Anyone who knew me while losing weight knows I was a food nazi in all respects. I counted calories, fiber, protein, and fluids everyday and journalled them. I pre planned meals and was as active as my illness allows. I have even been called the food police by quite a few people (mostly people from other boards who don't actually know me). It was never my intention to eat like that forever. Living off of 600 - 1200 calories a day is perfectly fine when we have lots of fat on our bodies to subsidize calories needed each day. That's the whole point of surgery.  This post is for the people who are eating poorly while trying to lose weight and for people who are regretting surgery because they miss food.

The first goal of RNY or any weight loss surgery is to lose a significant  percentage of excess body weight. How much of that weight will be lost is dependant on how much effort the person puts forth and how lucky they are to have good genes. I went into this knowing I did not have anything on my side when it came to internal issues. I had diabetes, pcos, severe bipolar depression and a life of ruining my metabolism through dieting and binging. I knew I was going to need 100% of my weight loss from external sources. The RNY surgery was perfect for me and I used its benefits to their maximum potential until I got to goal.

I did not eat non nutritional foods until I got to goal. I define non nutritional foods as those which have more than 100 calories but do not have protein or fiber. So basically 1 candy is ok, 2 is not. I also had strict daily protein and fiber needs. I increased these as time went on and I could eat more and more. I avoided white starches. I did not ban them because there are some really good foods out there that happen to have a small amount of white flour or sugar in them. The cost benefit of these foods allows for me to eat them guilt free.

I never counted carbs or sugar. I feel that if I am eating the right amount of dietary fiber and protein as well as drinking lots of fluids it is impossible for me to over indulge in carbs. My pouch and appetite simply aren't big enough to eat 25 grams of dietary fiber, 120 grams of protein, drink 124+ ounces of fluids a day (while maintaining my calorie restrictions) AND over indulge in carbs. Carbs were part of my post op plan from day 1 and were never limited. They simply come last after protein and fluids. I think people who restrict carbs too much are in for trouble ahead.

I ate low fat from the begining because fat is higher calories. I was avoiding any high calorie foods in the begining. I prefer low fat meat and dairy so this was never a hardship for me. At some point around 1 year post op I increased my fat intake to help with bowel issues. I eat a large percentage of fat now and am OK with it taste wise (usually).

So what did I get for all of this hard work and dilligence? I went from 330+ pounds pre op to a low of 137 pounds in less than 2 years. I went from morbidly obese (heavy on the morbidly because I was literally dying) to a bit under weight. I went from constant pain and sickness to some version of normal.

How do I eat now? Well in all honesty I actually do eat like a normal person. I eat relatively normal portion sizes and relatively normal types of food. I eat cheeseburgers, hotdogs, pizza, chinese, and even mac n cheese. Keeping in mind I get whole wheat noodles, crust, buns and bread and I get the best meat selections. I put a normal amount of margerine on my toast and squash. I go heavy on the dairy to up the protein on foods which might be a little low. On Sundays I eat a bag of regular chips while watching the Greenbay Packers. When I go to the movies I get popcorn and yes I add the grease. If I go out to eat I order similar to everyone else without a long list of rules for the cook. On average I eat around 2500 calories a day with a spread of 2000 - 3000. I eat 3 - 6 times a day. I eat at night and before bed too ;)

I didn't eat normally pre op. Had I eaten normally I wouldn't have weighed 330 pounds. When people say they want to eat normally my first thought is, do you want to eat normally for an obese person or for a normal person? I hated how I ate pre op. I never wanted to eat like that again. I like that I can buy a small bad of chips and eat them and not want more. Pre op I would have bought the super size family bag and a tub of dip, ate them all and looked for dessert to go with it. That wasn't normal though sadly it was normal for me and happened a few times a week. I ate once or twice a day and 4000 - 6000 calories. I hadnt plateaued pre op. I was still gaining weight easily and at an alarming rate when I ate as I wanted.

I will say I still do not eat fast food. Fast food restaurant food messes with my head. Maybe its just my hard wiring or maybe its something they put in the food but either way I obsess about getting more of it when I've eaten it. Some things just aren't meant to be and McDonalds and normal eating aren't meant to be for me. Learning what you can and can't control about your eating is so important. Don't ignore the warning signs when you discover them.

