Well, I made it. And I learned a few things.
First, we eat way more than we need to. With such limited portions, I was expecting to be hungry all the time, but this was not the case. In fact, I only felt hungry when I skipped a snack or waited too long to eat, which is no different from my normal, non-bariatric diet. Our eyes truly are bigger than our stomachs.
Next, staying sufficiently hydrated while on a bariatric diet is not easy. The only day my pee was clear (sorry for being crude) was Saturday, the day before my race. Hydration has a significant and obvious affect on performance. If I didn't get enough water on Saturday, I'd be hurtin' right now. Proper hydration is not as obvious when you're relatively inactive for most of the day.
Finally, adjusting to strict dietary guidelines and unfamiliar requirements (like daily minimum protein) demands a great deal of thought and planning, and when you can't eat what you'd like to, the last thing you want to think about is food.
To track nutrients and calories I recorded everything I ate. This strategy may help bariatric patients (and anyone else for that matter) limit calorie intake and lose weight, but it certainly isn't easy – it's a pain in the ass, and as a result, eating is not as enjoyable. I love lentil soup, but when I have to eat it because it's a mushy source of high protein, I don't look forward to it.
This leaves me with one very big question. At what point during the post-surgery journey do bariatric patients permanently adjust to the dietary requirements of their new stomachs and rediscover enjoyment in food? Do they reach this point at all?
After only a week on the diet, I plan to celebrate my success with pizza and beer. Perhaps I did not have sufficient time to adjust, but I can't imagine that pizza and beer ever cease to be appealing.
Thanks for reading!
Rachel
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day Six: Soft Solids (3)
I've reached the point of acceptance. I know what kind of food I have to eat, I'm not that excited about it, but I really don't care. I'll continue to eat my tiny meals and snacks and move on. The end of this diet experiment is drawing near. No sense in complaining about protein shakes now.
At our office happy hour, I didn't mind that I was drinking chocolate milk while everyone else was enjoying cold beers. We were outside enjoying the beautiful weather – it felt good enough just to be there. No beer needed.
On the way home I stopped into Whole Foods to pick up some things for a race-ready dinner. Most people think that it's best to load up on pasta the night before the big day, but the most important meal is actually two nights before the race. And a heavy pasta dinner is not always the best choice.
I picked out some yams for carbohydrates and tilapia for protein (soft white fish is a recommended food item in this phase of the diet). I cut up the yams and roasted them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I cooked the tilapia the same way. Since I need to store up calories for the race, I ate a large dinner portion – more than a bariatric stomach could probably handle. Yes, I cheated. But in all fairness, I don't think a post-op patient would be jumping up to run a half marathon at this stage.
One more day.
Friday's foods:
Rachel
At our office happy hour, I didn't mind that I was drinking chocolate milk while everyone else was enjoying cold beers. We were outside enjoying the beautiful weather – it felt good enough just to be there. No beer needed.
On the way home I stopped into Whole Foods to pick up some things for a race-ready dinner. Most people think that it's best to load up on pasta the night before the big day, but the most important meal is actually two nights before the race. And a heavy pasta dinner is not always the best choice.
I picked out some yams for carbohydrates and tilapia for protein (soft white fish is a recommended food item in this phase of the diet). I cut up the yams and roasted them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I cooked the tilapia the same way. Since I need to store up calories for the race, I ate a large dinner portion – more than a bariatric stomach could probably handle. Yes, I cheated. But in all fairness, I don't think a post-op patient would be jumping up to run a half marathon at this stage.
One more day.
Friday's foods:
- Breakfast: 1 Poached egg, 1 slice of quinoa toast
- Snack: 4 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt with protein powder, 1/2 banana
- Lunch: 8 oz. Lentil soup
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk, 1 skim milk string cheese
- Dinner: 6 oz. Tilapia fillet, 4 oz. white rice, 6 oz. roasted yams
Rachel
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day Five: Soft Solids (2)
I've poached a lot of eggs before, but the one I made this morning was quite possibly the best. A perfect little pouch, the yolk cooked just right. Oh, so good. I ate it with a toasted slice of high protein quinoa bread. In total, today's breakfast had almost as much protein as the smoothies I've been drinking, and it was much more enjoyable.
