Question:
4 weeks post op and I've been at the same weight for 3. diet to blame?
My surgeon made me lose 20lbs before surgery and then after surgery I lost another 20 but I've been at the same weight now for 3 weeks. I'm worried that maybe I started eating normal food too soon but it didn't bother me and I was always careful to chew thoroughly and eat slowly. I try to eat low fat, but so many of the sugar free foods have a lot of fat. And I can eat a whole 8oz of food, is that normal? I can drink about 10 oz. I'm getting all my protein (isopure is great) but I still have a hard time remembering to get all my water. A typical day would be something like this: Breakfast - half a cup of fat free cottage cheese and a half a canned (lite) peach or 8oz fat free milk, CIB and one scoop of isopure Snack - half a cup of sugar free, low fat vanilla bluebell ice cream Lunch - a cup of chicken and sausage gumbo with the fat drained. Snack - 8oz fat free milk, CIB and one scoop of isopure Dinner - chicken breast, grilled Snack - low fat Ritz crackers w/low fat peanut butter. You think I'm eating too much fat? Maybe a combo of that and not drinking my water? Not exercising very much either? This is so depressing. =( — macanudomiss B. (posted on April 28, 2003)
April 28, 2003
I certainly don't want to sound judgemental but it sounds like you are
consuming alot of food for 4 weeks post-op. Are you drinking with your
meals? I am 6 weeks and 2 days post-op and am still only eating about 4
level TBLS a meal (4oz), no drinking 30min before my meal and waiting
30min. after to start my fluid intake again. My only between meal eating
and drinking is 1 protein shake in mid afternoon and one before bed that
equals 60 grams of protein (Real Meals).
Why don't you try keeping a record of your calories for one day...that
might be the best answer to your question. This is just my opinion plus
having one of the best nutritionist in Northern Virginia. I don't start
increasing my ounces until about the 4th-5th month. Hope this helps.
— Betty W.
April 28, 2003
I also beleive that you might be eating too much. Try going to fitday.com
and seeing how many calories and fat grams your day has. I am eight weeks
out and am only able to eat about 3oz three times a day, no snacking. Hope
this helps Marcy
— Marcy S.
April 28, 2003
I am 5 weeks, 4 days out of open RNY, and know that I could not eat a whole
chicken breast. It does seem your food volume is high, however, what size
is your new stomach? Different surgeons will make different sizes. I
didn't lose weight for 2 weeks and panicked, but then realized I was eating
carbs and not walking. As soon as I upped my protein and did my mile walk,
I saw results...
— vittycat
April 28, 2003
If you had rny, you are trying to eat waaaayyyyyyy too much. I am very
surprised that you can even hold that much food at one time. On the other
hand, if you had one of the other surgeries, like DS, your pouch is larger
and you can hold more. Sorry, but this is a lot of food. If I could eat
that much I would sue my surgeon!!!! (joke)
— Delores S.
April 28, 2003
hi there, on another note i'd like to say i don't think your eating to
much. in the begining my dr. told me to eat 6 mini meals a day. every dr.
is differant. compare what you eat now to what you ate before and i'm sure
there's a big differance in volume. your body is just in shock from
surgery. my 1st week i lost 27lbs then went on a three week plateu that
early out. just try to get your liquids in and keep up the good work. take
care, kimberly open distal rny 11/12/02 -90lbs
— kimberly T.
April 28, 2003
I cannot eat a chicken breast even at 9 1/2 months out - a drumstick does
it for me. I'd also dump the sugar-free ice cream every day and eat
something with some protein...JR
— John Rushton
April 28, 2003
Sorry guys, when I say I'm eating a whole chicken breast, I mean the tiny,
processed kind that you get on a sandwich at burger king, they are half the
size of a chicken breast like you'd buy in the grocery store. Let me put
it this way, I eat with a teaspoon and I can eat 7 or 8 bites, if that
helps. Maybe saying a cup is a little too much, probably more like 1/2 -
3/4.
— macanudomiss B.
