LisaS73

Check out pinterest too! That is literally what I am doing right now, searching low carb, low fat thanksgiving recipes. You can even put gastric in your search to be more specific and you will find recipes for every stage of eating you are in! I will be up all night doing this now! ;-/

I am about 6 weeks post op. I have a family function today and was asked to make dip. No biggie, found lots of good recipes that are good for me. One problem....what can I eat this dip with? I am pretty much convinced I will just have to use a fork lol. Is there no kind of whole grain whole wheat cracker or toast I can have? I know, vegetables, but I am still not supposed to have raw yet and not a lot of veggies go with different dips....ugh. Any suggestions??

Annnnd excitement deflated lol. I didn't even look at the ingredients when I went to check them out

I am in orange too Anna! Small world!!

Great Idea Sophie! I have wanting an excuse to order something from there, I will definitely try them!

I was sleeved 8/27 and was 315 the day of surgery and today i weigh 285. I have had two stalls already but dr and nut keep saying i am doing great. I am a little reluctant to try new foods as most aren't agreeing with me so i still mostly stick to 3 protien shakes a day, one triple zero greek yogurt, a banana or grapes (to help with constipation), and lemon water. Otherwise, i just graze whatever the family is having or whatever i cook them, but like i said most of it isn't agreeing. I usually have a shake with them at the table while they eat. And if you are still having periods, dont forget bloating and water weght from that is a factor. That was actually the culprit of my first "stall". And my nutritionist told me if i feel like I've overeaten or eaten badly, i can always do a reset and go back to liquids for a day or two. Sometimes that can also kickstart a stall back in gear. Good luck and don't be too hard on yourself!

Today i am putting a pork loin roast in the crockpot with fat free italian dressing, carrots, mushrooms, onions and brussel sprouts. On low for about 12 hours. YUMMMMM

If anyone is located in SETX, i just started a local chapter support group if anyone is interested in coming to a meeting! Look for us in the local charters forum to join. We havent secured a location for meetings yet socould be Beaumont, Mid county or Orange.

I just signed up to start a local chapter in southeast texas. Can I get more information on how to get started? I have never done anything like this before but believe it would be greatly beneficial and I may be able to get my surgeons office involved. Please let me know what I need to do!

I think my restriction is just that tortilla chips are too hard to process, and I assumed they would be a no no like any chips would be even after I am on regular foods again. As far as soft tortillas, I was told no soft bread of any kind, I can't remember for how long, because of the risk of a bread ball forming and blocking my pouch. I guess I should ask again when I see the nutritionist tomorrow!

I am loving the crockpot and Soups. Guaranteed moist meat and soft vegetables! Chili has become my new go to. Just made a white chicken chili last week that was awesome!! http://www.bushbeans.com/en_US/recipe/classic-white-chicken-chili

Thanks everybody for the good suggestions, I appreciate it! I ended up skipping the dips anyway lol. Wanted to save all my room for gumbo, which I could still only eat a tiny bit of. Is gumbo broth a thing? Cuz I could drink that all day!

Good idea! I will definitely look that up! Wonder what else I can make a "chip" with??

Booo. Well, I was just thinking that there probably isn't any dip that would be worth taking up precious food space anyway. I was just hoping someone had found some kind of low carb melba toast or whole grain cracker or something. I guess tortillas are forever on the no no list? Because I am dying for salsa but have no idea how I will eat it from now on. I always told myself preop that tortillas and salsa was a good for me snack...

Where would i ask that question? I would love to join a group or would even be willing to start one if there isn't already one in Southeast TX!

I wish we could start a support group in the Beaumont area. I had surgery in Beaumont and I know quite a few people do.

I am sort of near Jasper, I live on I-10 between Orange and Beaumont, a little south of you.

Exactly! It makes me feel so guilty but there is no rhyme or reason!

