Bypass Surgery Diet- Without the Surgery. Advice please?

fittogroom

So i am 250lbs, my primary care physician suggested bariatric surgery. I am torn, truly unsure. So i have decided that,with the help of a dietitian, i am going to try the diet first, to see if one, i can even do it, and two, if maybe that will cut out the need for surgery period. I need to know more about the diet, and i need suggestions for things given that a lot of my food comes from Food Pantries and limited food stamps right now.

Im in college but cant work for various reasons, so need a diet that works with my resources. Also addinf friends

ellengraham702

I am much older than you---and my doctor also recommended weight loss surgery- I am opposed for both rational and emotional reasons---I too am trying weight loss---actually attending a medically supervised weight loss program through a respected hospital. Would be willing to be part of your support group. Can share what my dietician and bariatric nurse practioner say. I salute your determination in challenging circumstances.

MissTattoo

hi! You could always go through the program. Most insurance companies require you to go through a 6 month program with a nutritionist before they approve you for surgery. You don't have to go with the surgery at that point. You may be approved for it, but you don't have to do it.

SolotoCEO

I've lost over 100 lbs using the calorie counting method here on MFP. By doing this it comes off and stays off. I've seen way too many bariatric patients who are on their second, third, or even fourth surgery. They drop it, but gain in all back since it's really not a lifestyle change in the long run. Good luck!

blazterx

Quantity of food will always trump quality when it comes to weight loss vs weight gain. Just start tracking your food as accurately as possible to create a caloric deficit (taking in less energy than your body is spending) and you will see results. A lot of people get caught up in low carb or low fat diets, in my opinion those two nutrients are simply a matter of preference in regard to what works for you. Protein does matter though because it curbs your appetite. Hit that everyday, be flexible with the others and you will get there. This is a helpful website for information: http://ss.fitness/

LivviLosing

I'm going to be honest, and say that at 250lbs, I would definitely try to make positive lifestyle changes, rather than a bypass, or even a crash diet. While bariatric surgery/extreme dieting can be useful tools in weight loss, if you can't maintain a good diet and be aware of your calorie intake and requirements, the weight will creep back on.

My father, stepmother, and mother have each had a gastric bypass, and their weight has never reached the "high point" again, but they still struggle with calories in calories out, only with the added burden of vitamin malabsorption. The malabsorption causes plenty of other issues as well, such as reduced healing time from broken bones, etc.

You would be much better off learning from the dietician how to make healthy food choices/developing a meal plan, purchasing a food scale, and tracking calories using MFP. Track everything you eat for 6 months, try to increase your physical activity level the best you can, and then see where you are.

If honest to goodness, your 100% all out best, consistent, long term effort to track calories and live well does not result in the weight loss, then consider the extreme diet/surgery.

Just remember, there are no quick fixes for weight loss, and if you fall off track, don't be afraid to get right back in the swing of things.

KristyRunyon81

I had gastric bypass in 2003. By 2007, I had gained most of my weight back by not sticking to the diet. In the past year I have lost 100 lbs using the calorie counting method. It's not easy and takes dedication but you are worth it.

nichalsont

I don't have first hand experience with bariatric surgery. I do have a cousin with some pretty serious health concerns stemming from his bariatric surgery years ago. It would be enough to make me try most anything else first.

debrakgoogins

The thing to keep in mind is that the surgery doesn't fix the underlying issues of WHY you over eat and it is a life long change. You have to be willing to eat tiny meals and drink very small amounts forever. If you are able to lose the weight naturally and learn how to eat in moderation, you can achieve the same results without the possibility of serious surgical complications. As others have said, you can take advantage of the pre-op counseling and see how you do on your own then decide from there.

