taste changes

I remember hearing that taste change after surgery. I am curious of changes that have occured for all of you. I loved eggs before surgery. My favorite was a fried egg sandwich. Now the thought of eggs makes me feel yucko! I also love my drinks to be ice cold now. Tap water used to be O.K. with me. Now I put ice in everything, even milk. What changes has occured for some of you?

I haven't really noticed any significant changes in taste as of yet.  One thing I have noticed is I prefer water over crystal light or any kind of flavored drink.  Just give me plain water and I'm happy.  I do like my water cold also but I could drink it warm if I had to.  Take care Wendy !!!!

Jamie

I loved the milky type protein drinks pre op and now I couldn't drink one if I had to, they are YUK!  Also since surgery I eat cottage cheese and yogurt and actually enjoy them, especially yogurt something I would have never done pre op.  I was quite lucky for about the first six months in that the mere thought of something sweet make me feel nauseated, not now unfortunately, they all look wonderful so I am back to having to practice will power.  I go through stages now where I want to eat the same thing every day for a couple months and then never want to see it again.

Jeannie

I have had some differences I used to think fish was nasty now I really like it alot done different ways. I can eat yougurt more now over fresh fruit and that is really good. I can not have anythin HOT or Warm it is nasty I will do without before I drink it. I think the one thing that has reall y changed is I COOK now and dont mind it hated it before, if it didnt come from a box we didnt eat it now it comes fresh and good.

My tastes didn't change at all. There have been some changes since I've FINALLY gotten away from using the salt shaker. So many things taste salty now. I can actually taste natural flavors of food since its not smothered and masked in salt.
Also, I used to eat my food so hot that my husband would say I ate on scald mode. But, now I don't need the foods as hot and since it used to take me 20+ minutes to eat (doctor WLS program recommended) I got used to my food being warm only and not scalded.

My tastes have definately changed since having WLS and they still continue to change.  What I have found is that when you think of a baby that is just starting to eat baby food, do they LIKE spinach??  Most don't and spit it back at you!    The reading I've done suggests that if we ourselves don't like spinach that our babies watch our facial expressions when we are feeding it to them!  I think I read it in "Mindless Eating" which is an excellent book to read for pre-op's and post'ops. 

We have learned and acquired our food likes and dislikes since we were children.  They became HABITS.  Now that we've had WLS, we are learning to change our old habits.  If we don't, we'll gain our weight back.

I use to loveeee doughnuts, ANYthing fried, gravy, cake, potato chips, bacon, bread....but now I rarely have a doughnut, bacon, no gravy or cake.  I occasionally eat fried food but I get lots of extra napkins or paper towels and "soak up" all the grease that I can off of it.  When I see all that grease, it triggers in my mind....Do I want THAT in my body??? Yuck!!!  I usually pick the breading off and eat the food inside. I know that I am still consuming the grease since it was fried, but old habits die hard.  I think in my mind that I wanted it, but after I got it, I don't want it!  LOL Sometimes I even waste food and throw it away!  OMG, we were taught to never waste our food because of starving children.  But it makes me feel like I am in control of the food and its not in control of me! 

Back to the spinach, I love it now.  I would never even TRY spinach before my WLS.  But now I'm open minded and willing to try new healthy food.  I truly believe that our taste are acquired.  We are all capable of making change in what we like to taste and eat.  I love several kinds of fish now, but not fried and not with loads of tartar sauce on it.  I season the fish with lemon pepper or some other spice and I'm good. 

I go in the produce dept. and buy fresh fruits and vege's that I've not ate before and use to not like.  I've done this on a gradual basis, introducing new things slowly.  I now like kiwi, Kolrabi, mango's, papaya, blueberries, rasberries, dinosaur eggs, and fresh pineapple--not the canned.  Red pears are good too.  This is just a sampling of the foods I now like.

I still eat protein bars every day.  I have experimented with several different kinds over the years because so many taste bad.  The one I eat is not delicious BUT I will eat it because I want to stay open minded to do what is best for my body----my fuel I put into it.  I have developed the habit to eat one everyday first thing in the AM. 

You know how they say "first impressions are lasting."  I've learned to not make a judgement about a food until I've tried it 3 different times.  My initial impression may be yuck but then I really "taste" it.  I believe that its not just our taste buds that are changing, WE are changing and making better choices.  Our thoughts and our attitudes play a large role in this.  I WILL chew my vitamins even tho they don't taste good because I love the benefits I get from doing it.  Good #'s in my blood test and feeling so much better.  

Before WLS I would sit and eat a whole pound of bacon in one sitting!!  Now I rarely eat it and if I do, I only want 1 strip (after I de-grease it as much as I can)  & I'm done.  People give me strange looks when they see me trying to pat all the grease off of somethin' but IF I "choose" to eat something bad for me, that doesn't mean I have to go out whole hog about it!   

New habits takes lots of practice, practice, practice but the more I practice the easier it gets.  Eating s l o w l y has taught me to really fully enjoy the flavor and texture of my food. Before I ate so fast, I didn't take time to really taste it in my mouth.  Now we are all slowing down and that's partly why your tastes are changing.   

This is my 2 cents worth.  Hope it helps.
Kat   

I took a spell where I had to have Crystal Light in my water but now it doesn't matter anymore.  I do find that I like salad and vegetables more than before.  Things that I've had strong cravings for post-op when I've tasted them they don't taste good to me now.  Nothing really tastes good to me or my wife since our surgery.  We've been eating a lot of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries with just a little Splenda on them.  Those taste the best right now.
Duane

  I don't know if you would call it a taste change but I eat a lot of stuff I don't like now :)  Like I eat baked fish b/c I know it is better for me.....so I eat it.  I drink shakes despite not liking them.  I eat protein bars even though they taste like waxy sand to me.   

  I have had one thing change.  I didn't like steak before surgery.  I tried it at about month 9 or so and it worked well in my pouch and really made me feel full.  So, I eat it occasionally now.