Constant Changes

[anaxila 501]

Just sharing updates about my journey...

I had surgery on 1/6 and am still not back to work yet. No traumas, just taking the full 6 weeks recommended by my surgeon. I go back to work on Monday. He strongly encourages 6 weeks not for physical recovery, but for mental recovery / learning how to eat / forming new habits / etc. I'm glad I took his advice, as it's given me the chance to appreciate how much everything is constantly changing in these first weeks. I just get the hang of eating one way, and we change the diet to add more things. My energy is up, then down again. One day something doesn't work, and the next day it does. My behavior doesn't change, but some days I am losing weight and some days I'm not.

I developed a chest cold last Saturday that quickly turned into a head cold on Monday that had me in bed until Tuesday. Coming out of this cold, I can suddenly no longer tolerate meat Proteins. chicken, fish, turkey, and even eggs, all of which were my staples until this week, completely turn my stomach and I can't get through the meal. I hope they come back soon, as I'm having a terrible time reaching my Protein goals without them and a girl can only eat so much Greek yogurt.

And because I am not exceeding my protein goals like I used to, I'm having a terrible time getting my strength back from being sick. I am in the habit of working out 6 days a week for an hour a day. I have been to the gym exactly once since Sunday, and then I only lasted 45 minutes. And it was a pretty sad workout too; I just didn't have the energy to do even one minute more, even though I barely broke a sweat.

So it's been a rough week overall, and not what I'd hoped for my last week before the rat race returns. I'd hoped to ramp up my energy and activity to roll right into the workweek on Monday, but that clearly isn't working out.

Edited February 13, 2015 by anaxila

[esskay77 785]

You should get the unflavored Protein powders (like Unjury) and put it in anything you eat/drink to up your Protein. Or, try legumes or other Proteins. Your taste for this stuff will come back but in the meantime, try some other stuff. Best of luck.

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am 21 months post-op from RNY gastric bypass surgery. My weight loss leveled off after the 7th month after surgery. I was very stable in my weight for over 6 months after that. Then a stomach flu hit and I completely lost any appetite for food. I lost a pound a day. With 2 bouts of stomach flu, I lost a total of 10 pounds. I decided to try and maintain this additional weight loss since then.

But it does bring up an interesting point. When you get sick, a person can lose weight quickly. And therefore it is important to keep a little fat on your body in reserve as a buffer. I feel that some people are so obsessed with their bottom weight number that they lose sight of the fact that they may become sick which might threaten their health.

[anaxila 501]

You should get the unflavored Protein powders (like Unjury) and put it in anything you eat/drink to up your Protein. Or, try legumes or other Proteins. Your taste for this stuff will come back but in the meantime, try some other stuff. Best of luck.

Thanks, @esskay77. I haven't used any protein powders before (my surgeon doesn't like them), but I just ordered a canister of unflavored unjury to have on hand in case of emergencies like this.

[esskay77 785]

I wonder what they don't like about Protein powders? My NUT wanted me off them pretty quickly. I think if you are having a hard time getting in protein, it seems like a good alternative. But, I don't know what they don't like about them.

[anaxila 501]

I can't speak for your crew, but mine just wants to make sure we learn how to properly eat for the long term, getting our Proteins and nutrition "the old fashioned way" as much as possible. If we replace Big Macs and chocolate Chip Cookies with good nutritious alternatives, we're less likely to slip up with them than if we replace them with shakes and such. That's what they told me, anyway.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

You can actually GAIN weight if you have too much Protein. So you need to be careful to stay in the range the Doc tells you. Plus it's hard on your liver and other organs to process so much protein.

Edited February 14, 2015 by wannaBthinsoon

[esskay77 785]

@@anaxila and @@wannaBthinsoon Thanks! I had no idea!