Help - Food boredom...

Ok, So I'm a bit over 7 weeks out... getting close to 200lbs! (I'm 207 today) I was 275 in August and 265 on surgery day. I'm getting bored with my self-imposed very limited diet... usually it's something like B: Protein Shake and vitamins SN: none L: String cheese with a few sf wheat thins, or tuna salad on a couple of yucky crackers. Sn: protein shake and rest of vitamins D: Either string cheese and wheat thins, or yogurt, or I have splurged and gotten pinto's and beans at TB, or Wendy's chili... I'm getting 40-60oz of water in a day. But other that these things I'm not eating much other foods... I know I"m supposed to be increasing my food but haven't really been pushing it. Today for lunch I got an antipasta salad and ate some of the cheese and salami and just a bit of the salad with some italian dressing. I didn't have any issues with it, but I didn't eat all that much. I have experimented here and there with other foods such as chicken and turkey... neither of which are that appetizing... I've cheated a bit and had some tri-tip a couple of times... like a 1/2 inch by 3/4 inch piece with no noticable issues. I don't dump on sugar...bummer! I had some cantlope a week ago and it tasted great and there were no issues... Anyway... I feel kind of lost in all this... I want to experiment and try new foods, but I don't like dumping and that can sometime accompany it! My last good dumping was last weekend - we went to Black Angus for a dinner for my wife and I ordered the chicken and lobster pasta... it was good.... I think I ate that one bite too much! Anyway, I'm heading off to summer camp tomorrow for a week... we stay in a hotel/condo thing... and cook our own meals... I'm not looking forward to a week of string cheese, wheat thins, and yogurt... or the protein shakes for that matter, though I've reconciled myself to the fact that protein shakes are not negotiable. Any ideas?? c h e e r s, gene

Hey Gene! At this point post surgery, my surgeon encourages his patients to eat just about anything they can tolerate. I made a great taco dip the other day that went down real easy and even had a few tortilla chips to go with it. I layered fat free refried beans, ground turkey seasoned with taco seasonings, and monterey jack cheese. Baked it for 25 min. and covered the casserole with salsa and dollops of low fat sour cream. I was able to eat about a half cup at a time. YUM!! That's real high in protein. How about homemade chili? I use ground turkey because it's softer than ground beef. How about shish kabobs? Has your surgeon said you can eat cooked veggies? Those are fun to make and you can use any kind of meat. Or how about a nice steak on the grill? If you cook a big one, think of how many meals you'll have by just cooking once! Have a great trip-hope this helped a bit. Becky Jean

Gene, Wanted to ask a question... are you dumping or throwing up? They are not the same. Throwing up - we'll we all know what that is. LOL! Dumping is when you feel feverish, could throw up, could have diarrhea, feel like heck, need a nap, etc. You said you don't dump on sugar...have you tried something with sugar or are you just not dumping when eating fruit? Many folks tolerate small amounts of fruit but dump on regular sugars. I've been on pureeds since week 2 post-op and eat lots of things. Egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, salmon, tilapia, swordfish, crab, chicken, ground beef, pork. I just make sure that is it very, very moist. Even though I eat pureed food...I chew it to death. This has helped when we have gone out to eat and I have to do the chewing on my own. You've gotta to chew as slow and as deliberate as possible. This is hard for me who was the ultimate "gulper" pre-op. Even count how much you chew - if you don't reach 20...you aren't chewing enough. Cut what you are eating into the smallest size you can. If the food gets to close to the back of my throat and isn't well chewed and I think it might slide down...I force it forward to the front teeth. It isn't fun...but it prevents me from having too big a piece go down and me regretting it later. One thing to keep on hand is papaya enzyme tablets. If you feel icky after eating...chew 2-3 of those. They are the active ingredient in meat tenderizer and help breakdown food. They will help digest what is in your pouch. Use them as needed. I had some egg (omelette type) yesterday for the first time...and it was sitting pretty harsh. I chewed a few tablets and felt better within a couple of minutes. What I'd suggest is how about making some chili? Lots of taste, texture and protein. I had it week 2. We made it with ground turkey. Excellent. My pouch liked it. Many folks swear by Wendy's Chili and it is actually recommended by many nutritionists. Best wishes, Kathy

Hi Kathy... I am 3 1/2 weeks out from my surgery and still on pureed foods. There are certain foods that really set my stomach into motion (mashed potatoes last night, for instance. who would have thought?!). Anyway, where can you get those papaya enzyme tablets? Sounds like they might work for me. --Rebecca

Hey Groove Daddy, I totally feel for you. EVen on my pureed stage I was a bit skeered of trying new things each day but I finally did b/c like you I was tired of eating the same things. I have one to 2 snacks a day and I do like to much on a few thin crackers with that cheese in a can. I asked my dietician and she said to limit myself to a few times a week b/c it's processed but me and my pouch love it! It's got protein and b/c it's so soft when it comes out it helps me chew the cracker very well. Maybe that's something you can throw in besides the string cheese? Maybe you can try some different cold cuts fresh from the deli. I find that makes a different in taste and flavor for me. Also, those little tuna kits with light mayo, relish and crackers pack 20 oz. of protein for 3 oz. of food. I enjoy those and you can take those anywhere. I don't know if that helps. But I hope you find more foods you don't get sick on...not fun. ana

Gene, This may not help on your vacation, but when you get back, check out the cookbook "Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery" by Patt Levine and Michelle Bontempo-Saray. Lots of good recipes and instructions on how much to eat based on your surgery and how far out you are. Take care, J

Hey Groove Daddy, I'm right there with you! I'm just a little over 7 weeks post op and must admit that I'm still supposed to be on pureed foods for 2 more days, but I didn't make it. I've tried that Laughing Cow lite cheese with South Beach Wheat Crackers. The South Beach crackers are in a small packet and there are enough in there for us post surgery folks. I've been eating chili for awhile, both pureed and now not. I love the Stagg White bean chili in the box containers. They have lots of protein and are pretty good on calories. How long are you going to be on the pureed food, or are you just staying on it now because you don't know what else to eat? Good luck. Debb