Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
Hello all,
I am 6 months post-op and have lost almost 60 pounds. I am so thankful but feel like I am losing slow now (averaging 1 pound a week). I have a fear of not losing all my extra weight - probably because I am 52 and haven't been at my goal weight in 30 years!! Also, I see others who have lost a lot more than I have at 6 months out.
My question is: While losing weight, were you very strict with your diet? Or did you eat in moderation, and include small amounts of sugar, pasta, bread, etc... I have not been as strict the past couple months and have had a few "bites" of pasta, bread, cookies, chips, crackers etc... I would love to hear your experience.
Thank you!
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
Thanks for your post. It's a great question. And here's a tough message coming at you:
This is exactly why, when I was losing weight post-op, I tracked everything I ate.
All my life I got fatter "watching what I ate." But not watching very closely. And closing my eyes to *how much* I ate of the things I thought I was eating in moderation. And ignoring the fact that some of those foods really triggered me to eat more and more of them, e.g., crispy, crunchy, sweet, savory things that don't have any nutrients in them.
Planning my daily food menus and measuring everything I ate and logging it into My Fitness Pal every day was what I needed to LEARN what I didn't know. Like how "expensive" (calorie-wise) some foods really were, how absolutely unnutritious some foods are, and eventually how much food I could eat and still lose weight and, later on, maintain my weight.
I know you're worrying about being on a diet. Well, we're ALL on diets. The word "diet" really just means what we're eating. But I think what you really are asking is, "Can I eat anything I want, as long as I don't make myself feel stuffed?"
Actually, you can.
And you will very likely stop losing weight doing that. And you can start gaining weight doing that, too.
Here's a question my bariatric surgeon's nurse practitioner asks all WLS patients during their post-op visits, during both the first year post-op and long-term (those meetings are annual): "Tell me what you've eaten this past week." She says that those patients who are regaining their lost weight can barely remember what they ate yesterday for lunch or dinner. In other words, they aren't paying much attention at all -- possibly because they really don't want to remember. They also don't know how their "diets" have changed over time.
OK, you can see where I'm going with this. This is your precious time to lose weight. You'll never lose weight this easily or fast again. Please stop eating those any over-processed "slider" foods, like the ones you listed above.
And even more important is this truth: how we eat while we're losing weight teaches us how to eat for the rest of our lives.
When you have learned how much you're really eating and how your body responds to your "diet," then you can, based on reliable information, determine how to eat for the rest of your life. Doesn't mean you can't ever have treats. But you can't eat slider foods "moderately" very often at all. I wish it were possible, but I don't think it is.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
I totally agree with Ann2. You are 6 months out and still in the losing phase. Definitely the "honeymoon phase." You can have everything in moderation, but as Ann says, you have to know that you are having an acceptable amount. How do you do that? You need to weigh and measure and be aware of what you are eating. Once your losing phase is over and you'll be in maintenance, you'll want to be well equipped to handle maintenance with your sleeve.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
No, while losing I didn't eat bread, cookies, chips, crackers, or pasta. I ate what they told me to: protein, then veggies, then good carbs if room. I lost really fast. It was very easy, I just followed the plan.
5 years later eating that stuff will make me gain, so I rarely eat it. I want to stay at my goal weight. Now that the honeymoon is a distant memory, it can take me FOREVER just to lose a few pounds.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
I was 54 when I had my surgery. I don't remember being anything other than fat my entire life.
I kept to my eating plan to an absolute Tee. Nothing passed my lips that shouldn't have. I wanted to use make the most of the weight loss time - up to 18 months post surgery according to my surgeon.
I have lost more than I ever expected to - 137 pounds - half my body weight.
I have plateaued and have been at the same weight since the beginning of the year. I assume that I am now maintaining. I'm very very happy with my current weight.
I have no desire or intention to put on any weight again so although I now allow myself a "little" latitude in my food I still measure and weigh most things, watch my portion sizes, eat off a side plate and weigh myself every day.
I am thrilled with the body that I have now and don't want to do anything to jeopardise it.
As Ann2 said above - "This is your precious time to lose weight. You'll never lose weight this easily or fast again. Please stop eating those any over-processed "slider" foods, like the ones you listed above"
I assume that you had this surgery because you wanted to loose weight, be more healthy and possibly live a longer, happier life. It's all up to you how you continue. You really do know what you should and shouldn't be eating. Make "you" a priority and get back on track. You will probably loose all the weight that you want/need.
Good luck.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
My understanding is the science of the surgery is that if you are getting enough protein your body will burn body fat for the other energy it needs to function. If you eat carbs and sugar it will burn those instead of fat and store whatever it can't use immediately as fat. Therefore every carb and sugar you eat is not burning fat. If you aren't getting enough protein your body will slow down in order to conserve energy. So best result is high protein, low/no carb or sugar.
