Final Day

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