18 replies to this topic

[dayna_jean]

Hi friends! As the title states, I'm a newbie. I had my surgery on May 26th of this year, so just a few weeks ago.

I've lost about 35 pounds so far, though quite a bit of that was just shedding the liquids from the hospital, I'm sure. I'm feeling really sort of... lost.

I'm allowed to eat soft foods now, but I'm having a really difficult time finding things that are worth eating AND go down. I know that I need to focus on protein, so I've been eating of tuna and diced chicken(both with fat free mayo. gross but edible) and occasionally some fat-free refried beans, or a tiny bit of grilled chicken with some mashed potatoes to smooth it's way down.

I feel so limited and bored with my protein options that I find myself just skipping meals entirely. I would say I'm eating one of the options above about twice a day, so since I can only eat a couple of ounces per meal at very best, I'm probably only getting about 20 or 30 grams of protein a day.

Since I weigh about 350 pounds, I'm supposed to be getting about 100 grams a day, according to my nutritionist.

The thing is, that I know better. I know I'm 'supposed' to be drinking protein shakes and eating more often and blah blah blah.

But to be honest, I don't feel motivated to do any of that. Before surgery I made my protein shakes with fruit juice and frozen fruit, and not being allowed to do that anymore has taken the wind out of my sails. Who wants powdery milk 3 times a day? And Eating just isn't any FUN anymore. I can never eat what I want, and never eat fast enough or in large enough amounts to satisfy my brain. I just find myself resenting the other people at the table.

And since I never really feel hungry, I always kind of feel like-- 'what's the point?'.

Did anyone else feel like this at the beginning? Right now I'm sort of regretting ever HAVING the surgery.

[jerseygrl684]

dayna_jean said:

Hi friends! As the title states, I'm a newbie. I had my surgery on May 26th of this year, so just a few weeks ago.

I've lost about 35 pounds so far, though quite a bit of that was just shedding the liquids from the hospital, I'm sure. I'm feeling really sort of... lost.

I'm allowed to eat soft foods now, but I'm having a really difficult time finding things that are worth eating AND go down. I know that I need to focus on protein, so I've been eating of tuna and diced chicken(both with fat free mayo. gross but edible) and occasionally some fat-free refried beans, or a tiny bit of grilled chicken with some mashed potatoes to smooth it's way down.

I feel so limited and bored with my protein options that I find myself just skipping meals entirely. I would say I'm eating one of the options above about twice a day, so since I can only eat a couple of ounces per meal at very best, I'm probably only getting about 20 or 30 grams of protein a day.

Since I weigh about 350 pounds, I'm supposed to be getting about 100 grams a day, according to my nutritionist.

The thing is, that I know better. I know I'm 'supposed' to be drinking protein shakes and eating more often and blah blah blah.

But to be honest, I don't feel motivated to do any of that. Before surgery I made my protein shakes with fruit juice and frozen fruit, and not being allowed to do that anymore has taken the wind out of my sails. Who wants powdery milk 3 times a day? And Eating just isn't any FUN anymore. I can never eat what I want, and never eat fast enough or in large enough amounts to satisfy my brain. I just find myself resenting the other people at the table.

And since I never really feel hungry, I always kind of feel like-- 'what's the point?'.

Did anyone else feel like this at the beginning? Right now I'm sort of regretting ever HAVING the surgery.

Chicken still doesnt agree with me. What about some ground turkey, put the taco seasoning on it? Ummmm, I was sick most of my first months, so I have no other ideas.. Maybe if u need to eat, a baked potato?

i used to to strawberry banana shakes... w/ protein powder, freeze and eat like an italian ice.

[Lana]

You're suffering from "buyer's remorse." I suffered from the same thing after I had my lap band in 2006. I felt like I lost my best friend - "FOOD". I never wanted to go out and eat with anyone because it was so depressing and frustrating.

I have to tell you that it will pass. It does get easier. I also couldn't find enough things to eat that I could handle so I wasn't getting enough protein. But you HAVE TO force yourself to drink your protein supplements otherwise you will get sick.

