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I am so sick of making myself get in protein shakes cottage cheese yogurt mashed potatoes and beans. What are some soft food ideas?

To be honest i hated greek yogurt prior to surgery and cottage cheese and never eat fish. My staple meat on my diet has always been chicken and turkey. They are the best anyway cuz they are 2 of the highest in Protein and low in calories and fat. After surgery i have come to love greek yogurt. My taste buds have changed a bit. I also will use cottage cheese in a recipe but still cant just have it on its own. I also make Protein shakes with a little skim milk, greek yogurt. A scoop of whey isolate any flavor. And some fruit. Makes a great shake and super high in protein. I have a limited pallet but i have been able to eat a varied diet. eggs are just a good soft food but remember they are about 70 cal and only 6g of protein so dont panic. Wait a few weeks and then start trying differet things. You may be pleasantly surprised at what u may or may not like. As far as red meat, we really shojldnt be eating it till around or after 6 months cuz its hard to digest. The chicken you will just learn to make it alp kinds of different ways so theres always change. Another thing is the canned chicken. High in.protein and u can make a chicken salad and eat with crackers or put it in a Soup or just add it to some broth. Just follow the high protein plan and get plenty of fluids. Also if ur not a yogurt eater try starting with the light and fit greek 80 cal yogurts. You may just like them. Also the yoplait 100 cal ones. In my shakes though i use the plain nonfat. Lower in cals and higher in protein. Just dont be discouraged. It isnt as bad as u may think. Good luck and if you need any suggestions please feel free to ask me. Id be more than happy to help u.

Anita, I'm also not a big red meat person although it's supposed to be harder to eat after surgery. As far as eggs and dairy, do you not like the taste? I've never been a huge fan of greek yogurt but post-surgery I love it. I'm also eating a lot of legumes. I make salads with different types of Beans and then add other veggies for flavor. In additional to chicken I'm also eating turkey and ham. You should look for a recipe books for either WLS or vegetarians, also search recipes above for options. I'm sure you'll do fine and who knows, maybe your taste buds will change after surgery, many peoples do.

I was lactose intolerant before the surgery - however, it affected me differently (out the other end) and I didn't throw up - so there were times when I would suffer the consequences and eat some ice cream -- however, I don't like throwing up so I will now pass on ice cream. I tried lactaid before surgery and it didn't really seem to make a difference in the reaction my body had to ice cream so I gave up on it. I don't care to drink milk at all and I actually can enjoy my Golden Spoon frozen yogurt as much as I did ice cream. I can't tolerate much of anything sweet as it is soooo very sweet tasting to me.

Trader Joe's has a great Frozen Greek Yogurt!

Sorry I left the word FROZEN out he added Non Fat, Low in Sugar Frozen Yogurt to the items I can have.

Hi everyone, my Dr added Non Fat, Low in Sugar Yogurt... My problem is I can not find any, can anyone reccomend where I can find such a thing

I'm passed surgery 111 days and I had my third fill on November 17th (9 days ago) taking me to 5cc. The second one was too tight and I couldn't swallow liquids, so they took it down about 6 weeks ago. Now I'm back up to the same, with less problems but more questions. I can't eat solids in the morning, only liquids and yogurts. lunch I can eat thick Soups. dinner some solid wet foods. I'm not a burper, nor someone that vomits. So, when I eat something too dry, etc. I have that really bad chest pain which I lay down and get into a yoga position while massaging my lower stomach, this seems to ease it. My issues are gas and a bit of nausa. Like I said I don't burp, I gurgle. So, by the end of the day, I am miserable with gas pains though out my stomach, back and lower intestines. I pass gas terribly, which releases it. The pains move around all day. My port area is a little sore too. I have been sneezing a lot and slipped and fell on my butt a day before my fill so I don't know if I pulled something or not. The only other thing that about 2.5 inches around my port site is real lumpy, but I guess that is normal since the doctor would have been poking around that area for the fill and he didn't say anything then. I have lost almost 50 pounds and things are starting to poke out all over me, like hipbones! Unless, everyone around me has been sick with intestinal flu, even though I'm not throwing up or diaherria, maybe that's what's going on. I called the doctor, but he's in surgery today and I haven't heard back. I just don't feel myself. Any input out there???