Throughout each day, I've been logging my meals and snacks and the amount of protein and calories in each. The past three days, I've barely met the daily minimum protein requirement, and come up short on total calories. Today I tried to eat a bit more, meals and snacks still spread out in small portions, with more focus on protein consumption. For example, instead of a chocolate milk snack, I ate yogurt fortified with protein powder. The consistency was a little strange, but it tasted alright.
Here is everything I ate today:
- Breakfast: 1 Poached egg, 1 slice of quinoa toast
- Snack: 4 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt with protein powder
- Lunch: 8 oz. Lentil soup
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- Snack: 1 tbsp Peanut butter
- Dinner: 8 oz. Veggie chili
- Snack: 1 Skim milk string cheese
With a few extra calories behind me, I felt up for a run. I only went out for about 30 minutes, but it felt really good (I ran on Tuesday night as well). Lately, I've been logging about 20 – 26 miles per week, in preparation for the NYC Half Marathon this Sunday.
Race day also marks the end of the diet. I am very much looking forward to a large, non-bariatric post-race breakfast :-)
Rachel
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day Four: Soft Solids (1)
I did not take out the blender this morning; I made scrambled eggs instead. Yum! When I sat down to eat, the excitement of solid food overtook me, and I inhaled my breakfast in about 30 seconds. Tomorrow, I'll try a poached egg on toast. Maybe that will slow me down.
I also finished the last few ounces of the Naked Protein Mango Juice Smoothie I bought for breakfast on Sunday. It took me 4 days to finish 16 ounces!
On the way to work I stopped for a coffee. Caffeine is not good for the bariatric stomach, so I had to get a decaf. Coffee lovers like myself consider drinking decaf to be a mortal sin, but I had to compromise.
Did you know that Starbucks sells a drink size that's smaller than a Tall? It's called a Short, and it's not advertised on the drink menu. Why not? Because who would want only 8 wussy ounces of coffee? Me. I do. The Japanese do. In Japan, Short is on the menu! It's no wonder we eat so much. Look at the options we're given.
My lunch options were no exception. At the soup stand in Penn Station, I had a choice between a large lentil soup and an extra large lentil soup. Um, I guess I'll take the large and throw half of it away.
These are our fast food options. And unfortunately, most of us eat fast food most of the time. I always eat less when I prepare my own food. You probably do too.
Here are the soft foods I ingested today:
Right now I want a salad – not french fries, not ice cream – I want something fresh that isn't a blended banana. Fibrous vegetables and fruit skins are too difficult for the Bariatric stomach to break down at this stage, so although my meal options have increased, most fresh fruits and veggies are still off limits. Bummer.
Rachel
I also finished the last few ounces of the Naked Protein Mango Juice Smoothie I bought for breakfast on Sunday. It took me 4 days to finish 16 ounces!
On the way to work I stopped for a coffee. Caffeine is not good for the bariatric stomach, so I had to get a decaf. Coffee lovers like myself consider drinking decaf to be a mortal sin, but I had to compromise.
Did you know that Starbucks sells a drink size that's smaller than a Tall? It's called a Short, and it's not advertised on the drink menu. Why not? Because who would want only 8 wussy ounces of coffee? Me. I do. The Japanese do. In Japan, Short is on the menu! It's no wonder we eat so much. Look at the options we're given.
My lunch options were no exception. At the soup stand in Penn Station, I had a choice between a large lentil soup and an extra large lentil soup. Um, I guess I'll take the large and throw half of it away.
These are our fast food options. And unfortunately, most of us eat fast food most of the time. I always eat less when I prepare my own food. You probably do too.
