Confusion

I get so confused about what is the best way for me to eat. I hear so many things from so many different sources.
The NUT says that my hunger will never be satisfied if I drink lots of protein shakes. She and the surgeon say that since RNYers don't have a pyloric valve, liquids will go right through my pouch and leave me feeling empty. She is OK with me eating 100-140 GMs of protein a day, just says that it needs to be food, not protein drinks if I want to not be hungry. She also says I should be eating at least 100GMs of whole grain or veggie carbs per day both for energy if I want to run and to help with the ever present constipation. She recommends 1200-1400 calories per day. These rules also seem to fit with other things I read from fitness and running sources.
Then I hear that we should only be eating protein both in shake form and meat. Keep your carbs very low. I see most people here do that. It looks like lots of you are still getting less than 70 GMs of carbs each day.
I am really struggling with weight, I am usually hungry, always constipated and generally frustrated. I just wish I knew there was an absolute right way to do it.

The only "absolute right" way to do it,is the way that works for you.

I maintain on 1200-1400 cals a day, and I don't run. You ha e to remember that most of those fitness sites are geared to normies,not those of us with altered anatomy.

if you can't lose on 12-1400 cals,then it is too much for you. I wouldn't eat 100 gms of whole grain at all. They will make most of us stall. I don't even thoink you could eat 100 gms of veggies a day,could you? and still get your protein in?

I am two years out and still use a protein drink a day. I don't find that I am hungry after one,but I don;t feel hunger to start with.

Are you taking an acid reducer like Nexium? Excess acid can cause hunger. I had to add a second PPI dose at 1.5 years out cause I always wanted to eat. Since I doubled up on them,no more problem with hunger.

For the constipation,many take Miralax daily to keep things moving. It is safe for daily use.

Good luck

Umm....how can I put this regarding your NUT?   Ah!

--gina

What Gina said. :)

You have to find what works for you. Some NUTS are great and some are just plain nuts.

I still fight my hunger, but there's no way I could get 100 grams of protein a day. I'm just not that big a meat eater. I love that I can make up the difference with protein shakes. Having them tends to wipe out my hunger, but I can't speak to how that works for RNY's with no pyloric valve to hold it in the stomach. Do protein shakes curb your hunger? If so, listen to your body.

I am very happy doing what I do and it seems to be working for me.  but you have to do something that will work for you.

for constipation, miralax and benifiber on alternate days.  There is no way I can get enough fiber in to stop my constipation, but even with pain meds, these work.

Protein shakes.  I usually have 3 a day.  1.5scoops in my 48oz of morning decaf.  1 scoop in the afternoon, 1.5 at night in a shake.  I don't use it to be un hungry but to get my protein in.  All of my meals are protein based and it still takes suppliments to get my totals up.

Between the shakes (coffee or whatever) and meals, I try to get 20 oz of fluid in.  That usually leaves me no time to be hungry.  So I do protein coffee, breakfast, 20 oz, lunch, 20 oz, protein, snack, 20 oz, dinner, protein shake.  That is 9 "required" inputs a day and it doesn't leave you much time to be hungry.

My carbs are up some these days but no where near 100.  The are still mainly from veggies although I have been allowing myself a bowl of cheese grits from breakfast.  That is pretty much my only "white" carb during the day.  When I was losing, I kept the carbs under or around 30.  I found if I ate the same number of calories, with low carbs I lost weight, with high carbs I didn't.  many folks find the more carbs they eat, the hungrier they are and they more they want.

Price said it for me, The more carbs I took in the hungrier I am. I do a 2 scoop protein coffee every morning, but I will add, I am very sensitive to proteins and since I found the "one" I do NOT deviate from it at all. It keeps me full till around noon, from there a sensible, fluids, then dinner and more fluids. Found lately if I allow myself one snack, I go crazy and want MANY MANY more snack... Good Luck, you will find what works for you

Thanks everyone. Definitely gives me something to think about. Here is some information I didn't include.... I am not losing because I am getting way more than 1400 calories per day. I can easily get the protein amount I need without shakes as unlike you all here I can down 4 eggs or 6 ounces of chicken or steak at one time and still eat veggies or potatoes. I can't eat any where the amount I ate prior to surgery but way more than your average WLS patient. It is the wonder pouch. It has always been this big. I have NEVER had something stick and only ate too much and felt bad three times in three years.
I take anti acid pills. I have been fighting an ulcer for about 1 year. They are starting to threaten me with a surgery to take care of it if it doesn't get better. I kind of wi**** would be necessary as it would act like a revision. The surgeon says it has a high incidence of having to be done open instead of lap however.  Eating keeps it from hurting so that leads to grazing on top of everything else.
Yes, if I drink protein shakes instead of a meal I am hungry. Then I go for things that are terrible for me.  I am especially hungry if I am trying to do low carb, high protein and most of it shakes when I do long runs. I am beginning to train for another half marathon. I notice that MacMadame eats carbs. I wonder if it is necessary when you are going to be working out for over 1 hour at a time?
As for the constipation, I already take metamucil or benefiber every morning, miralax every night and 4 senna/docusate twice a day. Still have calcium rocks for stools. And I haven't even added my iron supplements back in yet. Just taking calcium does this to me.I do use calcium citrate. I can't even imagine what would happen if I used calclium carbonate.

I have found that the more carbs I eat the hungier I am. Protein in drinks or foods always seem to satisfy me without wanting more but I still struggle getting dense proteins down.

I also struggle with constipation and I have tried the Miralax and Colace but they didn't seem to help. In fact my tummy seemed to hurt when I used those products. I use a Walmart brand of colace which doesn't seem to bother me and it is super cheap. I have found that Oatmeal and plain Popcorn work really well. If I have them before bed then I usally go first thing in the morning. My DGD's little bum hole had to moved when she was about a year old and she has to drink PearJuice and take Miralax once a day or she has to strain for days to go. It works really well for her.

Someone mentioned Acid Reflux causing hunger. I still take my Prilosec every day and I can defintely notice the hunger if I happen to miss it for a couple of days in a row. My tummy just rumbles and rumbles.

I do eat/drink between 1200-1400 calories a day to maintain but I can't lose on that amount. My goal is 50% Protein, 25% fat, and 25% carbs.

    I was wondering if you've had the hunger problem since your surgery. I realize it was quite some time ago.
      Perhaps it's possible for you to have it all -- carbs, proteins, and weight loss.  The wrong carbs (sugary in nature) make me hungrier, but some carbs I find satisfying. Those are also the ones higher in fiber and often have protein -- northern beans and shredded wheat are two. I dont indulge in those frequently but do on occasion.  Using those and some lean proteins, I was able to create a day's menu that was 1250 cal, 124 g carbs, 103 g protein and almost 25 g fiber.  I hope Macmadame chimes in re: training and carb intake. 
     It's difficult to find the right balance and keep balanced.   I have just started to add protein shakes to up my protein and recently began using ground flax seed in water twice a day to keep things moving. ( For me, the shakes provide a lower calorie option for protein than other sources). I'll be four years out in May and am dealing with some weight gain (11 lbs accumulated over 2 years). though I'm mostly a lurker, I remember you, Jody and of course MajorMom from the early days :)
   I wish you the best.
   Christine

Thanks for responding Christine.  I started having hunger again about 4 months post-op. It really started in earnest at about 1 year and I started eating more carbs when I first started training for a half marathon. I was always hungry. Unfortunately I didn't decrease the carbs again when the training stopped. I am beginning to train again and don't want to set myself up to fail with the training or eating. I am interested in what McMadame has to say also.