Need help - 6 months RNY post op

I need some advice. I am 6 months post op (Lap RNY - Dr. Alberto Aceves) and I need to know what I should be eating. I'm at the point where I can eat pretty much anything, but I feel completely uneducated as far as a post-op lifestyle.

I have lost 95 pounds and have been stalled out here for about 6 weeks now. It's frustrating. I would like to lose about another 40 pounds to be satisfied.

I would appreciate any words of wisdom.

Thanks,
Scott

Hi Scott.  I'm Cyndee.  Did your surgeon's office give you any pamphlets, paperwork or written instructions about your post-op diet?  Your first step would be to go back and re-read those.  I know it's odd, but at 6.5 years out I am still carrying those instructions from my surgeon in my bag all the time.  It's sort of a constant reminder of who I am and where I've been.  I keep it in the binder that I record my foods in.

Those first six months whiz by and you sort of ride on the wings of fast weight loss.  At six months out, it's probably about time for you to be settled into permanent post-op eating habits.   This is sort of a critical point for you but you have the room to develop good or bad habits right now that will determine your long-term success with weight loss and maintenance of that loss.  If you go over to the weight loss graduates forum here on obesityhelp.com, you will see people's posts about "Accountability Wednesday" or whatever day it is.  They list what they have eaten that day.  You can get good tips from reading what they are eating.

I record everything I eat and enter it into the nutrition software here on this web page.  That gives me great feedback as to whether I'm getting enough protein, calories, vitamins, fiber, fluids, etc.

I had my RnY done by Dr. Quaid at Northern Colorado Surgical Associates in Fort Collins, CO.  The following was in the packet from my surgeon's office.  I shortened a couple things but this is 95% of what it says:

KEYS TO SUCCESS:
1.  PROTEIN - You mus et 60-75 grams of protein every day for the rest of your life.
2. FLUIDS - You need 40-60 ounces a day.  Dehydration can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, bladder infections and headaches.
3. EXERCISE - Find a way to bring exercise into your life.  Exercise will help yu to have the best overall results from this surgery.
4. VITAMINS - Patients who do not take their vitamins will end up with a vitamin deficiency within a year.
5. NO GRAZING - Eat three meals plus three snacks a day.
6. FOLLOW UP - Follow up with your surgeon once per year for the rest of your life.
7. POSITIVE ATTITUDE - Know that not every day is going to be a great day.  There is a huge learning curge after this surgery.  You will have ups and downs.  You are doing this for your helth and for an increased quality of life.  Be as compliant as possible and follow our guidelines.

I actually eat four meals a day instead of the 3 meals plus 3 snacks that they recommend.  I keep that time in between my four meals open and I carry fluids with me all that time and just keep drinking the whole time.  I drink the generic equivilant of Crystal Light.  I get it from Walmart and it's the best sugar-free, carbonation free, caffeine free option I have found.  I also drink caffeine free hot tea with splenda in it.

If you want it, I can give you the list of foods that I most commonly eat for my mini-meals.  I feel this is a huge post so I don't want to add that info here.  Just let me know if you want it and I will post it for you.  :) 

Good luck, Scott.  This is your time to grow, get healthy and live life to the fullest!  Good for you for having the surgery and taking this huge step for your health.

-Cyndee

Thank you SO much Cyndee, I really appreciate your response. I needed to hear that. I have a food diary online and a corresponding app on my phone, so I can enter what I eat no matter where I am at.

I will go back and check out what my surgeon recommends, I met with a nutritionist following surgery, but those first few days after surgery are a blur, I barely even remember meeting with her, my wife had to remind me.

I'll try to keep my journey posted on here. Thank you again.

Scott

I wish I had a phone app for tracking nutrition.  Heck, that one app might be enough motivation for me to get a smartphone.  I'm using a ruggedized phone now and I love it.  I doubt I remember much if anything about the first few days post-op.  I remember that my husband stayed with me in the hospital and my friend, Carl came to visit me.  I remember the nurses trying to get me to eat constantly and all I wanted to do was sleep.  They made me walk a lot but that was no biggie.  It actually felt good. 

Hi Cyndee, thanks for the post. I would love to see some of the things you eat. That is where I am struggling too. I'm just not sure if I'm eating the right things.I don't think I'm getting enough calories in and so I have stalled after 8 weeks. I haven't lost anything in the last 3 weeks. I get all my protein in but my average calories are between 500 and 600.

I am Just 7 mos out from surgery, You are at a time when your eating habbits will this way the rest of your life if you choose bad habbits you will start to gain. there will be stalls my surgeon says to expect that. Remember the basic stop eating when your brain tells you that your full. Eat small baby bites and eat slowly.  Do not drink while you eat. If yoou do drink while you eat your just push the food straight through the stomach. Do some sort of protein water or shakes you need your protein for good weight loss.  These are straight from my book from my surgeon, KEYS TO SUCCESS:
1.  PROTEIN - You mus et 60-75 grams of protein every day for the rest of your life.
2. FLUIDS - You need 40-60 ounces a day.  Dehydration can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, bladder infections and headaches.
3. EXERCISE - Find a way to bring exercise into your life.  Exercise will help yu to have the best overall results from this surgery.
4. VITAMINS - Patients who do not take their vitamins will end up with a vitamin deficiency within a year.
5. NO GRAZING - Eat three meals plus three snacks a day.
 I Sure hope this helps you ans I wish you best of luck in your journey..

Hi Cyn,
   I would love to see what you eat. That was a geat response! Thanks for the info......Karol  I am 2 1/2 months out eating 3 meals of 4 oz or less each and three snacks \. Sugar free banana popcicles, rice cakes or pretzels and fat free ranch. I would also love to have some more snack ideas!
Thanks, karol