Question:
I am getting worried that I won't be able to deal with the diet regimen afterwards.

Is it normal to fear I won't adjust to the diet/protein requirements after surgery? I am affraid I will hate the food and drinks I have to have. I have never really cared for healthy foods...eat mostly fast food or meat/potatoes, food high in fat. Has anyone else felt like this?    — [Anonymous] (posted on November 4, 2001)


November 4, 2001
Of course it's normal to have those fears. I think a lot of obese people have gotten that way by eating fatting foods. I frequented fast food places maybe every day before the surgery. Now it helps that I'm not as hungry ALL the time, like I used to be. Because you can't eat a huge quantity of food, it is really important to eat better quality food, primarily protein. For me it easier to resist tempting food because I'm not as hungry and I don't want to DUMP! There's still plenty that you can eat and I don't feel like the diet is difficult at all. Also, when the weight starts coming off that's the BEST motivation to stay on the plan. I guess it all depends on how badly you want to lose weight :)
   — Kim M.

November 4, 2001
I was worried about this too, but it all comes down to an adage that covers most of life's difficult transitions: It's amazing what you can do when you HAVE to. My new "gizzard" is self- policing. You know how you feel after you eat something that makes you sick? You don't ever want to eat it again? After a meal of high fat, I either throw up or I suffer for a couple hours. After a few sessions like this, a Whopper and onion rings do not hold the same attraction that they did before. Over time, your tastes change and believe it or not, you will look at the things you used to eat and say, "YEEECCHH!" Really! And I'm only 2 1/2 mos post op! You have a whole new world that will be A-OK without KFC! Enjoy!
   — Nancy G.

November 4, 2001
I can't believe someone would post a comment "depends on how badly you want to lose weight" Easy for you to say now that you're post op....these questions we have at pre-op are real and valid...we don't know what to expect. Hopefully, you don't forget where you were or where you came from. Obviously, we want to loose weight pretty bad or we wouldn't even consider having this surgery. Please use a little empathy when people ask these questions!!! I think the more we know the better our chances are. I have been very afraid of my eating habits after surgery. I hear some saying they eat absolutely everything they did prior to surgery. I want to be comfortable with what I eat and not feel like I'm on a "diet" anymore. I sounds like eating everything I ate before will put me in the same boat I am now in 2-5 years. That is not what my goal is. What was eating like right after surgery? My doctor said only clear liquids, then strained food for a long time after that. How did you all survive the eating restrictions at the beginning? Hope I didn't make any enemies out there. That comment just got me a little riled. Thanks!
   — [Anonymous]

November 4, 2001
You know, I have been struggling with that same issue for a few weeks now. My surgery is a mere 8 days away, and I am worried about being able to enjoy my life just because food has been such a part of that life for so long now. I guess I just have to understand that it's not going to be that hard, when you think about what the reprocussions will be if we choose to sway from the "requirements", but I dont' think it will be impossible for us to just do it. We have made such a huge decision in our lives, and it's not just about loosing weight, it's about getting healthy again, and living again! I have been overeating these past few weeks in an emotional preparation for what is to come, but my mom had this surgery done about 4 years ago, and she is happier than ever! Of course there are some things that she doesn't eat anymore, but for the most part, she eats just about anything, just not in large quantities, or all the time. It's something I think we will adjust to, and its pretty normal to feel these jitters, I am assuming! The closer it gets, the more nervous I get, but I know things will work out just the way they are supposed to be, before, during AND after! So don't worry about this stuff, it will all fall into place and you will love your new life!
   — Marni R.

November 4, 2001
Hi, I'm pre-op too and have had the same worries... especially about those protein blarfy drinks. I can't even drink a Carnation Instant breakfast WITH sugar, lol. Anyways, the post-op diet was a big influence on my choice of WLS. I am still getting my pre-op stuff done and have my psych eval soon, but I have decided to go for the Duodenal Switch. The postops seem like they can eat a much larger variety of foods (and its very good for limiting fat absorbtion in particular). And even though I know it might be beneficial to worry about dumping on what you eat, I personally just can't make that sacrifice. I need a treat every now and then. I know this may mean I've got to put in some extra work, but food is such a social activity and I want to be able to participate without seeming like I'm behaving oddly. I want to take a bite of my wedding cake :) No offense to any RNYers out there! I hope I will be as successful as so many of you have been! Good luck to you, and do be realistic when your researching these procedures. You need to pick one that you can live with post-op. If you don't, you may end up not taking care of yourself like you should, which has it's own problems associated with it.
   — [Anonymous]

November 4, 2001
I have RNY distal. I eat fast food daily. But all of my nutrition is derived from supplements, measurable, predictable, and TASTY. These are not those 70's things any more. No more grit or slime. By doing my protein in chocolate, I am free to eat whatever else prefer, although I avoid milk & sugar. I avoided them pre-op, too, but THEN, it didn't keep me thin to do it! NOW, it does. Being successful can do a LOT to help keep you on the straight & narrow. Although, I do not diet, so it's not THAT narrow. Just no milk, no sugar. And I supplement the basics.
   — vitalady

November 4, 2001
I am not crazy about protein drinks; however, I have found some good ones. They are Herbalife -- and they have some with 15 grams of protein that taste like Crystal Lite. They even have soups -- like potato, etc. If you're interested, let me know and I'll put you in touch with someone who can get them for you. My email is [email protected]
   — Debbie H.

