Food, Lifestyle, Guilt

I am curious for those of you who have been post-op for a year or more.  Do you find yourself eating foods now that you would have thought of as totally off-limits as a new post-op patient when you were say 2-3 months out from surgery.  I am basically stating that you are now all healed up from surgery and you are way out from that 6 week post-op diet with all of the shakes, soft foods, etc.

Now that I am basically 1 year post-op (2/28/2008), I find myself living and eating in a completely normal way.  I can no longer eat gigantic meals as the "old fat me" used to do.  But, I do find myself eating meals that my family enjoys whether we are at home or out for dinner.  Nothing is really off limits to me.  I feel so great and I feel truly normal now.  It is almost liberating to eat a meal of whatever I want.  I always try to eat protein first and foremost and then if I feel I have the room for other stuff, I might eat part of baked potato or some bread, occasionally a sweet treat, but never like I did before.  My weight loss has remained steady (150 pounds total), but now as far as what I attribute that to - it could be all the exercise I do daily = 1.5 hours total time = 2.5 miles of running for 30 minutes and 60 minutes of weightlifting or it could be I now eat 5-6 very small meals per day = increased metabolism. 

I am asking this question because I look and see how people are eating these meals encompassing very low calories (800-1000), now I know this might be acceptable as a fresh post-op patient, but for someone far out, say 8 months to a couple of years, I would think 1300-2000 calories would be acceptable - if you have the activity level to compensate for the increased caloric intake.  

I would really love to know how much some of you now eat daily in terms of calories, number of meals, do you ever splurge and eat "No No Foods - things that would have been unheard of as a fresh post-op patient?  Do you personally feel in control of your eating habits now versus long ago?  Can you now eat and not feel guilty about what you put in your mouth?  Have new eating habits become second nature now where you don't think about each and every morsel of food that you put in your mouth?

Me personally - I eat between 1500-2000 calories daily, of which I burn off about 600-800 calories from working out, except for Sundays - no exercise that day, rest only.  Within that last month I definitely feel a new found sense of calm and tranquility.  I no longer feel the need to watch every piece of food I put in my mouth.  I no longer feel the need to weigh myself every single day - I was really bad about this early on, I wouldn't even put food or drink in my mouth till I had worked out in the gym and then weighed myself to get the lowest recorded weight possible.  

Sorry to be so long, but I felt like I need to say my thoughts.

Thanks, Taz 

 

Taz,

Up front I was not a calorie counter nor a big fiend on hitting the weights.  Probably could use the work outs to put some muscle back on but most of my exercise comes in the form of regular 2 mile walks.  I'm nearly 11 months out and 154 pounds down so I can't complain about my results. 52/54 jeans down to 38's and they are droopy!  Have not really gotten to far away from the scales.

I pretty well keep to the "protein first" rule still and in doing so I'm eating more of the better proteins more often.  Having a GF with RNY we can eat at home or out, split the meal and both get high quality protein.  I've eaten more beef, seafood, bar-b-q and pork post op than I did pre op.  Usually keep it to just three "meals" a day but tend to graze on the string cheese, nuts and SF popsicles if I'm around the house.  Never have tried sugar, still stay away from bread, except salad croutons and only drank one carbonated Sprite Zero.

The only "no-no" foods that I have taken up are popcorn and SF candy.  I know empty calories but taste good.  Ever feel guilty for eating them?  Nope.  Unless I have to let out a SF candy induced methane discharge out of my ass in public.

 Hi Taz,

I think everone one or more years out is experiencing this, whether they like it or not. I'm eating about 2000 a day, but perhaps I should be given my amount/ level of physical activity. 

Docs need to admit to the reality of this and start counseling patients on how to deal with it. Eventually, more than doc currently admit, patients are going to be relying on the bypass effect of the surgery more than the restrictive effect  (from the pouch and maybe the section of intestine just beyond).

My suspicion is, if we exercise 4-5 times a week we probably won't ever gain much, even if we go up to 3000 or so (God forbid - that would really bother me).

Congrats on You Success,

Dave

Life 1+ years post op is a balancing act.  Hopefully we have learned to balance our intake and calorie usage.  My digestive system is still changing at 4 1/2 years post op.  I figure out what works for me and 6 or 7 months later it needs to be tweaked again.  I can eat almost anything I want, but I don't want much.  My body tells me what I need, and I do as it asks.  I will be hungry for fruit and I will eat fruit, body says thanks.   I do have a doughnut a couple times a year, but it doesn't give me comfort any more - it tastes good, but my body doesn't say thank you like it does if I drink a glass of milk.

