What, How Much are you Eating?

Hi Jen

Thanks for those posts, it is very interesting to read about what people who have had other weight loss surgeries are eating. Also really good for those on the site who haven't had surgery yet and are interested in getting more information from people who have had the different ops done.

I think we're all on the same journey towards health so good luck!!!
cheers
Kat

No probs Issy, I would just hate to put someone off thinking that I am a sleever. My understanding is that a sleeve is a tube shape, whereas my stomach is a pouch and tube. I can eat larger amounts but that is because I have had my part of my small intestine bypasses, which causes malabsorbtion. In short I absorb approx 20% of what I eat. I have heard people say that a sleeve is the first part of a bypass but there are a few different types of bypass and none of the ones I have seen have the same stomach shape as a sleeve. The "Duodenal Switch" op, mainly done in america is the only one that is vaguely similar.

I hope that helps. I think the feeling and sensation that I have when eating is similar to a sleever which my help you in understanding the difference between the band and a sleeve. When I had a band I felt full in my chest and if something got stuck or was a fibrous texture if would feel painful in my chest and I will get lots of saliva in my mouth, my nose would run and I would sometimes bring food back up. That has never happened with the op I have now. When I am full I feel it in my stomach, I don't vomit and get blockages. It's much easier to eat out as you don't get that "deer in the headlights" look on your face when something doesn't want to go down.

I am much happier with my choice, I did not have the option of a sleeve, but believe that it is a much better choice than a band, as far as living with it goes and consistent weight loss.

Jen

Hi Jen - sorry, my surgon told me the sleeve was the first part of the BP/DS surgery and that the sleeve would be the same size in either surgery (as he offered me a choice of surgery) so I assumed your capacity was the same as a regular sleever.

At 9 months after operation I can manage about 1 cup or equivalent at a meal. I could manage 1 piece of very thin toast with an egg on it for example, plus maybe a couple of mushrooms or a bit of tomato.

Issi, if you re read my post you will see that I do not have a sleeve. I have had a gastric bypass so I am able to eat more than a sleever. I cannot speak for anyone with a sleeve, i'm sure someone will post perhaps what the cup amount per meal is for a sleever, for me it's about 2 cups.

Jen

I am not sleeved yet but this post has me very curious and a bit concerned. Most of you have listed more than what I currently eat. I thought the sleeve severely restricted volume? I can't imagine being able to eat 2 -3 pieces of toast. Maybe that's because I was banded for so long. I was under the impression you could only eat 1/3 cup of food at a meal with the sleeve??

Hiya, Kahunalou I have had a BPD (biliopancreatric diversion) which is similar to RNY (it's a bit more aggressive though, less intestine and a slightly different shape to the tummy). It's interesting to read your food intake as mine would be similar. I have to keep to lean foods but quanity wise it's much more than what I could eat with a band, which I find is easier on my mind...the band had me tied in knots and not being able to "eat".

Do you find that you have any adverse reactions to fat's or sugars. Appararently and correct me if i'm wrong with a RNY you either have one or the other, compared to the BPD which you have a pretty severe reaction to fats...lets just you wouldn't want me on a plane with you a couple of hours after something greasy, people would be opening up the emergency hatches and hanging out the door.....tis nasty....lol.

An average sort of day is:
Brekky
2-3 pieces of wholegrain toast with light butter (small amount) and vegemite
Cup of tea with two sugars and skim milk (gotta give up the sugar)

Lunch
Wholemeal roll or bread, ham, salad, no butter, maybe a sprinkle of grated cheese or 99% fat free dijonnaise.

Afternoon tea
Banana or apple, sometimes an orange

Dinner
Lastnight....chicken curry (no coconut cream) with lots of veggies in it and rice
most nights I eat dessert, either a WW sundae or light vanilla icecream and fruit or a frosty fruits iceplole.

for snacks most days, I will have a can of lemon pepper tuna (out of the can...so classy) or a boiled egg, sometimes a light yogurt.

Well thats me, I occassionally (hmm lets see once a month instead of killing or maming those near me) I have some chocolate or fang out of some bikkies but mostly I eat lean out of necessity and hey if someone stabbed you with a fork everytime you ate something fatty you eventually stop..hee hee, that's how it is for me, just looking at a commercial for chooks on the tv makes me groan and gagg with the imagined pain it would cause. arrrgh.

Thanks for posting up your food plan.... I also make a meatball dish with a thick red sauce, nice and lean and very yummy.

Jen

A few months ago, my local monthly support group talked about the rate of weight loss between the types of operations and we polled the members. What we found was with this type of meal planning/proportions, the weight loss rate was comparable between the two, meaning that we lost an average of 2 - 4 lbs. per week for the first 4 - 6 months after surgery, then slowed to about 1 - 3 lbs. per month for the next 2 - 4 months, and finally to 1/2 - 2 lbs per month for the next couple of months. There were variations, of course, amongst us due to physical activity (from none to extensive) and those who cheated and those who didn't. Each person's individual results were as different the individuals themselves.

