Day 4 of the 5-Day Pouch Test

Good morning!

Isn't my emoticon all cheery and stuff?  I could say it is because I am over the hump...only 2 days remain on the Pouch Test.  But I know the REAL reason and it is that, pathetically, my weight is tied directly to my emotional wellbeing.

I ate all the items allowed by the pouch test for Day 3 yesterday.  I had 2 tiny cans of tuna..3 hardboiled eggs (throughout the day) and a few bites of canned salmon (not nearly as bad as I had anticipated it would be).

But I actually felt FULL each time I ate yesterday so I thought maybe I was overdoing it.  ALSO, I added some avocado to the tuna.  The "rules" say that you can add mayo to the tuna if it is too dry.  I don't like mayo but I LOVE avocado so I thought it would be an acceptable substitution.  But when I plugged the numbers into FitDay, I felt that my "fat" ratio for the day was REALLY high (but my carb ratio was delightfully low).

Bottom line?  I did not expect to see a loss this morning on the scale.  BUT...I think all the fat from yesterday effected my tummy and I woke this morning with tummy "issues" (I will let you derive your own assumptions from that statement ;)).  So probably THAT had more to do with the scale today than the pouch test but...WHATEVER...I was down 4 lbs. overnight!  Which brings my total to 7 lbs. since I started the test on Monday.

Now, I am a realist, if the weight is still gone tomorrow, I know it will stick.  I am fully aware that I may gain.  But I will worry about that tomorrow.  Today I am happy...even if artificially so!!

Have a great day, everyone!

Jersey Mom

 Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!  

I am also on day four.  I have actually found it quite easy.  The eating out of habit and head hunger are the real killers.  I was shocked at how often I went to grab something just because it looked good or was just visible.  I did not have any issues on any of the days.  I do miss my fruit and veggies though.

I have not lost 7 pounds.  I think that I am around 3.  I have worked out for a minimum of 60 minutes each day and I had plenty of energy.  First time I have tried this and it has been eye opening.

 I have tried the pouch test twice.  The first time, I loss 6 pounds.  The second time only 2.  As I was told, it is not about losing weight but decarbing....*I liked losing weight.....

Tess:

I know I said this before but I think this is more about resetting your brain than your pouch.  I understand that it is supposed to kill the carb craving but, to be honest, I want a pretzel in a BAD way!!  I am bummed that I still feel this way.

I would also be VERY VERY bummed if I did not lose weight.  I really do know that this was fundamentally for the purpose of my reining in my new (old!) bad habits but I would be SORELY disappointed if I struggled for 5 days with no victory on the scale.

I am so impressed that you did it twice.  Not sure I could do it again.  Not for a LONG time, anyhow!

Thanks so much for your support!

Jersey Mom

Hello!
It's weird but my cravings have been worse this week. Still trying to stay low on the carb front but its been tough. I bought some of those baby treats that are kinda like cheese puffs but they are low cal and carb. Probably should just stay away from it all.  Its rough chaning patterns! Great job sticking with it!

Hey Kriste:

Actually, yesterday my cravings were OUT OF CONTROL!  Someone was talking about cookies and I actually marched up to them and asked them to change the subject!!  Every day I get on the scale, I feel like the restriction is worth it.  But that glow fades sometime around 11 AM and then I DESPERATELY want a pretzel, cracker...Goldfish...

I swear I don't know where I am finding the strength to keep doing this!  One more day but, really, I want to keep the momentum going...not with THIS diet...but at least with the new mindset.  Here's hoping my strength continues...

I hope your day is easier today!  We can do it!!

Hugs.
Jersey Mom

Quite easy??!  WOW!  That is awesome.  This has been a HUGE struggle for me...and continues to be.

At lunch, I wanted pretzels or Goldfish crackers in the WORST way.  And I don't feel energetic in the slightest (but I never do...so there you go!).

If I am really good with protein, I find that I do lose a bit of weight but, to be fair...I think it probably had more to do with my tummy problem this morning.

Congrats on your success with the plan!  I agree with you on one thing...it has DEFINITELY been eye opening.  It is a VERY good thing I did this!

Have a great day!
Jersey Mom

 Does this diet test the size of your pouch? I know it won't be a permanent fix for anything but I would like to test out how badly I have stretched my pouch. 

In my opinion, no...it does not test the size of your pouch.  I think that the test is not accurately named...I would call it the Brain Reset Test.  I cannot speak for everyone else's experience with the test but here are the results of mine (I completed Day 5 yesterday)...

1.  Last week was HARD...so hard that I don't know how I got through it.  But it REALLY reminded me of those first few weeks post-op when I re-learned how to eat and to know what the limits should be.

2.  Last week proved to me that I CAN go back to eating more like a post-op. 

3.  When I woke up this morning, my first thought was WHOO HOO, I can eat whatever I want now...the test is over.  Yet, I found myself reaching for my Deli Pop (2 gr. of carbs) and having the smallest shmear of peanut butter on them.  I ate three...and was full.  More importantly?  Satisfied.

4.  I do not plan on heading to my local convenience store to get my usual 2 44-oz. Diet Cokes.  This is the biggest shock to me.  I just simply don't want it.  That is HUGE for me as a am a Diet Coke addict.

5.  I am not sure what I will eat for lunch but I KNOW it will be healthy.

6.  Numbers 1 through 5 above should be the things that make me happiest...but, sadly, what makes me happiest is that, when stepping on the scale this morning, I saw that I am **9** lbs. down from last Monday.  It has been YEARS since I lost 9 lbs...and to have had that happen in one week makes me feel like a new post-op again!

Sadly, you are correct...it is not a permanent fix.  But I would recommend it to ANYONE who needs to get back on track.  My emotional well-being is SO MUCH BETTER right now.  I know that I will continue to struggle...and want pretzels and crackers, etc....and maybe I will eat small handfuls of them again.  But I feel like I have regained control of my tool.  And that feeling is AWESOME!!

If you do the test, post your daily progress...I would love to see how you are doing!

Good luck!

Jersey Mom