Call it what you will. Food Diary, Food Journal. A royal pain in the rectum.
I hated keeping food diaries whenever I fell ill or after my surgeries. LOATHED it. When doctors made the suggestion, a tight lipped smile pinched my face as my insides screamed, “NO! #$@%&!”
It is, however, as you have seen, ridiculously helpful.
You are able to better track/narrow specific foods that may be the culprit of some nasty gastrointestinal phenomena. Likewise, it can also demonstrate what GOOD things keep you from keeping your lonely toilet company all day.
So what was uncovered here?
My average bathroom visits on a good day are about 4 or 5. All with control and comfort. Little to no pain.
Raw/Lightly cooked vegetables do not sit well with me. Duh. I think that is the case with most of us. However, for the most part whenever I have vegetables cooked into a dish, everything sits well.
Fried/greasy foods kill me. Just downright knock me down and drag me through the mud. No amount of probiotics or good digestion can help the resulting typhoon of a mess I become. That’s why it’s a rare occurrence.
I do have my staples. I’ll admit, looking back, I thought, “Man, my diet is kinda boring.”
I do quite a bit of cooking, but aside from dinner, I do really have my safe foods that I frequently default to. My yogurt HAS to be everyday. We are never without it in our fridge. It just doesn’t happen. If I do not eat it, I am in the bathroom a lot more. My guts gurgle like an angry baby who wants a bottle and when he doesn’t get it throws a serious tantrum.
I love fruit. I eat a lot of bananas and apples. I don’t peel the skin off apples because A.) I’m lazy and B.) It doesn’t upset my guts at all anymore. It used to. But it was one of those “Wait a while and try again” foods.
Tea is awesome. Especially with an upset gut. It helps settle like no other. So does Gas X. Another thing we always keep stocked in the medicine cabinet.
Loads of water. People hate water. I know. It’s boring. But without it, I would be on the floor unconscious. No bull. Without a colon, you have to drink twice as much water since the primary responsibility of your large intestine is to absorb water! Staying hydrated was never so important as it is now. I have had a couple of bad dehydration spells in the last two years. No fun.
Better to drink more water than pass out at a baseball game and be wheeled into an emergency room only to be released less than an hour later with a cup of juice, a poke in your arm, and a $1000 ER bill. True story. Just sayin.
Protein is good. I keep hearing it said that the American population gets too much of it, which is most likely a statement I will concur with. However, I do think it’s an important staple of one’s diet (10-15% from what I have been told by my doc). Otherwise, there goes your iron intake and muscle mass and say hello to fatigue and exhaustion and skin issues! Been there, done that. Not going back. Ever.
There are many debates about eating animal-based protein. I don’t want to fight about it but I will say I think protein is fine for us colon free peeps as long as you are getting a little bit of everything. Get that protein through fish, eggs, chicken (I don’t really do red meat because holy wow, you saw what happened when I ate that burger! Bad news.), and beans/nuts (if you can handle them, which I sadly cannot). It’s like every dietitian will tell you: “Good variety and in moderation.” That really is the key. Unless you’re vegetarian or vegan. In which case, I can’t really help you on that. I don’t know much on the plant-based battlefield.
Of course, every person is different. Finding out what works best for you can take some time and creative culinary experimentation.
All that said, I love food. I love it LIKE WHOA. I love that I can enjoy more of it with only minimal restrictions. I am learning more about the art of cooking every day and finding more recipes that I can dissect and rearrange to suit a colon free diet. It’s not THAT different honestly. In fact, I may go so far as to say it’s better than the diet I had before the ulcerative colitis hit me.
My two cents. Just some twenty-something’s opinion. No doctor or nurse or health care professional. I certainly don’t know everything there is to know about food. But I believe the only way to know for sure what’s good for YOU is to find out for yourself. A food diary/journal can be a great tool for accomplishing just that. I can sit here and say to you, “YEAH, yogurt is the shiz” (which it is 
) or “Oh man, red meat, soooo bad! Beans are the devil!”
That’s just one person’s body though. Yours may be COMPLETELY the opposite! I try to ignore food fads and diets because the only one who knows my body is ME. I have developed this diet over the course of the last two years with much trial and error, occasionally food diaries and many scribblings to learn what is good and what is just “OH GOD NO NEVER AGAIN”.