I am now having my band removed and I'm having the bypass on Aug. 31st. I just got the whole lecture today when I met with my nutritionist and surgeon on how I have to get the protein in.

There's plenty of great support here so just hang in there. But do force yourself to drink if you can't eat enough otherwise you'll feel alot worse than you do now.

Good Luck!

[GrandmaRose]

I thought that this "transition" period was the toughest part of WLS. I wasn't very skilled at eating yet, and resented those who would eat in my presence, etc. etc. etc.

Here's a list, and if you were to do a search on this forum, you'll find lots more:

Low fat string cheese - a GREAT standby.

Fage 2% yogurt with 1/4 recipe SF pudding in it (cheesecake is my personal favorite).

Honey Almond Flax cereal Kashi Go Lean

Cottage cheese (I didn't like it AT ALL pre-op, but love it now) with mandarin oranges in it.

Deli meat - try Thuringer for a salami - not so greasy and easier to chew.

SF puddings - already in little cups.

For protein shakes, I use Fage yogurt, fresh fruit, 8 oz milk and 2 scoops protein shake - any flavor, or unflavored. Blend them the night before to let the air out.

Right now I am on liquids because of getting extensive dental work, so that makes it harder to be creative - but rest assured, your indifference to food will change and you'll feel good about it again - just say away from carbs and sugar especially.

Keep truckin'

[sherry7]

GrandmaRose said:

....For protein shakes, I use Fage yogurt, fresh fruit, 8 oz milk and 2 scoops protein shake - any flavor, or unflavored. Blend them the night before to let the air out......

Excellent suggestions Rose. :) However, I will mention that you should not blend your protein shakes in advance. The protein powder starts deteriorating as soon as it gets mixed with liquid.

Hmmmm, I'm trying to think of some ideas that weren't already mentioned. Sorry if some of these are repeats:
fat free cottage cheese
fat free ricotta cheese, with a bit of marinara sauce, a sprinkle of parmesan, and nuked until hot.
low fat cheeses (I buy the individual portion sizes...big bag of them at Sam's or Costco)
Fage 2% Greek yogurt (Hard to find, but SOOO worth it! It's loaded with protein.)
eggs or egg beaters
Wendy's chili

It sounds like you're having difficulty with finding a protein drink you like. I'm sure you already know this, but protein is VERY important. Without it, your muscles will waste away, your hair will fall out, your internal organs can be damaged, etc. I didn't get enough protein for the first 3 months or so, and I lost well over 1/2 of my hair.

Have you ordered any protein samples from Vitalady.com? She sells a gazillion of them, and the sample price is pretty reasonable. That way you can find one you like before buying an entire tub of it. Most people seem to like Nectar Syntrax. It mixes with water, and is a juice like consistency. My personal favorite is the Fuzzy Navel flavor, mixed with orange Crystal Light instead of water.

Another protein I like is Optimum Nutrition Any Whey unflavored. It actually has a tiny bit of a vanilla flavor to it, but if you add it to something sweet, you can't tell it's there. For example, make a decaf iced coffee drink with sugar free DaVinci syrup for flavoring, some skim milk, and a scoop of the unflavored protein. I don't think Vitalady.com sells that one. I order it at Amazon.com. See here: Amazon.com: Optimum Nutrition 100% Any Whey Instantized Whey Protein, 2.7-Pound Tub: Health & Personal Care

[RNCCRN9706]

My first few weeks out I stuck to Fat free cottage cheese, fat free refried beans with fat free cheddar cheese melted on top, plain yogurt with chocolate protein powder mixed in.

I LOVE the Nectar Twisted Cherry! Tastes just like cherry Kool-aid! The Nectar Cappucino is also very good.

[2010ChapieMovingAhead]

Hello Dayna Jean,

I'm pre-op hoping to have my surgery next month. During this waiting time i have been researching as much as possible about foods that might be suitable at different stages post-op.