November 4, 2001
I am 7 weeks post op and doing great... down 52 lbs and 43.75". From size 32 jeans to size 26. Yes, it's motivating! It's really not that hard, getting in what you need, especially if you find a protein drink that you like. I get 33 grams of my protein in 1.5 scoops of one I like, so I am halfway there each day. If I know I'm going to be too busy to take time to eat, I do two of these drinks, and then I'm all set. <br><br> I hated healthy foods before, except for a few things. Bring on the jr. bacon cheeseburgers, fries, and cookies! You know what? I can't stand any of that stuff anymore. Hamburgers cooking still SMELLS good to me, but it looks gross. So greasy. Today I found myself craving... get this... fresh green peppers. Now, I *liked* these before, but today I was *desperate* for them. It's the first thing I've really craved (except pizza at 4 weeks post-op, and that was my head talking, not my stomach). :-)<br><br>I think something magical happens in those first few weeks when you are either eating nothing or next to nothing. The sugar and fat hunger cycle seems to get broken and those things are no longer so attractive. I think it has to do with insulin resistance and the glycemic index of foods. Whatever causes it, it's incredible.<br><br>I'm going through a phase now of being sort of sad that I will never sit down to a big meal and get that pleasantly overstuffed feeling again. Not that I used to feel that way too often pre-op; it took so damn much food to really make me feel that way that I didn't often accomplish it. But it is a warm snug feeling. But that's just a temporary sadness, pretty well offset by the fact that I can keep up with my toddler all day without wanting to die, my back doesn't hurt anymore, and all my clothes are loose. I will have so many happy things to offset that sadness! You will too. <br><br>P.S. I was a HUGE soda drinker pre-op. Sometimes I drank a 12-pack a day, maybe even more (it's free at work so who's counting!?) I haven't had a single one post-op, except for one sip of Diet Coke and it tasted NASTY. Really vile. I am so glad that I don't miss that!! Water is your friend!! :-)
   — Julia M.

November 11, 2001
Your question is a very good one; you WILL be making a change for the rest of your life and hopefully won't go into a surgery without absolutely thinking through all aspects. The period right after surgery, for me, was the most difficult. My body felt weak and it was very hard to watch others eat REAL food, as I drank mine... You begin noticing ALL the Food Commercials on tv and in magazines and there ARE a LOT of them!! I talked and talked to friends and family... they helped a lot. Every day got a little easier. I did go through a grieving period over the food and eating habits I had lost. I guess for me, it came down to this: pretty much everything in life has a trade off. I choose healthier foods, (and less), for a slimmer and more active lifestyle. I still go to the fast food joints, but instead of eating a 1/4 lb. w/cheese, I get a cheeseburger happy meal and eat 1/2 of the cheeseburger and 3 or 4 fries. That fills me up. You can go to KFC, but take off the skin or pay later, (UGH!). The dumping has been a blessing for me, because I KNOW that I'd have started gaining again by now because I am a stress eater. Life gets crazy, I WANT FOOD... Try the diet for awhile yourself. See if you could stand it. And continue to ask questions, we've all been there, not sure if we could do it and we are. Do I miss the old days? Sure, it's hard going to a pot luck sometimes, but now I come prepared with the foods I can eat, and I really enjoy circulating and talking to people. I had the RNY 2 1/2 yrs. ago. This surgery has freed me from dieting. I'm restricted, but once I learned what foods I could and couldn't eat, it really did get easy, and like the others said, your tastebuds do change. REALLY! Once a food makes you sick, You really don't crave it too much anymore. HA!
   — tammy R.

March 6, 2002
You will find that after surgery you cannot tolerate the junk/fast foods. Be patient with yourself. You will see immediate results. It's not so much healthy foods, but it's more quantity. I can remember two weeks after surgery my mother had made steaks, baked potatoes and all the other good fixings. I made the mistake to sit at the table and watch them eat. I left the table in tears. The next time they had steak, I didn't come to the table, but took a walk instead. It is a mind game, even with surgery, but you'll do fine!
   — dolphins94

October 3, 2003
I am 4 weeks post op and honestly some days are harder to deal with than others. Fortunately, each day does seem to get easier. I do have those food thoughts, Chili/Cheese Coney thoughts to be specific....LOL. Could I possibly eat it, no. That one of the great benefits to the surgery...if we were able to control that compulsion before surgery none of us would need it. This surgery provides you the restrictions you need to succeed, even if your mind has not quite caught up with your stomach. It will.......TM
   — toscamaddox

March 26, 2004
OMG!!! I am not alone. I am 3 1/2 weeks post op, and am so tired of applesause I can't stand it. Also, I have NEVER been a fish fan, in fact my idea of fish is Long John Silvers, but these last 2 weeks, all I can think about is fish. As I said, I don't like fish, so if I give in to this new craving, I have no idea what to buy, and once bought, how the heck do I cook it. Sounds like you and I could be one in the same person, Love fast food, hate healthy crap, but you can do it. If I can, you can. Don't give up, soon enough the day will come when you can eat SOME of the things we previously loved, just not alot of it.
   — Kathy C.




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