Well, I guess it depends on your perspective and idea of food priorities when banded. If you're always trying to eat Protein and fill up on that, then you'd find it quite difficult to consume much fruit. Its very filling and I find it quite hard to eat, its one food that causes me quite a deal of discomfort, although I can get it down. Sometimes I have a glass of juice. But whole fruit is better. I personally try to get at least one piece of fruit in per day - usually I'll slice up a banana to have on Cereal for Breakfast or I'll have a fruit smoothie, or I find I can get it down with yogurt too. I focus more heavily on vegies as I find it much easier to eat a wider variety and greater quantity - and I figure fruit and vegetables as one food group, so I dont worry if I havent had "fruit" as long as a large portion of my daily intake is fresh produce. But I dont focus on protein or do protein first so its a lot easier. I dont tend to eat fruit as a snack. I dont find a piece of fruit that appetising and never have. I like the look of a healthy, full fruit bowl on my kitchen bench and I'm very prone to buying fruit and not eating it, its something about the texture/crispness/coldness that I dont enjoy and never have.

Yes gas pain and pressure can be monsterous! I just found out today that i have to switch to Lactaid as opposed to skim milk because im lactose intolerant. Milk has alot of protein so i was using skim milk in the protein shakes instead of water and it was causing alot if gas and pain. They said its not uncommon for ryn patients to be or become lactose intolerant. Walking has helped alot to ease gas pain and pressure. Now that i know there will be no regular milk for me!....yogurt and aged cheese they say is alot lower in lactose....looking forward to having yogurt again in the near future! Yay! Never really liked milk anyway

My dh and I both work the O.N. or graveshift. DH works 5pm-3:30am and I work 11pm-9am. We generally sleep till 3pm then get up and eat our supper meal together. Then dh is off to work shortly there after. I then have a small bite to eat around 8pm and then off to work by 10:30. I am able to snack some at work, but I try to choose healthy snacks. I generally eat a yogurt for breakfast at work or oatmeal or something similiar (around 6am). I get home around 9:15am and then stay up till 10:30, then head to bed. Any one else work the graveyard shift and how do you eat and exercise and all that good stuff?

I feel pretty good. First thing after surgery in recovery room was a little rough, but nurses got my pain under control quickly. I think I got 3 or 4 doses of dilaudid via IV for pain the day of and day after surgery, but fter that I mainly used liquid tylenol to control pain. I did take a hit of liquid oxycodone at bedtime to help me sleep. But oral pain meds gave me nausea, but again nurses were quick with anti-nausea meds. Had surgery on Thursday morning and got discharged Saturday morning. I am on full iquid diet. Protein shakes, decaf coffee or tea, sugar free popsicles, smooth soups (no chunks, meat, nor pasta), skim milk, plain yogurt (can use artificial sweeteners in it), grits, runny oatmeal and sugar free pudding. I am on this for 2 weeks, then onto pureed foods where I can add low fat cottage & ricotta cheese, creamy soups, but no solids. Next 2 weeks is stage 3 soft foods progressing to regular foods. Then stage 4 to start integrating regular foods one at a time back into my diet. Right now I feel good. Sipping water to get my 64 oz in daily. I have zero hunger. Just a few little stomach cramps when I sip to fast, but again doctor prescribed levsin for cramps and it seems to be working. Haven't had to take anything for pain since I have been home. My incisions are pretty painless as well I only feel them if I really twist or bend to far. I guess am very lucky in that regard. My daily diet is one protein Shake first thing which takes me about 2 hours to sip down. Then I do sugar free pudding with protein powder added. Just add two scoops to the pudding mix and I mix with Fairlife fat free milk. That gives me about five 4 oz servings with about 15 grams of protein and 100 calories. I also do a protein water or fruit flavored protein mix in the afternoon to try and get 60 grams of protein each day.