My ex husband opted to have surgery two years ago. It was a nightmare for him. He almost died twice. Once because of complications that led to severe dehydration and near kidney failure. The second time, he threw a clot that caused him to have a bilateral pulmonary embolism. If he hadn't been in the hospital with a doctor in the room at the time the embolism occurred, he would not have survived. He has since stabilized and the surgery has been a success but he has tons of medical bills he didn't anticipate. He went from over 500 pounds to just over 200 pounds. I have known others that had great success from the beginning with no complications at all. It's a very personal decision.

judyvalentine512

I don't know how food stamps work, but do you use them to buy groceries at the grocery store, or do you have to use them at a food bank? Either way, there must be low fat/calorie choices out there you can make. You sound young, personally, I don't think surgery is the way to go. I would try the lifestyle changes first. And, keep in mind, you didn't gain the weight overnight, you can't expect to lose it overnight either. My niece had the surgery, and like the poster above she has had lots of health issues since.
Good luck!

ki4eld

MissTattoo wrote: »

hi! You could always go through the program. Most insurance companies require you to go through a 6 month program with a nutritionist before they approve you for surgery. You don't have to go with the surgery at that point. You may be approved for it, but you don't have to do it.

and

debrakgoogins wrote: »

The thing to keep in mind is that the surgery doesn't fix the underlying issues of WHY you over eat and it is a life long change. You have to be willing to eat tiny meals and drink very small amounts forever. If you are able to lose the weight naturally and learn how to eat in moderation, you can achieve the same results without the possibility of serious surgical complications. As others have said, you can take advantage of the pre-op counseling and see how you do on your own then decide from there.

I had RNY last January 19th. I was losing with the pre-surgery diet, but not fast enough to keep my heart from failing. So, I had the surgery. Had I known about the pre-surgery diet (which is essentially a ketogenic diet) before my heart was in such bad shape, I might have avoided surgery altogether.

Make the positive changes to your diet, lifestyle, and emotional well-being now. If those mean you don't need surgery, that's awesome! That's the goal! If they don't, then surgery is an option and you're educated to know what you're in for.

I'm happy to talk to you about my experience, but there's a great group here on MFP where you can read about many stories, talk to people in various stages, and get a feel for what life will be like after surgery. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/637-gastric-bypass-vsg-lapband

Good luck!

MrsB123111

I had Roux En Y gastric bypass in 2011 and have lost 120+ pounds, and kept it off for nearly 5 years. The surgery was a huge help to me in being a catalyst to lead a much healthier life. I eat 5-6 small, balanced meals a day, go to the gym 4-5 times a week, get lots of rest and drink plenty of water. In addition to a monthly meeting with a counselor to keep myself mentally healthy. Obesity is so much more than just loving food. Additionally- I am 27 weeks pregnant now, and have only gained 23 pounds; I have very little pain or discomfort, I had no morning sickness, etc. My doctor attributes this to my healthy lifestyle.

If I had done these things prior to surgery, maybe I wouldn't have needed to do it, but I wouldn't change my experience for the world. Though these things sound easy, I know from first hand experience that changing old habits are HARD. My suggestion to you is try changing something new every week or so. Start with exercise: take the stairs instead of an elevator, take a walk during your lunch, buy some in home workout DVD's. Then move to your diet and so on. MFP has been a large part of my success.

If you make these changes, and still see no results- THEN I would seek surgery.

Best of luck to you!

wearmi1

I think the key to this is to use the foods you get from the food pantry and your food stamps wisely. Read labels and try to get the most nutritious things possible. Are you able to grow a few vegetable plants yourself? Or do you know anyone who does that you could get things from them or even a local community garden? At the end of the day you still need to be accountable for your calories regardless of what kinds of foods you're eating. Use the food data base on here and check things out before you eat them so you know how many calories you're getting before consuming them and weigh your foods for accurate calorie counts based on their weight. Good luck!

jgnatca

The post-RNY diet is slightly different based on where you live (local medical preference) and your personal circumstances.

Every post-RNY patient will have different tolerances so it's not like a one size fits all sort of thing. Many will have trouble eating a lot of sugar at once, or soft breads. But why give these up if these intolerances have nothing to do with why they are losing weight?

Here's a pretty good approximation of a post-RNY diet (excepting the first few months where only soft foods are tolerated while the stomach heals). Eat about 3/4 what you do now. Measure it out. This is economical and works with the foods you have available to you.

Eat at least 1,200 calories a day.

