I am very new to the gastric sleeve and I am curious about a few things. I would appreciate any help or answers!

1) Can you ever eat Normally again as far as if you want a cheese steak or cake? In small portions like at Christmas? Or a family outing?

2)Do you have to chew your food to a puree for the rest of your life?

3)Is it normal to not feel restrictions on liquids?

4)Will I ever be able to eat a decent amount when I go out to eat with my family or be able to not take a long time to eat?

5)Is it safe living a full life on low calories?

These are just a few things I am curious about. Thank you!

Edited July 3, 20188 yr by Jpsl1028
Adding a question

07/02/2018 07:15 PM, Jpsl1028 said:

I am very new to the gastric sleeve and I am curious about a few things. I would appreciate any help or answers!

1) Can you ever eat Normally again as far as if you want a cheese steak or cake? In small portions like at Christmas? Or a family outing?

2)Do you have to chew your food to a puree for the rest of your life?

3)Is it normal to not feel restrictions on liquids?

4)Will I ever be able to eat a decent amount when I go out to eat with my family or be able to not take a long time to eat?

5)Is it safe living a full life on low calories?

These are just a few things I am curious about. Thank you!

1) I know a lot of sleevers who eat sweets and “junk food” again after surgery. I’d suggest being close to goal or at goal. However, lots of people say that they have trigger foods that they know they can’t reintroduce because it’s a slippery slope. Your taste buds may change too, you may not enjoy or crave those things post op.
2. Chewing your food to a purée, yes or no? I don’t even notice anymore. Muscle has memory and it’s second nature to me now. It’s habit and I don’t even think about it. Once you get food stuck once or twice, you just learn that chewing is a lot easier than suffering through discomfort or having to throw up for relief.
3. Yes, liquids typically don’t provide restrictions. Soups are slider foods for me and I can eat a lot more. If it’s not a hearty soup, I could easily eat a cup-cup and a half. That being said, I still can’t drink large amounts in one sitting like I could before. I don’t feel restriction like food, but discomfort almost.
4. It doesn’t take me a long to eat. I usually am the first done because I eat so little. They say you should take 20-30 mins to finish a meal, but that’s always been hard for me. I still eat fast. I’m lucky that I don’t overeat like some have described as a result of not taking your time. It truly does take your brain 30 mins to catch up and send those “full” signals. I still measure out all food. As far as “eating a good amount”, id say no, if your restriction is what it’s supposed to be, you won’t be able to. And one component as to why this surgery works.
5. Very safe. It’s not like you live on 500 calories the rest of your life. Many people get back up to healthy calorie amounts. What people don’t realize is that you end up eating what a normal adult (based on gender, size ect) should eat. I eat approx 1200 calories. Someone of my gender and height, really shouldn’t eat more than that. You do have to take Vitamins for life, but it’s a small price to pay for this life changing, this beautiful gift.

Please feel free to ask any follow up questions!

Thank you so much!

I am three months post op and feel completely normal, except I get full much faster. I eat pretty healthy but I have definitely had a treat here and there. I also work out at least 4-5 hours a week at the gym, so I don’t feel bad about having a tiny treat when I do. You will have many people on this site tell you want you can and can’t do, but that is really between you and your surgeon. My surgeon is a big fan of finding a “diet” that you can stick with for the rest of your life. He doesn’t believe in total restriction of foods, and has even warned that those behaviors have led to some people developing eating disorders. I am currently eating about 900-1,000 calories a day and our ultimate goal is 1,200. I also don’t pay attention to how many times I chew anymore, you just get used to it.

10 hours ago, Jpsl1028 said:

I am very new to the gastric sleeve and I am curious about a few things. I would appreciate any help or answers!

1) Can you ever eat Normally again as far as if you want a cheese steak or cake? In small portions like at Christmas? Or a family outing?

2)Do you have to chew your food to a puree for the rest of your life?

3)Is it normal to not feel restrictions on liquids?

4)Will I ever be able to eat a decent amount when I go out to eat with my family or be able to not take a long time to eat?

5)Is it safe living a full life on low calories?

These are just a few things I am curious about. Thank you!

1. Sure, but do you really want to? The sleeve is easily defeated, and once you realize you can tolerate the things you shouldn't... it makes it that much harder to avoid them. Not saying that's what's going to happen with you, but, it's a risk anytime you go back to eating the foods you really shouldn't be eating.

