Question:
What foods can you eat? Are you hungry?

I heard that your still hungry and that its hard to lose weight, is this true? Also what foods do you eat?    — Patricia C. (posted on August 27, 2000)

August 26, 2000
Hi. It's probably easier to put what I don't eat: Beef (until a year post-op), citrus juices/fruit, sweets of any kind (as advised by my dr, plus I'm deathly afraid of dumping), caffeine and carbonated drinks...period. I do still indulge in a lunch sized bag of cheetos a day or two before my period...and that usually signals that I'm about to start *s* If I eat high protein foods and stay away from fatty carbs (cheetos) AND drink my water...I fill up really, really fast
   — Lucky B.

August 27, 2000
In the 5 weeks since I've had the surgery, I have only been truly physically hungry twice. This is when I was out shopping and hadn't eaten in several hours. The physical hunger isn't nearly as painful now and the head hunger is not as constant. In fact, I recently purchased a sugar free candy bar and forgot I had it...and believe me, I'm not one to lose chocolate!
   — Allie B.

August 27, 2000
I am 9 weeks Post Op, down 53 pounds and really don't ever get a 'hungry' feeling. I get slightly nausious(?)about 3 hours after eating. This is my signal that I need to eat. I have never dumped, but have learned that I need to plan my food intake for a day to make sure I am getting my protein in and that I have things with me to eat that set well. I have found that fats and sugars will just make me feel a bit queazy while 'healthy' kinds of foods just let me go on about my day. Good luck. Jill
   — Jill C.

August 27, 2000
I eat pretty much everything I want except some milk products (because of lactose intolerance) and sugar (because it's too easy for me to get in bad habits again with surgar). I especially love steak with mushrooms and A-1 sauce. I get hungry every few hours or so and then I know its time to have a meal or a snack. I get hungry, I eat a little something and the hunger goes away until my body needs nourishment again. I'm not sure what you mean by "hard to lose weight." Do you mean hard like it was during dieting? I don't think it's anywhere near as difficult as dieting. There's no sense of starving to death like I always had with dieting. I've had trouble working through some plateaus but overall the weight has come off pretty easily (so far). I've heard it comes off slower the closer you get to goal (as it does any time you lose weight).
   — Kellie L.

August 27, 2000
I do not have hunger like I use to. Its different. Its not as noticeable for me. I am struggling right now with having no appetitie at all. Losing weight is going to happen, period. How much and how fast depends on whether you are following doctors orders and walking and drinking water and doing making the lifestyle cahnges that are required. I am sure there are some exceptions and some do not lose weight but they are few are far between. I do not eat sugar, or high fat foods. I try to stay at 2oz to 4 oz of food per meal, some times I am full, some times I am not, but most of the time I am satisfied. It is satisfying to me to know that I do not have to stuff my self and that I am doing something good for my body by eating healthy foods. Excercise is the other other must do. Your food choices will change as you progress from your surgery date. The beginning is always the most restrictive. Good Luck. Trina
   — Courtrina Amur W.

August 27, 2000
hard to lose weight--hungry--what foods do you eat> I'm 41/2 months post op & have lost 98#. I do get hungry sometimes now, for several months I really didn't. Now, when I'm hungry, I know I should eat something & do. Often times a small amount, like 11/2 chicken tenders, is all I want. However, the hunger I feel now is different than what I felt pre op. This hunger has no emotional component or craving to it. I don't crave "bad" things. I could sit for hours with a candy bar in front of me & not be seriously tempted to eat it. That would NEVER have happened before. I can eat just about any food I want most of the time. I have not dumped ever. I have eaten some sugar--eg I had a small piece of cheesecake with cherry topping once at a special event. It gave me no trouble, but I know I can't eat like that normally & have no desire to, either. I eat hamburger, steak, chicken (as long as it's not DRY), fish, seafood, eggs, cheese, nachos, vegetables, salads, beans, nuts, very little pasta, rice, bread or sugar. Sometimes I have trouble eating, so I drink a protein drink instead. I haven't ever been truly hungry & unable to eat. Is it hard to lose weight? HAH! I know some people have sabotaged their surgery & gained weight, but I, personally, think they must put a fair amount of effort into it! I think the only way I could gain weight would be to intentionally try to. I would have to eat constantly (graze), which would probably make me sick. Believe me, this is NOT like being on a diet. This is a total change in how you eat. I do my part because I want this to be a success. I walk on a treadmill, I exercise, & I try to eat what I should. I take my vitamins & supplements & I have my blood tests done as the Dr directs. I'm now smaller than I have been in 15 years & have almost 100# left to go. I feel great & would do this again for twice the money & triple the discomfort! I had open rny distal April 13th.
   — Kathy W.

August 27, 2000
I can eat just about anything except sugar. I avoid fried foods also, but will occasionally have a little. Of course, you will get hungry at appropriate times (when it's time for a meal). This is natural and is how the body is meant to work. Usually, while recovering from surgery, people will find that they don't get hungry like they used to before surgery. When you eat, you will find that you fill up quickly on a small amount of food. As far as it being hard to lose weight, I can't imagine any other weight loss process being easier than this. But, it is a tool. There are ways to defeat the surgery if you are determined to do so. But, I don't think people go through this major surgery without being committed to following doctor's instructions.
   — Gina E.

August 28, 2000
One of the things that amazed me was that I did not WANT to eat anything for the first two weeks. I am now 8 weeks post (open RNY) and still mostly eat because the clock says it is time. I am now cleared to try any food, I have learned to try a few bites and wait for 20 minutes or so to be sure that it is going to be a "safe" food. My "safe" food list grows daily. After getting sick once (either dumping due to too much suger or just sick for no reason that I can figure out) you will understand the importance of the "safe" list, especially if you need to go back to work. I hope this helps and Good Luck!
   — Andrea P.