The end result pretty much matched what is covered by various published papers (I recently posted a link to this one: UCLA's Clinical Update on VSG). The Roux-en-Y results in 60-80% loss of excess body weight and the VSG results in 50-70% loss of excess body weight in the first year with both having approximately the same rate of weight loss in the first year.

BTW, looking at your sig, I see that the MOTH is pretty much identical to where I was at the start. Perhaps, I can be an example of where he might be a year from now, if not better. I'll admit to a period in November/December where I restarted some excess carb intake after dinner, but my weight loss rate and my January blood test results betrayed what was happening - my rate was flat (plateaued) and my A1C was higher. When I got back "on the wagon" my most recent, beginning of July, showed that it went right back to where it should have been and the weight loss resumed to slightly less than 1 lb per month which, according to my surgeon is right where it should be at one year (I had hoped to be at my goal by now, but was told that that was a little aggressive after the fact, but that the 200 lb. goal overall is realistic and that I should expect to put back on 5-10 lbs in the 2-5 year time-frame and then stay there as long as I continue to do what I'm doing now unless I opt for a "tummy tuck" to get rid of the excess skin, then it's an additional 10-20 lbs on top of the actual weight loss, but to not consider this until 18 months out).

I hope that he will post his experiences so that others (particularly the men) may also benefit from his experiences. I find that this forum, with my local support group, does help keep me on track.

Thanks for that KahunaLou - that is very helpful.
Like the idea of the sugar-free Fudgesicle at the end of the day.
I see you and your wife have the same eating plan - do you lose weight quicker with the roux-en-y or what is the main difference you have found with the same food you eat. Hope I've explained it right but perhaps I mean to say does both operations have the same result or do some foods have different effects?
The MOTH is having his gastric sleeve operation tomorrow so it will be much easier when we are both on the same menu.
Thank you once again and I will try this out. Will see if I can buy Protein bars with close enough ratio to what you have said.
hugs
Jilly

Hi Jillybean, absolutely! Since I pretty much have a routine, day in and day out (one might even say boring), I pretty much have the same kinds of foods with little variation from week to week, except for dinner. Here's an example from yesterday that I ate and its nutritional information:

Breakfast:
Quaker Oats Weight Control Oatmeal: 160 calories/7g protein/29g carbohydrates/3g fat
1 large hard boiled egg: 77 calories/6g protein/1g carbohydrates/5g fat

Mid-morning snack:
Pure Protein Shake: 170 calories/35g protein/4g carbohydrates/1g fat

Lunch:
3.5 oz. Sliced boneless, skinless turkey breast: 104 calories/17g protein/4g carbohydrates/2g fat
1 cup string beans: 44 calories/2g protein/10g carbohydrates/0g fat
6 unsalted saltine crackers: 78 calories/0g protein/12g carbohydrates/0g fat

Mid-afternoon snack:
Pure Protein Bar: 180 calories/19g protein/20g carbohydrates/5g fat

My wife will make dinner and since she also had bariatric surgery (roux-en-y), she has the same kind of meal plans and I basically leave it up to her what's for dinner though last night we had (and she made homemade sauce and meatballs, so the nutritional info is approximate) :
1 cup Spinach Spaghetti: 182 calories/6g protein/37g carbohydrates/1g fat
1 oz. Spaghetti sauce 13 calories/0g protein/2g carbohydrates/0g fat
3 small ground turkey meatballs (approx. 1 oz): 66 calories/8g protein/0g carbohydrates/4g fat

Early evening snack:
Sugar-free Fudgesicle: 88 calories/3g protein/19g carbohydrates/1g fat

Hope this helps.

Hi KahunaLou

First of all congratulations on your sleeve anniversary and the awesome weightloss you have achieved in the 12 months. I really enjoy reading your interesting posts and are envious of the great support group you seem to have with your medical team.

I hate to be a pain, and you might have already posted this elsewhere on the forum, but could you actually post what you eat for those six meals/snacks you have. Just a typical day's food. I can see what your saying with the metabolism being on an even keel by eating like this but I just would like to know your protein/carb mix, and when you say primarily protein for an early evening snack what do you actually eat - a protein bar or small tin of tuna etc?????