2. Eh... should you. Yes, but we should be chewing to puree even without WLS. Will you benefit from it, sure. Will not doing so cause "issues", it could. But this is also another individual situation. Try to keep up the practice but if you don't do it always... you should be fine.

3. Totally normal to not feel fluids at all. Even with my bypass, thin fluids do very little to nothing to induce "full" feelings.

4. You actually want this to be a "no". The whole idea of the restriction is to prevent you from eating the same amounts as before. If you can eat anywhere near what you could before, you've effectively reversed your surgery.

5. Totally! The calories we actually need verses what we typically consume, are greatly different. If you haven't, look into your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) it's the amount of calories your body needs just to exist. Think in a coma, alive, but not moving, that's your BMR. BMR decreases with age and with weight. So the older and thinner you are, the less calories you require. For example. When I was 32, 5 foot 9 and 370 lbs, my BMR was 3029.8 to 2609 (depending on which BMR Calculator you use). Today, at 39, still 5 foot 9, but only 248 lbs, my BMR is 2222.14-2020. So, as we lose weight, we actually require less calories per day.

1) Can you ever eat Normally again as far as if you want a cheese steak or cake? In small portions like at Christmas? Or a family outing?

This is very individual. You will find people on here who will say absolutely not. Some subscribe to the slippery slope theory, and believe that they will not be able to stop themselves from eating unhealthy foods once they start. For me personally, I have had both of those things you mentioned. I had no negative consequence from doing so, it didn't start any downward spiral. My goal is that the vast majority of what I eat is healthy and nutritious, but I do allow for some tasty but less healthy food from time to time.

2)Do you have to chew your food to a puree for the rest of your life?

I chew normally, as I always have, no issues with it

3)Is it normal to not feel restrictions on liquids?

Yes, completely

4)Will I ever be able to eat a decent amount when I go out to eat with my family or be able to not take a long time to eat?

You don't want to eat a "decent amount". That was the point of the surgery, that we have this tool of decreased stomach capacity. You want your restriction!

5)Is it safe living a full life on low calories?

Yes, as mentioned, most people's calories do not stay all that low. But VSG has a long, well studied history, and has been proven safe.

Thank you all so much!

@Ash Ash1 I wish you had a Bari-cousin , only a post-RnY bypasser. Many of our stuff we probably do share with our Bari-cousins/ siblings the Sleevers. Like you I agree these minor bumps in the road and the life long vitamin supplementation is worth any inconvenience. I hope to become bariatrically improved yet this month, scared-NO thrilled for an opportunity at better health and an continued earthly life existance YES YES YES! And any good wishes, prayers, shaman consultations, candles lit,,earnestly solicited July 15th on!
Your Bari-sibling. Frustr8

i'm 1 month post op and can eat a little more than I did weeks ago. BUT, for me, sugar is the enemy. Having been diabetic, I stay far from it because I want my diabetes to go into remission. If I eat sugary or fatty food, that's not going to happen. Plus I don't want to gain ANY weight back. I worked too hard to get here. So it depends on your goals and situation. I have eaten in a group but not yet at a restaurant, I just haven't had time lately. But i'm not concerned about it. eat wisely. that's it.

07/03/2018 02:32 PM, laurileet said:

i'm 1 month post op and can eat a little more than I did weeks ago. BUT, for me, sugar is the enemy. Having been diabetic, I stay far from it because I want my diabetes to go into remission. If I eat sugary or fatty food, that's not going to happen. Plus I don't want to gain ANY weight back. I worked too hard to get here. So it depends on your goals and situation. I have eaten in a group but not yet at a restaurant, I just haven't had time lately. But i'm not concerned about it. eat wisely. that's it.

I’m sure you know your weaknesses.  Avoid them.  You also know your strengths.  Play to them!

We’re pretty much on the same page.
Sugar is my devil, too! Once it enters my body, it owns me. I’ve been in Type 2 remission for 5 years now. It can be done!

I don’t worry about fat though. Low-fat just means more sugar and/or additives/preservatives. Not for me.

To answer the original poster’s question, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. We have to take command of them.
I could have a few bites of cheesesteak, no prob, but not with bread on it! That would cause an epic sugar spiral! Cake is out of the question for me! Might as well hand an alcoholic a bottle of Jack!