Question:
DOES ANYONE MISS CERTAIN FOODS?
Hello everyone, I just read one of the Q&A's about second thoughts. I am pre-op, and I have to say, I am bouncing back in forth in my mind on what is right. I just need some of you to give me a good swift kick in the @#$, so I can go ahead to the losing side. My struggling question today is: After surgery will I miss eating the types of things that I ate before surgery? It's just a hard concept when the nurse told me that I can only eat 2-3oz at a time, and no chocolate, or steak, or icecream, or burgers, or anything like that again. Is that true, and if so, do you miss these things? Do we have cravings for them after WLS? How hard is it to maintain the diet our doctors want us to be on after surgery? I know I want this surgery, I know I want to be healthy for my family, but it's just hard breaking this mindset of eating, and wanted to know what it will be like after WLS. Thanks for your help! — jennashinners (posted on August 8, 2003)
August 8, 2003
I'm curious about that, too. I'm sceduled for 9/17/03. I heard that some
people are able to eat that stuff later. I actually hope that I'm not among
those people. I don't want to gain the weight back. I guess that I'm
thinking about the social side of eating too much. For instance, my husband
& I love to vacation in Las Vegas. We haven't gone in almost 2 years
because I'm too fat to fit in a plane seat. So anyway, we're sitting around
one night, talking about our next trip, (after I have had surgery) and he
tells me that when we go to one of Emeril's restaurants, I can eat from his
plate. That totally sucks! LOL. Here I am, giving you more to worry about.
— Annie H.
August 8, 2003
Well I had rare porterhouse at about a month out, like burgers on the grill
often without the bun usually, with onions, and do admit to eating more
chocolate than I like. I crave it under stress. Early on your choices are
very limited but geez me and Jen can eat anything in small quanties. The
person who said never again doesnt understand. Some people have food
intolerances, my only one is a bit lactose intolerant. I havent pushed that
since I was a chocolate milk addict, and dont want to get into that again.
— bob-haller
August 8, 2003
Jennifer- I DO eat steak and burgers, just not very much. I am careful as
to how much red meat I eat because too much bothers my pouch. I can't
explain it, but you absolutely won't have cravings for food like you think
you will. I thought I would too. In fact, that was my biggest worry
before surgery. I was a french fry and burger girl all the way (and lots
of it). Now, I could care less. My support team told me the same thing
I'm telling you, and I just trusted them and it's held true so far. That's
not to say you won't ever have cravings, you will. I just thought I had to
have a McDonald's hamburger at 6 months post-op. So I went and bought one.
I ate about 1/2 of the burger (minus one bun) and had no adverse effects.
However, my scales mysteriously "hung up" for about 4 days after.
No gain, but certainly no loss. I guess I'd rather eat the right things
and lose than eat those "yummy" things that give me very
temporary pleasure.
— MissPriss
August 8, 2003
It took me to about 8 months until I could tolerate steak again. I have a
small burger about once every other week. I buy sugarfree ice cream and
have about 1/2 cup. I have gone to the ice cream shop and had a baby cone
of soft serve vanilla this summer. To beat the chocolate craving I have 2
to 3 Hersey kisses, which is just enough but not enough to dump.
Everything in moderation and I have not had any major issues. I am 10
months postop and down 124 lbs., not too bad.
— ckreh
August 8, 2003
Actually steak and burger patties are a excellent source of protein and
yummy too. Our nutronist suggests mixing lite cool whip and chocolate
protein powder for a yummy dessert. That wipes out never any chocolate, as
a matter of fact sugar free cake is good for a treat. Now you dont want to
sit eating ben and jerrys ice cream but a bite occasionally is ok. That 2
ounces increases a lot after a while. I can eat a lot more than that.
— bob-haller
August 8, 2003
Your going to get a lot of diff. responses on this one. And hope I don't
get reamed about my ans. But here goes. I'm 10 months out from LAP RNY,
I've lost 121 lbs. I eat steak, I eat sugar free choc., I eat bread, pasta,
rice, sugar free ice cream, cheeseburgers, pizza, even, dare I say, french
fries. But I do it in moderation. I don't deny myself anything unless its
heavily fried (except ff), full of sugar, or to many calories. This is a
touchy subject here. A lot of people are very strict with their diets,
others, like me, eat "the bad foods" in moderation. Is it hard to
watch my family have choc. cake, absolutley, but then I look at my before
pics and it honestly makes me feel better about saying no to a bite. You
eventually start to see your body melting away and it becomes enough
motivation for alot of us. I worried about this myself before surgery, but
food no longer runs my life. I have to much to do now that I'm 121 lbs
lighter. Good luck to you sweetie.
