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

(deactivated member)
on 6/20/10 11:58 am
I thought it would be fun to do a little project to illustrate how DS malabsorption works. There seems to be a lot of confusion about this, particularly around fat and calorie absorption. The confusion is understandable; it took me a while to wrap my brain around it too.

Below are photos of everything I ate today, followed by regular nutritional totals, revised nutritional totals for me as a DSer and an explanation. I'd like to preface this with a disclaimer, though.

What this is: An attempt to provide a concrete example of how the DS works and convey my newfound enjoyment of food since having the DS. This is just a snapshot of my life as an 8-month post-op DSer. 

My intended audience: Foodies, pre-ops, those researching surgery, other DSers and anyone else interested. On the other hand, if you find discussions or pictures of food triggering, you may not want to read further.

What this is not: I do not claim to speak for any other DSers about what they eat. Nor am I trying to suggest that other DSers should eat the way I do. I sincerely don't want to this to come across as "bragging", an attempt to make anyone feel badly, or a put down of other surgery types. 

So, with that out of the way...

Breakfast: 8 slices crisp bacon, 2 eggs fried in bacon drippings, 3 fresh strawberries and an iced caramel latte (made with espresso, heavy cream and DaVinci SF caramel syrup). 

Breakfast.jpg  
Mid-morning snack: 2 ounces of Cinnamon Brown Sugar Roasted Almonds
  morningsnack.jpg
Lunch: 4 pieces tuna sashimi, 4 pieces salmon sashimi with sliced cucumbers, wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce.

Lunch.jpg




Mid-afternoon snack: 5 ounce wedge of creamy Port Salut cheese, 5 whole wheat crackers (Keebler Toasteds). 
  afternoonsnack.jpg  
Dinner: 4 ounce filet mignon topped with melted gorgonzola butter, 3/4 cup veggies (zucchini, squash, bell peppers, asparagus, carrots and shallots) roasted in extra virgin olive oil.
  dinner.jpg  
Dessert: Single-serving mini-cup of Ben & Jerry's mint chocolate cookie ice cream. (Note: I do not want to give the impression that eat ice cream every day, but I do allow myself to splurge on it a few times per month. When I do, these mini-cups are just perfect.) 
  Dessert.jpg  

I found it to be a very tasty and satisfying day. Now it's time to calculate the nutritional impact! 

For a normal person, the food I ate today would total:
Calories: 3,171
Fat: 258 grams
Carbs: 68 grams
Sugars: 33 grams
Fiber: 11 grams
Protein: 154 grams


But with my DS, I do not absorb about 80% of the calories from fat, 50% of the calories from protein, and 40% of the calories from complex carbs. Those calories travel right on through, they do not pass go, they do not collect $200.

For the purposes of these calculations, and because simple vs. complex carbs can be difficult to separate out, I am going to be conservative and estimate that all my carbs (minus fiber) were absorbed. 

So, with my DS anatomy, the food I ate today totaled approximately: 
Calories: 1001
Fat: 51.6 grams
Carbs (net): 57 grams
Protein: 77 grams


This is one of the many reasons why I love my DS! 

I hope this was helpful and informative to someone out there. Feel free to ask any questions about what I've posted. 

Jenna
 
Vida_Cambio
on 6/20/10 12:08 pm, edited 6/20/10 12:10 pm
mmm .. Bacon ... I want a D.S .. Can I get one at Wal-Mart? ... lol

Just want to say Congrats on all your success you have done great

                               Vida Cambio
                                        (Weight loss in progress)

          Live Laugh Love
                     I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.   
  Highest Weight: 302  Started Researching WLS Weight : 275     Surgery Weight : 240 
                                          Current Weight : 175
                 GW : 164  Long term GW : 140

(deactivated member)
on 6/20/10 12:20 pm
 Thank you! Congrats on your recent sleeve. Looks like you are already rocking it.
Vida_Cambio
on 1/23/11 5:41 am
Haha I don't even remember replying to this thread. Isn't it funny I posted in the exact same spot and the same thing in both threads. I must really love bacon

                               Vida Cambio
                                        (Weight loss in progress)

          Live Laugh Love
                     I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.   
  Highest Weight: 302  Started Researching WLS Weight : 275     Surgery Weight : 240 
                                          Current Weight : 175
                 GW : 164  Long term GW : 140

(deactivated member)
on 1/23/11 6:53 am
LOL! I didn't realize either. That is too funny. 


FaithApril2010
on 6/21/10 1:57 am



Girl, I was thinking the same thing!!!  =)



5'6"  -12 lbs pre-op diet
     
          
Mommytwo3
on 6/20/10 12:11 pm - Independence, KY
(deactivated member)
on 6/20/10 12:19 pm
I seriously did! I can only eat about 6-8 ounces per meal (depending on the density of what I'm eating) so I try to make them count in terms of fat/protein content.

Pre-op, I could have easily eaten 5 times as much in volume, though my choices back then were much lower fat and higher carb.
Princesss
on 6/20/10 12:17 pm - NY
Can you take pics of what you eat every day? I think I want to eat through you until my DS tummy heals and I lose enough weight and then I can join you :-)
I love food pics!
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way
- Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

        
(deactivated member)
on 6/20/10 12:21 pm
 Princess, glad you enjoyed. My entire family thought I was cray-cray snapping pics of all my food, so I'd better not make it an every day thing. But I may do it again sometime. 
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