Question:
Do you follow the pouch rules?

I am almost 2 1/2 years post op and I am struggleing with losing weight. I know it is what I am eating so I need to get it back under control. I am willing to try anything to get a head start. I found the pouch rules and they seem to sound good to me. Has anyone tried following them and how did it work for you? I have no problem "water loading", I love water. I have been doing it so far today, but it is only lunchtime. I think I can do it but I need to know if it workes for anyone else? Thanks in Advance. I can always count on this website to help me out. Robin    — Robin A. (posted on February 16, 2005)

February 16, 2005
I'm 10+ years out and no, I don't follow them. I follow another set of rules, similar, but I don't agree with those in their entirety. You might want to pop over to the Grad list. Everyone who posts is 1+ years out, many are more than 5 yrs out. You can lurk from pre-op days, but only speak when you are 1+ yrs out. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
   — vitalady

February 16, 2005
I agree with most of the rules and do follow them (with some revisions) because they help me. I had trouble with hunger at 12 months, and they really taught me how to manage my "tool". Following the instructions on how and when to drink, and what foods stay in the pouch longer (dense protein) were key to my weight loss. I've found the instructions about "soft" food to be true as well. The main things I do differently is add two high protein snacks, and now that I'm in "maintenance" mode, I do add some whole grains (in addition to the protein, fruits and veggies). I tend to limit high glycemic index fruits as they make me hungry, and I avoid refined carbs. I think the rules are great, and understanding the principles, even when I don't follow them to the letter, helped me lose and maintain the loss.
   — mom2jtx3

February 16, 2005
I think the pouch rules are a good place to start, but each of us can modify them to do what works best for us. I'm not a fan of waterloading per se. But . . . I don't eat and drink with meals. I wait at least half an hour after a meal to drink anything, and I don't "drink" calories. I try to fill up on dense protein foods first. I avoid eating foods that I notice don't fill me up (boy, are there a lot of those at nearly 3 years out, lol, and not surprisingly, most are junk foods) -- *unless* I've first filled up with a dense protein food. Sometimes, I'll toss a protein shake down the hatch five-ten minutes before a meal, and that will really help cut down on my consumption. Most of all, if I avoid high-calorie sugary stuff that doesn't fill up my pouch, and make a reasonable effort to keep up with the exercise, I do just fine. Those are all ways I "work" the pouch as a tool.<P>As far as working the malabsorption side of the equation . . . I believe that with the RNY, I continue to malabsorb protein and fat. I translate that to mean that I need more protein (so I add a shake or two a day), and that if I want a treat, I'm better off reaching for a bit of fat (like a rich cheese) than I am reaching for a junky processed carb (like crackers) or sugary stuff (like candy), both of which I think are fully absorbed and, in any event, cause my blood sugar to spike and want more of the same. Unfortunately, those same blood-sugar-spiking "addictive" foods are the same ones, in many cases, that don't also fill up the pouch. Bad combination . . . and one that's a rude surprise for long-term posties who find themselves gaining, and able to "eat too much" despite having WLS.
   — Suzy C.

February 17, 2005
I dont follow them, I have my own rules...however, I do revert back to the general rules if I go over a few pnds..
   — Deanna Wise