Getting Back on Course

I've been frustrated.  9 months out, lost about 50 out of the box, but then came to a standstill with only 10 pounds over the past 5 months.   I've also been dealing with lots of daily bowel movements and some gas.  I've had loose stools that I've been keeping under control with immodium.  I;ve been great with my vits but not so great with my protein.

So I brought this up at my 9 month checkup last week.  My doc gave what I hope was good advice. 

Essentially, he said the DS will punish you with diahrea and gas if you eat the wrong foods.  He told me to eat spinach salads with fish or tofu on top, for three days, then to go back to introducing one new food a day.  Avoid any carbs and stop the immodiuum.

Well, you guessed it.  I'm having a single movement a day and have dropped 5 pounds over the past 5 days.   Hopefully this will keep a downward movement going.

So, what do I eat beside fish, tofu, and spinach?  Actually, I've really been enjoying this, which sounds a little sick to me. 

Spinach usually does not agree with me very well, although I do eat it.

You need to focus on protein.  Chicken,  red meat, fish.  Dairy if it doesn't bother you.  Avoid simple carbohydrates.  Eat moderate complex carbohydrates.

A diet of fish, tofu and spinach will result in too few calories.  It's not healthy for more than a short period.

Keep a log of what you eat and drink and what "symptoms" you experience so you can tell which foods bother you.

Are you drinking enough fluids,  and avoiding beverages with sugar in them?  Also,  some people have trouble with artificial sweeteners of some types.

It sounds like you're already headed in a better direction. As you introduce those new foods one at a time, make them healthy protein choices - chicken, shrimp, roast beef, pork, etc etc. 
      Protein is necessary to maintain good health and avoid protein malnutrition. Since we only absorb about half of the protein we consume, it needs to be central to our diets. Also, protein won't cause the symptoms that have been troubling you. Carbs, on the other hand, will screw up your weight loss AND are probably the cause of the diarrhea and gas you've been experiencing.
      NYB is right, it wouldn't be healthy to stick with just spinach and tofu for any length of time, and that wasn't what your surgeon recommended. Get going with all the other healthy, tasty varieties of protein, stay low carb and I bet you'll lose more weight and feel a  lot better as well.

Larra

Charles, during the holidays I gained approx. 3-5 pounds.   I got some suggestions from this board and I started eating a low carb, therefore a high protein diet.  I have to eat something.  I normally eat two boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, a spinach salad which is yummy with plenty of cheese and some type of vignette dressing.  A large cut up sausage with mustard, and Maya……  I eat Patty melts only, and eat with mustard and Maya…which is a tasty combination to me.  I buy ham, and make cheese wraps.  I eat baby sausages for a snack.  The ones you have pig and a blanket with... I eat sun flower seeds.  And for a snack I eat popcorn.  I dropped 6 pounds in one week.  I lost all that weight.  FYI when I make my Patty melts I use the onion soup mix for seasoning and it is just dreamy.   Sometimes I buy steak and cut it up for a meal or snack.  You can have fun with it….it is not NO carbs, but low carbs.

FYI again, I love spinach. 

You can always get suggestions from MajorMom daily bites and vits

I'm glad you are doing so much better. What are you putting on your spinach salad, bacon dressing?

My doc just wanted me to do three days of the spinach and fish, then go back to basics, adding foods singularly and avoid carbs.   I tolerate the spinach just fine, all of my gas issues were gone.   However, I added raw onion on day 4.  How disappointing to have horrendus and stinky gas with this addition.  I do love my raw onion.  Oh well, maybe cooked will be OK!

I have also gone back to tracking my daily intake on mynetdiary.com.  I can do this on my IPAD, IPHONE, or any computer.  I really like the way it works, but it is always a bit tedious to keep any diary.

as for proteins, I've added protein drinks back to my diet.  I had initial bad responses (diarhea) to whey protein and have used only  egg based.  Maybe I should give whey another try

As for complex carbs, which ones do you guys tolerate well?.

Charlie

Charles -- its also about personal choice as far as what is tolerable and what is not. For example I can't eat raw onion but cooked onions are fine.

Protein choices -- eggs, chicken (dark meat is easier for some to digest than white meat), steak, etc., etc. IMHO any protein is a good choice - also less processing the better.

Complex carbs -- you'll have to experiment to see what works for you. What works for me may not work for you. For example I can't eat peas or corn, but green beans work just fine. I'm ok with potatoes in any form. I don't do well with grains.

What didn't work a few months ago, may work now. It's all about trial and error.