The Boomer Chat Room

[minnesotafats 7]

I do agree with the concept of finding something that works for you post-op....at least to a point. Me, I could drink 4-5 Protein Drinks most days and forget totally about food. But they don't want us to do that. So I stay at 2-3 Protein drinks. I HATE HATE HATE most meat and fish. I do try to make myself eat a little of it at dinner most nights. If I didn't have family to cook for, I wouldn't cook either. If I eat meat, my preference is meatloaf or hamburger helper with Pasta in it. But I gave up pasta about 10 years ago. I used to just cook pasta and put ketchup and cheese on it and I was in heaven. Pasta and Cereal are my favorite foods other than desserts...LOL. I also dearly love fruit.Truly, most of the food I like is not on the post op diet, but even before this surgery I didn't eat much of the foods I love.

[SassySenior 111]

Dearest Jean,

Well at least you're honest. I'm with you on the cereal and Desserts. Pasta, not so much.

The wisdom I’d like to impart about what Dr. Meyers advocates is this: Find what works for you and do that. Doesn't sound to me like you've done that yet. Oh, yeah, you drink Protein Shakes. Wow-wee ... call “60 minutes.” LOL Plus, if you tell me one more time that you hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate meat and fish, I'm gonna search you out, tie you down and shove mouthfuls of meatloaf and mussels down your throat!! :-/

I gotta admit it was an insight out of the blue, a light bulb going off, a burst of brilliance ... or something ... that I figured out what I all I need to do to is find where I can order good food that someone else has already cooked. I don't have the answer yet. But 50% of solving a problem is acknowledging that you have one, and what it is. But making Protein drinks your repas par jeur doesn’t make the cut. C'mon, girl, put on your thinking cap, post about it, read others posts, become a vegan, talk to a rhino ... whatever. Find a solution.

Think I'm being overly harsh? True confession: Jean and I have become really good friends, and this is how I treat my friends. LOL. Actually, my friends I don't put a leash on my mouth, even though that’s not a bad idea. The point is we have all agreed to get this life-altering surgery and make subsequent changes in our eating habits. I envy those of you who could do this by cooking. I do not cook, however. I just tried to this week. I bought all kinds of yummy food ... and my dog is deeply grateful, because he's the one eating this new food ... raw.

I’m quantifying what I've been eating. It's easy to define. Pretty much it's stuff I get from Whole Foods and the frozen food aisle. I thought about this today. I'm going to talk to their nutritionist, food manager, deli chief or someone, explain my new restrictions and ask for recommendations.

Plus, there's no reason to stop eating frozen food. I just have to find stuff that's healthy: low carbs, low fat, lowest sugar and nutritional. Sounds pretty simple? Well, it is. It's just gonna take time for me to do all that. But I spent the last 3 years jumping through hoop after hoop, having my surgery stalled time after time, interviewing gobs of doctors, attending tons of seminars and switching surgeons twice. Heck, figuring out the food is a piece of cake (ooooh) compared to all that. Okay, I'm gettin' pumped about changing my life in just one week. Yeah!

It's really not all that difficult to make sure you get good stuff. Heck, a lot of it is on the label, you can Google anything ... just add "nutrition, i.e. “Frozen pizza Nutrition.” Oops. (Old habits die hard.) Google “Frozen Dinners Nutrition” or “Lean Cuisine Healthiest.” My Fitness Pal will take care of the rest.

Who's gonna hop onboard my Fast Food Express Bus? The line forms right here!

Edited October 25, 2013 by SassySenior

[southernsoul 773]

Just out of curiosity, Kate, what constitutes "cooking" for you? Is microwaving OK? Heating up in the oven? There are lots of good options for frozen stuff postop. One of my favorite go-to frozen items is from Trader Joe's. It's called Turkey Meatloaf Muffins. It's a small turkey meatloaf "puck" with a little spinach & mashed potatoes on top. There are 4 in a box & one is the right portion size for me now. I usually sprinkle a little Parmesan on top to finish it off.

Also, do you know that you can cook fish beautifully in the microwave? I can't remember exactly, but I think the cook time is about 3-4 minutes per inch thickness. Sprinkle on a little lemon juice, some dill, & add a pat of butter, stick it in the microwave & voila..."fast" food that's good for you. Since I also hate for food to go bad, I almost always do frozen, non-sauced veggies. Whole green Beans, broccoli florets, green peas, & spinach are regular choices for me, all prepared in the microwave.

This might be getting a little too much into "cooking", but have you considered using a slow cooker? Throw everything in, turn it on, & in a few hours it's done. You could make a slow cooker item once every couple of weeks & then freeze individual portions in containers that are microwave safe. Pretty soon, you'd have a nice stockpile of choices that only need to be reheated in the microwave.

[minnesotafats 7]

Kate,

I am going to disagree with your assessment of my eating habits. I believe I HAVE found what works for me. I love Protein drinks and it is a good way to get my Protein. To get enough protein on a full Vegan diet you have to eat a lot of weird food that I don't like any better than I like meat or fish. I eat my cottage cheese, eggs, plain greek yogurt etc and I am happy with it. I have lost > 60% of my excess weight in 5 1/2 months and they only promise 60%. I am basically happy with what I eat. I eat some veggies every day and a small amount of fruit about 3-4 times a week.

