never have again or what should I avoid? I complete understand that I need to steer clear of the " bad stuff" like pop, sugar, carbs and stuff like that, but can I drink beer and eat a big 4oz. steak when I am a skinny little guy again?

The real answer is unless you have a stricture or some other complication. Nothing is off limits long term.

I can tolerate everything I try. There are some things that are not worth it to me, but nothing makes me ill.

I drink alcohol rarely and when I do, I adjust all my calories to account for it. That makes alcohol just worth it to me. I'm not really willing to short myself a pork chop or some halo top just for some vodka. I also don't want to have to spend an extra hour in the park the next day walking the calories off, so it is a no for the most part from me. Beer is gross to me and with the added knowledge that drinking it is like drinking a loaf of bread, that is something I will never add back.

If you are active with a normal metabolism, you might be surprised at how many calories you have to play with at the end, when you are in maintenance. The important thing is to track all along so you know this information and you aren't just guessing.

A lifestyle and not a diet accounts for going off plan or having something you do not normally have. Daily I have dense Protein 3-4 times a day and coffee. On the weekends or when I am out I eat what I want within reason and that fits my calories/macros. If I went out daily or several times a week that would have to adjusted but it works for me.

I think people telling themselves they will never have XYZ again leads to depression, anxiety and feeling deprived. Long term you can eat whatever you want, the difference is what you want will hopefully be very different.

[Bary 59]

11 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

The real answer is unless you have a stricture or some other complication. Nothing is off limits long term.

I can tolerate everything I try. There are some things that are not worth it to me, but nothing makes me ill.

I drink alcohol rarely and when I do, I adjust all my calories to account for it. That makes alcohol just worth it to me. I'm not really willing to short myself a pork chop or some halo top just for some vodka. I also don't want to have to spend an extra hour in the park the next day walking the calories off, so it is a no for the most part from me. Beer is gross to me and with the added knowledge that drinking it is like drinking a loaf of bread, that is something I will never add back.

If you are active with a normal metabolism, you might be surprised at how many calories you have to play with at the end, when you are in maintenance. The important thing is to track all along so you know this information and you aren't just guessing.

A lifestyle and not a diet accounts for going off plan or having something you do not normally have. Daily I have dense Protein 3-4 times a day and coffee. On the weekends or when I am out I eat what I want within reason and that fits my calories/macros. If I went out daily or several times a week that would have to adjusted but it works for me.

I think people telling themselves they will never have XYZ again leads to depression, anxiety and feeling deprived. Long term you can eat whatever you want, the difference is what you want will hopefully be very different.

Well Said ma'am, thank you for that. Congratulations on your success, you are a true inspiration and I only hope I can be as successful in my journey..

[Dshell 33]

Cant drink beer bc it hurts (to much gas) . I can get about 3oz of steak in. Think it depends on the person and the amount of time post op. BTW not worried about ever drinking beer again, thought I would miss it but haven't yet!

[Julie norton 2,850]

Outside knows what long term is. I always like her truthful posts.

It is so personal what foods work for one. And may not work for another. Time also can change tastes and compatibility.

After a decade, I find only a few off limits-never work food for me and my ancient band.

Soda.... won't try again.... I think it is addicting and has no nutritional value and doesn't sit well ..I just won't try. Very occasionally I'll let a seltzer Water fizz out by shaking and releasing several times to have a sip

Pastas... boy my Italian family has a hard time with this one. It just won't work for me or my stomach. Comes right back up. Sorry tmi

Steaks. Never worked for me. No problem as I don't care for them

Fried rice. A tiny white rice works. But never fried rice or noodles so I'm no fun at Chinese restaurants. ( chicken and snow peas works)

Those are the main categories... everyone has to find their own dos and donts

Refried Beans saved me by working all the time!

Good luck to all finding their new list of good foods for their body!

( and a single cocktail now and then is fabulous ....)

[Lovergurl 59]

I heard alcohol will hit you very quickly because our stomachs empty so much faster. But seriously, your taste buds go through some major change. Mine started before I even got sleeved. Now sweet is overpowering sweet. I think cake or ice cream would make me sick. I have to say last night my husband had pepperoni pizza. I snagged one and put it in my mouth to try the flavor. Heavenly but WOW the flavor was intense. My dog then got a treatLOL! But it told me flavors are more powerful to us it seems. Right now a chicken breast and veggies sound like heaven but I've got another 30 days. Oh and I have zero hunger. This is nothing but mental at this point and honestly barely there.

[BunnyJean 123]

On 9/29/2017 at 2:49 PM, FluffyChix said:

I love your exuberance about your coming WLS. Wish I didn't have so long to wait for mine!

But I just have a question cuz we're all SO very different! No judgement here, just curiosity. I'm using this time while I wait for surgery to research all the things. All. The. Things. Trying to figure out and get my head in the game so I don't act like the movie Groundhog Day and repeat the weight gain after surgery. I do not want to ever have to lose weight a second time. So from the things I used to eat that are now sitting strapped to my ass (and have been for about 47 years), to the knowledge that once a food junkie always a food junkie...I know I have to stay away from certain things. One of those things would be beer (other than a once in a blue moon thing, or maybe only a pull off someone's bottle of beer).

Why would you work so hard, go through so much pain, money and endure so much upheaval, just to look forward to going back to eating and drinking the same stuff that got you to the dance in the first place? I've no problem with the idea of eating 4oz of a steak in the future. I don't believe that's what made you or I fluffy. But the beer? Um, yeah...not to mention that even after 6mos to a year, alcohol is really pretty hard on the liver. The surgery isn't magic. Things that made you fat before will still make you fat for future you once you start ingesting them again. You will be able to figure out how to eat around your restriction...

