NLWC.Christa

I'm a foodie. I always have been. The majority of the shows on my TiVo are from either the food Network or the Cooking Channel, even after surgery. The difference is, now I look for the high-protein recipes or ways to turn them into WLS friendly recipes. Food has always been a big part of my life, and my family's life. I didn't have this surgery so that I could sever my relationship with food, I had this surgery to give myself a chance to be in control of my relationship with food. And my body. I still love food. But now I think of it as fuel. Fuel that can be tasty and beautiful and nutritious. But, it is no longer my best friend.

I've only looked for the chicken and apple sausages at TJs, but I'm certain that I've seen it at a local meat market in the past. Definitely give the Herbal Water a try, I am in love with the Lemongrass Mint Vanilla. I just can't describe how it is so fresh and really not at all sweet. I'm going to have to nix the Butternut Squash Crab Bisque, though. I did okay on a 1/2 serving when i tried it Wednesday. I ate closer to a full serving on Thursday, and it caused me to dump shortly after. I'm going to play with the recipe and see if I can come up with a more WLS-friendly version, with less fat and butter. Of the yogurts that I've tried so far (the date & fig and honey vanilla bean), Honey Vanilla Bean is my favorite. Rich, decadent, not overly sweet and very satisfying.

I had an appointment with my ophthalmologist today, and since he's located in St. Louis, I took the day off to get in some shopping. Whole Foods Market and Trader Joes are always on my list of stops, and today I picked up a bunch of sleeve-friendly foods! For lunch, I had the Butternut Squash Crab Bisque from Whole Foods Market. 217calories and 10g Protein per cup. A little higher in fat (15g) and carbs (12) than I would ordinarily allow for one meal, but since I knew that I would be out all day, I'd packed my fat free, no carb Protein drinks for all of my meals and Snacks, I had the fat and carbs to spare. I didn't finish a whole cup, only my tiny little sleeve kept me from wolfing down the whole thing and going back for more. Thank you, Sleeve. Also at Whole Foods, they were offering tastings of some new-to-me greek yogurt brands. I bought all of my favorites: Liberte Brand in Honey, strawberry, Peach & Passion Fruit, Date & Fig and Voskos brand Honey vanilla Bean and Wild Blueberry. Some of these are higher in carbs than others, but all have about 13g protein. (I should note that my dietician doesn't really give me a set limit of carbs, I'm just instructed to eat protein first and then add side items (veg or fruit, good carbs) if I have room. She says if I do that, and try to stay around 800 calories a day, the carbs will work themselves out. I have set my own personal carb "target" from reading this board.) At Trader Joes, I picked up some yummy Curry chicken Tenderloins, Chicken and Apple Sausage, and veggie burgers. And, no trip to the city is complete without a stop at World Market. I highly recommend Ayala's Herbal Water. The flavor combinations are interesting, fresh and not at all overly sweet. I'm drinking Lemongrass Mint Vanilla right now, it is so light and crisp and refreshing, I should have bought a case.

My stomach gurgles a lot, I notice it mostly after i drink either Water or milk. There's no pain or discomfort associated with it, and I've joked with my surgeon that my sleeve talks to me. He's heard it and doesn't seem concerned. I do notice it more at the end of the work day or in the evening. I've also noticed that it has quieted down some in the last week or so (I'm 8 weeks post-op). To be honest, I feel so good and am so happy with my sleeve, I'm happy to put up with a talking tummy.

Here are couple of weeks of food diaries for you to check out. I'm usually "around" 40g carbs per day and I try to always get at least 60g Protein. My dietician doesn't give a "set" carb limit, she just says to eat protein first and I shouldn't have room for much more. http://www.fatsecret.com/export/3588352/5A854/14879/week/food/FoodDiary_100927_foods.pdf http://www.fatsecret.com/export/3588352/B0891/14886/week/food/FoodDiary_101004_foods.pdf

When I have a few extra carbs to play with, and need a little extra Protein, I pick up little jugs of Nesquik 100 calorie chocolate milk. 8 ounces, 8g protein, 13carbs, 2g fat. Chocolate milk is my one pre-surgery obsession that I've allowed to stay because it usually fits in my daily limits, gives me some protein and satisfies any sweet cravings that might crop up. I've also read that it is a good post-workout food. Thank you Prevention Magazine for that little bit of rationalization.