And why not? I have this second chance with a j-pouch to have a good quality of life. I don’t want to screw it up.
I earnestly hope this exercise has helped alleviate some inquiries/concerns. This was a fun little project! There is always more to learn about your own habits because they do change over time. 
I may start posting some tried and true recipes for tasty colon free living! I just have to go through my stack of recipes and notes. I have to laugh at the thought. THAT will be a project in itself.
Thank you, everyone! As always, any questions/concerns/ideas/suggestions feel free to leave them!
Best of health to all!
Apologies. I didn’t get an opportunity to get near my laptop yesterday to give you all the final day. We are going out of town this weekend and there is much we are struggling to accomplish before we depart. However, the show will go on!
We do not stand upon ceremony here! So let’s take a look at what we have:
9/25/12
Bathroom Visit: 6:40 a.m. Consistency: Normal
Wake Up: 7:00 a.m.
Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?” Bleary-eyed and achy. Didn’t sleep much last night. Nothing a little breakfast and a good hot shower can’t fix.
What’s on the Menu: Do I really need to tell you?
1 container TJ’s organic strawberry probiotic nonfat yogurt
1 banana
1 16 oz. glass of water (filtered)
Vitamins: 2 One-A-Day Multivitamin Gummies
Bathroom Visit: 12:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Lunch: 1:00 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?” Cooking in my parents’ kitchen and listening to the new Mumford and Sons album. They are outstanding. Feeling pretty good!
What’s on the Menu:
Grilled ham and cheese with avocado
Vegetable soup (I forget what brand…Progresso, maybe?)
2 16 oz. glasses of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 6:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Dinner: 8:30 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?” Beat. Long day. Didn’t get home until late again. But we are both super hungry. So we decide to hunker down for a food coma and make some serious business pasta.
What’s on the Menu:
1 cup TJ’s Mini Cheese Ravioli topped with: 1 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese and 1/3 cup of Glen Muir Organic Tomato Basil Sauce
3 Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano Cookies (How I love these things. Never go food shopping hungry.)
1 8 oz. glass of Toasted Head Untamed Red Wine
1 16 oz. glass of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 10:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Bedtime: 11:00 p.m.
Bathroom Visit Tally: 4 times
YAY! Done! I will have a separate post regarding reflections/discoveries tomorrow to share. It’s been a while since I have kept a food diary. It’s an excellent exercise in understanding and dissecting one’s eating habits.
Have a lovely Thursday, all!
Whew! Okay, so following our rather ill-advised food adventures yesterday, Tim and I decided to take it easy. Weekends, man. I tell you. They seem to open up doors that make us think we are invincible and there we find ourselves more inclined to take risks (especially where food is concerned). It’s dangerous business. Dangerous Business. Without further ado, Day six!
9/24/12
Bathroom Visit: 6:45 a.m. Consistency: Normal (Thank you, Jesus, Mary, Muhammad, and Vishnu!)
Wake Up: 7:30 a.m.
Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Guts are still a little sensitive from yesterday. Definitely going to take it easy today.
What’s on the Menu: ALL TOGETHER NOW!
1 container TJ’s organic strawberry probiotic nonfat yogurt
1 banana
1 16 oz. glass of water (filtered)
Vitamins (Yay! I remembered to take them today!): 2 One-A-Day Multivitamin Gummies
Bathroom Visit: 12:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Lunch: Skip. That’s how you know I am back on schedule!
Snack: 1:15 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Okay. Abdomen feels somewhat sore. Not feeling too hungry
What’s on the Menu:
1 apple
1 piece of homemade cornbread
1 cup of Jasmine Green Tea
Bathroom Visit: 4:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Dinner: 7:30 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Much improved. Soreness and aches have subsided. Appetite has returned.
What’s on the Menu:
1 homemade chicken pesto wrap (sliced herbed poached chicken, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, 1 tbsp shredded parmigiano reggiano, and 2 tbsp TJ’s Pesto a la Genovese)
2 16 oz. glasses of filtered water
2 chocolate chip banana cookies
1 8 oz. cup of fat free milk
Bathroom Visit: 8:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Bathroom Visit: 10:45 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Bedtime: 11:00 p.m.