JennieMaeK

Last year at this time I weighed almost 240 lbs. You can successfully lose weight without the surgery. I'm not sure what the diet entails, but it might be worth trying. Alternatively, you could put your info into MFP and follow the calorie recommendations. Good luck to you. Feel free to add me if you like.

melonaulait

I started at 216lb and in 6 months I've lost around 30lb. You have a little bit more to lose, so you might even lose more in 6 months. That alone should be reason enough not to need bariatric surgery!

What I'm saying is, if you plug your stats into MFP and eat the calorie amount it suggests for you, weight loss will happen.

jgnatca

Here's a sample post-bariatric eating plan.

http://bariatrics.ucla.edu/workfiles/UCLA-Bariatric-postoperative-diet-instructions.pdf

I see no reason why anyone would choose the first six weeks of the plan if they hadn't had the surgery, which is intended to allow the stomach time to heal. Post-bariatric patients would have to work hard to eat to the plan up to six weeks.

pixlikesitcrazy

I'm 4 years out from gastric sleeve, 180 lbs lost in six months and I've kept it off with watching my diet and exercising.

There is no way to tell if you'll stick to the diet afterwards, my tastes changed completely after surgery and all the things I loved before made me feel like gagging after, things tasted different and my hormonal balance and metabolism changed completely.

The only way to be successful is to change your mind, they can alter your guts but that will eventually become easy to abuse, if you don't shift your focus and learn to look at food as fuel, it won't matter what surgery you have, and that's the dead truth.

lemurcat12

OP, are you talking about the post-surgery diet or the one people are asked to do prior to the surgery? I assumed the latter.

PaulaWallaDingDong

I started out last January at 5'3", 250 lbs, BMI 44.3, qualifying for surgery. I'm down to 184 by using MFP to help get my calories in check and learn how to moderate junk food. If your doc recommended surgery without getting you on a regimented weight loss plan first, or unless you're at serious risk of health complications RIGHT NOW due to your weight, then I'd be telling him to slow his roll. Or, maybe he's just trying to scare you into doing in on your own, in which case, maybe it's working! Surgery or not, you'll need to learn how to control your intake in order to be successful, so you might as well get started and see how it goes.

areallycoolstory

hiya,

i've lost about 97 lbs in the past year since joining mfp. my doctor offered a surgical option as well prior to my deciding to lose weight on my own. i was heavier than you when i started at just under 300 lbs. the reason i didn't go with the surgery, is i knew i would still have to learn how to control my eating even with the surgical method for the actual weight loss. but since i knew i could accomplish the weight loss by learning to control my eating, i decided that was a better route to take. my biggest concern about surgery was that if i had surgery, yet didn't develop a more healthy attitude about food, i would be in bigger trouble than ever. finally, the major advantage of losing weight without surgery is that it has given me both time and opportunity to develop a healthier attitude about food in the last year. i think keeping weight off is much harder than losing it, but having taken the last year to develop better habits with regard to eating and exercise makes me feel more confident about my chances.

RodaRose

A sampling of foods appropriate for SNAP/ Food stamps:
Lentils, Beans, Tuna, Cottage Cheese, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Yogurt, Tofu, Milk, Nuts
Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables.
Items from the pantries will work for you as well.

songbird13291

Lots of good information here.

Last winter I was anemic, and my gastroenterologist discovered I have a hiatal hernia. The surgeon she sent me to see recommended that I get bariatric surgery, specifically a "gastric sleeve", which has fewer risks/side effects than gastric bypass. He suggested I have the bariatric procedure at the same time as the hernia repair.

His office recommends that you see a psychologist for a full evaluation, that you meet with a nutritionist, and that you demonstrate your ability to lose weight through diet and exercise before the procedure is done, so that you will more likely be compliant with the post surgical diet.

I've lost 45 pounds since March, first on WW Points Plus, and now here on MFP. Of course, once you start losing via diet and exercise, you start to question whether you need to surgery after all.

It's a bit different for me, I need to have the hernia repaired in any event. But I've been putting off the surgery because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do vis a vis the bariatric procedure.

After my experience with WW Smartpoints -- which is why I'm here -- I realized I love my carbs and wouldn't do well on a food plan that was too low carb.