Here are the soft foods I ingested today:
- Breakfast: 1 Egg, scrambled and 4 oz. Naked Protein Mango Juice Smoothie
- Snack: 4 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt with 1/2 banana
- Lunch: 8 oz. Lentil soup
- Snack: 1 Skim milk mozzarella string cheese
- Dinner: 8 oz. Veggie chili
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
Right now I want a salad – not french fries, not ice cream – I want something fresh that isn't a blended banana. Fibrous vegetables and fruit skins are too difficult for the Bariatric stomach to break down at this stage, so although my meal options have increased, most fresh fruits and veggies are still off limits. Bummer.
Rachel
Day Three: Pureed Foods (again)
My protein smoothies are already improving. I added berries this morning. Big move. I also made more than I did yesterday – enough to use some for an afternoon snack. I can foresee this developing into an easy routine, a task that doesn't require much thought or the use of measuring cups. But I'll still have to clean the blender. Bummer.
Having consumed small portions for only three days, I've already noticed a difference in my appetite. I'm not as hungry as often, and I feel fuller faster. I had trouble finishing 8 ounces of soup, and I almost forgot to eat an afternoon snack. However, the desire to eat is still there. I want to eat even though I'm not hungry.
I also want to eat something other than liquid or mush. Last night, I had a dream about about a big, beautiful Italian sandwich. Roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and arugula on a giant semolina roll. Apparently, my psyche isn't satisfied with pureed peas. And why should it be? Deep down, I know that I only like mushy peas because I usually eat them with fish and chips drenched in malt vinegar, not mixed in with a pathetic portion of whipped potatoes.
The post-surgery diet, like many others, is not emotionally satisfying. I know what feeds my soul, and it is not protein shakes. The diet also affects social health. While my coworkers enjoyed a few beers after work, I sipped the remainder of my breakfast smoothie from a plastic container. My strange drink initiated many conversations about the diet. And while it helped to have the opportunity to explain myself, I would have preferred a beer and conversation about anything other than food.
Tuesday's menu:
Tomorrow, I can begin introducing soft solid foods, which are characterized as anything that can be easily smushed with a fork. This includes one of my favorite foods, scrambled eggs. Breakfast just got a whole lot better.
Rachel
Having consumed small portions for only three days, I've already noticed a difference in my appetite. I'm not as hungry as often, and I feel fuller faster. I had trouble finishing 8 ounces of soup, and I almost forgot to eat an afternoon snack. However, the desire to eat is still there. I want to eat even though I'm not hungry.
I also want to eat something other than liquid or mush. Last night, I had a dream about about a big, beautiful Italian sandwich. Roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and arugula on a giant semolina roll. Apparently, my psyche isn't satisfied with pureed peas. And why should it be? Deep down, I know that I only like mushy peas because I usually eat them with fish and chips drenched in malt vinegar, not mixed in with a pathetic portion of whipped potatoes.
The post-surgery diet, like many others, is not emotionally satisfying. I know what feeds my soul, and it is not protein shakes. The diet also affects social health. While my coworkers enjoyed a few beers after work, I sipped the remainder of my breakfast smoothie from a plastic container. My strange drink initiated many conversations about the diet. And while it helped to have the opportunity to explain myself, I would have preferred a beer and conversation about anything other than food.
Tuesday's menu:
- Breakfast: 8 oz. Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- Lunch: 8 oz. Roasted red pepper and tomato soup
- Snack: 2 oz. Whipped potatoes, 2 oz. Mushy peas
- Dinner: 8 oz. Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Snack: 4 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt
Tomorrow, I can begin introducing soft solid foods, which are characterized as anything that can be easily smushed with a fork. This includes one of my favorite foods, scrambled eggs. Breakfast just got a whole lot better.
Rachel
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day Two: Pureed Foods
The amount of preparation and planning it takes to maintain this phase of the diet is time consuming. Blenders are a pain in the ass to clean, and I've just about run out of plastic containers to store my pureed meals. The good news is that pureed foods aren't too bad. They're much more satisfying than liquids, and the chalky taste of protein powder is nearly undetectable in a fruit smoothie.
I've made it a habit to eat breakfast at work, so I packed my smoothie to go, along with lunch, supplements, and two snacks. That's not lentil soup. It's pureed black bean soup in a recycled lentil soup container.
