what is the 5 day pouch test

i am 4 years out as of april ive gained 40 pounds back .but have stayed at this weight for about a year but i am eating more and more becuse i feel so bad about being at this weight . i feel so fat  lossing hope and interest in all things wont to eat and lay around because i feel so bad about myself i did make a step yesterday in the right way started back exercising and back to the being of this life change made it all day on liquids untill supper and was so hungry i did eat but only about 1 cup of meat and beans. but i have forgot about alot of the things that i was to do like not drinking 30 min.s befor or after meal . i really need advise as to what we had to do when we 1st started and about this pouch test what and how is it plz help. afird i'm on my way back to fat city with no hope of ever getting out again ---butterflyr

You went thru too much having wls to ever go back again! You CAN do this! Go back to basics~push protein first, limit bad carbs, no drinking at least 30/30 and never with meals but be sure to drink at least 64oz if not more between meals and exercise. Do you still do any protein shakes? That might help you to get thru the day a little easier. You can always log your food/exercise at thedailyplate.com, fitday or sparkpeople if that helps. Don't be so hard on yourself~you've had a slip up, but you can still turn this thing around. 40lbs is probably not much compared to what you lost after wls, so it is doable. Here's the link to the 5 day pouch test if you want to give that a try~


http://www.5daypouchtest.com/

Just remember the first few days are hard b/c you'll probably be detoxing from carbs so don't get discouraged. Hang in there and let us know how things are going for you!

Maybe you just need a refresher on how to use your pouch.  I found this article to be the best thing I have read on the subject.

http://www.amylhwilliams.com/pouchrulesfordummies.html

There is also a cottage cheese test (you can substitute a measured amount of scrambled eggs if you don't like cottage cheese).

COTTAGE CHEESE TEST

 

The idea for this technique began with Dr. E.E. Mason, at one of the Iowa Bariatric Symposia in the early 1980s, who suggested that it might be useful to ask patients to eat cottage cheese, in a structured manner, to attempt to determine their functional meal volume at different times post operatively.

 

Dr. Latham Flanagan (The Oregon center for Bariatric Surgery) is known for his research and experience in developing the “cottage cheese test”.  This test is accepted as a standardized, reproducible measurement of the functional size of the stomach pouch in a person who has undergone a gastric bypass procedure.

 

1. Purchase a container of small curd low-fat cottage cheese
2. Begin the test with a full container of cottage cheese, and perform the test in the morning before eating anything else.  This will be your breakfast on that day.
3. Eat fairly quickly until you feel full (less than five minutes).  Note that the small soft curds do not require much chewing.  You are eating rapidly so you will fill the pouch before there is time for any food to flow out of it.  After eating your “fill” of cottage cheese, you will be left with a partially eaten container that has an empty space where cottage cheese used to be.
4. Measure the volume of cottage cheese you have eaten by filling a two cup (16 fluid ounces) measuring cup with water.  Pour water into the container of cottage cheese until the water level rises to the original top level of the cottage cheese.
5. The amount of water poured into the container is the functional size of your pouch.

 

Dr. Flanagan’s research indicates that the average volume of the mature stomach pouch, measured by this method, is 5.5 ounces (163ml).  Additionally, he reached the conclusion that, “sizes ranging up to 9 ounces have NO IMPACT on the person’s success in weight loss”.  This means that unless your pouch holds a greater volume than 9 ounces (267 ml), the exact size of your pouch is not a critical factor in whether or not you can lose excess weight and then manage your weight as time progresses.  

 

 

Source:  BSCI (Bariatric Support Centers International)

Hope this all helps!
Diona

i regained 40 as well but got my butt in the gym and logged my food and increased my water and in 8 weeks lost 20 pounds.

it can be done with out pouch test diets and all of that. Of course some people get good results and it helps them out greatly but it can be done by just kicking yourself in the behind and taking responsibility.

sometimes it happens weight regain is always going to lurk behind us we are not cured. we are obesity survivors not people cured of obesity. so you must be accountable and take control. log in your food that you will be measuring with cups and spoons and you will increase your water and decrease or eliminate anything bad that you are eating or drinking. Eat on a small plate rather than a large one. Eat six small meals to keep your metabolism going. If you consume less than 1000 calories a day your matabolism shuts down and everything you consume is not burned off it is stored as fat. Most of us need 1200-1600 calories a day some more some less.

start exercising......30 minutes a day of cardio such as walking......you can do it in place if weather is bad.....there are no excuses as to why people can not work out. I am studying to be a personal trainer and in the gym I go to ,I hear many excuses from healthy fit people.  If thirty minutes at one time is too much then do three ten minute sessions. Ride a bike either indoors or out. You can do push ups off the wall as opposed to traditional ones on the floor. Then you need to add weights to your work out at some point down the road. Muscle is lost and needs to be replaced. Start with small weights.....3-5 pounds. Remember the weight did not come on over night it is not going to come off overnight.

the 3 D's

dedication
discipline
desire

you have taken  very important steps.....you admitted you re-gained and you asked for help and you started exercising.............now start over and follow the rules....and remember you are not alone and you are not a failure....

good luck
tammy.............7yrs post op

You  may want to consider doing a 3 day liquid protein train.  It's created by Susan Maria Leach, owner of BariatricEating.com and it takes you back to basics.  Here is the info on it.  No special recipes needed, you set your own rules. Basically you get back to liquid protein so your stomach can take a break from food, you decarb your body but if you need food, you are able to eat it, just make sure its protein... low carb.  Here is the link and the post as well in case you can't find it.