Bathroom Visit Tally: 5 times.
Grateful for a sense of normalcy in my routine. Weekends kick my butt. That’s where I fail hardcore. We are usually out and running around or having people over and for some reason all my sensibility about my diet goes right out the window. I can’t possibly be the only one this happens to. You know how it is! I need to work on that.
Until tomorrow, Have a Happy Monday everyone! One more day!
Nearly there! Two more days to go!
9/23/12
Wake up: 7:00 a.m. (UGH. Why am I awake this early on a Sunday? It’s okay, I finally started reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. So good. Love him. I’m already halfway through the book!)
Bathroom Visit: 7:05 a.m. Consistency: Normal
Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. (Another quick one, as I have to clean up and get ready for our visit to some old friends for lunch)
“And how are we feeling?” A little sad. usually weekends are reserved for big breakfasts! Omelettes, pancakes, frittatas! I love to make a good brunch, but alas, it was not meant to be. Healthwise, I am fine. The chili sat with very little repercussions, except for some gas but that’s pretty normal
What’s on the Menu: TAKE A WILD GUESS!!!!!
1 container TJ’s organic strawberry nonfat probiotic yogurt
1 8oz. glass of TJ’s peach mango juice
Bathroom Visit: 11:30 a.m. Consistency: Normal
Lunch: 2:00 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Excited. We have been chatting nonstop for last two hours. Our delightful hostess has attempted two new recipes she found on Pinterest. Can’t wait to taste the results! Love being a guinea pig nowadays!
What’s on the Menu:
Buffalo Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Homemade Baked Corn Pudding
2 8oz. glasses of Door County “Hallowine” (It was like drinking liquid apple pie! Very dangerous concoction. To everyone’s amusement, my first reaction after taking a sip: “IT TASTES LIKE FALL!”)
The Verdict: Very juicy and flavorful. A little too spicy for my taste, but I am such a sissy when it comes to that stuff anyway. The corn pudding was delicious and very sweet with a good snap from the corn.
Bathroom Visit: 4:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal with some gas.
Bathroom Visit: 5:30 p.m. Consistency: Runny with gas. (Uh-oh. Feeling the consequences of that sammich. Stomach is very vocal. As is Tim’s. He is passed out on the couch as we wait for our next gastronomical adventure.)
Dinner: 6:30ish The Burger Point in the South Loop
“And how are we feeling?” Stomach has stopped gurgling. Tim’s mom is going away to Spain for a month and we asked her what is the one thing she’d like to eat before she departs. “A cheeseburger!” came the enthusiastic reply. Thus, we came upon a new local burger place with free-range meat and locally grown veggies. A little hesitant to eat a burger, but they had a nice menu option called “The Little Guy” which is a small version of their “Classic” big burger. I go for it. Took a lot longer to cook, but that is because everything is made from scratch! It was worth the wait.
What’s on the Menu:
The Little Guy: A small beef patty, medium cooked with American cheese, fresh lettuce and slice of tomato on a potato roll.
1 8 oz. cup of spring water
1 small order of Russet potato fries with sea salt (nearly 1 cup?)
Bathroom Visit: 8:00 p.m. Consistency: Runny with gas. (Bad move, Steph. Bad move.)
Tim and I are both down for the count. It was a treacherous day for cuisine. Our guts betrayed us. Although, looking back at everything we ate, I am not surprised. There are cups of tea, Antacids, and heating pads in abundance over here. We are both wishing we had two bathrooms at this point. Lesson for everyone: Eat like this frequently and this is how you effectively SLAUGHTER your digestive system.
Bathroom Visit: 8:45 p.m. Consistency: Gross.
Bathroom Visit: 9 something. Same deal. Gastastic.
Bathroom Visit: 10 something. Yup. Here we are. Again. Yuck.
Bathroom Visit: 11 p.m. Please. Make. It. Stop.
Bedtime: We died on the couch somewhere in the neighborhood of midnight and one a.m. Crawled into bed around 1:30 a.m.
