Question:
My surgeon says we should eat protein ONLY, not even any veggies or fruit

My surgeon says we should eat only protein, not even any veggies or fruit until we loose 75% of our weight. I'm only 5 weeks post op and it's making me crazy. I am so sick of eggs, cheese and meat. Has anyone else had this experience? Any thoughts?    — Stacy L. (posted on November 21, 2002)

November 20, 2002
Stacy US Bariatrics has an excellent track record. They have excellent statistics to prove that this is the healthiest and quickest way to be a good loser. All protein is a short term plan and protein is the most important aid to healing. If you chose to deviate from the plan, you must be willing to accept the consequences.
   — faybay

November 20, 2002
I disagree with the 'protein only' as the protein overload is too much for our bodies to handle. Its not healthy. Balance is key, with protein FIRST. I made it to goal following this plan. I hope you get more opinions on this, the doctors orders seem quite radical to me.
   — Cheri M.

November 20, 2002
Every programis different- your MD wants youto be able to optimize the "honeymoon" phase- and give your body what it needs- your lean muscle (organs, tissues, hair,nails)need protein, if you fill your small pouch with "non essentials" you risk malnutrition down the line. Our program recommends moderation and a 75 % protein meal.
   — ~~Stacie~~

November 20, 2002
Stacy, My dr is almost as strict. He says even 1 gram of sugar will slow your weight loss down and he wants us to lose as much as we can. He says even natural sugars will slow or halt the loss. However, he does let us have a few things besides meat and cheese. We can have mushrooms, celery, some cucumber, leeks. We can also have rice or instant potatoes or canned potatoes. I don't get the potato thing and hardly ever eat them, I was raised they were a white starch!!
   — Becky P.

November 20, 2002
I went for my 6 week check-up on Tuesday. My Dr. said eat more veggies and salads, and just a small amount of protein at two meals. I am seeing that all Dr.'s have different approaches, and this makes for confusing times, especially for those who follow this website. I'm trying the veggie/salad approach, but am concerned about hair loss. But I want to lose this weight, more that I'm worried about the hair. Oh well !
   — Nancy T.

November 21, 2002
My surgeon didn't allow fruits and veggies until month 4, no red meat or pork until month 6. The only veggie we were allowed to have from week 4 until month 4 was white potatoes. The one the thing I have learned from this site and from my other online support groups is that ALL surgeons are different. I have seen some say that they can eat whatever they want after 6 weeks. Some who are on liquid diets for 6 weeks. Some who are very strict and some who don't seem to even care. I think if you trusted your surgeon to do the surgery, you need to trust in his after care. It is really hard, but I have done exactly what he has told me I have think I have done really well. However, if you talk to others whose surgeons advised them differently, and they have done well also, you have to make up you mind to do what you think is best.
   — Sharon H.

November 22, 2002
All surgeons seem to have different diets for their post-op patients. Why they differ so is a good question. But keep in mind that surgeons are good at surgery and not necessarily at areas a nutritionist would better serve. There are tons of us (literally!) that have lost lots of weight by following more sensible diets. I think the protein first, then veggie, then carbs if you have room left is more sensible and balanced.
   — Cindy R.

November 22, 2002
Oh, man! It's not enough we gotta sit in the closet with the occasional cookie -- now we gotta hide out there to eat green beans and carrots? Save a seat in the back for me! :D<P>Seriously, outside of the restrictions that are related to healing (such as, no red meat for six months 'cause it's hard for some to digest, and no raw veggies or stuff with seeds in it in the early weeks and months), I agree with the posters who have nutritional reservations about "all protein" diets. I'm not saying protein is bad, and I've certainly tried to train myself to eat a lot more protein (and use protein shakes), and take in fewer carbs, than I did before surgery. Plus, it seems to help keep the food cravings to a minimum.<P>But it seems to me that these "all-protein" diets don't even begin to teach you or your pouch how you will handle carbs and fruits and veggies down the line, both mentally and physically. Plus, the all-protein diet is already ruining cheese and meat and eggs for this poor person, who is only five weeks out!<P>I thought weight-loss surgery was supposed to be a last-ditch effort for most of us to lose and KEEP the weight off, in the long term, once and for all. I don't see how we and our little pouches can really learn how to do that successfully by eating an artificially restrictive diet that doesn't remotely resemble the way we'll be eating as long-term post-ops. Why wouldn't the weight creep back on later if we never learned how to handle all foods to begin with? Why not use the limits of the new pouch to help teach limits in handling ALL kinds of foods? And why in the world would anybody want to demonize veggies and fruits? :P
   — Suzy C.