I understand that you have to totally change your diet after WLS. If you were to eat like a WLS patient but NOT go through with WLS, wouldn't you lose about the same amount of weight? Would it be possible, in your opinion, to try to eat a post-WLS diet and lose tons of pounds?

Pookie,

Your answer was perfect and true. I can now attest to two issues. Dumping and "overeating". I have experienced dumping one time only and that is enough for me. As you said it is VERY uncomfortable. Last night for the first time I also experienced overeating too quickly.

My daughter went back to college today and for her "last supper" she wanted burgers and fries from our favorite drive-in. I said sue, I can eat a few fries and patty only so go for it.

I guess I got a little excited and overate a "few" fries and a fourth of the patty. WOW! Talk about uncomfortable. I should have just forced the tossing of cookies and I am sure I would have felt much better but I held on. For two hours! Never again.

My doc said you go from "living to eat" to "eating to live". My tastes have changed a lot. Old favorites either taste different or smell different. I am having to learn to eat all over again as well as find new favorites.

Hope this helps as well.

******I actually tried to do the "virtual weight loss surgery diet" after watching how little my sister ate after her surgery. It set me up for a huge binge. I couldn't get full on the tiny amounts of food. Imagine being full on a shot glass full of oatmeal. Imagine that lasting you until lunch. For lunch you have a couple tiny little meatballs out of a can of progresso chickarina soup. That lasts until dinner. After wls your stomach is a new tool and about the size of your thumb. A huge difference in capacity.

I think you could guts it out or saint it out for a few days but my money would be on that it would back fire on you and not be successful.

Interesting question though!********

peach

peachie.. i had no idea that you had tried that!!!!!

genesis.. these folks are right: because we're 'rewired,' we don't absorb as much of the food we eat as before the surgery. BUT we are also told to make the most of that 12-18 month 'window of opportunity' to lose the most weight we can AND, perhaps even more important, to learn and incorporate GOOD HABITS so that we can maintain, and even continue to lose.

those habits are: regular meals, eating every 4 hours. making appropriate choices. lots of water. vitamins. exercise, both cardio and weights.

sounds like everyone else, doesn't it??? well, that's true.. after awhile, we ARE just like everyone else, just eating smaller amounts.

and maybe that's the point. with most of us who qualify for wls, something has gone terribly wrong somewhere [not that anyone actually knows what happened], and the surgery seems to 'correct' this over the long haul.

dawnajoy wrote a post last year, noting that this surgery levels the playing field for us, so that now all those things that work for everyone else also work for us.

good luck... and keep asking questions..

Thanks everybody for your quick and informative replies. I will stick to the my current plan of eating within reason & exercising daily!!!! Thanks again!

Genesis: I thought like you. When my DH ole Alvin had WLS surgery 2 1/2 years ago, I just KNEW I would automatically loose weight too. I mean after all, we would not be going out to eat all that much, he couldn't eat that much, so I wouldn't eat that much either, we could share a meal, etc, etc etc...

It didn't work. Here I am all this time later, he 240 pounds lighter, and me no any change at all. (At lease I haven't gained) And not only do I try to eat like he does, I also work out 5 to 6 days a week. I think I'm in a Catch-22. I'm depressed because I'm overweight, but I'm overweght because I'm depressed! Go figure

Barb, I empathize with your depression. I have struggled with depression on and off ever since my teen years. Frankly, it totally sucks. Have you talked to your doctor about your feelings? I have been seeing a therapist for about six months now and she really helps me a lot. There is hope out there, so keep your chin up!!!!