busy work schedule

I am hoping to have surgey shortly and have been working with several people on what my diet will be like after the surgery.  I currently work at a place that goes long hours without breaks and some times we are asked to work through lunch. Currently that is not a problem since I can 'gobble' down a sandwich if need be. But after surgery, I have heard that it some times take 20 to 30 minutes to eat a cup of food when you chew it to applesauce consistancy before swolling.
   Are there any others out there that work busy schedules and what do you do during your 8 1/2 to 9 hours that you are at work? It has been suggest to do soft foods such as puddings and yoguart, but what do you do for protein?  Am I going to be enslaved to protein drinks as long as I work where I am at?

  Thank you.

Randy

Its going to be a little hard for me as well, because at my job, we aren't allowed to eat at our desks (except snacks).  Mind you its only in our department.  Lunch is not a problem, but w/ fighting for the microwave, I'm usually left w/ only 15 minutes to eat my lunch (unless I decide to take a 45-60 minute lunch which I don't really want to do).  Actually I guess I better just plan on meals that I won't need to heat.

But breakfast will be the hard part, because I don't have 30 minutes before work to eat (I'm not getting up earlier than I already do), so unless I sneak eat, I'm left w/ nothing but a breakfast drink.  I'm not eating on my breaks (as they tell us we need to do) because I plan to use those times to get my walking in (15 minutes morning, 15 minutes afternoon).

Well I think once we're back in the flux of things it will become easier to adapt.

My mom has such a job.  She doesn't even have time to drink adequate amounts of water on some days she works (12 hour shifts as an RN 3 days per week). 

Per her surgeon, she loads up on water when she ISN'T at work to make up for times it is literally impossible to keep from dehydrating while she is at work. 

As far as meals go, I feel your pain.

1) A cup of food is too much by most surgeon's standards.  My surgeon caps out his patients at 1/2 cup.

2) It may NOT take you 20 - 30 minutes to eat a meal, even though that is the recommended time.  One of the main reasons for this rule is to teach the person to rethink the WAY that they eat - not because it literally takes that long to eat.  Obese people tend to scarf down food.  Part of "thin thinking" and your new life will be teaching yourself to slow down and actually chew your food.  This may not be something you are ABLE to do at work.  (You will HAVE to chew your food - but you don't HAVE to drag it out to 20 - 30 minutes if you don't HAVE 20 - 30 minutes.  I can chew 1/2 cup of food up very well in 5 - 10 minutes when I HAVE to - and sometimes with my job I do HAVE to.)

3) If you have a job where you CAN eat while you work (reach into your pocket every few minutes for something), you could easily work something in - even if it is not a sit-down lunch.  A baggie full of almonds or an Atkins bar or granola, etc will all fit into a baggie in your pocket. 

In short, for that ONE MEAL you eat at work on those days you do work, you may have to make adjustments to the rules to be ABLE to eat at all.  You can chew quickly and eat.  I've told my mother that if she has time for a 5 minute bathroom break, so can eat a little lunch.  Yes it is too fast to eat - but just be sure to measure your portion out ahead of time and be sure to chew each bite the 30 times before swallowing. 

It's not the best advice, I know.  But with less than ideal situations such as your work schedule, you sometimes HAVE to opt for less than ideal adjustments.