Neither of us moved after that.
Bathroom Visit Tally: 9.
And now you know. Knowledge is power.
Peace. Until tomorrow.
And on the fourth day…I created chili!
9/22/12
Wake up: 9:30 a.m. (How I love sleeping in on the weekend. It is so glorious, isn’t it?)
Bathroom Visit: 9:35 a.m. Consistency: Normal
Breakfast: 10:00 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Energized. Ready to rock and roll. Tim is still sleeping. Poor guy fell asleep on the couch and stumbled into bed around 6 a.m. On the up side, I got the whole bed to myself! 
What’s on the Menu:
1 container TJ’s organic strawberry probiotic nonfat yogurt
1 8 oz. glass of TJ’s peach mango juice
Vitamins: 2 One-A-Day Multivitamin Gummies
Tim and I paid a visit to our local Dominick’s to prepare for the epic chili experiment. There was even more pressure, because we had taste testers in the form of a couple foodie friends joining us. I bought more food than I needed, but not a crumb went to waste (Okay, well maybe a crumb or two. Can’t catch ‘em all!).
Lunch: (if you can call it that) 1:30 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Stellar. Unbelievably stellar. Bring on the chili.
What’s on the Menu:
1 8 oz. glass of Toasted Head Untamed Red Wine
1 cup red seedless grapes
1/2 French baguette (yup, we each ate half a baguette while cooking. No shame. We love carbs.)
I don’t know how much Brie I ate but it was absolutely delicious! I might regret it later.
Tim is so sad because he can’t find Dog Fish Head Pumpkin Ale anywhere. He opted instead to purchase Magic Hat’s Seasonal Beer “Hex”. Although I don’t really drink beer, I tried a bit. Not too bad, can’t really describe it (I’m not as much of a pro about craft beers as he is). Not too hoppy like most other beers. Very light, with a kick of Ocktoberfest in it, I suppose. It was tasty business, let’s just leave it at that.
The chili cooking commenced with great gusto. I feel like I was playing it very safe, but it still turned out amazing. I have to tweak the recipe a bit more before I attempt it again. It hit the spot though: warm, comforting, a little sweet and salty, chunky, but not spicy, and there were no beans involved. General consensus was that I had hints of the flavors but that I shouldn’t be shy with my spices. I am going to try it again and if I am satisfied I will post it. I could never ever eat chili before when I was sick and was always afraid to try after my surgery. But it sat rather well all things considered!
Bathroom Visit: 3:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal, Super Gassy (Cheese. It was so worth it)
Dinner: 5:00 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Hungry. Nervous. Hope it turns out.
What’s on the Menu:
1 cup homemade chicken chili (topped with 2 tbsp freshly chopped green onions and 1 tbsp TJ’s grated sharp cheddar)
1 slice cornbread
1 8 oz. glass of Toasted Head Untamed Red Wine
1 16 oz. glass of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 7:30 p.m. Consistency: Runny, Gassy
1 16 oz. glass of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 10:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal, Slightly gassy
1 8 oz. cup of Jasmine Green Tea
Bedtime: 11:45 p.m.
Bathroom Visit Tally: 4
We spent the rest of the evening playing board games with friends. Tim and I also decided to bake chocolate chip banana cookies after they left (The best dessert ever. No joke.) for some friends who are having us over for lunch tomorrow. I love weekends. 
Enjoy yours!
9/21/12
Wake up: 7:30 a.m.
Bathroom Visit: 7:35 a.m. Consistency: Normal
Breakfast: 10:00 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Rushed. Tim and I are going to pick up the cats from their spaying at the vet. We gotta boogie! So I have to grab something quick!
What’s on the Menu:
1 container TJ’s organic strawberry nonfat yogurt
1 apple
Bathroom Visit: 12:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Lunch: 1:30 p.m. YES I ACTUALLY HAD LUNCH TODAY!
“And how are we feeling?”: Maternal to the extreme. Making sure the cats have fresh food and water. I washed their blankets and set up their new kitty beds. They are totally wiped and pass out for most of the day
What’s on the Menu:
Grilled chicken pita with sliced tomatoes, freshly sliced onions, and tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip)
3 16 o.z glasses of water (filtered) LIKE IT’S GOING OUT OF STYLE!
