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Ten Commandments of Weight Loss Surgery 1. THOU SHALL NOT DRINK with thy meals. This means never! This is cheating...cheating yourself. It washes the food out of your pouch and allows you to eat more. This will slow and eventually stop your weight loss. PLUS you will not be getting all the benefits of the wise choices you have filled your little pouchy with. 2. THOU SHALL EAT SLOWLY, very slowly. This is not a rule for the first few months post op. This rule is for the rest of your life. If you eat too quickly, you will surely stretch your pouch. Eat too quickly and you will learn the hard way...the nausea is stifling. And CHEW CHEW CHEW!! And when you think you are done, CHEW SOME MORE. Or your food will keep coming back to visit you. 3. THOU SHALL TAKE THY VITAMINS. This surgery is a great tool for weight loss. But, as with all benefits, there are costs...and malnutrition is one of the potential prices of this surgery. Take a multivitamin supplement every day for the rest of your life and it is one you may never have to pay. You will also need to have your blood checked periodically for B-12 levels. 4. THOU SHALL EAT ADEQUATE PROTEIN.
a: food and drink regularly provided or consumed Just do SOMETHING. Even if it means starting off simply...take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Park at the furthest spot in the parking lot. Carry your shopping basket instead of pushing the cart (on small shopping days of course...LOL).
6. THOU SHALL DRINK 7. THOU SHALL EAT WELL BALANCED MEALS. A doctor said it best: Protein first and foremost, then green/yellow vegetables, then fruit, then starches. 8. THOU SHALL NOT EAT SUGAR, in ANY form....no candy!!! Treat yourself with some fresh fruit!! 9 THOU SHALL NOT modify these commandments to suit thy needs. It will not work. You will only defeat yourself physically.
10. THOU SHALL LOVE THYSELF and be happy with the body God gave
you. God did not intend for all of us to be supermodels, and this
surgery will NOT make you one. Happiness comes from within. Be happy
with who and what you are. Or you will defeat yourself mentally. Then
the battle will be lost before it is ever even begun.
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Frequently Asked Questions 1. How do I know what to eat? Refer to the diet advancement guidelines in your book from the class. It explains everything in detail. Remember for the first 10 days, you are only allowed to have milk or the approved protein shakes discussed in class at meal times. Have sugar free Jell-O, broth, and calorie free drinks in between meals. Once you are 10 days out, you can advance to the pureed diet. You will be seen in your surgeon’s office during this time frame and you will have a chance to ask questions at that time as well. 2. What happens if I advance my diet too quickly? Swelling or inflammation is part of the healing process. Maximal swelling occurs approximately 7 -10 days out from surgery. Advancing your diet too soon may cause problems with nausea and vomiting. You may risk developing a leak at the staple or suture line. 3. What foods are on the liquid diet? Immediately following surgery you may have water, sugar free Jell-O, sugar free Popsicles, broth and the liquid from stained soup. Once home from the hospital, you should use milk or soy milk (unflavored) or an approved protein shake for meals. Use 8 ounces as the portion size for meals on the liquid diet. Make sure it takes one hour to drink the 8 ounces. 4. What foods are on the pureed diet? The pureed diet starts at 10-14 days out from your surgery. The pureed diet is based more on texture or consistency of foods rather than specific foods. Stage One baby foods, pureed baby food meat, small curd cottage cheese, yogurt such as Yoplait Light or Yoplait Carb monitor or Dannon Light and Fit are appropriate. Do not eat chunks of fruit in it! Slenderized macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, thin cream or wheat or oatmeal are allowed as well. Refried beans are allowed with out melted cheese on top. These may be very gas producing and bother some peoples so take it easy! 5. What foods are on the soft diet? The soft diet starts once you are one month out from your surgery date. This diet allows foods that can be chewed into a pureed or mushy texture. Foods include thin shaved deli meats, baked fish, canned chicken and canned tuna, cheese without nuts or seeds, Lunchables, ground beef, eggs, lentils, soy beans, cooked beans without added sugar, well cooked vegetables or canned vegetables, soft fresh fruits (no peels, membranes or large seeds), pasta and rice (well cooked!!!) 