Hernia repair is in, gastric sleeve is out.

namelesshere

Just because it was suggested, doesn't mean you need to follow. At 250 pounds you are a good candidate for the MFP diet of counting calories. Yes, you will need to purchase a digital food scale if you do not already have one. It will take a couple of seconds to weigh each item you put in your mouth, and a few more seconds to use the MFP site and log your intake accurately to meet your goals. The good news is you can still eat anything (just have to make sure you have the daily calories for it), it doesn't cost anything, (in fact your grocery bill should be less because you are eating less), there are no medical risks as there are with surgery (I lost a good friend to complications from bariatric surgery). Even after surgery, you will still need to learn to eat differently so why not give MFP 6 months, get in the routine, and watch your weight go down.

earlnabby

judyvalentine512 wrote: »

I don't know how food stamps work, but do you use them to buy groceries at the grocery store, or do you have to use them at a food bank? Either way, there must be low fat/calorie choices out there you can make. You sound young, personally, I don't think surgery is the way to go. I would try the lifestyle changes first. And, keep in mind, you didn't gain the weight overnight, you can't expect to lose it overnight either. My niece had the surgery, and like the poster above she has had lots of health issues since.
Good luck!

Yes, you use them to purchase groceries at the store. A few things cannot be purchased with them like non-food items (even necessities like toilet paper), alcohol, cigarettes, and prepared hot foods like a rotisserie chicken (weird technicality IMHO).

It is all about learning about nutrition, planning, and budgeting. It can be done. I have lost 125 lb. so far while on food stamps.

tomteboda

Keep in mind that doctors get $$$ for referrals. Hospitals make $$$$ from the surgery. Dont' kid yourself. You can (you absolutely CAN!) bring down your weight without surgery, no matter what health challenges you are facing. It will take a serious commitment to yourself by yourself.

(1) Make 100% of your own food. Can you cook? If not, its time to learn.

If you don't have a stove, just a camp stove or hot plate can help a lot. Lots of high-nutrient foods are cheap; brown rice, lentils & beans, potatoes. Use meats as a "flavoring".. instead of eating a hamburger, you can put 6 oz of hamburger into a hotdish (casserole) that will feed you for 3-4 meals. A can of tuna can similarly feed you several times when in a salad. Shop sales, use coupons, etc. Concentrate on getting enough fiber and protein.

(2) Count your calories. If you can afford a kitchen scale (they're on sale all over right now), go for it. If not, use measuring cups and measure consistently (level them off). Be 100% honest with yourself. And for the love of everything, if you want to succeed, use MFP here and set a weight loss goal of no more than 1 lb / week. Follow the calorie limit. Because if you are too aggressive (2+ lbs/week) you're going to be hungry and set yourself up for failure.

(3) Because you're on a limited variety budget, make sure you take a one-daily-vitamin. Its really easy to miss your nutrients when dieting, or on a restricted budget. A bottle of vitamins is really cheap and will help protect you.

(4) Move! Even if its just a little a day, moving makes a big difference. First, you aren't eating (seriously!). Second, you're burning calories. Third, you're improving your overall physical condition. I could barely walk when I started because of serious health problems, but persistence has really paid off and now I walk several miles a day. Whether its dancing in your room and challenging yourself to go a little longer every week, or walking around the block, or going to your school's gym, it all counts.

Last year I was 270 lbs. Today I weighed in at 199. You can do it, too, and it doesn't take major surgery. It just takes a lot of dedication and honesty.

riceflourde

Ask the food bank for cereal without sugar (cheerios or plain shredded wheat), canned produce, and unsweetened applesauce.
YMMV some may accommodate dietary needs others may not. Volunteers also vary, some will applaud you for trying to eat healthy and others will act like they are The Great One and you should grovel then rejoice for sugar filled food.

KittyinVic

I am 51 years old and weigh 231lb (105kg) and intend to lose it by diet and exercise. You say that you cannot exercise but walking around the campus is exercise. Tidying up your room is exercise too. Although your food choices are limited, you can still count the calories and see results. You can do this. I believe in you!!!!!