Last week, I was in a bit of a snit and cursing the scale that refused to budge. My coworker suggested we check my measurements. I had lost 12 inches since surgery! So, we named every Tuesday Tape Measure Day! This week's tale of the tape: SIX inches gone! The scale may not be moving as quickly as I would like, but I KNOW I'm doing the right things and letting my sleeve work the way it is supposed to. In return, my body is rewarding me. I just had to find a different way to measure the rewards. Feel free to post your weekly Tape Measure Day successes here...I love seeing everyone doing so well. You are all such an inspiration to me.

I try to stop drinking 30 minutes before and wait 30-45 minutes after, but if we are out at a restaurant, I will sip until my meal arrives. It keeps me from reaching (out of habit, not hunger) for the chips and salsa, bread basket, or other nibbles that might be on the table. On occasion, I have taken a sip or two during the meal if something is extra spicy or feels a bit hung up...that rarely happens, though, as I hear my dietician in my head, "chew, chew, chew."

The best part of my sleeve: Having no hunger. The worst part of my sleeve: Having no hunger. Don't get me wrong, I love that I don't really have cravings, that I don't feel ravenous when someone even mentions the word "pizza," or that I don't feel the need to wolf down double portions on a regular basis. I LOVE this...Monday through Friday. During the week, I have a routine, I eat at appropriate meal times, I have an afternoon snack, I get all of my Protein in without even thinking. On the weekend, I have no schedule. I stay up late, sleep late, spend the day running around with friends and family, and because I never feel hungry, there is no trigger for me to eat, so I struggle to get in all of my protein. Apart developing a schedule, does anyone else experience this? What do you do? Do you have tricks for reminding yourself to eat? Thanks!

I'm with you. Nuts are one of those Snacks where my hand just keeps reaching into the bowl, like it has a mind of its own. However, I found 100 calorie bags of Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds on sale at Target last week. Kills my need for crunchy snacks and chocolate at the same time. Score!

I made this last night and it was so good...surprisingly so. My entire family ate every last bite of the doubled recipe. The crust was a little "soft" and I had to bake it a bit longer than the recipe called for, probably because I used an insulated cookie sheet. These are some changes that I will make next time: 1. Drain the cauliflower well and then pat dry with a tea towel 2. Return riced cauliflower to the saucepan, on the stove, to cook out more of the liquid 3. Bake it on a pizza stone or parchment paper lined, think cookie sheet to help the crust brown up even more. I really can't wait for lunch now, I have leftovers in the fridge!

That looks really good! and 10g protein per serving? i know what I'm contributing to our lazy Sunday meal this week!

A fellow WLS patient shared this with me, so I thought I would pass it along: Tofu Cheesecake pudding 1 8 ounce container Cottage cheese 2 packages Tofu 10-15 pkts of Equal, Splenda or sweatener of your choice 2 teaspoons Crystal Light Lemonade Mix 2 tablespoons vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon Butter Extract 1/2 cup Warm Water 2 pkgs Knox Gelatin Blend the first six ingredients in either a food processor or blender until creamy. Mix 1/2 cup water and two packages of Knox gelatin until the gelatin is diluted. Add the gelatin mixture to the tofu mixture. Blend again in either a food processor or blender until well blended. The consistency will be similar to instant pudding. Refrigerate the unused portion of the cheesecake pudding. Other things you may add to change the flavor: 1 teaspoon pineapple extract 1 teaspoon cherry extract 1 pkg sugar-free strawberry-kiwi Jello. Our dietician calculated 40 calories and 6 grams Protein per 1/2 cup.

Just curious, what state? I just checked the Kentucky anthem policy and it still lists sleeve as investigational.

I'm not sure why my response did not register above, so I'll try again... Like Tiffykins, I try to get the majority of my Protein from food sourcess. I do have access to all manner of protein supplements at the office, and I use them occasionally if I see that I'm going to fall short of my 60+ gram per day goal. But I try not to rely too heavily on supplements. Oikos non-fat greek yogurt is a breakfast staple, or I might have a bit of scrambled egg with cheese and salsa if I get up in time to actually cook something. I keep canned tuna and chicken on hand for quick lunches, along with thinly sliced deli turkey and string cheese. Lately, I'm addicted to Bumblebee Thai Spicy Chili Tuna and Starkist Lunch-To-Go Chunk Light, though I don't eat the crackers. I also keep canned crab meat on hand, as I love a good crab salad. I also make the Cheesy Egg Bake recipe from BariatricEating.com once every week or two, and freeze the leftovers in individual, air-tight packages. They reheat perfectly! (I use the Xpress Redi Set Go cooker to make individual 1/2c portions - sometimes I can finish a whole one, sometimes I can only manage half) When eating out, I try to choose baked or broiled fish, or perhaps a shrimp cocktail if I am at a restaurant where I know they will not overcook the shirmp, and Red Lobster will allow you to order the add-on snow crab legs without ordering an accompanying dinner. So yummy! The one pre-surgery vice that I allow myself is chocolate milk. My local convenience store carries a 100 calorie bottle of Nesquick. 8 grams of protein and perfect when I want a little treat. I use www.fatsecret.com both on the web and on my phone to track everything I eat. This way, I'm able to forecast what I'm going to need to do to get my protein in, it really helps for planning. When I know I'm not going to hit my goal, or if my planning goes awry, I like the ProJoe drinks from Bariatric Advantage (they remind me of a frappuccino!). I'd be happy to share my weekly logs if you are interested, just send me a PM.

