Staying healthy on restrictive diet/very low fat

FedUpFoodie · September 2016

I've got gallstones and there's a six month wait for surgery. In the mean time I need to eat very low fat foods or I have horrible pains. The pain sometimes comes just randomly, too, meaning I have no desire to eat at all.

I also have IBS and lactose intolerance. I find that I have a lot of ...let's just say 'distress' if I eat wheat, beans, lentils, onions, raw fruits and veg (most veg are no problem in soups etc) and certain kinds of artificial sweetener.

I'm struggling to reach 1000 calories per day so I'm losing weight quite fast. I'm obese, so I want to be happy about that but I don't want to make myself sicker by eating like this for the next six months. What can I do to try and offset the health issues that can come with rapid weight loss and/or restrictive foods? I'm taking multivitamins, calcium supplements, probiotics and fibre. Drinking masses of herbal teas. Trying to do my best to eat whenever the pain is not present.

Ideas? As much as six months on a forced weight loss programme will do me some good in terms of my obesity, I don't want to be a wreck by the end of it.

Current go to foods:
Fat free, lactose free natural yogurt (I have to make this myself, big pain)
plain white rice
cod fillets
tinned tuna
egg white omelettes
home made tomato or root veg soup
plain porridge made with water
boiled or baked potatoes without any butter etc
steamed chicken
steamed greens

Help!

(I've only been using the diary for a couple of days so probably not very helpful)

Hamsibian · September 2016

If you just started your diet, then the weight loss tends to shed off and then slow down after a while. If you're still concerned after a while, you might want to up your carb intake a little - sweet potato, yams, taro, pumpkin, squash, carrots are some options, as well as dried fruit.

I found a website of other lean meat cuts http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/grocery-list-lean-meats-lowcarb-diet-2168.html

DebbieNeedham1 · September 2016

try the Holford Low GL diet - it's easy to follow, you eat plenty, and lose weight fast - it's all about eating the right things in the right way. It looks to me that you are eating too much protein and not enough fruit and veg.. I have been following this diet for 6 weeks now - and I have lost 12 pounds and I feel great!! So much healthier and more energy!! Good luck and don't give up!!

pebble4321 · September 2016

Wow, that's a tough situation.
I think if I was in your place I would be asking my doctor for a referral to a dietician. You need to stay healthy in the next six months and having a severely restricted list of foods you can eat sounds risky to me, I'd want to get some advice from a professional.

But in the meantime... what about nuts? If you can eat them in small quantities, they can be a good addition to make your soups more substantial. I often add cashews to a soup with chicken thighs (skinless), potato, broccoli, cauli, spinach, peas etc. Blended up, they make it creamy and yummy - but I guess it depends on if you can tolerate the fat in them. Or you can add skim milk powder to soup when you blend it - a bit more calcium and protein without the fat. Or what about adding unflavoured protein powder to soup, porridge etc?

Really though, I think you are best to see dietician (not a nutritionist, you want a registered professional).

DawnSober · September 2016

I understand what you're going through. I am gallbladder issues and just started eating very low fat --- 20% of calories is fat at this point. You can request me and check out today's diary. I also have a lactose sensitivity but I can eat wheat which is a big help for me.

jgnatca · September 2016

I am impressed that you came up with a decent variety of foods you can eat.

If you can make your own lactose free yogurt you may also want to try Kefir. Get the grains from a health food store and stir it in to lactose free milk. Cross your fingers. Kefir makes my tummy happy.

RodaRose · September 2016

Shrimp is low fat.
Lean cuts of beef and pork:

Eye of round roast and steak
Sirloin tip side steak
Top round roast and steak
Bottom round roast and steak
Top sirloin steak

http://www.porkbeinspired.com/nutrition/compare-pork/

Eat more of the root veggie soup. Eat it with rice to increase the calories.
Some people make a bone broth with the root veggie soup for good health and good taste:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beef-bone-broth-51260700

kommodevaran · September 2016

I have had my gallbladder removed, and I mourn the loss a bit. Low fat diets causes the buildup of stones, and when eating fat causes the pain when the gall bladder contracts to empty the bile to digest the meal, fat gets all the blame. Does anyone know if it's possible to get the stones out and keep the bladder? Surgically, I guess - if the stones could get out "the natural way", I'd think they would.

eluvscats · September 2016

I saw above some great suggestions on food, so I'll second all of that.

I had my gallbladder removed a little over a year ago, and I empathize with the horrible pain of attacks and desperately needing to avoid that by eating low fat.

*hugs* omg those gallbladder attacks are so bad... But, it will be so much better when it comes out, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel! I don't really understand why you can't get it out sooner than 6 months though... If a stone gets stuck in the bile duct, it can be an emergency surgery. Maybe look for another surgeon?

@kommodevaran based on my research in the medical literature, there are some prescription drugs you can take to try to dissolve stones without surgery, but they usually only use this in much older patients for whom a surgery would be too risky. And if the drugs work, it takes months to have any dissolution effect. Additionally, stones are likely to reform because of the underlying imbalances in the concentration of the bile, so younger patients would likely develop new stones later anyway. I waffled around on having the surgery for ten years but eventually got it done when I literally couldn't function anymore due to the almost constant pain from several marble-sized stones in my gallbladder. Those little jerks...

kommodevaran · September 2016

eluvscats wrote: »

I saw above some great suggestions on food, so I'll second all of that. I had my gallbladder removed a little over a year ago, and I empathize with the horrible pain of attacks and desperately needing to avoid that by eating low fat. *hugs* omg those gallbladder attacks are so bad... But, it will be so much better when it comes out, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel! I don't really understand why you can't get it out sooner than 6 months though... If a stone gets stuck in the bile duct, it can be an emergency surgery. Maybe look for another surgeon?

I had to wait some to get my operation too, but I don't think it was that long! The attacks were terrible. The worst part was that I felt paralyzed - anything could trigger them. (I still get occasional attacks, but they never last long. I don't know what they are, maybe just phantom pains, lol.)

@kommodevaran based on my research in the medical literature, there are some prescription drugs you can take to try to dissolve stones without surgery, but they usually only use this in much older patients for whom a surgery would be too risky. And if the drugs work, it takes months to have any dissolution effect. Additionally, stones are likely to reform because of the underlying imbalances in the concentration of the bile, so younger patients would likely develop new stones later anyway. I waffled around on having the surgery for ten years but eventually got it done when I literally couldn't function anymore due to the almost constant pain from several marble-sized stones in my gallbladder. Those little jerks...

Thank you. I tried to google, and it seems that they can get out stones from the bile duct, without removing the gallbladder, and drugs and also ultrasound are non-surgical methods.

What if the patient starts drinking more water regularly, and then when doctor gives go-ahead, as ultrasound shows the stones are dissolved, starts to eat more fat?

It's crazy that what causes gallstones isn't seriously looked into by scientists. But it's so ingrained in our mindset to just treat the symptoms.

Staying healthy on restrictive diet/very low fat

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