Oh girl..I know exactly what you are feeling! I just got off 2 weeks of nothing but clear..broth, popsicles, and crystal light. I did call my doc about 8 days into it and asked for some cream Soup. She told me that she couldn't tell me what to eat, but that I was on the clear for a reason...to heal. My stomach could spasm and cause a slip. That's all I needed to hear. I stuck to the clears for the full 2 weeks. I cried, I whined, I felt like the life had been sucked out of me!!!! I had no energy..I went to bed early, I took naps...anything to make the day go by faster. The 12th day I chewed up a piece of pizza and spit it out. LOL!! I made it though..I swear it was the worst thing I went through. Now I'm onto thick liquids..soups pureed, pudding, yogurt, grits, oatmeal, V8! I feel like a new person. Hang in there...it will pass and you will be so happy you stuck to it. I lost 19 pounds in those 2 weeks too!! You can do it!!

thats a good idea! i see EAS in walmart too and i look at it but i dont know anything about it but thats definitely an option now. good thought about the unflavored powders. since i make smoothies which the yogurt and/or fresh fruit flavors, i dont really need flavored protein per se thanks again dbaguy! my dietician really recommended that i phase out the Protein drinks for the same reason of food staying in the pouch longer than the drinks but i cant let go of them! if i have to i will though:( but i see nothing wrong with replacing a meal with it especially when i'm on the go. its better than nothing! so was it clarified if i can still have a Protein Shake as a snack?

i dont know what brand mine is, but i know its soy whey protien. Its cheap too. i get it at walmart for thirteen dollars a large can, (before i spent over 125 dollars on isopure). when i switched i started losing weight, but ... my nutritionalist looked at me sternly. said she wants me to only do it once a week or so now and ONLY as Meal Replacement, because...after we heal...here it comes are you ready? "we arent supposed to drink our calories"... but in the mornings these days i cant do solid food. which will change from day to day. i think my surgeon has a remote control. i like them for breakfast. i also like them to use as Meal Replacements for the rest of the day if i have a pb. i put a lot of stuff in mine. a happy beth shake: In blender put: •one small container of probiotic yogurt •half the same container of 2percent milk •ten pecans •one scoop of protien powder • one tablespoon flax seed oil (to balance the powder and make my hair gorgeous) •mulitivitamin, calcuim,iron, b12, collegen capsule, acidolpholis (i hate taking pills so its easier for me to grind them up into the shake where i wont taste them) • a serving of metemucel • two fat strawberries from a bag of frozen ones i keep in the freezer • a medium banana after blending it should fit into a pint glass with no problem. its VERY THICK and sticks to the sides of the glass. (like it sticks to the insides of you!) my husband HATES these and refuses to drink them. I dig them, but i like strange things. it has the consistancy of pudding pretty much. I drink half of it before i go out on my morning bikeride, then half when i get back while im getting ready for work. i think as long as your carb count is low you should be okay with protien powder, just remember they tell us not to drink our calories, unless tight or pb and only as a meal replacement, after you are past the initial full liquid stage.

I am ready to try yogurts again. I know Greek yogurt is the best option but I can't find any that are low carb enough. My favorite brand is Cabot and chobani but they seem to have too much sugar... Like 10-30 grams. What is everyone using? Thanks

I drink up until my first bite as well and typically wait at least 45 minutes before drinking anything more then a sip to rinse my mouth. Immediately post op for the first month I used the Bariatric Advantage Protein powder, but have after I got on soft foods, I switched to a single ready to go Protein shake (Premier Protein from Costco) which I drink halfway between Breakfast and lunch. I didn't puree anything either (puree actually wasn't on my plan) - for me it was 3 days of Clear liquids, then 2 weeks of full liquids, then 2 weeks of soft foods, then back to regular food as tolerable. As far as Snacks, at this stage I find I do need to snack a bit between meals in order to get in my recommended protein. A snack for me is usually something like a cheese stick or a Danon Light and Fit yogurt (12g protein,80 cal!) My surgery team didn't outlaw caffeine out right, just to cut back. Immediately after surgery I didn't have any caffeine until I was on regular foods. At this point I usually have one Americano every other day or so. I use Crystal light powder or other flavor liquids in my Water.. post op I find I can't drink water as well when it is plain. For movies, I only get a water, and maybe take in a Protein Bar and eat half of it. I'm staying away from popcorn until I get to my goal.

