I have a "would you rather' question

[jasmineinmymind 204]

Would you rather be able to tolerate EVERYTHING, like almost feel normal. No nausea, no dumping, no food stuck, no intolerance if it meant losing more slowly and having to be more vigilant or would you rather have things make you sick, feel a lot of restriction, no appetite but lose very fast and not have to make an effort to "diet"?

I'm asking because I almost feel like I didnt have the bypass. I feel so normal! I really have to constantly try not to overeat or eat the wrong foods because nothing makes me sick.

I am so envious of people who say they have to set an alarm to eat or people who lost 100 pounds in the first 4 months. I feel cheated that my bypass has been so underwhelming. OK Yes I have lost weight and for that I am grateful but mind you, I'm still in the honeymoon period and once thats over am I back to square one with weight loss struggles?? I dont know.

Anyway I'd love to know if the grass is greener on the other side...

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

54 minutes ago, jasmineinmymind said:

Would you rather be able to tolerate EVERYTHING, like almost feel normal. No nausea, no dumping, no food stuck, no intolerance if it meant losing more slowly and having to be more vigilant or would you rather have things make you sick, feel a lot of restriction, no appetite but lose very fast and not have to make an effort to "diet"?

I'm asking because I almost feel like I didnt have the bypass. I feel so normal! I really have to constantly try not to overeat or eat the wrong foods because nothing makes me sick.

I am so envious of people who say they have to set an alarm to eat or people who lost 100 pounds in the first 4 months. I feel cheated that my bypass has been so underwhelming. OK Yes I have lost weight and for that I am grateful but mind you, I'm still in the honeymoon period and once thats over am I back to square one with weight loss struggles?? I dont know.

Anyway I'd love to know if the grass is greener on the other side...

I fall on the side of I’m able to tolerate EVERYTHING, like almost feel normal. No nausea, no dumping, no food stuck, no intolerance. I‘m maintaining and five years out. I know how to keep my weight in range. I indulge within reason and live life. But, I know my weakness and must deal with them.

Just because we can eat more and tolerate everything does not mean we have to overeat our calories and macros. Make a choice, Work at this life long or don’t be mindful and gain weight. You said “once that’s over am I back to square one with weight loss struggles??” Define what your struggles are and work on them. We are not all doomed to regain Keep an eye on the scale. Don’t let a small gain take off on you. If you gain weight get back on track.

[gabybab 696]

I can eat and tolerate most things. I've only felt sick a couple times, however I have restriction so I can't eat that much.

With that being said, I do think I could potentially graze and possibly that would impede my weight loss. It's a balancing act and I still have to work at it.

Good luck to you!

Edited May 20, 2019 by gabybab

[GreenTealael 25,356]

I'm on both sides lol I had VSG, almost no restriction felt on most foods and dump more than most bypassers I've encountered, mostly from random things including Proteins but not pastry 😳 & still lost very slowly.I've decided to work with the hand I was dealt, not against it.

You can find your sweet spot and accomplish great things.

And the grass is always greener where you Water it

Good luck 💜

Edited May 20, 2019 by GreenTealael

[ms.sss 15,601]

I am almost 7 months out, and can tolerate pretty much everything, i think. The first time I had a serious sugar food (a couple bites of a dessert of some kind, I don't remember) I had a bad experience so I basically steer away from sugar. I don't miss it. I haven't had any bread/pasta/rice/root veggies since surgery, so I'm not sure if I can tolerate those, but I suspect I can just fine.

My restriction is pretty much still in full effect.

I have learned how much food I can eat before I start to feel uncomfortable, and stop before I get there. I have also learned which foods are my slider foods, and which ones keep me fuller longer. I weigh myself every day and I have learned/know that if I exercise, get a good nights sleep, and drink my Water the weight seems to comes off at a faster rate.

So to your question, which would I rather? I'm good with the way things are, as I've figured out how to work it for me. I'm not sure if I would have learned the same lessons if things weren't the way they are, but maybe I would have learned different lessons to get me to the same end goal. At least I hope I would have.

[CurvyMom 386]

This is a tough question and once I am a few more months post op I wonder how I will feel then. But...I have plenty of restriction, I haven’t dumped yet. I can eat stuff I shouldn’t and can’t eat Protein like I should be able to get. Or I just have tried things not on plan hoping they’d bother me but they don’t. Part of me wishes that I would dump from things but then after I have thrown up for the 34550392 time I am like ughhh I am glad I don’t dump. Or maybe so do and I don’t realize it but it’s geberally from protein or eating too fast. Mostly behavioral issues make me sick. So I don’t know LOL. Too soon to really say I guess.

