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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