Question:
Anyone out there eat what you want
Ive asked this question before, but I cant find it anywhere and Ive been looking for 2 hours. Does anyone eat what they want and not gain weight(of course in smaller amounts. any stories appreciated. Im 13 months out and graze alot and on junk food to but I also eat alot of fruit. — Carrie W. (posted on May 18, 2004)
May 18, 2004
Ahh the good old days:) Early on one can eat and do just about anything and
still loose or maintain. WARNING! It does NOT last:( Worse yet the bad
habits are hard to break. Congrats that you can do this since not everyone
can. But it will change.. I suggest you get concerned now. this kinda
occured to me, and gaining weight scared me to death.
— bob-haller
May 18, 2004
I am almost 2 years post op and I occasionally do eat some junk food. I
think the key is that it is not everyday and is in very small amounts. I
know people sometimes get a little crazy obessesive about what we're
eating, but the key is moderation. I don't shun carbs either....I just
balance everything. I figure indulging in a couple of M&Ms or a few
hershey kisses once in a while is certainly not going to put back 140
pounds on me. My surgeon has always said to live and eat
"normally." As long as you're not eating junk food all the time
and sacrificing your other good foods, don't sweat it. I've been eating
like this for a while and haven't had a problem.
— emilyfink
May 18, 2004
I can eat whatever I want, but I gain weight! Got to get back under
control.
— jen41766
May 18, 2004
— vitalady
May 18, 2004
I've always eaten what I want but then again most of the time I chose to
eat good, or at least I did till 3 months ago after my PS. I sort of went
on a eat what I see binge but am working on getting it back under control.
I had gained 6 lbs and my new tight skin was miserable. 3 more lbs to go
and I'm back to the lowest I got. I do eat sugar and fat and bread etc. I
eat whatever I tolerate but normally in moderation. Protein is still a
huge part of my eating and always will be. I do not believe in living on a
diet or depriving myself. I want a normal life but even a normal life must
make choices in order to stay healthy. It cannot be a free for all if we
expect to maintain our weight and be healthy. But it doesn't need to be a
life of deprivation either. I tolerate basically everything but if I
overdo with the sugar things I can end up paying for it. Fortunately that
has only happen twice in 15-1/2 months.
— zoedogcbr
May 18, 2004
Ah, beware! What Bob says is true! It may take a year, 2 years or 4-5
years, but the body is very good at fixing itself. Call it hypertrophy,
hyperplasia or regeneration, but you WILL begin to absorb those bad things
eventually. I was like you, could eat anything and not gain until I hit
the 4-year mark, then, boom! 10 pounds! Even those who have done
everything by the book experience this...just join the Grad list to find
out. This is not to scare you, but to warn you not to take this surgery
for granted...ever.
— Leslie F.
May 18, 2004
I can eat what I want but at 10 months out I found I had gained 12 lbs from
having a "snack" every night for about a month so I cut that out
and lost the weight quickly. Now at almost 1.5 years out, I am still about
10 lbs from goal but this is where my body settled without a lot of effort
from me (my only thing is to get enough protein in each day). I probably
"could" lose the weight if I tightened up my diet and exercised
regularly but I fear being a post-op yo yo dieter, which to me is worse
than being 10 lbs from goal. However, I weigh myself every day and get
more stringent about keeping out the junk food if my weight creeps up a
pound or two. I've noticed that the further out I get, the easier it is to
gain weight so I believe Bob when he says "beware!"
— susanje
May 18, 2004
Just an amen to Bob and Leslie - seen too many friends "know"
what they can get away with... and it gets them in trouble as those little
snacks add up.
— kultgirl
May 18, 2004
I have a friend that had WLS 9 years ago. She could eat ANY THING that she
wanted. She drank when she ate, ate Hershey's mini's, ice cream, of course
not like she did pre-op and all in "small" amounts. Well, 6
years post-op she started gaining. Today she is MO again and in bad
health(co-morbs are back plus some new ones!). Her surgery is intact(no
SLD & pouch size is where it should be) she is just OUT EATING her
surgery. She never changed the WAY she ate after surgery so now she doesnt
know HOW to change. She always said, "XX pounds gone forever"
Too bad for her forever was only for 6 years. Keep grazing, you WILL gain
weight. Maybe not this week or month, but you will. Is it worth it???
~Sidney~ Open RNY 10-23-02 down 140+ and below goal
— Siddy I.
