Does anyone even bother with salads anymore?

[justhere4theshow 462]

I was dying for a salad for sooooo long. I hadn't had one since before mother's day (my last day before I started pre-op liquids). I thought I would never be the same without salad. I have been doing pretty well with most everything I have had a taste for thus far, and tonight I got up the nerve to have a salad. Hubby wanted hot wings from Zaxby's, so I ordered a side salad and a single chicken finger. I cut up the chicken finger and ate it first. I had room for three bites (small bites) of salad, and then I was just completely disappointed. I don't care for it because it seems so empty and useless. And now I am hungry after about an hour. Has anyone else concluded that salad is just a waste of our time or do you still enjoy it? I would rather single out a couple of my favorite veggies and have that with my Protein. The lettuce is just not useful. Although I think I will try some baby spinach next time and see if it's better. What are your thoughts on salad?

[anniebanana 167]

Loved it before surgery and still love it mixed with chicken or tuna.< /p>

[justhere4theshow 462]

I think it's just surprising to me that my tastes have changed so much. I think I just lost my "obsession" with salad. Wow. It was the only healthy habit I had before surgery, haha...but I have also lost my taste for bacon, and I am now in love with melon of any kind. Before surgery I wouldn't have eaten cantaloupe or honeydew unless I was being held captive and that is all I had. Now I am in love with honeydew! I think what I have learned is that if I am not passionate about it and/or it isn't good for me, then it's just not a part of the way I eat anymore. Interesting. I am so grateful for this tool. It has helped me to make changes I never thought possible.

[Thecloude1 342]

I tend to stay away from lettuce....it really doesn't have much nutritional value and I'd rather not waste tummy space with it...lol

[justhere4theshow 462]

My thoughts exactly!

[anniebanana 167]

@@justhere4theshow The changes are very interesting, aren't they? My biggest weakness pre-surgery was baked goods...cupcakes, Cookies, cakes, pies...anything sweet. Now I don't even think about those (thankfully!) I like to add romaine, celery, onion and pickle to tuna or chicken with greek yogurt or light mayo. I can only get down about 1/4 cup, but the additions to the Protein make it not so boring and give it some texture.

[helenpgh 81]

I also don't enjoy salads like I used to. Find that cooked veg are easier for me to eat and enjoy. Steamed or sauteed zucchini, summer squash , asparagus are my go to veg right now.

[Candygyrl 637]

I'm like that with everything. I would get all excited, get my hopes up and then 2-3 bites later I'm full. Why bother? I eat what I need and move on. One less thing to think about.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

For me, salad is a slider. No restriction at all. I can eat a massive amount of greens, I usually have a 50/50 mix of spinach and european greens. I eat about 85 grams at a time, that is 3 cups roughly.

I find it to be awesome. I have 2 salads like that a day pretty often. It is a great "snack" and the only way I can get my greens in. I need the Fiber and a huge volume amount of salad greens are 20 calories. 20 Calories for a HUGE bowl. I use calorie free dressing or I just use seasonings.

I didn't add salad in as a regular part of my diet until about 9 months.

20 calories, 3 cups. It is the only time you get to eat a large volume post op and it is basically no calories.

Don't discount salad, when you can eat more it is can be very mentally satisfying.

I am still trying to get to the pound of veggies a day that Dr Matthew Weiner suggests.

BTW Lettuce has basically no nutritional value, I never ate it before surgery so I won't start now. I have always been a baby spinach lover.

Edited August 16, 2016 by OutsideMatchInside

[Trinn 139]

Nope. I was never a big salad person -- I like meat. And now, I find that I don't really care for it, and I am so cautious about not getting stringy sorts of greens/raw vegetables. So, pretty much, I have a couple of bits of arugula every now and then, and that's just about the only raw vegetable I eat.

My life is pretty much charcuterie and cheeses. :-)

[LipstickLady 25,682]

When I asked my NP about ssalad at about 6 months out, she asked me what I missed. I told her it was the crunch/flavor variety of the sweet peppers, spicy onions, cukes, olives, radish, etc. She told me to go to the market sala!d bar and make a serving of toppings and have at it!

I could only eat a little but is was exactly what I wanted. Now, three years out, I'm still doing the same.

[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

Luckily, salad is a slider for me too... i am 3 months out and i always have some sort of salad or veg with my Protein... i take 2 small bites of salad, to each bite of protein... but i don't use the standard salad mix... i add things like spinach/arugula, radish, Tomato, olives, cucumber, peppers, feta cheese, avocado etc

This way i am getting Vitamins and actual nutrition as well.

[Barry W 336]

I eat a lot of salads, mostly the prepared leafy salads from Trader Joe's, as a low-calorie, healthy lunch. I enjoy them. Most of them have some skinless chicken breast or soybeans in them for Protein, but I also really like their curried cauliflower and kale salad.

I also eat a fair number of the prepared legume salads - black bean, chickpea, and edamame, from Cedar's for lunch - good low cal Protein and oodles of soluble Fiber.

[Candygyrl 637]

I do enjoy salads so very much! Oh how I've missed them and now that I'm on a regular diet, I have been eating cucumber salads, fattoush, tabouli, kale salads and I'm loving it. I eat them in between meals currently.

[katcycler 95]

Love salads. Have them for dinner almost everyday. Add all kinds of healthy goodies to them. Great for keeping me regular.