Will I ever be able to have fresh vegetables and fruits again? I know not right away as our new stomachs are healing but during maintenance? These things have become staples in my diet and I enjoy them. I see a lot of posts and it seems that people only eat lean meat and veggies. I just want to be able (eventually) to sit down and have an orange or enjoy an apple when I want to.

D.R. Potential Sleever

Under my plan, yes. After 3 months I can eat whatever I want as long as I'm reaching my protein and calorie goals. Had carrot sticks with dressing yesterday with no issues (3.5 months).

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A lot of people avoid carbs. Fruit has a lot of carbs.

I follow the Mayo Clinic Diet...which is a slightly modified Mediterranean diet. I eat a metric feck ton of fruits and veggies, and a lot of complex low glycemic carbs.

You will find people following many different diets after surgery. You'll find that different surgeon's groups have vastly different recommendations.

Find a group that will work with your preferred healthy diet. There are a lot of ways up this mountain.

Keto is very very popular right now. Hands down...it will give you the fastest results. Many people feel wonderful on this diet, but I don't. I prefer to eat a mostly vegetarian diet with meat consumed only occasionally..and my group is completely on board with this.

What nearly all groups will require:

60g protein per day. (I get a lot of mine from plant sources..but I get 60g daily)

64ounces plus of water per day.

1200 calories or less per day after surgery.

Vitamins.

Of course. Once you get to maintenance, you can eat fresh fruit and vegetables. They are an important part of my diet and I am at goal and have been for a few months.

After 6 weeks in my program you are free to eat mostly anything. With the exception of fried foods, sweets (processed sugar), white bread, alcohol, caloric beverages, and pasta. I eat fruit in moderation. My nutritionist said that you can have either a starch or fruit per day. I usually choose fruit. I love fruit.

I’m on my 8th day of liquid diet before surgery. I have had 2 or 3 days of strong nausea in the evening; so strong that I had to go to bed. Analogy-like a migraine except in my stomach! Had to have room very quiet and dark etc. The canned broth makes me vomit. So I’m heating Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle soup and straining it. I guess it tastes better because of the little bit of starch from the noodles. Don’t really know. But in order for me to survive the next 2-3 weeks w/o becoming dehydrated and back in hospital, that’s what I’m doing.

4 hours ago, DRoseman said:

Will I ever be able to have fresh vegetables and fruits again? I know not right away as our new stomachs are healing but during maintenance? These things have become staples in my diet and I enjoy them. I see a lot of posts and it seems that people only eat lean meat and veggies. I just want to be able (eventually) to sit down and have an orange or enjoy an apple when I want to.

D.R. Potential Sleever

My disclaimer --- Go with your surgeons plan.

I was cleared for fruits and veggies in my real food stage. After my protein, I could eat veggies until the point of full. I was allowed small amounts of fruit. Mostly berries. ( Apples and bananas are high carb)

Further out in weight loss phase. You will have days hunger kicks in. The bulk and the fiber of the veggies will help you feel more satiated.

I'm maintaining. I eat small amounts of higher carb fruits. I have to keep a good balance of carbohydrates to keep my weight where I want it. To lose weight I keep carbs low. Training for distance runs they are a higher ratio.

That’s awesome. Good luck on your run. I can handle being hungry. It’s just that nausea that hits me hard. So it’s best for me to just go to bed. By 4am, I’m a lot better. Here’s to us, all of us who have taken this giant step toward a healthy life!!

3 hours ago, sportsmom2454 said:

I’m on my 8th day of liquid diet before surgery. I have had 2 or 3 days of strong nausea in the evening; so strong that I had to go to bed. Analogy-like a Migraine except in my stomach! Had to have room very quiet and dark etc. The canned broth makes me vomit. So I’m heating Healthy Choice chicken Noodle Soup and straining it. I guess it tastes better because of the little bit of starch from the noodles. Don’t really know. But in order for me to survive the next 2-3 weeks w/o becoming dehydrated and back in hospital, that’s what I’m doing.

Hang in there, i used the soup straining method also and it worked well to get me thru the liquid stage. The cans of broth just sucked but the richer flavors from the strained soup made a big difference to me.

I am pretty sure i will never eat jello again for the rest of my life (LOL)

good luck and stay strong

Yay! Yes that’s what I thought....that richer flavors would do the trick. I never have liked jello so dreading the jello. Thanks for your support. Supporting each other is key!

After 6 weeks (which is now!) I can have fruit and veg. But the plan stresses protein first, then veg, then fruit. I haven't tried a raw carrot yet, but have had sugar snap peas with no issue and a clementine. Mind you, only a few at a time.

Our nutritionist was very forward thinking. She rightly called fruit “sugar bombs.” She asked us to avoid fruit for 6 months. I think she was smart. There is SO MUCH SUGAR in fruits. It sets your gut bacteria to expect a certain amount of sugar in your diet, and then they will crave it and beg you for it. So I didn’t touch fruit for 6 months. Once the 50 lbs and 6 months were passed, I’ve started having one bite of fruit in a day. When organic berries from the USA are in season, my plan is to start adding 1/4 c berries to my daily diet. At goal, maybe 1/2 c?

Look, fresh veggies, especially roasted, are so damn good and sweet when you don’t eat anything sweet. This was a reset for my gut bacteria and my diet. I don’t crave sweets. I don’t really like them any more. I like 90% dark chocolate. And roasted veggies are so sweet tasting to me. From sliced onions roasted, to carrots, beets, whatever. You’ll see. Try and avoid fruit st first just to get used to no sweets, and you will stop craving sweets.