May 18, 2004
I, too, think you're on a slippery slope. Eating what I wanted is what got
me to nearly 300 pounds in the first place. Eating what I want now will
get me back to 300 pounds, no doubt about it. The fact that I am able eat
relatively small amounts at a sitting will not save me if I graze all day.
It still comes down to how many calories you take in versus how many you
use. Eating small amounts all day will add up to way more claories than I
burn. It doesn't matter if I ingest those calories through three meals
(three large ones pre-op), or through all-day snacking, which would be easy
to do post-op. And, don't kid yourself with the fruit. Fruit has a lot of
sugar, and a lot of calories. You're better off with protein and veggies.
Track what you eat over the span of a few days (and be completely honest).
If the amount of calories is too high, then you need to cut back. A
healthy post-op lifestyle is all about balance and diligence. I know that,
at least for me, I will ALWAYS have to pay attention to what and how much I
eat, and will have to force myself into making good choices. I doubt that
I'm different from most post-ops.
— Vespa R.
May 19, 2004
I know how I got to be a size 34 and I know I can gain if I dont watch it.
It may seen obessive to be afraid of getting back in the habit of eating
certain foods especially sugar, but I know what a sugar addict I was and I
dont want to go backwards. I will eat an Mcdonalds hamburger or something
high fat once in a while but if I dont exercize the weight goes up five
pounds. Some say live a normal life, I've always been obese and I know I
still have several bad habits to break. Please try to watch your eating
plan, it will not be as easy to keep the weight off later and dont let your
health suffer either. I would rather have good labs than to drop a size.
Best wishes
— debmi
May 19, 2004
I am over three yrs post and eat pretty much what I want but didnt until I
got to goal weight. I can't become obsessive about it,I live my life. I
make sure I get my protein and exercise 6 days a week so I think that makes
me able to eat a bit more. I believe its HOW MUCH you eat of something that
can make you fat again. Just stay away from sugar! Its addictive.
— Vel K.
May 19, 2004
I can't, because what I WANT to eat is CARBS, CARBS and MORE CARBS. Last
week I went on a four day cruise and I ate whatever I wanted, (just in
smaller amounts). I gained 5 pounds!! Yikes, back to the gym.
— mom2jtx3
May 19, 2004
I can eat anything I want to eat. I donr dump. I had lap RNY oct 1 03 and
I have lost 100 pounds. I am close to goal. I am glad I dont dump but I
think I have to be responsible for what goes in my mouth. I still must
make healthy choices and I could regain some weight if I am not careful. I
dont think carbs are evil. I also dont think you can eat lots of
sugar-free cookies and candies. I eat sweets sometimes but only in small
portions and not every day. I have never worried or obsessed about what I
eat since wls. I think eating small portions and eating healthy is the
key. I enjoy my food, I dont drink those horrible protien shakes either,
they only make me hungrier.
— bransonboy
May 19, 2004
I'm 2 years and 4 months post-op and pretty much eat what I want, and
pretty much maintain. I do eat small amounts of junk food and fast food
(not every day), and small amounts of sugar treats every day, but I try to
balance it with healthy meals and exercise and plenty of water. I also
weigh daily and if the scale creeps up, I start cutting out the sugar
treats and usually that adjustment works to keep the weight off. There are
some that can eat and eat and do not gain, but most of those are either
less than a year post-op or right about where you are.. and the surgery is
still doing all the work. As some of the othr longer term posties have
said, for many that comes to a screeching halt and they have to fight
regain. Just be careful and monitor your weight and have a plan for what
to do if the weight creeps up. Too many wait until they have regained
20-30 or more before taking steps to counter. Don't let that happen.
— Cindy R.
May 19, 2004
This is another reason I want to punch people who criticize us because we
took the "EASY WAY". For most of us the first 6 mos, year are
close to miraculous. From then on out, for most of us anyway, we need to
do what almost everybody else does - watch what we eat an exercise if we
want to maintain a healthy weight. That's fine - we can still enjoy food
and certainly can enjoy being fit. But, again like almost everybody else
in the world, we have to watch it. Somebody on here said she feels that
now at least it's a fair fight - I agree! Good luck - just be vigilant
(and fruit is healthy but you can gain from it too - just be careful - but
enjoy!)
— [Deactivated Member]
May 19, 2004
Knowing your trigger foods and avoiding grazing isn't deprivation for me.
