Oatmeal...?

Hi all...I have no appetite and having to force myself to eat, which I'm not doing such a good job at, even the protein shakes feel too much and no desire to have them. The dietician told me to have oatmeal for fibre and although I was going to avoid any carbs I decided to break today and try it so I can get something in to me. However I am thinking I made a mistake...I made steel cut oats in the crock pot and mixed it quarter cup oats to quarter cup premier protein (manual says 1/4 cup milk but wanted extra protein). Wondering if they meant like packaged oatmeal that are generally smaller or less "hearty" because this seems kind of chunky for liquid stage. Thoughts? Is steel cut oats included in "oatmeal"?

I should note...I'm chewing it very well and it's going down fine and is very liquidy but just wondering if I should switch to the other kind next time.

See how it goes. If it goes down ok and you have no problems stick with it. If you are having difficulties - try the other type. Chew chew chew.

I wasn't hungry in the least for the first 5 weeks. I'm still not hungry but realize when I need some food.

You just have to look at this as your job. It's your job to eat something; it's your job to get protein in; and it's your job to drink fluids. This is your job for the next several weeks.

I got so tired of taking pills, vitamins, water, food, protein, that after a while, I just didn't want to think about it. I thought, OMG is this going to be my life forever?

The answer is no. Things become easier, the fluids go down easier and become routine. The food, bit by bit becomes easier.

I had my surgery January 16th and I eat pretty normally albeit in much smaller portions. I track, get in what I need to and move on.

It's hard in the beginning but it does get better and easier.

Just keep at it.

It went well, one bite I clearly didn't chew well because I felt a lump and it wanted to come back up but other than taking me an hour to get through it was good. It's hard to eat when you have no hunger and no appetite at all. I'm forcing myself to have food three times a day, yogurt, soup and a protein shake. Today it will be yogurt, oatmeal and soup lol. I am glad it went down well...thanks for confirming it was okay if it went down okay. Happy to hear that it gets easier and the eating moves to more normal. Right now it's a chore!

Hey there, I think the steel cut oats are fine because you made them in the slow cooker; they would have had time to break down.

The thing about oats, I found for me when I had them once, fairly early out, was they felt heavy in my pouch. I find I just can't do a lot of carbs. And even though they have some fiber, they are still a carb.

It may work well for you. Everyone is different. My best advice is to listen to your body. I had a lot of bowel issues and eventually started taking Restoralax daily. I still take it almost every day, and it keeps me very regular.

As for eating: you won't likely feel hunger cues the same way. I went through a period of feeling hungry, and not feeling full, but that was around 2 or 3 months out. Then, fullness and lack of hunger returned in full force, thankfully!!! At your stage, I did not have an appetite or desire to eat. I remember being food bored too, and ready to move to another phase. Like SweetRide said, you can see it as your job to get in food or shakes... work through it. Eat what feels right for your body.

You got this!

The whole carb thing is why I have avoided having them, she told me to on Monday but I was determined to not have much carbs the first year. I decided today though that since I am having to force myself and not getting much in I would try oatmeal and going to purées where I can have more I'll minimize the carbs. Can't wait until I can eat more.

I am having the restoralax daily at this point too. I was hoping to scale that back once things get settled.

Good to know the hunger will come and go! Forcing myself at this point but I know that will change and I'll want it back lol

Steel cut oats are on my full fluid stage so I would think you are fine. I'm 5 days out and it is a chore to try to get everything in but it is getting easier every day. I am not enjoying the protein shakes so decided to make 'fluff'. I add a third of a cup 0% Greek yogurt, 1 container sugar free jello snack, 20 gm protein powder and 1 tsp benefibre to my magic bullet and it whips up to a nice fluff. It logs on my fitness pal as 28gm protein. We've got this!

Thanks! My full fluid guideline just says oatmeal so glad to know yours specifies steel cut oats. That fluff sounds like quite the meal - good protein content. I was going to try mixing ff pudding with Greek yogurt as I saw that somewhere but haven't done it yet.

I know all plans have oatmeal/steel cut oats on their early post op stage, mine did as well, but avoid those carbs please if you can. And frankly I don't consider something you have to "chew" as a "liquid."

There is so much better choices for the liquid stage: yogurt, cottage cheese, protein pudding.

Check out the website "World According to Eggface" she has amazing ideas/recipes for all the stages of WLS.

I know you are not hungry, but try and eat a bit more each day. Remember staying hydrated is so much more important than food.

Best of luck, it gets easier, you will make it through.

Thanks...I was planning to try the protein pudding and going to do that tomorrow. I had planned to not have any carbs at all and going forward will likely go back to that. I've been mixing cottage cheese with soup and yogurt to increase protein because they told me to stop protein powder addition for now. I'm doing pretty good at the water. At least 1500 mls every day of jus****er so I'm thinking that's pretty good a week out and am happy with that. Will pu**** every day. Thank you for responding.