— Heather B.
August 8, 2003
I worried about that pre-op, too. Now, 2 1/2 years post op, I don't feel
that my eating ways are any different than a normal thin person's. I have
never dieted and I eat whatever I want. For the nurse to say that to you is
wrong-it's misinformation. I can and do eat steaks and burgers. My favorite
treat of the day is Hershey's Dark chocolate!! Yummy!! I will have a square
about 2-3 times/day and that's all I want-not the whole big bar. As for ice
cream, that doesn't agree with me post op, I think it's the milk. But I
don't miss it because I have the freedom to eat whatever I want. No more
dieting!! The big difference is the volume is so much less. If I eat too
much of a piece of cake, I get a yucky stomach ache. I have lost and
maintained effortlessly (see my profile). To quote WW--nothing tastes as
good as thin feels!!! When you are wearing a size 4/6 and feeling good, you
really won't miss the foods that your body says you can't have. I wouldn't
trade a donut for the 140 pounds I've lost!! I feel too good and you will,
too! Good luck!! Shelley
— Shelley.
August 8, 2003
I am at 9 weeks out. And I can honestly say I really dont miss anything. I
love to smell stuff,foods cooking. So I cook for my kids and I. I dont feel
limited to what I can eat,just be creative. As far as chocolate-those first
few weeks I thought I was goining scream ,if I had to drink another
chocolate protien drink.Mine are Carnation Instant Breakfast with 1/3 cup
non fat dry milk to 2 cups of milk (2 times a day). Now I vary it with
vanilla and fruit smoothies.And if you freeze it into cubes then throw them
in a blender,taste just like ice milk.As far as maintaining diet I dont
seem to have a problem,when I eat out I go for fish or soup.But I admit it
is a odd feeling to go by a fastfood place and know I cant go pig out and
eat what I want. But it feels good to. No other diet I have ever been on in
my life, have I lost so much and felt so good.So with 50 lbs down and still
going with no hunger at all ,I can do this, and so can you! And dont think
of it as a diet-think of it as a new food plan. And with each step you add
new foods to your plan. Good Luck to you.
— Autumn
August 8, 2003
I can eat anything although I don't. Hamburgers are one of my favorite
foods. I did give up ice cream and even though I'm fairly sure I don't
dump on sugar, I won't go near it because I can eat just about anything and
would love to nosedive into a tub of ice cream. Being able to eat anything
is not necessarily a good thing but it's what I live with. I eat slowly
and can enjoy most anything. What I miss is endless eating. Last night my
daughter wanted to go to a local buffet place for her birthday (has anyone
ever noticed how many obese people frequent these places???). I went and
had some chicken and a few potatoes and vegetables. I ate a spoonful of my
husband's peach cobbler. Everyone around me had piles and piles of food.
Sometimes it makes me sick and other times, like last night, I just want
piles and piles of food. I had a situation last week where I wanted
comfort food in the worse way, and lots of it....and it was out. BUT
those times (where I want to eat piles of food) is very very rare.
I like the restriction 99.9 percent of the time and wish that there were
more foods that bothered me than there is.
— susanje
August 8, 2003
At almost 18 months post-op and minus 116 pounds, I too can generally eat
most anything I choose to. The biggest change for me was french fries. I
used to love fries, but since surgery for some reason, I have had NO desire
for fries!! (Not that fries are a good thing anyway! lol)
— T. 263
August 8, 2003
I heard the same thing before I had surgery, so I "last
supper-ed" it up before surgery! Said good-bye to a lot of foods I
thought I could never eat again. Wrong! I don't dump on sugar, but I
think I may have had regular ice cream maybe twice in the almost-10 months
since I had surgery. It took a few months, but I am able to eat some
steak. In fact, I can, and have eaten the things you mentioned. The $.99
menus work real well for the rare times I have fast food. (Doesn't appeal
to me much anymore.) I had to say good bye to my favorite ribs before
surgery. and you know what - I haven't had them since, even though I could!
