Alex, I also have diet issues, so I have some understanding of the angst that goes with this. Have you considered working with a dietitian? That might be your best bet to finding some solutions. Pick one who has experience dealing with ostomies and short gut syndrome; your surgeon might be able to either arrange this for you, or have a particular dietitian in mind. It’s worth asking the question, at least. I would also suggest a food diary for awhile to determine if any particular foods make things worse for you. Funny you should mention marshmallow - I have often heard people on this site refer to marshmallows as a way to slow down the gut. I don’t know if you’ve tried that, or whether it will work, but it might be worth a try. It is tricky to do exercises that involve the abdominal muscles with a hernia, but you probably can do other exercises safely. Walking, running, or some form of aerobics will probably be more efficient for fat burning anyway, and they shouldn’t exacerbate a hernia. Having said that, it’s always a good idea to run exercise plans by your doctor first, just to be sure. Try Madfit on YouTube. She has a lot of different exercise routines (for free!) that don’t involve the abs; some are dance routines (I sure hope my neighbours aren’t watching me flail about🫣). Start with the beginner routines and just don’t do the abs exercises for now - maybe get advice from a physiotherapist on that first. Good luck, and let us know how you’re doing.

Laurie

In my experience over the last year of cycling on a regular basis, exercise you enjoy is a far easier way to manage weight than changing your diet or eating less.

The key is that it needs to be something you enjoy, or you likely won't stick with it in the long term.

Do you have any physical activities that you like, and that you can increase over time to help burn more calories?

You could absolutely still tweak your diet, especially when it comes to excess calories from sugar or fat/oil. But exercise will keep your metabolism burning longer, so it's likely that you'll be able to eat MORE while losing weight 😀 

And I agree with what @tigerlily suggested about checking in with your doctor, just in case there are other concerns that might limit the types or intensity of activities you plan to partake in. 

A hernia is something you'll need to be mindful of, especially if your core is needed. I don't find that any added pressure gets put on my abdomen while cycling or running (treadmill).

As a side-bonus, my constant joint pains disappear when I'm exercising (and come back again when I stop), so it's another motivator on top of getting in shape. 🤗