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"If you think you can or can't, you are right"

This is what worked for me.  These are my rules.  These are not necessarily doctor recommended & may even contradict what your surgeon tells you.  My intent is not to go against that, just share what I follow, since many have asked me to do so.  I did this surgery to get healthy.  I can't see doing that, then learning everything I have learned, to take it for-granted & throw that away by ignoring things that "could cause a problem later down the road".  So I choose to be more cautious in some areas that others choose to do differently.  Like I said, this is what worked for me.  These are the "rules" I choose to follow:

1. At least 64 oz. of water/liquids per day. 

        (Ice in a blender or buy a bag of ice.  Eating ice, especially in the beginning is mh easier than drinking a lot of water.) 

         Sugar Free Lemonade at Chick-Fil-A (dilute it if it is too strong or sweet);

         Un-sweet or diluted decaffeinated tea (hot or cold; I like mine with lots of lemon;

         SF Punch (see recipe page);

         SF Popsicles; Crystal Light (I don't care for Crystal Light much, but many do.  I do like the Rasberry Ice flavor, already made in the bottles.  Some Subway restaurants also sell this pre-made in a container by the soda machines);

        Decaf coffee (a really good flavored brand, usually more expensive, but it has a really rich flavor & doesn't taste "decaf".  (Maxwell House "Premium Cup House Blend".  We drink so little, even though it is more expensive, it still lasts for a really long time. I keep mine in the freezer for freshness. I usually drink a couple cups a day.)

2. No or little caffeine (caffeine depletes your body of water, and you have to compensate additionally for it).  For every cup of caffeine, an additional 2 & 1/2 cups of water are needed to replace it.

3. No carbonated drinks.  This is a major one for me.  I have seen the acid from sodas cause ulcers.  Some people do fine.  Some do not.  It is not worth it to me to take the chance.

4. No milk.  Granted milk is a great source of calcium, but it is high in sugar & carbs.  Even skim. So no milk.  I have seen many people's weight loss slow or stop because they are drinking milk frequently.

5. Little or no bread; starches; noodles/pasta; Limited carbs.  Only exception is sometimes chips, they are crunchy & sit well in my pouch.  I prefer the small round Tostitos topped with Taco Bell Fat Free Refried Beans, Kraft 2% Skim Cheddar Cheese & Taco Bell Hot or Mild Sauce.  Chips by themselves, be careful, can eat a lot & they are high in carbs... some chips, like at a Mexican restaurant will put you to sleep.  I limit myself to like 3 chips, breaking them down to tiny pieces & eating each tiny piece with cheese dip or salsa on it.  Takes me as long to eat 3 whole chips as it does my husband & kid to eat the entire basket.

6. I eat protein first.  I fill up on meats, food higher in protein, then if I eat something else, I eat a small amount and since I am basically full of protein, can't eat much, especially if it has carbs in it.  That way I still get to eat things I like, without feeling deprived, but don't actually eat much of the bad stuff at all.

7. Fruit - I love fruit & find it satisfies my cravings usually when I want something sweet.  Not always, but usually.  It is naturally sweetened & is usually very juicy.  I actually feel better when I eat alot of fruit.  Peel what you don't feel comfortable eating, especially at first.  My favorites: Grapefruit; watermelon;  blueberries; honeydew; cantaloupe; plums; grapes (very sweet, can make me dump); strawberries; Bing cherries (be careful of the seed).  Bananas are very filling & I have to be careful with them.  Great with peanut butter though!

8. Peanut Butter - One of my favorite things.  Peanut butter anything.  If I do want something sweet, it usually has peanut butter in it.  And doesn't tend to be as sweet as something that is pure chocolate or sugar.  And it will have a tiny bit of protein in it compared to probably none in regular candy. (I get sick from the artificial sweeteners in SF candies & cookies, so I do regular sugar stuff, but very limited & tiny amounts.  Just enough to satisfy the cravings, not in the form of a meal.

9. Taste it if you crave it - I learned that if I craved something, my head was not going to quit until I got it.  My head hunger ruled me (sometimes it still does, but no where near like before.  Now I have control).  Take a taste & that is all.  One or two little pieces or a sip or two only of whatever it was.  If I felt too guilty, then I chewed it up for the taste & spit it out.  Hey, it worked for me.