Now, a creative salad is more appealing. My husband has had WLS, too,
which makes it easier to eat out. (We had fast food last night - about
$3.00 for the two of us!) LOL! I try to stick to low carbs, keep the
protein up and drink plenty of water (and take all my supplements) but
sometimes it's nice to be a normal person, too. I just eat a whole lot
less. Your tastes will change!
— koogy
August 8, 2003
I miss Lindor's White Truffle balls. I was a big white chocolate fan and
very picky about the quality. It had to be premium which means a very high
fat content. I also miss Cold Stones Ice Cream. All in all its a good
trade off. I'd rather be thin than to endulge. Most of our eating pre-op
is for comfort and to fill the hole of loneliness.. well for those of us
who would binge alone e.g, a pint of Ben & Jerrys or bag of chips and
dip. Now that I've lost the weight, I'm much more active and put myself
out in the world again so I don't need the comfort food.
<p> I will say that it is much easier to go sugar free today than it
was a decade ago. Now there is all kinds of sugar-free goodies out there.
My favorites are: Life Savers Delites Butter Toffee (taste like Werthers
but sugar free), Sugar Free Creme Savers, Sugar Free Double Chocolate Chip
cookies, No Sugar added Kondike sandwhich bars, No Sugar added Vanilla Ice
Cream, Sugar Free Peanutbutter cups, Sugar Free Cremesicle, No Sugar Added
Fudgesicle, Sugar Free Pepermint Patties and others. I don't eat them
often but when I feel the need for a sweet fix any of the above will do it.
If I see sugared goodies at work, I will have a small bite so I don't feel
like I've been deprived. All in moderation, moderation in all. :)
<p> Take Care, Be Well, Be Happy!
— John T.
August 8, 2003
I worried about missing foods too, but after my surgery, my tastes in food
changed!! I found out that certains foods that I loved pre-op (such as
bread, chinese food, diet coke, pizza, hamburgers, chocolate, etc) I no
longer cared for!! I tend to crave more healthy foods now!! Good luck with
your surgery!!
— Terri G.
August 8, 2003
I don't know if you're going to like hearing this or not, but I've eaten
every one of those foods the nurse told you you'd never eat again, and
never had a problem. There is only one thing I can't eat since surgery and
I really, really miss it: eggs! For reasons no one's ever been able to
explain, there's a bunch of us who can't tolerate eggs after RNY. The last
time I tried them was a taste of merange (sp), and was sick for hours.
That was at 11 months post-op - and 9 months ago - and I'm still not ready
to put myself through that again. I only wish I had the same reaction to
sugar and bread!
— Cyndie K.
August 8, 2003
At almost 3 months post-op, and so far I can eat just about anything as
long as I don't eat too much of it. I've had bites of hamburgers, pizza
toppings, steak, and some of the other things you've mentioned. But that's
all they've been - BITES! The whole point for me of having this surgery
was to never DIET again. That doesn't mean that I eat the way I used to
though. Ninety-nine percent of the time I eat healthy and sensibly and
stick to my surgeon's food plan, which is so good that it's easy to follow
and not feel deprived. I can have all the meats and other proteins I want,
and I eat a lot of them. I eat lots of veggies, especially salad because
it's so easy to mix proteins like meat, cheese and eggs into. And yes, I
occasionally eat my old favorites like a hamburger, pizza, pasta, and the
like (which I can only eat a few bites of). Interestingly, I have no
interest at all in my old "vices" like chocolate, ice cream and
sodas. Every once in awhile when I get really thirsty I would love a few
sips of a Coke but my sugar free Kool-Aid pulls me through! Stock up on it
- it is wonderful! You will find that your tastes do change ... I was sure
that I would be craving all the bad stuff once I was able to eat again.
Instead I find myself craving chicken, salads, and even cottage cheese.
Who would've thought???? And believe me, you WILL feel VERY full on 2-3
ounces of food ... in fact as a new post-op you probably won't even be able
to eat that much. My husband is still amazed that a teaspoon of cottage
cheese and half of an egg fills me up at breakfast! You will do fine -
just listen to your body, take your time eating and follow your surgeon's
food plan. It's challenging in the beginning but you WILL adapt - we all
do! Good luck!
