The 5 Day Pouch Test---AGAIN!

by Kaye Bailey
Since the publication of the 5 Day Pouch Test plan in August of 2007 I've done the plan roughly four times a year or once a quarter. It seems contrary to what I preach --that the 5DPT is not a fad diet or a quick weight loss gimmick-- because each time as I share, online, my romp through the 5DPT it appears I do it far more frequently than I advise. Today I'm taking a moment to explain myself, to cover my tracks and to a little 5DPT talking.

First, to keep the 5 Day Pouch Test plan fresh we need to introduce new recipes. While I can assess a recipe on paper the best way to know if it satiates the body and mind is to include it in a full run of the 5DPT. Each time I do the 5DPT there are new recipes on the menu that you may (or may not) see published in the Bulletins and in future editions of the Owner's Manual. I will never offer recipes that I have not personally tried in the actual 5DPT format, so that is one reason I need to do the test at least 4 times a year. It is more like a science experiment for me these days than a "get back on track" program because, in all honesty, I have my eating game fairly well under control. It helps having to be accountable to my LivingAfterWLS family! Thank You!

Second, like yours, my life is a frantic world moving at rapid pace and there is a certain comfort to be found in plain old predictability. I was on the run for the first 20 days of February and while my eating did not get out of control it was not consistent or healthy. My water intake was hit-n-miss and I overlooked some vitamin doses. Looking at the calendar this week I thrilled at the prospect that I could be hopelessly boring and consistent with my meals. Protein First. Lots of Water. Warm comfort soups and soft proteins. Oh how I looked forward to pampering my pouch. At this point it isn't about losing weight or getting back on track for me; its about just slowing down, nurturing my body, taking a rest from the frantic and just being at ease with my pouch and my body. Hard to find fault with that. Like most things it is easy to say "I want to take it easy on my pouch this week," but it is another thing to say, "I want to use the 5DPT to help me take it easy on my pouch this week." Having a goal and a plan always helps us get to where we want to go.

Finally, We are all in this together. Many people look to me for guidance as they find their way back to basics with the 5 Day Pouch Test. It is my humble honor to occasionally join so many others in this quest for better health, better control, stronger empowerment as we together make our best lives with weight loss surgery. A swim coach who never dips a toe in the water cannot understand the current against which his athletes swim. And so it goes for us, if I never do the 5DPT then I cannot understand what current others must strive to overcome. We are in this together and I'm in the thick of things with you. It is so nice for me to have you here knowing we never have to travel this journey alone.

So onward we go! I've just finished some Tomato-Basil Carb Monster Soup and it was filling and delicious and delightfully predictable! If I sit really still I think I can hear my little tummy humming a happy tune.

CHEERS!