Frustrated.

Hi All,

I'm 6 weeks post-op (RNY) and feeling like surgery just wasn't right for me.

Sure, I am down 36lbs since pre-op diet. People are noticing, commenting, I have moments where I notice it, too.

My problem is that I can't get my head in the game and I blame it on the fact that I don't feel restricted. I don't always feel full, despite meeting my protein and calorie goals. I don't dump, I have only been sick because I made myself after not chewing well enough and having food get stuck. You know what that does? It makes me want to test the waters, try a bite of a chocolate bar or eat a piece of pizza. I haven't, but it's in my mind CONSTANTLY.

You know what I've eaten today? After dinner I was at 1017 cals, 77g of protein.

A breakfast burrito: small tortilla, scrambled egg, sausage, peppers, cheese.
A pepperette and 20g of almonds.
Leftover veggie chili (1/2c) with a piece of whole wheat bread and cheese whiz.
1/2c greek yogurt with 1/2c granola.
Homemade beef and broccoli, 80g beef 80g broccoli.

THEN.. I put the kids to bed and came down to raid the fridge. 1/4c greek yogurt with 1/4c granola, 4 baby dill pickles and a piece of cheese.

Yes, I eat less in one sitting than I did pre-op, sometimes I feel like I could eat more but I don't because I should be full, I don't feel like my hunger has decreased at all. I've tried distracting myself with cleaning, exercise, TV, coloring, water. Nothing helps.

I just feel like a giant failure.

I've posted this in a few FB groups, so some of you might think this sounds familiar, and I'm sorry for whining. I just can't shake the feeling that I went through this surgery for nothing, because I know that if I don't get my sh*t together now that it will be a waste in the future.

/sigh

Wow, what's with all the carbs? What you are experiencing is most likely carb cravings. Tortillas, bread, cheese whiz, and granola have no place in your diet. Try restricting your carbs to less than 40 g per day for several days and see if that takes away your hunger. You should be focusing on nutrient dense food, mainly protein.

Our facility here actually wants you to include carbs in your diet. Cheese whiz? no, that's me just being a jerk to myself, but whole grain breads and granola, as well as low-sugar, high protein oatmeal are encouraged. Today was a bit carb-heavy, I will admit.

right... carbs are tasty and they stay down... but they also cause our body to remain fat... 

My program told me to include carbs too, but I still do not eat granola or any kind of oatmeal. I only eat whole grain breads very rarely. My program considers me a very successful patient. If you want to do better than the average patient, you have to eat more restrictively than your program allows. Honestly, the only way for me to eat a significant amount of carbs and still meet my protein goal is to drink a protein shake or eat more often, even now that I am over a year out.

Eating carbs causes your blood sugar to spike. The hunger you feel is your blood sugar dropping. If you respond by eating more carbs, you end up stuck in a vicious roller coaster. When I do eat carbs, I make sure to include fat with the carbs to slow their absorption and prevent the blood sugar spike. For example, I eat unsweetened coconut with my greek yogurt. Eating yogurt and granola together is setting yourself up for a crash because they are both carbs with little to no fat. Same with veggie chili and bread. Focus on balancing your Marcos. Another example of what I eat as a snack: .8 oz chickpeas (carb), 11 g pumpkin seeds (fat), and 1 oz. light feta cheese (protein). Another one: 5 raspberries (carb), 11 g walnuts (fat), and 1/2 oz. cheese (protein).

Are you sure the dietician is recommending granola?  There is a lot of added sugar to granola that is unnecessary and not helpful to the body.  

I know someone like you. Initially she lost 110 lbs.. since then she regained 150 lbs... she eats what she wants... she eats often.. smaller qty... same food as before...  she is bigger than before WLS.. and now she also deals with low iron, low proteins and low B12... 

What you have is a tool. use it - or not. 

o use it - you need ti eat dense proteins - chicken breast, beef. pork, HB eggs, fish... some low starchy veggies... 

I am 8 years post op... I can eat carbs.. then 20 min later  eat some more,,, then eat some more.....but give me 5 oz filet - and a few bites of veggies - and not "only I am full - I am stuffed" for more than 30 min... unless is drink with my meal... 

Please keep in mind that all the nerves in your stomach were cut to create a pouch, so we just don't feel restriction in the beginning because we have severed nerves.  This is the time to follow your prescribed diet to a T so that you don't damage your pouch and all those inner staples.  It takes longer for your inner staples and sutures to heal than the skin wounds - some say twice as long. Don't forget that the first 6 months or so after RNY is the time period when you CAN lose the most weight quickly because of the malabsorption.  But, that malabsorption adjusts to its new situation and then the real work begins. 

Carbs are highly addictive to me, so I have cut out almost all of them.  I definitely keep the carb count under 50 g per day.  My surgeon's early phase 2 and 3 plan did include some complex carbs, but my stage 4 limits them to 50 g which I'm finding is too much for me.  Once I cut out the carbs entirely for a few weeks the carb cravings went away and I learned that a lot of my hunger isn't physical - it's "head hunger".  It's my mind thinking I MUST have X, Y and/or Z or I just can't stand myself and the thoughts don't quit until I get what I want.  With therapy I'm learning how to process those head hunger feelings and stick to my plan.  I have learned that I have NEVER been 100% accountable before surgery to any diet I ever tried.  I'd always think, oh, a little here, a bit of this there and it wasn't a problem.  I'm learning that in order for me to actually lose weight, I absolutely MUST be 100% honest about every bite that goes into my mouth.  I use My Fitness Pal and the other day I actually logged 1 pringles potato chip, because that's how my downfall starts on that slippery slope of just one chip.  

You're not a failure!  We've got a teeny baby pouch and a teenage mind that's used to eating whatever we want, whenever we want it.  It's time for them both to grow up and do what's healthy for our adult selves.  I have a hugely rebelious streak that I'm working thru!  It's not the lack of restriction that is the problem - the problem is our old behaviors want to remain in charge, and most of us need therapy to grow a new relationship to food.  I hope this helps!! 

Hey A.W. 

First you are not a failure but if you want to reach certain weight loss goals I think some things will have to be addressed... and you get that so you are definitely not a failure... failure isn't the falling down, it's the staying down. You are up, posting and addressing your sh*t ;)

If I were you I would attack this from a couple of different ways... If you haven't chatted with your bariatric program yet about your concerns that needs to happen for sure... I think he/she is going to suggest a dietitian appointment. They can help you with some more appropriate to your post-op stage choices (I agree with the above poster... it's high on the carb end and portion size IMHO), so they will probably discuss meal planning and eliminating all grazing beyond what is on your meal plan for the day. You may have hungry days... you just can't feed the beast. I'd get the not so healthy choices out of the house and make it a safe zone while you work on getting used to your new life. 

I think they will also suggest working with a therapist... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it... the hardest part of this IMHO is the head work (the why's) but it needs to happen. Testing the food waters 6 weeks is definitely a flag you don't want to ignore. It is OK to say "I thought I could do this on my own but I need help." Build your team Dr., dietitian, therapist, support group (real world and online ones), family, friends.

Sending you my best,

I agree with everything everyone else says. 

Your calories and carbs seem high to be trying to lose- I don't eat more than 780 calories and I'm almost 6 months out.

You need to measure your portions and stick with it.

If you are having alot of grazing issues I would suggest a therapist.