But, that's just my story. You see, I don't look to food for satisfaction
or pleasure anymore. When I feel that I've deserved that special treat, I
look in the mirror. But not so that I won't undo the physical progress
I've made. Rather, I see the person who no longer wakes up guilt-ridden
that he overate for the entire day before and ashmaed that he would
probably be unable to stop overeating that day as well. And that person
deserves not cake and icecream but for me to continue to resist those
trigger foods. So, I don't feel the need to eat sweets. It is much easier
to avoid the slippery slope altogether rather than struggle to get climb
back over the top after you are on it.
— SteveColarossi
May 20, 2004
Carrie,
I am 13 months out also (4/08/03) I started a 382.3 and am now at 220. I
feel great I also eat anything I want to. I am not excessive and I stay
away from most carbs . Just because the make me feel really sluggish. and
like I have ate a brick.I also started a new job at a restaurant and I have
lost my last 20 since March 23rd. I am around food all day and really have
a hard time finding food that appeals to me to be honest.I actually think I
have slowed my weightloss because i am not eating enough right now. Don't
get me wrong everything I eat IS NOT healthy. But when I eat junk like
candy I do it for the added calories. But answering your queston YES I eat
whenever and whatever I want and still I am losing.
Jenniffer
— Jonesin
May 24, 2004
I eat anything and everything I want to. It's all about portion control.
— Patty H.
May 24, 2004
Well, there isn't anything I can say that hasn't already been said but
that's never stopped me before so here goes. At 13 months post op I
literally could eat anything I wanted with no consequences. Unfortunately
at almost 4 years out there are serious consequences for that type of
eating. There is a good article in People magazine this week. It's about
4 long term gastric bypass patients. 3 have experienced significant regain
and one works hard to maintain her loss. At first the article frustrated me
because I hate to see the media portray WLS in a negative light. But, once
I read the article I realized it was pretty much on target (except for the
lady from What's Eating Gilbert Grape who had the old stapling procedure
years ago). At 13 months you still have a highly functioning tool.
However, I wouldn't count on having such a highly functioning tool at 24
months. Carnie Wilson was in the People Magazine article and she stated
that she has to work as hard at keeping the weight off now as she did to
lose it prior to surgery. Saying this is not meant to discourage anyone.
What I hope to do is encourage newbies and preops to use the honeymoon
period to develop healthy eating habits. Take that time to find healthy
foods that you really enjoy. For example I have discovered the cantaloupe
is a beautiful thing and actually satisfies me as much as candy! Apples do
the same thing! Hard to believe, huh? It's not about deprivation -
everyone should be able to have the foods they enjoy in moderation. It's
just that we get this false sense of security during the honeymoon phase
and then at 18 to 24 months we suddenly find the pounds creeping back on.
You are still relatively new in your journey so I'd ditch the grazing and
junk food and place more importance on learning how to eat healthy. I know
it's easier said than done and I struggle with it every day but I have to
say....the struggle is worth it. It's my opinion that the two most
underemphasized components of any WLS program are Post Op nutrition and
Post Op Therapy or Counseling. Please know I'm not harping but like a
previous poster said "You may be on a slippery slope". Now is
the perfect time to just improve your eating habits - not deprivation or a
diet - just improve them some. Throw in some exercise and you're bound to
be a long term success. Best wishes!
— ronascott
May 25, 2004
I cannot eat anything I want and not gain. I ate pretty conservatively
until I was a year post-op (having already reached goal at post-op month
9). For six months after that, I got away with sugary treats virtually
every day, marveling that I did not gain. At eighteen month post-op, that
stopped, and two things occurred: (1) I lost food control and became
addicted to chocolate, eating a full bag (containing thousands of calories)
almost every day, hellishly unable to stop; and (2) I gained weight (12
pounds in 3-4 months), while all of my other good eating and exercise
habits remained intact. I had demonstrated in laboratory-like fashion that
(1) I cannot get away with eating sugary snacks on a regular basis, or my
mental foundation eventually cracks and my food addiction returns; and (2)
I can gain weight quite easily without needing to overstuff my pouch using
high-calorie foods with little density (read: chocolate).<P>Breaking
my addiction was mentally miserable and remains a daily burden. I never
regret a learning experience if I actually learned from it, but, I see
myself in your question at 13 months post-op. Proceed with caution. As
you can see below, my story is legion. I am not convinced that those who
are able to eat everything, even for months or years at a time, can do so
forever. Once the dam breaks, it is amazing how quickly and hellishly the
addiction returns. Remember that the longer you have a bad habit, the
harder it can be to change it later. ;-)
— Suzy C.
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