April 28, 2003
I have not had my surgery yet (May 19), but at one of my support group
meetings, a doctor that is in the same group with my doctor came to speak
to us. He said that getting in your fluids was the most important thing.
He said that it could definitely keep you from losing if you don't get in
your fluids. I know it has got to be hard to do this. I am preop and I
started a little while back trying to drink my daily water and it is hard
for me. I don't know what I'll do when my tummy is so much smaller. Just
keep trying! I will keep you in my prayers. Good luck!
— Jennifer H.
April 28, 2003
I just did the math for you on fitday.com 944cal 28gm fat 106gm carb 69gm
protien. You are getting 44% of your calories from carbs it should be 20%
or less. 27% from fat it should be 10% and 29% from protien it should be
70%. You need to plan your meals more carefully. Speak to your
nutritionilist. They will put you on the right track. If I were you I would
try to get my carbs form whole grains and veggies I did not include the
isoprure as I did not know if it were the Zero carb isopure or not. If not
Zero you add 600cal and 50 gms of carbs and 100 gms of protien . Good Lux
— Robert L.
April 28, 2003
I think you are doing fine. I also had an early plateau even though I was
following the rules for the most part. I think it is something a lot of
people go through. Your diet sounds pretty good to me with the exception of
the ice cream--not that you shouldn't have any but when you are eating so
little you really should have some protein EVERY time you eat. But if you
are getting plenty of protein from shakes that may not be an issue. (I
never could tolerate the shakes enough to rely on them so I made it my rule
to eat protein EVERY time.) Watch your measurements. Even if the scale
won't cooperate, you still may be losing inches. BUT that said, you do need
to drink as much water as you can (I know it's hard!) and stay active.
Walking is fine and you don't have to walk all the way to China . . . 10
minutes here and there adds up! Park far away from the door and take the
stairs. It's your total activity that counts.<p>Bottom line, I'll
repeat the best advice I ever got from this site: If you are eating 800-900
calories a day there is NO WAY your body can maintain itself on that. You
WILL lose more weight. I know right now with your hormones going crazy and
probably a little postop depression rearing its ugly head it is hard to
believe. But be patient and forget about the scale for a couple of weeks.
Just keep doing what you know you ought to and you will do fine! I had an
early plateau, too and I still made it to goal in 10 1/2 months!
— ctyst
April 28, 2003
I'm sorry if I confused you your total calories is about 1700 that includes
the CIB and isopure That is enough calories to maintain 175 lbs. Good Lux
— Robert L.
April 28, 2003
I hope you don't feel as if everyone is picking on you, even though they
are gentle voiced! OHpefully, you asked because you want to know. How long
is it taking you to eat that 8 oz? If it's more than 15 minutes, it's
grazing. Also, I would gain wt on that regimen. Milk, CIB, ice cream.....
wayyyyyyyyy too high in sugar. I don't count calories or generic carbs, but
I do count sugars. Can you just shake up your Is with some water? Or use
a diet soda or Crystal Light & ditch all the sugar? (milk, CIB). The
other side effect is that that much sugar might be making you hungrier than
you would be if you stuck closer to single digit of sugar per meal. Then
of course, there are "steps" after that first rush of wt loss.
We don't lose daily, but more show a net loss by the end of the month.
It'll drive you nuts to expect a daily or weekly loss. Pick a day, any day
and weigh monthly. I know, I know, but honest, it will provide you with
fun surprises every month.
— vitalady
April 28, 2003
At almost 2 wks post-op and only restricted to no beef, pork, raw veggies,
or raw fruit ('cept banana or melon)...I can only dream of when I can eat
more than 4 oz at a time. Low fat ice cream, sausage? Oh my...I can only
dream.
— Diane S.
April 29, 2003
That's quite a list. That's a lot of food for 3 weeks post op. I'm 6 months
out and I can't eat that much. What has helped me is to document everything
I eat in a spread sheet that calculates the protein and calories. This
helps me stay on track throughout the day. I start out with a big dose of
protein (double protein shake) half a days requirements. For exercise I do
water aerobics 3 times a week. You would not believe how great this is for
getting in shape, you don't even realize it.
— aprilbaree
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