Eating with a DS: A Day in the Life (pics!)

Thank you! I'm really glad to hear that you found it useful.

Im just glad that Im not the only one pre-op who laughed at Jerry and Ben when they claimed 4 servings in a pint

Ha - yeah. Even my skinny friends don't get 4 servings out of those suckers.

Thank you for sharing your DS day with us........ and thanks for the food porn!!!  DROOL!!!

Envious RNYer here...... although I am very happy that I can tolerate fat and I use half & half in my tea and I eat butter every day!!!  WOOHOO!

I found your post very informative.  And I don't think your quantities are gross at all!  I ate WAY WAY more than that before RNY (like entire pizzas, half gallons of ice cream, etc).

Thanks, Michelle! I love hearing that you found it informative (and that you appreciated the food porn - heh.) Sounds like you are enjoying an awesome diet as well.

I think fat gets a bad rep. There's some research to show that everyone would be healthier if they ate full fat in moderation. I think some of the processed, lower-fat (and higher carb) stuff is part of what contributed to the obesity problem.

you are welcome!  and about the steak.... i know... I will venture to try a few bites as soon as I hit 4 months out!!!  lol  

Hey Jenna, thanks so much for posting the pics and info. I really needed a visual for what this surgery will be like for me down the road. To me, those portions look more like what a person of normal size could eat. Right now, I can eat all that and go back for seconds, plus throw in pancakes, rice, french bread, chocolate syrup etc. Y'all, THIS southern lady didn't get this voluptuous by eating all dainty like preop. I am getting nervous as my date approaches, but I am more and more confident everyday with my choice of surgery. You are my inspiration today, Jenna! Thanks again!

I have a question for you and other DS vets.... What size do you cut your food? Is it small? and how much fluid do you normally drink while eating a meal? thx ~GG

I am more than a year out and have what I believe to be a slightly larger sleeve/stomach capacity than many DSers, but I can say I don't cut my food any smaller than I did pre-op (I did take very small bites when I was very early out and still swollen/tender, but after a few months, my bites gradually grew back to more "normal" size). With no man-made stomas, it's rare for a DSer to get food "stuck," unless maybe they didn't chew well enough and were eating too quickly. I'll tell you "papya enzyme" is a term I have NEVER heard at an all DSers gathering.

As for fluids, I do drink with meals, but it is VERY little. I eat out almost every day, and I'll drink maybe 1/4 glass of diet soda or water throughout dinner, usually even less. It's not because of any "rule" that we shouldn't drink with meals, but rather because I usually just don't have room for additional content in my stomach once I'm eating; I'd rather save the space for food.

I am obviously fresh outta surgery but I will tell you that I didn't have to cut my food or chew nearly as much as I thought I would. Now I am still mostly on softish foods but its really not bad. I was terrified thinking I would have to cut microscopic pieces and chew everything 30 times but that really isn't the case. I can't obviously shovel food down my throat but for me its more about time in between each bite. I take a bite, chew, swallow, breathe for a bit and then take another bite. Its all a pretty slow process.

Also, I notice that I take bites of things I used to shovel down my throat like multigrain saltines. It actually takes me several bites to eat one instead of consuming it in one or two bites. I actually kind of enjoy it more this way and feel more normal.

Don't worry about it, it will be fine.

For me 3 1/2 years out, eating 3,000 to 4,000 calories, I have to eat it slowly.  I can't just gobble it down.

Hope that helps.