Before I had surgery I was drinking whey Protein from Walmart for Breakfast and an evening snack and loved it. Just because I can't tolerate the taste of steak and pork chops doesn't mean I'm not getting my nutrition. I am doing what works for me. I enter every single bite and drink that I take on MFP and I get 80-120 gm protein/day and am satisfied with what I'm eating. My 3 month lab follow-up lab work was the best lab results I have ever had since I was in my 40's. So I don't think it's broke and I'm not gonna try to fix it:)

[SassySenior 111]

Well, OK then Jean. But I doubt you'd ever find a nutritionist or m.d. to agree with you that Protein drinks is a good way to get Protein. That was my whole point. Not that it hasn't worked for you, but for your health, real protein is the way to go. Personally, although you didn't ask , I think you could find a better way. BTW, I was only kidding about becoming a Vegan. However, you might find being a vegetarian is a good choice.

Hmmm. All our Kansans stubborn? ROFL. Still love me?

Edited October 26, 2013 by SassySenior

[SassySenior 111]

Faye, forget about counseling, you and Tony should open a cooking school for dummies. Your advice is great. Thanks! I have new hope! For sure, I microwave ... how else to heat up my frozen Marie Callendar dinners. Yum.

I've always wanted to fix fish but never knew how. I actually like seafood, especially salmon. I'd love to find a recipe like the salmon I had in Las Vegas once. OMG it was what turned me on to salmon. It had some kind of sweet glaze (maybe cherry). I have been jonesing for it for years.

As to the crock pot. Are you ready for this? I have one sitting on top of my kitchen cabinets, out of reach. I had it on my dining room table for a while because I really wanted to use it. Another case of having no clue and being intimidated by the idea of browning the meat first.

Part of my problem is that I cannot get into my kitchen. It's too small and I'm too big. That plus, the attendant I have cannot cook a lick. I have taught her how to make things like grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs, etc. But if anyone can ruin food in a flash it's my Ana. Based on that, I'm afraid to try and direct her to using a crockpot, especially since I know nothing about it.

In my life, there are two roads. One that I travel on most of the time, doing things I'm really good at. The second road is things I'm really bad at ... like cooking. I actually used to be a decent cook, but never got that into it. Never had a family to cook for. My father was a gourmet cook, like you. His brother was a chef. I grew up eating pretty tasty food. But my mother was nervous about having someone in the kitchen, so she never taught me to cook. I don't have any of her recipes.

There's other stuff I'm bad at on the other road. Like sewing, in fact anything domestic. A goddess I'm not. I'm a great driver, I played and won tournament Backgammon, can do math in my head, a good writer, excellent at research. Champion swimmer, Water ballet, great dancer, super creative, inventive ... things like that. Competition and creativity ... outside the home.

I'm just as bad at things as I am good at other things. With your help, I bet I can start eating some home-cooked meals. Yes, I use the oven a little to heat up food. It's hard to cook in it because imagine my kitchen. On the right is my fridge, right next to it is the oven. No room to do anything.

If you're willing to answer a bunch of questions, I'm sure I'll be able to cook more.

[minnesotafats 7]

Kate,

I still love you, but you need to know where I live. I have never lived in Kansas. I live in Missouri. Most of Kansas City is in Missouri. Many people don't realize that. Kansas City KS is a small part of the metro area. The name doesn't make sense, I know. The state animal for MO is the mule....so does that answer your question about stubbornness :> :>

I eat chicken breast and turkey breast. I have discussed my dislike of meat and fish with many of the dieticians and nutritionists I have worked with. I am not the only person who doesn't like those things and not the only sleever either. I have had online conversations with several vegetarian sleevers. I basically am lacto-ovo vegetarian by definition with the exception being that I eat chicken and turkey breast.

Yes, I am stubborn about this. As long as my labs are fine, I am not going to worry about it. I have always been healthy and this isn't a new phase for me, I never have liked meat and fish.

Enough about that....I really liked Faye's suggestion about the crock pot. It doesn't get much easier than a slow cooker! I make several meals a week for the family in the winter with a crock pot.

[southernsoul 773]

I don't ever brown my meat before I throw it in the slow cooker. I know it would make the end result better, but I guess I'm just lazy about that. You know, a crockpot needs an outlet, but it doesn't have to be in the kitchen. You could put it on a cutting board on your dining room table & cook away.

Here are 2 of my slow cooker faves:

For pot roast, I use a 3-4 lb roast (rump, shoulder, whatever), 1 can cream of mushroom Soup, 1 packet of dry french onion Soup, and maybe a cup to a cup & a half of beef broth. I mix the Soups & broth in a bowl, stick the raw roast in the slow cooker (if the roast has a fat strip, place the meat so the fat is on top), pour the soup mixture over & turn it on. Low setting takes about 8 hours, High setting takes about 5. If you like mushrooms, cut some in half & throw them in a couple of hours before it's done. When it's done, I take it out & let it cool enough to handle. Trim off what's left of any fat cap. Portioning it out with a little of the gravy with each portion of meat can be a little messy, so sometimes I sit down at the table with a towel spread out to catch the drips. A sleever portion is about 3-4 oz, so a 3-4 lb roast will yield quite a few servings.

