The way I eat at nearly three years out from my DS

Having the DS has been somewhat like an amazing dream.  I lost 130 pounds eating ribs, fried chicken, pork chops, bbq, and any artery clogging food you can imagine!  All the while my cholesterol was going down right along with my weight!  It was insane that the more food I ate, the MORE weight I would lose.  If my loss was slowing, I would just eat more.  What diet in the world says, "Not losing enough?  Indulge in even MORE food and watch the pounds fly off!!"  Like I said, the DS has been a dream.  However, for me, eating just anything has just never been the case.  I may have a much more sensitive system than others with the DS, but this is what my eating life is like now...now that I've gotten real about what "actually" works for my newly arranged innards.

I have done a lot of pinpointing problem foods over the past three years to optimize my weight loss success, and along the way have found the foods that just DO NOT work for my ****** up guts.  It was obvious from very early on that milk and milk products were not going to work for me.  I would get obnoxious gas and even diarrhea.  Learning that I was lactose intolerant wasn't the end of the world, thankfully I could still eat cheese. 

I also learned very early out that white flour products not only filled me up too much, but that they also gave me horrid gas and diarrhea.  So, out with the white flour products.  That meant...no cookies, no cake, no white pasta, no pizza.  This made me feel like the end of the world had surely come.  SURE I could EAT my bakery delights, but only with extreeeeme repercussions.  Too extreme.  I spent the next 2 years (stubborn ass) eating only 100% whole grain bread, crackers, and pastas.

That brings me to whole wheat, barley, rye, basically anything with a large amount of gluten.  I stayed in denial for a lllllong time about how much gluten products made me bloat like I was pregnant, fart like a man (a man with a sewer plant attached to his ass, lol!), and made me go #2 far too much.  I didn't WANT to admit that my bread products were killing me.  I didn't want to give them up. Damn it, they're healthy after all!!!  It's been about 5 months since going gluten free and lemme tell you, best decision I've made!  No bloating, no gas, no diarrhea.  I go to the bathroom 2-3 times every single morning and I'm DONE! 

So, 2.5 years into this journey, and my weight is creeping up, up, and up.  It was a good thing at first as I'd gotten down to 116 pounds in the spring of 2009.  As my weight went up, I began to feel better and better.  First 120, then 130, stayed at 140 for awhile...hit the 2.5 year mark and went to 150.  150 looks just fine, but it is by far the top of my comfort zone at 5'7.  So...on April 7, 2010, I made the decision to go sugar free for life.  Okay, so it's only been TWELVE days, but hey...even forever had a first day, right?  On the 7th I stepped on the scale and weighed 152.8 pounds....today less than two weeks later, I was 145.  The ONLY thing I've changed is that I've eliminated sugar...and I'm back to my goal weight, like magic!

So....lactose free, gluten free, and sugar free....what do I eat?  I have sooo many favorites!  I eat chicken, shrimp, crab legs, fish, steak, nuts galore, cheeses, edamame (my addiction), salads with ranch or oil and vinegar, fruit (especially lots of strawberries and kiwi), sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, spinach, and of course I still drink 3 protein shakes everyday. (That will never change, I will be drinking protein shakes for life!)

I no longer have bloating that makes me look 6 months pregnant, the gas is near non-existent, my weight is in check and no longer climbing north, and I have more energy than ever before.  I'm officially the happiest I've EVER been since getting my DS.  It's far easier eliminating the foods that make me miserable, than paying the price later on after indulging.  I'm human, and for sure will mess up from time to time, but getting real about my food intake has been the best present I've ever given myself.

Great post Lori, I'm envious that you know your system so well.  I'm trying to understand what works best for me.  I lost 40lbs the first 3 1/2 weeks after surgery then stalled for 4 weeks (have never stalled that long in my life, was thinking what the hell, do I have to join WW too?).  Then this past week lost 6 pounds.  Don't know what I'm doing right, wrong or otherwise. 

So let me ask you a question, if someone is making ribs with oodles of sauce put on them will you pass since so many sauces have quite a bit of sugar?  Wondering how extreme your no sugar program is.    I don't eat pasta, white rice, potatoes, keep carbs under 50 per day, love my cheese. I guess the education you described comes with time.

When you said that you didn't feel you were eating much, so you'd eat more - can you describe for me a day of little eating versus more eating. You and I are the same height, my goal is to be anything below 150.  I've still got a long way to go, but hope to make it there some day.

Thanks for the post, it was very interesting and thought provoking.

Debbie M.

Hey Debbie,

I'm just avoiding purposeful sugar like in candy and such.  I'm still having sauces like bbq and such, just not often. 

On the eating more thing, I would have 2-3 days where I would do nothing but eat from the time I woke up til the time I went to bed.  I would make myself eat something every two hours all day.  High protein, low carb of course!  I can't really remember amounts, just ate what I could all day long.

It really does come with time, figuring out what you can and can't have.  Good luck on your own journey, love!

Lori

I could probably benefit from your discoveries about yourself, for I see a lot of that with me, too.  However, I know as well as you do what it takes to set your mind to such things, and I can't help but just sit back for now and admire your reserve, wishing I had it, too.  One day, I'll be ready.

Being that you love BBQ so much, I may have some good news for you.   Hubby is going totally rogue and is opening a BBQ!  He and his partner are putting the LLC together now and have a location selected and working on that contract.  With any luck, we could have the restaurant open by this summer.

Cool on the BBQ place!!  You bring the BBQ in July, I'll have my hubs bring the cheesecake...what else could we NEED?  ;)

Lori

If I don't make it, you can count on where the next get together in our neck of the woods will be.

Sounds good!!

Hey Lori!  I found some edamme and I love it!  We happened to go to a larger town about an hour away from home.  We went to Hy-Vee grocery store and in their health food department I found three different brands and two types of edamame, in the pod and out of the pod. I thawed some last night and just had it cold with sea salt.  It was really good.  I'm going to cook it tonight with some butter and salt.  Thanks so much for your advice about this.  Also discovered in their health food department they have tons of gluten-free items.  That's my next step to try is the gluten-free to see if cuts down on my bloating.  I also hope to lose this 10 pound regain.  You're doing great losing that seven pounds so quickly.  I'm going to put my nose to the grindstone.  I'd really like to lose this before summer. 

Thanks again for all your help and for being such an inspiration!

Karey

Hi Lori,

Although I had just the VSG, I seem to have problems with lactose, gluten products and sugar. could you share what protein shakes you are drinking?? Also an average day menu? I am into my third year VSG and need to make modifications to my diet. Many foods upset my stomach as of late so I am open for suggestions.

Babs

I only drink Champion Nutrition Pure Whey Stack protein shakes.  My first and favorite love is chocolate, next in line is strawberry, last I have banana scream to make ricotta cheese pancakes.  The Champion flavors are smooth and easy to mix.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!

Hmmm...here's an idea of how I eat now.  This was yesterday

B- Champion protein double scoop shake made into an iced coffee treat
S- Coffee, heavy cream, sf caramel syrup
S- 14oz steamed, buttered and salted edamame
L- 8 pieces grilled shrimp, sweet baked potato with butter, side salad with ranch
S- Strawberries and a kiwi and another double scoop protein shake
S- 14 oz edamame
D- One pound of bacon
S- 14 oz edamame
S- Champion protein double scoop protein shake

Edamame is my favorite food right now, in case it's not obvious!  Lol!  Love it!  I can't recommend it enough, especially for those who may not be eating glutens.  Edamame is not only a good source of protein, it's also chock full of fiber.  Something I wasn't getting nearly enough of in my diet before my edamame phase!



Lori