Question:
Successful post-op diet

I was just looking for advice from all of you post-op individuals who are 1,2,3,4 yrs out. I am wondering what foods you avoid, drinks, alcohol, anything that you avoid to maintain you weight. I am so scared of putting weight back on. I am at the point in my surgery where I can eat a lil more, meaning maybe a half an oz more and I don't wanna..lol. I just wanna know what is the best diet out there that everyone that is successful follows. Thanks for any help.....Nicole    — Nicole McIe (posted on April 11, 2008)

April 10, 2008
I am 4 yrs post op. I have maintained my weight very well now. I dont follow a diet. I eat a bagel in the morning with tea. I eat maybe a sandwich never the whole thing or a 1/2 chicken breast or 1 or 2 peices of pizza for lunch and then what ever I make for dinner. I dont drink soda, i dont eat a lot of breads. I dont eat a lot of ice cream or cake or anything like that. I cant eat it. It also depends what surgery you had. If you had the badn be careful because you dont get dumping. If you had bypass you will. I cant eat a lot of cereals, or pastas or sugar. I do eat them just in moderation. I drink a lot of tea. Hot tea and unsweetened iced tea
   — Joanc

April 10, 2008
hi nicole...well i'm almost a year out and have lost 130 lbs and some people are actually starting to think i'm too thin! imagine that? lol what works for me is just to eat what i want just in moderation....i take in about 1500-2000 calories a day....i also exercise my arse off though....i do 9 miles walking the trails 3x a week and do circuit training the rest of the time...i make sure i get my protein in...(at least 50g) but i don't deprive myself of anything...if youre too strict with yourself that is when youre going to fail...i eat alot of chocolate (started craving it after the op) i only allow myself to have a couple of small sips of coke (sigh* oh how i miss it) and rice is really hard for me to eat because it fills me up way too quick....i'm still having problems with meat unless it's ground up and i have a glass of wine every now and then but i'd rather eat....lol the best thing to do is always make sure you have some kind of breakfast and eat small meals every 3 hours and exercise an hour a day...(keeps your metabolism up) hope this helps...lizzie
   — lizzie42

April 11, 2008
Nicole..in order to maintain you just keep eating the way you eat as a new post op only after about 2 years you will be able to eat 7-10 ounces of food per meal...Eat pasta, bread, rice, potatoes and sugar in moderation only...or substitute these things for whole grains and brown rice...The carbs will then have proteins and fiber and will not raise your blood sugar. When you stop losing weight and hit that final plateau...You need to be aware of what you eat and how much because at this point, you cannot begin to eat more or add things that you normally don't eat. (Or you can gain weight) If you begin to gain, you need to be honest with yourself and try to figure out if you are eating too many calories, or too many sugars and carbs or fatty foods...The way you eat newly post op is the preface to how you are to eat forever...only more and with exercise and vitamins and supplements...FOREVER! It's so easy really, especially when there are all kinds of great substitutes and ways to cut calories and sugars...
   — .Anita R.

April 11, 2008
I am 4 + years post op and this is how i live.I get on the scale every am .I have a 10 lb float if my weight is in the first half of the 10 lbs i allow myself a serving of carbs that day if i am in the second half of the 10 lbs i only eat protein that day and increase my water intake.I do this until i am back in first half .It works for me and several people in my support group. It only takes a day or two to get back to first half when i am up.It is an easy way for me to keep a handle on the maintaince part of my new life.I refuse to gain it back so this is how i live.thanks for asking and goo d luck,bette
   — Bette Drecktrah

April 11, 2008
I am almost 6 years out -- can't believe it. I have maintained a loss of 165 lbs. My weight varies in a 10 lb range and even though I still am heavy I am very happy. ( around 200 lbs even) . My biggest "tool" to mainitaining my loss has been stopping when I start to feel full. Not taking that last bite has been the key for me. I no longer feel guilty when I leave the plate almost 3/4 full. I know I have had enough. And I hate the over full feeling if I do have that extra bite, it makes me feel sick. No, I dont count calories or anything else. The onlt thing i dont eat/drink anymore is anything carbonated. Otherwise I'm lucky enought to still have a taste of just about everything. Good luck on your journey.
   — dorothy S.

April 11, 2008
I have not had surgery yet, but I enjoy VitaLady. You can have it mailed to you + they have sample packs. Find it here: www.vitalady.com. They also have un-flavored.
   — Boxofrain_2345

April 12, 2008
I do pretty much what Bette does. I also avoid sugar like the white poison it is. Sugar is my personal slippery slope that I don't want to step on the edge of so I avoid it. Sugar is snuck into most foods so it is a challenge to avoid/limit it. I don't crave it like post op so the RNY has been a blessing.
   — MAG