Do You Still Look Forward To Food Or Enjoy It?

[Holly5.3 423]

Great idea (Bariatric cookbook)! I collect cookbooks, never occurred to me. For the first time as a home cook while on my pre-op diet I started focusing on veggies, low fat, sodium, etc. I started making up my own recipes and my family loved them too. I have no doubt I can still cook for others (hubby's favorite is pirogues and kilbassi), I know I'll enjoy trying to get the best bang for my buck in each bite when it comes to my meals. I consider myself a food addict because what I was going to eat next was always on my mind, like a drug addict. Thankfully, my body was reacting to foods I loved- so severely (lactose intolerance, no spicy foods, etc) by virtue of that alone, the amount of food I could eat and what, was affected. I wasn't enjoying food as much as I enjoyed the thought if it (make sence?) 

[Eat That Frog 53]

I am 6 weeks out and just getting to the point where I can eat most things. I really don't enjoy mealtime. I think I want to eat, but when I sit down at the table I have a couple of bites and then I am not interested any more. I have to make myself eat a few more bites in hopes of getting in some Protein. I have no interest in cooking since I am only going to have a few bites of it anyway. Protein Bars are my staples for at least one meal a day. I am sure this will slowly change, my husband has been very patient with me but I am hoping to return to a more normal relationship with food, just in much smaller quantities.

No problems with coffee, I have 1 light iced coffee or latte in the morning (at 30 days out) and it is heavenly.

[allnewme 262]

I am almost 3 months out now and I really do not enjoy eating yet. Not like the way I enjoyed eating before the sleeve surgery. I have tried many different foods but most of them do not feel good once they are in my sleeve, so that makes in not so enjoyable. I think a food will be really tasty and then once I prepare it, I find that it is not good tasting to me. I know after one or two bites what will not sit well in my sleeve if I eat more of it. Every day is an experiment as to how food will go down.My stomach was not sensitive at all before surgery, I never had food issues unless I had a bug or something. My new tummy is though. I have not thrown up but I have spent a lot of time lying down after eating waiting for my few bites to digest.

I told my hubby today that I hope one day to be able to eat food, enjoy it and feel good after it is in my tummy. I know it is a phase and it will pass, I do not think it will be like this forever. I still prefer to eat soft foods, they just seem to work better for my sleeve

[lornaevans 3]

Hi.. I'm 4 mos post op... I have lost close to 80 pounds counting pre surgery weight loss. For the first 3 mos after surgery, you have to realize that you are healing and eating won't be as comfortable as it was..... That is until it is healed. I noticed that eating was more enjoyable as each week passed and for me, now at 4 mos, it's great. I am enjoying my food very much. I am loving the fact that I am restricted because I m satisfied with my meals. No cravings, I'm never just ravenous anymore. When they take out the part of the stomach, they take out the area where hormones that cause hunger are located. So, therefore you feel content with very small portions of food. I can still go out to eat anytime with family o friends. I eat salad a lot, but can eat whatever I want. I want to eat healthy, so I stay away from high fat foods or a lot of carb. I get my carbs from fruit n veggies for the most part. It takes about 6 mos to heal completely according to my doc. He said it takes that long for the stomach to meld together. I have been sooooo pleased with the whole experience that I highly recommend the procedure for anyone who has tried for years to lose weight and has health problems. My life is changing before my eyes. People seem more friendly and attracted to me. I feel so much better about myself, and my health is getter better everyday. I had to give away almost all of my clothes, and had to take some up on the sewing machine. I have so much more energy than before. I feel s o much happier now, and I still have at least 60 pounds more to lose. Food is not in control of my life anymore, and I love that. I am very thankful and grateful and am counting my blessings everyday.

[Bryan Whitson 7]

Thanks for all the feedback and honesty everyone. I'm still struggling with my anxiety during this preop diet. Hopefully it will subside once the procedure has been completed. I just hope I don't completely lose any desire for food... We'll see.

[iggychic 1,405]

Thanks for all the feedback and honesty everyone. I'm still struggling with my anxiety during this preop diet. Hopefully it will subside once the procedure has been completed. I just hope I don't completely lose any desire for food... We'll see.

Bryan,

I'm a total foodie as is my husband and most of our friends, but good food, not crap. You don't see a bucket of KFC on anyone's dinning room in our group. I am also a big wine drinker as well which was a great deal of my problem in losing weight. I don't obsess about food, but preparing and enjoying food with company is a big part of our life and I am not changing that.

This is my week three of the second surgery and week ten of the first and I just spent the weekend with our management team on our annual get away. It included wine tasting, amazing gourmet foods and a lot of wonderful conversations during dinners that went as long as four hours. I enjoyed octopus, crab, lobster, caviar, potatoes, fab cheeses, chicken, beef, rabbit, bolonaise, panacotta, gelato....but all in very small portions. In the old days I'd have eaten more of each course but I was happy with a few bites of each item and didn't feel deprived at all. I sipped wine a bit as well and enjoyed working on my lost palate.

You can enjoy food Don't obsess, but enjoying it isn't a sin. Enjoying a one egg omelet is good. Planning and obsessing about a six egg omelet all night and then devouring it at breakfast...not so good.

[sramos89 260]

I am six weeks out and I enjoy food and I don't know if I would have had this surgery if it would mean food was gone and just like a feeding tube or something. I have developed "new" tastes thank goodness. I get excited about grilled chicken and chili where in my pre- sleeve life I would never waste a meal on that, I wanted chicken fried steak, French fries, gravy, rolls and pie. Today I tried to eat 1 cheese it and had to split it out because it just tasted awful! Be prepared for the post op diet to really suck, I hated it, I was hungry, I was sick of Protein Shakes and Soup but the first time I got a grilled piece of chicken I almost cried it was so good and I felt full after eating a piece smaller than my thumb, it was wonderful to be full on that amount! You will do wonderful! As an added bonus I cook a lot more because I trust myself not to over eat what my family didn't eat. Now I cook away and have no problem controlling myself, even around sweets! Good luck to you!

[ecannizz 5]

I didn't read comments so I might be in the minority but I'm having the hardest times with cravings still. I;m only 12 days out but find myself practically dreaming about things like french fries or pancakes when I feel hungry. I obviously can't have them and eat what I can (oatmeal, mashed potatoes) and after a small portion I'm satisfied. I've been lucky that everything thus far I've tried, I've tolerated and the food has curbed my appetite for the most part. Everyone is different though. Good luck with everything!

[imlosingit 130]

Im in my first week but when I asked my sister this question who is 5 mos post op, she said "Welcome to the world of sampling"

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I didn't read comments so I might be in the minority but I'm having the hardest times with cravings still. I;m only 12 days out but find myself practically dreaming about things like french fries or pancakes when I feel hungry. I obviously can't have them and eat what I can (oatmeal' date=' mashed potatoes) and after a small portion I'm satisfied. I've been lucky that everything thus far I've tried, I've tolerated and the food has curbed my appetite for the most part. Everyone is different though. Good luck with everything![/quote']

A lot of us suffered from cravings still in the first couple of weeks after surgery. As your ability to eat more Protein and solid food increases, your cravings will likely subside. Also, eating foods like potatoes will definitely make increase cravings. Right now, you are limited to what you can eat, but soon you'll have better choices that will leave you more satisfied.

[june13sleever 223]

At 16 months out I can finally enjoy food! I don't really eat a lot of bread anymore, but I am not afraid of it. I have stayed the same weight for almost two months and I still have some guilt when I eat ice cream or crackers, but I stay the same on the scale when I do so as long as I don't go crazy with it I should be ok eating things I love

[johannae118 1]

I'm 9 1/2 months post op and I still really enjoy my food. I never really lost the hunger feeling but I do get full faster. I agree that you begin to slowly make better food choices as you prioritize getting Protein, Fiber, and vegetables in. I find myself enjoying cooking. I'm trying out new recipes and like to explore new spices and flavors. I'm still a food addict, but I'm slowly learning to deal with it. What I found great was how my taste buds changed and now I can hardly tolerate fried foods like French fries and can use one teaspoon of sugar in my cup of coffee and find it sweet as opposed to 7 teaspoons Pre-op. You will enjoy food again.

[diedie 64]

Im almost 5 months out and i do still enjoy food and i love my.morning cup of coffee. However i have been able to tollerate starbucks its just way to rich. I eat or drink my tiny portion then im done. I must confess that i have become a feeder i love to cook and feed my family and friends.

[hollirrose 249]

Im 6 months out and dont enjoy food the same way I remember pre op. I dont know if pre op it was really as good as I thought it was... If that makes sense.

[chad2rad 491]

At my last wls support meeting several of us talked about cooking with spouses pre op and drinking wine ect... like a Saturday night date. The leader suggested that we could still prepare meals together post op but some of our unhedlthy ideas about food and romance may need to change. I know I was a huge food romantic. Just three weeks out, it's hard to be romantic about roast beef hash, but hopeful I/we will find other life romances and learn to appreciate food again.