Your food plan of choice.

[Lanakila 1]

Honestly, Melody, easier than it sounds is not the point... it sounds bland and boring and a recipe for long term failure. The point is to be able to eat in moderation and maintain for the remainder of your life. To never have coffee, tea, gum, a glass of wine or a piece of candy sounds WAY too restrictive.

I figure that this surgery is costing me & someone else more than $10,000. If my Dr. says that chewing gum causes the swallowing of excess air and can contribute to stretching the pouch...then I'm damned sure going to listen. No point in putting myself through surgery just to screw things up with some freakin' chewing gum. Same thing with the straw.

As for the coffee and tea, if the dietician says that caffeine is both an irritant to the lining of your stomach (since it's not full of food all the time now), and that it is also a diuretic...then that cup of coffee just isn't that important anymore. This is a HUGE investment in myself and as long as I can eat tasty, healthy food, then I'm ok giving up these little things.

[Melody2006 1]

My insurance paid the bulk cost of this surgery for me so I feel I owe everyone else on the insurance plan who have to face jacked up rates next year because my fat butt needed weight loss surgery. So if I want it, I'm going to follow the rules. Thats the least I can do for the $25,000 this surgery was billed to my insurance.

I can have coffee, it just has to be Decaf. (if your a heart patient, you can't have caffeine either, and I'm sure those patients listen.) I can have tea, it just has to be with the fake sugar. I was never a person who could "have just one" so sugar alcohol, the kind of sugar free candies just would never keep me on track. My doctor says after 6 months you can go back to caffeine, but I doubt I will. And I'm not going to die with out carbonated beverages or chewing gum. So many other alternatives. The no gum rule is because you can get stuck if it accidentally gets swallowed, and then you'd be facing another surgery. I admit, I used to swallow my gum on occasion. So for me I can't even risk it. My doctor said a glass of wine was ok, but not to go into excess because alcohol will hit you harder than a non-banded patient. I was never a alcohol drinker, so I can live with out it. Used to give me bad heartburn so I never picked up the habit.

If you can keep the sugar free candy and alcohol in moderation, good for you. I wish I could. But moderation was never my strong point...hence why I have the band. And I have to be honest with myself that I'm over weight because I can't control my portions. Other people are overweight for other reason (maybe they ate like a bird...all day long small amounts) and Portion Control isn't their issue. Some trigger foods I can't even keep in the house because I'm honest with my problem that got me this fat. chips and Peanut Butter, and ice cream being some of those things.

The plan I listed was what my surgeon recommended and I'm loosing and not feeling deprived.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Melody2006

[Sunwyse 1]

i chose Other ~ please explain.

After I'm banded in October, I'm planning on returning to a vegetarian diet. I only have to do Optifast for 2 weeks before surgery, so I don't have to think about things before then. I'm waiting til after, so I know the amount I eat will be controlled and all I need to think about is what I eat.

I also prefer low carb, but couldn't have 2 choices.

[andrea1 1]

I have read alot of the blogs about how to eat , low carb vs low fat. I have read some people eat what they want in moderation. This is what i think. I got the band because I wanted to eat less and to change my eatting habits. The band definatly does that. I can not eat like you use to. I know that i eat less and that i cant eat the whole plate of food anymore. The band has givin me more of an awareness of the old eatting habits that i had. I eat less , i eat what i want, i dont count calories or stick to a low carb diet. I choose my meals a little bit more wiser now. I will choose fish over beef. I will eat veggies instead of junk. I drink more Water then i ever have before in my life. I think all of us know how to eat right it is a matter of us making better choices and sticking to the new habits . I have learned to just say no to portions that are to big, drinking a large amount of water throughout the day. I dont want to be tied down to any diet. I just want to eat normal sizes and not pig out throught the day. There are more over weight people in US due to larger and bigger portion sizes. Going to all you can eat bars. In Eupropean country the portion sizes are normal. We would consider them very small. But they are not over weight in these countries. I have truley be delivered from overeating and I thank God for that.

[Donna113 2]

Since it's been a couple of months, I'm curious to see how many of us stuck to our food plan of choice and if not, what did they change and why?

