Haven't posted here in a while; concerned about 5DPT

I haven't posted here in a few months as I've moved and have been very busy!!!  I'm sad to see all of the posts about a 5 day pouch test diet ... I can only speak for myself, but dieting is what got me into the mess that required gastric bypass to "fix."  Seems to me that the long-term answer to gaining weight, etc is to develop an overall healthy lifestyle that includes daily exercise and eating a well-balanced diet.   I'm not judging anyone ... just voicing my concern that we are maintaining the diet mentality, which will keep us locked into an obese mindset.  Why not just cut down on processed carbs, exercise, and forget about a diet??? Hugs, Annette

The 5 day pouch test is not a "Diet". It's just something to do to help those of us that have had the surgery get back on track and learn to use our tool again.

AMEN SISTER! I am four years out... I am actually quite pleased with my results all in all... I am with in five pounds of my lowest weight and look and feel good... and then I see the scale becon me... and I tell my self if I just could loose this last 20 lbs Id be... ID BE WHAT... someone with nothing to complain about maybe.  If I spend time obsessing about every thing I am going to or did put in my yap, I find I feel less in control of my DIET... but if I get up and work out in the morning... I find the rest of the day sort of falls in... as aparently thats what healthy people do... AND IF I EAT AN OREO now and again... so be it... My tool still works... I simply cant eat as much as a normal person does at once... but if I obsess about food, I sure can graze the calories in... WELL BALANCED AND NORMAL thats why I got the surgery and as it just so happens if I am not wigging out about what I will eat today or wont... I do much better EVERYDAY.  Thanks for sharing!

I agree that developing an overall healthy lifestyle is my goal. I have done well in that area, but I occassionally "test the waters". I find that lately the refined carbs have crept back in. The 5 day plan is working to get those out of my system so that I can start "clean living" again.  I don't look at it as a diet. Diets go on and on and then off the deep end. I look at this as a way to help me get back on track.  Like we've heard so many times WLS wasn't brain surgery and my brain still gets me screwed up at times. Have a good day everyone. Karen C

Hi Annette, Thanks for your well meaning post. I rarely post here anymore about the 5DPT because of misconceptions about it. It's  very misunderstood and has become watered down on OH. Instead, I go to the actual website for supportive postops like myself who are overcoming and taking back control of thier lives. http://www.livingafterwls.com/forum/index.php?s=cc9ccedad143 ed7e473cbb1a73ae13e0&showforum=63 It is not a diet. Kaye Baliey, the author, NEVER calls it  a diet.  It is a way to take control of your pouch when you are so far out that you wonder if it still works. It is to get a handle on the basics of eating lean dense protein to remeber what it feels like to be full. The point of the thing is not even to lose weight while on it, although you do because you are eliminating slider foods and eating correctly. The 5 Day Pouch Test really gave me a revival of my pouch and my life so PLEASE do not feel "sad" for me! Save your pitty for those who do nothing and gain all thier weight back!  It's awesome and it's *not* a diet. Anyone *****searches it will realize how much slider foods make sense to cut out  as well as drinking with meals, importance of protein shakes and on and on. Sound familiar? It's BACK TO BASICS! Above all...I do realize that different things work for different people. This goes for life in general and I am a respecter of choices which differ from my own. Just as we did not like to be judged to have this drastic surgery in the first place! I wholeheartedly support anyone who can just cut down of junk food, exercise, ect! I support anyone who goes to WW, Jenny Craig, YMCA, or decides to place a band over their RNY.  Molly

HI Annette. I have to agree with  Molly~I didn't do this as a "diet" but as a way to get myself back on track and get back in touch with what helped me lose the weight in the first place. I found it very helpful to me. I do exercise and eat right on a regular basis and have been maintaining nicely for a year and hallf now, but sometimes its good to get a fresh start and to get our heads in the same place as our bodies. In fact, there is no caloric limit while on the 5dpt and you are supposed to eat anytime you are hungry~not like a typical "diet" at all! I found this alone has helped me to listen to my body more and get back in touch with true hunger vs head hunger. Anyway, I applaud everyone that is happy with their weightloss no  matter how they got there (rny, lapband, ww, etc) and no matter how they maintain the loss~it all takes work but is so well worth it in the end!

I did the 5 day pouch test. I can say it helped me get back on track. I have been struggling with my weight for three yr. I just couldn't get back to eating the right things. Since I did the test
I have more control
I eat better than I was eating
I am losing weight. I have lost 10 #
I drink my water
Take my vitimans, and protein
Write down everything that I eat.

I come to this site everday and read, even though I don't always post, I am learning more from this site then I have learned in the 4 1/2 years since my surgery. Thank you all for sending me messages of support.

Tena

Tena, I agree with you 100%...  I did the 5dpt to get myself back on track and it has helped!  I am in control, I feel full more often, I eat much better, drink my water (30 minutes before or after I eat, which I never knew about before I came on OH), write down everything and have lost 5lbs so far.  I feel like I have learned so much more since joining OH. I am thankful!!! Sheryl

Hi Annette,    I didn't look at the 5DPT as a diet.  I looked at it as a tool to get my stretched out pouch to shrink up a bit and to reinforce that I could recognize the full feeling again.  I had lost that long ago.  My meal portions had gotten larger and larger and I was grazing and never felt hungry or full anymore and this really helped me. We will always need to be aware of what we're eating, so the diet mentality is permanent for me.  I was blessed with getting this tool and if I'm not careful I'm going to end up right back where I started.  I had regained 15 lbs in only a few months time and the 5dpt allowed me to lose that and get back on track.  I'm not sure it will help everyone, but it's worth a try. Ann