Diet Alone? - ThinnerTimes

mussakka · 07-18-2006, 07:59 AM

So, here's the Million Dollar Question. Since you move into a healthier plane of eating after the surgery, couldn't you just adopt the diet and lose weight just as well and forego the surgery? Or does the smaller pouch really prevent overeating and keep you steadfastly on track?

Cinerbelle · 07-18-2006, 09:04 AM

Personally, I could have NEVER adopted the way I eat now. I am only eating 600-800 calories a day (if htat)....can you imagine only eating that amount without having the small pouch? There is no way..

Plus, I have no cravings or "real" hunger.

coptergirl · 07-18-2006, 09:04 AM

The smaller pouch REALLY does prevent overeating. The first time you overeat, or eat too fast, you feel it...not by way of having to undo your pants, but you could get flushed,sleepy, feverish, and could even barf.

LisaBoston · 07-18-2006, 10:10 AM

The surgery is a combination of malabsorbtion and restrictive and deals or assists with the long term aspects of weight loss. Sure we have all been on diets and lost weight, only to gain it back. Surgery should not be the first choice to loose weight. For me I was a bulk eater and liked sugar. Now I can only eat about a cup of food at any one time and sugar is a no-no. It was a great choice for me, but I would not suggest this surgery to everyone.

Dyann · 07-18-2006, 10:34 AM

There is a third facet that needs to be considered aside from the pouch restriction and malabsorption. Exercise. I could never exercise regularly. I feel the pouch restricts you from over eating DEFINITELY. It allows you to get off a significant amount of weight, but it will not help you forever. The malabsorption also helps keep the weight coming off. I could never have stuck to the diet for so long to be successful. Exercise I think is the key to long term success in addition to the learning period your tool gives you for eating correctly. Where you may have success with diet without surgery, for me it was never a complete or long term fix. This is a higher rate of complete and longer term success.....but not a cure all. It is still YOU who controls what you put in your mouth and how much you will burn in exercise. This is a last resort as it has risks and benefits, but as you have read...it is just a tool to get you there. The rest is up to you still.

Mavisavis · 07-18-2006, 11:15 AM

A combo of what my fine friends already said, but in my words......

#1. It absolutely restricts how much I can eat! But that relies on me filling it with the right foods and in the right method. No drinking and eating together, and always protein. And although I do tolerate sugar.....I have gotten sick on fried foods and have basically lost any interest in breaded and fried meats that I lived on in the past.

#2. At first, it basically does the work for you.....you gradually have to do more and more of the work. But by the time you get to that point you are more used to the new way of eating, and you are smaller, and that is so daggone motivating!

#3. I doubt this is scientific, but my taste buds changed with the surgery. I know people want to say that after eating this way for awhile you like it better, but I "ate this way for awhile" many times in the past on diets. I swear I now like veggies better, fruit is as good as desserts, and I LOVE whole grains.

#4. It's so much easier to get out there and exercise when you get so much weight off and it stays!! I can hardly imagine now how I lugged that extra 92 pounds around. Not to mention, that I can even be active in the heat now. I used to basically just SIT all summer......too miserable. Now I don't even run central air.

Mavisavis · 07-18-2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyann

There is a third facet that needs to be considered aside from the pouch restriction and malabsorption. Exercise. I could never exercise regularly. I feel the pouch restricts you from over eating DEFINITELY. It allows you to get off a significant amount of weight, but it will not help you forever. The malabsorption also helps keep the weight coming off. I could never have stuck to the diet for so long to be successful. Exercise I think is the key to long term success in addition to the learning period your tool gives you for eating correctly. Where you may have success with diet without surgery, for me it was never a complete or long term fix. This is a higher rate of complete and longer term success.....but not a cure all. It is still YOU who controls what you put in your mouth and how much you will burn in exercise. This is a last resort as it has risks and benefits, but as you have read...it is just a tool to get you there. The rest is up to you still.

Dyann,

I am digging to the back recesses of my mind about what my doc said at consultation. I swear mine told me that calories and fat count just the same. Maybe he said that to avoid folks thinking it is license to overeat?

What is the real story with that......or do you know any good articles about it?

Gina in NY · 07-18-2006, 11:17 AM

I'm eating just over 1/4 cup of mushy foods per meal at this point, but I ate too fast last night, and it all came back. (Sorry to be so graphic) Believe me - two months ago there was no way I could have kept to 1/4 cup of food per meal. Now of course, as time goes on I'll be able to eat more, but this period of transitioning from liquids to mush to solids is a slow and gradual transition - plenty of time to learn.

What have I learned so far? I can't get away with anything right now. I have to follow every rule to the letter. NO diet ever did that. It was all on my head and I could rationalize anything. Now - my pouch is the boss. As I said, that may change a bit as time goes on, but I am planning to use these lessons to permanently change my eating habits. This tool will always be here - keeping me honest.

And just to share another thought about exercise: My surgeon said to our group that if we weren't ready and able to commit to 30 minutes a day of exercise, not to bother with the surgery. He's tough - but it is true - you have to change the way your day and your life are set up to make exercise as important as taking a shower or sleeping.

Good luck in your decision!

veroniquetalk · 07-18-2006, 03:53 PM

Not only does the smaller pouch keep you from overeating there is scientific evidence out there that at least one of the hormones that regulates appetite (ghrelin) is altered from the surgery. Do a search of ghrelin and see what you can find. I know for me, my appetite can actually be satisfied now where before the surgery it never ever was.

Dyann · 07-18-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavisavis

Dyann,

I am digging to the back recesses of my mind about what my doc said at consultation. I swear mine told me that calories and fat count just the same. Maybe he said that to avoid folks thinking it is license to overeat?

What is the real story with that......or do you know any good articles about it?

I will try to find an exact article but here is sort of how it goes. The first three months are idiotproof and that you will lose weight no matter what you eat. After that it is an equation of calories in vs. calories burned. What you consume in those calories also contributes. Each gram of fat is 9 cal where each gram of carb and protein are 4 cal. Our body needs a certain amount of fat, carbs and protein a day to work and maintain cellular function. Over eating any of them, they get converted into fat within our bodies. A good rule is to keep your fat calories to 20% of total, at least 60 g of protein, and the rest good carbs when trying to lose weight. When you hit maintance you can up your percentage of calories from fat a bit.

We all have a basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how many calories we burn just existing. That is what determines how much our system can handle in terms of weight loss and gain. There are rough forumlas, but you can have something called calorimetry performed and find out your exact BMR. The smaller you get, the lower your BMR, the fewer calories you require and the fewer calories you burn doing exercise. (Doesn't that suck) These are all guides and our bodies sometimes don't read the books nor do what they should. That is where fast and slow metabolisms come in.

If you starve yourself of nutrients your body goes into a hibernation and holds on and tries to extract everything from what you eat. You need to eat (especially protein) to keep your metabolism going.

I hope that answered your question.

You