Here are a few recipe ideas, you may wish to adapt them slightly depending on where you're at.

High Protein Recipes - 101 Cookbooks Can I also suggest you visit Youtube and search for WLS recipes.

Welcome aboard - I think you'll find a lot of support here. There is also a thread on here where people list what they eat each day, you can get loads of ideas from there.

Good luck.

Regards

Hyacinth.

Edited by Hychap2009, 19 June 2009 - 02:15 AM.

[dayna_jean]

Wow, I cannot thank you all enough! I'm heading over to vitalady immediately, and it really did put things in perspective to hear that my internal organs can fail and my hair will fall out. I had no idea WHY the protein was so important, and now that I do, I feel a lot more motivated to force myself to drink the shakes.

I'm also going to try some cottage cheese. I wasn't a big fan of it pre-op, but why not try it now?! I've gotten used to tossing food out after one bite anyway, so if I don't like it, it's not the end of the world. :)

I'm not sure if I'll like the nectar stuff or not, because I've tried this other Special K protein mix that you just add to water, and it was awful. But I'm totally open to ordering a few samples because... I'm desparate!

I'm at the point now where I need to be doing more than walking for exercise, I heard that I'm supposed to do 'strength training' in order to reduce excess skin. Is that right? What exactly IS strenght training? Is that lifting weights? Or would something like swimming qualify?

Thanks for all your help! I feel so clueless! :p

[GrandmaRose]

Okay. Mix the smoothie the night before, add the protein powder the next morning just before drinking it. I should have remembered that, Sherry, because I think this has come up before! Thanks for the reminder.

Love

[poet_kelly]

Getting enough protein is EXTREMELY important. I didn't get much at all for the first three months, and I got very sick. I was tired, weak, nauseous all the time. I also lost a LOT of hair.

Why can't you use frozen fruit in your protein drinks? I know a lot of people do. I don't like powdery milk, either. I usually add other stuff to my drinks besides just milk and protein powder. My current favorite is to add a packet of general foods international vanilla latte mix. I mix my drinks in the blender, as that seems to do better than just stirring with a spoon.

As others have suggested, you can get samples from vitalady.com to see what you like. You might want to try the Lean Dessert protein. Those mix with water, not milk, but they are pretty rich and creamy. If you mix them in the blender, the powder dissolves completely.

Kelly

[poet_kelly]

Oh, and I think strength training is lifting weights and stuff like that. Swimming, I think, is more of a cardio activity. My doctor really stresses cardio over strength training, but it is probably good to do some of both.

Kelly

[soon2bthin]

What about a soft scrambled egg with some melted cheese? I know eggs don't agree with everyone post op, but they were my saving grace during this phase.

YOu have gotten some great advice and suggestions. And remember out tastes do change after surgery so things you didn't care for before you might like now. This has happened with a lot of us here.

Also what got me through this phase was just knowing it wasn't forever. Just keep the right mindset and plug along. A year down the road you will be so happy at the life this surgery has given you back.

[dayna_jean]

Hychap2009 said:

Hello Dayna Jean,

I'm pre-op hoping to have my surgery next month. During this waiting time i have been researching as much as possible about foods that might be suitable at different stages post-op.

Here are a few recipe ideas, you may wish to adapt them slightly depending on where you're at.

High Protein Recipes - 101 Cookbooks Can I also suggest you visit Youtube and search for WLS recipes.

Welcome aboard - I think you'll find a lot of support here. There is also a thread on here where people list what they eat each day, you can get loads of ideas from there.

Good luck.

Regards

Hyacinth.

Where is this thread with the list of daily meals?! I totally want to check it out.

[poet_kelly]

Here's the thread I think you are asking about: http://www.thinnerti...rday-today.html

[dayna_jean]

Thanks!! I'm looking forward to that thread. I really think it will help!

