Finishing up day 2 of 5DPT

What happens if you assume the 5dpt doesn't work?  Are you going to your surgeon and tell him you want a do over?  The only thing your testing is your nerves by limiting yourself to liquids. You are overly sensitive because your hungry. Just follow your plan and get back on track. There are no magic tricks to living postop, just follow your instructions. 

     So, take this as you will, but it is given in the spirit of support -- much like many of the other people who've posted good advice because we'd like you to succeed.  I can understand that you may feel defensive, but sometimes the honest reality is the greatest kind of support.

     Going by your ticker, you had a VSG 3 years and six months ago and have lost about 97 lbs. with another 98 to go.  You haven't reached your goal and indeed are only at the half-way point after 3.5 years. 

This shows that your way hasn't really been working too well -- and the likely reason is that you haven't really found a way to make lifetime eating changes to support your goal. We all get that it's hard -- but sustained loss doesn't happen unless we truly get our head in the game and make long term changes with our relationship with food. That doesn't mean that I, or anyone else, thinks you are an idiot. It means that we recognize the very eating behavior and thinking that led so many of us to fail our goals before... and unfortunately, the faddish 5-day pouch test does nothing to truly focus your eating for life.  

     You've had the same message given to in various ways both from vets who have lost and maintained at goal for years and people, such as myself, who are far less out who have lost more  and are at or close to goal -- and it seems to me, that that advice might be a bit more priceless than you first assumed. In any case, I hope you reach your goal because you and your health certainly deserve it.

A rational and cogent argument. 

  Key words... "Lifetime eating changes".  If those changes are truly made, there is no reason to "re-focus".  It's not easy, but when you get real with yourself and make the commitment to living the WLS lifestyle for life, it gets easier.  That means you have to give up foods that you love,  foods that give you comfort, food centered celebrations, etc.  

The problem occurs when you think you can go back to eating the same things that made you obese in the first place.  You think you can control the carb monster, or you think surgery has exorcised you from your food demons.  You have to change EVERYTHING about the way you interact with food.  There is not a diet in the world that works.  If there was, we would not need surgery.

People always ask if they HAVE to give up certain foods. There aren't necessarily any foods that, physically, you HAVE to give up. But I think you have to go into this WILLING to give up everything, until we find that life-long plan that works.

Very begrudingly, I have given up broccoli.

For me, I think it will be necessary to give up certain foods for life.  I have gained back 20 pounds which changes one's clothes size trying to find that right combination.  I have not been able to recommit to what I need to do.  I am eating too much and too many of the wrong things such as ice cream.  You do have to change your lifestyle and find what works for you and stick with it every day.

Don't let the naysayers discourage you.  If you are doing well on the liquid, you can safely go for some time. Before my surgery, I had two weeks of liquids only.  Dense protein has been pretty impossible for me since I had lap band surgery 4 yours ago.  I have had others tell me the same.  That makes it harder to resist the wrong soft foods such as ice cream.  You have to do what works for you and stay healthy.