My coworkers are well aware of this experiment, in fact, a few of them are probably reading this right now – hi, guys! At the office, I was approached with looks and questions of concern: "Are you okay?" "You must be starving." "How are you feeling?" To anyone who is still wondering, I'm fine.
I did get pretty hungry near the end of the day, and I had already slowly sipped my second chocolate milk, so I went in search of another diet friendly snack. Brandy said she'd eaten some peanut butter, which is always available in the kitchen. Excellent idea! Peanut butter has a good amount of protein, and it's delicious. It's also high in fat, so no more than one spoonful... Alas, the peanut butter was gone.
I'm ashamed to admit that I skipped my friend's birthday party to go home and puree dinner. Many bariatric patients struggle with social situations, and I can see why. I didn't even last long enough to get to the party.
Here is what I ate/drank on Monday:
Rachel
I've made it a habit to eat breakfast at work, so I packed my smoothie to go, along with lunch, supplements, and two snacks. That's not lentil soup. It's pureed black bean soup in a recycled lentil soup container.
My coworkers are well aware of this experiment, in fact, a few of them are probably reading this right now – hi, guys! At the office, I was approached with looks and questions of concern: "Are you okay?" "You must be starving." "How are you feeling?" To anyone who is still wondering, I'm fine.
I did get pretty hungry near the end of the day, and I had already slowly sipped my second chocolate milk, so I went in search of another diet friendly snack. Brandy said she'd eaten some peanut butter, which is always available in the kitchen. Excellent idea! Peanut butter has a good amount of protein, and it's delicious. It's also high in fat, so no more than one spoonful... Alas, the peanut butter was gone.
I'm ashamed to admit that I skipped my friend's birthday party to go home and puree dinner. Many bariatric patients struggle with social situations, and I can see why. I didn't even last long enough to get to the party.
Here is what I ate/drank on Monday:
- Breakfast: 8 – 10 oz. Fruit smoothie with protein powder
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- Lunch: 8 oz. Pureed black bean soup
- Snack: 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- Dinner: 8 oz. Whipped potatoes, 8 oz. Mushy peas
Rachel
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Day One: Liquids
The most difficult part of the first day was limiting my intake. During phase one, fluids must be sipped slowly, only 2 to 3 ounces at a time. To start, I measured out 3 ounces of water and poured it into a small juice glass. As I drank from the glass I made a mental note of how many sips it took to finish it (about 4 small sips). For the rest of the day, I drank from a 20 ounce water bottle, which I refilled once, limiting myself to no more than 4 sips at a time.
For breakfast I had a Naked protein juice smoothie, using the juice glass to measure out portions. Since my stomach is not the size of an egg, like bariatric patients, a few ounces did not make me feel full. No surprises there. Keeping in mind the amount of liquid patients are able to consume at a time (2 – 3 ounces), I drank about 8 ounces over 30 minutes.
I was careful to continue drinking about 4 sips of water or unsweetened juice steadily throughout the day. In the afternoon, my friend stopped by with coffee. Caffeine is on the do-not-eat list. Luckily, she got me a decaf, which I sipped happily, 3 ounces at a time.
As the day went on, I progressed to thicker liquids. Here is what I ate/drank today:
Rachel
For breakfast I had a Naked protein juice smoothie, using the juice glass to measure out portions. Since my stomach is not the size of an egg, like bariatric patients, a few ounces did not make me feel full. No surprises there. Keeping in mind the amount of liquid patients are able to consume at a time (2 – 3 ounces), I drank about 8 ounces over 30 minutes.
I was careful to continue drinking about 4 sips of water or unsweetened juice steadily throughout the day. In the afternoon, my friend stopped by with coffee. Caffeine is on the do-not-eat list. Luckily, she got me a decaf, which I sipped happily, 3 ounces at a time.
As the day went on, I progressed to thicker liquids. Here is what I ate/drank today:
- 8 oz. Naked Protein Mango Juice Smoothie
- 8 oz. Chocolate milk
- 8 oz. Low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 11 oz. Vanilla protein shake
- 8 oz. Black bean soup
Rachel
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