Diet for life??

My opinion is that you can look at it two ways.....

- A diet or a lifestyle change...... both take education, commitment and compliance and are basically one of the same.

I would question a Doc and Nut that tell you that you wouldn't have to "diet". He/she must have the golden touch and every patient gets 100% EWL and keeps it off for life.

I have heard of a very few people that could get to goal and maintain without a "diet" mentality and eat anything.... just less. Is that person you???

It certainly is not me.... as long as I would still prefer to eat ice cream than broccoli, I can't let go.

For "me" the word "diet" doesn't mean the same negative as before. Diet just means a guideline that is best for me. My nephew who is an athlete has a completely different "diet" than myself and needs lots of calories and carbs. He has to be "mindful" and follow a high caloric diet loaded with carbs to fuel his body. He counts calories so he doesn't lose energy, weight and muscle mass.

My suggestion always is to lose the weight first, than find your tolerances in maintenance.

Just so you know...... most who have this procedure never come close to making goal and a high percentage experience significant regain.

So that becomes the question we all face...... Are you/we willing to "diet" to lose the weight and keep it off ?

WLS is really not about WL, it's more about keeping the weight off that you lost.

"Generally" it is said that 100cals. a day over your balance point is a 10lbs. gain in a year. I "generally" agree as it seems most of us fall into this loose formula.

On a brighter note.... I don't have much problem with keeping my "intake" in check and I don't feel like I'm on a "diet" as I once knew. I attribute this to my surgeons program/aftercare and taking the time to learn and be compliant most of the time.

Work "with" the system and not against it...... embrace a better lifestyle and way of life.

Are you doomed? you can only "doom" yourself....

frisco

On the one hand, I believe what your doc and psychologist are referring to is good in the sense that you need to reframe how you eat into something sustainable.  I worked hard during the weightloss phase to do exactly this, and it is true- I do not feel like I am on a diet, even when I have to put myself back into weight loss mode for a few days or week.  But, and this is a really big BUTT (yea, pun intended). Research clearly indicates that patients who track are more succussful.  It is not about counting calories even in my opinon- it is about developing an acute awareness of EXACTLY the nutritional impact of what you are eating so that you are truly making a mindful choice, and not erroneously thinking you are eating something that is actually much worse than you perceive.  It is about developing an awareness of EXACTLY what the portion size means nutritionally.  And knowing EXACTLY where you are for the day in your protein target, iron target, or any other nutrient that you have to keep close tabs on.  

I have been at goal for a while.  During the wl phase I tracked daily.  Once at goal I still did for quite a while.  Now, I tend to go back to it if I need to recalibrate so to speak, and always when I am back taking off a few pounds when they creep on.  It is the #1 tool next to the sleeve that helped me make it to goal.  Exercise is #2, and I tracked that too!

12 step Overeaters Anonymous- freedom from obsessing/having food as a focus of one's life is a goal. It requires a spiritual component to overcome.  whether one is a binge eater, a bulimic, or anorexic.

Binge eating disorder is a medical diagnosis.  treatment includes: blind weighings (the weight is not revealed to the patient.  patients are directed to toss out their home scales.   patients have control over their behavior, not over the scale.

perfection is a hope a dream and an illusion

I applaud this post.  dropping the obsession with dieting, counting,

eat intuitively.

be compassionate with ones' self.

I view surgery as the tool offered by the medical community to remind the patient that food use as a drug is no longer an option.  just as coffee, hard cheeses are not options for migraine suffers.  just like allergies if you don't want hives do no ingest foods that you are allergic to.

is there any other way that the surgery can be viewed as a tool?

. 

Freedom from obsession-- via 12-step program or otherwise-- does NOT require a spiritual component.

There are many atheists, agnostics, and other "nones" on OH who have removed food from the focus of their life and done so without the help of any god(s).

I agree!

I am 18 months out and still track everything including my fluid intake  I am in maintenance and have a max calorie, minimum protein goal, but also count my carbs.  For right now I need to track  to avoid calorie creep and keep me accountable.  I don't think of it as a diet but as a healthy eating plan.  I eat an incredible variety of healthy food. They key is enyoying your healthy food.  At some point I may try to stop tracking for a few weeks to see what happens, but I am not confident enough to try that yet.

Anne

I don't think "you're doomed" I don't think of myself on a diet cuz to me that means there's a point where this will all end, & it doesn't. I just think I'm doing a healthy lifestyle change, that's something I can live with, cuz it changes day to day.

I've seen the people who count calories but they do what is best for them, for me, tracking & logging my food & weight while losing is what works for me. That way I know if I'm reaching my goals i.e water, protein,exercise etc. I can look back at what I ate & what I did if I start to gain or stall. In the end you have to do what is best for you to be successful.

I hope what your doctor and NUT were trying to say is that this is a new lifestyle and that you should embrace it and not think of it as a "diet". Hopefully you do realize that personal responsibility is key. A friend of mine had the sleeve the same time I had my RNY. She got down to the same weight as me, but now years later she is back up to 250. 

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism.

This is one of a definition.  I used to eat a very healthy, almost vergeterian, mostly organic, low fat diet.  All the way up to 250 lbs before my RNY. 

Now - my Way of Eating - "my diet" is mostly proteins, with some veggies, nuts, limited fruits and no starches.  That's what works for me and my body to keep me from gaining weight, and living a good life.

Is it a diet - sure it is - just look up at definition of a diet.

But - a major reason for the severe restriction - is that along the way in the last 6 years post op - I either developed or discovered and got tested for food allergies, and now I chose to avoid foods that make me feel "not good" . 

Funny things - when you fat and complain about gut pain and issues - they tell you to eat less - when you skinny - and complain - they ran tests and "magicaly" discovered I had severe food allergies.  No kidding...

So. Yea, I am on a diet - to lose weight if I put on 5-10 lbs during holidays or just because, and I am on a "diet" that make my gut working nicely, and allow me to enjoy life.  

BTW: my naturally skinny girlfriends are eating what they want - how much they want - maybe one day a week or until their favorite skinny jeans get too tight - then they get on a "diet", until he jeans fit nicely again.  Week after week...they allow 2-3 lbs gain - then they are worse that I am. 

Also - some of my skinny friends have no desire for sweets what so ever ( makes them sick? - weird I know) . 

I'm 6 months out from RNY and it feels like dieting. TOTALLY. If I don't count, keep track, monitor, I'd graze all day.  I have to actively choose to have the chicken not the patty melt.  I have to choose to have iced tea while everyone has ice cream.  BUT it is easier than it has ever been before but everyday this is my job and focus.  Drink this much, take these vitamins, don't eat that, choose this food over another...yup. dietiting.