In my unsolicited pre-surg opinion, it seems to me, that a really good activity would be to look at the things that contributed to your present health situation. Catalogue them. Write them in red on your mirror so you read them every day--and often. Then steer your new anatomy and path so very far around those previous things that you cut a very wide berth from them!? Don't you agree?

I'm pretty sure you know that a 4oz of steak and big bowl of sauteed greens and garlic didn't make you husky. Right?

Sorry to offend you and not trying to kill your joy. Just seriously curious about what's going on in your mind right now as you process what's about to happen to you?

You are 100% right. The veggies and Protein are not what got us all here. It's the booze, beer, chips, sweets and plain old over eating. Thanks for this reality check. My downfall is sweets. Sugar is an addiction. Lights up the brain like no tomorrow. How will I not eat it....gosh I don't know. I'm hoping that by the time I'm done with liquid phase, I won't crave it. But...the kicker here....the stuff on the "can eat" list, all the low fat stuff, usually has added sugar and I've stayed away from that stuff in last few years. If I was going to eat sugar, it was the real stuff not the pretend sugars. So can I truly EVER get off sugar? It's doubtful. But again, thanks for the reality check!!

Edited October 4, 2017 by BunnyJean

[Sleeve Mar 1]

Bary. You have a great sense of humor. I hope your surgery is smooth and successful. I have mine on the 16th in Mexico.

[Berry78 4,259]

Follow your preop diet as stated. During the postop healing phase, as long as the TEXTURE is appropriate, the macros don't matter so much. Your surgeon may recommend low fat, but fat won't hurt your stomach. It possibly could hinder your weight loss though. (So that's why they have the recommendation).

Once you understand the point of the recommended diets, you'll feel free to create your own rules.

Just so it's clear: if the surgeon recommends skim milk, you can't replace that with chicken. You could, however, drink whole milk. Preop, in order to get the liver to shrink, it's important that your diet be low carb and low fat.

[Bary 59]

5 hours ago, Sleeve Mar said:

Bary. You have a great sense of humor. I hope your surgery is smooth and successful. I have mine on the 16th in Mexico.

Thank you so much, I hope you have great success as well, Will you be getting your surgery in the same place as me?? I am also on the 16th. with Dr. Illan.

[Tiamka 34]

On 9/29/2017 at 11:56 AM, Bary said:

I complete understand that I need to steer clear of the " bad stuff" like pop, sugar, carbs and stuff like that, but can I drink beer and eat a big 4oz. steak when I am a skinny little guy again?

I'm about seven months out and have been having the occasional beer-night since about four months. I love beer, so there is no way I could agree to never have it again. However, I have found that I need to make sure I limit it to occasions or events. Especially things that I enjoy like summer beer festivals and wine+stein at the local zoo. I wouldn't be me if I never went to these again, but what I discovered I don't need is a beer or two (or drink or two) every night or even every week. Once a month or so seems to keep me happy and satisfied with my weight-loss progress as well as my beer-loving lifestyle.

Like everyone else says, you will have to find your balance. I don't eat high-carb, high-fat foods anymore unless there is something extra-special about them, such as an amazing gourmet pizza (Thai chili shrimp w/peanut sauce, Mmmmm) or a sliver of homemade pecan pie. Being able to have these wonderful things once in a while, guilt-free makes it worlds easier to avoid pitfalls such as the weekly doughnuts that people bring in to work and the pizza lunches. I don't even want to think about a sheet cake from a grocery store... ewwwww. I'll go home and make an Irish Whiskey cake instead... then I'll share it

Trust in yourself, you can do this!! We are here to help

[DropWt4Life 957]

4 hours ago, Bary said:

Thank you so much, I hope you have great success as well, Will you be getting your surgery in the same place as me?? I am also on the 16th. with Dr. Illan.

I see you are going with Dr. Illan....An excellent choice. I had nothing but the most positive experience with him! You will be in good hands. Don't forget to take a usb drive with you so that you can get a video copy of your operation.

[Lovergurl 59]

I'm a week out and my interest in food is almost nonexistent. I made my husband and son french onion grilled cheese sandwiches with potato salad last night. Very wonderful smells. My husband asked if I was tempted and I told him not in the least. I could have cared less. I was more enjoying the prepping of the food. What a concept!!! I got finished and sat down and had a cold Vitamin Water and THAT hit the spot. Right now, Tomato Soup is heavenlyLOL

[blizair09 3,250]

At one year post-op, I have cut out Pasta, rice, and carbonation. I will probably never have any of those things. I still follow a Keto way of eating; therefore, I keep my carbs below 25 grams per day. So, I have little to no sugar. That is my choice, not my body's demands or anything.

As far as alcohol goes, I have some sort of alcohol (usually vodka, Water and Crystal Light Lemonade powder that I take to the bar with me) just about every weekend, and when I travel for work (60%-70% of the time), I often have a glass or two of red wine with dinner. I have found that my tolerance is now back to about where it was before the surgery. I have absolutely no issue with the alcohol whatsoever. Like @OutsideMatchInsidesaid, I just allow for the calories on days that I am going to have drinks. (Though, to be honest, I need to get my calories up some to make the weight loss stop, so I haven't been as much of a stickler about it lately.)

I haven't tried beer, mostly because of the carbonation issue. And as much as I miss it, and I do, I've adjusted to drinking other things.

For the record, I first had alcohol at three months post-op, and there has never been an issue. I've lost 217 pounds (from almost 400 pounds), and am happily at goal (180 pounds).

YMMV.