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10 months out and I need help

L

lisaslab

Member
My surgery date was 9/22/22. I did really well up until month 7 or 8 but then I seem to have forgotten everything I learned. I am trying to log food but I am always hungry. I know I am not eating the right foods either. I am getting mixed messages from several areas saying NO Carbs at all when the dietician told me i need some carbs to balance out the protein. I was having episodes of lightheadedness in the mornings and was told by the dietician that I had to eat more calories to burn calories and I think that is where I went wrong. My typical intake during the week (while working) is: Breakfast - Fairlife shake and a belvita bar, Lunch- Primer Protein shake and fruit, dinner - whatever the kids are eating but usually only a small portion (such as 1-3 oz meat, 3-4 bites spaghetti, one taco, or a belvita bar if it is something i can't eat like pizza)

I am exercising a fair amount and have started doing core exercise as well to try and tone my stomach. I also teach karate twice a week for 4 hours so I am definitely not sitting around.

How many calories should I be eating? How often/for how long should I be exercising? Honestly at this point I would just be content to lose 11 more pounds and maintain it there for the rest of my life.

Are carbonated drinks off limits forever? Why? because I can drink some of them without an issue

SW - 280
CW - 201
 
hi, i'm 6 months out and my surgical team says I should be eating 1200 calories a day. If you are having problems getting back on track, how about contacting your surgical team as your first base point and see what they suggest. I personally am having a problem getting to 1200 calories a day but at my 6 month check in last Friday, the PA's gave me some great tips to increase my protein and calories. They told me I need to need to eat more in order to lose more weight, and said to check back in after 3 weeks to see how I am faring.
 
Yes! Get with your surgical team. Were you assigned a nutritionist? My program gave us free monthly visits to theirs for 2 full years. Even if you have to go thru insurance, a visit is well worth it, as they are trained in exactly what a bariatric patient should be eating.

Now, advice from me. A non professional, non expert. So, take it as you like lol

Eat Real Food.

Shakes are lovely when you can't get enough protein from food. But it seems like your 'food' is breakfast cookies, fruit and low protein dinners. (Spaghetti etc) Of course you're hungry all the time. Eat!!

High Protein yogurt for breakfast. Add a few berries AND nuts or a low cal cereal for crunch. (not granola .. Most are crazy high in fat and sugar!)
Chicken Caesar Wrap for lunch. Or Turkey, shrimp, peanut butter, whatever. (Low carb tortillas and breads usually have less calories which will help not hinder weight loss) AND veggies!
Dinner. Think protein. Meat, Beans. Dairy. Chickpea curry. Burrito Bowls. BBQ. AND veggies.

Imagine having to go through life with 2 meals being protein shakes. Of course its a struggle. Food was never your enemy. Our enemy was our relationship with food. You can succeed and eat well.
 
If you can tolerate carbonated drinks, no they are not off limits. they have zero impact on your stomach as far as the surgery is concerned. i mean they aren't going to "harm the organ, the organ called a stomach". some people can tolerate carbonated beverages just fine. i happen to be one of them.
 
I also was able to drink sodas & such, but as I understand it, these days it is on the no-no list in the post op instructions. I feel I should advise people to stick to their plan and ask their nutritionist about items on a case by case basis. I ate some turkey when I started solids and it wouldn't go down. It became a huge problem and took a couple of days to dislodge. I believe the medical professionals have the most practical experience and clients should look to them for guidance about items that aren't on the list or have become controversial. Going against medical advice after this surgery can literally lead to death.
 
I cannot stress this enough. If your bariatric team said no carbonation, then you should avoid carbonated beverages. Period.

The reason I am so adamant about this is for one simple reason. If you are looking for someone to tell you you don't have to listen to the nutritional advice given to you by the medical team YOU selected, you are just looking for an okay to break the rules.

You are thinking wrong if you are thinking "If it doesn't bother me, I can have it." Doritos will not bother you either. Highly processed foods are actually unlikely to bother you, as they are so broken down that digestion is easy. Your surgery is a tool. Yes, your stomach IS smaller. But you can still eat high calorie foods several times a day and gain it all back.

Carbonated beverages are high in sugar, calories and chemicals. Diet sodas have no calories but even more chemicals. Those chemicals have been proven to raise your risk of obesity and diabetes when consumed regularly. You want a coke at your visit to the ballpark? Champagne on your anniversary? That's the definition of moderation. But again, regular consumption has been proven to negatively affect your health and metabolism.

If your bariatric team told you you CAN have carbonated beverages daily, then I still support following your bariatric teams advice.
 
lisaslab said:
My surgery date was 9/22/22. I did really well up until month 7 or 8 but then I seem to have forgotten everything I learned. I am trying to log food but I am always hungry. I know I am not eating the right foods either. I am getting mixed messages from several areas saying NO Carbs at all when the dietician told me i need some carbs to balance out the protein. I was having episodes of lightheadedness in the mornings and was told by the dietician that I had to eat more calories to burn calories and I think that is where I went wrong. My typical intake during the week (while working) is: Breakfast - Fairlife shake and a belvita bar, Lunch- Primer Protein shake and fruit, dinner - whatever the kids are eating but usually only a small portion (such as 1-3 oz meat, 3-4 bites spaghetti, one taco, or a belvita bar if it is something i can't eat like pizza)

I am exercising a fair amount and have started doing core exercise as well to try and tone my stomach. I also teach karate twice a week for 4 hours so I am definitely not sitting around.

How many calories should I be eating? How often/for how long should I be exercising? Honestly at this point I would just be content to lose 11 more pounds and maintain it there for the rest of my life.

Are carbonated drinks off limits forever? Why? because I can drink some of them without an issue

SW - 280
CW - 201
Click to expand...
I'm not a nutritionist but I have a great nutrition support group (zoom) twice a month that I can use the rest of my life if I want to. I highly recommend you find something similar. It's such a blessing to be in a zoom with 2 nutritionists and 40 or more other participants learning, sharing, etc.
 
missyinacage said:
If you are looking for someone to tell you you don't have to listen to the nutritional advice given to you by the medical team YOU selected, you are just looking for an okay to break the rules.
Click to expand...
Well-said, Missy. I actually never put these cause-and-effects together, because we don't talk about motivation that much. But obviously, people will go to great lengths to stretch rules or flat-out break them so they can do what they want. And remember the old joke about rationalizations? It's harder to get through a day without several juicy rationalizations. They're more important than sex.

Or at least they're harder to resist.
 
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