1 cup red seedless grapes
Bathroom Visit: 6:20 p.m. Consistency: Slightly runny
Dinner: 8:00 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: I had a babysitting gig lined up in the evening. Tim tagged along since the little one was already asleep. We ordered a pizza while we were there and watched “Julie and Julia” (excellent flick if you haven’t watched by the way. It made us hungry all over again!).
6 slices of Giordano’s thin crust cheese and pepperoni pizza (Don’t judge me! If there is one thing I indulge on, it’s frickin’ pizza! Plus they are those little squares so I am not as bad as one might think. Because six of those little pieces is like the equivalent of 2 big triangle slices, right? RIGHT? Oh well. I do that thing where you lay a paper towel over the pizza so it soaks up the grease to make myself feel better about it.)
2 16oz. (rough estimate as these are not my glasses) glasses of water (tap)
Bathroom visit: 10:30 p.m. Consistency: Runny (Supposing it’s from the raw onions and tomatoes from lunch)
Bathroom Visit: 11:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal, but man I am gassy from that pizza.
Gas X strip before bedtime, feel a little bit better! I opt in for:
1 cup Jasmine Green Tea
There is something about a hot beverage that just settles my guts in a way no medicine can. It’s astounding. I feel a whole lot better by the time I hit the hay.
Bedtime: 12:15 a.m.
Bathroom Visit Tally: 5
I am actually realizing how much water I drink. I am constantly refilling my glass or water bottle somewhere. That is the hardest thing to keep track of in this food diary, to be perfectly honest! Quite surprised I don’t have to empty my bladder more! Very excited because tomorrow, we are having friends over and I am doing a homemade chili and cornbread! This also means, I get to do one of my favorite things on the planet: FOOD SHOPPING! HUZZAH! Will keep you know how it turns out!
Good day, all!
Day 2! Here we go!
9/20/12
Bathroom Visit: 6:30 a.m. Consistency: Runny, Slightly constipated
Wake up: 6:40 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Ugh. Guts were grumbling a lot during the night. Stupid broccoli. Very gassy all evening.
Vitamins: 2 “One-A-Day” Multivitamin Gummies for Immunity Support
Bathroom Visit: 7:30 a.m. Consistency: Runny, gassy
Breakfast: 8 a.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Not very hungry. Appetite is low. Stomach still unhappy.
What’s on the Menu:
1 container Trader Joe’s (hereafter referred to as TJ’s) organic strawberry probiotic nonfat yogurt.
2 16 oz glasses of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 9:30 a.m. Consistency: Diarrhea and gas.
Lunch: Skipped. Again.
Snack: 2:00 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Better. Stomach feels fine. gas has subsided.
What’s on the Menu:
1 cup TJ’s pita chips (sea salt)
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 cup Jasmine Green Tea (hot)
Bathroom Visit: 2:20 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Bathroom Visit: 6:00 p.m. Consistency: Normal
Dinner: 7:30 p.m.
“And how are we feeling?”: Ready for something more substantial to eat!
What’s on the Menu:
Homemade Chicken Quesedillas- poached herb chicken, fresh salsa (diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, green pepper, lime), and TJ’s Mexican blend cheese. “Wholly Guacamole” on the side.
3 16 oz. glasses of water (filtered)
Bathroom Visit: 9:30 p.m. Consistency: Normal
“And how are we feeling?”: Sleepy. Stomach is peachy. Settling and digesting without any major issues.
Bedtime: 10:30 p.m.
Slept in my own bed. Nice to have a quiet night, although missing our little kitties very much. Can’t wait to get them!
Bathroom Visit Tally: 6 times
So that’s pretty much what happens when I eat veggies. Every time. Unless they are cooked and super soft, my guts gets super agitated. It’s a bummer but I try and reintroduce fresh steamed crispy veggies every couple months just to see if anything different occurs. Broccoli is sadly a vegetable I don’t have much luck with. The results are usually serious gas and constipation for the next 12 hours.
That’s all I’ve got for today! See you tomorrow for Day 3!!!!
