Beck Discussion - Day 2

Hi All... Are ya keeping up with the discussions? I hope so. I am very excited to be reading this book again and hope you are feeling hopeful it will help you in some way or some form. Ok so I guess this isn't really a "chapter 6" its a DAY 2! Title is "Pick Two Reasonable Diets" First diet is the one you plan to start and the second diet is the one you do if you can't stick to the first one. Being we are gastric bypass patients we have a pretty set regimen most of us on what our diets should consist of.. high protein, low fat/good fats, good sources of carbohydrates. I think some things to ponder about here are trigger foods. How much do you allow in your diet or do you not at all, etc? Where do you draw your personal lines on sugars, carbs, etc.. She says there are two types of diets out there.. one is a set eating plan and the other is a counting system. I think most of do a counting system using calories, carbs, fats, proteins etc.. the set eating plan is a very specific plan which I think we follow a specific regimen.. how many meals/snacks a day.. so really we are incorporating a bit of both styles together I feel after RNY. She talks about having pros and cons to both techniques, however that is why I like the RNY way of looking at things.. we get a good mix of both so we really find balance with our diets when followed correctly. She talks about enduring too much hunger by dropping the cals too low and then later falling off the diet as a result. She states we need to be able to keep the cals at a deficit in order to lose weight but not starve either. We also don't want to slow our metabolism down by cutting too many calories. She goes on to say that even if we lose all the weight we want on an extremely low-calorie diet, you will be unlikely to be able to continue following such a plan over the long term. Most will regain. Find a diet that promotes good health - check, we have done that. Find a diet that allows you to eat a reasonable variety of foods. - Do you do this? Be sure you keep your diet interesting so you don't get bogged down by boredom. Some people like to eat the same things day after day.. do what works for you, but I do feel a variety is good for the body. Our diets need to include foods we like and can easily prepare. We will be much more apt to stick to a diet that allows food that is both tasty and convenient. You want a flexible diet. Must be able to take the rules of your diet to eating out establishments, vacations, business dinners, travel and special occasions. - I think most of find its hard not to stray when we our out of our home turf, but if we think ahead we can make appropriate decisions or even bring very healthy yet tasty substitutions. Do not worry what others think of you when you do this. You got on an operating table and had your innards rearranged for a reason.. and it isn't to please those food pushers that want you to eat their ooey gooey desserts and fat laden caloric meals that are many times prepared for family/social gatherings (i sound cynical don't I? lol.. sorry). You need to be able to budge for indulgences. If you totally cut food groups out you will likely crave those foods sooner or later. I think for us we have to cut some things out that are absolute triggers for us.. we realize that. Also, if you LOVE pizza.. then make it healthy using whole grain tortillas and yummy fresh ingredients to save calories.. there is always a way to make your favorites it just takes time and preparation. If you are one that can preplan a splurge and get right back on track then good for you and you can plan accordingly. We need to learn from our past. What behaviors made us obese proep? Now that we are over a year out, approaching 1.5 years out (wow) we need to be sure and be honest with ourselves. The weight loss is up to us now folks.. its not so much about the surgery.. we can out eat this surgery by grazing or eating too caloric of foods.. we see it all the time on the graduate board and I myself can gain weight very easily, even postop by shoving too many calories in my cornholio. I never go above 10 lbs but still.. it isn't cool and I am tired of the up and down swings. So don't be like me.. stay consistent and adherant to your calorie level that keeps you at maintenance.. b/c losing the same pounds is not fun. Remember RNY is a gift.. we need to treat it as such. Do not skip meals she says. Even if you are not hungry, by skipping meals you will become hunger stricken later and your resistance muscle will be weak.. So our first diet should be that of a healthy one - balance with all food groups and sensible. Figure out how many meals/snacks you need and calories and plan appropriately. As for the "back up" or second diet.. well for me that is going to strictly protein and veggie carbs/soy milk carbs till I can get the carb monster off my back. May not be the "healthiest" way to do it but its the only way i can gain the control back. If I stick to mainly beans, veggies and low glycemic fruit like berries and soy milk carbs I do fine.. that is what my first diet includes. I will have an occasional whole grain product like a vitamuffin or a whole grain tortilla but I limit it to once a day and not even everyday.. works best for me. She then goes over some sabotaging thoughts, thoughts you might be having about getting back on track etc.. read over them. Be sure you do your "to-do" list. Did you read your ARC's today? You should have! Ok I gotta go to the gym.. be good and be ready for Day 3 on Friday! hugs!

