dieting for life?

I'm 2.5 months post-op & feel GREAT.  I have NO problems eating... which is bad.  I feel like I didn't have the surgery at times... just not feeling that "fullness" after eating.  It seems to be food related... rice & pasta fills me up quick but other foods I feel like I can eat more then the 8oz.  I didn't have this procedure to have to go on a diet but I feel like I still need to diet to keep losing.  Ugh.  Very frustrating!  Although I'm below 30BMI & have lost 70lbs (47 preop & 23 postop).  I wonder if my slow loss is due to me not having much more to go to my MD's goal weight of 170lbs.  Just wish my life wasn't revolving around what I need to eat.

Are pasta and rice on your surgeon's plan for you?  Are you eating dense foods like chicken?  

The slow loss could be because of the rice and pasta.  Just empty carbs and calories.  Work on proteins and I bet your loss with pick up.

I'm surprised that pasta and rice are on your post op diet. I wasn't allowed those for many months - and still choose not to have them now 14 yrs out. You should be full on just a couple ounces at 2 1/2 months out. I still can't eat more than a cup of yogurt at a sitting without getting that full feeling. I won't eat 8 ounces (except maybe soup) but couldn't fit in that much even now. Are you sure you're not reading that wrong? 8 oz. of liquid is great, 8 ozs of food isn't possible for us. We'ld stretch out our new pouch, we wouldn't even feel it at the beginning. It takes 6-8 weeks for your nerves to grow back - some longer to tell you you're full. Use this early phase to eat only what you're suppose to in the amounts you're suppose to. At 2 1/2 months out I was on 250 calories per day, 1/4 cup of food for each meal x 3 meals per day. No more. I couldn't fit in any more if I wanted to. Drink your 64 ozs of water daily, get in your exercise and watch out for your intake. It's easy to overdo. By 6 months you should be up to 1/2 cup of food per meal. Denser foods-less, waterier foods-more. You can check with your doc as to if you're on track for food intake, calorie counts and weight loss.Most post ops lose 30 lbs the first month and about half that the following month. Check with your nut or doc and track everything you eat so you can see where to make changes. We're on protein only or protein forward meals at first - the first 6 months or more are usually just protein and a bite of two of veggies on the side.

Jen 14 yrs post op RNY

Hey ! 

First off , Congratulations on your loss ! That's great and yeah you must feel amazing :) I understand what you are saying about feeling like you don't want to ' diet ' . Are you always eating your dense protien first ? I find , for me anyway , once that is in I really feel full and I follow the no drink rule for up to an hour after eating , so I don't feel like I could eat anything else for while . 

I'm wondering about you saying that rice and pasta fill you up. I know all plans are different , so please don't think I'm preaching here ....but my plan , and a lot of others I've read about kind of steer us away from those carbs . Unless they are whole wheat types . But even then they are high in carbs. I have found since the start of Opti , that me removing myself from carbs is probably my biggest success factor . I track on My Fitness pal  and I get between 30 - 50 grams of carbs a day , usually under the 50 . I notice changes that I know are not attributed to just weight loss . I used to eat a lot of bread and pasta , and rice ? OMG ! It's probably one of my favorite foods . But I used to feel really sluggish , and bloated and that sleepy afternoon feeling after my big sandwich or pasta lunch or whatever . I could have slept anywhere , and just was generally dragging my butt all day . I literally saw a difference in that after the first few days of opti so that's why I know it wasn't just the weight loss . I do believe ( just my opinion) that carbs would slow me down weight loss wise and otherwise . It may be different for you , but it may be carbs that are slowing down your weight loss ?  If you don't already use My Fitness pal , check it out . It really helps us keep track of protien carbs and sugar levels . 

I'm only 6 weeks out so things may change for me later on . But I feel satisfied now with what I'm eating . It feels sustainable . 

Anyway maybe have a look at your numbers . See if that could be it ? Check if you are getting in enough protien too . We should be getting between 60 - 80 grams of protien a day. Regardless I hope everything keeps going well for you . Regardless , you have done / are doing really great ! And as long as you feel great , then that's awesome :) 

Good luck with everything . 

Jax xx

It is a diet for life, I won't even comment on the rice and pasta at 2.5 months out, we will let everyone have at that one.  You need to eat protein forward, well balanced, nutritional meals forever or go back to where you started and beg for a revision.  Your choice.

You're not helping yourself at all by eating rice and pasta.  Those foods should be avoided until you reach goal.  Eat some protein-rich foods with real substance, and you may find that you're no where near 8oz in consumption, which also baffles me at 2 mos out.

I, with everyone else, think rice and pasta are to be avoided. You are doing yourself a disservice by eating them.

I don't view post op eating as a diet. This is just the way I eat: protein forward, non starchy vegetables, dairy, and severely limiting simple carbohydrates and sugary treats. I'm not depriving myself of anything but poor health and obesity.

Exactly - if you're doing it for the rest of your life, it's a lifestyle not a diet.  

Will agree with Kate and Gwen. It's not a "diet", it's our new life.  

To me, "dieting"  means a short term, drastic change from your normal way of eating. What we do now isn't that at all. 

The food we eat is our "diet", but we aren't "dieting" for life. ( Gwen, I accidently replied to you, sorry! )