So you may be 2 weeks or 2 months out and missing something about your old life. You aren't yet thin and you don't yet have a normal diet. Its not forever. You can muster up the strength to get through this very hard part and reep the rewards in the future. If I can, anyone can ;)

Snugs
PK

I felt like rambling on today so here are my favorite post op items of the moment :)

1. Waist cinchers!!! As a profound apple pre op I am profoundly misshapen now. My skin will flap loudly if I move quickly, though the sloth that I am prevents this from occurring too much ;) Waist cinchers hold me together in the only place I need it. I feel like I have tight skin and not like Im wearing a girdle. When I tried other types of support I felt them there, cutting off my circulation, so I knew they weren't right for me. I have 3 f these cinchers from walmart. 1 from Canada which cost $17 and 2 from the USA that cost $9. If you are an apple and have lost a lot of tummy weight, try it out, you might fall in love :)



 

 

2. LATTES!!! Ok I have to thank (blame) Melissa F for my latte love. I had given up "coffee" for years before trying a latte last February. Hello??? What was I thinking??? This is pure heaven :) I need extra calories in my diet to help with loss/maintenance/gain while still malabsorbing calories profusely. BUT this leads to the fear of what happens when I stop malabsorbing? Will I have to diet or trim back my appetite in an unpleasant manner??? I drink 4 - 6 cups of skim milk a day for those extra colories. I'm not stretching my pouch and Im not messing up my metablism by starving AND it tastes awesome. So this my friends is a win/win/win situation for me. When the time comes that I need to reduce my cals I will cut the milk in each latte until I get to a stabilized weight/calorie combination.

I make mine with 1.5 tsp instant espersso, 7 tsp splenda, 2 cups boiling water, 1 cup warm skim milk and flavouring. Today Im using 1 moo magic chocolate packet. I also add my UpcalD to my latte for better absorbtion of everything.



3. South Beach Diet cinnamon rasin bars!! Heavenly little treats these are. I usually eat one or 2 a day and am jonesing for them right now. I have 75 on their way to me from the states. I havent had one in 2 weeks and I neeeeeeeeeeeeed one now!!
 

OK that's all I can think of right now cause I gotta go check the mail and see if my bars are here!!!

Snugs
PK

pre op 9/327 = 2.8%

month 1 25/318 = 7.9%

month 2 10/293 = 3.4%

month 3 15/283 = 5.3%

month 4 15/268 = 5.6%

month 5 14/253 = 5.5%

month 6 12/239 = 5.0%

month 7 08/227 = 3.5%

month 8 10/219 = 4.6%

month 9 18/209 = 8.6%

month 10 7/191 = 3.7%

month 11 10/184 = 5.4%

month 12 7/174 = 4.0%

month 13 5/167 = 3%

month 14 6/162 = 3.7% 

month 15 5/157 =  3.2%

month 16 4/152 = 2.6%

month 17 0/148 (My first 0 month woohoo!)

month 18 3/148 = 2% 

month 19 1/145 = 0.7%

month 20 3/144 =  2.8%

month 21 4/141 = 2.8%

month 22 -1/137 (my first GAIN woohoo!!)

month 23 -2/138 (another gain YAY)

month 24 3/140 (lost back to 137 again BOOO)

GEORGE CARLIN'S NEW RULES FOR 2008



  New Rule: No more gift registries.
You know, it used to be just for weddings. Now it's
for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab.
Picking out the stuff you want and having other people
buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white
people version of looting.


New Rule: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for
classmates.com!
There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25
years. Because you
don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know
what the
captain of the football team is doing these days ---
mowing my lawn.


  New Rule: Don't eat anything that's served to you
out a window unless
you're a seagull.
People are acting all shocked that a human finger was
found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, it cost less
than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain?
Lobster?


  New Rule: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex
with
their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged.
I have a better description for  these kids:
'Lucky bastards.'


  New Rule: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone..
Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: Do you
have two of them?
Good, we're done.


  New Rule:There's no such thing as flavored water.
There's a whole aisle of this crap at the
supermarket, water, but, without that watery taste.
Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You
want flavored water?
Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's
your flavored water.


  New Rule: The more complicated the Starbucks order,
the
bigger the asshole.
If you walk into a Starbucks and order a 'decaf
grandee,
half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot,
gingerbread
cappuccino,  extra dry, light ice, with one
Sweet-n'-Low, and One
NutraSweet,' ooooh, you're a huge asshole.


