Question for Newbies or those Considering

Thanks for posting this. I don't particularly have any advice as I am very new here. But I would like to say that for the most part it is really nice to see all of the support offered here. Occasionally a rude response is a turn off, but I am happy I found this site.

I appreciate you opening the door for this discussion! I found the other advice from vets to be very helpful as well.

YAY! Welcome.. I'm not really new but I'm not a long term vet either at 4 years out. I don't get on as often as I use to but I had several people asked me recently about considering surgery and I spoke about how much I used this forum. I think I was on here daily for about 2 years (year before and year after) then a little less here and there. I realized I was telling people how great it was but hadn't been that active. Life gets busy on all of us. I thought I'd jump back in. Plus as a coach generally I think its important to try and learn more an more about all the different phases of any particular journey. I work with people in all places in all kinds of journeys. I think I have started to forget what it was like a year before and still struggling with the ifs/whens/whats of this decision (or any decision really). I recently wrote an article for a friends magazine coming out in June on surgery and the fall out I had after. It made me remember how hard it is and I wanted to offer more support where I could. Cant say life wont get busy again or I wont fall off the boards again...but that's okay.

I've spent a lot of years studying nutrition and exercise (I have a degree in kinesiology and one in physical therapy assisting) and I'm trying really hard to wrap my brain around the idea that some of us are just different. I can easily accept this from a physical/exercise standpoint, but in terms of nutrition I'm still confused and afraid.

For example: minimum calories. How is 600-800 a day enough? I realize we're all on an enthusiastic supplement regimen to cover gaps in vitamins and minerals, but I'm not understanding how our metabolisms keep burning at all when we're giving them so little TO burn. And how is it that our metabolisms go UP? I'm not understanding that mechanism.

And how will will that be enough for all the hiking, traveling, cycling, dancing, running I want to do? I realize I'll be burning my energy stores and that's what they're there for, but wouldn't I eventually RUN OUT of stores? What happens then?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm scared that this surgery is going to be a huge, non-reversible colossal mistake, and I'm scared that I'm never going to get where I desperately want to go. Have patience. We are (or at least, I am) just scared

600-800 calories is not maintenance for most, but rather weight loss mode. We start morbidly obese or super morbidly obese, so there is no danger of us under-consuming calories. There may be one or two folks here who engage in such intense physical activity that they have a legitimate need for additional calories, but those are rare cases. The majority of us do not burn nearly enough to be concerned, and we likely overestimate how much we are burning.

Starvation mode is a pernicious myth.

I do understand your concern. I worried I wouldn't lose weight. It's common to have fears. In the years I have been here, I can count three people who, with proper eating, had a hard time maintaining weight. Most of us have no trouble, and find, just as presurgery, that vigilance is the key to warding off gain.

As time goes on, diet fatigue tends to set in and physical capacity increases. It is easier than you would think to consume plenty of calories.

I agree with the above I eat more than 600 - 800 for sure. I don't track as well as I should. I also have found when I backpack or hike I can eat a bit more as I graze if I am in for a 16 mile mountain day. I also supplement with liquid calories like premier protein or I add big train protein to my coffee. Things like that.

You have to remember that the way you absorb said nutrition will change. So the numbers are a bit different. This is why I trend my blood numbers and I ask my doctor and staff all those questions. I also reach out to others on ideas for how to increase calorie intake for those types of things. Its not a common thing to ask how to increase but there are plenty of people in all phases that have to adjust for activity level or other issues. You learn what you can eat a lot of and what you cant.

This is why they say its a tool and why people can regain. If it wasn't possible to increase your calories that would never be an issue. It is because we can.

Fear was huge for me..and I think everyone. I am glad I did this and its been great for me. Maybe i'll feel differently in 10 years maybe I wont. But for me it allowed me to be able to do those activities. I mean I couldn't travel, hike, cycle, run, or dance comfortably before. I can now. The rest I figure out as I go. Its okay to be afraid and its okay to change your mind.

One thing I always say is if you are making a decision find the part that's about love. Not fear, not worry, not self hate. find the spark of love and compassion and follow where it leads step by step in the process. When it slams into a fear or worry spend some time figuring out what the base issue is..find the love and compassion and follow that through again. Doesn't always work but I think its a better place to live from then fear and worry. (also I'm human and so are you so sometimes what I just said is nearly impossible and pretty close to BS..so adjust accordingly)

As previously mentioned, 600 - 800 calories is for weight loss; many folks seem to average 1000 - 1200 for maintenance.

At first, we don't need to GIVE our bodies much to burn because we're MO. There's already a LOT sitting there to be burned!

I won't speak for anybody else, but when I'm doing a lot of exercise-- particularly cycling, since I do long rides whenever I can-- I do take in extra calories, whether I'm in maintenance or losing. Granted, it's not as much as non-bariatric athletes do, but I get quite sick and "bonk" if I try to get by on my usual food plan.

Hi Julie,

I'm so glad you mentioned cycling. I bought a bike last summer, at my highest weight, and started riding every single day. I loved it so much. Every day I could go further, and farther. Sure, it would take me 4 hours to cycle the distance a thin person could do in probably half an hour, lol, but I did it. One day I was out for 8 hours, and around hour 7 had the dreaded bonk. I had no idea what it was but another cyclist helped me out, explained it, and told me to eat a granola bar and to buy some gatorade; I'd just been drinking water.

What sort of foods are bariatric AND cycling friendly? I'm almost 8 weeks post op and hope to start cycling later this spring, when the snow is gone (we still have loads of snow here).

I know I'll be fine at first as I build up my endurance, but later on I do plan on going out for the entire day/evening on my bike.

Thanks,

Kathy

Sugar-free electrolyte drink is good to have. I like Powerade Zero, it doesn't have many calories (especially compared to Gatorade). I also carry salt tablets-- they're tiny and you chew them, tastes kinda gross but they do the job.

During my first year post-op, I'd try to have something small but carby before a long ride (over an hour). Half an english muffin with peanut butter, or half a bowl of instant oatmeal. Normally we want to stay away from carbs, but when you're going to be working for a long time it can be really helpful.

The key, really, is to eat often, since you can take in so little at one time. Beef jerky, string cheese, and banana chips have been my go-to's lately. I also carry gel pouches for emergency bonk use; unlike M&M's or jelly beans, they're not a trigger food, so I can slurp down a pouch of pure sugar and keep going.

Thank you so much! I'll look for the Powerade Zero. I can't wait to start cycling this year!

I'm just starting soft foods, and will be on those for 2 weeks. I'm hoping the snow will be gone by the time I start the "food for life" stage.

I'm even hoping to do a weekend mini tour this summer.

I'm looking at bikes right now, & appreciate your tips on what to eat before & have handy during rides. I hadn't thought that far ahead yet.