Recently had VGS, looking for advice

homerismyhero

Hello! I had my VGS on 3/19/14. I started at 325 and am down to 299, but the scale has STOPPED! Nothing for a week. I lost half before the surg. I'm on Stage 3 now with food. Is this normal? When will things start moving again?! Also, I'm meeting with a nutritionist again soon, but about how many calories do you find yourself consuming at this point? I'm back at work, but my job is sedantary. I haven't started working out yet, but have started walking a lot more. I've heard that the big danger with weight gain on this is grazing, and I don't even want to start, so what limits do you set for yourself?

Mangopickle

750-850 calories a day now. 450-650 the first month. Don't graze because you will forget food you ate and fail to log it. Eat without drinking so your food gets digested and you get satiety without washing your food thru. Weigh and measure all food. Seems extreme but your calorie count will be way off if you do not. Hit your protein goals. Stalls are normal as your body resets your metabolism as you lose wt. Don't eat empty carbs(pasta, potato, rice) They are high in calories and take up space needed for protein. When you stall you must be even more vigilant not to get depressed and graze or eat your trigger foods. This will only start a vicious cycle of snacking and gaining. It may take 3 wks but your body will give in . I am in a stall now, but I know my body will eventually give in.

csmccord

I had the RNY surgery 19 months ago, but at the stage you're at, everything is much the same regardless of surgery type. Stalls are very common, you'll more than likely have another one eventually. Mango is basically spot on. I didn't start tracking until about 12 months post-op. I was never given a calorie count to follow, however I was given amounts to follow. At your stage in my journey I was eating three meals a day of no more than 2 oz of food each.

So, weigh your food, eat it slowly and only eat until you feel satisfied. Make sure you follow the 30/30 rule. No liquids 30 minutes before meals, take 30 minutes to eat your meal, then no liquids for 30 minutes after the meal. I think that rule is common for all bariatric surgery types. It takes 20 minutes for the full signal to reach your brain, so the idea is that if you eat slower, then you'll eat less.

Make sure you at least meet your protein goals. At your stage I was taking 3 protein shakes a day for about 60 or 70 gm of protein just from supplements. The protein helps boost metabolism and keep you full longer. Always eat your protein first. Your meals should consist mostly of protein, then some veggies if you have room left afterward. It was suggested that I not have bread, rice or pasta until at least 6 months post-surgery. I still tend not eat rice or pasta, and only eat bread once a week or so for my "cheat meal". I don't miss these foods at all.

I can't stress how important protein is to your new lifestyle. You can't get enough of it! Remember, protein first!

homerismyhero

Thank you both so much for your help. I've seen your other posts on topics and you are both always very helpful, I'm glad you participate in this forum. I do better with limits! I did decide that now that I've been off coffe, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread for the past six weeks- I'm not going back. It's just not worth it- it's a food that I can't limit myself on and its better to just abstain. I am doing protien first, but am getting it mainly from a protien shake in the morning, scrambled eggs or egg/tuna salad for lunch, and cottage chees/hummus for dinner/snacks. I think I have to try harder to follow the 30/30 rule- I find I'm thirsty a lot and often drinking water, which isn't bad, I just need to put it down before I'm ready to eat.
I may start incorporating more frutis and veg soon, but that's about it for my plans to advance my diet.

csmccord

After a few months my surgeon dropped the no liquids before part. Now my 30/30 is just 30 minutes to finish a meal, and no liquids for 30 minutes after. It's honestly just become habit now.

I was like you, at the beginning, I said no bread, rice or pasta. I'll admit we do potatoes some now. I have bread once a week or so. I usually have a Subway 6 in or Potbelly Thin-cut sandwich. I've tried rice once, didn't go down well. Got stuck, and that's just painful. I have had pasta a few time, typically asian carryout, however I've only had that maybe 2 or 3 times since surgery.

So, for me I say no bread, rice or pasta as a general rule, however I'm willing to relax it to some degree for special occasions. Those used to be my trigger foods, but now I don't even miss them. I've softened on my initial views of what I would/wouldn't do post-surgery. But, I didn't really start softening on the rules, until close to my 1 year surgiversary.

I think the most important thing is that I've been able to find good analogs for my favorite foods. For pasta, I julienne zucchini. For pizza, I put it on tortillas. Quinoa works well for rice. We've even made fried rice with quinoa. So, it's about experimenting with foods and maybe making modifications to things you loved pre-surgery. Just because you change your lifestyle doesn't mean you don't have to enjoy your food anymore!

homerismyhero

I started making some of those changes and substitutions before the surg but just couldn't seem to take it all the way. Now- that's much easier at least. I like your process, realx it a little after I've learned some new habits and self control. For now- I'm keeping it clean! It's hard too becuase in our family rice and or past was part of every meal- and I've had to force my family to make the changes too, thier not always happy about it, but it's important.

csmccord

I guess that is the benefit of both my wife and I having the RNY about 6 weeks apart. We have a three year old, so she rarely eats what we eat anyway. My wife and I eat the same foods had have placed the same restrictions on ourselves. I attribute much of my success to the fact that we both live the same lifestyle now.

bobbihunter33

Thanks for the info.