Cooking for family post-op

[Sparkle&Storm 21]

Hi y'all! I'm brand new here... so a tad about me.

I live in Oregon. I'm 29, married, and a SAHM of two kiddos. My kids are my motivation! I want to be a good role model for them... and I want to be the best mom possible! You all know how it is... lugging around all this extra weight is exhausting! Everything hurts all the time. I look forward to running around and PLAYING with my kids without getting winded all the time. Hikes. Bike rides. SWIMMING! I've been too ashamed of myself to wear a bathing suit in public for years. I'm ready to be the best version of myself and put all those insecurities behind me.

I have finished my 6 month program and finally met my surgeon last week. I'm anxiously awaiting insurance approval so I can get my surgery day on the books. Exciting! And terrifying! Fingers crossed I don't have to go to battle with my insurance company

So.... for those of you who have been through this with families: how have managed cooking for your family post-op? What advice can you share? We are committed to eating healthy as a family long-term, but I'm kind of wondering how to manage everything during the liquid diet stages. Any tips, tricks, advice?

[marie88 6]

I had my friends and other family members cook meals and bring them by the house for the first week home. It helped a lot! I also didn’t sit at table with them for a week or two. Now past 3 weeks I’m totally fine cooking what they will eat and sitting with them enjoying my puréed egg salad 😁

good luck with your approval!

[Creekimp13 5,840]

This is gonna sound deranged. But during the liquid diet, I actually liked cooking for people. And I enjoyed watching theme eat, too. Spooky, isn't it? Kinda freaked me out while I was doing it. Hubby was really disarmed. He expected to be doing his own cooking. My mom was really freaked out, too. She came over to keep me company the second day I was home from the hospital and I made her a taco salad for lunch....and dutifully drank my Protein Drink and broth. Cooking is something I enjoy. I enjoy watching people enjoy what I cook, too. I found it comforting to watch them eat...I know that sounds really messed up, and I should probably talk to the therapist about it. LOL.

That said...I'm cooking very healthy now.

Made extremely delicious salads for dinner tonight with mandarin oranges, apple, avocado, strawberries and rotisserie chicken. Homemade ginger dressing.

I am always gonna really enjoy food. But I can make better choices now and I can be sane about portion sizes. I can watch calorie counts. I can avoid refined carbs and eat really good whole food.

Some people at group kept talking about not making their children go on a diet....because somehow treats are love...and childhood should include fun food.

I couldn't help thinking....our kids share our genetics. Maybe we should invest in gifting them with really good eating habits. Give them an appetite for healthier treats. Work hard to give them a legacy of fitness. Find sensible alternatives to unhealthly stuff that still tastes great.

Not saying we need to be health food nazis....but for basic everyday eating, there's no reason our kids shouldn't eat healthier stuff. Bowls of chopped up veggies in the fridge. fruit. Whole grains. Better choices.

They do learn from us. Our habits become their habits.

Just sayin.

[Sleeved36 356]

I already feel like a short order cook. The 4 yr old hates anything that forces him to use silverware and the 18 month old only has 8 teeth. Lots of separate meals here.

Your family will survive. There are lots of ways to have healthy simple meals. Breakfast for dinner is a fast favorite. Yogurt, fruit, eggs, whole wheat toast/pancakes. Fill the freezer with trader joes. You not eating with them is temporary.

You said you are married, sounds like something your husband should worry about while you sit on the couch with a Protein Shake.

Don't EVER be ashamed of your body. I am fat and still swim with my kids. Trust me, I have seen A LOT of people naked (RN); we are all a mess. Perfection only exists in airbrushed magazine covers.

[laureninmaryland 2]

I asked a similar question to another support group and the responses seem the same. I am just 3 days post op so I’m not eating or cooking for my family yet, but people say that in a few weeks I should be able to. I enjoy cooking for my family and was worried that it would be hard but I was assured that if I enjoyed it before I will again.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

You won't believe it now, but like @Creekimp13 said, you don't have the same "demand" for food that you once had pre-surg.

It's only me and Mr. Fluffy here. But I cooked for him during the pre-op diet (leftovers and veg - hey, it counts!) and I cooked for him after - full meals. I too love interacting with food and feeding people. It gives me pleasure while allowing me to continue to interact with food. So it's a win-win.

We eat EXTREMELY healthy - and we have a zero tolerance for crap in the house.