I chose moderation of food in all categories based on my doctor's recommendation. The band has helped me stay moderate but I will admit to a couple of chocolate binges since being banded in July.

[baby ruth 1]

I chose other. I definitely watch my calories, I don't deny myself anything I'm hungry for unless I've had a bad experience with it. I stay under 1000 calories most days. I do make sure I get my Protein in daily. Not too much carbs because most of those things, bread, potatoes(my nemisis) don't set well with my band, but from what I understand I need some carbs for exercising purposes...I prefer whole wheat pastas. Somedays I can eat Pasta somedays I can't. Somedays I can eat more than others but for me, I still eat a lot better and a lot less than pre-banding. My band has definitely made me aware of what I eat in quantity and quality,....I used to eat a buffets a lot when I ate out....and haven't been to one since banding.

Ruth

[littlefroggy 0]

My "plan" is counting calories. I eat what I want as long as it's Protein first so I am getting that in, but also making sure that I don't eat any meal that has more carbs than Protein.< /p>

So everything is protein first, then carbs. I do eat sweets and carbs in moderation. I've been losing this way and like it because I can eat all kinds of foods.

I do avoid sugar drinks, bread, rice, and the things the dr. said would get stuck.

I keep track of my calories on calorieking.com. I like it because it tracks calories, carbs, protein, Fiber, etc. It also tracks the minerals and Vitamins I am getting from food.

Edited October 17, 2008 by littlefroggy

[AlexToriMom 0]

I chose Low Carb but it is NOT high fat. My surgeon has us follow the South Beach Diet prior to having surgery. He has us work with the nutritionist and everything. The phase 1 part of the diet cuts out all carbs and sugars (including fruit) for two weeks. That is in order for your body to lose its craving for those things. After that you enter Phase 2 which consists of lean meats, fish, veggies, good carbs and good sugars. I eat brown rice, whole wheat Pasta and breads etc. I like how it focuses on Protein first and then add in the other stuff. I do not feel deprived and really like the taste of the "good carbs". If I do eat "bad carbs" I feel tired and yucky. I am able to adapt most recipes to be "South Beach friendly" and my husband and two young daughters pretty much eat the same foods that I do...just bigger portions than me. No one complains and all seem to enjoy it.

[kossde 6]

I really base my diet on Protein, fruits and veggies, and mainly, low in calories.

[terilynn112 1]

I mostly do low carb, and low calorie. I eat my Protein first. Then veggies or fruit. I have fruit with Breakfast, and veggies dinner and lunch. I very rarely eat carbs, but if I do it's a bite or two. First bite is to taste, second to make sure you remember, the third bite is the final. That's something similar to what I read on my local groups online group. That makes so much sense to me.

Teri

[TQUAD64 9]

My diet is just a regular diet of food, just a lot lot less of it. meat, fruit, milk, vegetables. I do track calories!

[travelinsnorkel 0]

I eat low carb partly because I am diabetic and partly because they are my real weakness. I find that carbs beget carbs and I can't stop!

[mharlan 1]

I bought a couple of great cookbooks specifically designed for eating after weight-loss surgery. I go through each book and pick out menus/recipes for 7 days. Each day I cook what I picked out. So far, the meals have been fantastic. They are basically low carb, low calorie, and some with higher Protein than others -- but we've been eating so good, my husband is having a hard time believing the food is actually good for you -- there's so much flavor.

This is what works for us, as I'm one who's got to eat real food. At least this way, it's healthy, tasty food.

What are the cookbooks? I've haven't found any yet for weight loss surgery. I might find them on Amazon or online somewhere if you give me the author and name of the cookbook. Thanks so much!

[als74 1]

My plan of choice is high Protein healthy carb (whole grains and fruits). Ironically, when I eat high Protein, I don't crave carbs.

I ordered a book called Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery. It had great reviews and is full of good tasting low fat high protein meals.

[Laura steele 2]

O.K.,I have to put my two cents in here!I had the Band because I never coud stay on a diet plan!My ultimate goal is to eat all the foods that I enjoy in small quantities.I understand the need for adequate Protein and try to eat mostly heathy foods.I also eat a few treats some days and I feel like this is real life.I would like to see some more comments on this.Laura:blushing::laugh: