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Great ideas. Just keep in mind if you wear readers you will for sure need them for that diamond painting. Even still my eyes were bugging out after a while. Them things are tiny. I had that for another surgery and I did it through the recovery but ended up giving the book to my neice after that. And Netflix is really great because there are not any food commercials. They do have food on the shows but at least it’s not like a sizzling burger that they are tryin to make your mouth water in order to sell you one. Puzzles are another thing I’ve heard some people say they did during their recovery. And of course journaling. Lots of emotions to write about.

Thank you. I understand the reasoning for it, it just threw me off when she said it was forever. I even had to ask because I thought I misunderstood her, but nope, she confirmed they’re asking us to avoid the 4 c’s of drinking and to eat deconstructed, protein first. That makes perfect sense to follow the plan while losing and hopefully through that time, build a better relationship with food and learn to choose healthier options along the way. I appreciate the feedback and advice.

Has anyome asked if corn is okay on soft foods. I know that my book said specifically no corn or peas on purées. I am curious because I was adding the spicy bean veggie burgers to my cart from Morningstar Farms for my soft phase which starts Monday but if I’m pretty sure they have some corn in them.

I started to do that just in a standard pocket notebook (so I had it with me no matter what size handbag I was using), a day a page, and did little motivation or positive comments a couple of days a week. Each time I had a decent weight loss week (I try to weigh only once a week or I go mad with overthinking the fluctuations) I would note it and then highlight it in a neon colour. After three months I switched from the notebook to online tracking with myfitnesspal as I just found it easier to track portion sizes, calories, carbs etc. as it took a lot of the work away from doing it myself. I then moved to a manifestion & positivity journal instead to keep it separate from my food tracking as I didn't want the two things to be linked as for me I find it easier to disassociate food journaling from feelings going forward. I found a journal that also had positivity exercises in them do to each week, some were not relevant to my situation at all but I considered if 'food' for thought.

Lots of people have posted about food, so I’ll tell you my behavior changes I make. I measure my protein on a scale. My personal dietitian told me 4oz protein per meal, or diabetic protein count 20grams. I record it either online in a phone app, or write it down. I can eat as much raw veggies or baked, or steamed veggies as I like, but only at meals with protein. No root vegetables due to sugar content. I drink 2litters of water, sometimes more during the day. I take my vitamins daily. Three meals look like that, then I’m back on track. If I’m hungry, one boiled egg before bed. That’s what the dietitian told my 5’10 son too. When we really want results we share and compare information to hold each other accountable, including weighing in on the scale. I watch the glucose goddess online for tips and recipes, and Dr. Weiner. In maintenance the fruit, nuts, seeds, cheese can come in one once quantities- those are “extras.” Alcohol is only for maintenance, just major holidays. Recap; weigh/ measure food, record it, share with a trusted friend or family to keep yourself accountable. Your dietitian should be telling you what a portion of protein is for you specifically.

Surgery was on May 1. Deep into the puree diet. 2 protein shakes a day and I mix up the meals with scrambled eggs, zero sugar yogurt, tuna fish, chicken salad, broth, cream soups, refried beans. Anywhere from a 1/4 to 1/2 cup, I'm learning how to listen to my body and when I feel full. Going back to work the first week of June. Hydration is still a chore but if I focus I can keep the right amount flowing. Once or twice I've had an urge to nap after my noon meal but no pain, nausea or anything like that. Feeling great!

Ooof that sounds rough! I shall definitely be careful and take my time then! I think in terms of tasting and trying things, I am super strict on myself anyway just because of the high chance of dumping with the bypass, so I don't even go near any food or drink that may contain more than 7g of sugar per 100g 😂 I shall just have to come prepped with anything that I want to eat or drink that is within those guides! Really good to hear that you are now able to enjoy things freely and happily!

I found out I can't have soups. So if the soup is clear broth I will have the broth first and the protein after (albeit it not being comfortable at all) so I only do it if I'm under the weather. But if the soup is not clear (lentil, rice based or even cream based) then I can't have it with anything else so it's either soup or solid food so I just avoid it all together because who wants to go out to have soup?

Are you feeling head hunger or real hunger? That’s the important question to ask yourself when you think you’re hungry. Generally if you’re craving a specific food, flavour or texture it’s head hunger. Are you feeling, tired, angry, bored, frustrated, sad, etc. Then it’s head hunger. Are you hormonal? Head hunger. Did you eat to sooth & comfort yourself before surgery? Again head hunger. The surgery is stressful. You can be emotional & because of the flush of hormones, hormonal. All triggers for head hunger. Plus your head is telling you this tiny amount of food is no where near enough food for you, you need to eat more. Yep, head hunger. Plus the more you think about food & eating the more you want to eat. For many of us, what we always thought as being hunger signals aren’t signals for real hunger. They’re signals for head hunger but they were the ones we always responded to by eating. Real hunger signals are different. For example I feel restless like something is wrong. I don’t immediately think I’m hungry. Actually I usual argue with myself that I’m not hungry until I realise that logically I could be hungry (missed a meal, only ate a small portion or only a snack for a previous meal, has been several hours since I ate, etc.) Distraction is often the easiest thing to do to overcome head hunger. Go for a walk (as you’re able), read, ring a friend or family member, craft, do a puzzle, sip a warm drink, anything to take your mind off food & eating. Stick to your plan & try not to go off course. This is when your new good habits begin & relationship with foods starts to change. You’ve got this.

I can literally smell this through my screen! The look amazing. Do you struggle with who eats the food you make?

I made puréed chicken salad and have done well with that. @ShoppGirl I think you would know pretty quickly if food will agree or not. Tomorrow, I am going to prep some scrambled egg servings, ricotta bake, and refried beans. I found a refried bean recipe that include salsa and cheese mixed in.

Glad it went well for you both. As you don't have your stats in your bio or post it is hard to give any answer on the weight loss. Have you had post-op consultations with the team to know if they (knowing your details) consider you on track? Are you hitting your protein goals? Are you getting enough fluids? What is your daily food intake like?

I have that worry too. I’m pretty good at taking small bites, chewing a lot, and setting down my utensils in between bites but sometimes that still doesn’t take me 30 minutes (I’m also only on soft foods). I feel the most rushed at breakfast when I’m trying to slow down to eat but still rush out the door for work. I think it’s just trying to be mindful and slow down as much as you can. If your body feels okay, it’s probably okay.

There is nothing wrong with you... First, when we have surgery, a lot of nerves are cut that need time to heal. These are the nerves that tell us we are full, or getting full. So you are not getting accurate feedback from your stomach right now. These cut nerves take several months to heal fully. I noticed a distinct change in my fullness cues around 3 months out. Second--just because you CAN eat that amount doesn't mean you SHOULD (I'm so thankful the regulars here remind us all of this early post-op). You aren't getting accurate messages about your restriction right now, and different foods will cause different feelings of restriction or lack thereof. Try to stick to the small portions your dietician should have gone over with you. You have a lot of sutures holding your healing tummy together, you don't want to stress them. Take your time here, there is no rush. Third--different foods will cause different feelings of fullness. Purees often don't cause fullness, even meat purees. When you get into soft foods you might start to feel restriction when you eat denser proteins. But again, your stomach is still healing, so it may take time to feel your restriction, and some people never feel strong restriction, or don't feel it until they are overly full. This is where it is important to measure out your portions and eat tiny bites, slowly, watching for any signs of fullness. For us post op that may feel very different than it did pre-op. For me, for the first few months, all I would get is violent sneezing, intense hiccups, runny nose, etc... It took a while before I started feeling internal pressure with fullness. Fourth--Hunger is a b***h! Some people lose it, not everyone does. I woke up in recovery STARVING!! I was so mad. 😂I felt like I'd been given a faulty surgery. LOL But it really made me learn to work with my hunger cues and to sit with the discomfort of being hungry for a while. I was very, very hungry the first few weeks because nothing feels like it has enough substance to calm that ravenous hunger. This will ease in time as you progress your diet. For now all you can do is learn to distinguish head hunger from body hunger and learn to deal with the fact that sometimes we feel hungry and that's okay. Lastly, many people can drink water freely post op. You don't list your surgery, but this is very common with gastric bypass patients, though I have seen it with sleeve patients too. Once the internal swelling goes down, many can drink water easily. This is a blessing, since dehydration is the #1 reason bariatric patients end up in the ER post op!

Oh I know the food choices were always on us, but there is the "tool" there to help keep us in check. Not being able to eat as much as we did prior to surgery. For example, my wife had the bypass a few years ago and she is doing well still, but once in a blue moon - she will eat a little too much of something and she feels like she needs to throw up. Meaning that the "tool" is still there for her to help keep her in check and not just keep eating like she would prior to the surgery. Basically this portion of your comment: "We rely on the restriction and the small size of our pouches to tell us when to stop eating". I think we all hope to still be able to rely on this is what I was trying to say, but I know the food choices is ALL on me.

For me, the head hunger never went away after both my surgeries. I also never lost my real hunger at all, so I had A LOT of work to do to retrain my brain. I eat 3 meals and 1-2 snacks per day. I know I'm eating enough, so when the urge to eat a specific food hits, or the desire to eat outside of those specific meals, I know I'm not actually hungry. My old habits are creeping in. I was a grazer as well as a binge eater. I was able to eat more than most men I know. In 1 sitting, I ate an appetizer, a 24oz porter steak with 2 sides, and a dessert in full by myself. That was on top of a full breakfast of 4 eggs, 2 sausage patties, 8 pieces of bacon, and 2 hashbrowns, a lunch of 2 roastbeef and cheese sandwiches that also had bacon, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes on them, and multiple snacks throughout the day. If I craved it, I ate it. If I was bored, I ate. If something sounded good from a commercial or even just a conversation, I ate it. I rewarded myself for things with food. Everything in my life revolved around food. Had a bad day? Food. Had a good day? Food. Had an argument with someone? Food. Kids or hubby drove me nuts? Food. So learning that food was necessary to live but not necessary to be happy and fulfilled was a big deal. That took me the longest. I need food to fuel my body to allow me to live the life I want, but it's not the thing that drives me or controls my happiness anymore. It's just fuel. No more, no less. Once you learn that lesson, it becomes easier. Not easy, because the head hunger is always there in some form. But ignoring it and taking stock of your body's actual needs becomes easier.