— MomBear2Cubs
August 8, 2003
You should follow your doctor/nurse's advice, but I don't have any food
that I consider off limits. On my own, I have decided not to eat
hamburgers on buns or sandwiches. (Why waste calories on bread). I eat
ice cream and chocolate. Steak takes so long to chew its not worth it to
me. The only thing that is the real no-no are caloric beverages like milk
shakes and sodas.
— Lisa N M.
August 8, 2003
Though some folks remain sensitive to those foods for quite awhile, most
can eat them within the first year of the surgery (some much sooner). The
trick after WLS is using the healing period to retrain your eating habits
and cravings. When it's new and healing, the pouch doesn't let us eat
certain types of foods, or at least, not much of them. Eventually, it
won't be as sensitive, and your eating capacity increases -- not to pre-op
levels, but enough to stop your weight loss (or even prompt regain) if
you're eating the wrong kind of stuff, even in smaller amounts. That's why
it's so important to use the early post-op period (first year) to retrain
your eating habits, when you still fear the tyranny of the new pouch.
Otherwise, you're right -- it is hard (read: impossible, for most of us) to
maintain a "diet." The pouch doesn't come with a diet; it's a
tool you learn to use through permanently changed eating habits.
Semantics? Maybe, but either way, I don't think it's realistic for most
people to never touch those foods again, especially when cravings return,
and they try them, and find they CAN eat them. Doctors' advice aside, it's
just reality that those foods will be eaten (or at least tried) again.
Developing new cravings and better habits to substitute for those foods
most of the time isn't easy, but it's doable, as long as you realize the
pouch, by itself, won't do the job in the long run unless you help it.
Good luck!
— Suzy C.
August 8, 2003
I'm three weeks post op, and I MISS BREAD... I could not care less about
sugar, candy, etc... but I am dying for a piece of fresh bread! Hoping
when I am allowed to try it in two months that it goes down well!!!
— Kelly B.
August 8, 2003
You know, it's kind of funny. I obsessed a lot before surgery about all the
things I wouldn't be able to eat after I had surgery. I can tell you that
at 1 year post-op, I can eat most anything I want, but I don't. I have come
to view most of that stuff as nothing but pure poison. It is the poison
that I was slowly killing myself with. Dunno. When you see just how evil
chicken fried steaks and bars of chocolate are, you really have no desire
to mess with them anymore, because it is just like a heroin junkie messing
with heroin again. I had to eat lunch and McDonalds one day out of
necessity. I ordered the chicken nuggets and fries, fearing all the while
that I was going to just go nuts and wolf the whole thing down. I swear,
those french fries were the most greasy thing I ever put in my mouth. I at
a couple and threw the rest out. After a year of not eating grease, it
tasted aweful when I got a mouth full of it. So anyways, chances are you
won't even want these foods. But no matter what, YOU have the power to
decide to use or not use your tool after surgery. Ultimately it all boils
back to US and the decisions we make.
— Greg P.
August 8, 2003
How to explain how I feel about this? It's not easy. I miss some foods in
my head, the memory of how it tasted preop (like breads, fries, sausages -
or anything in a casing as it's too greasy for me now - and such). Sure I
am able to eat them, but they often sit like lead in my gut or taste icky
now. So I don't find myself craving them and actually give them an evil
eye when I see them, but ah, I do miss the memory.
— [Deactivated Member]
August 8, 2003
I still have some cravings at 27 months post op. Not as many or as strong,
but they still come occassionally. I ate Beef Jerky at 8 days post op and
was VERY happy I could eat beef as I thought I'd never be able to after
wls.
I still have trouble with bread and chicken. Sits like a rock and ties my
pouch in knots. But I can eat some of it, sometimes. I just never know when
it will put me in agony. Oh, I learned NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, eat when you
are upset or anxious. Talk about pain! Oh God. As far as missing foods, I
found that mayonase, cole slaw, and tarter sauce (mayo in them of course),
I can't tolerate. I can eat, alittle (but not much) of potatoe and macaroni
salad. But mayo products make me very quesy. I can eat anything else,
including an occasional regular ice cream kiddie cone. Although I can eat
almost everything, I don't make some things a habit as they CAN take ahold.
I know, I started into candy bars several times over the last couple years.
