Hey professionals (or anyone working full-time)

[pindoctor 49]

I am a busy professional woman who works four 10 hour days/week and I have a teenage daughter who keeps me busy. I am in the process of going through the preauth period for sleeve surgery. Now that I am reading all the posts my single biggest concern is how I am going to fit in my postop eating schedule into my busy life. I am used to grabbing things on the go. I plan to take 2 weeks off postop but I wondered how people felt physically after 2 weeks going back to a full time schedule. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[samuelsmom 670]

Hi there- I have exactly the same schedule and a teenage daughter! After the 2 weeks you will probably be on puree foods. I kept it simple by using pre-made shakes, greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, and homemade bean or lentil type of Soups that I could smash up really good since I had no desire to puree anything. Considering that I was not hungry at all it was very easy. It has gotten much harder since I have been on solid food. What works best for me is having a shake or egg for Breakfast, Soup from the cafeteria at work, a cheese stick, greek yogurt or Protein bar for a snack, and then dinner after I get home. I just don't have the time or interest to pack a full lunch so this is easy!

By 2 weeks out I felt pretty good. I did work a couple of day at home which helped.

[Cody's mom 247]

Went back to full routine a week after, no problems, not tired, not sick. Worked 16 days straight, 11.5 hours per day, then I got five days off, then back for 16 straight (that's my shift, 16 on, 5 off). I don't do well laying around so I was happy to be back doing what I normally do right away.

[sweetie716 270]

I also have a very busy day at work, and no privacy to eat on my own (i'm a teacher). Normally, I will eat a cheese stick between classes and for lunch I drink a Premier Protein shake. And I ALWAYS carry my Water around so I can get my fluids in during the day. Before surgery I ate a Protein Bar after school before tutoring. I'm only a few weeks post op, so it will probably be another few weeks before I can eat the Protein Bars again.

Good luck! It's totally doable, as long as you make taking care of yourself a priority. It does take a bit of pre-planning/pre-packing, but its worth it.

As far as going back to work, I feel so grateful that I felt really great right away. They kept me overnight, let me go the next morning at 11 am. My husband and I went to the store and I was walking right away. My inlaws were in town and we did a lot of shopping and I cooked or baked almost every day. It was pretty awesome. I did start to drag a bit after all the activity for the day, and I did have to make myself sit down periodically and focus on drinking and getting my Protein, but I really didn't have too many problems. I just got back from Christmas break at school, and I was 3 weeks post op, but its been a pretty easy transition. I had to plan out my medicine/vitamins/food schedule, but it's been good. I get up at 4:30 to go for my walk, go to work at 6:00, then work until 4 or 5, then go home and make dinner and do whatever.

Good luck to you!

[Hawk7775 54]

At two weeks out I was back at work. I did feel drained by 2 or 3 in the afternoon though (my job is mentally taxing) for the first month. As far as eating, you'll want to plan ahead a little but you can be as "on the go" as you want. You can buy the pre-made Protein shakes or what I did was buy the powder keep bottled Water handy and used a funnel to get the powder into the bottle. Other things that worked for me was getting a small cooler and grabbing a greek yogurt or individually wrapped string cheese (that was later) or without the cooler those tuna pouches with packets of light mayo.

[slvrsax 301]

I'm a year post-op and was concerned re: schedule but it has worked out as long as I think ahead. My commute and workday combined is 12 hours long and I have 2 teenage daughters. Ready to drink (as opposed to powder) shakes seemed to be the most realistic for packing & ease, I take 3 or 4 (still at a year out) and put them in my work fridge on Monday. There are some good go to's when your out and find yourself hungry - items you can find in a convenience store in a pinch when you are a little further out. Lunchmeat, small cans of tuna, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, almonds, beef Jerky and even Protein shakes to name a few. I also rely on convenience pre measured items like 100 calorie packs of almonds, Quest bars and babybel light cheese. I keep Quest bars and freeze dried edamame in my desk. I always carry a questbar in my purse. I've been out shopping or on my way to an exercise class, realize I'm hungry and rather than going to the foodcourt I eat my questbar until I can get some "real" food. Your options feel limited initially but six months on and beyond it gets easier. For exercise I keep gym clothes at work when I can't get to my evening dance classes because we have a gym in my office building. Hope this helps.

[roundisashape 712]

I took a week off, then worked from home for a week. No lie, the week I went back SUCKED. I was still guarding a lot when I drove, and by about 3:00 I felt like I got run over by a nap truck - I'd go home after work and pretty much immediately fall asleep.

Greek yogurt, well mixed tuna / chicken salads, Protein shakes, little containers of refried Beans and Soups or whatever that I mashed up at home were all handy.

If you have a refrigerator accessible at work, one of the things I liked to do during purees was freeze my mush into ice cube trays. Each cube is about an ounce, so I'd pack up a whole bunch of 2 ounce food cubes into individual sandwich bags, then pack them all in a bigger zipper bag and stick them in the freezer at work. Then I could just pick out what I wanted and didn't have to worry too much if I had an extra late night or whatever.

[Cody's mom 247]

@@slvrsax, wow your full of good idea's, thank you.

[Cody's mom 247]

@@sweetie716, You are doing wonderful, wish I had the motivation you do.

[pindoctor 49]

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions!! Since there is such a group of busy people here with great suggestions, how do/did you handle eating at restaurants? Did you just bring stuff with you?

[samuelsmom 670]

I get doggie bags! One thing I try to do is look at the menu online. The chains all have nutrition posted. That way I can find something I like that is not terrible for me. You probably already know this, but a lot of restaurants have dishes that sound healthy but are really bad nutritionally. When I review the menu online I fell prepared. I also enjoy the leftovers for at least 2 more meals.