Basically I am normal but I eat small portions.  If I go out for a steak, it is 3 meals instead of 1, lucky me.  We have changed our menu at home a little, but for the better.  Now my wife eats healthier too.

 Watch out, if we start talking about "eating normally" I'll bet the insurance companies will be over that like flies on ****. 

I am totally eating whatever I want now. The only difference for me is the amount of it I can eat. I do still have a sweet tooth but I usually restrict that to maybe a few pieces of dark chocolate and maybe a scoop of ice cream once in a while.



Thinbobby hit the nail on the head saying that it really is a balancing act. I've learned that if I eat healthy most of the time, get in my 4 days of working out a week and live a more active lifestyle all around, I don't have to really nit-pick at what I eat. I just don't go overboard.



I watch the scale and I take my measurements to make sure I'm not going the wrong direction but if I do I will adjust accordingly. Right now I'm kinda where I want to be size-wise, I'm just now trying to modify my composition a little to add a little more muscle where there is currently some softness.



Great thread. And I agree with Dave, the docs should really educate their patients on the long-term lifestyle. At first I was thinking I was going to be eating off of a tea saucer for the rest of my life. Now I can order at a restaurant and I just don't eat the breads or I'll just have a little piece. But nothing like I thought 10 months ago.

Thanks guys for all of your answers.  It really does help to know that other people are experiencing the same things or have the same feelings and ideas about these issues I have discussed.  Sometimes, part of me wants to feel guilty for how I live now.  Life to me seems easier and not such a chore or daily struggle.  I feel like I eat my ARSE off sometimes, but when I look at my DailyPlate totals, I am totally inline with where I should be.  I am eating a lot less in calories than I did a year ago, but the bulk of what I am eating is much more healthy now.

Anyway, guys thanks for sharing.

Taz 

Like others, I can and do eat anything (2 1/2 years out).  After my second heart attack 7 months ago I am alot more careful about the amounts I eat.  Like others I get in my protein and vegetables first.  During the day I will make sure I am eating right too...protein, vegetables, fruits, and plain nuts.  But during the day I will cheat a little.  One piece of dark chocolate, 1/2 of a McDonalds Hamburger,  4oz of coffee with some 1/2 and 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of sugar, a tablespoon of ice cream.  I don't do all of these each day, but if I eat 3 oz of fish and some steamed vegetables...I feel I can indulge...esp. since I am walking or bike riding for 45 minutes to 1 hour a day religiously.  Brian

Hello Taz

I' am comming up on five years out now since my wls. I eat whatever I want. Sugar still gets me and I try real hard not to eat it but I do in small amounts. I know just what my limit is with it. As far as real food or junk food I eat both and have not gained. I try to limit the junk out of just pure guilt. I think its how active I' am now and the pouch still works as far portion controll for me. Before I thought  I'll never be abel to eat pizza. not true I do just alot less and less often. I however am much more active then before. I goto the gym, work harder longer hours and on my days off do things instead of sitting on my ass. With the amount of exercise and body mass figured on the besile thermic rate or something like that.( I cant remember the exact name ) I should be getting in arround 2500 cal a day. Thats alot of eatting when you can only eat so much at a time.

Derrick

Great topic for us older guys.

I lost steadily for 11 months. At 11 months out, to the day, I was down 200 lbs. That was 3.5 months ago. Yesterday  I weighed 9 lbs more than I did on 10/26/08. So I'm going back to what worked a year ago: Lean protein, lean protein, lean protein, water, water, water, walking, walking, walking. And maybe some vegatables here and there.

What have I been eating over the past 3 months that I didn't eat a year ago? Damned near everything. There's nothing I can't eat and I've really eaten whatever I wanted here lately. The main two culprits though were granola and hot chocolate mix in my coffee. By the end of the day I would've eaten 6 to 8 granola bars here and there for a calorie total of 540 to 720 calories, and about 300 calories worth of sugar free hot chocolate mix in a quart of coffee. A thousand calories a day in "snacking" and I'm up 9 lbs. Same **** that got me to 455 before surgery.

So yesterday was a rededication day. Walking is non-negotiable again and I'm going cold turkeky on the granola and coffee. Cofee wasn't helping my BP situation anyway.

Edited to add: In answer to you question about feeling guilty or watching carefully every morsal you put in your mouth, I would say this: What little I've read about high protein diets seems to make the point that there is such a thing as carbohydrate addictions. I think there's something to that. I concern myself with food a whole lot less when I limit the carbs and especially the sweet carbs. That's part of what I'm trying to do right now is to get back in control of the mental part.