So, what CAN'T we eat?

Like everyone else said, Yes to all the foods you mentioned - we can eat them all.  I just went to a DS barbeque last weekend and we indulged like mo' fo's.  I had peanut butter pie, cheesecake, key lime pie, chocolate covered strawberries and cupcakes.   Key point: It was an OCCASION.  I do not eat those things daily, even weekly.  I indulge my ass off when the time is appropriate but as long as you're on point the majority of the time, go ahead and eat the sugar once in a while.  You will pay.  Oh yes, be prepared to pay.  You'll get loose stool and gas.  While I was driving home from that BBQ in PA, I was tootin' in the car left and right.  But it was worth it because I never indulge like that.


The coffee - like Val said, yes, it slows healing so give yourself some time, but I do 3 cups of coffee every single morning without fail.

 You can eat anything.  Not right out of the gate, but eventually.  For me it was right at the 7 month mark when suddenly I could eat a meal.  I started drinking coffee and caffeinated drinks as soon as I was sure I was well hydrated.  The experts say no alcohol for the first year because your liver is strained from the surgery and metabolizing so much fat.  I pretty much held to that.  I think I had 3 sips of alcohol that first year and I'm not a big drinker anyway.

But...  There's no time like the beginning to drop the weight.  You will have plenty of time to experiment later.  Just get the weight off first!  My honest, best advice is lose the weight and then find out what you can tolerate.

 I agree with Patti, lose the weight as long as you can because it does stop.  But you can along the way try a little of this or that to see what bothers you.

I drink regular coffee everyday.  Starbuck lattes are my fav!!!  I do use regular sugar, moderation is the key.  I put it in my coffee, tea, etc.  I can eat small amounts of candy, but a candy bar will make me fart all day!  I drink regular coffee, no issues.  Now cake?  I can not eat white cake or bread of ANY type -- if I do, WATCH OUT!!!  I can eat potatoes in moderation, and sometimes I can eat a chocolate cookie or brownie and for some reason it still bothers me but not nearly as much as a piece of bread or white cake.

Worst for me... Bread of any type or Wendy's Frosty, or shakes -- AWFUL!!!   Good ice cream in moderation is OK if I take a Lactaid pill.  Cold frosted stuff does not agree with me.

We are all different so test a little here and there to see what bothers you.

 I am two years out and maintaining. 

I eat anything I want. 

I drink regular Coke every day - a lot of it. 

I eat at a few other sweets per week. Not big on sweets though (except for the pop) but I enjoy a cupcake a few times a week. 

As far as food goes, I eat everything I want. There were things that I loved prior to surgery that I hated in the first 6 mths, but I kept trying them and started loving them again after those first 6 mths. 

The only thing that really upset my stomach two times (which I avoid now) is KROGER brand ice cream. Every other brand is fine but whatever was in that kroger brand gave me really painful gas. I was barreled over crying in pain for hours on both times that I tried it. 

Potatoes and pasta filled me up too much in the first 6 mths so I didn't eat a lot of that. I didn't start drinking pop till 6 mths out and I did not have any alcohol until 1 year out. 

I did drink lemonaid though in the first 6 mths and that was fine for me but I didn't drink a ton of it. I tried to drink mostly water at that time. 

I eat mostly: grilled chicken, veggies, steak, hamburger, potatoes topped with cheese, lasagna, meatloaf, salad with ranch, pasta (fettucni alfredo), subway subs, occassionally fast food for lunch.