  New Rule: I'm not the cashier!
By the time I look up from sliding my card, entering
my PIN number, pressing 'Enter,' verifying the amount,
deciding, no, I don't want cash back, and pressing
'Enter' again, the kid who is supposed to be ringing
me up is standing there eating my Mars Bar.


  New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese
characters
in it doesn't  make you Spiritual.
It's right above the crack of your ass. And it
translates to 'beef with broccoli.' The last time you
did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you
weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You're just
high.


  New Rule: If you're going to insist on making movies
based on crappy old television shows, then you have
to
give everyone in the Cineplex a remote so we can see
what's playing on the other screens.
Let's remember the reason something was a television
show in the first place is that the idea wasn't good
enough to be a movie.


New Rule: And this one is long overdue: No more
bathroom
attendants.
After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a
mint like
I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell
If he's
supposed to be there, or  just some freak with a
fetish. I don't want to be on your webcam, Dude. I
just want to wash my hands


  New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I
don't need to hear '27
months.' 'He's two' will do just fine.
He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the
first place.


New Rule: If you ever hope to be a credible adult and
want
a job that pays better than minimum wage, then for
God's sake
don't pierce or tattoo every available piece of
flesh.
If so, then plan your future around saying,
'Do you want fries with that?'

Author

Message

 

Jupiter6 Thorofare, NJ John Meilahn, M.D., F.A.C.S. RNY (07/16/07) Member Since: 11/16/03 [Latest Posts]

Post Date: 5/12/08 12:46 pm Last Edit: 5/12/08 12:53 pm I try to be kind, but I am going to vent a moment here-- no one in particular in mind, just a general statement. I see so many people go  into this like gangbusters and lose steam-- and it annoys the crap out of me. And still more who  "were never told" what to do-- and never bothered to find out, either. I think of my RNY like a marriage--- and not just of organs and connective tissue. Love it or hate it, it's with me now for life-- and my attitude is that I can either invest everything I have in it in hopes of high rewards, or neglect it and hope it works out.  A LOT of people have their focus on the wedding (surgery day) or the whirlwind romantic honeymoon (the first year of easy loss.) The truth is, you could probably eat nothing but goddamn Cap'n Crunch cereal and Pixy Sticks and lose weight in the first 6 months--- just like the honeymoon in the Bahamas'd be full of lusty fun under the worst of conditions....the challenge is how to maintain a working, passionate and healthful MARRIAGE--- which lasts the rest of your life. So for me, on a daily basis, on the 9-5, I am faithful, compliant and hardworking. I honor my vows by tallying nutrition, balancing foods, getting moderate exercise, and not shoving crap in my face. On occasion, I remind myself that I am human and lusty by scheduling in a little "afternoon delight" in the form of a piece of chocolate, or a half-slice of cake--- but I am not having an affair, I am actually keeping myself from having affairs--by treating my RNY spouse as part of a full relationship, and remembering my love for food in a limited and honorable way---not having a "quickie" in some seedy bar bathroom stall (Cheetos, a handful of fries, candy from the machine), but a planned weekend at that quaint motor lodge with the hot tub and a view of the canyon. I ask, "Can we afford it?" and check the numbers and say, "Hell, it's only 1100 calories, go for it." Then my RNY and I do some wonderful, small, memorable things with food. People ask me, "Don't you ever just eat something? Like a snack or a handful of M&Ms?" To me, that'd be like making out with the janitor. I have a commitment to my RNY (and by proxy my self.). I am not gonna dishonor that by playing slap and tickle with the hired help in a dirty bathroom. So I have my planned forays--- Saturday night was my first in two months-- and it cost me literaly 1100 calories for the day.  And when the weekend was over, my RNY and I came back to the daily business of running my body's household. Vacation is just that-- vacation.  And when the honeymoon period ends, I am gonna have to look my RNY spouse in the face and get on with things.  Forget the wedding-- weddings are always lovely. And screw the honeymoon-- who doesn't have a wonderful honeymoon? The $1,000,000 question here is, "How are you going to honor your RNY marriage-- in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"  "To be a revolutionary is to love your life enough to change it, to choose struggle instead of exile-- and to risk everything with only the glimmering hope of a world to win." -Andrew Kopkind, 1968     Consult  (1/31/07): 368.0 lbs. --62.1 BMI Surgery Day  (7/16/07): 300.8 lbs. --50.1 BMI                         Current Weight (5/11/08): 194.4 lbs.--32.2 BMI