Congratulations! I don't know what your plan recommends, but I grabbed this from the University of Pittsburg Medical Center website. Suggested Foods Ideas for Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Protein Sources Yogurt (plain or sugar-free, low or nonfat, blended without fruit chunks) Strained cream soups (celery, potato, mushroom, or chicken made with skim milk) Skim milk with ½ scoop protein powder Protein supplements added to food or water for extra protein Mashed cottage cheese (low or nonfat, small curd) Ricotta cheese (low or nonfat) Scrambled eggs or egg substitute Pureed beef, chicken, or turkey Baby food meats White fish (cod, haddock, tilapia, orange roughy) mashed with a fork Canned chicken breast, mashed and moist Canned tuna fish in water, mashed Grains/starches Cream of wheat or cream of rice Farina Grits Baby oatmeal Mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes Pureed winter squash Fruits Diluted, 100% fruit juices (apple, grape, cranberry) Light juices sweetened with non-nutritive sweetener Applesauce Mashed bananas or mashed canned fruits in own juices Pureed peaches, apricots, pears, pineapples, melons Vegetables Tomato juice Diet V-8 Splash® or V-8 Juice® Pureed spinach, carrots, summer squash or green beans Avoid pureed broccoli, cauliflower, and other fibrous vegetables at this stage Sample Menu for Phase 2B: Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Eat the protein portion of your meal first, and don't forget your liquids between meals (about 30 minutes after each meal). Breakfast Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup scrambled eggs or egg substitute Starch: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup cream of wheat Lunch Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup mashed low fat cottage cheese Fruit: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed peaches in own juices Dinner Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup baked skinless chicken breast (pureed) or mashed canned chicken breast Vegetable: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed carrots Liquid meal- If you're having a liquid meal replacement, soup, or high protein shake: Drink 4 ounces (1/2 cup) over 20 to 30 minutes Try adding mashed, canned chicken or tuna to soup to increase protein content Blend if needed Pureed food should be the consistency of baby food, “spoon thick.” Cut food into small pieces and place in blender or food processor Add liquid (broth, low-calorie gravy or skim milk) Puree until smooth Season food to taste

Well, yogurt is for me the best alternative as u mentioned. Any idea of target weight loss % per month?

i stuck to the protein drinks and bars. I also ate weigh watcher meals a day while watching my calorie. I wrote down my calorie and how many protein in a day. i stared like a protein in the morning i still ate a yogurt as my snack. then lunch i would eat a half of a weight watcher meal. or a bake potato or noodles and cheese a infant plate full. or if i didn't eat food i would have another protein drink and a snack which was a yogurt or a sugar free jello cup. For dinner i would have corn, (two tablespoon), a green veg, a meat bake or broiled.the size of a cracker depending on if the meat was cut up very small and cooked in a cream or gravy or baked real soft. I would drink crystal light in my bottles of water, i don't really like water all day long, but i woul try to get in 8 cups. which i brought the small bottles of water.

I have one to two Snacks per day as needed (usually only when I snow ski and am hungrier)... suggested by my nutritionist - low fat yogurt (for calcium) or skim/lowfat milk I also have fresh fruit - one piece of anything I like low fat mozarrello (sp?) cheese stick 3-4 thin slices of deli meat or 1-2 with small amount of cream cheese on them (like a wrap up) 10 or less nuts 1 stallone high Protein pudding with a few tablespoons of Dr. Sears high protein Cereal 1/2 - 3/4 cup of cottage cheese hard boiled egg - my favorite.

I eat almonds, yogurt, 100 calorie popcorn

I was banded last November and I am so happy with my choice. I am not hungry in the mornings so usually I don't eat until around noontime. I like Greek yogurt and buy the 100 calorie kind then pack the cup with things like chopped walnuts, chia seeds, a bit of gluten free cereal, etc. For me this is like a giant treat. Later I'll have whatever protein is going and some veg. Tonight we grilled and I loved my steak, just a small amount and then when I'm full I'm done. Oh, earlier I had cheese and crackers (GF) and we are having cocktails. I don't want to say what's good for any one but me, but this banded life is wonderful. I sure I could be losing faster but for the first time I'm not on a diet, I have no deprivation and I am at peace with food. I still love to cool -- have some chicken Marbella marinating right now. I've lost about sixty pounds and feel GREAT.

you can eat deli meats like turkey and chicken breast, low sodium ham, american and munster cheese. Mashed potatoes, soup, pudding, yogurt, ricotta, cottage cheese.

I'm 4 weeks post op and haven't been able to keep anything besides liquids down. No protein shakes pureed foods yogurt jello pudding applesauce-NOTHING! I came to the emergency room and they've admitted me! I'll have an endoscopy in the morning.