6. What foods are on the regular “trial and error diet”? All foods are ok, but you must use common sense! Keep in mind that you need to focus on protein foods first (eggs, meats, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans and rice). Then it is best to chose a tiny amount of fruit or vegetables to go with the protein if you choose, but remember it all has to fit in ¼ cup, so early on, it is best to have only the protein. Don’t waste the space in your pouch with junk foods or carbohydrates like popcorn etc. 7. Will my pouch stretch? About one year after surgery, the average patient can eat approximately ½ to 1 cup of well chewed food with out discomfort. For the first few months, most patients can eat ¼ cup of food. Stick to the ¼ cup as long as possible. This keeps the pouch small and helps you to lose weight as quickly as possible which helps you to get closer to your goal. The average size pouch is said to hold approximately 6-9 ounces of food 2 years out. 8. Why does water taste funny after surgery? There are many possible explanations for this. First, it may be caused by sudden changes in your electrolytes that may alter your taste buds. Also, consuming so little food causes a metabolic state called ketosis, which can give the mouth an unpleasant taste and breath. This is only temporary! 9. Why can’t I have juice? There are two major reasons for this. First, it is a calorie–containing beverage and adds significant calories to your diet which is the most common cause of weight re gain. Second it contains simple sugar in the liquid form which may cause dumping syndrome. 10. When do I start my vitamins? You may start your vitamins once you are home from the hospital. As a reminder, they must be chewable. If you have trouble with them, try taking them with your milk, protein shake or food. If you just can’t seem to make it work, discuss it at your office visit. 11. Why do I need to avoid caffeine? Caffeine is a diuretic and can easily cause dehydration early out from surgery. You must avoid caffeine until you can consume a minimum of 64 ounces of fluids per day. 12. How much sugar is ok? Any thing more than 2-3 grams of sugar is not allowed. You may tolerate it, but you should not take the risk. 13. What about the support groups? Attending your support group is highly recommended. Studies have shown that those that attend a support group have a better chance at reaching their goal and staying there for the long term and not regaining the weight It also is a great opportunity to get your questions answered from a Registered Dietitian and your fellow gastric bypass peers. 14. Why does water taste funny and why is my sense of taste off? Ketosis occurs when an individual is burning body fat at a rapid rate in the absence of carbohydrate intake. It causes taste changes and since water has no flavor, it can take on a metallic taste. 15. Are plateaus normal? They are normal and common. They can occur within the first month out from surgery. Some individuals never experience a plateau, but this is rare. It is important to re evaluate your diet and exercise plan to ensure there are no hidden causes of weight loss cessation. 16. Are some protein shakes better than others? Yes! Look for shakes that contain little to no fat and very little carbohydrates. They must be sugar free and alcohol sugar free. Many shakes contain high amounts of alcohol sugars which are equal to sugar in calories and they can cause dumping as well as severe gas and bloating. It is useless to consume protein shakes beyond your protein need which is approximately 60 grams a day. Remember protein has calories too! 17. What can I do for hair loss? One possible side effect of rapid weight loss is hair loss. It occurs after Bariatric surgery in approximately one in three patients. It is related to rapid weight loss. If you are eating protein first and taking the recommended vitamins and minerals, you are doing what is in your power to prevent hair loss. It generally starts as early as 3-6 months out from surgery and starts growing back around 7-9 months out from your surgery. 18. What can I do for constipation? After surgery, it is important for you to consume as close to 64 ounces of water if able, at least 32 ounces a day. Walking and physical activity are important for intestinal motility as well. Remember when very little is going in, there will be less coming out! It is not uncommon to have a B.M. every few days, or reduced volume out. Colace a stool softener, Benefiber and Dieters Tea are helpful when all else fails! 19. Just for fun - How Much Have I lost? 1 pound = a Guinea Pig
This site was last updated 01/03/09 |
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