Approaching 4th surgiversary.. what I have learned (pt 1). "Fat does not make you...
A few thoughts going through my head this week as I approach my 4th surgiversary on Oct. 24. So I thought I'd toss them out there. Your mileage may vary, but as I have so far done OK, I figure my words are of some worth (although believe me, I know I am not perfect either):
Thought for today:
Fat does NOT make you fat. If fat made me fat, I wouldn't have had to get RNY, considering all the low-fat diets I unsuccessfully tried over the years. In the past four years, I have not limited fat at all (except when super-greasy stuff was making my gall bladder unhappy). I think this is why my skin sags less and I lost less hair than many people... although I have no scientific proof of that, just anecdotal.
And I can't help but notice that many "low-fat" processed foods have fillers and sugar added to them for flavor and consistency. So post-surgery it has always been full-fat butter, cream, cottage cheese, cheese, meat, etc for me...
One month ago, after 53 miles on the bike.
Audrey
Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!
I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.
Excess calories make you fat and they can come in many forms. While you are absolutely correct that many low-fat foods have added calories in other forms and should therefore probably be avoided, avoiding high-fat foods is also an excellent way to avoid excess calories.
There are many paths that can lead to successful maintenance.
Yes, there are many successful maintenance paths. Thus my "your mileage may vary" comment.
However you know as well as I do that the problem is many people fool themselves into thinking that eating "low fat" is the same as eating "low calorie". It isn't. But I see it on this board literally every day: "I am eating the low-fat Cream of Wheat and reduced fat Mac n Cheese the doctor recommended... why am I not losing weight?"
I bought into the same myth for years; it is how I got to 340 pounds.
Avoiding high fat foods is one way to avoid excess calories, yes. But many obese people have the mindset: "well, Jolly Ranchers (or raisins, or Snackwells, or whatever) are a low fat food. So if I avoid high-fat food but eat candy, I am avoiding excess calories." And that attitude is shared by many surgeons, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals that we see referred to on this board.
High-fat, low-carb, nutrition-dense proteins should be embraced, not feared.
Audrey
Highest weight: 340
Surgery weight: 313
Surgery date: 10/24/11
Current weight 170... 170 pounds lost!!!!
I am not a doctor, but I play one at work.
I agree wholeheartedly Audrey. Fat is good for a lot of things. Everyone struggling with constipation should rethink their low fat approach, for one.
None of us got fat from eating fat or protein. It's always the crappy carbs that do us in.
6'3" tall, male.
Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.
M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.
on 10/21/15 5:47 am
7 yrs here. When some doctor proclaimed that fats where bad and advised a salad bar packed, low fat diet...the country became obese. Now they are changing course and advising something we already know. Eggs and whole milk are best and to many carbs are not
"The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue." --- Dorothy Parker
"You may not like what I say or how I say it, but it may be just exactly what you need to hear." ---Kathryn White