I built some back in after 8 months because my doc had me on zero carbs/sugars and according to him I was losing too fast. I did slow my loss from 4 pounds a week to 1-2 but I was approaching goal really quickly and am close now. If I were you and not where I wanted to be yet weight wise then cut them out until you are where you want to be.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
I ate modified low carb (no breads, flours, chips, sweets, sugars, fruit, potatoes, carrots etc...milk carb and non starchy veggies were ok) while I was losing weight. Once I was almost to goal I began slowly adding in carbs. I am 4'11" and lost 99 lbs in 10 months. As I was getting closer to goal I was losing a pound every 7-14 days. I have been a regular exerciser since a few months out. I started out with walking and then began to do more physical exercise.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BlessedBluebird
Hello all,
I am 6 months post-op and have lost almost 60 pounds. I am so thankful but feel like I am losing slow now (averaging 1 pound a week). I have a fear of not losing all my extra weight - probably because I am 52 and haven't been at my goal weight in 30 years!! Also, I see others who have lost a lot more than I have at 6 months out.
My question is: While losing weight, were you very strict with your diet? Or did you eat in moderation, and include small amounts of sugar, pasta, bread, etc... I have not been as strict the past couple months and have had a few "bites" of pasta, bread, cookies, chips, crackers etc... I would love to hear your experience.
Thank you!
HI
Well done on your weight loss so far. Everyone's journey is different and everyone's coping mechanism are different and strategies are different, however the one thing we all have in common, is wanting a successful weight loss journey and being able to maintain that loss. The sleeve is not a miracle worker and you have to work hard to achieve your end results you want. I think that ultimately you want to be able to eat anything you want but in moderation. In order to get to the point where you cane at whatever you like without gaining weight will take time. I think as you are still only 6 months out, you should probably still be quite strict with your intake and what you eat. Following the guidelines is a good way to keep those kilogram's shifting and of course exercise. I weigh myself everyday, i keep track of my eating some days, however I am very conscientious about what I eat and how much I eat. Some days I eat more than others and some days. Good luck with your journey and perhaps speak to your dietitian if you are struggling. :)
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
I agree with Ann2.
And, like sraebaer I am still eating as I learned in the beginning.
The basics stay the same, they never change.
I don't feel deprived at all.
I really value my body and my health.
More than anything.
My priorities are clear to me.
And what I see happening in the wls world, is that people who start eating those non-nutricious filling again or those who never stopped eating them, or those who eat them "in moderation", at some point start gaining again.
And frankly that scares the s**t out of me.
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
Congrats on the progress you’ve made.
That being said...
I live a “new normal” which includes logging everything I put in my mouth. When I log it and see it in black and white, I can’t deny it. I had this surgery because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I didn’t want my old life back, I wanted a new healthy life.
My new normal is not strict...I was given a tool kit to use with my new tool. I use it daily.
It works when you live it! ;-)
Re: Eating in Moderation OR Strict diet?
There is a lot to say about the subject...
Short version : you eat little the first year, go for healthy and nutritious food, don't forget your vitamins. As soon as 9 months post op the magic can be gone (because until then people can eat whatever and lose anyway), so just watch what you are eating, and learn from your mistakes.
Long version : we all have different bodies and different needs in diet. I had surgery in Asia where people eat much more carbs than westerners. So I couldn't eat the "guideline diet", I did a moderate low carb and while I had a great relationship the nut said (with the ok from the surgeon) that since I had the knowledge (I took 2 years of uni classes in nutrition) I didn't need her help. She actually thanked me for teaching her a few tricks. Really nice team...
I knew carbs had to be watched because I had a very long supervised diet (14 months 2 years before the sleeve) and it became obvious that calories for me are not the most important, but going higher than 100gr in carbs or 60 gr in protein could make me stall or even gain. Whatever the calories.
With my complicated health I was even able to gain at like 5 months out, thanks to prednisone. 5 kgs in 3 days, took me 3 weeks to lose it. During the magical window you can gain: indeed!! hormones (prednisone does trigger insulin) are always the worth for weight loss
So yes, my health is complicated and without going too deep into that subject, it's here that your goal has to be clear : why did you want the sleeve on the first place?
I wanted to lose weight like everybody, but getting my health back was the major goal. So it's also a major help when I look at ice cream or chocolate? is it worth it? everyday never, once in a while, may be, in really small quantities, because the sweet taste is nice. It's good to keep treats in our diets, but it needs to be treats, not an everyday food. Once a month, or twice...keep those outside the house!
I did reach my surgeon's projection weight at 2 years (yes, slow loser with hormones issues, but doesn't matter) and he told me really early that he knew I would be successful.
When I was surprised, he said that I never missed a post-op, always took my vitamins, and always had questions. For him that was a key for success.
I think, now that I'm + 3 years out, that even if I've been really sick for the past months, and did regain with meds, I know that my diet is not responsible, and I try every day to find a way to help my body. Watching the quality of my food intake is a priority. Always. But exercise, water intake, enough sleep, happy thoughts are also important in the journey.
You are a priority, staying alive is a priority, it's not worth trading that for cookies or junk food...
Take care!