Raw Fruits and Vegetables? 5+ years out...

Hi Everyone,

In September 2010 I reached my 5-year anniversary. Not unlike many, I found the scale climbing. I had lost 166 pounds over the course of this journey, but over the past two or three years, I have put back 60 of those pounds I thought were gone! Totally my fault and I know all of the things I've done wrong.

Last Monday, I started Weigh****chers. I am ABSOLUTELY loving their new point system, and logging and tracking my food is really helping me to stay accountable. I am really focusing on eating their "power foods." Especially protien.

The one problem I'm finding (I think) is that I've now drastically increassed the amount of raw fruits and vegetables I am eating. While I've had small amounts of these over the past 5+ years, I know I've not had them to this proportion. Over the past couple of days, I've had some mild gas/abdominal pain. Last night, however, I was up most of the night with what I am again atributing to gas pain. I went out to a Chinese dinner with friends. I ordered the Beef and Broccoli -- sauce on the side with brown rice. All-in-all, I ate about 2 cups of the B&B and 1 cup of brown rice. I think this may have something to do with the broccoli (which was cooked "Chinese style," so it wasn't really cooked much at all. This on top of the apple and bannan I had throughout the course of the day.

Even right now, I am having waves of abdominal pressure/gas pain still passing over my stomach. I think this is the most uncomfortable I have been since having surgery.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Would cooking help? I am assuming I should really be adding the fruits and veggies (and high-fiber foods) much slower and focusing on protien first (like we were told in the beginning). Can anyone offer advice of what to do to get through the pain I've been having, too? I would even say I have a little wave of nausea here and there.

I appreciate any advice anyone can offer. I know I don't come on the boards very often, but I do know that when I am faced with something I cannot answer that all of you are a community of people I can turn to for guidance. Thank you!

Most sincerely,
Aaron

I to joined weigh****chers 2 weeks ago, and because the fruits and veggies are 0 points , ive been eating alot more. I havent had the bad gas pains but alot more heart burn and pain in my pouch area. I cant do raw veggies well so I try to cook them as much as possible, except salads of course which I cut them up really small. I still think we need to concentrate on our proteins first, remember we are differant than "normal" people. I am keeping my fruits down to 2-3 a day, I still get a little dumping syndrom from high sugar fruits and cant eat much sweets at all. I had my surgery in 2006, lost 110 and have put about 35 back on that really needs to go. And I try to do at least 2 protein drinks a day. I just finished reading a book called Raw for Life, even though I dont eat alot of raw veggies, I do like the green smoothies. I take 12 ounces of water in my blender, add a banana, cut up pear, blend for 2 min, add 2 cups of raw baby spinich and 1 scoop of whey protein, blend another 2 min.  On weigh****chers this is only 2 points for the whey protein plus gives me my fruits and veggies. Plus you cant taste the spinich, if you can get past the fact that its green this is a really good start to the day. Then I go off to the gym for a 45 min cycle class and a 1 hour water arobic class. Give it a try, I lost 4 pounds my first week at weigh****chers. I also made a big pot of vegetable soup and can eat that whenever I get hungry, add a little chicken or turkey and its a full meal. Good luck and keep in touch, Deb

You've answered your own questions!  You said " I am assuming I should really be adding the fruits and veggies (and high-fiber foods) much slower and focusing on protein first (like we were told in the beginning)."  Your right.  Even without surgery adding a lot of fiber at once is a killer.  Broccoli is a killer for me whether it is cooked or not.  It's so much fiber and such a gas producer that I limit it.

Have you checked in with your surgeon?  We need to check with or surgeon or nut before we take on a major change in our diet.  Just my suggestions.  Good luck and congratulations for taking that big step forward!

Weigh****chers was the ONLY way I was able to lose (and AM able to maintain) that last 20 lbs. I am a "lifetimer" (from YEARS ago) now at goal

I LOVE the new pointsplus program from WW. That being said....

I have been eating cruciferous veggies and raw fruit since I was very early post-op. So I guess my body is used to the extra stress of raw foods. If someone is not used to processing that food, I would guess it could be crampy.

I cannot eat raw apple without dumping and/or severe gas. Cooked is OK, and still 0 points.

Unless the pain is immediately upon swallowing, I am guessing it is a COLON thing and not a stomach/pouch thing. The sugars in bananas or other rich fruits and the rice (brown or otherwise) may also be giving you carby gas. and maybe a delayed dump/reactive hypoglycemia. That stinks. :(

Drink lots of water today/tomorrow. Stick with very small quantities of raw foods until your body adapts. May I recommend no bananas or richer fruits (mango, papaya, etc), because of the dump factor.

My 2 cents...your mileage may vary. :)

Hi!!
I also just joined weigh****chers & still trying to get a good insight to the points program.
I'm almost 4yrs out & have gained back 25lbs, and knew I needed to get it under control asap.
I'm a stress eater & have been under a lot of stress. Have been doing WW online, but think I should go to the meetings as I just can't understand some things. I have fibromyalgia and it seems when my body flares from it, the fibro fog won't let me think straight. Either that or it's cause I'm getting old. Yes, the increase in fruit is causing my pouch to give me problems. So I cut back on them & the veggies I know caused me problems before surgery. I have IBS and know that feeling of not being sure what gas or something else. And if you're out & about not a nice feeling to have.
I've lost 4lbs in 2 weeks, and that's fine. Just taking it slow & trying not to be so diasspointed in myself for gaining. Went from 239lbs to 125lbs(just for a day tho. lol) & maintained at 135lbs for 3yrs., but than the scales started climbing.
So lets cheer each other on, take each day as it comes & know that our tool will work for us. We just need to revamp our eating ways again.
Take care,
Kathy

Keep up the vege's there good for you!  It may take your body a few days to a week or so to adjust to the increased fiber.  I believe that's true for 'normies' too, so be patient, you will adjust and you will be better off for it in the long run.

I'm over 3 years out and on a 'normal' day I easily eat over 5 servings of fruits and veges, with no complications.  Ironically it's when I eat simple sugar that I have issues.

Edie

Aaron,
I am 6 years out.   It seems like three cups is a lot of food.  Maybe you were pushing the capacity of your pouch.  I have finally discovered that if I eat everything out of a certain type and size of bowl, I don't over eat.  It's a perfect tool for me to measure out my food.  Any more than a half bowl of anything causes me discomfort and resulting cramps and gas.  I can put veggies, meat, and grain all in the same bowl.  I just thought I would throw that out for you.   I can only eat broccoli if it is cooked really well.  If it is undercooked, I get horrible gas and cramping. 

When I overeat, I find it helpful to stretch out backwards.  I bend my back and stretch out my front side.  I also do something really weird but it works.  I massage my tummy from my rib cage all the way down to my hip bones.  It seems to help.  I also take tiny sips of milk after I eat too much.  It somehow softens up the food and helps it move along.

Rice tends to be problematic for me at times.  It is really dense and sits in my pouch like a rock if I eat too much of it.  At any meal, I would only eat 1/4 to 1/3 cup rice alongside the other items.  The few times I have eaten too much rice, I have been in really bad pain.

I hope this helps.  :)