[Carrot64 214]

I’m right with you , I too have been able to tolerate most anything and have to stop myself or o know I could eat more than most people can at my stage of 3 1/2 months . The only saving grace was the lack of hunger but I fear that will return soon. I know there are many doubting Thomas’s in my life that are waiting to see if I fail at this as I did with all my other attempts to lose weight. I have to say as an answer to your question, wish I had the restriction I thought I would have and more of the "foamies” as some kind of restrictive guide . Alas I feel like I’m on another diet. I had full Roux NY to heal my atrocious acid reflux and hernia, I feel great and the surgery corrected that and I feel GREAT.. just too great.

[Boldilocks 312]

4 hours ago, jasmineinmymind said:

Would you rather be able to tolerate EVERYTHING, like almost feel normal. No nausea, no dumping, no food stuck, no intolerance if it meant losing more slowly and having to be more vigilant or would you rather have things make you sick, feel a lot of restriction, no appetite but lose very fast and not have to make an effort to "diet"?

I'm asking because I almost feel like I didnt have the bypass. I feel so normal! I really have to constantly try not to overeat or eat the wrong foods because nothing makes me sick.

I am so envious of people who say they have to set an alarm to eat or people who lost 100 pounds in the first 4 months. I feel cheated that my bypass has been so underwhelming. OK Yes I have lost weight and for that I am grateful but mind you, I'm still in the honeymoon period and once thats over am I back to square one with weight loss struggles?? I dont know.

Anyway I'd love to know if the grass is greener on the other side...

This is me exactly! Yes, I will feel my restriction - but I know I could overeat, and it's not a hard stop for me like it is for some.

I was able to drink 8oz of Water immediately after surgery, and it's continued in that vein ever since. I weigh and measure my food - I'm used to taking in relatively few calories due to PCOS dieting (was on 1300 cals or less a day for years before surgery) - and don't go over 4 oz, though I know I physically could. I don't feel restriction with that. Towards the end of the meal, I'll feel a little tight - but I think it's because I eat too fast, and I don't chew everything to an absolute pulp, and I take bites that are too big. In spite of all that, I have never dumped, never thrown up, never had the foamies, never had to spit food out, never felt nauseous or had to lie down.

I am losing very, very slowly - and there are definitely days where I would like that security that comes with a lot of restriction.

Then again, I feel like this is perhaps setting me up better for maintenance, as I police myself and don't rely on my restriction to do it? If I ever get to maintenance, that is...

[catwoman7 11,212]

the first few weeks were a little touch and go for me, but I can tolerate anything now except super fatty meals (fish and chips? No way - I'd be in the bathroom all night). I've never had dumping syndrome, food stuck, or any of that.

the struggle never stops. I'm in maintenance now and have been for 2.5 years. I have to watch my intake and my weight like a hawk, because the few times I've loosened up, I've gained weight. And at a normal BMI, it takes FOREVER to lose even 10 lbs!

[Boldilocks 312]

Just now, catwoman7 said:

the first few weeks were a little touch and go for me, but I can tolerate anything now except super fatty meals (fish and chips? No way - I'd be in the bathroom all night). I've never had dumping syndrome, food stuck, or any of that.

the struggle never stops. I'm in maintenance now and have been for 2.5 years. I have to watch my intake and my weight like a hawk, because the few times I've loosened up, I've gained weight. And at a normal BMI, it takes FOREVER to lose even 10 lbs!

Congrats to you on reaching goal and maintaining! What do your calories and macros look like these days?

[catwoman7 11,212]

2 minutes ago, Boldilocks said:

Congrats to you on reaching goal and maintaining! What do your calories and macros look like these days?

I can maintain my weight if I keep my calorie intake at or below 1700/day. If I go north of that too many times in a week, my weight starts heading up.

I don't pay much attention to my macros, although I probably should. I do have to average 100+ grams of Protein a day because we learned fairly soon after surgery that I malabsorb it (I might have before surgery, too - but we don't know because they never did a baseline on protein). If I get less than that, my prealbumin level tanks.

as far as carbs, I'm almost always in the 100-150 range (which is way more than I was eating in weight loss mode). But then, I'm not particularly carb sensitive - I know a lot of us ARE, so if that were the case with me, I'd still be watching my carb intake.

I don't pay any attention to fats at all. As long as whatever I eat throughout the day fits into my calorie range, I'm good!