For shredded pork, I buy a package or two of boneless country style pork ribs (3-4 lbs total). I mix up a can of plain Tomato sauce, about a half small can of Tomato paste, and some element of spiciness...some hot sauce or some canned chiles, something like that. Same thing...stick the raw meat in, pour the liquid mixture over & cook for about the same amount of time. When it's done, I use a couple of forks to shred it.

Both of these can be used in a variety of ways. Eat as is with a veg on the side, put on top of a salad, on crackers with cheese, make a sandwich with a flatbread wrap, etc. Sometimes I add some canned red Beans to the pork when I'm reheating it.

We have a slow cooker cookbook & there are lots of options for meats, chilis, stews, etc. Like I said, it wouldn't take long to have a pretty decent stockpile of choices in your freezer.

As you lose weight, maneuvering in your kitchen (& just in general!) will become easier. So what if you won't ever become a gourmet chef? Cooking decent food can really be pretty simple. Buy a cookbook about healthy microwave cooking. I have one & I was amazed at how much stuff can be made in the microwave. That's where I learned about the fish. A fish filet, a little citrus juice of some kind, a sprinkle of an herb, & a pat of butter zapped in the microwave is super simple & very healthy. You can buy a few filets of different types of fish & freeze them individually. I usually wrap them up one by one & use a gallon baggie to hold all the filets of the same type. Mark the baggie with the date & type of fish & use them within 6 months.

[SassySenior 111]

Thanks, Faye. As soon as I can, I will implement this. You're a gem. We have the best people in this group.

[SassySenior 111]

Aha! I get it now. Missouri ... of course.

Cooking may sound easy, but put yourself in my shoes, my huge body, my tiny kitchen, my disabling arthritis and a fridge that's a 90 degree angle to my stove at the entrance to the kitchen. I can't reach the cabinets, because I'm sitting on a chair. I actually have to hang on the refrigerator door and reach inside. Now do you see why cooking is so difficult for me? Of course the crockpot is easy to use, but I have nowhere, no way to put ingredients together. My "table" is tiny, unstable, in the living room and I can't get close to it. My floor plan is not like a house. I don't have a dining room. I don't have a counter I can reach. All I can use is the one drawer that holds my silverware.

I will get off your case, with one last question. Did you talk to any health people about using Protein drinks as a main food source? I will let it go. Only brought it up because I care about you. It's your life to live, of course.

[minnesotafats 7]

Yes, I did talk to a nutritionist after Stacy from WLS insisted I needed to eat meat.

Edited October 28, 2013 by jeanielan

[southernsoul 773]

Yes, I did talk to a nutritionist after Stacy from WLS insisted I needed to eat meat.

Just my two cents, but if you're happy & your lab numbers are good, why should anything else matter? You keep right on doing what feels right to you, even if it is "the road less traveled", so to speak.

[SassySenior 111]

I just love it when we all agree. Peace all around. Or is it? Only thing I worry about is what ramifications there might be down the road.

But I am officially getting off my soapbox. Live and let live. Go your own way. I know I will. As long as we're not hypocritical about it. For instance, I don't like it when people say to me "listen to what your doctor says" and then go off and do their own thing. That's ok, as long as someone is not preaching that gospel to me. None of us need permission to do our own thing. I wouldn't recommend my pre-op diet to anyone, but it's working for me. I've lost over 13 lbs. this month, probably more, but I won't know till I get weighed on Wednesday 'cause I don't own a scale.

[SassySenior 111]

Has anyone heard that Kroger is now carrying a line of health food? I forgot the name. But I was doing research online, and I ran across it. I haven't been there, though, because going anywhere is such a hassle. My new wheelchair doesn't fit me, so I feel very unsafe in it. (It's way too big - at least 5 inches from me to the back of the chair.) I can only go on Handirides Transit (for disabled) with it, and I might have to sit on it for 2 hours while they make their other stops.

Hopefully, I will lose enough weight that I'll be able to fit in a friends car.

[SassySenior 111]

5 Days & Counting

After nearly 3 years, it's totally unreal to me that I'm actually going to get Sleeved. One thing I read recently that has offered me great comfort is a post a nurse wrote that said in her 20 years she never saw anyone die on the table. I think that's what everyone worries the most about.

I don't think I'd be as worried if it weren't for my prior heart attack and the fact that my heart races frequently. Wonder if this could be related to hunger, because it seems that this happens when I haven't eaten. Thoughts? Remember, I am diabetic.

I still have a bunch of things to do before Friday. I'm seeing my surgeon Wednesday and meeting my new PCP Thursday. Glad I have a chance to meet him before my surgery. It's a long and interesting story of how he became my doctor, but it's late and I don't have the energy to tell it now.