SuziM2830

Ok, be warned - you are about to experience a WOT (wall of text) LOL* This is my personal experience with Gastric bypass surgery
I had Bariatric bypass surgery 11 years ago - i tried Every diet known to man (ok, maybe that is a BIT exagerated lol* but close) - nothing WORKED. I finally made the decision after reading on the NIH website that gastric bypass was the only known cure for Type2 diabetes, which i had, and which my older brother had already lost a foot to. I also had Joint issues and couldn't exercise, had numbness in 2 fingers, had become unbelievably depressed, and was completely terrified that diabetes would do to me what it had already done to my brother. Diabetes is a silent killer - you do not feel the effects until the damage is done - and THAT, is frightening. I thought about having this surgery for YEARS, but kept telling myself the next "diet" would work - and that, i could DO THIS with enough will power and discipline. After fighting this battle for most of my life -I finally said, enough of this! Life is too short and what i'm experiencing is NOT life! I began the long battle to get my bypass surgery approved by my medical insurance. Even my GPysician, - who i dearly loved, initially fought me until I sent her the links from NIH and other healthcare sites, and studies and she read them. For the next six months she and I worked hard to get approval and jump through all of the hoops required by my health insurance company. The first time, i was denied. BUT i was determined, fought them, got an attorney and threatened to sue them - because the surgery was medically mandated in my case. I finally won. I had already done a TON of research and knew a lot about the procedure and had even picked my surgeon. I would recommend to ANYONE who has this done to spend A LOT of time learning about it and researching every nuance of the procedure. This surgery is DANGEROUS - you need to understand that it is not 100% foolproof, and that is why you do not want to entrust yourself to just any hospital that performs this type of surgery. Your life is in the hands of that surgeon. Research, ask lots of questions - how many times has the surgeon in questioned performed the bariatric surgery. Find out what their mortality rate has been for that surgery - ask them point blank. Get as much information as you possibly can on the Surgeon, on the hospital, etc. I repeat again - IF you don't chose the right surgeon, and don't follow pre-op directions - you have placed yourself in a very dangerous position. I had a cousin who had bariatric surgery - she did NOT research it, and nor did she follow the surgeons orders pre-op. The night before her surgery, she decided to have a meal to end all meals with everything she loved and lots of it. She also just took whatever surgeon she found - even though i had recommended my surgeon who was one of the top 5 leading surgeons of this type in the world at that time. My cousin died the day of her surgery. There was a very small acid leak from her stomach and the acid leaked into her chest cavity - this is probably the biggest danger after this type of surgery. I don't mean to scare you - BUT i DO mean to make a point that this decision to do this is not to be taken lightly.
Having said that - I have not been sorry I had this surgery in any way. Not even for a minute. It dramatically improved my health and my life. The numbness in my hand disappeared, I could walk - and eventually jog - but the VERY BEST of all? My type2 Diabetes totally disappeared. I weighed 262 pounds at 5'3" - and within a year i had dropped to 148 which was actually too small (my doc said take off 15 pds for the excess skin - so that meant at 148, i actually weighed around 130. I was a size 5 petite. I decided i needed to gain a little back - and that was hard to do - believe it or not. I made LOTS of changes that i was finally able to make. I was never a junk food junkie, - so i just continued to eat a healthy diet, carefully making sure i was getting enough protein, etc. I did not return to eating breads and a lot of grains, etc. My life opened up. I began to do the things i'd always wanted to do - i took sailing classes, I took a scuba diving class, I traveled, and so many other things. I became more social and no longer felt awkward and so self concious. I'm NOT saying that losing weight will make your life 100% perfect - it won't. But I am saying you will feel 1000% better, and that's the honest truth.
I went back up to a size 8 - 10 and I felt i looked much healthier, and so did my family and friends. I want you to know that after my surgery, i continued to follow all of my surgeons directions for post op. The biggest things he stressed was to Eat at least 50 gms a day of protein, drink my water - have lab work done regularly and take oral Vitamin B-12. After bariatric surgery, your body will no longer be able to readily absorb some vitamins the way it did before - so stay on top of that. Jump ahead to present -- I have gained about 50 pds back in the last three years - and thats another story. My surgery did not fail me - I just experienced 3 back to back traumas - that I did not handle well, and became extremely depressed for about 3 yrs - i literally did not move, and the weight came back. But i'm fighting back now, and
Presently, I am on the Ketogenic Diet (for about 2.5 wks) and feeling GREAT. I am never hungry, my blood sugars are back down, I have tons of energy and i have lost 11 pounds - This will be my way of life from here on out and i'm super happy. I have not been trying to discourage you - I KNOW first hand how frustrating it is when you eat healthy and try to do everything your doctor tells you, or the weight loss plan directs you to do, and nothing works and you feel ashamed because you are sure that everyone thinks you're slacking, or you're just some kind of lazy slob. At least that's how i felt. I want to leave you with what my Bariatric surgeon told me on my first visit. He said, Listen - there is no need to feel guilty, or ashamed of having surgery. We know from our studies that some people have what i now call, a "primitive" metabolism. Their bodies are much more efficient at survival than others, and what they eat? they store. I feel certain that you know your own body better than everyone, and anyone else. If you know that you have tried everything out there and you have done your research, - I say go for it - and don't let anyone else make you feel bad about it. I actually got online today after reading your post and writing mine, and if you, or anyone else is interested in where I had my surgery, and what surgeon I used. Go to: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns_hopkins_bayview/medical_services/specialty_care/bariatrics, OR you can just look up smallscar.com My Dr's. name is: Dr. Michael Schweitzer. Please feel free to friend me - or ask questions- I will be glad to help in any way i can. God Bless you on your marvelous journey, and I hope you will let us know what you decide - we'll be here to support and encourage you in whatever you ultimately decide.
P.S. Sorry for the HUGE wall of Text LOL* - but i hope it helps someone