Tuna has become a staple for me, especially for lunch at work or on the go. I really like: Lunch To-Go? Chunk Light | StarKist and BumbleBee Sensations Spicy Thai Chili Kits with Crackers | BumbleBee.com (I usually don't eat the crackers) When eating out, I try to choose grilled fish, shrimp cocktail or crab legs (Red Lobster will let you order the add-on half-pound of snow crab legs without having to order a full dinner). I also keep canned white meat chicken on hand for making my mexican chicken soup, string cheese is a must-have, as is thinly sliced deli turkey. Breakfast is usually Oikos non-fat greek yogurt or a hard-boiled egg (perhaps a scrambled egg with a little cheese and salsa if I get up early enough to cook). My one pre-surgery treat that I've hung onto is chocolate milk. Nesquick makes a 100 calorie, single serving bottle that I pick up at my local convenience store when I want a treat and have a few calories/carbs to spare - 8g protein! I do sometimes supplement with ProJoe drinks from Bariatric Advantage (Frappuccino, anyone?) when I know I will have a hard time getting my 60g in. I track everything on fatsecret.com, so I can "forecast" what I need to eat to hit my goals. I'm happy to share my weekly food diaries if you are interested. Just send me a PM or email to christamccoy [at] gmail dot com. Hope that helps!

Yes! The getting ready part was so tiring for me. Just blowdrying my hair left me weak and feeling like I needed to rest a bit. I went back to work on post-op day 13.

I have one that is an excel spreadsheet that I downloaded as a template. Feel free to send me an email and I will send you a copy.

I add benefiber to my water everyday. I like the kiwi-strawberry flavor.

Your symptoms sound like mine when I was dehydrated. Try focusing on getting all of your fluids in (my doctor's recommendation was 64oz of clear liquids per day).

I use fatsecret.com, mostly because I like the app for my mobile phone and the reporting feature (I email my food logs to my dietician each week). I never get a "you're not eating enough" message. I hover between 550 and 700 calories with a minimum of 60 grams of protein. As to my stall at week 3-4, once I upped my water intake and my protein, I started losing again.

The first meal I ate out after surgery was at a Mexican Restaurant, I had a spicy chicken Soup. I ate mostly the broth and some of the softer pieces of chicken and veg. My surgeon didn't have a problem with it...he was actually at lunch with us! Of course, he also didn't think it was that spicy. I've found that since surgery the foods that sound the most appetizing to me are savory/spicy options. The sweet stuff is no longer appealing. I never really "crave" anything and have to remind myself to eat most days. I have a love/hate relationship with my lack of hunger. During the week it is fine, I'm in the office, I have a schedule, so I eat when I'm supposed to. On the weekend, my schedule is more relaxed/non-existent, so I often forget to eat and find myself scrambling to get my Protein in. But, I digress... My current favorite meals are scrambled eggs with a little cheese and tomatilla salsa and thin sliced turkey spread with a laughing cow cheese wedge and rolled up with some spicy red salsa.

Everyone recovers differently, and though I was technically feeling well enough after one week, I wanted to get a little rest before going back to the office. I work for my surgeon, so I didn't want our patients to see me and think "wow, she looks like death warmed up." Because, when I'm tired or lacking energy, it is written all over my face and no amount of makeup can mask it.

My staples were Ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, Protein from Bariatric Advantage (Pro Joe and Meal Replacement shakes) Light Laughing Cow cheese wedges, soft scrambled eggs. steamed or baked fish that I could mush with a fork. I really can't handle meats that are pureed in the blender, so I stuck to foods I could just mash by hand. My doctor also let me have some string cheese, stripped into fine shreds and chewed well, during that stage. The only time I got out the blender was to puree some no-sugar added canned pears to eat with the ricotta.