Help? Is there a menu plan out there somewhere?

Hi Everybody, Last night's meeting at Middlesex was helpful and informative. It was particularly a blessing for me to see before and after photos of the panelists. It gave me a great deal of hope and encouragement. While I learned last night about the consequences of drinking "milkshakes," I must confess that it left me wondering what other foods are verbotten/prohibited or a ? Is there a website or a book somewhere that lists recommended meal plans, and lists all permissible and prohibited foods? I need to lose 15-20 lbs. before the surgery, and it makes sense to do this using foods and menu's that fit within the limits of WLS allowable foods. I need to begin preparing my taste buds for the changes. I'm already having panic attacks about having to quarantine myself from Ben & Jerry's ice cream, what else am I going to have to lose in order to lose weight? Any web or book suggestions would be most helpful. Thank you, Ken P.

Well, Ken, your nutritionist will give you a diet plan to follow according to you Dr. It's good for you to be thinking of this stuff now! You can start thinking along the lines of a modified Atkins or South Beach style diet is how we live. You're going to need to 'just say no' for the most part to anything with too much sugar (sorry Ben & Jerry!) too much fat or too many carbs. It bears noting too, that your tastes will change after surgery! That's true for almost everyone! Things that most WLS'ers do not eat regularly (in general, there are always exceptions) Bread, Rice, Pasta, potato or starchy veggies like corn Candy, ice cream, cookies, etc Caloried beverages (soda or anything with full sugar in it) fatty cuts of meat fried foods fast food (with some exception of course) Hmmm, that's what I can think of off the top of my head. Something you might try is completely cutting out any caloried beverages from your diet. If it has calories in it- don't drink it! You'd be surprised what a difference that can make! You can also state to modify your protein to carb intake ratio. Put protein first in your diet. I'm sure other wil come up with more ideas for you! Good luck to you.

Hey Ken, Like Lisa said, your nutritionist will give you a plan to follow. Once your past all your stages you can try bariatriceating.com or bariatricbytes.com They have alot of recipes and products you can buy that we are allowed to have. The recipes on these sites are fantastic and they don't make you feel deprived. Don't worry about Ben and Jerry's. You will be able to have icecream, it will just have to be one's with splenda in them. I buy the Carbsmart brands and the Pudge brands. But always check the labels for the sugar count. Listen kiddo, just take it all in stride. You will get through all of this and you will be able to have things but to a limit. Again, check with your nutritionist and your surgeon once your stages are over you will see what you can take and what you can't take when eating. Good Luck and stay positive. We are all here for you. Hugs KimC

There's going be a huge list of no no's for awhile, but it will get shorter. After 9 months I can pretty much eat anything, but I still don't eat a lot of bread because it just fills me up really quickly. I couldn't eat ground beef for at least 6 months after I had the surgery and sometimes I still have a problem with it. Just follow Doctor's orders on what to eat when. For me it was a progressing diet starting with water for a week.....I didn't think I'd make it through but I did. I think the post op diet is the same one we should have been following pre-op! Stay away from high fat, high calorie food and fill your body up with what it needs to run, protein, vitamins, fiber, etc.

Thanks for your responses. I have been operating in a vaccuum of ignorance. It feels good to have a clearer sense of what I need to do, and what I should be expecting in the months ahead. I will be meeting with the nutritionist the second week in September. And I look forward to getting her counsel. While I can probably deal without "Ben & Jerry's" NO BREAD IS GOING TO BE A REAL CHALLENGE I grew up in a bread-based family. And what is even worse -- I've picked up my obese mom's knack for baking. My family goads me during the holidays for (breads, cakes, pies, cinnamon buns, dinner rolls...) So not being able to taste my own work is going to be TOUGH. But I have all of you guys as encouragers who've already fought the battles that I'm about to encounter. Thank you all, Ken P.

Dumb things I have eaten and drank since surgery Rated 0 to 10 on my unofficial regurgiation/dumping scale: Milkshake: 10 Ice cream: 3 (but tasted REAL sweet, blech) Slushies from 7-eleven: 2 Pizza: 9 the first time, 3 now Cake: 0 Soda: 1 Kraft Cheese Noodles: 10 Really dry chicken: 8 Chicken Egg Foo Young: 9 Beer: 1 Mudslides: 1 Wine: 0 Other alcohol I can't remember the name of: -1 YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY.