15 years post D/S update

It's been a very long time since I posted to this website with an update. Presently I weigh 135 pounds and am very healthy and happy. Unfortunately, I gained most of my weight back 8 years ago after an intensive stressful and painful period in my life. Due to hereditary factors and my weight gain my abdominal wall was completely destroyed. 2 years ago, my surgeon told me that he could not fix my abdominal wall until I lose 80 pounds. This ended up being a great blessing and motivation to lose weight. At that time, I was also severely hypertensive which was uncontrollable with medications to the point that it damaged my kidneys. I was also on antidepressants and was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and a high white blood cell count. I retired from a job I hated and started walking 45 minutes per day. Then I gave up sugar and white flour. Next, I gave up all processed foods eating only meat, veggies, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and eating a fermented food each day. The weight started melting off me. Fast forward to 4 months ago, I am down 80 pounds, had my full abdominal wall reconstruction and reversed all my medical problems. I no longer take medications; I am fit and healthy and I have more energy than I did when I was in my 20's. My nearsightedness is gone, and my teeth are no longer reseeding and collecting tarter, and my intestines are no longer popping out with unsightly huge bumps all over my abdomen. I have found a church I love, and I joined Toastmasters. My social life has really blossomed with many new friends. I am now studying to become a accredited Functional Medicine Nutritional counselor so I can help and inspired others with my transformational story. It's all about the microbiome, if you take care of your gut health most of your health problems will be resolved. Protect the liver and feed the gut with lots of plant base and fermented foods and the magic will happen.

I wonder if part of the difference in your experience and mine is that I gave up sugar, any flour white or wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, cereal and caffeine six months before my RNY surgery. My overall directions were to eat nothing white and no caffeine.

I also added an hour of daily exercise. After surgery I mostly had protein shakes and small servings of meat, fish, chicken, beans, and lentils. I did not eat any salad or vegetables for the first three months. I did not eat fruit for the first two years. I did add frozen berries around three months after surgery.

Even with the healthy and restricted diet I did not lose any weight until I actually had the surgery. Then I was full on tiny portions and lost weight quickly. As the years went by I added back flour, sugar, and caffeine. I gained weight then. I attended Weigh****chers and lost that excess weight while continuing to eat any foods I want. Although I allow myself to eat any foods, I mainly stick to meat and non-starchy vegetables.

The most important thing I have learned since 2007 is that weight is mostly a function of how many calories you take in each day and how many you burn. There is very little difference in whether those calories are from roasted chicken or from a frosted brownie. The former is healthier but a female needs ten calories per day to support one pound and weight depends on how many calories are consumed, not on which food group they come from.

Thank you for your response White Dove,

I hope I don't offend you if I respectfully disagree with your calorie is a calorie theory. If I was to eat a brownie, chances are it will spike my blood sugars then dramatically drop it and 2-4 hours later I would become fatigued and craving something sweet or starchy. If I choose to eat the same number of calories in roasted chicken, it will not have a spiked my blood sugar later thus causing me to eat more. For me, the root cause for my obesity is sugar and processed carbohydrate addiction. If I eat 2000 calories per day of processed carbs, I will be hungry, fatigued and dealing with cravings which would most likely cause me to cheat on my diet eventually causing weight gain. If I instead choose to eat 2000 calorie low carb diet, I will feel great, have lots of energy, no sugar or carb cravings, minimal hunger and most likely will stay on my diet or food plan. You are basically right, 2000 calories in carbs versus 2000 calories in protein will have the same fuel burning effect, but with the caveat that processed carbs lead to more processed carbs and a low carb diet leads to better diet compliance. As a recovering alcoholic I am unable to drink any amount of alcohol because it will set me up for a relapse or binge. As a processed carbohydrate addict, I am unable to eat any amount of processed carbohydrates because it will set me up for a relapse or binge thus causing me to gain weight. 80 percent of the American people have fatty liver, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders caused by the brainwashing by our food industry. They want you to believe that processed foods are not harmful. They taste good and are convenient, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners are in 80 percent of the food in our supermarkets and they are making us sick and will eventually kill you. So, whole and natural foods with 2000 calories are not the same as 2000 calories of processed foods.

Respectfully,

Ginamarie

You are correct. I really cannot eat much of processed foods, because I also dump with my RNY. And it would spike my blood sugars. But I also do not forbid any food or eliminate any category of food. For me, it might be a bite size piece of candy, not a whole candy bar. One of the reasons I see for obesity is that people put food into "good" and "bad" categories and then when they eat a "bad" food, they give up and continue to eat more of it because they have failed to stay away from "bad" things.

Weigh****chers current program do not have any "bad" or any forbidden foods or food categories. Everything is permitted as long as you count the points. It has resulted in a lot more successful outcomes than the old system of good and bad foods.

Once again, thank you for your response.

I am so happy for you that you found a healthy way of eating that works for you. What is so important is that you figured it out and are successful with your food plan. I personally am unable to eat a bite size piece of candy without it triggering my cravings. It seems moderation does not work for me as I have an all or nothing personality and metabolism. I also need to label some foods as bad because they are bad for me. Over the last 2 years I have on occasions eaten foods that are bad for me but did not continue to eat them because I feel so much better when I stay away from them. How I feel is my motivator for eating healthy. Also, the total reversal of my many chronic and serious health issues is all the proof I need to stay on course.

Ginamarie

Thank you for your response White Dove,

I hope I don't offend you if I respectfully disagree with your calorie is a calorie theory. If I was to eat a brownie, chances are it will spike my blood sugars then dramatically drop it and 2-4 hours later I would become fatigued and craving something sweet or starchy. If I choose to eat the same number of calories in roasted chicken, it will not have a spiked my blood sugar later thus causing me to eat more. For me, the root cause for my obesity is sugar and processed carbohydrate addiction. If I eat 2000 calories per day of processed carbs, I will be hungry, fatigued and dealing with cravings which would most likely cause me to cheat on my diet eventually causing weight gain. If I instead choose to eat 2000 calorie low carb diet, I will feel great, have lots of energy, no sugar or carb cravings, minimal hunger and most likely will stay on my diet or food plan. You are basically right, 2000 calories in carbs versus 2000 calories in protein will have the same fuel burning effect, but with the caveat that processed carbs lead to more processed carbs and a low carb diet leads to better diet compliance. As a recovering alcoholic I am unable to drink any amount of alcohol because it will set me up for a relapse or binge. As a processed carbohydrate addict, I am unable to eat any amount of processed carbohydrates because it will set me up for a relapse or binge thus causing me to gain weight. 80 percent of the American people have fatty liver, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders caused by the brainwashing by our food industry. They want you to believe that processed foods are not harmful. They taste good and are convenient, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners are in 80 percent of the food in our supermarkets and they are making us sick and will eventually kill you. So, whole and natural foods with 2000 calories are not the same as 2000 calories of processed foods.

Respectfully,

Ginamarie

Addendum to my last post. My farts and stool no longer smell really bad. If you decide that the D/S is the weight loss surgery for you, know that you can no longer eat processed carbohydrates if you do not want to gain your weight back and have farts and stools that stink to high heaven and linger long. But I will add that I have no regrets.