[scrapjewel]

okay this was a new one to me, the protein powder breaks down after being in liquid? Does that mean you don't get the protein if you leave 1/2 a shake for the next day? Had no idea, some of the recipes I have make two servings so I have been saving the other half for the next day, that would bum me out if I wasn't getting the protein I thought I was.
thanks for any help on this.

[KaySouth]

Hi There..I had surgery the 19th of May and I weighed in at 365 the day of surgery. So we are pretty close in weight and surgery date. I am faced with the same thing is you. I hate..all the protein drinks and I do mean all of them! Tried a zillion and can't find one I can get down so I am trying to get my protein through food right now. I will give you examples of what I eat...if helps..all the better!
Breakfast-Southbeach Protein Bar or egg beaters with FF cheese and a turkey sausage link.
Mid am snack- String Cheese or yogurt
Lunch Albacore Tuna with Light mayo and pickles on a couple ritz crackers or some turkey lunch meat, lowfat cheese etc.
Mid afternoon snack-another string cheese or cottage cheese
Dinner lemon Chicken a brocilli spear or two and 1/2 small red potatoe.

I also love split pea soup! SF Popcicles are great. Dannon light and fit yogurt is a great snack. Wendy's chilli did not go over well with my tummy but alot of the ladies love it!

[JLo]

I'm working on how to prepare my protein drink everyday without having to mix it up all the time. If the protein starts breaking down as soon as it's mixed with anything then how much can I make in advance. My plan was to mix up the protein drink in the morning and drink it during they day.

Would this work? Do I have t take a blender to work with me to prepare the protein drink?

Thx,
JLo

[NorCalRN]

Hi Dayna, I wanted to help so here are a few things....

First, go through and read this whole thread- it is VERY helpful!
http://www.thinnerti...tc-post-op.html

to see what I personally love so far- go to the last page. I was told to get 70g protein per day, and your total for protein is actually based on your goal weight, not your current weight. You can always add more, but thats a minimum. I get about 1/2 my protein from food, and the other half from protein drinks. I have found the EASIEST protein to take is called Premier Nutrition Protein shakes from Costco. If you don't have costco- try Sam's club too. They are only 11oz, premade and have 30g protein per shake. They don't taste the best in the world, but they are far easier to 1)have with me all the time and 2) go down quick! and 3) require no blending, mixing, etc!

When I was on soft foods, I ate a lot of yogurt, pudding, popsicles, and protein shakes, and cheese. I tried eggs- they didn't go down very well at all for me. Now that I am on solids, it is getting so much easier to get my protein in. 1/2 of a burger patty is 15g protein, plus I put cheese on top. I usually can eat 1/2 a patty per meal, so 2 meals combined with 1 shake is 60g protein. Add to that 2 string cheese sticks for a meal and I'm over the 70g for the day. It DOES get easier, trust me!! I have been staying away from all carbs as much as possible, because I am determined to lose this weight! Which means I allow myself some frozen fruit about 1x/week, no crackers, no bread, no tortillas, no corn, no rice, no potatoes!! I let myself have a bite of some of those things if my bf is eating them- the couple times I have- it was NOT pleasant. Took care of those cravings pretty quick! I just remind myself that I WILL be able to eat those things, just not right now! I spent 17 thousand dollars of my own money on this surgery, quit my job so I could get it, and I WILL NOT sabotage myself in this! The goal, the focus is to lose this weight! And it is coming off when I follow my surgeon's orders! Woohoo!

Okay, so for exercise. Cardio is super important- which means walking, swimming, biking, etc. Things that get your heart rate up for an extended period of 30mins minimum.
Strength Training is yes, lifting weights. But you don't have to turn into some body builder type for this. Strength training can be as easy as getting a stretchy resistance band, hooking in the hinges of your doorway and working your muscles against that resistance.

Lastly for now- use the internet to your advantage! Google "resistance band exercises" or go on youtube and search for easy resistance band moves. Use the search feature here on this site too- there are so many good resources to help you get to your goals!! We are all here for you- I am so glad you spoke up and asked for advice!! You can do this!