3 Day LPT 

http://www.beforeandafterhelp.com/index.php?showtopic=42439

If you’ve been around Bariatric Eating even for a week, you’ve probably seen threads on the message board about the 3 Day LPT. Or, Day One, Day Two, and Day Three updates. Many ask, “What does LPT stand for? What is it?” LPT stands for Liquid Protein Train. It is used by people who have gotten off track (or just plain derailed!), need to de-carb themselves (to get rid of that nasty urge to snack or overeat), or to jump start weight loss again. It also helps you to get in touch with how you feel when you do eat or drink (feeling full, stopping when you have the full sensation, etc.) I searched the message board recently and came up with several questions and responses by others... My final conclusion is that there are really no solid or set in stone rules. However, here are some general consistencies when people decide to do the LPT.

Who Should do the 3 Day LPT?
1. If you have gotten off track (or just plain de-railed in your weight loss journey!), then the 3 day LPT is for you.
2. If you find that you are addicted to carbs, are eating junk food, are snacking and grazing, then the 3 day LPT is for you.
3. If you need to jump start your weight loss once again, then the 3 day LPT is for you.
4. For those who have no weight to lose and are not addicted to carbs, this is probably not necessary. Instead, you may want to check out Susan Maria’s Basic Bariatric Eating Plan to stay on track.

Before You Begin:
1. How many days will I do this program? Normally it’s done for 3 days. You may choose to continue for up to 5 days. Anything over this might be excessive.
2. Will I drink ONLY protein shakes or will I add a light supper? The choice is entirely up to you. If you are able to get rid of carb cravings by cutting back to eating a light supper (high protein), then you may want to stick with drinking shakes all day but a light supper at night. However, if you are overly addicted to carbs and need a more aggressive approach, the full liquid shake only approach may be the best for you.

Preparation for the Program:
1. Make sure you have plenty of protein shakes available – there’s nothing worse than to be in the middle of a program and run out of products! Stock up on high protein, low carb, low sugar and low calorie protein powders or ready to drinks. Bariatric Eating sells a wide variety of great tasting protein products.
2. Decarb your pantry – get rid of foods that you should not have (crackers, chips, cookies, high carb sugar free products) as these will be a stumbling block to you. Also, the purpose of the LPT is to get back on track and away from those items that cause you to fail. You don’t want to sabotage your own success by having these tempting products in the house. They do have a tendency to call your name at the most inopportune (usually your weakest) times!

How It's Done:
1. Drink a protein shake whenever you feel hunger (whether it be real body hunger or head hunger) – one person said they drink a shake every two hours. I figured that if a person would start at 6 am, drink a shake every two hours, this would allow them to drink up to 8 pm! (Sounds great)
2. Consume a minimum of 800 calories for the day
3. You may drink fluids after consuming protein shakes. The "30 minute wait period" before drinking after food does not apply in this case.

Keep in Mind:
1. Get off sugar products
2. Some people include a few additives in their shakes to help spice them up such as a little peanut butter, or sugar free Davinci syrups, or a little bit of fruit (although fruits do have carbs, so it depends on what your preference is). If the additive causes you to crave more, DON'T add it.
3. You may want to include thin soups with light vegetables, yogurts or custards as they are considered full liquids.
4. It has been suggested that if you are exercising, drink a protein shake right before your workout.

Transitioning Back to Normal:
1. If you are doing full liquids for 3 days, on the fourth day you will want to add a light supper. When comfortable, add a light lunch until you are back to your 3 meals a day. The LPT will help you to be more in tune with how food makes you feel. In other words, you will know when you are full on a meal. Stop there, do not overeat. Listen to your body and pouch when it says its full.
2. If you did liquid all day and a light supper at night during the 3 days, then just add your light lunch back into the routine.

thanks every one you all have gave some really good advice think i may try them all what can it hurt  its not like i am gonna loss to much cause 40 is a long ways off , but with your advice and incouragering words i pray i can trun this around 1 more time -- hugs from butterfly

Hi, I am 3 1/2 years post gastric bypass, I did the 5 day pouch test... and I can say that it is the ONLY thing that has really worked as far as getting back on track with my good eating habits. I had gained 30 lbs back, that's when I decided I had to find something to help me. I did the 5 day pouch test and followed it very accurately. That first week I lost 8 lbs! the second week which was last week I lost 2.5 lbs, so now I am down 10.5 lbs out of the 30 I had gained. It really helped with the sugar cravings too, and I wasn't miserable and hungry like I thought I would be. I also went to a support group for the first time in a long time last week, I think I will start going back to those regularly, that helps too. I am so glad I found that 5 day test, I think it will be the key to keeping me on track, I plan to do it once a month until I get back to my goal weight, and then occasionally if needed :)