Bariatric Update - Learning How to Eat Again...

Well, I don't know for sure if I've had the surgery, since I am in a blind study, but I am following the prescribed diet. I suspect I DID have the procedure, as I am actually having difficulty eating even what I'm supposed to eat. Let alone what I used to eat, which is completely out of the question. For now, and for the next few days to a week, I'll be on a liquid/VERY thin food (thin cream of wheat, thin oatmeal, strained vegetable juice, etc) diet.

Example of the diet: I have to eat a 1/2 cup portion of cream of wheat, and it has to take about half an hour to eat it. To be honest, it takes me about forty minutes. Over the next half an hour I need to drink 1/2 cup juice (1/4 cup juice, 1/4 cup water). By the end of the hour or so, I'm STUFFED! I actually experience a heaviness in my chest from eating. So I'm learning to eat even slower. Over the course of the morning, I have to down 16 fl oz. of fluid, which is proving to be VERY difficult. So I'm cutting down, as the doctor's office suggested. They said DON'T eat to stuffed. It's bad for the stomach and can expand it and undo the procedure. I guess the process will be a hit and miss/trial and error. Yesterday was my most comfortable day (at least in the afternoon and evening). Going to start light exercise today and see how that goes.

Oh. And since the surgery (which was last Tuesday - five days ago) I've lost TEN POUNDS!!!

I haven't found the weight meter I was looking for, so I guess I just post my progress...

I started out, after the Jewish holidays, at 357 pounds. Not my heaviest, but pretty close.

I lost twenty pounds between the end of the holidays and the day of my surgery. Two weeks before the surgery, I started on a liquid diet, which accelerated the weight loss (but which I do NOT recommend if you haven't had or aren't preparing for the surgery - you just NEVER get satisfied, much less full). On the day of my surgery, I weighed 336 pounds.

This morning, Sunday, 11/23/08, I weighed 326 pounds.

This morning, I ate 1/2 cup cream of wheat and drank one half cup diluted apple juice.

And I'm learning I can't really tolerate milk by itself (I'm allowed 0% or 1%) or even mixed with something like no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast, but I CAN tolerate it in cream of wheat or pudding (Jell-O fat free/sugar free in 0% milk).

Obviously, before the surgery, I found the idea of eating such small portions ridiculous. NOW, I can't imagine how I'm supposed to eat even close to what's prescribed in the diet instructions...

My goal is to be below 300 pounds by January 1, 2009. Here's hoping and working!