Question:
How much do you eat at 18months post op and what?

Hi, I just asked a question but here is another one I'm very interested in. I would like to know how much anyone eats at 18months post op and what are some of the types of food you eat. For me, I still measure my food because that works best for me, so if anyone still measures their food would you tell me how much you can eat and still maintain your weight, and please tell me some of the things you eat. My WLS doctor really didn't give me much information on this, but is still a good doctor, and I really would appreciate any help you could give me. Thanks so much, and wanted to say also, that I really love this site and it has helped me so much in my journey to weight loss from the beginning and from now on!    — tatterpuddin (posted on July 22, 2003)

July 22, 2003
Hi! I am 19 months post op and am eating pretty good... I get in anywhere from 800 to 1200 calories each day. I eat, typically -- when I can eat -- right now I am seven weeks pregbnant, so... lol -- a typical day of food for me was Breakfast: 1 egg, cooked however, 1 slice of toast and one slice of bacon. Snack: a serving of fruit; Lunch: 1/2 sandwich peanut butter and apple butter, 1/2 cup salad with dressing (Italian); snack: 2 sugar free popcicles; Dinner: a piece of broiled chicken, 1/4 cup of green beans, 1/4 small potatoe; snack: 2 sugar free popcicles or an ounce of pork rinds with salsa. That's about 1200 calories and I was stablized nicely! :~) See my profiles for more diet help! :~) Feel free to email me, too! :~)
   — Sharon m. B.

July 22, 2003
Hi, I'm almost 20 months post-op and I eat most anything I want. Having said that, I DO NOT eat sweets, chips, pasta, rice and rarely eat bread or potatos. I don't measure most of my foods but I keep a rough estimate of the calories I eat. During the week I eat 1/4 cup of Grape Nuts soakeed in Grape Juice for breakfast; I have a Lactose Free Slim Fast for snack; lunch is usually about a cup of cottage cheese with bell pepper, onion and cucumber; mid-afternoon I usually have some jerky and dinner varies. Sometimes I have peanut butter and crackers; cheese and an apple or I grill meat and have a salad. This is a typical weekday menu for me in hot weather - I don't cook a lot. In the winter, I cook more hot meals. I am not very active due to arthritis and my surgeon suggested that I get between 1200 and 1600 calories a day. My daytime meals and snacks add up to about 600 calories so I have plenty of room for the evening. If you are very active, you would need more calories - it's important to remember that you need to get about 80% of your calories from protein rich foods. Even though, at my weight, I only NEED 45g of protein a day, I still strive to get between 50 and 60 and it's not hard. The cottage cheese had 26g, the Slim Fast has 15g and the jerky has 15g. So between lunch and my two snacks I get 56g of protein. By the time I have dinner, I am well over 60g.
   — Patty_Butler

July 22, 2003
I'm about 2 years post op, and I don't worry about how much I eat, just what I eat. If I want to maintain my weight, I skip anything made w/ white flour or sugar. Those products send me right back up the scale. I'm also careful to do lots of protein and I eat that first. Then add veggies, maybe a few whole grains carbs, some fruit. If I eat this way, I can eat as much as I want and not gain.
   — mom2jtx3

July 23, 2003
Sherry, Good question. I'm 16 months post op and my patient liaison just recently told me to stop weighing and measuring my foods as well as stopping the daily food diary. I gave it a go and really don't like it that much as I've actually gained a few pounds plateuing between 148 and 155. So, I'm going back to my established discipline. At 16 months, I find that I can tolerate mostly everything - including pizza and sweets! YIKES! It has been suggested by my dietician that I concentrate calories between 1000 and 1200 per day not to exceed 1600, 80% protein and 20% carb - 10% fruit and 10% vegetable. Occasionally I fall off the wagon - especially at social outings where I will have some sort of dessert. I eat 4x per day. AT first I could only tolerate about 2 oz of food per meal, now I am careful not to exceed 4 oz - if I have about 6 oz or more, I'll dump and I know it right away. I continue to dump with refined sugars (especially ice cream). It was recommended to me to have 4 servings per day of beef, fish, chicken and/or pork with 2 small salads and 2 pieces of fruit. Sound like to established ADA diet? Soup and bread/pasta replace the salads and juice can replace the fruits. Still, watch the calories and the combinations. At this point, there is a lot of experimentation to find the balance between burning the food choices and those that are stored. Good luck! Susan Kane
   — Susan K.

July 23, 2003
Sherry, I'm the same way, I'm post op 14 months, and just like you was really given no long term instructions here..... You guys my WLS family have been like my manual for WLS...... For about 1 month now I no longer count my calories, watch my fats, or carbs....... I've also learned that I no longer dump....... which is a bad thing... I never liked sweets pre-op how-ever I now crave them bad post op...... Donut Monster here...... And for some reason I don't know why I crave them....... I seriously hate protein.. think I've over dosed on it, (Ate to much of it) that in an average day I think I get in about 50-60 grams of it, I know I should get more in ...... If I calculate my calories, I know it's some where around the 2000 mark at this point, how-ever I'm about 15-20 pounds at goal.... Started at 305 5'10, and am weighing in at 172-173, would really like to see 160, I've been learning to be able to eat anything in moderation (Eating normal) and learning to burn off what I eat...... I know that in order to get to the 160, I'll have to cut my carbs and my calories back signifcantly.. I don't look at this being a long term diet, I look at it as maintenance, and working towards that..... Depending on where you're at on your WLS..... learning to maintain is the key here...
   — tannedtigress

July 23, 2003
22 mos post op, -125lbs, at or below goal at 140. I can eat just about anything I want. The only things that give me trouble are more than my share of sweets/fats, some bread, and meats that I do not chew well enough. I do not measure my food, I never have...same with counting calories..never did it. I make sure I drink ALOT, and eat protien first and I have done well with that. I eat until I am full, and only when I am hungry. I can eat quite a bit if I try (sad that I know this) but for the most part, I do not eat much during a meal and I eat 4 or 5 times each day. Examples-- For dinner last night I had maybe a 1/4 of a chicken breast, 2T of corn, and half of a really small potato. I can eat half of a BLT. (hated bacon pre-op, now I am addicted to it). I can eat one egg and a piece of toast. Half a can of campbells soup. I don't eat fast food often, but just to give you an idea of an ammount. I can eat one crunchy taco from taco bell, 3/4 of a grilled chicken sandwich from mcdonalds (without the bread and no fries) Fries don't work for me now AT ALL. Most of a Jr. whoper w/ cheese (no bread) but I havent had one in a few months. Anyhow, those are just examples of ammounts. Hope that helps
   — RebeccaP

July 24, 2003
HI!!! I am 16 months post op and down 195 lbs. I, like you still masure my food to keep me in line. when i first wake in the morning i drink 16 ounces of water, 1 hour later i will eat 1 egg scrambled with cheese and 2 slices of turkey bacon, 1 hour later i will drink 32 ounces of water, for lunch i will have a salad (very little lettuce) with eggs, cheese, chicken etc. 1 hour later i drink between 32 to 50 ozs of water. after the gym i will have a protein bar and 30 minutes later i drink 16 ounces of water. for dinner i will eat 4 ounces of meat and maybe 2 ounces of vegetables.
   — tameaka S.