10. Vitamins:

                 2 Adult strength Centrum Chewables a day.  One about 10am and the other in the evening or before bed. 

                 Actually helps me with getting  up the next morning. 

               Calcium Citrate with Magnesium & Vitamin D for maximum absorption, 1200-1500 mg daily, 2 pills-a.m./lunch/dinner...

                 and always 2 hours apart from multi-vitamin for absorption reasons. 

               Sublingual B-12 - I do monthly shots. Got prescription from PCP & have nurse friend give them to me. 

                  I could do them myself, but not yet.  I do sublingual B-12 under the tongue in between shots. 

                  Cheap (can get on-line, GNC, or the local nutrition store)

11. No more aspirin products (Ibuprophen, etc.)  Hard on the pouch and can cause major irritations/ulcers, etc.  Not worth it.  If I do HAVE to take something like that, I make sure to have something in my stomach/pouch & to not do it very often.  I have switched to Acetaminophen/Tylenol products, but with that must use caution for other body parts (liver), but is not irritant to the pouch.

12. Exercise - A must at least the first year or so until goal weight has been obtained.  Start out slow, walking, then work up as we go.  Exercising must cause us to exert ourselves, otherwise we are not accomplishing anything.  Walking at a pace to increase your heart rate (safely) is necessary to make a difference.  Per my surgeon's office, walking 20 minutes a day even helps with constipation & gas.  Routine exercise schedule is important.  Overdoing exercise though can contribute to plateau's, especially in the early post-op stages, since our bodies are trying to recuperate from surgery & heavy exercise only causes it to work harder to recuperate & weight loss will slow or stop until it has "revived" itself. 

13. Plateaus - Inevitable & necessary for our bodies to heal & catch up.  Over-stressing will cause us to "emotional eat" and usually cause the plateau to be worse.  Some plateaus will last anywhere from 1-many weeks.  Mine usually lasted 2-3 weeks every month.  Charting your weight loss will help determine a pattern & make dealing with plateaus much more tolerable.  Changing up routine will sometimes "jump start" our bodies... eat more or less (usually more though), definitely drink more fluids, exercise more or less depending on how assertive your exercise schedule is, and believe it or not, more rest/sleep.  Your body needs enough food & sleep & water to function properly.  Depriving it of these things can cause us to plateau more often.  Protein intake also is a key factor for many.  Increasing or decreasing, depending on your current intake may also help.

14. Scales - Can be our worst enemy.  We are destined to gain here & there and when we do, to some it is devastating.  If you are weighing every day, then you are bound to see those fluctuations more frequently.  Weighing weekly or even every two weeks will allow your body to lose & you not to put too much pressure on yourself to lose when you are doing all you can.  Gaining a pound or three every month was normal for me.. then I would lose it & more... I weighed more to watch my fluid retention and to know when I needed to up my fluid pills or water intake.

15. The less you drink, the more fluids you retain.  The more you drink, the more you lose.  That is how the fat cells leave our bodies (through urination).  If you are not drinking enough, your body holds on to extra fluids to avoid dehydration (which we are very prone to now after surgery).  Drink more, lose more.  I promise.

16. Anemia - I became anemic.  I realized it when I was abnormally freezing to death (even more than normal after surgery) and was weak & tired.  I took iron (be careful, because absorption of certain kinds is an issue & it causes sometimes severe constipation).  Severe anemia can cause hair to become brittle & stop your weight loss... and it can take months to get back to normal, in which you may have lost valuable weight loss time. 

17. Blood work & "levels" checked every 3-6 months.  Every 3 months at first, and after 1st year, then every 6 months. 

18. Bone Density Scan - Have one done right before or after surgery to establish a "base line".  Then have one annually to see if your bone density has decreased much.  This will help detect chances of osteoporosis early & hopefully avoid full blown condition/pain down the road, when it is too late to reverse.  Check with your doctor to make sure it is "coded" properly so insurance will cover it.  Mal-absorption syndrome or Osteo-arthritis or some other approvable condition may help with that.