Question:
Can any post ops share their food diary?

Hi, I am 17 days away from surgery, and I am bound and I am getting nervous that this attempt to lose weight will fail. Although I am very confident that I am doing the right thing. I would love to have any post ops out there email me their food diaries so that I can use them as a model for those of you who have had great success. Thanks in advance    — Diane Rhoads (posted on February 9, 2002)

February 8, 2002
I can tell you're nervous about losing weight because your other attempts have failed. I'm 11 months post-op, though, and I can assure you that other people's food diaries aren't going to be especially helpful. You will eat what you can tolerate in order to survive. For me, that was chicken and cottage cheese the first 3 months. It will probably be different for you. Nowadays, I eat a boiled egg for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine for lunch and 1/2 c. starch, 1/2 c. vegees and milk for dinner, but I'm almost a year out. I just want to emphasize to you that you WILL NOT fail with WLS. A huge majority of people are successful and lose at least 75% of their excess weight. Good luck to you - I'm sure you'll do fine.
   — Terissa R.

February 9, 2002
I am 9 days post op. During this time I have eaten (rather drank) my protein drink, clear broth, strained soups, diluted 50/50 fruit juice, sugar free popsicles and decaf tea. The main goal in your new eating plan will be getting enough fluids. The goal is 64 oz a day. The 1st few days your pouch is swollen and little sips are all you can get down. If you don't get enough protein you suffer hair loss. My goal at this stage of the game is 40 gm of protein, reaching 60-90 gm as I go. Your pouch is very small and difficult at 1st to get fluids into it, but after a couple of days that improves. At 1st only 1 oz cups is all you can get down. I can now drink 2-2oz cups at a time. I would contact a nutritionist for further instruction, I did and it really answered a lot of my questions for the 1st 3 weeks. Good luck!!
   — Jeannette C.