Ok, I just need to vent here. I feel like I have completely screwed myself and I'm scared to death. I am 11 days post op. My surgery was the worst. Spent three days in the hospital because of nausea, fever, horrible pain, reflux and stomach spasms. Had to suffer an upper gi before I left (no leaks thank god!). Didn't feel like a semi-normal human until 3-4 more days after being home. Last night was the first night I slept laying in my bed. Needless to say, it has been way worse than I ever thought it would be. I really wanted to be the one who felt awesome and went home the next day and it turned out to be the complete opposite! I am really wondering why the hell I did this to myself! Starting week 2, I tried to start pureed meat (like baby food consistency) and mashed potatoes, both hurt and gave me diarrhea. Since day 7, I am so sick of being on liquids (was on liquids two weeks pre op and now until this Thurs) that I keep finding myself taking tiny bites at foods I am making for the kids. Just tiny bits of veggie straws and 3 little grapes while I was making the kids lunches for tomorrow. And a few nights ago my husband made the kids alfredo and I wanted a bite so bad that I took a bite, chewed it up, and spit it in the trash. And then I felt so disgusted with myself! I went shopping with the hubby and kids a couple days and they got jack in the box and ate it in the car with me, I was totally fine, brought my shake with me and it didn't bother me. But they left the food trash in the car and when we came back out of the store and opened the car door and the SMELL hit me, I totally freaked and was yelling throw the bags out! roll the windows down! turn the fan on!! like a complete maniac because the smell was so strong I almost threw up! Didn't bother me at all when I sat in the car with them when they ate it! And I made a complete embarrassing scene in the parking lot of hobby lobby. I thought I was so prepared and informed and had my food totally under control pre op (lost 20 lbs and followed diet to the T) and now I feel like a total failure!! Nothing I ate today has hurt me or come back up, and I chewed each bite like 100 times, but I am still scared to death that I am ruining this! On a good note, for the first time in a decade of being diabetic with high blood pressure, acid reflux, and high cholesterol, I am actually off every single med except my Vitamins and physically I feel fantastic! But emotionally, I am literally losing my mind! I have cried all day long today, for no particular reason. I can only guess its because after being off all the meds, I feel like I have come out of a prescription fog, which is fantastic, and now I feel everything, good and bad, and I can't run to food when I don't like it anymore. I just have to sit here and feel everything. And I feel like all my emotions are on extreme exaggerated overdrive like I am pregnant and just had a baby or something! Completely out of control! Please someone tell me that this is all normal and I haven't made the worst mistake of my life! Not that I can do anything about it now, but I hope the little cheats I have made haven't ruined anything for me...

Thanks so much again ladies! I am going for a walk after lunch. I sat outside this morning with my decaf tea and yogurt and you were right @@Inner Surfer Girl, the fresh air and sunshine helps. I haven't tried driving anywhere yet since being off the major pain meds and I'm starting to get a little cabin fever so I am just going to get out of the house today, even if just to the park down the road to walk because it's so beautiful. I will not give up or give in!! My good friend and mentor tells me being unhealthy and overweight is hard, getting through this process and getting my life back is hard. Every day you just have to pick your hard!

I am 12 days post op and didn't really feel like I turned the corner back to "normal" feeling until about 8-9 days. Now I barely feel a thing. Don't forget that you can count any liquids (protein drinks, jello, ect), not just water. That helped me reached my fluids goal. And were you not sent home with something for nausea? Fatigue is normal, you are not taking in food (energy) and your body is just trying to recover. Sleep as much as you can, move around when you're not asleep. Right now I am just battling hating the liquid diet and the emotional rollercoaster. So I promise, it gets better! Just hang in there!!

Strain and puree soups! This has been a life saver for me. I did bean and bacon, potato Soup, tomato soup, and pea soup. Poured them into ice trays to freeze (one ounce servings) and reheated in the microwave with seasoning (onion, garlic powder, parsley, anything but pepper). YUMMMM!! And low calorie too!

Triple Zero Greek yogurt has been a life saver for me as well. 15 grams of protein.

Oh my gosh, I can't wait to try dreamsicle!! Thanks so much for the suggestion!!