Eating with a DS, PART 2: Another Day in the Life (pics!)

In a way it's "not fair" for me to have this discussion right now, because I never have an appetite when I'm sick, and I'm sick as a dog right now, so it's hard for me to answer objectively.

Food doesn't sit well with me in the morning. So I don't have a regular "meal" in the morning. With only 30 minutes to eat a meal at lunch time combined with the fact that I MUST drink constantly to keep my voice functioning, and my entire job is speaking, it's impossible to eat anything that takes longer than five minutes to eat AND be able to drink when classes begin. So in a way my current eating style is based on the needs of my voice and the limitations of my job. I also can't stomach water, so I drink protein shakes as my beverage of choice. I generally eat a meal when I get home from work, and another later in the day if I remember (honestly I usually don't) and I always have a bedtime snack.. I also eat far more normally on the weekend.... no protein shakes, two or three meals, and a few snacks.

I do enjoy yummy meals (normally), and have been known to make fairly yummy foods that store well in the fridge and reheat well (quiche and lasagna). I can also only stomach 1/2 cup of food at a time, sometimes a little more, but usually not the full cup of food that others this far out are able to stomach.

I don't know if I have a textbook eating disorder. But I do know that given the choice, I wouldn't eat. Period. I eat only because I know I should, and I can tell when I don't. I also don't eat well when my health is sub-par, or when I'm highly stressed, or when I'm in pain. With my head stuffy, my throat scratchy, and my lungs gurgly, I don't have any appetite.

I have to say that being someone who dumps at the drop of a hat doesn't help. That is one thing I never wanted from this surgery.

Ooh, and I forgot to answer about the beans! I do love beans. I especially love black beans and baked beans. Great source of fiber and healthy carbs.

My favorite right now is black refried beans covered in melted jack cheese. It makes a great dip for veggies, tortilla chips, etc. (Or sometimes I just eat it with a fork - LOL!) 

One of my go-to snacks is just a can of kidney beans - eat em straight from the can with ranch dressing or cheese.  Garbanzos, too.

Jenna - you are da bomb!  I have been looking forward to this post for days and wish I had better skills for uploading stuff (also would have been nice if I had remembered to do this yesterday...dang!)

Thank you ladies for those who have posted so far and most of all to you Jenna for being so kind and caring and diplomatic and on and on!  The world needs more people like you darlin' :)

Mickie

You are such a sweetheart, Mickie. Glad you liked the post and thanks for the kind words.

If you do have something you want to upload and need help, just let me know! I can host/post it for you if need be.

Thanks for posting!  Very informative and interesting.  I briefly considered the DS, but though it was a little drastic for me as a lightweight, and I was afraid of long-term malasorption as young as I am.  It's great to see so many happy DSers doing well.  I actually eat pretty similarly to you, just in much, much MUCH smaller amounts!

Do you ever find it difficult to physically fit in all that food? 

Hi Danielle! Glad you found the post interesting. Looks like you've done amazingly with your VSG.

Had I not had insulin resistance and a facacta metabolism, the VSG would definitely have been a very tempting option. 

It's so funny to hear you say "all that food" because to me it seems like such a small amount compared to what I used to eat. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

My sleeve holds about 8-10 ounces of food, and that's what size my meals tend to be, so it works out well. (Things like the popcorn and bacon pictured here that seem more voluminous crunch down into practically nothing.) I never pu**** and stop at the first signs of fullness. I also tend to eat my meals over the span of about 20-30 mins. I am a gabber and I get social during meals, so sometimes I have to remind myself to shut up and eat!  Were I to try to eat the same quantity of food quickly, in 5-10 minutes, I probably could not do it.

Thank you!  I work REALLY hard to keep my consumption down, because I was anorexic for years before battling binge-eating disorder so my metabolism is basically nonexistent.  Also, it seems like a lot of food to me probably because my portions always leave me feeling unsatisfied.  I am able to eat 8 ounces comfortably already, but still measure to keep it at four which is tough.

Haha. I'm a gabber too, can't help myself.  I hope that the other surgeries will also post a menu example at about a year out as I think that would be an interesting comparison

Thanks for doing this thread, Jenna. I hope it will help newbies learn more about the amazing duodenal switch (DS). Particularly those newbies who are worried that they will not ever be able to eat yummy food again. I encourage them to go to www.dsfacts.com or the DS forum here on OH for more info.

I took pix of what I ate yesterday. This was sort of fun! I did not do the DS math, however. Sorry!

It was a normal day, with the exception that I went out for a big dinner with another couple at a "splurge" place--the meal for the four of us was about $400. NOT something I do every day, however, I would simple eat less fancy versions of those kind of things at home--meat, potatoes, salad, cheese, dessert.

NOTE: I am almost three years out from my DS. My hunger and capacity to eat drastically jumped UP at the two-year mark, even though I was given a fairly small sleeve (80mL). That's precisely the reason I am grateful for the malabsorption of the DS. I honestly believe that with only a VSG, I would already be on the climb up the scale or be exercising and dieting my ass off, two things I currently do not have to do to maintain my nearly 200-pound weightloss. I do not know what the future holds for me, but I am deliriously happy with my DS, its lifestyle and results.

So, here goes!

2 cups of coffee, with 4 tablespoons of regular sugar and 4 tablespoons of chocolate mint creamer (If I regain, these carbs will be the FIRST to go!)


3 crescent roll egg muffins (eggs, cheese, bacon, onions inside) and 2 slices of thick-cut bacon and Diet Coke


M&Ms



Leftover chicken tender with honey dijon sauce; carrots and full-fat ranch veggie dip; Diet Coke



Wine flight (3 half-glasses of white wine)



Two pieces of yummy bread and butter (I did eat almost all of that ramekin of butter. I am one of those DSers who needs a decent amount of fat to keep things running smoothly in the bathroom.)


Mozarella cheese infused with ricotta; greens with glazed pecans; and raisin walnut toast



16-ounce Ribeye Steak with potato gnocchi and mushroom ragu. I only ate half of this, but will eat the other half for lunch today.


A dessert sampler, shared among four people. I ate a full 1/4 of those desserts plus a cup of coffee with lots of sugar and cream. I forgot to take the picture until AFTER we each grabbed some dessert!



After we got home, I was hungry, so I ate a candy bar. Packed with peanuts, Snickers really satisfies!



So, this was MY day as a DSer. Your mileage may vary!

Nicolle

Oh, our dinner partners thought it was hilarious that I was taking pictures and were actually disappointed for me that I forgot to take the dessert pic before we dove in! The other diners were unfazed. I guess it's not unusual to take pix of food there. Hmmm...must be what heaven looks like.

I never journal what I eat, so this was a useful exercise for me. I CAN see lots of places where I will cut carbs if I face some regain. I weigh myself daily, even this far out, so I will be vigil.

Thanks!

Nicolle