Angela asked me today, how she can get around eating artificially sweetened foods after gastric bypass surgery. Since it seems that many of us really do depend on protein bars and things filled with artificial sweeteners, it's a good question. How can you eat without living on chemically enhanced foods and beverages?
First of all - YMMV - but - In My Experiences, most bariatric surgeons and nutritionists actually suggest that you do NOT depend on "supplements" for your nutrition. They're to be used sparingly, but not as a main source of nutrition. You'll notice on many of the wrappers of protein bars and snacks, they say "do not use for weight reduction" or "not to be used as a sole source of nutrition."
For an example of a "typical" end of the stage-diet, Download POSTOPDIET4.pdf (45.5K)">click here
. These type of eating plans incorporate mostly normal, everyday foods that you're probably already eating on a normal basis. The difference? Obviously, the serving sizes are appropriate for your wee pouch after it's totally healed.
Also, foods high in sugar and fat are absolutely discouraged, because of the reality of the gastric dumping after surgery. (A quick note about sugar, keep the "sweet sixteen" in mind, sixteen grams of sugar, no more, in a meal, for me, that includes natural food sugars, like fruit. In highly concentrated sugary foods, it's lower, for me, more like eight grams.)
The "typical" diet plan* includes lots of basic foods that you can re-learn to eat pretty easily, at least if you're without complication. Eating on a plan like that, you're not using many artificial sweeteners, if at all, because you're eating "real food." This is the way most doctors will suggest you eat, for life. Take your doctors' advice above mine.
My advice - follow your docs' plan - and adjust as needed. If you can stand plain water, unsweetened coffee, tea, etc, go for it.
Most sugar-free "sweets" are HORRIBLY DISGUSTING anyway and cause a Severe And Urgent Need To Defecate, or at least you fart until your cheeks rumble, avoid them altogether.
For protein supplements or other extras, find the most natural ones you can. Hit your organic food store and scour the labels. It will take a lot of trial and error to decide what works for you. The advice here is, buy ONE of each item, take it home, and dump-test it.
That said. I do not eat that way. I do not follow a "typical" post gastric bypass eating plan, and I never have, even at first. Now, a few years out, I still can't eat totally normally, I have lots of distress from eating many many foods, including vegetables in most forms. I eat very little in terms of variety. It sucks. (** Disclaimer --- I had a miscarried pregnancy and a full-term pregnancy in the last eighteen months, and gained a lot of weight back eating like poop, so ignore that period of time, please. ) Now, I eat "better" - but not at all typical. I'm actively trying to lose weight now - so I'm on high protein, low simple carbs and gads of caffeine. This may translate to a day like this (um, today?)
Breakfastlike: 170 cal Pure Protein Bar
Snacky: 90 cal Lowfat Breakstones Cottage Cheese - 4 oz snack cup
Snack Again: 100 cal Jumbo Green Olives
Lunchish: 110 cal Vanilla Protein Powder in 20 oz. water/orange crystal light
"Dinner with family": Four bites noodles, one bite corn.
Snacklike: 170 cal Pure Protein Bar
And, missing, several cups of coffee with Calorie Countdown "Milk," or a dollop of half and half, a can of Tab Energy, a little water, and a can of diet ginger ale.
I'll probably eat at least once more before bed - or in the middle of the night when I wake with the baby, I generally dig up a protein bar. If I get the serious grazing munchies at night, I try to stave 'em off with frozen sugarfree pudding or drinks - lots of coffee, diet soda, crystal light, hot teas, etc. (Have you noticed I'm not really a good example?) I'd guess I eat around 1200-1500 calories when I'm having a good day (like today's eating - I'm going to end at about 1200, which is great for me, I'll lose weight.)
Angela asked me today, how she can get around eating artificially sweetened foods after gastric bypass surgery. Since it seems that many of us really do depend on protein bars and things filled with artificial sweeteners, it's a good question. How can you eat without living on chemically enhanced foods and beverages?
First of all - YMMV - but - In My Experiences, most bariatric surgeons and nutritionists actually suggest that you do NOT depend on "supplements" for your nutrition. They're to be used sparingly, but not as a main source of nutrition. You'll notice on many of the wrappers of protein bars and snacks, they say "do not use for weight reduction" or "not to be used as a sole source of nutrition."
For an example of a "typical" end of the stage-diet, Download POSTOPDIET4.pdf (45.5K)">click here . These type of eating plans incorporate mostly normal, everyday foods that you're probably already eating on a normal basis. The difference? Obviously, the serving sizes are appropriate for your wee pouch after it's totally healed.
Also, foods high in sugar and fat are absolutely discouraged, because of the reality of the gastric dumping after surgery. (A quick note about sugar, keep the "sweet sixteen" in mind, sixteen grams of sugar, no more, in a meal, for me, that includes natural food sugars, like fruit. In highly concentrated sugary foods, it's lower, for me, more like eight grams.)
The "typical" diet plan* includes lots of basic foods that you can re-learn to eat pretty easily, at least if you're without complication. Eating on a plan like that, you're not using many artificial sweeteners, if at all, because you're eating "real food." This is the way most doctors will suggest you eat, for life. Take your doctors' advice above mine.
My advice - follow your docs' plan - and adjust as needed. If you can stand plain water, unsweetened coffee, tea, etc, go for it.
Most sugar-free "sweets" are HORRIBLY DISGUSTING anyway and cause a Severe And Urgent Need To Defecate, or at least you fart until your cheeks rumble, avoid them altogether.
For protein supplements or other extras, find the most natural ones you can. Hit your organic food store and scour the labels. It will take a lot of trial and error to decide what works for you. The advice here is, buy ONE of each item, take it home, and dump-test it.
That said. I do not eat that way. I do not follow a "typical" post gastric bypass eating plan, and I never have, even at first. Now, a few years out, I still can't eat totally normally, I have lots of distress from eating many many foods, including vegetables in most forms. I eat very little in terms of variety. It sucks. (** Disclaimer --- I had a miscarried pregnancy and a full-term pregnancy in the last eighteen months, and gained a lot of weight back eating like poop, so ignore that period of time, please. ) Now, I eat "better" - but not at all typical. I'm actively trying to lose weight now - so I'm on high protein, low simple carbs and gads of caffeine. This may translate to a day like this (um, today?)
Breakfastlike: 170 cal Pure Protein Bar
Snacky: 90 cal Lowfat Breakstones Cottage Cheese - 4 oz snack cup
Snack Again: 100 cal Jumbo Green Olives
Lunchish: 110 cal Vanilla Protein Powder in 20 oz. water/orange crystal light
"Dinner with family": Four bites noodles, one bite corn.
Snacklike: 170 cal Pure Protein Bar
And, missing, several cups of coffee with Calorie Countdown "Milk," or a dollop of half and half, a can of Tab Energy, a little water, and a can of diet ginger ale.
I'll probably eat at least once more before bed - or in the middle of the night when I wake with the baby, I generally dig up a protein bar. If I get the serious grazing munchies at night, I try to stave 'em off with frozen sugarfree pudding or drinks - lots of coffee, diet soda, crystal light, hot teas, etc. (Have you noticed I'm not really a good example?) I'd guess I eat around 1200-1500 calories when I'm having a good day (like today's eating - I'm going to end at about 1200, which is great for me, I'll lose weight.)