Question:
Is it normal to be tired of this diet plan?

I am currently 10 months post op & have lost 59 pounds. Things have went really well for me. Unfortunately the last 2 weeks I have found myself getting tired of the diet plan I have been given. I have noticed myself eating 3 ounces of a high protein cereal with milk instead of the expected 1 oz. protein, 1 oz. fruit, 1 oz. veggie. I am not overeating. If anything I'm finding myself getting tired of dealing with food & have been eating less. I didn't even bring my lunch to work today which I have done every day up until now (with 1 serving of 3 different food groups) I still get 2 protein shakes & about 80 oz. fluid daily.I also take my required daily vitamins. Is this normal to go thru (maybe some kind of greiving process over my old ways)?? Does anyone have suggestions on how to get out of this. Also when this started I started working out at the gym. My energy level has been extremely high...to the point I cannot sleep because I'm thinking about things I need to do. I am working out 3X a week for 1 1/4 hrs. & walking 3 other days of the week. I'm not sure if this has affects anything....any feedback would be appreciated!!    — Kathy K. (posted on September 9, 2003)

September 9, 2003
Sorry...I meant to say I'm 10 WEEKS post op!
   — Kathy K.

September 9, 2003
At three months post-op, you can eat more now than you could before. Your question doesn't say how many calories you're taking in now during the course of the day. For what it's worth, by the three-month point, I was eating between 800-1000 calories a day (counting protein shakes) and exercising 5-6 days a week. It doesn't sound like you're eating that much, but with your workout schedule especially, it's possible you *should* be eating more now. You may be doing so because you're genuinely hungry. Doublecheck with your doctor, and be sure he/she understands how much you work out.<P>Also ... except for that brief liquids/pureed foods phase (the first few weeks or so), I never thought of my post-op eating as a "diet plan," because I didn't want to hit a phase where I was itching to "break out of it" or "cheat." That's another reason to explore whether you should be eating more at this point. Your capacity to eat more, and your hunger, are likely to increase again at the five-six month mark (and again later on, too). It's better to develop eating habits now that will really stick with you in the long run, than to be doing something too artificial or deprived to be of use in retraining your eating habits long-term. Basically, I eat the same way now (at 15 months post-op) as I did at 3 months post-op, just *more* of everything (as I'm in the maintenance stage).
   — Suzy C.

September 9, 2003
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, food becomes for nutrition not for pleasure post op. I too get bored and switch from one jag to the next (chicken to beef) but the thing to remember is that you are putting food into your body to keep it healthy not to keep your mind happy. Learning to find pleasure in things other than food is tough but I feel that it is neccesary for long term success. If you have access to a nutritionist go see one. She/he can help you find a diet plan that really suits you.
   — Carol S.