Once that craving starts, it is strong and almost impossible to stop. Going
sugar free candy will start the craving too. So yes, there can still be
cravings after wls, so we must be diligent. Thankfully we can't eat so
much. ;)
— Danmark
August 9, 2003
I personally eat steak 2 or 3 times a week. I need the protein and the
iron. I do eat hamburgers, once in a while, I just skip most of the bun as
bread makes me too full too fast and I feel bloated if I eat much of it. I
have healthy gourmet no sugar added ice cream or sugar free popcicles /
sugar free dreamcicles a couple times a week in SMALL portions. The only
thing I miss is coca cola (sigh) I HATE diet pop and anyways the
carbonation makes me feel gassy and bloated. I don't mind the vewry small
portions as I am full when I am done. At 10 months post op I can eat about
1/2 to 3/4 cup of food. I do also have things with chocolate, protein
drinks or bars, and rarely I will have a sugar free candy, such as the new
sf reeses cups. I say rarely because even tho they are sugar free they are
not calorie free and the have no real nutrition. It is important to eat
properly to avoid malnutrition. It is true that much of your mindset about
food can change after surgery.
— **willow**
August 9, 2003
It is true for a while that you will be on a special eating plan to allow
for healing of your insides, but then you will introduce new foods. As for
sweets, they have to be sugar-free, no-added-sugar or made with
alternatives such as Equal (uck!), Sweet-N-Low (Uck!), Splenda, fructose or
turbinado sugar. For anyone interested in a recipe book that I developed
uing Splnda, fructose or turbinado sugar....for AFTER you are healed, lost
weight and need special recipes, see my profile page or visit the web page
at www.freewebs.com/recipes-after-rny for photos, sample recipes and
ordering information. Good luck!
— Lynette B.
August 9, 2003
I miss alot of things, and it's probably extra hard on me because I have
two little ones who eat ice cream, cookies, cereal, and drink lots of milk
(white and chocolate) It's hard to feed your kids when you can't eat a
thing, but it gets easier as you can eat more yourself, My oldest, now 4
still tells everyone that "Mommy can't eat because the surgery makes
her belly hurt" she came to this conclusion on her own. I have found
that when I want something, I can take a bite and be content. Sounds funny
I know, but if my husband is eating ice cream I say "give me a
bite" and 4 out of 5 times it's so sweet I can't stand it anyway, but
I had my bite, satisfied my craving, and go on with my bad self. Also when
I'm feeling "jealous" because everyone at work went to burger
king and got big juicy whoppers I think to myself "I've had absolutely
everything I've wanted for 25 years, and now I want something different, I
want to be thin!!! it also doesn't hurt to think of the 9,000,000
calories in my co workers food and wish fat hips on them!!!) good luck,
happy losing!!!
— SHILOH S.
August 9, 2003
I am now almost 10 months post-op and I will tell you this...in my
opinion...NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN AND HEALTHY FEELS!!!!! In
the begining I missed chewing but now food doesn't haven't the hold over me
the way it use to. I have a hold over it. I eat only to survive, not for
comfort, for anger or for any other emotion I may be going through. My mom
is going in for her surgery in about 3 weeks and I keep telling her that
you could eat anything you want after the surgery (when doc says its ok)
but in a smaller portion which to me means treasure every bite. Over
weight people tend to whoof down their food. We need to slow this process
down for sooooo many reasons. I will say over and over again...NOTHING
TASTE AS GREAT AS LOOKING THIS GOOD FEELS!!!!!
— Margie M.
August 9, 2003
I've had a forkful here and there, but I miss the entire act of settling
down to a big bowl of good pasta.
BUT after surgery, your ideas of food kinda shift. I do miss that bowl of
pasta, but I also miss my fun college days. It's part of the past now.
— mrsmyranow
August 10, 2003
I'm 7 weeks out, and there are some foods I miss. I'm also plagued from
time to time with "head hunger" ... I've had such a relationship
with food over the past 30++ years of my life, it is hard. On the
flipside, however, there is just some stuff I don't want anymore ... my
tastes are definitely changing ... but I've been reminded that for the most
part, we will at some point, get to eat these foods again. There are
alternatives too ... sugar free jello and pudding, SF popsicles ... you
will most likely be able to have steak eventually ... so don't freak out
too much ... I make tacos out of ground turkey, which actually are just as
good (if not better) than ground beef, so although its hard to shake
habits, the results in the long-run will be soo worth it ... and your
relationship with food will not end ... there is an adjustment period, but
you'll be fine ... hang in there!
— Karyn B
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