Question:
When did you start eating (and tolerating) red meat?

My surgeon has a strict diet, and forbids red meat for almost 6 months, and is telling new patients that they should never eat it again! I find this too extreme, and am wondering what patients of other surgeons are being told. How soon did you eat items like ground beef, or steak. I am really craving some chili w/ hamburger, and wonder how long until I can tolerate it, and have it safely.    — Kelly B. (posted on August 25, 2003)

August 25, 2003
Gee I had chili at a couple weeks out and porterhouse steak at one month out. Your surgeon says NEVER? Meat is excellent protein source. Cut into pencil eraser sized bits and chew to death. After about a month our surgeon says try things and eat what you tolerate.
   — bob-haller

August 25, 2003
Every surgeon is different, but mine allowed me to eat meat about 8 weeks out as long as it was tender and well-chewed. Wendy's chili was and still is a staple of my diet and I've never had a problem with it. I've also had hamburger patties, beef burritos and tacos (without the tortilla, just the meat inside) and small bites of very tender steak. It's a great source of both iron and protein! Did you ask your surgeon his rationale for not eating it?
   — MomBear2Cubs

August 25, 2003
Hi. I'm almost 4 months post op. My surgeon also says wait six months for red meat. However, chili with ground beef has been a staple of mine since about one month post op. I tried steak after three months and I actually tolerate it better than chicken. Different surgeons, different opinions. Good luck. Bonnie Lap Rny 5/6/03
   — Bonnie R.

August 25, 2003
Well I had chili 17 days out and it has read meat in it! ground but still red meat! I have also had chuck roast and hamburger. In fact last night I had some filet mignon and it was soooooo good! I had no problem, but then again I had it cut into tiny (and I do mean tiny) portions and I chewed it well(very tender) and then I waited like 5 min in between each bite. No problems. Red meat is a very good source of Protein and Iron.
   — Beverly S.

August 25, 2003
I ate Wendy's chili at about 3 weeks with no problem. At around 2 or 3 months, I had made a steak for my son and cut it off the bone for him. I pulled the remaining meat off the bone with a fork, shredding it, and ate it with no difficulty. As the other poster said, be sure to cut ieces of steak, if you do try it, in tiny, tiny pieces, as the meat can be stringy. Another meat I did well with is pork chops. I make sure they are thick, 1", and grill them just til they are cooked, not too dry. These are even better and easier to digest than the beef. At 6 months, I still have some difficulty with hamburgers for some reason. It is hit or miss.
   — Fixnmyself

August 25, 2003
Red meat has very needed iron for our bodies. My surgeon just told me to keep trying to get more steak and other red meats into my eating. I am just a little over a week shy of 7 months PO. <p>I have been eating ground round or ground sirloin since about the 3rd or 4th week. I make Manwhich with it. I've been eating it as cheeseburgers since about 2 months PO. I tried steak at 3 months but could not keep it down. However, last night I had steak and it tasted so good and went down easy with no problems. I ate it with sauteed mushrooms and onions.
   — zoedogcbr

August 25, 2003
Thanks to all who've replied so far. I have a check up today, so I'll ask why my doc's so down on red meat...and depending on his answer, maybe I'll have some wendy's chili for dinner! LOL!
   — Kelly B.

August 26, 2003
My surgeon also forbid red meat for 6 months. Red meat is one of the hardest foods for your digestive tract to process. I'm really glad that he did because it gave my digestive tract time to solidly heal and I have few problems now. Try making some chili with ground turkey or chicken. It will satisfy your yen for child and keep your surgeon happy with you!
   — Cathy S.

August 26, 2003
I am having surgery soon and the hospital I am going through is following US Bariatrics WLS program. I was told that I can't eat anything except protein (preferrably animal protein) until I have lost 75% of my excess weight. Only then can carbs be added to one meal at a time (and only if it doesn't stop my weight loss). Many have told me that it is too strict. We were told that we could cook meat in juices/sauces to break up the monotony, however the sauce has to be removed.When I said that I would cook spaghetti and meatballs for my family so that I could have a meatball, I was told that I couldn't because tomato sauce has carbs!!! Can't win for losing! (no pun intended!)
   — Debbie R.

August 26, 2003
Wow, in response to Debbie's post...that's a VERY strict diet! My doctor is positively laid back compared to that! (and I'm the one who originally posted about my surgeon's strict rules---he is the most strict of about 6 area surgeons)... but at today's appointment, I was released from pureed foods, and was told I could add crackers,pasta, dry cereal, fruit, and GROUND BEEF!!!! Whoopie! The p.a. at his office said they do tell people to avoid red meat, but seeing as I've tolerated everything well so far (EXCEPT PEANUT BUTTER and ANYTHING WITH ANY SUGAR), that I could try it... so I made up a cheese-stuffed sirloin burger for dinner, ate about 1/4 of it (about an ounce) and it was wonderful!!! No problems at all!
   — Kelly B.

August 26, 2003
My surgeon allowed pureed meat at about 2 weeks out. At 4 weeks, we could have small, tender bites of any meat we could tolerate. He did say that red meat was usually not tolerated well. I can handle any meat okay as long as it is tender and moist. Early out, I would cook lean ground beef, chopped very fine, then add it to beef broth. (I love the Swanson's broth in the box...much tastier and nearly fat free.) I would eat this like soup, and it went down easily and was well tolerated. I'm 11 weeks out now, down 55 pounds, and can eat almost anything I want (except bread...geesh, that's a killer to me). I still eat my meat moist. My doctor also recommends at least 2 servings of complex carbs daily....we need these for a well balanced diet. Good luck!
   — Linda S.

August 27, 2003
Debbie R, my apologies that your surgeon is setting you up for failure. This is way too unrealistic a post-op eating plan and I am one who was extremely low to no carb for the 1st 4-1/2 months. I am now almost 7 months and still am not at 75% of my total weight to lose. I'm at about 67%, which is still a lot of loss. Most people would not hit that 75% for 9-12 months. That is too long for someone to live with NO carbs. However, he may be referring to only refined carbs and sugar. He may not classify veggies and fruit as carbs, as some surgeons don't. That would make a huge difference, then I would say it's much more possible. I still eat quite low carb most meals but have actually found that since I have increased my carbs to 25-40 for the day I lost more weight, after sitting for a few weeks. Most of my carbs come from veggies and fruits though. A very small percentage is from sugar and almost zilch is from refined carbs. <p>I think it will become necessary over time to find some balance, otherwise who knows what kind of carb maniac you might be after being deprived for so long. I'm sure his goal is to 100% break the hold carbs have on you but I was able to accomplish it in the 4-1/2 months I stayed extremely low to no carb. Some carbs as part of a daily meal plan is normal and the goal here is t develop a normal eating life for the first time in our lives. <p>Go for his plan and stick it out as long as you can, but do not get down on yourself if say at 3-6 months out you feel the need to eat a little veggies or fruit here or there. He may also say this to see who sticks around and is really committed to the post-op life. I hope that's the case and his plan is something more reasonable.
   — zoedogcbr

Click Here to Return