mzzzfrog

I had bariatric surgery in 2001 and I have never regretted it. But that said, you will always have to be aware of what you are eating or you will gain the weight back. If you can lose the weight without surgery then that is definitely a better option. If you can't do it on your own go to a weight loss surgery center and see what they can do to help you. The one I went to now offers surgery plus other options. Do your homework and choose a doctor/clinic that has a great reputation. Don't short change your health and go for the cheapest option.

Enjcg5

tomteboda wrote: »

Keep in mind that doctors get $$$ for referrals. Hospitals make $$$$ from the surgery. Dont' kid yourself. You can (you absolutely CAN!) bring down your weight without surgery, no matter what health challenges you are facing. It will take a serious commitment to yourself by yourself.

(1) Make 100% of your own food. Can you cook? If not, its time to learn.

If you don't have a stove, just a camp stove or hot plate can help a lot. Lots of high-nutrient foods are cheap; brown rice, lentils & beans, potatoes. Use meats as a "flavoring".. instead of eating a hamburger, you can put 6 oz of hamburger into a hotdish (casserole) that will feed you for 3-4 meals. A can of tuna can similarly feed you several times when in a salad. Shop sales, use coupons, etc. Concentrate on getting enough fiber and protein.

(2) Count your calories. If you can afford a kitchen scale (they're on sale all over right now), go for it. If not, use measuring cups and measure consistently (level them off). Be 100% honest with yourself. And for the love of everything, if you want to succeed, use MFP here and set a weight loss goal of no more than 1 lb / week. Follow the calorie limit. Because if you are too aggressive (2+ lbs/week) you're going to be hungry and set yourself up for failure.

(3) Because you're on a limited variety budget, make sure you take a one-daily-vitamin. Its really easy to miss your nutrients when dieting, or on a restricted budget. A bottle of vitamins is really cheap and will help protect you.

(4) Move! Even if its just a little a day, moving makes a big difference. First, you aren't eating (seriously!). Second, you're burning calories. Third, you're improving your overall physical condition. I could barely walk when I started because of serious health problems, but persistence has really paid off and now I walk several miles a day. Whether its dancing in your room and challenging yourself to go a little longer every week, or walking around the block, or going to your school's gym, it all counts.

Last year I was 270 lbs. Today I weighed in at 199. You can do it, too, and it doesn't take major surgery. It just takes a lot of dedication and honesty.

This! Food scale, protein, water, fiber-rich foods are your best friends. Everything else is "extra".