Hi, Sweetie! Having a "primary diet" plan and a "fall-back" plan is a great way to handle the trials that come along in trying to lose weight. My "primary diet" plan is to weigh and eat lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, and whole grains as much as possible. To concentrate on including foods rich in the vitamiins and minerals that my labs indicated are on the "low" side. To eat small quanties of as many different foods so that I can benefit from their different nutrients. This plan is based on my Nutritionist's guidelines. My "fall-back" diet is to make the best choice at restaurants and outings. To bring along foods and water so that I have a nutritious alternative. To ignore others from urging me to eat foods that I see as unhealthy; to ignore comments by others like... "we all eat (insert food)... I do and I've had a bypass... so why not just have some?" Since I have had to increase my intake until more is known about my recent losses, I will need to re-establish my primary plan's calories, fats, carbs, and protein. This may or may not be difficult, but that's where my Nut's guidelines will kick in the most. I have "given up" my old way of eating, as my past track record showed that I need to listen carefully to what my Nutritionist "knows will work"... I am following his lead! XOXOXO Ro

Hi! Haven't read any ARC's today, that part of this is really cumbersome but I'm going to try it again. Also not enjoying trying to put sticky notes everywhere. What I wrote (I'm keeping a paper journal as I read through): "I picked a primary diet and a backup diet that are: what the doctor and nut. ordered and a reasonable short-term refresher plan (5 day pouch test). They are easy to follow, nutritious and completely satisfying." I think what you wrote about us needing to have easy to follow diets that aren't deprivation plans is really good advice. I can't live life knowing I am forbidden from this or that. But it is my CHOICE to do without certain things like breads and potatoes. Heaven knows I don't skip meals. That one has me ROFL! Being a Killer Grazer got me here in the first place so that is never going to be a problem for me. These days I relate to my body such that I am now pretty much like a non-op. I eat like a post-op as much as possible but certain sugars are ok with my tummy and that makes it difficult to stick to the rny rules. Knowing people are watching me eat an seeing if I follow the rules helps. Plates are still tiny, containers for food at work are still tiny but overall I'd say that I'm easily eating amounts that would freak out a lot of post-ops. ("OMG, I've 'ruined' my surgery and stretched my pouch!!!") Honestly, the amounts genuinely don't worry me. I know when a lot of food goes in that it is sliding or...it is going to really hurt pretty soon and I need to quit. (and do!) I still watch the sugar grams and keep it at 12 and under but I'm not strict about avoiding sugar carbs if they are low. That isn't good...it allows the carb monster to chew at me but by putting even small amounts of sugar down my pie hole I am allowing the carb monster back in by my own choice. This weekend will be a fruit-carb fest I think. Got a huge watermelon and two boxes of strawberries at Costco. Am pms'ing and wanting sweets soooo badly. These will be good, safe choices for me. Better get my book out and re-read for the next installment.

Hello, slow mo here I will read this day 2 and 3 and post. My question to you is do you have a set diet in place that you follow or just that you get our protien in with some veggies? i might use the plan this trainer at my gym gave me. My only carb is first thing in morning and no fruit after noon time meal. It is eating 5 times a day total ly protien based, so will try it out. I am having bad time with chocolate lately. So when i get stressed at school which right now is eveyday I turn to chocolate candy. So I need to stop the bad habit and read my cards, talk to you soon Kelly

Hi Kelly! I think most importantly she wants us to have a plan for our diet.. a diet plan that we can adhere to and follow and then if we find it isn't working we have a back up plan other than falling back into bad habits or preop ways.. use what works for you. Your trainer's plan sounds very good. I am an advocate for eating more meals and breaking your calories down across the day.. mini meals if you will and protein based sounds perfect. I cannot do a carb first thing in the morning.. when I do.. its MUNCHIES! I have to stick to protein only or at least a good mixture like with the cottage cheese pancakes.. too many carbs in the mornings leaves me looking for food all day but if it works for you then do it! Does this make sense as far as what Dr. Beck wants us to do? Remember we are a bit different than the audience she probably intended this book for but honestly it can be geared towards anyone, surgery or not.. as long as you are trying to get healthy and fit and have that as your goal I feel.