I was on ozempic for my sugar and I did not lose any weight. My sugar numbers were beautiful BUT I ended up with gastroparesis and that was not fun. I wasn't digesting all my food and I would end up with horrific episodes of vomiting and something I ate 3 days previous would come up. It was awful.

Seriously, unless you spent an absolute fortune on the brown rice protein powder, just bin it and put it down to experience. Life can be difficult enough with restricted food choices without forcing yourself to eat something you really dislike. Glad the pea protein was a win though! 👍

I am just now learning that a mug warmer would be really handy. All this soup and post surgery you have to eat so slow it gets cold pretty quick someone in another thread just replied that it works all the way through soft food stage. You just used a saucer in the warmer plate.

I wish I enjoyed steaks, but unless its a very tender filet mignon I don't like them..its all the chewing. I have food texture issues 😔 I agree eating out is "one big RIP"! That's amazing, your mother didn't recognize you! You must be beaming! I haven't seen my parents or sister since my surgery (Aug 23) we live in separate states so we shall see if they recognize me! I hate cooking, but I do occasionally like to bake although not anymore (I used to decorate cakes in a bakery and boy do I miss a fresh fried donut!) and I fully understand missing out on not tasting a red velvet! Lol making my mouth water thinking about it! I ohhhh and rolls, I have a lot of Irish in me and love me some bread! Thanks for understanding the food mourning!

I must invest in a slow cooker. My mum had a great recipe for slow cooked beef stew (she had gastric bypass so it was really soft beef) and I've been wanting to make it for a while. I don't quite know the recipe since she never wrote it down and I can't ask her anymore, but she always like to experiment in the kitchen so I think it's better I find out on my own anyway. I'm hoping I can get a cheap one on pay day so I can start actually cooking in the soft food stage.

Okay, first, once you have the surgery you will not physically be able to eat that fast without throwing up and/or being miserable with pain. So you'll learn real quick to slow down when the time comes. Trust me. In the meantime, here is what you do to practice and start training yourself. First, if you can, make a commitment to only eat from a real plate while sitting at an actual table for the next two weeks. No eating standing up in the kitchen with two minutes to go before you have to leave or grabbing a handful of something from the pantry as you walk past. Second, get yourself a timer. It can be a kitchen one, or one of those little sand ones that go for a minute, or just the timer on your phone. Whatever works. When you sit down to eat, take a small bite of food. This means something about the size of your thumbnail, or even half that size. Set the timer for one minute. Put your fork and knife down. Chew. Keep chewing. Chew more than you have ever chewed before in your life. Your food will be like paste. You should feel no lumps in your mouth. At this point, swallow. If there is time left on your timer, sit and wait. Only when the timer goes off do you pick up the fork for another bite. Before you take that bite, ask yourself if you feel like you need another bite. Presurgery, your answer is probably going to be yes. But post surgery, this is a point where you might start to think wait, I feel pretty satisfied. This is when you want to stop eating, because with a limited capacity, you will fill up really fast and might overshoot and feel ill. If that's all you do, you will be fine. If you want to be more mindful, ask yourself some questions as you eat. Maybe ask what you like about this food and think about that. Think about the texture and taste. Think about how your body is responding to eating. Do you feel tense? Are you relaxed? Are you feeling any emotions as you start eating, and do those emotions shift as you eat? Use some of your time between bites to write down some observations. You don't really have to do all of that, but on the other hand, you might be surprised by what you learn if you do. Also, I will say that I struggled a lot with this presurgery but the slow eating is second nature now. When I forget, I don't feel well, so I have a lot of incentive to slow down. You will too! Just do what you can to practice now so your nutritionist is happy with your progress. I will almost guarantee if you keep a notebook for the next week or two with what you ate and when, how long it took from start to finish, and some reflections on the food and how your body was feeling while you ate, you will pass with flying colors.

Not very scientific but I usually over estimate then use the highest calorie version when logging. It was easier to do this by dry volume vs weight. https://www.cacfp.org/2023/11/14/fundamentals-of-measuring-weight-and-volume/#:~:text=Knowing the difference between weight,or mass of an item. For accuracy you could use containers , tare the scale and do that for each item. Also I always weighed the food cooked (or raw for things eaten raw like veg and fruit).

Mashed potatoes and pepper salmon I was super busy all day and didn’t get to eat until 6pm plusI had to cook (at least the food was good)

But that's only at the beginning. It's definitely not like that forever. It has to be that way at first because your stomach has to heal and your body needs time to get use to food again.