I really think thats the way I should be eating - I sort of do but I think the mix is wrong.
Brekky 1 piece toast and an egg or baked beans
MT - mandarin
Lunch - salad with protein(tuna, salmon etc) or sometimes a sandwich or wrap with salad and protein or soup.
AT - sometimes a piece of fruit but mainly nothing
Dinner - Protein (meat) and vege or salad
Basically thats my lot - may have occasional pasta or rice but I find this very filling.
Drinks are usually, coffee with skim milk, black tea, water, can diet coke on ice over 1 hour

I do find myself having the swings in the glucose level. Never really thought about it until I read your post but if I have too long between meals I get uptight and I just have to eat something or if I miss breakfast I get a bit ansy (I should say my family always know when I have missed a meal or need food!!) so I guess thats my glucose level out of balance.

Thanks once again for your interesting post and hope you can help me with this from your experience.
hugs
Jilly

I'm now a year out and my day is a lot like Caz'.

I try to get in 1000-1200 cal. per day with 80-100 g. of protein and a proportion of carbs and fats as makes sense distributed over the day, typically as: 240 cal. for breakfast (leaning towards carbs to get my initial metabolism going), 120 cal. mid-morning snack (primarily protein), 240 cal. for lunch (primarily protein, but contains moderate carbs and a little fat), 120 cal. mid-afternoon snack (protein/carb), 360 cal. for dinner (primarily protein, moderate carbs, little fat), and around 120 cal. for an early-evening snack (primarily protein). This primarily keeps the glucose levels pretty stable (no swings throughout the day), and keeps the metabolism on an even keel. Nothing but water taken in 3 hours before bedtime.

Since not all foods are the same, I make sure that I track the actual caloric intake using a food diary, then adjust the next meals/snacks accordingly.

The water intake is also critical. I really try to get that 2 liters/day in but that remains a challenge for me.

Like you, I started out slow and gradually built up to the above; learning what works for my weight loss and what doesn't. I started out losing around 4-6 lbs per week, but am now at the more "normal" 1/2 to 1 lb. loss per week. During my one year follow-up with my surgeon, he stated that my loss was "right on track" and that I should continue to shoot for my goal (200 lbs.), but don't be surprised if, even when staying with this new lifestyle (and that's the key), that 5-10 lbs. comes back between when I achieve the goal and year 3, and then stays that way for the rest of my life.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

I had my surgery 3 weeks ago and I've moved on to soft foods. A typical day for me is:

B 1/2 instant porridge
MT Milky coffee
L 1/2 cruskit with low fat Laughing Cow & protein or 1/3 cup soup
AT 1/2 yoghurt or 1/4 banana
T 1/4-1/3 cup protein plus a few veggies.

It absolutely will work itself out with time Devoray and you definitely will enjoy eating again- just being satisfied with smaller portions.
Many of the girls list what they eat in their diaries- especially in the earlier stages pre-op so that would be a fantastic place to start looking.

Thanks, I will go back and read your blog. I really hope that by the time I am where you are now I will enjoy some food again. I never want to crave food all the time like before, but I also don't want to dread eating. I trust it will work out in time.

Hi Devoray - I don't know if you are interested in my story as I had my operation on February 23, but here goes.

Breakfast - I have an instant porridge most breakfasts.
Morning tea - Sometimes a small piece of fruit or small piece of cheese/biscuit.
Lunch - small serving of meat or cheese with veges (sometimes I buy an Asian dish and it lasts me for 2-3 days)
Afternoon tea - same as morning (or nothing - or sometimes some chocolate if I'm feeling naughty)
Dinner - protein and veges

I can eat pretty much anything now but am trying to avoid bread. It seems to inhibit my weight loss and also block the pipes so to speak. If I go out I can usually have about 1/4 of whatever I order, so we're often ordering a dish for my hubby and I'm sharing. Otherwise he will get fat by eating his and some of mine! LOL.

Early on I wasn't eating much - you can go back into my diary and I did record what I was eating at the earlier stages - look for entries around the end of March. I was just off mushies at that stage and starting to try new foods (and having issues quite often) if I remember correctly.

Good luck and don't rush things - it will all sort itself out before you know it.

Hugs
Caz

Hey everyone, I need some help and advice from some of you who are further along this journey than I am. I had my surgery on June 15 and I am a little stressed over eating. First, I have had acid reflux, but I am not sure whether it is really that or if I have that full feeling most all the time. My doctor has told me to take advantage of my present feeling of not wanting to eat as that will wear off later on. They also told me to take the vitamins, which I do, 60-80 grams of protein and drink my water and I will be fine. Typically, in a day I am drinking at least 5 cups of water, 50 or more grams of protein (as liquid protein), sometimes about a 1/4 cup of chicken salad (maybe every 2nd or 3rd day).

I find I do not want to eat anything. I have been reading a lot on the May and June topics and it seems you guys are eating pretty much what you want, just not big portions. You also seem to be enjoying it. So,

Tell me when you had your surgery and what/how much you eat in a typical day.

Thanks