My niece is such a smarty. She and her hubs had a little post baby weight. The baby is now a 2 year old. So they started WW together - core plan. And lost all their baby weight together. And along the way, they have been feeding the kiddo their healthy choices. They don't disallow treats, but those things pretty much happen organically while at a celebration some where. At home, they eat healthy, non-snacky, non-crap food. REAL food, made from scratch or almost scratch: Protein, veg, fruits, seeds/nuts, healthy fats, whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat groats, barley.

And as a result? Their kiddo (who has our bad bad bad fat genes) is slim, so active and healthy, growing like a weed. And is developing great eating and food knowledge and habits.

You are the mommy and as such, dictate what the pantry and fam eats--even hubs! But especially the kiddos. Take this opportunity to get your entire family thinking about the future and fighting for great health and healthy food habits!! ((hugs))

[Sparkle&Storm 21]

10 hours ago, marie88 said:

I had my friends and other family members cook meals and bring them by the house for the first week home. It helped a lot! I also didn’t sit at table with them for a week or two. Now past 3 weeks I’m totally fine cooking what they will eat and sitting with them enjoying my puréed egg salad 😁

good luck with your approval!

Thank you! And that’s such a great idea! I bet that was super helpful. I don’t actually have any friends lol... haven’t in more than 10 years

But if I did, I’d totally ask for help

[Sammy 10-30 57]

I agree, your eating habits and taste buds change significantly, hell I had issues drinking the required amount of Water and taking in my Protein during the first 2 months. I still cook meals for my family and they feel bad when I would not eat because you are not hungry. Additionally, it is not worth feeling the overwhelming nausea feeling that follows if you decide to force it down. The best advice I can offer is to live your new life one day at a time because you will undergo a change no doubt and some days it became a little too much for myself so I followed my instincts and live a day at a time to get through the beginning stages.

[Sparkle&Storm 21]

Thanks for the reassurance! I do really enjoy feeding people and it makes me so happy when they love what I prepare. I’m glad to hear that won’t go away!

I think a lot of people here can probably relate, but I already do cook healthy due to all the recipes I’ve collected through my yo-yo dieting lol

I prepare a slew of weight watchers and Skinny taste recipes on a regular rotation. My probablem has always been eating too much (my parents always said “clear your plate” as a kid and it’s sort of a compulsive habit now).

Since I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life, I knew I wanted to instill good eating habits in my kids. My youngest is 5, and you’d be shocked by her favorite foods. She loves tomatoes best and eats them like apples! One of her favorite Snacks is bell peppers to crunch on. We just don’t keep things like chips and Cookies in the house.

And yet I still weigh 235 pounds! Go figure! My doctor says my body is ‘comfortable’ at this weight and that’s why it’s so difficult to lose. I definitely feel that’s an accurate statement!

I’m just saying that even though my body is a total mess, I think I’ve done a pretty good job when it comes to feeding my kids. I didn’t want them to turn out like their mama!

I really worried it would be torture to continue preparing meals for them while I was stuck with broth and Protein Shakes, but I’m glad to hear that’s not the case!

Thanks again!!

[Sammy 10-30 57]

Great point Fluffy from our parent's point of view and practically forced behavior when approaching dinner. I believe we all have similar experiences, however, I still cannot cast blame on them. The road to recovery starts by not blaming your upbringing since eating is an already known emotional feeling and this may enable an individual to make the change permanent in some cases. However, it may not be that easy because some issues may require professional counseling to help individuals overcome their demons.

[Sparkle&Storm 21]

7 hours ago, Sammy 10-30 said:

Great point Fluffy from our parent's point of view and practically forced behavior when approaching dinner. I believe we all have similar experiences, however, I still cannot cast blame on them. The road to recovery starts by not blaming your upbringing since eating is an already known emotional feeling and this may enable an individual to make the change permanent in some cases. However, it may not be that easy because some issues may require professional counseling to help individuals overcome their demons.

Seems like I should clarify... I wasn’t blaming my parents on my obesity. I merely established compulsive eating behaviors (I.e., eating beyond fullness to clear plate) as a kid that I have been trying to break for years. My obesity is my own fault. Of that, I am keenly aware.

[SleeveinIL 386]

I was sleeved on 3/16 and I can say I cooked the first time since surgery this morning when I made breakfast for the family. All I made was french toast, simple I figured. Well my nose can't take smells right now of some foods. The butter Pam spray that I used made me nauseous. I had to walk away from the stove and my daughter took over until it passed. I had the smell of burgers do the same thing earlier in the week. I have heard this sensitivity should pass, but since you will be cooking for the family like me, you will be surprised how your sniffer changes too.