Thoughts from the Happy Fat Guy

So, after my initial consult with Dr. Wallace, the next step was meeting the staff dietitian. And here is where the proverbial slap upside the head came. One of the first things she does is hold up a 2- liter bottle. She tells me that my stomach is at least this big. That image put a whole new light on things. Picture carrying around a 2- liter bottle strapped to your belt. Think of what it takes to fill that up. That is just a scary thought.

Now we move on to the “meat” of the appointment. I explain to her that animals that are smaller than me really don’t count as meat. That disqualifies fish, chicken, and pork (that is with a few exceptions). For it to really be considered meat, it has to have been larger than me at some point in its existence. Cows count, buffalo count, even deer count. Although I don’t hunt them, we are more than happy to indulge in them. She explains to me that meat is something that is different for each person. Some are able to tolerate small amounts after adjusting to the surgery. Some are never able to eat this again without causing discomfort. I can just picture the animal kingdom collectively laughing at me at this point.

Then we talk about a golden rule. The 10 and 10 rule. I should eat nothing that has more than 10 grams of fat or 10 grams of sugar per serving. That doesn’t sound so tough. That is until she begins showing me labels. A LOT of those things I thought were healthy alternatives are not at all. A simple granola bar is disqualified due to the sugar content. I suppose they need the sugar to make the rabbit food appealing. All those great healthy protein and breakfast bars? Off the menu due to either fat or sugar content. Needless to say, I now understand where the no fast food rule comes in. I challenge any of you to walk into a fast food restaurant and find one thing that meets this criteria.

But then something strange happened. She began to go over the pre-operative menu. It actually had real food. And a good amount of food I like. That was strange and unexpected. There is a sample menu, and the majority of it was highlighted by me as things I like.

So the question is, can I live with these adjustments to my diet? I guess more importantly, how long can I live if I don’t make these changes? I am under no illusion that this will be easy. I know it will be a learning experience. I know it will be a road my family and I have to walk together. But really the choice is either learn to walk this road or risk not being able to walk any road in the future.